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diff --git a/old/65965-0.txt b/old/65965-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 9567e13..0000000 --- a/old/65965-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8151 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Jade Story Book; Stories from the -Orient, by Penrhyn Wingfield Coussens - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Jade Story Book; Stories from the Orient - -Author: Penrhyn Wingfield Coussens - -Illustrator: Dugald Stewart Walker - -Release Date: July 31, 2021 [eBook #65965] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive/American - Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JADE STORY BOOK; STORIES FROM -THE ORIENT *** - - - - - The Jewel Series - - THE DIAMOND STORY BOOK. Compiled by PENRHYN W. - COUSSENS. Illustrations in color by Ethel - Green. - - THE EMERALD STORY BOOK. _Stories of Spring, - Nature, and Easter._ By ADA and ELEANOR - SKINNER. Frontispiece in color by Maxfield - Parrish. - - THE RUBY STORY BOOK. _Tales of Courage and - Heroism._ Retold by PENRHYN W. COUSSENS. - Frontispiece in color by Maxfield Parrish. - - THE SAPPHIRE STORY BOOK. _Tales of the Sea._ - Collected and retold by PENRHYN W. - COUSSENS. Frontispiece in color by - Maxfield Parrish. - - THE TOPAZ STORY BOOK. _Stories and Legends of - Autumn, Hallowe’en, and Thanksgiving._ - Compiled by ADA M. and ELEANOR L. SKINNER. - Frontispiece in color by Maxfield Parrish. - - THE TURQUOISE STORY BOOK. _Stories and Legends - of Summer and Nature._ By ADA M. and - ELEANOR L. SKINNER. Frontispiece in color - by Maxfield Parrish. - - THE PEARL STORY BOOK. _Stories and Legends of - Winter, Christmas and New Year’s Day._ - Compiled by ADA M. and ELEANOR L. SKINNER. - Frontispiece in color by Maxfield Parrish. - - THE GARNET STORY BOOK. _Tales of Cheer both - Old and New._ Compiled by ADA M. and - ELEANOR L. SKINNER. Frontispiece in color - by Dugald S. Walker. - - THE JADE STORY BOOK. _Stories from the - Orient._ Compiled by PENRHYN W. COUSSENS. - Frontispiece in color by Dugald Stewart - Walker. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -[Illustration: _Drawn by Dugald Stewart Walker_] - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE - JADE STORY BOOK - - _Stories from the Orient_ - - BY - - PENRHYN W. COUSSENS - - _Author of “The Diamond Story Book,” “The Ruby Story Book,” “The - Sapphire Story Book.” Editor of “One Thousand Books for Children,” - “A Child’s Book of Stories,” “Poems Children Love,” etc._ - - FRONTISPIECE BY - DUGALD STEWART WALKER - - [Illustration] - - NEW YORK - DUFFIELD AND COMPANY - 1922 - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - Copyright, 1922, by - DUFFIELD & COMPANY - - - Printed in the United States of America - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - TO MY - - DEAREST PAL - - MY WIFE - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CONTENTS - - _Arranged Alphabetically_ - - - PAGE - - PREFACE ix - - ADVENTURES OF JUAN, THE _Tagalog_ 298 - - CRANE AND THE CRAB, THE _India_ 111 - - DYED JACKAL, THE _India_ 244 - - EMPRESS JANQWI AND THE MAGICIANS _China_ 260 - - FAITHFUL RAJPOOT, THE _India_ 16 - - FEAST OF THE LANTERNS, THE _China_ 303 - - FOUR FRIENDS, THE _Persia_ 292 - - FOX AND THE CRAFTY CRAB, THE _China_ 67 - - HE WISHED TO LIVE FOREVER _Japan_ 102 - - HOW THE BIRDS SAVED THE EMPEROR’S LIFE _China_ 3 - - IN UNION IS STRENGTH _China_ 323 - - INGRATITUDE _India_ 70 - - JACKAL, DEER AND THE CROW, THE _India_ 89 - - LION AND THE HARE, THE _India_ 116 - - LUMAWIG ON EARTH _Igorot_ 316 - - MR. SIN, THE CARP _China_ 206 - - MYSTERIOUS GARDEN, THE _India_ 357 - - PAPER BAG, THE _Japan_ 77 - - PESTLE AND MORTAR OF JADE, THE _China_ 338 - - PIGEON-KING AND MOUSE-KING _India_ 98 - - PRINCE AHMED _Persia_ 141 - - PRINCE VARNA _Persia_ 250 - - PRINCE ZEYN ALASNAM AND THE SULTAN OF THE GENII _Persia_ 218 - - PRINCESS MOONLIGHT _Japan_ 52 - - PUNCHKIN _India_ 30 - - RASALU, THE FAKIR AND THE GIANTS _India_ 365 - - RAJAH RASALU _India_ 271 - - ROSAMOND, THE SWIFT OF FOOT _Oriental_ 84 - - STORY OF BANTUGAN, THE _Moro_ 326 - - STORY OF CALIPH STORK, THE _Oriental_ 119 - - TALE OF TWO MERCHANTS, THE _Persia_ 23 - - WHY DOGS WAG THEIR TAILS _Visayan_ 247 - - WIDOW’S SON, THE _Mindanao_ 198 - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - PREFACE - - -“The Jade Story Book” contains tales gathered from the folklore of Far -Eastern countries—India, China, Japan, the Philippine Islands and -Persia. Most of those from India are adapted from “The Hitopadesa,” -which is also known as “The Book of Good Counsels,” and “The Criterion -of Wisdom.” It may also be called “The Father of All Fables.” - -These Fables were originally compiled in Sanscrit, and later, many -centuries later, (about the year 600 A. D.), they were rendered into -Persic. About two hundred and fifty years afterwards they were -translated into the Arabic, Hebrew and Greek languages. They are perhaps -best known in India today under the title of “Anvari Suhaili.” The -translation from which these particular stories are adapted is that from -the original Sanscrit made by Sir Edwin Arnold. - -The Igorot, Tagalog, Visayan, Mindanao and Moro stories are used by kind -permission of A. C. McClurg & Co., publishers of “Philippine Folk -Tales,” edited by Mabel Cook Cole. - -Several of the Persian stories are taken from “The Arabian Nights” and -others, from Persia, India, China and Japan, are adapted from various -sources, not least of which is “Gesta Romanorum.” One of them, “The -Story of Caliph Stork,” is from the collection by Wilhelm Hauff. - -The author has on other occasions seized the opportunity to emphasize -the fact that fairy tales and fables are really necessary to the child, -who, without them, is being defrauded of that which belongs to him. They -stimulate the youthful imagination and provide a good foundation for the -further development of the mind. - -Most fairy stories not only amuse, but their unfolding shows the child -that good invariably triumphs over evil, and the moral is that one who -is kind, polite, generous, unselfish and brave wins in the end. Surely -this is worth while. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE JADE STORY BOOK - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - HOW THE BIRDS SAVED THE EMPEROR’S LIFE - - -There was once an Emperor of China whose palace was the most wonderful -in the world, being built entirely of priceless porcelain. In the garden -were the most beautiful flowers, on some of which were little golden -bells which tinkled in the wind so that you could not help looking at -them. - -It was a really wonderful garden, and so large that even the Head -Gardener himself did not know where it ended. If you should reach the -end of the garden you would come to a magnificent forest in which were -great trees and deep lakes. The banks sloped down to the water, which -was as clear as crystal. Overhanging the lakes were the boughs of some -of the trees, which were so large that ships could sail beneath them. In -one of these trees there lived a Nightingale which sang so beautifully -that a poor fisherman, who had a great deal to do, even stopped his work -to listen to the bird singing. “How beautiful it is!” he said, but he -had to attend to his duties and then forgot about the bird. But each -night it was the same; the fisherman could not resist the temptation and -he left his work to listen to the bird. - -The Emperor’s palace and garden were so magnificent that many travelers -from foreign countries wrote books describing their beauty; but every -scholar who wrote said that the finest thing of all was the singing of -this Nightingale. - -These books were read by many people all over the world, and at last -some of them reached the Emperor, who sat in his chair of solid jade and -read and read and read. He was very much pleased that so many people who -were scholars should write so much about his palace and garden, but he -was surprised to find that in each book the Nightingale was spoken of as -the finest and most wonderful thing of all. - -“It is very strange,” said the Emperor, “I’ve never heard this -Nightingale and it does seem unusual that I should know about it for the -first time from reading books written by travellers.” - -He called his First Lord to him and said, “In all of these books there -is mention of a very remarkable bird which is called ‘The Nightingale.’ -The writers all say that it is the most glorious thing in my kingdom. -How is it that no one has ever told me about it?” - -“Why, I don’t know anything about it myself,” said the First Lord, “but -I will go and find it.” - -The First Lord didn’t know where it was, so he ran all over the palace -and asked everybody there, but none of them had ever heard of the -Nightingale. Then he returned to the Emperor and said it must be an -invention of those who had written the books. - -“Your Royal Highness must know that not all that is written is true, and -that much of it is invented,” said he. - -“But the last book I read,” said the Emperor, “was sent to me by the -great ruler of Japan, so that it must be true, and I insist upon your -bringing the Nightingale here this evening; if you do not, every one in -this palace shall be trampled under foot.” - -“All right, your Majesty,” said the First Lord; and he ran up and down -the stairs, through halls and corridors, and as he told the people what -would happen to them if the Nightingale were not brought there that -evening they all followed him, because they had no wish to be trampled -under foot, and all were most curious to know about this wonderful -Nightingale which it seemed that everybody in the world knew about -except those who lived in the palace. - -At last they met a poor little girl in the kitchen who said, “Why, I -know the Nightingale, and I have often heard her sing. Every night when -I go home to my Mother I am so tired that I sit and rest for a little -while in the wood, and then I hear the Nightingale sing, and it is so -wonderful that it always brings tears to my eyes.” - -“Then,” said the First Lord, “little kitchen maid, if you can lead us to -this Nightingale you shall have leave to see the Emperor at dinner this -evening, for she is invited by His Majesty to come and sing to him.” -Then they all went into the garden where the Nightingale lived, and on -the way they heard the mooing of a cow. - -“Oh, this must be the Nightingale! How wonderful that such a little bird -has such a tremendous voice!” said they. - -“That is not a bird singing, that is a cow mooing,” said the little -kitchen maid. “We have a long way to go yet.” - -A little farther on they heard some frogs croaking in the marsh. The -Chinese Chaplain was with them and he said, “How sublime! That is just -like the ringing of a church bell.” - -“Why,” said the little kitchen maid, “those are frogs croaking, but very -soon we shall hear her.” - -Just then the Nightingale began to sing. - -“Hark!” cried the little girl. “Listen!” and pointing to a little bird -sitting up in the branches, said, “There she is.” - -“It doesn’t seem possible that so very common looking a bird as that can -sing,” said the First Lord. “It must be that she has lost her brilliant -plumage because there are so many distinguished people here.” - -Then the little kitchen maid called out, “Little Nightingale, our -gracious Emperor invites you to sing before him this evening!” - -“It will give me great pleasure to do so,” said the Nightingale; and -then she began to sing so gloriously that they were all entranced. The -First Lord said, “I have never heard anything so beautiful before. His -Majesty will be delighted.” - -The Nightingale, thinking the First Lord was the Emperor, said, “Shall I -sing again for your Majesty?” - -“My dear little bird,” said the First Lord, “His Most Gracious Highness -has sent me to invite you to his palace this evening so that he may -listen to your charming song.” - -“It’s much better out here in the forest,” replied the Nightingale, but -when she heard that the Emperor wished her to go to the palace, she -gladly offered to go with them. - -At the palace everything was splendidly prepared. The many lights made -the porcelain walls and floors glitter, and the gorgeous tinkling -flowers helped to make the place look very beautiful. The people moving -back and forth caused the little golden bells to tinkle all the time. In -the center of the great hall, in which was the Emperor’s throne, was a -golden perch, put there for the Nightingale. The whole court was -present, and the little kitchen maid, who had shown the First Lord where -the bird could be found, was allowed to stand behind the door where she -could see and hear everything. All were dressed in their best clothes -and everyone looked toward the little bird, whom the Emperor requested -to commence singing. - -And how the Nightingale did sing! Very soon the tears came into the -Emperor’s eyes and ran down his cheeks. At this the Nightingale sang -even more beautifully, and the heart of everyone was touched. The -Emperor was so delighted that he said she should wear the golden -necklace around her neck, but the Nightingale said that she had already -received a sufficient reward, for she had brought tears to the eyes of -the Emperor. - -Even the servants, who were always most difficult to please, said that -they were greatly touched. This in itself proved how successful was the -Nightingale’s concert. - -The Emperor requested her to stay at the court, and he gave her a large -golden cage and allowed her to go out twice every day. He provided her -with twelve servants, each of whom held a silken string which was -fastened to her leg, and you may be sure that she found but little -pleasure flying about, hampered in this way. - -Very soon everyone in the city was talking about the wonderful bird, and -even the tradesmen’s children were all named after her, although none of -them could sing a note. - -Some time after this the Emperor received a large parcel on which was -written “The Nightingale.” - -“This must be another book about our famous bird,” said the Emperor. - -But he was mistaken, for it was a mechanical toy, an artificial -Nightingale which looked something like a real bird but was covered with -jewels. When it was wound up it could sing the piece the real bird sang, -and moved its tail up and down. Around its neck was a collar on which -was written: “The Nightingale of the Emperor of Japan cannot be compared -with that of the Emperor of China.” - -“How wonderful!” said everyone, and the man who had brought the -clock-work bird was given the title of “Bringer of the Imperial First -Nightingale.” - -They sang together, but it did not sound well, for the real Nightingale -sang her own song, and the clock-work bird sang waltzes. - -“It isn’t its fault!” said the bandmaster. “It keeps very good time and -is quite after my style.” - -Then the artificial bird had to sing alone. It was very pleasant to -listen to, and it was also pretty to look at, as the jewels with which -it was covered sparkled so. It sang the same piece many times without -becoming tired, and then the Emperor thought that the real Nightingale -should sing again. But she was not to be found; the window was open and -without anybody seeing her go, she had flown away to her beloved forest. - -The Emperor was very angry when it was discovered that the real bird had -gone away, and everyone agreed that it was a very ungracious thing for -her to have done. But they all said that the bird sent by the Japanese -ruler was the better of the two, and especially did the bandmaster -praise it. He said that one knew just what to expect from the artificial -bird, but the real one would sing the most unusual tunes. The bird they -had now could be opened, and the inside shown and explained, but if this -were done to the other it would die. - -Everyone agreed that what the bandmaster said was correct, and the -Emperor commanded that all the people of the city should be allowed to -listen to the bird’s beautiful music on a certain day of the following -week. - -So on the day appointed the bandmaster showed the jeweled bird to the -people, and after they had heard it sing everyone said that its music -was wonderful, that is all but the poor fisherman who had heard the real -one, and he said: “This one looks very pretty and is quite pleasant to -listen to, but its singing does not compare with that of the other.” - -The Emperor banished the real bird from the kingdom, and the artificial -one was put on a golden perch by the side of his bed, and was given the -title of Imperial Nightsinger. - -Several months passed away when one evening, as the Emperor lay in bed -listening to it, something inside snapped, and the music stopped. The -Royal Physician was summoned, but could do nothing. Then the Royal -Clockmaker was called, and after examining it very carefully he took out -the works, which he found to be almost worn out. It took him quite a -long time to put these back again, but at last he got it into something -like order, although he said it must not be used more than once a year, -and then only for a very short time. - -Some time after this the Emperor became very ill, and as the physicians -said that he could not live for more than a few days, his successor was -chosen. - -The poor Emperor lay all alone in his great bed, and as everyone -believed him to be dead the courtiers left him to pay their respects to -the new ruler. But he was only in a trance, and when he came out of this -he felt very lonely indeed, for there was no one to speak to him. He -turned his head and saw the artificial bird by his bedside. A great -longing for music came over him, and he cried: “Sing, golden bird! -Please sing!” - -But there was no one to wind it up, and he was too weak to do this -himself. It was so quiet, and he felt so terribly lonely and sad that he -was sure he was going to die. - -Suddenly there came through the open window the sound of such beautiful -music that new life came to the sick man. He raised his head, and saw, -sitting upon the bough of a large tree, the real bird whom he had -banished from his kingdom. - -“What divine singing!” said the Emperor. “You have given me new life in -return for my unkindness in banishing you from my kingdom. What can I do -to reward you?” - -“I need no more reward than the sight of the tears which came to your -eyes when I first sang to you,” said the Nightingale. “That is something -which I can never forget. But now you must sleep, and to-morrow, when -you will feel much stronger, I can promise you such music as you would -not believe possible.” The Emperor smiled happily, and fell at once into -a deep, calm sleep. - -He was awakened in the morning by the sun, which was shining brightly. -So much better did he feel that he was able to get out of bed and walk -to the open window, and there his eyes beheld a wonderful sight. - -Upon every bough of the tree in front of him were perched many birds, -and in the center of them sat the poor fisherman, who held to his lips a -reed instrument. On seeing the Emperor at the window he gave a sign, and -there came forth from the throats of the assembled birds such a glorious -burst of melody that tears of thankfulness flowed from the Emperor’s -eyes; he could scarcely believe that such wonderful music was possible. - -No longer was he a sick man. The bird chorus had brought back to him the -health and strength which all the doctors, with their medicines, had not -been able to do. In his gratitude to the birds he gave them the tree for -their very own, and the poor fisherman he appointed bandmaster-in-chief. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE FAITHFUL RAJPOOT - - -One morning a soldier presented himself at King Sudraka’s palace gate, -and asked the porter to secure an audience for him. - -Having gained admittance to the King’s presence, he bowed and said: - -“Your Highness, I am Vira-vara, a Rajpoot, who seeks employment.” - -“What pay do you ask?” inquired the King. - -“Fifty pieces of gold a day,” replied the soldier. - -“And what will you do in return for so much money?” said the King. - -“I have two strong arms, and this sabre, which shall be devoted to your -Majesty’s service,” answered the Rajpoot. - -“You ask too much,” said the King, “and I am afraid I cannot retain you, -but I will confer with my Ministers about you.” - -Then the King spoke to his Ministers, who agreed that the stipend asked -was very large, but advised that he be given four days’ pay, and to see -what the soldier should do to earn it. So this was done. - -The King watched very closely to see how Vira-vara spent his pay, and -found that half of it went towards the support of the Temple, a fourth -was devoted to relieving the poor, and the remaining fourth only did he -reserve for his own sustenance. This division he made at the beginning -of each day, and then he would stand on guard with his sabre at the -palace gate, from whence he would retire only upon receiving the royal -permission. - -One very, very dark night King Sudraka thought he heard the sound of -someone outside the palace gate sobbing as though stricken with deepest -grief. He called for his guard, and Vira-vara at once appeared. - -“Did you hear a sound of weeping?” asked the King. - -“I thought I did, your Majesty,” replied the Rajpoot. - -“Then go and find out the cause,” said the King. - -The soldier at once departed on his mission, but as soon as he had gone -the King repented him of sending him out alone into a night so dark that -a hole might be pierced in it with a needle, so he took his scimitar, -and followed his guard beyond the city gates. - -Vira-vara had not gone far when he almost stumbled over a woman who was -weeping bitterly. By the dim light of a torch, which he had hurriedly -picked up after leaving the King’s presence, he could see that she was a -very beautiful and splendidly dressed lady. - -“Why do you thus lament?” asked he. - -“I am the Fortune of the King Sudraka,” answered she. “For a long while -I lived happily in the shadow of his arm, but on the third day he will -die, and therefore do I shed these bitter tears.” - -“Can anything be done, dear lady, that will prolong your stay here?” -asked the Rajpoot. - -“Only one thing,” replied the Spirit, “but that I do not like to tell -you.” - -“Tell me what it is, and I swear to do it, out of loyalty to my kind -Master,” said the faithful guard. - -“Then,” said the Spirit Lady, “if you will cut off the head of your -firstborn son, who has on his body the marks of greatness, and offer his -head as a sacrifice to the all-helpful Goddess Durga, then shall I -continue to be the guardian angel of the Rajah, even though he should -live another hundred years.” - -Having said this, she disappeared, and Vira-vara went to his own house -and awoke his wife and son. - -These two listened attentively while he repeated to them the words of -the vision and then the son said: “I feel honored in that I may be the -means of saving the King’s life; kill me quickly, for it is well that I -can give my life to such a good cause.” - -To this the Mother agreed, saying, “It is well, and worthy of our blood; -how else should we deserve the King’s pay?” - -Then they went to the temple of the Goddess Durga, and having paid their -devotions and asked the favor of the deity on behalf of the King, -Vira-vara struck off the head of his son, and laid it as an offering -upon the shrine. - -But the task had been too great for the Rajpoot. “Life without my boy is -something I cannot bear to think of,” said he; “my service to the King -is now ended.” Thereupon he plunged his sword into his own breast, and -fell dead. - -The sight of her husband and son, both lying dead at her feet, was too -much for the grief-stricken mother, so she seized the blood-stained -weapon, and with it slew herself. - -Now all this was seen and heard by King Sudraka, who was just entering -the gate of the temple, but so quickly did it happen, that he was unable -to stop it. He hastened to where the bodies lay, and exclaimed: “Woe is -me!” - - Kings may come, and kings may go; - What was I to bring these low? - Souls so noble, slain for me, - Were not, and will never be! - -Sorrowful indeed was he as he gazed upon the remains of his three -faithful subjects. “Having lost these,” he said, “what do I care for -myself or my kingdom.” Then he drew his scimitar, intending to take his -own life. - -But at that moment there appeared to him the Goddess, who is mistress of -all men’s fortunes. She stayed his uplifted hand, and said: - -“Son, forbear, do not this rash deed; think of your kingdom.” - -The Rajah prostrated himself before her, and cried: “O Goddess! I am -finished with life and wealth and country! Have pity on me, and let my -death restore these faithful ones to life; I must follow in their path.” - -“Your affection finds favor in my sight, and is pleasing to me, Son,” -said the Goddess. “As a reward the Rajpoot, his wife and son shall be -restored to life, and many years shall they live in your service.” - -With this assurance the King returned to his palace, and very soon he -saw Vira-vara return and take up his station at the palace gate. - -The Rajah sent for him and asked if he had discovered the cause of the -weeping. - -Now: - - He is brave whose tongue is silent on the trophies of his sword; - He is great whose quiet bearing marks his greatness well assured. - -So the Rajpoot merely said: “It was a woman weeping, your Highness, and -she disappeared on my approach.” - -The next day the King summoned his ministers and told them all that had -happened, and he made the faithful guard his Grand Vizir. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE TALE OF TWO MERCHANTS OF EGYPT AND BAGDAD - - -Once upon a time there were two wealthy merchants, one of whom lived in -Egypt and the other in Bagdad. Although they had never yet seen one -another they had transacted much business together by means of -messengers, who passed frequently between them. Both were men of honor -and good repute, and each came to think of the other as a real friend. -If anything unusual should happen in the land of Egypt, the merchant of -that country would send word of it to the other in Bagdad, who, in like -manner, would in turn send news of events in his own land. So, without -either of them having seen the other, much kindness was shown on both -sides. - -One night, as the merchant of Bagdad lay upon his bed, he said to -himself: “My correspondent in Egypt has shown much friendship toward me, -and as I have never seen him I will pay him a visit.” So he hired a ship -and went to Egypt, where his friend met him, and received him with great -pleasure. - -At the house of the Egyptian the merchant of Bagdad met a girl of -wondrous beauty, and so smitten was he with her charms that he fell sick -and pined away. - -“My friend,” said the other, “What is the matter with you that you -neither eat nor drink?” - -“There is a woman of your household upon whom my heart has fixed -itself,” returned his comrade, “and unless I may marry her, I shall -die.” Thereupon the Egyptian summoned all the household before him, save -only the girl in question, but the man from Bagdad said: “I care little -for any of these; she whom I love is not among them.” Then this girl was -brought before him, and he said that to her alone must he owe his life. - -“My friend,” said the other, “I brought up this girl with the intention -of making her my wife, and through her I shall obtain much wealth. But, -so great is my friendship for you that I give her to you with all the -riches which would have fallen to my share.” - -So the sick merchant, overjoyed at his good fortune, received both the -lady and her wealth, and returned with her to Bagdad. - -After a while ill-fortune came to the merchant of Egypt, and he was -without home or money. Then said he: “I will go to my friend of Bagdad, -from whom I am sure to receive aid.” - -So he went to Bagdad, and as he reached that city during the night, he -did not like to awaken his friend, thinking that, poorly dressed, -desolate and destitute as he was, he might not know him, so he decided -to wait until the next day. Happening to look toward a burial-ground, he -saw that the doors of the mosque there were open, so here he determined -to remain for the night. - -He had not been in the mosque long before two men entered. They were -quarrelling, and soon began to fight, and in the end one killed the -other, and fled. - -The alarm was spread, and went through the whole city. “Where is the -murderer?” was the general cry. - -The thought came to the Egyptian that to die would bring an end to his -troubles, and so he said to the searchers: “I am he.” Then they laid -hands on him, and led him away to prison. In the morning he was taken -before the judge, who sentenced him to death. - -Now among those who went to witness the execution was the merchant whom -he had befriended, and who knew him at once. He was horrified at the sad -plight of his friend. - -“What!” cried he, “Shall he be done to death while I live?” Then he -raised his voice and shouted: “Hold! Do not destroy an innocent man. I -am the murderer, and not he.” - -He was at once arrested, and both were taken to the place of execution. -The sentence was about to be carried out when there came another -interruption, this time from the real murderer, who happened to be -present. - -Seeing these two men about to die for a crime which he had committed, he -was filled with remorse. He said to himself: “I will not permit innocent -blood to be shed; if I do, the vengeance of God will sooner or later -overtake me, and it is better to suffer a short pain in this world than -to be in everlasting torment in the next.” - -So he cried out, “Slay not the guiltless, for neither of these men has -done murder. I only am the criminal; let them go.” - -The people were filled with amazement, and the three men were at once -taken to the judge, who was much astonished at this unusual occurrence. -The matter was explained to him, and then, addressing the Egyptian, he -said: - -“Friend, why did you confess yourself the murderer?” - -“My lord,” answered he, “I will tell you the reason. In my own land I -was, until recently, a man of wealth, and had all that riches could buy, -but through no fault of mine I lost all this, and am now destitute. I -was ashamed at my condition, and saw, in this confession, an end to my -misfortunes. I am willing to die, and beseech you to order my death.” - -The judge then turned to the merchant of Bagdad and said: “And you, my -friend; why did you acknowledge yourself to be the murderer?” - -The merchant replied: “My lord, this man is my benefactor. I have -enjoyed his hospitality, and while at his home he bestowed upon me a -wife, whom he had educated for his own, and who possessed great wealth. -When, therefore, I saw my friend being led to his death, I proclaimed -myself the murderer, hoping thus to take his place. For his love I would -willingly perish.” - -It was now the turn of the third man, who was the real criminal. The -judge asked him what he had to say for himself, and he answered: - -“When I confessed, I told the truth. The burden which would have been -mine had I allowed these two innocent men to suffer death for a crime -that was my own would have been too heavy for me to bear, and I -preferred to pay the penalty.” - -For some time the judge considered the stories of the three men, then he -said to the last one to speak: - -“As you have declared the truth and thereby saved the lives of two -innocent men, I pardon you. Study to amend your future life, and go in -peace.” - -The decision of the judge was praised by all the people, who were quick -to acknowledge the generosity of the merchant who would have given his -life to save his friend, and the honorable manner in which the guilty -person had rescued from death the two who were innocent. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - PUNCHKIN - - -Once upon a time there was a Rajah who had seven daughters. They were -all good, beautiful and clever girls, but especially so was the -youngest, whose name was Balna. The Rajah’s wife died when they were -very little children, so these seven Princesses grew up without having a -loving mother to watch over and care for them. - -As soon as they were old enough, the Rajah’s daughters took turns every -day to cook their father’s dinner, while he was busily engaged with his -ministers in directing the affairs of his country. - -About this time the Prime Minister died, leaving a widow and one -daughter, and every day, when the Princesses were getting the Rajah’s -dinner ready, the widow and her daughter would come and beg for some -fire from the hearth. Balna would say to her sisters: “Let us send that -woman away; why does she want our fire, when she has her own house? If -we continue to allow her to come here, we shall some day be sorry for -it.” - -But the other sisters rebuked her, and so the widow continued to take -some fire from the hearth, but while no one was looking, she would throw -some mud into the dishes which were being prepared for the Rajah’s -dinner. - -One of the reasons that the daughters always prepared the food for their -father was that there should be no danger of his being poisoned by his -enemies, so when he found the mud mixed with his dinner he thought it -was because they were careless; he knew they would not do such a thing -on purpose. He loved them all very much, and hadn’t the heart to reprove -them, even though his meals were spoiled for several days. - -This happened so often that it puzzled him, and so he made up his mind -one day to hide, and watch his daughters cooking; so, going into the -room next to the kitchen, he saw everything through a hole in the wall. - -His daughters carefully washed the rice and prepared the curry, and when -these were ready, they put each dish on the fire. Very soon the widow -came to the door, and begged for a few sticks from the fire with which -to cook her own dinner. Balna was angry with her, as usual, and said: -“Why don’t you keep fuel in your own house, instead of coming here every -day and taking ours? Sisters, don’t give her any more wood; let her use -her own.” - -But the others said: “The poor woman is doing us no harm, so let her -take a little wood and fire.” Balna replied, “Perhaps some day she will -do us harm, and then we shall all be sorry for it.” - -Then the Rajah saw the Prime Minister’s widow go to the hearth, and as -she took the wood, throw some mud into each of the dishes. - -This made him very angry, and he ordered that the woman be brought -before him. - -This was done, but the widow spoke to him so very cleverly, saying that -she had done this thing only that she might gain an audience with him, -and so cunningly did she speak that she actually pleased him well with -her words, and instead of punishing her, the Rajah married her; so she -and her daughter came to the palace to live. - -The new Ranee hated the seven poor Princesses, and wanted to get rid of -them, so that her daughter might have all their riches. She was very -unkind to them, and made them as miserable as she could, giving them -only bread to eat and water to drink, and very little of either. This -was very hard for the seven poor Princesses, who had always been used to -the best of everything, and each day they would sit by their dead -mother’s tomb, and say: - -“Oh, mother, cannot you see how unhappy and miserable your poor children -are, and how our cruel stepmother is starving us?” - -One day, while they were thus engaged, a beautiful pomelo tree grew up -out of the grave, covered with fresh ripe pomelos, and the children -certainly enjoyed the delicious fruit. And each day after this, instead -of eating the poor food their stepmother provided for them, they would -go to their mother’s grave and eat the pomelos which grew there on the -tree. - -The stepmother was astonished that the seven girls should eat nothing -and yet be well, so she told her daughter to watch them. - -Next day the Prime Minister’s daughter followed them, and saw the -Princesses gather and eat the pomelos. - -Balna saw the girl watching them, and said to her sisters: “Let us drive -that girl away, or else she will tell her mother all about it, and then -we shall be worse off than ever.” - -But they said: “Do not be unkind, Balna. The girl would never be so -cruel as to tell her mother. Let us instead ask her to come and have -some of the fruit.” So they called to her, and gave her some of the -pomelos. - -As soon as she could, however, she left the Princesses, and went to her -mother, and told her all about the pomelo tree. She said she had eaten -some, and they were the nicest she had ever tasted. - -This made the cruel Ranee very angry, and the next day she told the -Rajah that she had a very bad headache, and would have to stay in bed. - -The Rajah was much upset, and asked what he could do for her. - -She replied that there was only one thing that would cure her, and that -was to boil a fine pomelo tree, root and branch, that grew on his dead -wife’s grave, and to put some of the water in which it had been boiled -on her forehead. So the Raja did as the Ranee desired, and then she -declared that she was quite well. - -Next day the Princesses went as usual to their mother’s grave, and when -they found that the pomelo tree had disappeared, they wept bitterly. - -As they sat there crying they saw by the tomb a small tank filled with a -rich cream-like substance, which hardened into a thick white cake. They -ate some of this, and liked it. Next day the same thing happened, and so -it went on for many days. - -The cruel stepmother said to her daughter: “I don’t understand this; I -have had the pomelo tree destroyed, and yet the Princesses are as well -as ever, although they never eat the dinner I give them. You must watch -them again.” - -Next day, while the Princesses were eating the cream-cake, along came -their stepmother’s daughter. Balna saw her first, and said: “Here comes -that girl again. Let us sit around the edge of the tank and not allow -her to see it, for if we give her some of the cake she will go and tell -her mother, and that will be very unfortunate for us.” - -But instead of following her advice the other sisters gave the girl some -of the cake, and she went straight home and told her mother all about -it. - -This made the Ranee more angry than before, and she sent her servants to -pull down the tomb and fill the little tank with the ruins. The next day -she pretended to be very ill indeed, and told the rajah that she was at -the point of death. - -This grieved him greatly, and he asked her if there were any remedy he -could get for her. She replied that only one thing could save her life, -but this she knew he would not do. He said that whatever it was, he -would do it. - -Then she told him that if he would save her life, he must kill his seven -daughters, and put some of their blood on her forehead and on the palms -of her hands; that their death would be her life. - -This made the Rajah very sad, but he had promised, and feared to break -his word, so with a heavy heart he went to seek his daughters, whom he -found crying by the ruins of their mother’s grave. - -Knowing that he could not kill them he spoke kindly to them, and told -them to come out into the jungle with him. There he made a fire, and -cooked some rice, which they ate. - -It was a hot afternoon and all the Princesses fell asleep, and then the -Rajah stole away and left them, saying to himself, “It is better that my -poor daughters die here rather than be killed by their stepmother.” - -Then he shot a deer, and returning home, put some of its blood on the -forehead and hands of the Ranee, who thought that he had really killed -his daughters, and said she felt quite well. - -When the seven Princesses awoke and found themselves all alone in the -thick jungle, they were frightened, and called out as loud as they -could, hoping to make their father hear; but he was too far away by that -time. - -It so happened that this very day the seven young sons of a neighboring -Rajah chanced to be hunting in the same jungle, and as they were -returning home, after the day’s sport was over, the youngest Prince said -to his brothers: “Stop, I think I hear someone crying and calling out. -Let us go in the direction of the sound, and find out what it is.” - -So the seven Princes rode through the wood until they came to the place -where the seven Princesses sat crying and wringing their hands. At the -sight of them the young Princes were very much astonished, and still -more so on learning their story. They then decided that each should take -one of the unfortunate young ladies home with him and marry her. - -The eldest Prince took the eldest Princess home with him and married -her. - -The second took the second; the third took the third; the fourth took -the fourth; the fifth took the fifth; the sixth took the sixth, and the -seventh, the handsomest of all the Princes, took the beautiful and -clever Balna. - -There was great rejoicing throughout the kingdom when the seven young -Princes married the seven beautiful Princesses. - -About a year later Balna had a little son, and his uncles and aunts were -so fond of him that he was in great danger of being spoiled. None of the -other Princesses had any children, so Balna’s son was acknowledged their -heir by all of them. - -They lived very happily for some time, when one day Balna’s husband -decided to go out hunting, and away he went. They waited a long time for -his return, but he never came back. - -His six brothers went in search of him, but none of them returned. And -the seven Princesses grieved greatly, for they feared that their kind -husbands had been killed. - -One day, not long after this, as Balna was rocking her baby’s cradle, -and whilst her sisters were working in the room below, there came to the -palace door a man in a long black cloak, who said he was a Fakir, and -had come to beg. The servants would not let him enter the palace, saying -that the Rajah’s sons had all gone away, and they feared that they were -dead, and their widows must not be interrupted by his begging. But he -said, “I am a holy man and you must let me in.” Then the stupid servants -let him walk through the palace; they did not know that he was no Fakir, -but a wicked Magician named Punchkin. - -He wandered through the palace, looking at the beautiful things there, -and at length reached the room where Balna sat singing to her little -boy. The Magician thought her more beautiful than all the other -beautiful things he had seen, and he asked her to go home with him and -to marry him. But she said: “I fear my husband is dead, but my little -boy is still very young; I will stay here and teach him to grow up to be -a clever man, and when he is old enough he shall go out into the world -and seek news of his father. Heaven forbid that I should ever leave him, -or marry you.” - -This made the Magician very angry, so he turned her into a little black -dog, and led her away, saying, “Since you will not come with me of your -own free will, I will make you.” So the poor Princess was dragged away, -unable to escape or to let her sisters know what had become of her. - -As Punchkin went through the palace gate the servants asked him where he -got that pretty little dog, and he replied that one of the Princesses -had given it to him, so they allowed him to depart. - -Very soon the six elder Princesses heard their nephew cry, and when they -went upstairs were much surprised to find him all alone, and Balna -nowhere to be seen. They questioned the servants, and when they heard of -the Fakir and the little black dog they guessed what had happened and -sent in every direction, but neither the Fakir nor the dog was to be -found. They could do nothing, and gave up all hopes of ever seeing their -kind husbands and their sister and her husband again, and so devoted -themselves to the care and teaching of their little nephew. - -Time went on, and Balna’s son was fourteen years old. Then his aunts -told him the whole story. No sooner had he heard this than he was seized -with a great desire to go in search of his father and mother and uncles, -and if he could find them alive to bring them home again. On learning -his determination his aunts were much alarmed, saying, “We have lost our -husbands and our sister and her husband and you are now our only hope; -if you go away, what shall we do?” But he replied, “Do not be -discouraged; I will soon return, and if it is possible will bring my -mother and father and uncles with me.” So he set out on his travels, but -for several months could learn nothing that would help him in his -search. - -After journeying many hundreds of weary miles, and having become almost -hopeless of hearing anything further of his parents and uncles, he -reached a country that was full of rocks and stones and trees, and there -he saw a large palace with a high tower, near which was a Malee’s little -house. - -As he was looking about the Malee’s wife saw him, and ran out of the -house and said: “My dear boy, who are you that dare venture to this -dangerous place?” - -He answered, “I am a Rajah’s son, and I am in search of my father and -mother and my uncles, whom a wicked enchanter bewitched.” - -Then said the Malee’s wife: “This country and this palace belong to a -great Magician, who is all-powerful, and if anyone displeases him he -turns them into stones and trees. All the rocks and trees you see here -were once living people, and the enchanter turned them into what they -now are. Some time ago a Rajah’s son came here, and soon afterwards came -his six brothers, and all of them were turned into stones and trees; and -these are not the only unfortunate ones, for up in that tower lives a -beautiful Princess whom the Magician has kept prisoner there for twelve -years, because she hates him and will not marry him.” - -The young Prince said to himself, “At last I have found what I seek; -these must be my parents and uncles.” So he told his story to the -Malee’s wife, and begged her to help him. This she agreed to do, and -advised him to disguise himself, lest the Magician should see him and -turn him into stone. So she dressed him up in a saree, and pretended -that he was her daughter. - -One day, not long after this, as the Magician was walking in his garden -he saw a little girl (as he thought) playing about, and asked her who -she was. She told him she was the Malee’s daughter, and the Magician -said, “You are a very pretty little girl, and to-morrow you shall take a -present of flowers from me to the beautiful lady who lives in the -tower.” - -This delighted the young Prince, who went immediately to inform the -Malee’s wife. - -Now it happened that when Balna was married her husband had given her a -small gold ring on which her name was engraved, and she had put it on -her little son’s finger when he was a baby, and later on it was -enlarged, so that he was still able to wear it. The Malee’s wife advised -him to fasten this ring to the bouquet he was to present to his mother, -and she would surely recognize it. - -This the young Prince did the next day when he took the flowers to the -imprisoned Princess. Balna knew the ring at once, and believed the story -her son told her of his long search. She told him how the Magician had -kept her shut up in the tower for twelve long years because she refused -to marry him, and had kept her so closely guarded that there was no hope -of release. She begged him to advise her what to do, and at the same -time refused to allow him to endanger his own life by attempting to -rescue her. - -Balna’s son was a very clever boy, and he said: “Dear mother, have no -fear; the first thing to do is to find out how far the Magician’s power -extends, in order that we may be able to free my father and uncles. You -have been angry with him for twelve long years, now speak kindly to him. -Say that you have given up all hopes of seeing your husband again, and -that you are willing to marry him. Then try to find out where his power -lies, and if it is possible to put him to death.” - -So the next day Balna sent for Punchkin, and spoke to him as her son had -suggested. The Magician was overwhelmed with joy at this change, and -asked that the wedding take place as soon as possible. - -But she said that before she married him she must learn to know him -better, they having been enemies for so long, and a closer acquaintance -with him was necessary in order to strengthen their friendship. “And do -tell me,” she said, “if you are quite immortal. Can death never come to -you?” - -“Why do you ask?” said he. - -“Because,” she replied, “if I am to be your wife, I want to know all -about you, so that if any calamity threatens you, I may help to -overcome, or perhaps avert it.” - -“Certainly I am not as others,” said he. “Far, far away, thousands of -miles from here, is a desolate country covered with heavy jungles, in -the midst of which grows a circle of palm trees, in the center of which -stand six jugs full of water, piled one above the other, and below the -sixth is a cage which contains a little green parrot. On this parrot my -life depends, for if this parrot is killed I must die. But it is -impossible that the parrot should come to any harm, both because of the -inaccessibility of the country, and because I have many thousands of -genii surrounding the palm trees, who kill anyone attempting to approach -the place.” - -All this Balna told her son, at the same time imploring him to make no -attempt to kill the parrot. - -But the young Prince replied: “Dear Mother, if I do not find that -parrot, neither you nor my uncles can be liberated. Do not fear; I shall -return in good season. In the meantime, keep the Magician in good humor, -and put off the marriage with him in any way you can. Before he finds -out the reason for the delay I will return.” With this he went away. - -He travelled many weary miles through a very desolate country, and at -last came to a thick jungle. Being very tired, he sat down under a tree -and fell asleep. Suddenly he was awakened by a rustling sound, and -looking about him, saw a large serpent making its way to an eagle’s nest -which was in the tree beneath which he was, and in the nest were two -young eagles. He at once drew his sword and killed the serpent. At this -moment a rushing sound was heard in the air, and the two old eagles, who -had been hunting food for their little ones, returned. They saw the dead -serpent and the young Prince standing over it, and the mother eagle said -to him: “For many years our young ones have been devoured by that cruel -serpent, and you have now saved the lives of our children; whenever you -may need our help, send to us, and as for these little eagles, take -them, and let them be your servants.” - -Then was the Prince glad. He told them of the spot he wished to reach, -and so the two eaglets crossed their wings, on which he mounted, and -they carried him far away over the thick jungles until he reached the -circle of palm trees, in the midst of which stood the six jugs full of -water. It was the hottest part of the day, and all round the trees the -genii were fast asleep. There were many thousands of them, so that it -would have been impossible for anyone to walk through their ranks, but -they had not thought that an attempt to reach the spot could be made -from above. Down swooped the strong-winged eaglets, and down jumped the -Prince. In the twinkling of an eye he had overthrown the six jugs full -of water, seized the little parrot, which he rolled up in his cloak, and -mounted again into the air. Of course, this awoke the genii, who filled -the air with their howls and screeches when they found the treasure -gone. - -Away flew the eaglets, and when they had reached their home in the tree -the Prince said to the old eagles, “Here are your little ones, who have -done me good service. If I ever need your help again I will not fail to -ask you for it.” He then continued his journey on foot until he arrived -at the Magician’s palace, at the door of which he sat down and began -playing with the parrot. - -Punchkin saw him, and came to him at once, and said: “My boy, where did -you get that parrot? I pray you, give it to me.” - -The Prince answered, “This parrot is a great pet of mine, and I cannot -give it away.” - -Then the Magician asked him to sell it to him if he would not give it, -but this the Prince said he would not do. - -Then was Punchkin filled with fear, and said he would give him anything -he might ask for it. - -The Prince answered, “Liberate at once the Rajah’s seven sons whom you -turned into rocks and stones.” - -“I will do it at once,” said the Magician. And with a wave of his wand -Balna’s husband and his brothers resumed their natural shapes. - -“Now give me the parrot,” implored Punchkin. - -“Just wait a minute,” said the Prince. “You will first restore to life -all whom you have thus imprisoned.” - -This the Magician did immediately, and then, in a trembling voice, -cried, “Give me my parrot.” - -And now the whole garden was alive with people. Where there had been -rocks and stones now stood Rajahs, Punts, Sirdars, men on horseback, -pages and servants. - -“Give me my parrot!” cried Punchkin. But the only reply the boy made was -to break off one of its wings, and as he did so the Magician’s right arm -fell off. - -With his left arm outstretched Punchkin cried, “Give me my parrot!” Off -came the second wing, and the Magician’s left arm fell to the ground. - -On his knees he begged, “Give me my parrot!” Then the Prince pulled off -the right leg, and the Magician’s right leg fell off. The parrot’s left -leg came off, and at once Punchkin’s left leg fell down. - -And now there remained only the Magician’s body and head, but still he -cried, “Give me my parrot!” - -“Take your parrot, then,” said the boy, and with this he wrung the -bird’s neck and threw it at what was left of the Magician. As the -parrot’s neck was wrung, Punchkin’s head twisted around, and with a -groan, he fell dead. - -Then they released Balna from the tower, and all of them returned to -their own palace; and it can be imagined with what joy the seven -husbands and seven wives and their nephew met again. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - PRINCESS MOONLIGHT - - -Many years ago there lived a poor old bamboo-cutter, whose great sorrow -it was that Heaven had sent no child to cheer his wife and himself in -their old age. Every morning he went into the woods in search of the -lithe bamboo, which he would split lengthwise or cut into joints, and -these he would take home with him, and his wife would turn them into -useful or ornamental articles for the household, and sell them. - -While working at his task one day in a small grove of the slender trees -that he had discovered, he was surprised by a soft, bright light which -suddenly flooded the spot in which he was, and he was astonished to see -that all this brilliance came from one bamboo. - -Marvelling at the beautiful sight, he went to this bamboo stem, in the -hollow of which was a tiny, but exceedingly beautiful, little girl, -about three inches in height. - -“As I have found you here where lies my daily work,” said the old man, -“I must look upon you as a child sent from Heaven.” So, very carefully -he took the exquisite little creature home to his wife, and both of them -were filled with joy because there was now a child, come to them in a -most marvelous manner, upon whom they could devote the love of their old -age. - -And with the child came good fortune, for from this time the old man -found gold and precious stones in the notches of the bamboos when he cut -them up, so that before long he was rich enough to retire, and he built -a fine house in which they all lived very happily. - -The bamboo child was no ordinary child, for in a very few months she was -quite grown-up, and so beautiful was she that the old people treated her -like a princess, and allowed no one to see her or wait upon her but -themselves. Her very presence made them happy, and no trace of sorrow -could exist where she was. And wherever she might be a beautiful, soft -light made the place radiant. And so they called her Princess Moonlight, -because they thought that only a daughter of the Moon God could give -forth such a soft, bright light. - -Of course, the fame of so lovely a Princess spread far and wide, and -many were the suitors who sought to win her hand. Not only from that -country, but from foreign lands did they come, and the house was -constantly surrounded by those who hoped to catch even a glimpse of her -through the windows, or as she walked in the garden. But to none of them -would the old man grant permission to address his adopted daughter, and -at last all but five of them lost hope, and departed to their homes. - -These five were very determined knights, whose ardor became the greater -as their quest became the more difficult. They stood outside the garden -walls in sunshine and rain, eating only such food as was brought to -them. They wrote letters and verses to the Princess, telling her of the -great love for her which prevented them from returning to their own -homes, and even from taking rest and sleep. But no word did they receive -from the Princess. - -Winter and Spring passed, and Summer came, and still the knights watched -and waited. They besought the old man to intercede for them, but he -answered that he was not her real father, and that he could not order -her to obey him, and also that he would not ask her to do anything she -did not wish to do. - -At length the five knights returned to their homes, where they tried to -forget Princess Moonlight, but this they could not do, so they again -came to the bamboo-cutter’s house. This time they asked the old man to -tell them if the Princess was determined to never see any men. They -begged him to say that their love for her was boundless, and ask for an -opportunity to plead their cause. - -Now, the old man would gladly have seen his lovely foster-daughter -married to one of these suitors, and he felt sorry for them, so he said -to the Princess: - -“Dear one, you know that I love you quite as much as though you were my -real child, and that there is nothing I would not do to make you happy. -I cannot live many more years, for I am already old, and it would be a -great satisfaction for me to know that you are happily married before -the time comes for me to die. Will you not consent to see these five -brave knights, one at a time, and make up your mind which of them you -will marry?” - -The Princess replied that she could not love her own father any more -than she loved him, and that her greatest wish was to please him. Still, -she did not feel that she could see the five knights, even though -assured that they were worthy, but would make one more trial of their -love, and if they were successful in this, then would she grant their -request. Each of them was to prove his love by bringing to her from a -distant country something that she wished to possess. - -The bamboo-cutter then went out to the five knights, and told them what -the Princess had said, and all of them were satisfied, because the test -given to each one would prevent jealousy between them. - -So the next day Princess Moonlight sent word to the first knight that -she wished him to bring her the stone bowl which had belonged to Buddha -in India. - -The second knight was to go to the Mountain of Horai, in the Eastern -Sea, and to bring her a branch of the wonderful jewel-tree that grew on -its topmost height. - -The third knight was to search through China for the fire-rat, and to -bring her its skin. - -The fourth knight was to find the dragon whose right eye was a -many-colored stone, and to bring the eye to her. - -The fifth knight was to find the swallow which carried a shell in its -stomach, and which lived in the Aegean Sea, and to bring her the shell. - -These tasks seemed to the old man to be so impossible of accomplishment -that he didn’t like to take the messages, but the Princess refused to -make any change in them, so he gave them to the knights word for word. - -The knights were so disheartened by the tests given them, that they -returned to their homes, resolved to forget the beautiful Princess, but -each found himself unable to do this, so before long they had all sent -word that they were starting out on their respective quests. - -Now travel in those days was not easy, but full of danger and -difficulty, and the first knight lacked the courage to go to India. So -he went to a temple in one of the large cities of Japan, and bribed the -head priest to let him take away a stone bowl which was on the altar -there. He wrapped this up very carefully, and after waiting for two -years, took it to the old bamboo-cutter. - -The Princess received the package, and unwrapped it, but saw at once -that it was a sham, and not the bowl of Buddha, because it did not shine -as the true one would have done. So she returned it to the knight, and -refused to see him. - -The second knight, with twelve skilled jewelers, went to an island he -knew of, and there they designed a gold and silver branch which he was -sure would satisfy the Princess. To hold this branch he had his -goldsmiths make a beautiful box, and when sufficient time had elapsed he -took it to the bamboo-cutter, asking him to tell the Princess that here -was the branch of the wonderful jewel-tree that grew on the topmost -height of Mount Horai. - -Princess Moonlight opened the box and took out the jeweled branch, but -she saw at once that it was not what the knight stated it to be. And -even as she was looking at it, the old man was summoned to the door by -the twelve jewelers who had designed and made the beautiful thing, but -who had not been paid for their work. The Princess overheard their -conversation with her foster-father, and then directed that they be well -paid for what they had done. They then went away, after thanking the -Princess for her kindness. But the knight returned to his home, a sadly -disappointed man. - -The task of the third knight was to get the skin of the fire-rat, whose -virtue was that no fire could harm it. Now he had a friend who lived in -China, and to him he wrote, offering him a very large sum of money if he -would procure that which he desired. - -This friend was very willing to accept the knight’s money, but wished to -earn it without putting himself to any more trouble than was necessary, -so he waited for quite a while, and then sent him the skin of an -ordinary rat, also a message which told him of the hardships he had -undergone in order to procure it. - -This skin the third knight took to the bamboo-cutter, saying that he -would wait outside the gate for the Princess’s answer. - -The Princess took the package from the old man, and said she would test -the skin by putting it in the fire before consenting to see the knight. -This she did, and of course the skin just crackled and burned up at -once, so she knew it was a fraud. - -Thus the third knight failed to see her. - -The task of the fourth knight was to find the dragon whose right eye was -a many-colored stone, but instead of seeking it himself he called -several of his retainers together, and ordered them to search through -China and Japan, and not to return unless they brought it with them. - -But they, having no idea of obeying what they considered to be an -impossible order, merely used this as an excuse for taking a pleasant -holiday. - -The knight waited a year and no word came to him, so he decided to go -himself. Taking five servants with him, he hired a ship, and started for -China. - -When but a few days out they ran into a fearful storm, and before this -abated, the ship was driven on shore. - -The knight now blamed the Princess for the disaster, and his love turned -to anger. It seemed to him that she had sent him on a mission of great -danger, knowing it to be impossible to accomplish the task which she had -set him. So he determined to give up all thought of winning the Princess -Moonlight. - -The fifth knight was no more successful than was the fourth, so he, too, -gave up the attempt. - -Reports of the wondrous beauty of the Princess Moonlight had reached the -Emperor, so he sent a messenger to her, summoning her to the royal -palace. But the messenger was no more successful in seeing her than the -five knights had been, in spite of the fact that it was the Emperor’s -order. The Princess told the bamboo-cutter that she would vanish from -the earth rather than go to the palace. - -So the messenger at last returned, and when the Emperor heard that she -would disappear from sight in preference to obeying his order, he made -up his mind to go and see her himself. He therefore sent word to the -bamboo-cutter of his intention, forbidding him to say anything about his -visit to his foster-daughter. - -The next day he set out with his retinue, which he left at a certain -spot, and rode on alone. He reached the house and the bamboo-cutter -opened the door for him. - -The Emperor went straight to the apartment of the Princess, and never -had he even imagined such wondrous beauty as he saw when his eyes beheld -the Moon Daughter. He at once fell madly in love with her, and begged -her to come to the Court, and share his throne. - -But she refused, and said that if he attempted to force her to go to the -Palace, she would turn into a shadow, and this she did, even as he -looked at her. This filled him with fear, and he promised to leave her -free if she would resume her former shape, to which she then returned. - -Then the Emperor left, but night and day he thought only of the -beautiful Princess Moonlight. - -Soon after this the bamboo-cutter and his wife noticed that the Princess -would sit on her balcony and gaze ardently at the moon, after which she -would burst into tears. They asked her the reason for this, and she told -them that she did not belong to this world, but came from the moon. And -on the fifteenth day of this very month her real parents would send for -her and she would have to go. It was the thought of leaving her kind -foster-parents, and the home in which she had been so happy, that made -her weep. This made the old people and the Princess’s attendants very -sad, for they all loved her, and the thought of losing her was a great -blow to them. - -The news soon reached the Emperor, who at once made plans to keep the -Princess Moonlight on earth. When the fifteenth day of the month came, -he had a guard of many thousands of warriors stationed all around the -house, and also on the roof, for it was his intention to make prisoners -of the envoys of the moon, and to prevent the taking away of the -Princess, whom the bamboo-cutter and his wife had hidden in an inner -room. - -Orders were given that no one should sleep, and the strictest watch was -to be kept. But the Princess said that all of these measures were -useless, for nothing could prevent her people from carrying out their -purpose. She told the bamboo-cutter and his wife how very sorry she -would be to leave them, and that it was not her wish to leave them. It -made her sad to think that she would not be able to make a return for -all the love and kindness they had shown her. - -The harvest moon arose, and flooded the earth with her beautiful golden -light, and still nothing happened. The darkness of night had begun to -make way for the gray dawn, and hope came to the anxious watchers; hope -that the Princess would not be taken away after all. Then suddenly a -dark cloud seemed to leave the moon, and soon the sky was entirely -obscured. It kept on its downward course until it reached within a few -feet of the roof, and then stopped. Then did the watchers see a -brilliant chariot, in which were beings who radiated light, as did the -Princess. - -From the chariot stepped one who had the look of a king, and who trod -the air as easily and as gracefully as though he were on hard ground. - -In a voice so clear that it was distinctly heard by every one of the -awed watchers, he said: - -“Princess Moonlight, many moons ago you committed a grave fault, and for -punishment were sent down to earth to live for a time. The bamboo-cutter -and his wife have taken good care of you, and to them we have given -wealth. The time has come for you to return to your own people, so come -at once from this lowly dwelling.” - -Then, through the walls of the house was the Princess seen, shining, -bright and of wonderful beauty. She kissed the old man and his wife, and -spoke words of comfort to them, saying that her heart was full of love -for them, and that she was leaving them against her own will. The -Emperor also she bade good-by. Then she was transported through the air -to the chariot, which mounted, swiftly towards the moon. - -And now came the morning light, and no trace of the moon-chariot was -left to those who gazed upwards with tearful eyes, and with a full heart -the Emperor ordered his warriors to return. - -Sorrowful as were the old bamboo-cutter and his wife, yet were they full -of gratitude for having known the love of a daughter, who, while not -with them in the body, would always dwell with them in spirit. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE FOX AND THE CRAFTY CRAB - - -A fox was one day walking along the bank of a river when he met a Crab. -“Good morning, Mr. Crab,” said he. “Don’t you ever get tired of creeping -over the ground?” - -“No,” replied the Crab, “because it is as natural for me to crawl as it -is for you to run; and I can cover the ground very quickly, too, when it -is necessary.” - -The Fox laughed at him, and said, sneeringly: “I think you are very slow -and very stupid. I have only four legs, while you have twice as many, -and yet I can run ten times as fast and as far as you can.” - -Then the Crab said: “But see how much bigger you are; if you were as -small as I am, you would probably not travel any more quickly than I do. -Perhaps I am very slow and very stupid, but if you will allow me to hang -a weight on that fine tail of yours, to hold it down, I challenge you to -as long a race as you care to run.” - -The Fox thought he might just as well teach the stupid Crab a lesson, -so, in a voice filled with contempt, he said: “When you ask me to race -with you, even with any handicap you like, you show how little -understanding you have. You have many legs and no sense, while I have -four legs and am known to be the wisest inhabitant of the forest. Even -human beings refer to me as the slyest of the sly.” - -But again the Crab offered to race with him if he would but allow him to -hang a weight on his tail, so that it would stay down. The Fox laughed -at him, saying that he was foolish to think that he could win a race -between them under any conditions; but as the Crab repeated the offer, -the Fox at last consented. - -So the Crab said: “When I have secured it to your tail, I will say -‘Ready!’ and that will be the signal to start, then go as fast as you -like.” - -With this the Crab went behind the Fox, and firmly gripped his tail with -his pincers. Then he called out, “Ready!” - -The Fox began to run; he ran until he was tired, and then stopped to -rest. To his surprise he heard the Crab say: “Well, Mr. Fox, with all -your boasting, you haven’t beaten me yet!” - -“This is very strange,” said the Fox to himself, “but if I am tired, I -know the Crab must be a great deal more so.” He started off again, and -ran until he was almost out of breath. Feeling sure that the Crab was -now far behind, he lay down on the ground, panting. - -If he had been surprised to hear the Crab’s voice when he stopped -before, how much more so was he now, when the Crab said: “Ha, ha! Mr. -Braggart, you seem to be winded. Come, let us go on with the race.” He -got upon his feet, and the Crab, who had released his grip from the -Fox’s tail, crawled up in front of him, looking just as fresh as when -they began the race. - -The Fox looked at him, and then, without a word, slunk away, his head -bowed in shame. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - INGRATITUDE - - -Once upon a time a certain king had as his Chief Counsellor a man who -was proud and oppressive to those under him. - -Not far from the royal palace, in which this man dwelt, was a forest -well stocked with game. By his order various pits were dug there, and -covered with leaves, for the purpose of catching wild beasts. - -One day, while riding in the forest, he was so overcome by the thought -of his own greatness, that he exclaimed aloud: “There is no man in all -this empire more powerful than I am.” - -Scarcely had the braggart spoken than he fell into one of the pitfalls -that he had ordered to be made and he immediately disappeared from view. - -When his eyes became accustomed to the dim light of the hole, he was -horrified to find that he had as fellow prisoners a lion, a monkey, and -a serpent. He was stricken with terror, and cried out at the top of his -voice. - -Not far from the pit was lying asleep a poor man called Guido, who had -come with his ass to the forest to gather firewood, by the sale of which -he made a poor living. The noise made by the great man awakened him, and -he hastened to give what aid he could to whoever might be in trouble. - -The cries guided him to the mouth of the pit and there he was promised a -great sum of money by the Prime Minister if he would rescue him from his -perilous position. - -Guido told him that his living depended upon the collecting of faggots, -and if he neglected this for a single day, he would be thrown into great -difficulties. The captive again promised him a large reward, so Guido -went back to the city, and returned with a long cord, which he let down -into the pit, telling the great man to bind it around his waist, and he -would then pull him out. - -But before he could do this, the lion leaped forward, and seizing upon -the cord, was drawn up in his stead, and showing signs of the greatest -pleasure, ran off into the wood. - -Guido again let down the rope, and this time the monkey, who had noted -the lion’s success, jumped over the man’s head and, shaking the cord, -was in like manner set at liberty, and hastened to his own haunts. - -A third time Guido lowered the rope, and this time the serpent, twining -around it, was drawn up, and showing signs of gratitude to the peasant, -escaped. - -“Oh, my good friend,” exclaimed the Counsellor, “the beasts are gone, -now draw me up quickly, I beseech you.” This Guido did, and afterwards -succeeded in pulling up his horse, which had fallen into the pit with -him. Then without another word, the man who had been saved mounted his -horse, and rode back to the palace. - -When Guido returned to his home his wife saw that he had come without -wood, and inquired the cause. He told her all that had happened, and the -great reward he was to receive, and then his wife’s countenance -brightened. - -Early the next morning Guido went to the palace, but to his surprise the -Prime Minister not only denied all knowledge of him, but had him beaten -for his presumption, and this so severely that the porter who carried -out his orders left him half dead. - -As soon as Guido’s wife heard of this she saddled their ass, and going -to the palace, carefully placed her husband upon its back, and took him -home, where he lay sick for a long time. This illness took all of their -savings, but as soon as he was able he returned to his usual occupation -in the forest. - -One day, while thus employed, he saw afar off ten asses laden with -packs, and a lion following close on them. They were coming towards him, -and when close enough Guido noticed that the beast was the same which he -had freed from the pit. - -The lion signified with his foot that Guido should take the loaded -asses, and go home. This he did, and the lion followed. Having reached -his own door, the noble beast fawned upon him, and wagging his tail as -if in triumph, ran back into the woods. - -Guido was very honest, and even though he was poor he made no attempt to -open the packages until he had caused notice to be given throughout the -city that if any asses had been lost, the owners should come to him. - -He waited for some time, but as no one came to demand them be undid the -packs, and to his great joy found them to be full of money. - -The next time Guido went to the forest he forgot to take the axe with -which to chop the wood, but there appeared before him the monkey he had -liberated, and the grateful animal, with his teeth and nails, cut the -wood for him. - -The following day he went to collect firewood as usual, and as the head -of his axe had become loose, he sat down to tighten it. While thus -engaged he saw the serpent, whose escape he had aided, gliding towards -him, carrying in its mouth a stone of three colors, white, black, and -red. It opened its mouth, dropped the stone into Guido’s lap, and -departed. - -Guido took the stone to a well-known dealer in jewels, who at once -offered him a considerable sum of money for it, but this he refused. He -kept the stone and through its magic qualities gained wealth and -military command. - -In time the fame of this wonderful stone reached the Emperor, who -desired to see it. Guido accordingly took it to the palace, and his -Majesty was so struck by its beauty that he wished to purchase it. - -Guido had no desire to part with the stone, and the Emperor, noticing -his unwillingness to sell it, threatened him with banishment from the -kingdom if he refused. - -Then Guido said: “My lord, I will sell the stone; but let me say one -thing—if the price be not given, it shall be returned to me.” He then -named a price so high that he hoped the Emperor would not give it. But -the ruler was determined to have it at any cost, and so the stone -changed hands. - -Full of admiration, the Emperor exclaimed: “Tell me where you procured -this beautiful stone.” - -Then Guido narrated from the beginning the Prime Minister’s accident and -later ingratitude. He told how severely he had been injured by his -order, and the benefits he had received from the lion, the monkey, and -the serpent. - -The Emperor was greatly touched by the story, and sending for his Chief -Counsellor, asked him if what Guido said was true. - -The Prime Minister was unable to reply, and the Emperor said: “You -wretched monster of ingratitude! Guido saved you from great danger, and -in return you nearly destroyed him. Even the beasts of the forest -rendered him good for the help he gave them, but you returned only evil -for good. For this I will strip you of all your wealth and dignities, -and bestow them upon your benefactor, and you shall be cast into -prison.” - -The Prime Minister was so hated by the people for his cruelty and -oppression that there was general rejoicing in the land at this judgment -of the Emperor. - - * * * * * - -This story was used by King Richard the Lion Hearted of England in -reproving such nobles and princes as refused to engage in the Crusades, -thus showing their ingratitude to God. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE PAPER BAG - - -There were once two brothers, the elder of whom, named Musai, was honest -and kind, but poor. He was just the opposite of his younger brother, -called Chô, who was cruel, stingy, dishonest and rich. - -Musai was in need of seed-rice and silkworms’ eggs. The past season had -been an unfortunate one for him, and it was necessary for him to have -these. Knowing that his brother had an abundance of good rice-seed and -splendid eggs, he begged him to lend him some. - -Now, Chô hated to lend anyone anything, but he didn’t see how he could -very well refuse his brother’s request, so he picked out some musty -rice-seed and dead eggs, and gave them to him, feeling sure that they -were worthless. - -Musai thanked him for his kindness, and took them home. He put plenty of -mulberry leaves with the eggs, so that the silkworms should have plenty -of food when they should arrive. And strange to say the worms came, and -throve splendidly, much to Chô’s disappointment, because he was too mean -to wish good-fortune to visit anyone but himself. - -He took it as a personal insult that the dead eggs he had let his -brother have should hatch so well, so one day, when Musai was out, he -went to his home, and cut every silkworm in two. - -When Musai returned, he was filled with dismay on seeing all of his -silkworms killed, but he didn’t think of suspecting his own brother. He -had placed a good supply of mulberry leaves for them only the day -before, and each piece of worm came to life, and throve. - -Now he had twice as many silkworms as before, and they spun double the -amount of silk that he had expected; so his brother Chô had really done -him a good turn when he tried to ruin him. - -Musai began to prosper, much to the disgust of Chô, who proceeded to cut -all of his own silkworms in half, thinking that of course the same good -fortune would be his. But instead of coming to life again the worms -died, which meant the loss of much money for him. This made him very -jealous of his brother. - -The musty rice-seed which he had given his brother, and which Musai had -planted, also turned out well, for it flourished better than any of his -own had done. This only added to his jealousy. - -The time to cut and harvest the rice approached, when clouds of birds -came and devoured it. Musai hastened to drive them away, and this he did -again and again, but each time they returned. - -Chasing them away was very tiring work, so he finally pursued them to a -distant field, and then they disappeared. Here he lay down to rest, and -soon fell asleep. - -There came to him a dream in which he was surrounded by a band of merry -children. They danced and sang and played games. - -In the last of these the eldest of the children lifted up a stone which -lay near Musai’s head and from beneath it drew a paper bag. With this in -his hand he went to the center of the ring, and asked each child in -turn, “What would you like to have out of the bag?” - -One child answered, “A kite.” The bag was shaken, and out came a -beautiful kite, string, tail and all. The next one said she would like a -doll. The bag was again shaken and there was one, beautifully dressed, -ready for her to hold in her arms. - -Each child in turn was asked what he or she desired, and the bag granted -every wish. At last they went home, but before leaving the field the boy -who had taken the magic bag from beneath the stone carefully replaced -it. - -Soon Musai awoke, and so clear was the dream to him that he turned -around to look for the stone, and there it was, close by his head. “How -very strange,” he thought. Then, without really expecting to find -anything, he raised the stone, and underneath it was the paper bag. - -Holding this carefully in his hand, he returned to his home, and there -he did as he had seen the children do in his dream. He called out -“Gold,” or “Silver,” or whatever he thought of, shook the bag, and out -came that which he had named. - -Musai now became rich and prosperous. He told his brother how this good -fortune had come to him in a dream, and this made Chô more jealous of -him than before. - -Chô made up his mind to get another such paper bag for himself, so he -took some of Musai’s rice-seed, planted it, and waited impatiently for -it to grow. - -In due time it ripened, and now he waited for the birds to come and eat -the rice. To his delight they came, and he lost no time in driving them -away, pursuing them to the field where Musai had slept and dreamed. - -He lay down, intending to follow his brother’s example, but found that -he could not go to sleep, try as hard as he might. He had not been there -long before a group of children came to the field and began to play and -enjoy themselves. After a while they all sat down in a ring, and Chô, -who pretended to be asleep, watched carefully out of one half-opened eye -to see what they would do next. - -He saw the eldest one come to the stone close to his head and lift it -up, but there was no paper bag beneath it. - -The boy was surprised, and said: “I believe this lazy old farmer has -taken our bag,” and then he seized Chô’s nose, and gave it a good pull. - -Chô then jumped up, and the boy repeated what he had said. The children -wouldn’t believe him when he declared that he had touched neither the -stone nor the bag, and they shouted and jeered at him. - -But this was not the hardest thing that happened to him; for his nose, -which the boy had pulled, began to grow. Larger and larger it became, -until at last it reached the ground. - -In his anger he struck right and left at the children, and ran from the -field, holding his nose from the ground as well as he could. - -He went to his brother’s house and told him what had occurred. Then a -change came over him, and he felt ashamed of himself. He remembered how -jealous he had been of Musai, and how he had tried to ruin him by -killing his silkworms. He was humble, confessed everything, and asked -his brother to forgive him. - -Musai spoke kindly to him, and said that this punishment had come to him -on account of his envy and jealousy, which bring happiness to no one. - -Then he took the paper bag, and gently rubbed Chô’s nose with it. -Gradually this became shorter and shorter, until at last it resumed its -former shape. - -This was a lesson that Chô was not allowed to forget, because whenever -after this he attempted to do anything mean or dishonest, his nose would -become sore, and in his terror lest it should grow again, he trained -himself to live as a kindly, well-disposed man should do. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - ROSAMOND, THE SWIFT OF FOOT - - -A certain king had an only daughter, who, while yet a child, was famed -for her marvellous beauty and dignity of bearing. Her name was Rosamond, -and in addition to her charm of face and figure, she excelled all others -at athletic games. When only ten years of age so swift a runner was she -that her equal at this sport could not be found. - -When she became of marriageable age her father issued a proclamation -that whoever could surpass her in speed should marry her, and become -heir to the throne; but if he were to fail in the race, his life would -be forfeit. - -The penalty for lack of speed in the race was heavy, but many were those -who made the attempt, hoping that they might succeed, only to perish as -a result. - -Now there was a poor man called Abibas, a wanderer with no place he -could call home, who heard of the king’s proclamation, and he said to -himself: “I am poor and have but little to lose; if I may overcome this -princess and marry her I shall not only enrich myself, but will be able -to assist my relatives and what friends I have.” So he resolved to -accept the challenge. - -But this man was wiser than the others, for he took the three following -precautions: First, he framed a curious garland of roses, of which he -discovered the princess was very fond. Then he procured a piece of the -finest silk, knowing that this would attract the attention of most young -women. And, lastly, he secured a silken bag in which he placed a gilded -ball on which was written: “Whosoever plays with me shall never tire of -play.” With these three things hidden within his blouse he went to the -palace gate and declared his desire to enter the race for the hand of -the princess. - -It happened that the maiden herself was standing at a window close by -and heard Abibas express his wish to run against her. Seeing that he was -poor, with clothes threadbare and torn, she despised him, and said, -“What poor wretch is this with whom I have to contend?” However, the -king had to stand by the words of his proclamation, so preparations for -the race were made. - -Abibas soon saw that unless he should be able to take the attention of -the princess away from the race he would be defeated. She was in the -lead, so he took the garland of roses, which he had hidden, and -skillfully threw it in front of her. - -As he had foreseen, the maiden stopped to pick it up and put it on her -head. The roses were indeed beautiful and gave forth a delightful -perfume. She was charmed by their fragrance, and paused to admire them. - -Abibas took advantage of this, and increasing his speed, rapidly passed -her. This caused her to cry out in anger: “Never shall the daughter of a -king be wed to such a clown as you.” She threw the garland from her and -rushed onward like a whirlwind. - -It was not long before she caught up with him, and extending her hand, -she struck him upon the shoulder, saying: “Stop, foolish one, do you -hope to marry a princess?” - -As she was on the point of passing him Abibas drew forth the piece of -silk, and threw it at her feet. - -Rosamond was attracted by the beautiful color and texture of the -material, and could not resist the temptation to stop and pick it up. -Then she tied it round her waist, and by this time her adversary was -considerably in advance of her. - -She saw the consequence of her foolishness, and throwing away the piece -of silk, flew on at such a pace that she soon overtook Abibas, whom she -struck upon the arm, at the same time saying, “Fool, you shall _not_ -marry me.” - -They were not far from the goal, and in a few seconds the race would be -over. The princess had almost won when Abibas threw at her feet the bag -containing the gilded ball. - -Rosamond could not help stopping to pick it up, and it was impossible -for her not to open the bag to see what was inside. This she did, and -then she read the inscription, “Who plays with me shall never tire of -playing.” - -The wise Abibas came first to the goal, and by the terms of the king’s -proclamation he married the princess. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE JACKAL, DEER, AND CROW - - -In a forest called Champak-Grove[1] lived two friends, a Deer and a -Crow. The Deer was roaming among the trees one day, when he was observed -by a Jackal. - - -[Footnote 1: The Champak is a bushy tree bearing a profusion of blossoms -which resemble stars. It gives forth a delightful perfume.] - - -“Ho! Ho!” said the Jackal to himself, “If I can only win the confidence -of this Deer, it may be that he will make a very fine meal for me.” So -he approached the Deer, and wished him a very good morning. - -“Who are you?” said the Deer. - -“I’m Small-wit, the Jackal,” replied the other. “I live here all alone -in the wood, and it is very lonely without anyone to talk to. It makes -me very happy to know you, and I hope you will look upon me as your -friend.” - -“Very well,” said the Deer, so off they went together. - -It was beginning to grow dark when the Crow, whose name was Sharp-sense, -saw the two coming home together. He asked the Deer who his companion -was. - -“It is a Jackal who wishes to know us,” answered the Deer. - -“You must be careful with whom you become friendly,” said Sharp-sense. -“You know—— - - ‘To folks by no one known house-room deny:— - The Vulture housed the Cat, and thence did die.’” - -“How was that?” asked the Deer and the Jackal. - -“I will tell you,” replied the Crow. - -“On the banks of the River Ganges is a cliff called Vulture-Crag, upon -which was a large fig-tree. It was hollow, and inside it dwelt an old -Vulture who had lost both eyes and talons, and who was kept alive with -food given him by the friendly birds that roosted in the tree. - -“One day, when the parent birds were away, a Cat came, thinking to make -a meal of the young birds, of which there were several. The nestlings -were so much afraid of the Cat that they made noise enough to arouse the -Vulture. - -“‘Who is there?’ croaked he. - -“The Cat, seeing the Vulture, thought his end was surely come. He knew -he couldn’t get away, so had to use his wits. Drawing nearer, he said: - -“‘Honored sir, I wish you a very good morning.’ - -“‘Who are you?’ asked the Vulture. - -“‘I am a Cat.’ - -“‘Go away at once, Cat, or I will kill you,’ said the Vulture. - -“The Cat then begged the Vulture to listen to what he had to say, and -afterward decide whether he should live or die. - -“To this the Vulture consented, and so the Cat began: - -“‘I live near the River Ganges, eating no flesh and doing many things by -way of penance. The birds that often visit me have said so much in your -praise that I have come here, hoping to learn wisdom from you. It is not -possible that you, who must know the law of strangers, could think of -slaying me. Without doubt you know what the book says about the -householder:— - - Bar not thy door to the stranger, be he friend or be he foe, - For the tree will shade the woodman while his axe doth lay it low. - -“Also:— - - Greeting fair, and room to rest in; fire, and water from the well— - Honor him for thine own honor—better is he than the best. - -“Then there is the rebuke:— - - Pity them that ask thy pity; who art thou to stint thy hoard, - When the beauteous moon shines equal on the lowly and the lord! - -“To all of which the Vulture said: ‘Your words have much weight, but -cats are very fond of meat, and as there are young birds here I told you -to go.’ - -“Then the Cat bowed his head to the ground, showing his humility. ‘Sir,’ -said he, ‘I have overcome temptation, practised penance, and know the -Scriptures. Always do I keep away from injuring others, for—— - - He who does and thinks no wrong— - He who suffers, being strong— - He whose harmlessness men know— - Unto Heaven such doth go.’ - -“At length he won the old Vulture’s confidence, and went with him into -the hollow tree and lived there. And day after day he stole some of the -nestlings, and devoured them. - -“The parent birds missed their young ones and sought everywhere for -them, and the Cat soon saw that he would have to leave, so he slipped -away from the hollow, and escaped. - -“A little later the birds found the bones of the nestlings in the -dwelling-place of the Vulture, and of course concluded that it was he -whom they had helped who had so basely rewarded them. So they called a -meeting of all the birds of the forest, told them what had happened, and -the poor old Vulture was sentenced to death, and accordingly was -executed.” - -“Now you have my story,” said Sharp-sense, the Crow, “and this is why I -warn you not to become friendly with people about whom you know -nothing.” - -Then said the Jackal, “When you first met the Deer neither of you knew -anything about the other; how is it, then, that you are such friends -now? I know I am only Small-wit, the Jackal, but the Deer is my friend, -and I hope you will be also.” - -“Don’t let us talk so much,” said the Deer, “let us all be friends and -live happily together.” - -“All right,” said Sharp-sense, “just as you say.” - -In the morning each of them started early for his own feeding-ground, -returning in the evening, as was their custom. One day the Jackal said -to the Deer, “Come with me, and I will show you where there is a field -full of sweet young wheat.” - -The Deer went with him, and he certainly enjoyed the feast which he -found ready. But the owner of the field saw him, set a snare, and the -next day the Deer was caught in it. - -Very soon Small-wit (who had been watching all the time) came along, and -said to himself, “Oho! my scheme worked well. The Deer will furnish me -with some very fine meals.” - -Just then the Deer saw him and called out, “Friend, please gnaw the -strings and set me free.” - -But Small-wit only walked around the snare, examining it carefully. “It -certainly will hold,” said he to himself. - -To the Deer he said, “These strings are very strong, and this is a fast -day for me, so I cannot bite them. To-morrow I will do what I can for -you.” With this he went away. - -Very soon the Crow, who had been looking for his friend, came along, and -seeing his sorry plight, asked him how this all happened. - -The Deer replied that this came through disregarding the advice of a -friend. - -“Where is that rascally Jackal?” asked the Crow. - -“He is waiting somewhere to taste my flesh,” answered the Deer. - -With a deep sigh the Crow exclaimed, “You smooth-tongued, traitor -Jackal, what an ill deed you have done!” - -The Crow stayed through the night with his poor friend, trying to think -of some way to free him, and at last he hit upon a plan which proved to -be successful. - -Early in the morning the master of the field, carrying a club in his -hand, came to see if the snare had caught the Deer. Sharp-sense, as soon -as he saw him approaching, said to his friend, “Look as though you were -dead; stiffen out your legs and lie very still. I will make believe that -I am pecking your eyes out. When I utter a loud croak you jump up -quickly and run away as fast as you can.” - -The Deer did as he was told, and when the farmer reached the snare, with -the Deer in it quite dead, as he thought, he pulled up the net, and so -released the captive. Then the Crow uttered a loud croak; up sprang the -Deer and made off. - -The husbandman was in a great rage at thus being outwitted, and threw -his club at the fleeing Deer with all his might. But instead of hitting -the Deer, it struck Small-wit, the Jackal, who was hiding close by, and -killed him. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - PIGEON-KING AND MOUSE-KING - - -A fowler, seeking to snare some birds, set a trap with which he might -catch them. He fixed a net, scattered grains of rice about, and then hid -himself in a place where he could watch. - -Very soon “Speckle-neck,” King of the Pigeons, accompanied by his -followers, flew that way. Of course he saw the rice-grains, and thought -it very unusual that they should be lying on the ground in so lonely a -spot as this was. He did not like the look of it, and so decided to take -counsel with his followers before permitting them to eat the rice. - -They were all hungry, and the younger ones did not wish to wait while -the older and wiser pigeons took counsel together, but this they had to -do. At length one of them laughed at the others, and taunted them with -being afraid without any reason, and dared them to at once eat the rice -which they all wanted. At this they all settled on the ground, and soon -were caught in the net. - -They then began to abuse the pigeon who had dared them, saying that it -was through him they were all caught. But King Speckle-neck said they -were all to blame, and the thing to do now was to find some way of -escape, and not to waste precious time by quarreling. He thought -carefully for a few moments, and then said. - -“Many small things added together make a large one. Let us all rise -under the net at the same instant and between us we will fly off with -it.” - -They decided to try this means of escape, and it happened just as the -King said. They rose together, and flew away with the net. The fowler, -who had hidden himself at some distance, saw the pigeons flying away -with his net and hastened to stop them, but was too late, and soon they -were out of sight. - -The pigeons, seeing that they were safely away from the fowler, asked -the King what they should do next. - -Speckle-neck said, “A friend of mine named ‘Golden-skin,’ King of the -Mice, lives near by. We will go to him, and he will cut these bonds.” -They accordingly directed their flight to the hole of Golden-skin. - -They soon arrived at the home of the Mouse-king, and Speckle-neck called -to his friend to come out. Golden-skin came to the entrance, and told -his friend how pleased he was to see him. “But what does this mean?” he -exclaimed, looking at the pigeons all tangled up in the net. - -Speckle-neck told him what had happened to them, and without a word the -Mouse-king began to gnaw at the strings which held his friend. But the -worthy Pigeon-king bade him to release the others first, and leave him -until the last. - -To this Golden-skin objected, but King Speckle-neck said that he could -not bear to see those who depended upon him in such distress. Such -heroism made the Mouse-king’s fur bristle up for pure pleasure. - -“Nobly spoken!” said he. “Such tenderness for those who are dependent -upon you makes me proud to be your friend.” With this, he set himself to -the great task of cutting all their bonds, and in time all were free. - -The Mouse-king then entertained them as hospitably as he could. The -Pigeon-king and his followers thanked him for his great kindness, and -Golden-skin embraced them all, after which he returned to his hole and -the pigeons departed. - -You may be sure that the young pigeons decided that the older ones were -wiser in counsel than they, and to be more careful when “daring” their -fellows. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - HE WISHED TO LIVE FOREVER - - -A long time ago there lived in Japan a man named Opulo who was quite -rich. There was really nothing about which he need worry, but one day -the thought came to him that he might fall sick and die. Probably the -only reason for this was because he didn’t have to earn his living, and -so had very little to occupy his time. - -“It seems to me,” said he to himself, “that a man ought to live a much -longer life than he does. I am very comfortable here, with all I want to -eat and drink, and plenty of money to spend, so why should I not enjoy -life for hundreds of years without sickness or worry?” - -He had heard of men in times gone by who had lived as long as that, and -recalled the story of a certain Princess who had reached the age of five -hundred years. Then he thought of that powerful Chinese King, Shiko, who -built the great wall of China and many wonderful palaces, but who, in -spite of his greatness and the luxury in which he lived, was never happy -because he knew that some time he must die and give it all up. - -This great ruler had heard that in a country called Horazai, far away -across the seas, there lived certain hermits who possessed the secret of -the “Draught of Life,” and that whoever should drink of this wonderful -elixir would never die. So he ordered Jofuku, a courtier in whom he -placed great confidence, to set out for the land of Horazai, and to -bring back with him a phial of this magic fluid. - -The Emperor had his finest junk made ready for a long voyage, and loaded -it with rich gifts for the hermits. The courtier sailed away, but was -never heard of again. Mount Fuji was supposed to be Horazai, and ever -since then Jofuku has been worshipped as their god. - -The story of the Emperor Shiko made such an impression on Opulo that he -made up his mind to seek the hermits who held the secret of this -marvelous water of life, and if possible to become one of them; so he -started out on his quest. - -He traveled, and traveled, climbing to the peaks of the highest -mountains, and wandering through unknown regions, but meeting with no -success. - -At last it seemed to him that he was wasting time, so he decided to go -straight to the shrine of Jofuku, to whom he would pray for assistance -in his search. - -He went to the temple devoted to this deity, and every day for a month -he knelt there, and made his entreaty. - -At the end of this time, while kneeling before the shrine, he was -suddenly enveloped in a cloud, and when this cleared away he saw Jofuku -himself standing before him. - -Opulo bowed his head to the ground, and Jofuku said to him, “Your -request is selfish and therefore hard to grant. You imagine that you -would like to become a hermit such as those you seek, and so partake of -the Elixir of Life. A hermit’s life is a hard one and not suited to an -idle man who is used to enjoy every possible comfort. To be a hermit one -must obey strict rules; he must eat only fruit and berries, and cut -himself off from the ways of the world, so that he may become pure and -free from unworthy desire. - -“You, Opulo, have always been a lazy man, and have been too fond of good -living. Do you think you could go barefoot and wear only one thin dress -during the cold of winter? No, the life of a hermit is not for you! - -“But there is something else I will do for you, and that is to send you -to the Island of Continual Life, where death is unknown.” - -Then Jofuku gave Opulo a small bird made of paper, and told him to sit -upon it. - -This the wondering Opulo did, and the bird began to grow. Soon it was -large enough for him to ride on comfortably. With wings outspread it -rose high up in the air, and away it flew. - -The flight through the air was swift; on and on they went for hundreds -and hundreds of miles without a stop, until at last they came to an -island, and there the bird alighted. - -Opulo stepped to the ground and the bird grew smaller and smaller. At -last it became the same size as when Jofuku gave it to him, so he folded -it up and put it in his pocket. - -He walked on until he came to a town, where he found a place to lodge. -Everything, of course, was strange to him; the streets and buildings -were different from what he had been used to, and all the people looked -prosperous. - -Opulo told the owner of the house in which he obtained lodgings that he -intended to live there permanently, so the worthy man kindly promised to -help him all he could. He found a suitable house for him, and servants -to attend to his comfort, so Opulo took up his residence in the land of -Continual Life. - -It was a strange country indeed in which he now lived. No one ever died -there, nor even became sick, so doctors were unknown. But the people -were not happy and contented; they had heard of a place called Paradise, -but it was only a legend to them. They knew that one could not reach -this wonderful land without dying, and death was something they longed -for, but which never came to them. - -Ordinary people have a dread of death, but these were very different, -for they looked upon it as something very much to be desired. How they -wished it could come to them, so that they could enter the happy land of -Paradise! - -To Opulo everything seemed to be upside down. He had come here hoping to -live forever, and found the inhabitants wishing more than anything else -that they could die. They had tried everything they could think of to -bring this about, but without success. No one could even make himself -ill, try as hard as he might; he couldn’t even raise a corn on his toe. - -But Opulo was happy, for he had found what he sought. He assured himself -that he would never tire of living, and was the only contented man on -the island. - -He changed from his former mode of living, and instead of doing nothing, -he set himself up in business. And now that he had something to do, time -passed very quickly. - -Strange to say, after having lived there for two hundred years life -began to be somewhat dull and monotonous. He wanted a change, for it was -the same thing day after day, and year after year. He began to think -that perhaps the other people were not so foolish when they wanted to -die! - -It would be fine if he could see his own country again; things would -never be any different where he was now, and how wearisome it was -getting to be! - -Now he wanted to die, but couldn’t, and it was no use trying to. - -One day he happened to think that his prayers to Jofuku had resulted in -bringing him to this country. He would pray to Jofuku to take him away -from it. Why did he not think of this before? - -So he prayed, and to his surprise the paper bird came into his hand. It -grew and grew as it had done before in the temple of Jofuku, and soon it -was large enough for him to mount. It spread its wings, and they went -flying through the air. - -On and on they flew, stopping neither for rest nor food, and at length -they reached the Japan Sea. Then he suddenly thought of the valuable -business he had left behind. Why hadn’t he sold it, and taken the -proceeds with him? - -As soon as this thought came to him a storm came on. It rained hard, and -of course the paper bird became wet, and being paper, it crumpled up and -fell into the sea. - -Now he was in danger of being drowned, and he was afraid. Not long ago -he would have welcomed death. He called aloud to Jofuku to save him, but -there was no reply. - -He swam and swam, doing his best to keep from sinking. Then right in -front of him he saw a huge fish, its mouth wide open, ready to devour -him. - -In his fright he screamed so loudly for Jofuku to save him that he -awakened himself. For, behold, he had fallen asleep during his long -prayers before the shrine, and all of this had come to him in a dream. - -Then he heard a voice, and before him stood a messenger, who said: - -“As you have prayed, so has Jofuku permitted you in a dream to see the -land of Continual Life. You were not contented there and wished to -return to your own country that you might die. And even your desire for -death was not real, for when the fish was there to swallow you, you -called on Jofuku to save you. There is only one thing for you to do; -return to your home and live an industrious life, be helpful to yourself -and to others, and thus will you be happy and live to a good old age. -And be sure that any selfish desire you may have, even if it be granted, -will never bring you happiness.” - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE CRANE AND THE CRAB - - -There was a small lake in Malwa called Lily-Water, and on its bank one -day stood a Crane who seemed to be lost in thought. - -It was the dry season and the water was low in the pond, in which were a -good many fish. Now the Crane was very fond of fish, and he was trying -to figure out a plan whereby he could satisfy his appetite. - -At last he went to the water’s edge, and there he sat down. He assumed a -most dejected look, and appeared to be so miserable that a Crab, who had -been watching him, asked him why he was so down-hearted. - -“It is because I am thinking of all who live in this pond that I am so -sad,” said the Crane. - -“Why should that be the reason?” asked the Crab. - -“I will tell you,” said the Crane. “This morning I heard the fishermen -who live near here say that they meant to catch every fish that swims in -this water. Now I love a dish of fish myself, and the few that I should -take would make but little difference among so many. And although if the -fish in this pond are all captured there would be none left for me to -subsist upon, it breaks my heart to think of the fate that is in store -for them. Therefore am I so sad.” - -Now some of the fishes overheard what the Crane said to the Crab, and -they at once called a general meeting. One of them said: “In this case -the Crane’s interests are the same as ours, because, while we furnish -the food which keeps him alive there are many of us left, but when the -fishermen capture us we shall die. Let us therefore confer with the -Crane.” - -This they decided to do, and so they went to him in a body. - -“Good Crane,” they said, “what course is there for safety?” - -“The only thing to do is to go elsewhere,” said the Crane. “This can -easily be done, for if you wish I will carry you one by one to another -pool.” - -This the trembling fishes begged him to do, that is, all but one of -them, who said: - -“It is most unusual that a crane should take any thought for fishes, and -I think that you mean to eat us, one by one.” - -“That I do not,” said the Crane. “If you do not believe what I say, send -one of your number with me, and he shall come back and tell you that I -am to be trusted.” - -They thought this was all right, and so selected their sharpest fish, -one whom they considered could not be outwitted, and handed him over to -the Crane. - -The Crane took him in his bill and let him go in the other pool, and he -showed the fish all over it. Then he carried him back to the others who -were entirely satisfied, and said they were ready to go with him. - -Then the Crane took them, one after another, and having eaten them, -returned to report that he had safely deposited each in the pond. - -At last only the Crab was left, and he asked to be taken, too. Now the -Crane coveted the tender flesh of the Crab, and perhaps the latter saw a -greedy look in his eyes. At any rate, when the Crane went to take hold -of him with his beak, he said: “You cannot carry me like that, for I -should certainly fall.” - -The Crane told him not to fear, that he would be perfectly safe. But the -Crab thought to himself: “If he once got hold of a fish, I doubt very -much if he would really let it go into the pond. He shall carry me, but -in such a way that I shall be safe.” So he said: - -“Friend Crane, you cannot hold me tight enough in your bill, so I will -hold on to you with my claws, and you can carry me that way.” - -The Crane thought that would be all right, and so the other held on to -his neck with his claws, and off they went. - -They soon reached the spot where the Crane had eaten the fish, and the -Crab saw that it was covered with fishbones. - -“This is not the pond,” said the Crab; “please take me to it at once.” - -“You will never see another pond,” replied the Crane, who thought that -it would be the easiest thing in the world to shake the Crab from his -neck. “I am now going to eat you, just as I have eaten every one of the -fish, whose bones you can see if you look.” - -“Do you think I am as stupid as those fish?” asked the Crab. Then he -gave the Crane’s neck such a squeeze with his claws that the Crane -almost died. - -“That is just to remind you of what will happen if you don’t take me to -the pond at once,” said the Crab. - -The Crane now trembled with fear, and flew at once to the edge of the -pond, and there, before entering the water the Crab tightened his grip -so that the Crane’s neck was cut clear through. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE LION AND THE HARE - - -In a large forest there lived a Lion who was very fierce. Such terror -did he inspire among the other animals of the jungle, and so many of -them did he kill for his daily food, that they held a public meeting to -see what could be done about it. - -After much parleying they drew up a respectful petition to the Lion in -these words: - -“Your Majesty, why do you thus create havoc among us? If it please you, -we will ourselves furnish you daily with a beast for your Majesty’s -meal.” - -This petition they duly presented to the Lion, who said: “If this -arrangement is more agreeable to you, I will be satisfied.” So, from -that time a beast was allotted to him each day, they casting lots among -themselves to see who should be selected. - -Thus it became the turn of a wily old Hare to supply the royal table, -and as he walked slowly along to keep his appointment he said to -himself, “If I have to die I will take my time, and will go to my death -as leisurely as possible.” - -Now that day the Lion was very hungry, and he became very angry at being -kept waiting for his meal, so when he saw the Hare walking along as -though he had all day to spare he roared at him, “How dare you so delay -your coming?” - -“Sire,” replied the Hare, “It is not my fault that I am late. On the way -here I was detained by another lion, who made me promise to return to -him when I shall have told your Majesty that he awaits you.” - -Of course, such insolence on the part of another lion made this one more -angry than before, as the old Hare had intended it should, and he -exclaimed in a rage, “Show me instantly where this impertinent villain -of a lion lives.” - -Then the Hare led the way until he came to a deep well, when he stopped -and said, “Now, my Lord, come here and see him.” - -So the Lion approached, and saw his own reflection in the water. -Thinking that he was looking at the other lion, he flung himself -furiously upon his own image, and so was drowned. You may be sure the -old Hare lost no time in spreading the news of their enemy’s end to his -friends of the jungle. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE STORY OF CALIPH STORK - - - I. - -Caliph Chasid, of Bagdad, was resting comfortably on his divan one fine -afternoon. He was smoking a long pipe, and from time to time he sipped a -little coffee which a slave handed to him, and after each sip he stroked -his long beard with an air of enjoyment. In short, anyone could see that -the Caliph was in an excellent humor. This was, in fact, the best time -of day in which to approach him, for just now he was pretty sure to be -both affable and in good spirits, and for this reason the Grand Vizier -Mansor always chose this hour in which to pay his daily visit. - -He arrived as usual this afternoon, but, contrary to his usual custom, -with an anxious face. The Caliph withdrew his pipe for a moment from his -lips and asked, “Why do you look so anxious, Grand Vizier?” - -The Grand Vizier crossed his arms on his breast and bent low before his -master as he answered: - -“Oh, my lord! Whether my countenance be anxious or not I know not, but -down below in the court of the palace is a pedler with such beautiful -things that I cannot help feeling annoyed at having so little money to -spare.” - -The Caliph, who had wished for some time past to give his Grand Vizier a -present, ordered his black slave to bring the pedler before him at once. -The slave soon returned, followed by the pedler, a short, stout man with -a swarthy face, and dressed in very ragged clothes. He carried a box -containing all manner of wares—strings of pearls, rings, richly mounted -pistols, goblets, and combs. The Caliph and his Vizier inspected -everything, and the Caliph chose some handsome pistols for himself and -Mansor, and a jeweled comb for the Vizier’s wife. Just as the pedler was -about to close his box, the Caliph noticed a small drawer, and asked if -there was anything else in it for sale. The pedler opened the drawer and -showed them a box containing a black powder, and a scroll written in -strange characters, which neither the Caliph nor Mansor could read. - -“I got these two articles from a merchant who had picked them up in the -street at Mecca,” said the pedler. “I do not know what they may contain, -but as they are of no use to me, you are welcome to have them for a -trifle.” - -The Caliph, who liked to have old manuscripts in his library, even -though he could not read them, purchased the scroll and the box, and -dismissed the pedler. Then, being anxious to know what might be the -contents of the scroll, he asked the Vizier if he did not know of anyone -who might be able to decipher it. - -“Most gracious lord and master,” replied the Vizier, “near the great -Mosque lives a man called Selim the learned, who knows every language -under the sun. Send for him; it may be that he will be able to interpret -those mysterious characters.” - -The learned Selim was summoned immediately. - -“Selim,” said the Caliph, “I hear you are a scholar. Look well at this -scroll and see whether you can read it. If you can, I will give you a -robe of honor; but if you fail, I will order you to receive twelve -strokes on your cheeks, and five-and-twenty on the soles of your feet, -because you have been falsely called Selim the learned.” - -Selim prostrated himself and said, “Be it according to your will, oh -master!” Then he gazed long at the scroll. Suddenly he exclaimed: “May I -die, oh, my Lord, if this isn’t Latin!” - -“Well,” said the Caliph, “if it is Latin, let us hear what it means.” - -So Selim began to translate: “Thou who mayest find this, praise Allah -for his mercy. Whoever shall snuff the powder in this box, and at the -same time pronounce the word ‘Mutabor!’ can transform himself into any -creature he likes, and will understand the language of all animals. When -he wishes to resume the human form, he has only to look three times -toward the east, and to repeat the same word. Be careful, however, when -wearing the shape of some beast or bird, not to laugh, or thou wilt -certainly forget the magic word and remain an animal forever.” - -When Selim the learned had read this the Caliph was delighted. He made -the wise man swear not to tell the matter to anyone, gave him a splendid -robe, and dismissed him. Then he said to the Vizier, “That’s what I call -a good bargain, Mansor. I am longing for the moment when I can become -some animal. To-morrow morning I shall expect you early; we will go into -the country, take some snuff from my box, and then hear what is being -said in air, earth, and water.” - - - II. - -Next morning Caliph Chasid had barely finished dressing and breakfasting -when the Grand Vizier arrived, according to orders, to accompany him on -his expedition. The Caliph stuck the snuff-box in his girdle, and, -having desired his servants to remain at home, started off with the -Grand Vizier only in attendance. First they walked through the palace -gardens, but they looked in vain for some creature which would tempt -them to try their magic powder. At length the Vizier suggested going -further on to a pond which lay beyond the town, and where he had often -seen a variety of creatures, especially storks, whose grave, dignified -appearance and constant chatter had often attracted his attention. - -The Caliph consented, and they went straight to the pond. As soon as -they arrived they remarked a stork strutting up and down with a stately -air, hunting for frogs, and now and then muttering something to itself. -At the same time they saw another stork far above in the sky flying -toward the same spot. - -“I would wager my beard, most gracious master,” said the Grand Vizier, -“that these two long-legs will have a good chat together. How would it -be if we turned ourselves into storks?” - -“Well said,” replied the Caliph; “but first let us remember carefully -how we are to become men once more. Bow three times toward the east and -say ‘Mutabor!’ and I shall be Caliph and you my Grand Vizier again. But -for Heaven’s sake don’t laugh or we are lost.” - -As the Caliph spoke he saw the second stork circling round his head and -gradually flying towards the earth. Quickly he drew the box from his -girdle, took a good pinch of the snuff, and offered one to Mansor, who -also took one, and both cried together “Mutabor!” - -Instantly their legs shriveled up and grew thin and red; their smart -yellow slippers turned to clumsy stork’s feet. Their arms to wings; -their necks began to sprout from between their shoulders and grew a yard -long; their beards disappeared, and their bodies were covered with -feathers. - -“You’ve got a fine long bill, Sir Vizier,” cried the Caliph, after -standing for some time lost in astonishment. “By the beard of the -Prophet I never saw such a thing in all my life!” - -“My very humble thanks,” replied the Grand Vizier, as he bent his long -neck; “but if I may venture to say so, your Highness is even handsomer -as a stork than as a Caliph. But come, if it so pleases you, let us go -near our comrades there and find out whether we really do understand the -language of storks.” - -Meantime the second stork had reached the ground. It first scraped its -bill with its claw, stroked down its feathers, and then advanced towards -the first stork. The two newly made storks lost no time in drawing near, -and to their amazement overheard the following conversation: - -“Good-morning, Dame Longlegs. You are out early this morning!” - -“Yes, indeed, dear Chatterbill! I am getting myself a morsel of -breakfast. May I offer you a joint of lizard or a frog’s thigh?” - -“A thousand thanks, but I have really no appetite this morning. I am -here for a very different purpose. I am to dance to-day before my -father’s guests, and I have come to the meadow for a little quiet -practice.” - -Thereupon the young stork began to move about with the most wonderful -steps. The Caliph and Mansor looked on with surprise for some time; but -when at last she balanced herself in a picturesque attitude on one leg, -and flapped her wings gracefully up and down, they could hold out no -longer; a prolonged peal burst from each of their bills, and it was some -time before they could recover their composure. The Caliph was the first -to collect himself. “That was the best joke,” said he, “I’ve ever seen. -It’s a pity the stupid creatures were scared away by our laughter, or no -doubt they would have sung next!” - -Suddenly, however, the Vizier remembered how strictly they had been -warned not to laugh during their transformation. He at once communicated -his fears to the Caliph, who exclaimed, “By Mecca and Medina! It would -indeed prove but a poor joke if I had to remain a stork for the -remainder of my days! Do just try and remember the stupid word, for it -has slipped my memory.” - -“We must bow three times eastwards and say ‘Mu—mu—mu——’” - -They turned to the east and fell to bowing till their bills touched the -ground, but, oh, horror—the magic word was quite forgotten, and however -often the Caliph bowed and however touchingly his Vizier cried “Mu—mu——” -they could not recall it, and the unhappy Chasid and Mansor remained -storks as they were. - - - III. - -The two enchanted birds wandered sadly on through the meadows. In their -misery they could not think what to do next. They could not rid -themselves of their new forms; there was no use in returning to the town -and saying who they were; for who would believe a stork who announced -that he was a Caliph; and even if they did believe him, would the people -of Bagdad consent to let a stork rule over them? - -So they lounged about for several days, supporting themselves on fruits, -which, however, they found some difficulty in eating with their long -bills. They did not much care to eat frogs or lizards. Their one comfort -in their sad plight was the power of flying, and accordingly they often -flew over the roofs of Bagdad to see what was going on there. - -During the first few days they noticed signs of much disturbance and -distress in the streets, but about the fourth day, as they sat on the -roof of the palace, they perceived a splendid procession passing below -them along the street. Drums and trumpets sounded; a man in a scarlet -mantle, embroidered in gold, sat on a splendidly caparisoned horse -surrounded by richly dressed slaves; half Bagdad crowded after him, and -they all shouted, “Hail, Mirza, the Lord of Bagdad!” - -The two storks on the palace roof looked at each other, and the Caliph -Chasid said, “Can you guess now, Grand Vizier, why I have been -enchanted? This Mirza is the son of my deadly enemy, the mighty magician -Kaschnur, who in an evil moment vowed vengeance on me. Still I will not -despair! Come with me, my faithful friend; we will go to the grave of -the Prophet, and perhaps at that sacred spot the spell may be loosed.” - -They rose from the palace roof, and spread their wings toward Medina. - -But flying was not an easy matter, for the two storks had had but little -practice as yet. - -“Oh, my Lord!” gasped the Vizier, after a couple of hours, “I can go on -no longer; you really fly too quick for me. Besides, it is nearly -evening, and we shall do well to find some place in which to spend the -night.” - -Chasid listened with favor to his servant’s suggestion, and perceiving -in the valley beneath them a ruin which seemed to promise shelter, they -flew toward it. The building in which they proposed to pass the night -had apparently been formerly a castle. Some handsome pillars still stood -amongst the heaps of ruins, and several rooms, which yet remained in -fair preservation, gave evidence of former splendor. Chasid and his -companion wandered along the passages seeking a dry spot, when suddenly -Mansor stood still. - -“My lord and master,” he whispered, “if it were not absurd for a Grand -Vizier, and still more for a stork, to be afraid of ghosts, I should -feel quite nervous, for someone, or something close by me, has sighed -and moaned quite audibly.” - -The Caliph stood still and distinctly heard a low weeping sound, which -seemed to proceed from a human being rather than from any animal. Full -of curiosity, he was about to rush toward the spot from which the sounds -of woe came, when the Vizier caught him by the wing with his bill, and -implored him not to expose himself to fresh and unknown dangers. The -Caliph, however, under whose stork’s breast a brave heart beat, tore -himself away with the loss of a few feathers, and hurried down a dark -passage. He saw a door which stood ajar, and through which he distinctly -heard sighs, mingled with sobs. He pushed open the door with his bill, -but remained on the threshold, astonished at the sight which met his -eyes. On the floor of the ruined chamber—which was but scantily lighted -by a small barred window—sat a large screech owl. Big tears rolled from -its large, round eyes, and in a hoarse voice it uttered its complaints -through its crooked beak. As soon as it saw the Caliph and his -Vizier—who had crept up meanwhile—it gave vent to a joyful cry. It -gently wiped the tears from its eyes with its spotted brown wings, and -to the great amazement of the two visitors, addressed them in good human -Arabic. - -“Welcome, ye storks! You are a good sign of my deliverance, for it was -foretold me that a piece of good fortune should befall me through a -stork.” - -When Caliph had recovered from his surprise, he drew up his feet into a -graceful position, bent his long neck, and said: “O, screech owl! From -your words I am led to believe that we see in you a companion in -misfortune. But, alas! Your hope that you may attain your deliverance -through us is but a vain one. You will know our helplessness when you -have heard our story.” - -The screech owl begged him to relate it, and the Caliph accordingly told -him what we already know. - - - IV. - -When the Caliph had ended, the owl thanked him and said: “You must hear -my story, and own that I am no less unfortunate than yourselves. My -father is the King of the Indies. I, his only daughter, am named Lusa. -That magician, Kaschnur, who enchanted you, has been the cause of my -misfortunes, too. He came one day to my father and demanded my hand for -his son Mirza. My father—who is rather hasty—ordered him to be thrown -downstairs. The wretch not long after managed to approach me under -another form; one day when I was in the garden I asked for some -refreshment, and he brought me—in the disguise of a slave—a draught -which changed me at once to this horrid shape. Whilst I was fainting -with terror he transported me here, and cried to me with his awful -voice: ‘There shall you remain, lonely and hideous, despised even by the -brutes, till the end of your days, or till someone of his own free will -asks you to be his wife. Thus do I avenge myself on you and your proud -father.’ - -“Since then many months have passed away. Sad and lonely do I live like -any hermit within these walls, avoided by the world and a terror even to -animals; the beauties of nature are hidden from me, for I am blind by -day, and it is only when the moon sheds her pale light on this spot that -the veil falls from my eyes and I can see.” The owl paused, and once -more wiped her eyes with her wing, for the recital of her woes had drawn -fresh tears from her. - -The Caliph fell into deep thought on hearing this story of the Princess. -“If I am not much mistaken,” said he, “there is some mysterious -connection between our misfortunes, but how to find the key to the -riddle is the question.” - -The owl answered: “Oh, my Lord! I too feel sure of this, for in my -earliest youth a wise woman foretold that a stork would bring me some -great happiness, and I think I could tell you how we might save -ourselves.” The Caliph was much surprised, and asked her what she meant. - -“The magician who has made us both miserable,” said she, “comes once a -month to these ruins. Not far from this room is a large hall where he is -in the habit of feasting with his companions. I have often watched them. -They tell each other all about their evil deeds, and possibly the magic -word which you have forgotten may be mentioned.” - -“Oh, dearest Princess!” exclaimed the Caliph. “Say, when does he come, -and where is the hall?” - -The owl paused a moment and then said: “Do not think me unkind, but I -can only grant your request on one condition.” - -“Speak, speak!” cried Chasid; “command, I will gladly do whatever you -wish!” - -“Well,” replied the owl, “you see I should like to be free too; but this -can only be if one of you will offer me his hand in marriage.” - -The storks seemed rather taken back by this suggestion, and the Caliph -beckoned to his Vizier to retire and consult with him. - -When they were outside the door the Caliph said: “Grand Vizier, this is -a tiresome business. However, you can take her.” - -“Indeed!” said the Vizier; “so that when I go home my wife may scratch -my eyes out! Besides, I am an old man, and your Highness is still young -and unmarried, and a far more suitable match for a young and lovely -princess.” - -“That’s just where it is,” sighed the Caliph, whose wings drooped in a -dejected manner; “how do I know she is young and lovely? I call it -buying a pig in a poke.” - -They argued on for some time, but at length, when the Caliph saw plainly -that his Vizier would rather remain a stork to the end of his days than -marry the owl, he determined to fulfill the condition himself. The owl -was delighted. She owned that they could not have arrived at a better -time, as most probably the magicians would meet that very night. - -She then proceeded to lead the two storks to the chamber. They passed -through a long dark passage till at length a bright ray of light shone -before them through the chinks of a half-ruined wall. When they reached -it the owl advised them to keep very quiet. Through the gap near which -they stood they could with ease survey the whole of the large hall. It -was adorned with splendid carved pillars; a number of colored lamps -replaced the light of day. In the middle of the hall stood a round table -covered with a variety of dishes, and about the table was a divan on -which eight men were seated. In one of these bad men the two recognized -the pedler who had sold the magic powder. The man next him begged him to -relate all his latest doings, and amongst them he told the story of the -Caliph and his Vizier. - -“And what kind of word did you give them?” asked another old sorcerer. - -“A very difficult Latin word; it is ‘Mutabor.’” - - - V. - -As soon as the storks heard this they were nearly beside themselves with -joy. They ran at such a pace to the door of the ruined castle that the -owl could scarcely keep up with them. When they reached it the Caliph -turned to the owl, and said with much feeling: “Deliverer of my friend -and myself, as a proof of my eternal gratitude, accept me as your -husband.” Then he turned towards the east. Three times the storks bowed -their long necks to the sun, which was just rising over the mountains. -“Mutabor!” they both cried, and in an instant they were once more -transformed. In the rapture of their newly given lives master and -servant fell laughing and weeping into each other’s arms. Who shall -describe their surprise when they at last turned round and beheld -standing before them a beautiful lady exquisitely dressed! - -With a smile she held out her hand to the Caliph, and asked: “Do you not -recognize your screech owl?” - -It was she! The Caliph was so enchanted by her grace and beauty that he -declared being turned into a stork had been the best piece of luck which -had ever befallen him. The three set out at once for Bagdad. -Fortunately, the Caliph found not only the box with the magic powder, -but also his purse in his girdle; he was, therefore, able to buy in the -nearest village all they required for their journey, and so at last they -reached the gates of Bagdad. - -Here the Caliph’s arrival created the greatest sensation. He had been -quite given up for dead, and the people were greatly rejoiced to see -their beloved ruler again. - -Their rage with the usurper Mirza, however, was great in proportion. -They marched in force to the palace and took the old magician and his -son prisoners. The Caliph sent the magician to the room where the -princess had lived as an owl, and there had him hanged. As the son, -however, knew nothing of his father’s acts, the Caliph gave him his -choice between death and a pinch of the magic snuff. When he chose the -latter the Grand Vizier handed him the box. One good pinch, and the -magic word transformed him to a stork. The Caliph ordered him to be -confined in an iron cage, and placed in the palace gardens. - -Caliph Chasid lived long and happily with his wife, the princess. His -merriest time was when the Grand Vizier visited him in the afternoon; -and when the Caliph was in particularly high spirits he would condescend -to mimic the Vizier’s appearance when he was a stork. He would strut -gravely, and with well-stiffened legs, up and down the room, chattering, -and showing how he had vainly bowed to the east and cried “Mu—mu——” The -Caliphess and her children were always much entertained by this -performance; when the Caliph went on nodding and bowing, and calling -“Mu—mu——” too long, the Vizier would threaten laughingly to tell the -Caliphess the subject of the discussion carried on one night outside the -door of Princess Screech Owl. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - PRINCE AHMED - - -There was a sultan of India, who, after a long reign, had reached a good -old age. He had three sons and one niece, the chief ornaments of his -court. The eldest son was called Houssain, the second Ali, the youngest -Ahmed. The name of his niece, their cousin, was Nouronnihar. This niece, -the daughter of a favorite brother who had died young, had been brought -up in the palace from her childhood, and was remarkable for her wit and -beauty. The sultan, on her arriving at the proper age, was consulting -about a neighboring prince with whom she might form an alliance, when he -found that all the three princes, his sons, loved their cousin, and -wished to marry her. This discovery caused him great grief—not from any -disappointment of his own plans for his niece, but from the discord -which this mutual passion for their cousin would cause to his sons. - -He spoke to each of them apart, and showed the impossibility of one -princess being the wife of three brothers, and the troubles they would -create if they persisted in their purpose. He did all he could to -persuade them to abide by a declaration of the princess in favor of one -of them; or that all should agree to resign their claims to her hand, -that she might marry a stranger. But as he found them equally obstinate, -he sent for them all together, and said, “My sons, since I have not been -able to persuade you in this matter, and as I have no wish to use my -authority to give the princess your cousin to one in preference of -another, I have thought of a plan which will please you all, and -preserve harmony among you, if you will but hear me and follow my -advice. I think it would not be amiss if you were to travel separately -into different countries, so that you might not meet each other; and I -promise my niece in marriage to him who shall bring me the most -extraordinary rarity. I will give each of you a sum suited to your rank, -and for the purchase of the rarity you shall search after.” - -The three princes cheerfully consented to this proposal, as each -flattered himself fortune might prove favorable to him, and give him -possession of the Princess Nouronnihar. The sultan gave them the money -he promised, and issued orders for the preparations for their travels. -Early next morning they all went out at the same gate of the city, each -dressed like a merchant, attended by a trusty officer habited as a -slave, and all well mounted and equipped. They proceeded the first day’s -journey together; and at night when they were at supper, they agreed to -travel for a twelvemonth, and that day a year later to meet again at the -khan where they were stopping; so that as they had all three taken leave -together of the sultan, they might return in company. The next morning -by break of day, after they had embraced and wished each other good -success, they mounted their horses and each took a different road. - -Prince Houssain, the eldest brother, who had heard of the extent, power, -riches, and splendor of the kingdom of Bisnagar, bent his course towards -the Indian coast; and after three months’ travelling with different -caravans, sometimes over deserts and barren mountains, and sometimes -through populous and fertile countries, arrived at Bisnagar, the capital -of the kingdom of that name, and the residence of its king. He lodged at -a khan appointed for foreign merchants, and soon learned that there were -four principal bazaars where merchants of all sorts kept their shops, on -a large extent of ground, in the centre of the city. - -Prince Houssain went to one of these bazaars on the next day. It was -large, divided into several vaulted avenues, and shaded from the sun, -but yet very light. The shops were of the same size and proportion; and -all who dealt in the same sort of goods lived in one avenue. - -The number of shops stocked with all kinds of merchandise—as the finest -linens from several parts of India; silks and brocades from Persia; -porcelain from Japan—surprised him very much; but when he came to the -shops of the goldsmiths and jewellers, he was in a kind of ecstasy at -beholding such quantities of wrought gold and silver, and was dazzled by -the lustre of the pearls, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and other precious -stones exposed for sale. - -After Prince Houssain had passed through that quarter, street by street, -a merchant, perceiving him go by much fatigued, invited him to sit down -in front of his shop. He had not been seated long before a crier -appeared, with a piece of carpet on his arm, about six feet square, and -offered it at forty purses. The prince called to the crier, and when he -had examined the carpet, told him that he could not comprehend how so -small a piece of carpet, and of so indifferent an appearance, could be -held at so high a price unless it had something very extraordinary in it -which he knew nothing of. - -“You have guessed right, sir,” replied the crier; “whoever sits on this -piece of carpet may be transported in an instant wherever he desires to -be.” - -“If the carpet,” said he to the crier, “has the virtue you attribute to -it, I shall not think forty purses too much.” - -“Sir,” replied the crier, “I have told you the truth, and with the leave -of the master of this shop we will go into the back warehouse, where I -will spread the carpet, and when we have both sat down, and you have -formed the wish to be transported into your apartment at the khan, if we -are not conveyed thither, it shall be no bargain.” - -On this proposal they went into the merchant’s back-shop, where they -both sat down on the carpet; and as soon as the prince had formed his -wish to be transported into his apartment at the khan, he in an instant -found himself and the crier there. After this convincing proof of the -virtue of the carpet, he counted to the crier forty purses of gold, and -gave him twenty pieces for himself. - -In this manner Prince Houssain became the possessor of the carpet, and -was overjoyed that at his arrival at Bisnagar he had found so rare a -curiosity, which he never doubted must of course gain him the possession -of Nouronnihar, as his younger brothers could not meet with anything to -be compared with it. By sitting on this carpet, it was in his power to -be at the place of meeting that very day; but as he would be obliged to -wait there for his brothers until the time they had agreed on, he chose -to make a longer abode in this capital. - -When Prince Houssain had seen all the wonders of the city, he wished to -be nearer his dear Princess Nouronnihar, and having paid all the -charges, and returned the key of his apartment to the owner of the khan, -he spread the carpet, and as soon as he had formed his wish he and the -officer whom he had brought with him were transported to the inn at -which he and his brothers were to meet, and where he passed for a -merchant till their arrival. - -Prince Ali, the second brother, who had designed to travel into Persia, -after he had parted with his brothers, joined a caravan, and in four -months arrived at Shiraz, the capital of that empire. - -On the next morning after his arrival, while the merchants opened their -bales of merchandise, Prince Ali took a walk into that quarter of the -town where is the bazaar of the jewellers, in which they sold precious -stones, gold and silver works, and other choice and valuable articles, -for which Shiraz was celebrated. - -Among the criers who passed backwards and forwards with samples of -several sorts of goods, he was not a little surprised to see one who -held in his hand an ivory tube, about a foot in length, and about an -inch thick, which he cried at forty purses. At first he thought the -crier mad, and asked him what he meant by asking forty purses for that -tube which seemed to be a thing of no value. - -The crier replied, “Sir, you are not the only person that takes me for a -madman on account of this tube; you shall judge yourself whether I am or -not, when I have told you its peculiar power. By looking through this -tube, you will see whatever object you wish to behold.” - -The crier presented him the tube, and he looked through, wishing at the -same time to see the sultan his father, whom he immediately beheld in -perfect health, sitting on his throne, in the midst of his council. -Next, as there was nothing in the world so dear to him, after the -sultan, as the Princess Nouronnihar, he wished to see her; and instantly -beheld her laughing, and in a gay humor, with her women about her. - -Prince Ali wanted no other proof to persuade him that this tube was the -most valuable article, not only in the city of Shiraz, but in all the -world; and believed that if he should neglect to purchase it, he would -never meet with an equally wonderful curiosity. He said to the crier, “I -am very sorry that I have entertained so wrong an opinion of you, but I -hope to make amends by buying the tube, and I will give you the price -you ask.” - -On this the prince took the crier to the khan where he lodged, counted -him out the money, and received the tube. - -Prince Ali was overjoyed at his purchase; he persuaded himself that, as -his brothers would not be able to meet with anything so rare and -admirable, the Princess Nouronnihar must be the recompense of his -fatigue and travels. He now thought only of visiting the court of -Persia, and of seeing whatever was curious in Shiraz, and when the -caravan took its departure he joined the party of merchants with whom he -had travelled, and arrived happily without any accident or trouble at -the place appointed, where he found Prince Houssain, and both waited for -Prince Ahmed. - -Prince Ahmed took the road to Samarcand, and the day after his arrival, -went as his brothers had done, into the market, where he had not walked -long before he heard a crier, who had an artificial apple in his hand, -offer it at forty purses. He stopped the crier, and said to him, “Let me -see that apple, and tell me what virtue it possesses, to be valued at so -high a rate.” - -“Sir,” replied the crier, giving it into his hand, “if you look at the -mere outside of this apple, it is not very remarkable; but if you -consider its properties, you will say it is invaluable, and that he who -possesses it is master of a great treasure. It cures all sick persons of -every disease, and even if the patient is dying, it will help him -immediately, and restore him to perfect health; and this merely by the -patient’s smelling it.” - -“If one may believe you,” replied Prince Ahmed, “the virtues of this -apple are wonderful, and it is indeed invaluable; but how am I to know -that there is no error in the high praises you bestow on it?” - -“Sir,” replied the crier, “the truth is known by the whole city of -Samarcand. Ask all these merchants you see here, and hear what they say. -You will find several of them will tell you they had not been alive this -day had they not made use of this excellent remedy.” - -While the crier was detailing to Prince Ahmed the virtues of the -artificial apple, many persons gathered round them, and confirmed what -he declared; and one amongst the rest said he had a friend dangerously -ill, whose life was despaired of, which was a favorable opportunity to -show the apple’s power; on which Prince Ahmed told the crier he would -give him forty purses for the apple if it cured the sick person by -smelling it. - -“Come sir,” said the crier to Prince Ahmed, “let us go and make the -experiment, and the apple shall be yours.” - -The experiment succeeded; and the prince, after he had counted out to -the crier forty purses, received the apple. He then spent his time in -seeing all that was curious at and about Samarcand; and having joined -the first caravan that set out for the Indies, he arrived in perfect -health at the inn, where the Princes Houssain and Ali waited for him. - -When Prince Ahmed joined his brothers they embraced with tenderness, and -complimented each other on the happiness of meeting together in safety -at the same place they had set out from. Houssain, as the eldest -brother, then said: “Brothers, we shall have time enough hereafter to -describe our travels. Let us come to that which is of the greatest -importance for us to know, and not conceal from each other the -curiosities we have brought, but show them, that we may ourselves judge -to which of us the sultan our father may give the preference. I will -tell you that the rarity which I have brought from the kingdom of -Bisnagar is the carpet on which I sit. It looks but ordinary, and makes -no show, but its virtues are wonderful. Whoever sits on it, and desires -to be transported to any place, be it ever so far distant, is -immediately carried thither. On my return here I made use of no other -conveyance than this wonderful carpet, for which I paid forty purses. I -expect now that you should tell me whether what you have brought is to -be compared with this carpet.” - -Prince Ali next spoke. “I acknowledge, brother,” said he, “that your -carpet is a most surprising curiosity. But you must allow that there may -be other rarities at least as wonderful. Here is an ivory tube, which -appears to the eye no more a prodigy than your carpet. It cost me forty -purses, and I am as well satisfied with my purchase as you can be with -yours; for on looking at one end of this tube you can see whatever -object you wish to behold. I would not have you take my word,” added -Prince Ali, presenting the tube to him. “Take it, and make a trial of it -yourself.” - -Houssain took the ivory tube, and wished to see the Princess -Nouronnihar, when Ali and Prince Ahmed, who kept their eyes fixed on -him, were extremely surprised to see his countenance suddenly express -extraordinary alarm and affliction. Prince Houssain did not give them -time to ask what was the matter, but cried out, “Alas! princes, to what -purpose have we undertaken such long and fatiguing journeys, with the -hopes of being recompensed by the hand of the charming Nouronnihar, when -in a few moments that lovely princess will breathe her last! I saw her -in bed, surrounded by her women, all weeping and seeming to expect her -death. Take the tube, behold yourselves the miserable state she is in, -and mingle your tears with mine.” - -Prince Ali took the tube out of Houssain’s hand, and after he had seen -the same object with the deepest grief presented it to Ahmed, who also -beheld the sad sight which so much concerned them all. - -When Prince Ahmed had taken the tube out of Ali’s hands, and saw that -the Princess Nouronnihar’s end was so near, he addressed himself to his -two companions, and said, “Brothers, the Princess Nouronnihar, whom we -all equally loved, is indeed just at death’s door; but provided we make -haste and lose no time, we may preserve her life. This apple which you -see cost the same sum as the carpet and the tube; but it has this -surprising power—its smell will restore to life a sick person, whatever -be the malady. I have made the experiment, and can show you its -wonderful effect on the person of the Princess Nouronnihar if we hasten -to assist her.” - -“If that be all,” replied Prince Houssain, “we cannot make more despatch -than by transporting ourselves instantly into her chamber by means of my -carpet. Come, lose no time, sit down, it is large enough to hold us -all.” - -As soon as the order was given, the Princes Ali and Ahmed sat down by -Houssain, and as their interest was the same, they all framed the same -wish, and were transported instantaneously into the Princess -Nouronnihar’s chamber. - -The presence of the three princes, who were so little expected, alarmed -the princess’s women and guards, who could not comprehend by what -enchantment three men should be among them; for they did not know them -at first; and the guards were ready to fall on them, as people who had -got into a part of the palace where they were not allowed to come; but -they quickly found out their mistake. - -Prince Ahmed no sooner saw himself in Nouronnihar’s chamber than he rose -off the carpet, and went to the bedside, and put the apple to her -nostrils. The princess instantly opened her eyes, and sitting up, asked -to be dressed, as if she had awakened out of a sound sleep. Her women -presently informed her that she was obliged to the three princes, her -cousins, and particularly to Prince Ahmed, for the sudden recovery of -her health. She immediately expressed her joy at seeing them, and -thanked them all together, but afterwards Prince Ahmed in particular. As -she desired to dress, the princes contented themselves with telling her -how great a pleasure it was to them to have come soon enough to -contribute each in any degree towards relieving her from the imminent -danger she was in, and what ardent prayers they had offered for the -continuance of her life; after which they retired. - -While the princess was dressing, the princes went to throw themselves at -the sultan their father’s feet; but when they came to him, they found he -had been previously informed of their unexpected arrival by the chief of -the princess’s guards, and by what means the princess had been so -suddenly cured. The sultan received and embraced them with the greatest -joy, both for their return and the wonderful recovery of the princess, -his niece, whom he loved as if she had been his own daughter. After the -usual compliments the princes each presented the rarity which he had -brought: Prince Houssain his carpet, Prince Ali his ivory tube, and -Prince Ahmed the artificial apple; and after each had commended his -present, as he put it into the sultan’s hands, they begged of him to -pronounce their fate, and declare to which of them he would give the -Princess Nouronnihar, according to his promise. - -The Sultan of the Indies having heard all that the princes had to say in -favor of their rarities remained some time silent, considering what -answer he should make. At last he broke silence, and said to them in -terms full of wisdom, “I would declare for one of you, my sons, if I -could do it with justice. It is true, Ahmed, the princess, my niece, is -obliged to your artificial apple for her cure; but let me ask you, -whether you could have contrived to cure her if you had not known by -Ali’s tube the danger she was in, and if Houssain’s carpet had not -brought you to her so soon? Your tube, Ali, revealed to you and your -brothers the illness of your cousin; but you must grant that the -knowledge of her illness would have been of no service without the -artificial apple and the carpet. And as for you, Houssain, your carpet -was an essential instrument in effecting her cure; but consider, it -would have been of little use if you had not been acquainted with her -illness by Ali’s tube, or if Ahmed had not applied his artificial apple. -Therefore, as the carpet, the ivory tube, and the artificial apple have -no preference over each other, but on the contrary as each had an equal -share in her cure, I cannot grant the princess to any one of you; and -the only fruit you have reaped from your travels is the happiness of -having equally contributed to restore her to health. - -“As this is the case,” added the sultan, “I must resort to other means -to determine the choice I ought to make; and as there is time enough -between now and night, I will do it to-day. Go and procure each of you a -bow and arrow, and repair to the plain where the horses are exercised. I -will soon join you, and will give the Princess Nouronnihar to him who -shoots the farthest.” - -The three princes had nothing to object to the decision of the sultan. -When they were dismissed from his presence, they each provided -themselves with a bow and arrow, and went to the plain appointed, -followed by a great concourse of people. - -As soon as the sultan arrived, Prince Houssain, as the eldest, took his -bow and arrow, and shot first. Prince Ali shot next, and much beyond -him, and Prince Ahmed last of all; but it so happened that nobody saw -where his arrow fell; and notwithstanding all the search made by himself -and the spectators, it was not to be found. So the sultan determined in -favor of Prince Ali, and gave orders for preparations to be made for the -wedding of him and Nouronnihar, which was celebrated a few days after -with great magnificence. - -Prince Houssain would not honor the feast with his presence. His love -for the princess was so sincere and ardent that he could scarcely -support with patience the mortification of seeing her marry Prince Ali, -who, he said, did not deserve her better nor love her more than himself. -In short, his grief was so great that he left the court, and renounced -all right of succession to the crown, to turn dervish, and put himself -under the discipline of a famous holy man, who had gained great -reputation for his holy life. - -Prince Ahmed, from the same motive, did not assist at Prince Ali and the -Princess Nouronnihar’s nuptials any more than his brother Houssain, yet -did not renounce the world as he had done. But as he could not imagine -what had become of his arrow, he resolved to search for it. With this -intent he went to the place where the Princes Houssain’s and Ali’s were -picked up, and proceeding straightforward thence, looked carefully on -both sides as he advanced. He went so far that at last he began to think -his labor was in vain; yet he felt compelled to proceed, till he came to -some steep craggy rocks, which completely prevented any further -progress. - -At the very foot of these rocks he perceived an arrow, which, to his -great astonishment, he found to be the same he had shot. “Certainly,” -said he to himself, “neither I nor any man living could shoot an arrow -so far. There must be come mystery in this; and perhaps fortune, to make -amends for depriving me of what I thought the greatest happiness of my -life, may have reserved a greater blessing for my comfort.” - -On looking about, the prince beheld an iron door, which seemed to be -locked; but on his pushing against it, it opened, and revealed a -staircase, which he walked down with his arrow in his hand. At first he -thought he was going into a dark place, but presently he was surrounded -by light, and beheld a splendid palace, the admirable structure of which -he had not time to look at; for at the same instant a lady of majestic -air, and of a beauty heightened by the richness of the jewels which -adorned her person, advanced, attended by a troop of ladies, who were -scarcely less magnificently dressed than their mistress. - -As soon as Ahmed perceived the lady, he hastened to pay his respects; -but the lady, addressing him first, said, “Enter, Prince Ahmed, you are -welcome.” - -After these words the lady led Prince Ahmed into a grand hall. She then -sat down on a sofa; and when the prince, at her entreaty, had seated -himself by her, she continued, “You know that the world is inhabited by -genii as well as men; I am Perie Banou, the daughter of one of the most -powerful of these genii. I am no stranger to your loves or your travels. -The artificial apple which you bought at Samarcand, the carpet which -Prince Houssain purchased at Bisnagar, and the tube which Prince Ali -brought from Shiraz were of my contrivance. You seemed to me worthy of a -better fate than to marry the Princess Nouronnihar; and that you might -attain to it, I caused your arrow to fly out of sight, and to strike -against the rocks near which you found it. It is in your power to avail -yourself of the favorable opportunity which presents itself to make you -happy.” - -As the fairy Perie Banou pronounced the last words with a different -tone, and after looking tenderly at the prince, sat with downcast eyes -and a modest blush on her cheeks, it was not difficult for him to -comprehend what happiness she meant; and he replied, “Could I have the -pleasure of making you the partner of my life, I should think myself the -happiest of men.” - -“Then you shall be my husband,” answered the fairy, “and I will be your -wife. Our fairy marriages are contracted with no other ceremonies than a -mutual consent. I will give orders for the preparation of our wedding -feast this evening; and in the meanwhile I will show you my palace.” - -The fairy led Ahmed through the apartments of the palace, where he saw -diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and all sorts of fine jewels intermixed with -pearls, agate, jasper, and the most precious marbles, together with the -richest furniture disposed in the most elegant profusion. At last he -entered the hall where the cloth was laid for the feast. It was adorned -with an infinite number of wax candles perfumed with amber. A concert -accompanied the feast, formed of the most harmonious instruments that -were ever heard. After the dessert, which consisted of the choicest -fruits and sweetmeats, the fairy Perie Banou and Prince Ahmed rose and -repaired to a dais, provided with cushions of fine silk, curiously -embroidered. Presently a great number of genii and fairies danced before -them, and at last divided themselves into two rows, through which the -prince and Perie Banou passed toward their chambers and, after bowing, -retired. - -Every day spent with the fairy Perie was a continual feast, for every -day she provided new delicacies, new concerts, new dances, new shows, -and new diversions, which were all so gratifying to the senses that -Ahmed, if he had lived a thousand years among men, could not have -experienced equal enjoyment. - -The fairy’s intention was not only to give the prince convincing proofs -of her love, but to let him see that he could meet with nothing at his -father’s court comparable to the happiness he enjoyed with her. She -hoped by those means to attach Prince Ahmed entirely to herself. - -At the end of six months, Prince Ahmed felt a great desire to visit the -sultan his father, and know how he was. He mentioned his wish to Perie -Banou, who was much alarmed lest this was only an excuse to leave her, -and entreated him to forego his intention. - -“My queen,” replied the prince, “I did not make the request with any -intention of displeasing you, but from a motive of respect towards my -father, who, as I have reason to presume, believes that I am dead. But -since you do not consent that I should go and comfort him by the -assurance of my life, I will deny myself the pleasure, as there is -nothing to which I would not submit to please you.” - -The fairy heard the prince say this with extreme satisfaction. - -Meanwhile the Sultan of the Indies, in the midst of the rejoicings on -account of the nuptials of Prince Ali and the Princess Nouronnihar, was -deeply afflicted at the absence of the other two princes his sons. He -was soon informed of the resolution Prince Houssain had taken to forsake -the world, and as he knew that he was alive and well, he supported his -absence more patiently. He made the most diligent search after Ahmed, -and despatched messengers to all the provinces of his kingdom, with -orders to the governors to stop him, and oblige him to return to court; -but all the pains he took had not the desired success; and his -affliction, instead of diminishing, increased. “Vizier,” he one day -said, “thou knowest I always loved Ahmed the most of all my sons. My -grief is so heavy at his strange absence that I shall sink under it. If -thou hast any regard for my life I beg thee to assist me, and find out -where he is.” - -The grand vizier, anxious to give his king some ease, proposed to send -for and consult a sorceress, of whom he had heard many wonders. The -sultan consented, and the grand vizier, on her arrival, introduced her -into the presence of the ruler. - -The sultan said to the sorceress, “Canst thou tell me by thy art and -skill what is become of Prince Ahmed my son? If he be alive, where is -he? What is he doing? May I hope ever to see him again?” - -“Sire,” replied the sorceress, “if you will allow me till to-morrow, I -will endeavor to satisfy you.” - -The sultan granted her the time, and promised to recompense her richly. - -The sorceress returned the next day and said to the sultan, “Sire, I -have not been able to discover anything more than that Prince Ahmed is -alive, but as to where he is I cannot tell.” - -The Sultan of the Indies was obliged to remain satisfied with this -answer, which in a small degree relieved his anxiety about the prince. - -Prince Ahmed still adhered to his resolution not again to ask permission -to leave the fairy Perie Banou, but he frequently talked about his -father, and she perceived that he retained his wish to see him. At -length, being assured of the sincerity of his affection for herself, she -resolved to grant him the permission which he so ardently desired. One -day she said to him, “Prince, as I am now fully convinced that I can -depend on the fidelity of your love, I grant you leave to visit the -sultan your father, on condition that your absence shall not be long. -You can go when you please; but first let me give you some advice how -you shall conduct yourself. Do not inform your father of our marriage, -neither of my quality, nor the place of our residence. Beg of him to be -satisfied with knowing that you are happy, and that the sole end of your -visit is to make him easy respecting your fate.” - -After Prince Ahmed had expressed to Perie Banou his sincere gratitude, -the fairy summoned twenty horsemen, well mounted and equipped, to attend -him. When all was ready, Prince Ahmed took his leave of the fairy. A -charger, which was most richly caparisoned, and as beautiful a creature -as any in the sultan’s stables, was brought to him, and he set forward -on his journey. - -As it was no great distance, Prince Ahmed soon arrived at his father’s -capital. The people received him with shouts and followed him in crowds -to the palace. The sultan embraced him with great joy, complaining at -the same time, with a fatherly tenderness, of the affliction his long -absence had occasioned. - -“Sire,” replied Prince Ahmed, “I could not bear to resign the Princess -Nouronnihar to my brother Ali, and I felt that my arrow, though it could -not be found, had gone beyond his. The loss of my arrow dwelt -continually on my mind, and I resolved to find it. I therefore returned -alone to look for it, and I sought all about the plain where Houssain’s -and Ali’s arrows were found, and where I imagined mine must have fallen, -but all my labor was in vain. I had gone in the same direction about a -league, a distance that the strongest archers could not reach with their -arrows, and was about to abandon my search and return home, when I found -myself drawn forward against my will. After having gone four leagues, to -the end of the plain, where it is bounded by rocks, I perceived an -arrow. I ran, took it up, and knew it to be the same which I had shot. -Far from blaming your majesty for declaring in favor of my brother Ali, -I never doubted but there was a mystery in what had happened to my -advantage. But as to the revealing of this mystery, I beg you will not -be offended if I remain silent, and that you will be satisfied to know -from my own mouth that I am happy and content with my fate. To tell you -this, and to relieve your anxiety, was the motive which brought me -hither. I must now return, and the only favor I ask is your leave to -come occasionally to pay you my duty, and to inquire after your health.” - -“Son,” answered the Sultan of the Indies, “I wish to penetrate no -further into your secrets. I can only tell you that your presence has -restored to me the joy I have not felt for a long time. You shall always -be welcome when you can come to visit me.” - -Prince Ahmed stayed but three days at his father’s court and on the -fourth returned to the fairy Perie Banou, who received him with the -greater joy, as she did not expect him so soon. At the end of a month -after the prince’s return, the fairy, no longer doubting his love for -her, proposed herself that he should pay his respects to the sultan. “It -is a month,” she said, “since you have seen the sultan your father. I -think you should not be longer in renewing your visits. Go to him -to-morrow, and after that visit him once a month, without speaking to me -or waiting for my permission. I readily consent to such an arrangement.” - -Prince Ahmed went the next morning with the same attendants as before, -but much more magnificently mounted, equipped, and dressed, and was -received by the sultan with the same joy and satisfaction. For several -months he constantly made these visits, and always in a richer and more -brilliant equipage. - -At last the sultan’s counsellors, who judged of Prince Ahmed’s power by -the splendor of his appearance, sought to make the sultan jealous of his -son. They represented that it was but common prudence to discover where -the prince had retired, and how he could afford to live so -magnificently, since he had no revenue assigned for his expenses; that -he seemed to come to court only to insult him, by affecting a more -splendid display than himself; and that it was to be feared he might -court the people’s favor and dethrone him. They represented the danger -to be greater, as the prince could not reside far from the capital, for -on every visit his attendants were different, their habits new, and -their arms clean and bright, as if just come from the maker’s hands; and -their horses looked as if they had only been walked out. “These are -sufficient proofs,” they said, “that Prince Ahmed does not travel far, -so that we should think ourselves wanting in our duty did we not make -our humble remonstrances, in order that, for your own preservation and -the good of your people, your majesty may take such measures as you -shall think advisable.” - -When the courtiers had concluded these insinuations, the sultan said, “I -do not believe my son Ahmed would act as you would persuade me; however, -I am obliged to you for your advice, and do not doubt that it proceeds -from your loyalty to my person.” - -The Sultan of the Indies said this that his courtiers might not know the -impression their words had made on his mind. He was, however, so much -alarmed by them, that he resolved to have Prince Ahmed watched. For this -end he sent privately for the sorceress, who was introduced by a secret -door into his study. “You told me the truth,” said he, “when you assured -me my son Ahmed was alive. He now comes to my court every month, but I -cannot learn from him where he resides. I believe you are capable of -discovering his secret. He is at this time with me, and will depart in -the morning, without taking leave of me or any of my court. I require -you to watch him so as to find out where he retires, and bring me -information.” - -The sorceress left the sultan, and learning by her art the place where -Prince Ahmed had found his arrow, went immediately thither, and -concealed herself near the rocks so as not to be seen. - -The next morning Prince Ahmed set out by daybreak, without taking leave -either of the sultan or any of his court, according to custom. The -sorceress saw him coming, and watched him and his attendants till she -suddenly lost sight of them in the rocks. The steepness of the rocks -formed a strong barrier to men, whether on horseback or on foot, so that -the sorceress judged that the prince and his retinue had suddenly -retired either into some cavern or some underground place, the abode of -genii or fairies. When she thought the prince and his attendants must -have advanced far into whatever concealment they inhabited, she came out -of the place where she had hidden herself, and explored the spot where -she had lost sight of them, but could perceive nothing. The sorceress -was obliged to be satisfied with the insufficient discovery she had -made, and returned to communicate it to the sultan; but at the same time -informed him that she did not despair of obtaining the information he -wished. - -The sultan was much pleased, and to encourage her presented her with a -diamond of great value, telling her it was only a forerunner of the -ample recompense she should receive when she had performed the important -service which he left to her management. The sorceress, knowing the time -when Prince Ahmed would again visit his father, went shortly before that -time to the foot of the rock where she had lost sight of him and his -attendants, and waited there to execute the project she had formed. - -The next morning as Prince Ahmed went out as usual at the iron door, -with his attendants, on his journey to the capital, he saw a woman lying -with her head on a rock, and complaining as if she was in great pain. He -pitied her, turned his horse, and said, “Good woman, I will assist you, -and convey you where you shall not only have all possible care taken of -you, but where you will find a speedy cure. Rise, and let one of my -people take you behind him.” - -At these words the sorceress made many feigned efforts to rise, -pretending that the violence of her illness prevented her. At the same -time two of the prince’s attendants, alighting, helped her up, and -placed her behind one of their companions. They mounted their horses -again, and followed the prince, who turned back to the iron gate, which -was opened by one of his followers. When he came into the outward court -of the fairy’s palace, without dismounting himself, he sent to tell her -he wanted to speak with her. The fairy came with all imaginable haste, -when Prince Ahmed said, “My princess, I desire you would have compassion -on this good woman. I recommend her to your care, and am persuaded that -you, from inclination, as well as my request, will not abandon her.” - -The fairy, who had her eyes fixed on the pretended sick woman all the -time the prince was speaking, ordered two of her women to take her from -the men who supported her, conduct her into an apartment of the palace, -and take as much care of her as they would of herself. - -Whilst the two women were executing the fairy’s commands, she went up to -Prince Ahmed, and whispering to him said, “Prince, I commend your -compassion, which is worthy of you and your birth; but believe me, this -woman is not so sick as she pretends to be. I am much mistaken if she is -not sent hither on purpose to occasion you great trouble. But do not be -concerned, I will deliver you out of all the snares that shall be laid -for you. Go and pursue your journey.” - -This address of the fairy’s did not in the least alarm Prince Ahmed. “My -princess,” said he, “as I do not remember I ever did, or designed to do, -anybody an injury, I cannot believe any one can have a thought of -injuring me; but if they have, I shall not forbear doing good whenever I -have an opportunity.” - -So saying, he took leave of the fairy, and set forward again for his -father’s capital, where he soon arrived, and was received as usual by -the sultan, who constrained himself as much as possible, to disguise the -anxiety arising from the suspicions suggested by his favorites. - -In the meantime the two women, to whom Perie Banou had given her orders, -conveyed the sorceress into an elegant apartment, richly furnished. When -they had put her into bed, the quilt of which was embroidered brocade, -and the coverlet cloth of gold, one of the women went out, and returned -soon with a china cup in her hand, full of a certain liquor, which she -presented to the sorceress, while the other helped her to sit up. “Drink -this,” said the attendant; “it is the water of the fountain of lions, -and a sure remedy. You will feel the effect of it in less than an hour.” - -The two attendants returned in an hour’s time and found the sorceress -seated on the sofa; who, when she saw them open the door of the -apartment, cried out, “Oh, the admirable potion! It has wrought its -cure; and being thus cured as by a miracle, I would not lose time, but -continue my journey.” - -The two attendants, after they had told the sorceress how glad they were -that she was cured so soon, walked before her, and conducted her through -several apartments, all more superb than that wherein she had lain, into -a large hall, the most richly and magnificently furnished of all the -palace. - -Perie Banou was seated in this hall, on a throne of massy gold, enriched -with diamonds, rubies, and pearls of an extraordinary size, and attended -on each hand by a great number of beautiful fairies, all richly dressed. -At the sight of so much splendor the sorceress was not only dazzled, but -so struck, that after she had prostrated herself before the throne, she -could not open her lips to thank the fairy, as she had proposed. -However, Perie Banou saved her the trouble, and said, “Good woman, I am -glad I had an opportunity to oblige you, and that you are able to pursue -your journey. I will not detain you; but perhaps you may not be -displeased to see my palace. Follow my women, and they will show it to -you.” - -The old sorceress, who had not power or courage to say a word, -prostrated herself a second time, with her head on the carpet that -covered the foot of the throne, and then was conducted by the two -fairies through the same apartments which were shown to Prince Ahmed at -his first arrival. They at last led her to the iron gate at which Prince -Ahmed had brought her in; and after she had taken her leave of them, and -thanked them for their trouble, they opened it, and wished her a good -journey. - -When the sorceress had gone a little way she turned to observe the door, -that she might know it again, but all in vain; for it was invisible to -her and all other women. Except in this circumstance, she was very well -satisfied with her success, and posted away to the sultan. The sultan, -being informed of her arrival, sent for her to come into his apartment. - -The sorceress at once related to the sultan the stratagem by which she -excited the compassion of Prince Ahmed, her introduction to the Princess -Perie Banou, and all the wonders of her fairy abode. Having finished her -narrative, she said, “What does your majesty think of these unheard-of -riches of the fairy? Perhaps you will rejoice at the good fortune of -Prince Ahmed your son. For my part, I shudder when I consider the -misfortunes which may happen to you, as the fairy, by her attractions -and caresses, may inspire your son with the unnatural design of -dethroning his father and of seizing the crown of the Indies.” - -As the sultan was consulting with his councillors when he was told of -the sorceress’s arrival, he ordered her to follow him into the council -chamber. After having informed his councillors of all he had learned, -and of his fears of the influence of the fairy over his son, one of them -said, “The author of this mischief is in your majesty’s power. You ought -to put him under arrest; I will not say take away his life, but make him -a close prisoner.” - -This advice all the other councillors unanimously applauded. - -The sorceress asked of the sultan leave to speak, which being granted, -she said, “If you arrest the prince, you must also detain his retinue. -But they are all genii. Will they not at once disappear by the power -they possess of rendering themselves invisible, and transport themselves -instantly to the fairy, and give her an account of the insult offered -her husband? And can it be supposed she will let it go unrevenged? Would -it not be better to turn the prince’s alliance to your advantage by -imposing on him some hard task, which, if he performs, will benefit you, -and which, if he cannot perform, may give you an honorable pretext for -your accusations against him? Request the prince to procure you a tent, -which can be carried in a man’s hand, and yet be large enough to shelter -your whole army.” - -When the sorceress had finished her speech, the sultan asked his -councillors if they had anything better to propose; and finding them all -silent, determined to follow her advice. - -The next day, when the prince came into his father’s presence, the -sultan thus addressed him, “My son, I congratulate you on your marriage -with a fairy, who I hear is worthy of your love. It is my earnest wish -that you would use your influence with your wife to obtain her -assistance to do me a great service. You know to what a great expense I -am put, every time I engage in war, to provide mules, camels, and other -beasts of burden to carry the tents of myself and of my army. Now I am -persuaded you could easily procure from the fairy, your wife, a tent -that might be carried in a man’s hand, and which would protect my whole -army. Pray oblige me in this matter.” - -Prince Ahmed, hearing this request, was in the greatest trouble what -answer to make. At last he replied, “Though I know not how this mystery -has been revealed to you, I cannot deny that your information is -correct. I have married the fairy you speak of. But I can say nothing as -to the influence I have over her. However, I will not fail, though it be -with great reluctance, to ask my wife the favor you desire. If I should -not come again to pay you my respects, it will be the sign that I have -not been able to succeed in my petition; but beforehand, I desire you to -forgive me, and consider that you yourself have reduced me to this -extremity.” - -“Son,” replied the Sultan of the Indies, “your wife would show that her -love to you was very slight if, with the power she possesses as a fairy, -she should refuse so trifling a request as that I have begged you to -make. Go; only ask her. If she loves you, she will not deny you.” - -All these reasons of the Sultan of the Indies could not satisfy Prince -Ahmed; and so great was his vexation, that he left the court two days -sooner than usual. - -When he returned, the fairy, to whom he always before had appeared with -a gay countenance, at once observed his melancholy, and asked the cause -of the change she perceived in him. After much pressing, Ahmed confessed -that the sultan had discovered his abode and his marriage with the -fairy, though he could not tell by what means. The fairy reminded him of -the old woman on whom he had compassion, and said that she was the spy -of the sultan, and had told him all she had seen and heard. “But,” she -said, “the mere knowledge of my abode by the sultan would not so trouble -you. There is something else which is the cause of your grief and -vexation.” - -“Perie Banou,” said Prince Ahmed at last, “it is even so. My father -doubts my fidelity to him, unless I can provide a tent large enough to -shelter him, his court, and army when he goes to war, and small enough -for a man to carry in his hand.” - -“Prince,” replied the fairy, smiling, “what the sultan your father -requests is a trifle. On occasion I can do him more important service. -Therefore, I shall always take real pleasure in performing whatever you -can desire.” - -Perie Banou then sent for her treasurer, to whom, when she came, she -said, “Noor-Jehaun” (which was her name), “bring me the largest tent in -my treasury.” - -Noor-Jehaun returned presently with a small case concealed in the palm -of her hand, and presented it to her mistress, who gave it to Prince -Ahmed to look at. - -When Prince Ahmed saw the small case, which the fairy called the largest -tent in her treasury, he fancied she had a mind to banter him. On -perceiving this, Perie Banou exclaimed, “What, prince! Do you think I -jest with you? You will see that I am in earnest. Noor-Jehaun,” said she -to her treasurer, taking the tent out of Prince Ahmed’s hands, “go and -set it up, that he may judge whether the sultan his father will think it -large enough.” - -The treasurer went out immediately with it from the palace, and carried -it to a great distance, and then set it up. The prince found it large -enough to shelter two armies as numerous as that of the sultan his -father. “You see,” said the fairy, “that the tent is larger than your -father may have occasion for; but you must also be informed that it -becomes larger or smaller, according to the extent of the army it is to -cover, without applying any hands to it.” - -The treasurer took down the tent, reduced it to its first size, brought -it and put it into the prince’s hands. He took it, and without staying -longer than till the next day, mounted his horse, and went with the -usual attendants to the sultan his father. - -The sultan, persuaded that the tent he had asked for was beyond all -possibility, was greatly surprised at the prince’s speedy return. He -took the tent, and after he had admired its smallness he had it set up -in the great plain before mentioned, and found it large enough to cover -with ease his whole army. Thereupon his amazement was so intense that he -could not recover himself. - -The sultan expressed great obligation to the prince for so noble a -present, desiring him to return his thanks to the fairy; and to show -what a value he set on it, ordered it to be carefully laid up in his -treasury. But in his secret bosom he felt greater jealousy than ever of -his son, considering that by the fairy’s assistance he might effect his -dethronement. Therefore, yet more intent on his ruin, he went to consult -the sorceress again, who advised him to engage the prince to bring him -some of the water of the fountain of lions. - -In the evening, when the sultan was surrounded as usual by all his -court, and the prince came to pay his respects among the rest, he -addressed him in these words: “Son, I have already expressed to you how -much I am obliged for the present of the tent you have procured me, -which I esteem the most valuable article in my treasury; but you must do -one thing more, which will be no less agreeable to me. I am informed -that the fairy your spouse makes use of a certain water called the water -of the fountain of lions, which cures all sorts of diseases, even the -most dangerous; and as I am perfectly well persuaded my health is dear -to you, I do not doubt but you will ask her for a bottle of that water, -and bring it to me as a sure remedy, which I may use when I have -occasion. Do me this important service, and complete the duty of a good -son towards a tender father.” - -Prince Ahmed, who had believed that the sultan his father would be -satisfied with so remarkable and useful a tent as the one he had -brought, and that he would not impose any new task upon him which might -hazard the fairy’s displeasure, was thunderstruck at this new request. -After a long silence he said, “I beg of your majesty to be assured that -there is nothing I would not undertake to procure which may contribute -to the prolonging of your life, but I wish it might not be by the means -of my wife. For this reason I dare not promise to bring the water. All I -can do is, to assure you I will request it of her; but it will be with -as great reluctance as I asked for the tent.” - -The next morning Prince Ahmed returned to the fairy Perie Banou, and -related to her sincerely and faithfully all that had passed at his -father’s court from the giving of the tent, which he told her he -received with the utmost gratitude, to the new request he had charged -him to make. He added, “But, my princess, I only tell you this as a -plain account of what passed between me and my father. I leave you to -your own pleasure, whether you will gratify or reject this new desire. -It shall be as you please.” - -“No, no,” replied the fairy, “I will satisfy the sultan, and whatever -advice the sorceress may give him (for I see that he harkens to her -counsel) he shall find no fault with you or me. There is much wickedness -in this demand, as you will understand by what I am going to tell you. -The fountain of lions is situated in the middle of a court of a great -castle, the entrance into which is guarded by four fierce lions, two of -which sleep while the other two are awake. But let not that frighten -you. I will supply you with means to pass them without danger.” - -The fairy Perie Banou was at that time at work with her needle; and as -she had by her several balls of thread, she took up one, and presenting -it to Prince Ahmed, said, “First take this ball of thread, and I will -tell you presently the use of it. In the second place, you must have two -horses. One you must ride yourself, and the other you must lead, loaded -with a sheep cut into four quarters. In the third place, you must be -provided with a bottle, which I will give you, to bring the water in. -Set out early to-morrow morning, and when you have passed the gate throw -before you the ball of thread, which will roll till it reaches the gates -of the castle. Follow it, and when it stops the gates will be open, and -you will see the four lions. The two that are awake will, by their -roaring, wake the other two. Be not alarmed, but throw each of them a -quarter of the sheep, and then clap spurs to your horse and ride to the -fountain. Fill your bottle without alighting, and return with the same -speed. The lions will be so busy eating they will let you pass -unmolested.” - -Prince Ahmed set out the next morning at the time appointed by the -fairy, and followed her directions punctually. When he arrived at the -gates of the castle, he distributed the quarters of the sheep among the -four lions, and passing through the midst of them with speed, got to the -fountain, filled his bottle, and returned safe. When he had proceeded a -little distance from the castle gates he turned about; and perceiving -two of the lions coming after him, drew his sword, and prepared himself -for defence. But as he went forwards, he saw one of them turn out of the -road to pass by him, and it showed by its actions that it did not come -to do him any harm, but only to go before him. The other followed -behind. He therefore put his sword into its scabbard. Guarded in this -manner he arrived at the capital of the Indies; but the lions never left -him till they had conducted him to the gates of the sultan’s palace; -after which they returned the way they had come, though not without -alarming the populace, who fled or hid themselves to avoid them, -notwithstanding they walked gently and showed no signs of fierceness. - -A number of officers came to attend the prince while he dismounted, and -conduct him to the apartment of the sultan, who was at that time -conversing with his councillors. He approached the throne, laid the -bottle at the sultan’s feet, kissed the rich carpet which covered the -footstool, and rising, said, “I have brought you, sire, the healthful -water which your majesty so much wished for; but at the same time I wish -you such health as never to have occasion to make use of it.” - -After the prince had concluded his compliment, the sultan placed him on -his right hand, and said, “Son, I am much obliged to you for this -valuable present, as also for the great danger you have exposed yourself -to on my account; but I have one thing yet to ask of you, after which I -shall expect nothing more from your obedience, nor from your interest -with your fairy wife. This request is, to bring me a man not above a -foot and a half high, whose beard is thirty feet long, and who carries -on his shoulders a bar of iron of five hundredweight, which he uses as a -quarter-staff.” - -Next day the prince returned to Perie Banou, to whom he related his -father’s new demand, “which,” he said, “I look on to be a thing more -difficult than the two first, for I cannot imagine there is or can be -such a man in the world. Without doubt he seeks my ruin; but if there -are any means, I beg you will tell me how I may come off with honor this -time also.” - -“Do not alarm yourself, prince,” replied the fairy; “you ran a risk in -fetching the water of the fountain of lions for your father, but there -is no danger in finding this man. He is my brother Schaibar. Though we -both had the same parents, he is of so violent a nature that his -resentment kindles at the slightest offence; yet, on the other hand, he -is so liberal as to oblige any one who shows him a kindness. I will send -for him, but prepare yourself not to be alarmed at his extraordinary -figure.” - -“What, my queen!” replied Prince Ahmed, “do you say Schaibar is your -brother? Let him be ever so ugly or deformed, I shall love and honor him -as your nearest relation.” - -The fairy ordered a gold chafing-dish to be lighted on the porch of her -palace. She took some incense and threw it into the fire, when there -arose a thick cloud of smoke. - -Some moments after the fairy said to Prince Ahmed, “Prince, there comes -my brother, do you see him?” - -The prince immediately perceived Schaibar, who, as he came forward, -looked at the prince with a glance that chilled his soul in his body, -and asked Perie Banou, when he first accosted her, who that man was. To -which she replied, “His name is Ahmed. He is a son of the Sultan of the -Indies, and my husband, brother. I did not invite you to my wedding, -because you were engaged in a distant expedition, from which I heard -with pleasure you returned victorious; but on my husband’s account I -have taken the liberty now to call for you.” - -At these words, Schaibar, gazing at Prince Ahmed with a favorable eye, -which, however, diminished neither his fierceness nor savage look, said, -“It is enough for me that he is your husband, to engage me to do for him -whatever he wishes.” - -“The sultan his father,” replied Perie Banou, “has a curiosity to see -you, and I desire he may be your guide to the sultan’s court.” - -“He needs but lead the way; I will follow him,” replied Schaibar. - -The next morning, Schaibar set out with Prince Ahmed to visit the -sultan. When they arrived at the gates of the capital, the people, as -soon as they saw Schaibar, either hid themselves in their shops and -houses, and shut their doors, or they took to their heels, and -communicated their fear to all they met. They stayed not to look behind -them; insomuch that Schaibar and Prince Ahmed, as they went along, found -all the streets and squares desolate, till they came to the palace, -where the guards, instead of preventing Schaibar from entering, ran away -too. Thus the prince and he advanced without any obstacle to the -council-hall, where the sultan was seated on his throne surrounded by -his councillors. - -Schaibar haughtily approached the throne, and without waiting for Prince -Ahmed to present him, thus addressed the sultan: “Thou hast sent for me. -What dost thou wish?” - -The sultan, instead of answering, put his hands before his eyes to -exclude so frightful a sight. Schaibar, enraged at this reception, -lifted up his bar of iron. “Wilt thou not speak, then?” he exclaimed, -and let it fall directly on the sultan’s head, and crushed him to the -earth. - -He did this before Prince Ahmed had the power to interfere. Then he -destroyed all the councillors who were the enemies of Prince Ahmed, and -only spared the grand vizier at Prince Ahmed’s earnest entreaty. Having -completed this dreadful execution, Schaibar left the hall of audience, -and went into the middle of the court with the bar of iron on his -shoulder. “I know there is a certain sorceress who stirred up the sultan -to demand my presence here,” he cried, looking at the grand vizier, -standing beside Prince Ahmed. “Let her be brought before me.” - -The grand vizier immediately sent for her, when Schaibar, as he crushed -her with his bar of iron, said, “Learn the consequence of giving wicked -advice.” - -“Vizier!” exclaimed Schaibar, “this is not sufficient. Prince Ahmed, my -brother-in-law, must be instantly acknowledged as Sultan of India.” - -All those who were present cheerfully assented, and made the air resound -with cries of “Long live Sultan Ahmed,” and in a short time the whole -city echoed with the same shouts. Schaibar next ordered the prince -clothed in the robes of the sultan, and had him instantly installed. And -after having paid him homage, and taken an oath of fidelity, he went for -his sister, Perie Banou, conducted her to the city in great pomp, and -caused her to be acknowledged as Sultana of India. - -Prince Ahmed gave to Prince Ali and the Princess Nouronnihar a very -considerable province, with its capital, for their establishment. -Afterwards he sent an officer to Houssain to acquaint him with the -change, and made him an offer of any province he might choose; but that -prince thought himself so happy in his solitude, that he desired the -officer to return his brother thanks for the kindness he designed him, -assuring him of his submission; but that the only favor he desired was, -to be indulged with leave to live retired in the place he had chosen for -his retreat. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE WIDOW’S SON - - -In a little house at the edge of a village lived a widow with her only -son, and they were very happy together. The son was kind to his mother, -and they made their living by growing rice in clearings on the mountain -side and by hunting wild pig in the forest. - -One evening when their supply of meat was low, the boy said: - -“Mother, I am going to hunt pig in the morning, and I wish you would -prepare rice for me before daylight.” - -So the widow rose early and cooked the rice, and at dawn the boy started -out with his spear and dog. - -Some distance from the village he entered the thick forest. He walked on -and on, ever on the lookout for game, but none appeared. At last, when -he had travelled far and the sun was hot, he sat down on a rock to rest -and took out his brass box to get a piece of betel-nut. He prepared the -nut and leaf for chewing, and as he did so he wondered why it was that -he had been so unsuccessful that day. But even as he pondered he heard -his dog barking sharply, and cramming the betel-nut into his mouth he -leaped up and ran toward the dog. - -As he drew near he could see that the game was a fine large pig, all -black save its four legs, which were white. He lifted his spear and took -aim, but before he could throw the pig started to run, and instead of -going toward a water course it ran straight up the mountain. The boy -went on in hot pursuit, and when the pig paused he again took aim, but -before he could throw, it ran on. - -Six times the pig stopped just long enough for the boy to take aim, and -then started on before he could throw. The seventh time, however, it -halted on the top of a large flat rock, and the boy succeeded in killing -it. - -He tied its legs together with a piece of rattan and was about to start -for home with the pig on his back, when to his surprise a door in the -large stone swung open and a man stepped out. - -“Why have you killed my master’s pig?” asked the man. - -“I did not know that this pig belonged to anyone,” replied the widow’s -son. “I was hunting, as I often do, and when my dog found the pig I -helped him to catch it.” - -“Come in and see my master,” said the man, and the boy followed him into -the stone where he found himself in a large room. The ceiling and floor -were covered with peculiar cloth that had seven wide strips of red -alternating with a like number of yellow stripes. When the master of the -place appeared his trousers were of seven colors, as were also his -jacket and the kerchief about his head. - -The master ordered betel-nut, and when it was brought they chewed -together. Then he called for wine, and it was brought in a jar so large -that it had to be set on the ground under the house, and even then the -top came so high above the floor that they brought a seat for the -widow’s son, and it raised him just high enough to drink from the reed -in the top of the jar. He drank seven cups of wine, and then they ate -rice and fish and talked together. - -The master did not blame the boy for killing the pig, and declared that -he wished to make a brother of him. So they became friends, and the boy -remained seven days in the stone. At the end of that time he said that -he must return to his mother, who would be worried about him. In the -early morning he left the strange house and started for home. - -At first he walked briskly, but as the morning wore on he went more -slowly, and finally when the sun was high he sat down on a rock to rest. -Suddenly looking up, he saw before him seven men, each armed with a -spear, a shield, and a sword. They were dressed in different colors, and -each man had eyes the same color as his clothes. The leader, who was -dressed all in red, with red eyes to match, spoke first, asking the boy -where he was going. The boy replied that he was going home to his mother -who would be looking for him, and added: - -“Now I ask where you are going, all armed ready for war.” - -“We are warriors,” replied the man in red, “and we go up and down the -world killing whatever we see that has life. Now that we have met you, -we must kill you also.” - -The boy, startled by this strange speech, was about to answer when he -heard a voice near him say: “Fight, for they will try to kill you,” and -upon looking up he saw his spear, shield, and sword which he had left at -home. Then he knew that the command came from a spirit, so he took his -weapons and began to fight. For three days and nights they contended, -and never before had the seven seen one man so brave. On the fourth day -the leader was wounded and fell dead, and then, one by one, the other -six fell. - -When they were all killed, the widow’s son was so crazed with fighting -that he thought no longer of returning home, but started out to find -more to slay. - -In his wanderings he came to the home of a great giant whose house was -already full of men he had conquered in battle, and he called up from -outside: - -“Is the master of the house at home? If he is, let him come out and -fight.” - -This threw the giant into a rage, and seizing his shield and his spear, -the shaft of which was the trunk of a tree, he sprang to the door and -leaped to the ground, not waiting to go down the notched pole that -served for steps. He looked around for his antagonist, and seeing only -the widow’s son he roared: - -“Where is the man that wants to fight? That thing? It is only a fly!” - -The boy did not stop to answer, but rushed at the giant with his knife; -and for three days and nights they struggled, till the giant fell, -wounded at the waist. - -After that the widow’s son stopped only long enough to burn the giant’s -house, and then rushed on looking for someone else to slay. Suddenly he -again heard the voice which had bade him fight with the seven men, and -this time it said: “Go home now, for your mother is grieved at your -absence.” In a rage he sprang forward with his sword, though he could -see no enemy. Then the spirit which had spoken to him made him sleep for -a short time. When he awoke the rage was spent. - -Again the spirit appeared, and it said: “The seven men whom you killed -were sent to kill you by the spirit of the great stone, for he looked in -your hand and saw that you were to marry the orphan girl whom he himself -wished to wed. But you have conquered. Your enemies are dead. Go home -now and prepare a great quantity of wine, for I shall bring your enemies -to life again, and you will all live in peace.” - -So the widow’s son went home, and his mother, who had believed him dead, -was filled with joy at his coming, and all the people in the town came -out to welcome him. When he had told them his story, they hastened to -get wine, and all day they bore jarsful to the widow’s house. - -That night there was a great feast, and the spirit of the great stone, -his seven warriors, the friendly spirit, and the giant all came. The -widow’s son married the orphan girl, while another beautiful woman -became the wife of the spirit of the stone. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - MR. SIN, THE CARP - - -Some years ago there lived in a small town in the province of “The Four -Streams” two retired magistrates. Mr. Le, the elder of the two, had been -asked to leave the last position he held because it was his custom to -levy blackmail whenever he could do so, and he was also charged, let us -hope unjustly, with having inflicted torture upon those unfortunate ones -who could not, or would not, meet his demands. In fact, he had become so -greedy that the people were in a state of rebellion. He was at length -made to retire, but not until he had become quite rich. - -The other ex-official, Mr. Sin, was quite impulsive. He had been in the -habit of worrying the people of his district, and whenever he began to -worry anyone, that person had to pay in order to live peacefully. The -Chinese are slow to change, but even they will turn in time on a -constant worrier. And so Mr. Sin’s superiors requested him to resign, -and this he did, but not before he also had become quite wealthy. - -Chance led these two worthies to the same town, and as their fates had -been so much alike, they decided to set up house together. They were -both rich, and so able to make themselves very comfortable indeed. - -One day Mr. Sin fell sick of a fever, and though this annoyed Mr. Le, -who was expecting some rich friends to dinner, he sent for the doctor, -and gave directions that Mr. Sin was to be properly looked after. - -When the doctor arrived, his patient was in a high fever, so he at once -prescribed a mixture of powdered deer horns and dragon’s blood, and -pills made from hare’s liver, these medicines to be taken at intervals. -Before leaving the house he took Ting, Sin’s valet, aside, and ordered -him on no account to leave his master alone, as he might become -delirious at any moment. - -Ting promised not to leave his master for an instant, but a little later -on he heard sounds of merriment in the servants’ quarters, and as Mr. -Sin had fallen asleep, he quietly went out to enjoy himself among his -fellows. He had scarcely left the room, however, when Sin became very -restless, rolling his aching head from side to side. - -“My head burns, and the pillow scorches!” moaned he. “I am suffocating! -O for a breath of the fresh air in the fields and woods! Why should I -not go and enjoy it? I will!” he exclaimed, and with that he sprang out -of bed, ran out of the room and through the front door, and then down -the road and into a neighboring field. - -“This is delicious!” he said, as he threw himself down. “Now I can -breathe, and am myself again.” - -But soon his tongue again became parched; his skin burned, and pains -pierced his head. “Oh,” he cried, “the fire-demon has followed me here! -If only I could plunge into a river of cold water I should be well.” He -arose and wandered on until he saw before him a broad, shining river, -into which he immediately plunged. - -He was an expert swimmer, and he dived to the bottom, then skimmed along -the top, his queue floating on the water, and looking like an eel. “This -is happiness,” he said; “who would live on land who could live in -water?” - -Just then he heard close to him a funny sort of chuckle, and turning -round, he saw a large fish staring at him with round eyes, and with a -peculiar twist of its mouth which Sin could see was caused by laughter. - -“What are you laughing at?” he asked. - -“You,” replied the fish. - -“Why do you laugh at me?” he inquired. - -“I laughed at what you said,” answered the fish. “The idea of a man -knowing what the delight of living in water is was so funny that I -couldn’t help laughing, and it has made me feel very uncomfortable, -because I am not used to doing that.” - -Then Sin asked why a fish should enjoy the water more than a man, and -the fish replied that a man would like to swim and dive for a little -while, but his ugly limbs, which made him look like a frog, would soon -tire. And then, when a man is hungry, he has to seek his food on land, -while a fish can find nourishment while gliding through the water, and -that without fatigue and almost without movement. - -Then said Sin: “I would give a good deal to be like you.” - -“Do you mean that you would like to become a fish?” - -“I do,” said Sin; “and I would give up all the money I squeezed out of -the people when I was a magistrate if I could enjoy the river as you -do.” - -“Then come with me,” said the fish; and turning round he swam up-stream, -going very slowly so that Sin should not lose sight of him. - -At length they reached a spot where a huge carp lay, surrounded by -attendant fishes. Sin could see he was the king fish by the reverent -manner with which the others regarded him. - -Sin’s guide approached the fish king, and said: - -“Your Highness, here is a poor man who wants very much to become a fish, -and so I have ventured to bring him into your presence.” He then -motioned Sin to approach. - -“Do you really wish to become a fish?” inquired the king. - -“I do, your Majesty,” replied Sin. “The gentleman who brought me to you -has shown me that only fishes can really appreciate life in the river, -and I am sure that the full enjoyment of such must be wonderful.” - -“Then you shall have your desire,” said the king, and turning to one of -his attendants, he told him to fetch a large fish’s skin. - -The messenger soon returned with a skin which proved to be just the -right size, and into this Sin was put, leaving out only his hands and -feet. It was rather uncomfortable at first, and he felt a gradual change -coming over him; his arms grew smaller and smaller, and his hands became -like fins; his legs and feet went together and took the form of a tail. -Then he felt better, and became anxious to try his new powers, so, -thanking his Majesty for his kindness, he began to swim away. - -“Just a minute,” said the king. “I have some advice to give you. No one -knows better than you that men are always trying to catch fish, both by -hook and net. Now, if ever you see a worm dangling in the water in the -shape of a hook, leave it alone, or you will be a dead fish; and if you -see a net before you, turn around, and swim the other way.” - -“Many thanks for your instructions, your Majesty,” said Sin, and with -that he turned down-stream. It took him a little while to get used to -his tail and fins, as he still wanted to strike out with his hands and -feet, but by degrees he became used to them, and then he swam swiftly -with the current. He felt fine, and greatly enjoyed the new experience. - -But after a time he became hungry, and looked around for a worm, and -this was something new for him. Perhaps it was because he didn’t know -how to look for food, but it did seem to him that there was nothing -eatable about, although he went from one bank to the other; dived down -to the bed of the river, and nosed among the refuse there, but all to no -purpose. And he became hungrier and hungrier. - -At last he saw a worm, but he noticed that it was in the shape of a -hook, and remembering the king’s instructions he passed by it, then he -came back. He swam to and fro, trying to avoid it, but somehow he -couldn’t get away from it. The demon of hunger whispered to him, “Eat -it; never mind what the old carp said, he knows less than you do. If you -are afraid of it, just nibble a little piece off its tail, instead of -gulping it all down.” - -So Sin just pulled off a little piece that was wriggling about, and it -tasted so good, that he couldn’t resist taking the rest of it, so he -greedily swallowed the whole worm. - -Quickly was delight turned into pain as the hook, which was hidden in -the worm, pierced the roof of his mouth. In terror he tried to swim -away, but every movement added to his misery, and soon he found he was -being pulled up to the surface. He struggled, but all in vain, and in -spite of all he could do, he was drawn out of the water. He looked up, -and to his surprise and relief, saw that his captor was one of his own -servants. - -He spoke to him as well as he could, and said: “Let me go, Chang; I am -your master, Sin, and not a fish; take this awful hook out of my mouth, -and put me back into the water at once.” - -Chang was puzzled, because he had never heard a fish make a noise like -this before, but he seized the fish, remarking to himself what a -wonderfully fine one it was, and tearing the hook out of its jaws, threw -it down in the boat. - -“You scoundrel!” shouted Sin. “How dare you treat me like this. I -dismiss you from my service at once.” - -“I have heard tales of birds talking,” said Chang, “but may I be beaten -if I haven’t got hold of a fish that talks.” With that he turned to the -shore, and then he lifted the fish by its gills, and started toward -home. - -“Oh, you will kill me!” shouted Sin. “I will have you flayed alive for -this.” - -But Chang took no more notice of the strange noises the fish made, and -thought only of the present he would receive for bringing home such a -fine fish. Sin was feeling weak from pain, and from being out of the -water so long. He thought that surely the old porter would know him when -he should reach the house, so he ceased his efforts for the present. - -As soon as they reached the gate the porter congratulated Chang on the -fine fish he had caught, and said that Mr. Le had just sent to know -whether he had brought in anything. - -“Porter,” said Sin, “I am your master, and not a fish. This fellow Chang -has caused me great pain, and refuses to put me back into the water. I -order you to take me to the river at once.” - -“This is a queer fish that you have got hold of, Chang,” said the -porter; “I never heard one make a noise like this before. You had better -take it at once to Mr. Le.” - -“What fools these men are,” thought Sin. “I see that I must wait until I -can explain the matter to Le.” - -Chang took the fish straight to Mr. Le, and said: “Your Excellency, here -is the finest carp I have ever seen.” - -“Listen to me, Le,” said Sin, as loudly as he could. “I am your friend, -Sin, and I put on this fish’s skin just to see what it is like to be a -fish. This scoundrel Chang has tortured me. Please tell him to put me -back into the river, as I wish to take my former shape again.” - -“This is a very peculiar fish,” said Le; “why, he grunts like a pig. -Still, he will make a good dish, so take him to the cook.” - -“Oh!” groaned Sin, “would you eat your old friend, Le?” - -But Le didn’t understand either, so Chang started for the kitchen. “My -only chance now is that the cook will know me,” thought Sin. - -And now his last hope fled, for as Chang handed the carp to the cook, -Sin said as distinctly as he could, “Cook, I am no fish, but Mr. Sin. I -have always treated you well, so please take me back to the river.” - -“This is a noisy carp you have caught, Chang,” said the cook, “but he -won’t grunt much longer. Hand me the chopper.” - -And now Sin made all the noise he could. He screamed, “Spare me! Spare -me, cook.” But the cook took no notice of him. Placing him on the -kitchen block, he lifted the chopper, and gave him a violent blow on the -head. - -“Oh!” exclaimed Sin, “what an awful knock I have given myself. I must -have fallen out of bed and struck my head on the floor.” - -He was now thoroughly awake, but it was some time before he could -realize that he was safe in his own room, so real had his experiences -seemed. But he at length breathed a sigh of relief, for he knew that it -was only a dream. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - PRINCE ZEYN ALASNAM AND THE SULTAN OF THE GENII - - -There was a Sultan of Bussorah blessed with great prosperity and happy -in the affections of his people. His only source of affliction was, that -he was childless. But after many years had passed a son was born to him, -whom he named Zeyn Alasnam. - -Zeyn was educated with the greatest care. While, however, the prince was -yet young, the good sultan fell sick of a disorder, which all the skill -of his physicians could not cure, and presently he died. - -As soon as the mourning for his father was passed, Prince Zeyn began to -show that he was unfit to govern a kingdom. He gave way to all kinds of -dissipation and conferred on his youthful but evil associates the chief -offices in the kingdom. He lost all the respect of his people and -emptied his treasury. - -The queen, his mother, tried to correct her son’s conduct, assuring him -that if he did not take another course, he would cause some revolution, -which perhaps might cost him his crown and his life. What she thus -foretold had nearly happened. The people began to murmur against the -government, and their murmurs would certainly have been followed by a -general revolt if the sultan had not listened to his mother and suffered -himself to be prevailed on. He dismissed his youthful advisers and -committed the government to discreet aged men. - -Zeyn, seeing all his wealth consumed, repented that he had made no -better use of it. He fell into a profound melancholy and nothing could -comfort him. One night he saw in a dream a venerable old man coming -towards him, who with a smiling countenance said: “Know, Zeyn, that -there is no sorrow but what is followed by mirth; no misfortune but what -in the end brings some happiness. If you desire to see the end of your -affliction, set out for Grand Cairo, where great prosperity awaits you.” - -The young sultan was much struck with his dream, and spoke of it very -seriously to his mother, who only laughed at it. “My son,” said she, -“would you leave your kingdom and go into Egypt on the faith of a dream, -which may be illusive?” - -“Why not, madam?” answered Zeyn; “do you imagine all dreams are -worthless? No, no, they often are divinely inspired. The old man who -appeared to me had something holy about his person. I rely on the -promises he has made me, and am resolved to follow his advice.” - -The queen endeavored to dissuade him, but in vain. The sultan entreated -her to undertake the government of the kingdom, and set out one night -very privately from his palace and took the road to Cairo, alone and -unattended. - -After much trouble and fatigue he arrived at that famous city. He -alighted at the gate of a mosque, where, being spent with weariness, he -lay down. No sooner was he fallen asleep than he saw the same old man, -who said to him: “I am pleased with you, my son. You have believed me, -and now I want you to know that I have not imposed on you this long -journey with any other design than to try you. I find you have courage -and resolution. You deserve I should make you the richest and happiest -prince in the world. Return to Bussorah and you shall find immense -wealth in your palace. No king ever possessed so rich a treasure.” - -Prince Zeyn was not pleased with his dream. “Alas!” thought he to -himself when he awoke, “how much was I mistaken! That old man is no -other than the production of my disturbed imagination. My fancy was so -full of him that it is no wonder I have seen him again. I had best -return to Bussorah. What should I do here any longer? It is fortunate -that I told none but my mother the motive of my journey. I should become -a jest to my people were they to know it.” - -Accordingly, he set out for his kingdom, and as soon as he arrived there -the queen asked him whether he returned well pleased. He told her all -that had happened, and was so much concerned for having been so foolish -that the queen, instead of adding to his vexation by reproving or -laughing at him, comforted him. “Forbear afflicting yourself, my son,” -said she; “if God has appointed you riches, you will have them without -any trouble. Be contented. Apply yourself to making your subjects happy. -By securing their happiness you will establish your own.” - -Sultan Zeyn vowed that he would for the future follow his mother’s -advice and be directed by the wise viziers she had chosen to assist him -in the government. But the very night after he returned to his palace he -saw the old man the third time in a dream, who said to him: “The time of -your prosperity is come, brave Zeyn. To-morrow morning, as soon as you -are up, take a pick-axe and dig in the late sultan’s private room. You -will there find a rich treasure.” - -As soon as the sultan awoke he got up, ran to the queen’s apartment, and -with much eagerness told her the new dream of that night. “Really, my -son,” said the queen, smiling, “this is a very queer old man; but have -you a mind to believe him again? At any rate, the task now enjoined on -you is not so bad as your former long journeys.” - -“Well, madam,” answered the sultan, “I must own that this third dream -has restored my confidence. Last night he exactly pointed out to me the -place where the treasures are. I would rather search in vain than blame -myself as long as I live for having, perhaps, missed great riches, by -being too unbelieving.” - -Having spoken thus he left the queen’s apartment, caused a pick-axe to -be brought to him, and went alone into the late sultan’s private room. -He immediately began work, and took up more than half the square stones -it was paved with, yet saw not the least appearance of what he sought. -He ceased working to take a little rest, thinking within himself, “I am -much afraid my mother had cause enough to laugh at me.” - -However, he took heart and went on with his labor, until he discovered a -white slab, which he took up, and under it found a staircase of white -marble. He immediately lighted a lamp and went down the stairs into a -room, the floor whereof was laid with tiles of chinaware, while the roof -and walls were of crystal. The room contained four golden tables, on -each of which were ten urns of porphyry. He went up to one of the urns, -took off the cover, and, with no less joy than surprise, perceived it -was full of pieces of gold. He looked into all the forty, one after -another, and found them full of the same coin, and taking out a handful, -he carried it to the queen. - -The queen, as may be imagined, was amazed when the sultan gave her an -account of what he had discovered. “Oh my son!” said she, “take heed you -do not squander all this wealth foolishly, as you have already done the -royal treasure. Let not your enemies have so much occasion to rejoice.” - -“No, madam,” answered Zeyn, “I will henceforward live in such a manner -as shall be pleasing to you.” - -The queen desired her son to conduct her to the wonderful underground -place, which the late sultan her husband had made with such secrecy that -she had never heard of it. Zeyn led her to the private room, down the -marble stairs, and into the chamber where the urns were. She observed -everything with the eye of curiosity, and in a corner spied a little urn -of the same sort of stone as the others. The prince had not before taken -notice of it, but, opening it, found inside a golden key. “My son,” said -the queen, “this key certainly belongs to some other treasure. Let us -search well. Perhaps we may discover the use it is designed for.” - -They examined the chamber with the utmost exactness and at length found -a keyhole in one of the panels of the wall. The sultan immediately tried -the key, and readily opened the door which led into a chamber. In the -midst of this room were nine pedestals of massy gold, on eight of which -stood as many statues, each of them made of a single diamond, and from -them darted such a brightness that the whole room was perfectly light. - -“Oh heavens!” cried Zeyn, in astonishment, “where could my father find -such rarities?” - -The ninth pedestal redoubled this amazement, for it was covered with a -piece of white satin, on which were written these words: “Dear son, it -cost me much toil to procure these eight statues; but though they are -extraordinarily beautiful, you must understand that there is a ninth in -the world, which surpasses them all. That alone is worth more than a -thousand such as these. If you desire to be master of it, go to the city -of Cairo in Egypt. One of my old slaves, whose name is Mobarec, lives -there. You will easily find him. Visit him and tell him all that has -befallen you. He will conduct you to the place where that wonderful -statue is, which you will obtain with safety.” - -The young sultan having read these words said to the queen, “I will set -out for Grand Cairo; nor do I believe, madam, that you will now oppose -my design.” - -“No, my son,” answered the queen, “I am not against it.” - -The prince made ready his equipage, but would take only a small number -of slaves with him. - -Nothing remarkable befell him by the way, but arriving at Cairo he -inquired for Mobarec. The people told him he was one of the wealthiest -inhabitants of the city; that he lived like a great lord, and that his -house was open, especially for strangers. Zeyn was conducted thither, -knocked at the gate, which a slave opened and demanded, “What is it you -want, and who are you?” - -“I am a stranger,” answered the prince, “and having heard much of the -lord Mobarec’s generosity, am come to take up my lodging with him.” - -The slave desired Zeyn to wait while he went to acquaint his master, who -ordered him to request the stranger to walk in. The slave returned to -the gate and told the prince he was welcome. - -Zeyn went in, crossed a large court, and entered a hall magnificently -furnished, where Mobarec received him very courteously, returning thanks -for the honor he did him in accepting a lodging in his house. The -prince, having answered his compliment, said to Mobarec, “I am the son -of the late Sultan of Bussorah, and my name is Zeyn Alasnam.” - -“That sovereign,” said Mobarec, “was formerly my master; but I never -knew he had any children. What is your age?” - -“I am twenty years old,” answered the sultan. “How long is it since you -left my father’s court?” - -“Almost two-and-twenty years,” replied Mobarec. “But how can you -convince me that you are his son?” - -“My father,” rejoined Zeyn, “had a subterraneous place under his private -room in which I have found forty porphyry urns full of gold.” - -“And what more is there?” said Mobarec. - -“Nine pedestals of massive gold,” answered the prince, “on eight whereof -are as many diamond statues, and on the ninth a piece of white satin, on -which my father has written what I am to do to procure another statue, -more valuable than all those together. You know where that statue is, -for it is mentioned on the satin that you will conduct me to it.” - -As soon as he had spoken these words, Mobarec fell down at his feet, and -kissing one of his hands several times, said: “I bless God for having -brought you hither. I know you to be the Sultan of Bussorah’s son. If -you will go to the place where the wonderful statue is, I will conduct -you; but you must first rest here for a short time. This day I entertain -the great men of the city. Will you vouchsafe to come and be merry with -us?” - -“I shall be very glad,” replied Zeyn, “to be admitted to your feast.” - -Mobarec immediately led him under a dome where the company was, seated -him at the table, and served him. The merchants of Cairo were surprised -and whispered to one another. “Who is this stranger to whom Mobarec pays -so much respect?” - -When they had dined, Mobarec, directing his discourse to the company, -said: “Know, my friends, that this young stranger is the son of the -Sultan of Bussorah, my late master. His father purchased me and died -without making me free; so that I am still a slave, and consequently all -I have of right belongs to this young prince, his sole heir.” - -Here Zeyn interrupted him. “Mobarec,” said he, “I declare, before all -these guests, that I make you free from this moment, and that I renounce -all right to your person and all you possess. Consider what you would -have me do more for you.” - -Mobarec kissed the ground and returned the prince most hearty thanks. - -The next day Zeyn said to Mobarec: “I have taken rest enough. I came not -to Cairo for pleasure. My design is to obtain the ninth statue. It is -time for us to set out in search of it.” - -“Sir,” said Mobarec, “I am ready to comply with your desires; but you -know not what dangers you must encounter to make this precious -acquisition.” - -“Whatsoever the danger may be,” answered the prince, “I have resolved to -make the attempt. I will either perish or succeed. Do you but bear me -company and let your resolution be equal to mine.” - -Mobarec, finding him determined to go, called his servants and ordered -them to make ready his equipage. The prince and he then set out. They -travelled many days. At length, being come to a delightful spot, they -alighted from their horses. Mobarec then said to the servants that -attended them, “Do you remain here till we return.” - -Then he said to Zeyn: “Now, sir, let us advance by ourselves. You will -stand in need of all your courage.” - -They soon came to a vast lake. Mobarec sat down on the brink of it, -saying to the prince, “We must cross this water.” - -“How can we,” asked Zeyn, “when we have no boat?” - -“You will see one appear in a moment,” replied Mobarec. “The enchanted -boat of the Sultan of the Genii will come for us. But you must observe a -profound silence. Do not speak to the boatman, and whatever -extraordinary circumstance you observe, say nothing; for I tell you -beforehand that if you utter one word when we are embarked, the boat -will sink.” - -“I shall take care to be silent,” said the prince. “You need only tell -me what I am to do, and I will strictly comply.” - -Whilst they were talking, he spied a boat made of red sandalwood on the -lake. It had a mast of fine amber and a blue satin flag. There was only -one boatman in it, and he had the head of an elephant and the body of a -tiger. When the boat was come to the prince and Mobarec, the monstrous -boatman took them up one after the other with his trunk, put them into -his boat, and carried them over the lake in a moment. He then again took -them up with his trunk, set them ashore, and immediately vanished with -his boat. - -“Now we may talk,” said Mobarec. “The island we are in belongs to the -King of the Genii. Look around you, prince. Can there be a more -delightful spot? Behold the fields adorned with all sorts of flowers and -plants. Admire those beautiful trees, whose branches bend down to the -ground. Hear those harmonious songs from a thousand birds of as many -various sorts, unknown in other countries.” - -Zeyn could not sufficiently admire the beauties with which he was -surrounded, and still found something new as he advanced farther into -the island. - -At length they came before a palace built of emeralds, encompassed by a -wide moat, on the banks whereof, at certain distances, were planted such -tall trees that they shaded the whole palace. The gate was of massy gold -and was approached by a bridge. At the entrance to the bridge stood a -company of very tall genii, who guarded the portals of the castle with -great clubs of steel. - -“Let us at present proceed no farther,” said Mobarec, “or these genii -will destroy us; and in order to prevent their coming to us, we must -perform a magic ceremony.” - -Then Mobarec laid on the ground two large mats, on the edges whereof he -scattered some precious stones, musk, and amber. Afterwards he sat down -on one of the mats, and Zeyn on the other, and Mobarec said to the -prince: “I shall now conjure the Sultan of the Genii, who lives in the -palace that is before us. If our coming into this island is displeasing -to him, he will appear in the shape of a dreadful monster; but if he -approves of your design, he will show himself in the shape of a handsome -man. As soon as he appears before us, you must rise and salute him, -without going off your mat; for you would certainly perish should you -stir from it. You must say to him, ‘Lord of the Genii, I wish your -majesty may protect me, as you always protected my father; and I most -humbly beg you to give me the ninth statue.’” - -Mobarec, having thus instructed Prince Zeyn, began his conjuration. -Immediately their eyes were dazzled by a long flash of lightning, which -was followed by a clap of thunder. The whole island was covered with a -thick darkness, a furious storm of wind blew, a dreadful cry was heard, -the island felt a shock as if of an earthquake, and the Sultan of the -Genii appeared in the shape of a very handsome man, yet there was -something terrific in his air. - -As soon as King Zeyn had prostrated himself and spoken as he had been -taught by Mobarec, the Sultan of the Genii, smiling, answered: “My son, -I loved your father, and every time he came to pay me his respects, I -presented him with a statue, which he carried away with him. I have no -less kindness for you. I obliged your father, some days before he died, -to write that which you read on the piece of white satin. I promised him -to receive you under my protection, and to give you the ninth statue, -which in beauty surpasses those you have already. I had begun to perform -my promise to him, for it was I whom you saw in a dream in the shape of -an old man. I caused you to open the underground place where the urns -and the statues are deposited. I know the motive that brought you -hither. You shall obtain what you desire on certain conditions. You must -return with Mobarec, and you must swear to come again to me, and to -bring with you a young maiden who has reached her twentieth year, and -who has never entertained a wish to be married. She must also be -perfectly beautiful; and you so much a master of yourself as not to -determine to keep her for your wife, as you are conducting her hither. I -will give you a looking-glass, which will clearly reflect no other image -than that of the young maiden you are in search of. Now swear to me to -observe these conditions and keep your oath like a man of honor. -Otherwise I will take away your life, notwithstanding the kindness I -have for you.” - -Zeyn Alasnam accepted the conditions and swore that he would faithfully -keep his word. The Sultan of the Genii then delivered to him a -looking-glass, saying: “My son, you may return when you please. There is -the glass you are to use.” - -Zeyn and Mobarec took leave of the Sultan of the Genii and went towards -the lake. The boatman with the elephant’s head brought the boat and -ferried them over the lake as he had done before. They joined their -servants and returned with them to Cairo. - -The young sultan rested a few days at Mobarec’s house and then said to -him, “Let us go to Bagdad, to seek a maiden for the Sovereign of the -Genii.” - -“Why, are we not at Grand Cairo?” said Mobarec. “Shall we not there find -beautiful maidens?” - -“You are in the right,” answered the prince; “but how shall we learn -where they are?” - -“Do not trouble yourself about that,” answered Mobarec. “I know a very -shrewd old woman, whom I will intrust with the affair, and she will -acquit herself well.” - -Accordingly, the old woman found means to show King Zeyn a considerable -number of beautiful maidens of twenty years of age; but when he had -viewed them, and came to consult his glass, it always appeared sullied. -All the maidens in the court and city who were in their twentieth year -underwent the trial one after another, but the glass never remained -bright and clear. - -When Zeyn and Mobarec saw there were no maidens to be found in Cairo who -did not wish to be married, they went to Bagdad, where they hired a -magnificent palace, and soon made acquaintance with the chief people of -the city. - -There lived at Bagdad at this time an imaum[2] of much repute and noted -for his charity. His name was Boubekir Muezin. To him Mobarec went and -offered a purse of five hundred gold pieces, in the name of Prince Zeyn, -to distribute among the poor. On the next day, Boubekir Muezin waited on -Prince Zeyn to return to him his thanks; and on hearing the purpose of -his visit to Bagdad, told him of a young maiden, the daughter of a -former vizier of the Sultan of Bagdad, whom he was assured would fulfil -the terms required by Prince Zeyn, and offered to ask her from her -father as the wife of the prince if he would go with him to her father’s -mansion. The prince accompanied the imaum to the vizier’s; and the -vizier, as soon as he was acquainted with the prince’s birth and design, -called his daughter and made her take off her veil. Never had the young -Sultan of Bussorah beheld such a perfect and striking beauty. He pulled -out his glass, which remained bright and unsullied. - - -[Footnote 2: Imaum: The officer in Mohammedan mosques who recites the -prayers and leads the devotions.] - - -When he perceived he had at length found such a person as he desired, he -entreated the vizier to grant her to him. Immediately the cadi was sent -for, the contract signed, and the marriage prayer said. After this -ceremony, Zeyn conducted the vizier to his house, where he treated him -magnificently and gave him considerable presents. Next day he sent a -vast quantity of jewels by Mobarec, who conducted the bride home, where -the wedding was celebrated with all the pomp that became Zeyn’s rank and -dignity. When all the company was dismissed Mobarec said to his master: -“Let us begone, sir, let us not stay any longer at Bagdad, but return to -Cairo. Remember the promise you made the Sultan of the Genii.” - -“Let us go,” answered the prince; “I must take care to do exactly as I -agreed; yet I must confess, my dear Mobarec, that, if I obey the Sultan -of the Genii, it is not without reluctance. The damsel I have married is -so charming that I am tempted to carry her to Bussorah and place her on -the throne.” - -“Alas! sir,” answered Mobarec, “take heed how you give way to your -inclination. Whatever it costs you, be as good as your word to the -Sultan of the Genii.” - -“Well, then, Mobarec,” said the prince, “do you take care to conceal the -lovely maid from me. Let her never appear in my sight—perhaps I have -already seen too much of her.” - -Mobarec made all ready for their departure. They returned to Cairo and -thence set out for the island of the Sultan of the Genii. When they -arrived, the maid, who had performed the journey in a litter, and whom -the prince had never seen since his marriage, said to Mobarec: “Where -are we? Shall we soon be in the dominions of the prince my husband?” - -“Madam,” answered Mobarec, “it is time to undeceive you. Prince Zeyn -married you only in order to get you from your father. He did not intend -to make you Sovereign of Bussorah, but to deliver you to the Sultan of -the Genii.” - -At these words she began to weep bitterly, which moved the prince and -Mobarec. “Take pity on me,” said she. “I am a stranger. You will be -accountable to God for your treachery towards me.” - -Her tears and complaints were of no effect, for she was presented to the -Sultan of the Genii, who having gazed on her with attention, said to -Zeyn: “Prince, I am satisfied with your behavior. The maiden you have -brought me is beautiful and good, and I am pleased with the restraint -you have put on yourself to fulfill your promise to me. Return to your -dominions, and when you enter the underground room, where the eight -statues are, you shall find the ninth which I promised you. I will make -my genii carry it thither.” - -Zeyn thanked the King of the Genii, and returned to Cairo with Mobarec, -but did not stay long in Egypt, for his impatience to see the ninth -statue made him hasten his departure. However, he could not but often -think regretfully of the young girl he had married and blame himself for -having deceived her. “Alas!” said he to himself, “I have taken her from -a tender father to sacrifice her to a genie. Oh, wonderful beauty! You -deserve a better fate.” - -Sultan Zeyn, disturbed with these thoughts, at length reached Bussorah, -where his subjects made extraordinary rejoicings for his return. He went -directly to give an account of his journey to his mother, who was in a -rapture to hear that he had obtained the ninth statue. “Let us go, my -son,” said she, “and see it, for it is certainly in the underground -chamber, since the Sultan of the Genii said you should find it there.” - -The young sultan and his mother being both impatient to see the -wonderful statue, went down into the room of the statues; but how great -was their surprise, when, instead of a statue of diamonds, they beheld -on the ninth pedestal a most beautiful girl, whom the prince knew to be -the same whom he had conducted to the island of the genii! “Prince,” -said the young maid, “you are surprised to see me here. You expected to -have found something more precious than me, and I question not but that -you now repent having taken so much trouble. You expected a better -reward.” - -“Madam,” answered Zeyn, “Heaven is my witness that I more than once had -nearly broken my word with the Sultan of the Genii by keeping you -myself. Whatever be the value of a diamond statue, it is worth the -satisfaction of having you mine? I love you above all the diamonds and -wealth in the world.” - -Just as he had done speaking, a clap of thunder was heard, which shook -the subterraneous place. Zeyn’s mother was alarmed, but the Sultan of -the Genii immediately appearing dispelled her fear. “Madam,” said he to -her, “I protect and love your son. I had a mind to try, whether, at his -age, he could subdue himself. This is the ninth statue I designed for -him. It is more rare and precious than the others. Live happy, Zeyn, -with this your wife,” said he, directing his discourse to the young -prince, “and if you would have her true and constant to you, love her -always and love her only.” - -Having spoken these words, the Sultan of the Genii vanished, and Zeyn, -enchanted with the young lady, the same day caused her to be proclaimed -Queen of Bussorah, over which they reigned in mutual happiness to an -advanced age. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE DYED JACKAL - - -Once upon a time a Jackal, who was prowling around the suburbs of a -town, fell into an indigo-tank. He found that he was unable to get out -of this, and so lay down as though he were dead. - -In due time the dyer came to the tank, and finding what he supposed to -be a dead Jackal, took him out and threw him into the jungle. - -When the dyer was far enough away the Jackal scrambled to his feet, and -looking himself over found his color changed to a beautiful blue. - -“Now,” he said to himself, “I am certainly much prettier than I was -before; why should not this accident prove to be a good thing for me. -When the other jackals see my wonderful color, it should be easy for me -to persuade them that I should be their king.” - -So he got the jackals of the jungle together, and said to them: “Good -people, the Goddess of the Wood has anointed me king. Behold the hue of -royalty! And after this do no business without my permission.” - -The jackals were overcome by the distinguished color, and promised -obedience, and so began the reign of the dyed Jackal. But soon he was -not content just to rule over his own kind, whom he began to despise, so -he declared himself king of the lions and tigers, from among whom he -selected his special attendants, keeping his own kindred at a distance, -as though he were ashamed of them. - -Of course, this made the jackals very indignant, and some of them took -counsel together to see what could be done about it. - -One of the wise old beasts addressed them, saying: “Leave this impostor -to me. The lions and tigers and the rest think he is a king because he -is colored blue, but we must show them his true colors. Now, do as I -tell you. When night comes, all of you gather around him, and set up a -great yell together. He is sure to join in as he used to do, for—— - - “‘Hard it is to conquer nature: if a dog were made a king, - Mid the coronation trumpets, he would gnaw his sandal-string.’ - -“And when he yells, the lions and tigers will know him to be a jackal, -and fall upon him.” - -They did just what the wise old beast had suggested, and the thing -befell exactly as he said it would. And so ended the reign of the dyed -jackal. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - WHY DOGS WAG THEIR TAILS - - -A rich man in a certain town once owned a dog and a cat, both of which -were very useful to him. The dog had served his master for many years -and had become so old that he had lost his teeth and was unable to fight -any more, but he was a good guide and companion to the cat, who was -strong and cunning. - -The master had a daughter who was attending school at a convent some -distance from home, and very often he sent the dog and the cat with -presents to the girl. - -One day he called the faithful animals and bade them carry a magic ring -to his daughter. - -“You are strong and brave,” he said to the cat. “You may carry the ring, -but you must be careful not to drop it.” - -And to the dog he said: “You must accompany the cat to guide her and -keep her from harm.” - -They promised to do their best and started out. All went well until they -came to a river. As there was neither bridge nor boat, there was no way -to cross but to swim. - -“Let me take the magic ring,” said the dog as they were about to plunge -into the water. - -“Oh, no,” replied the cat, “the master gave it to me to carry.” - -“But you cannot swim well,” argued the dog. “I am strong and can take -good care of it.” - -But the cat refused to give up the ring until finally the dog threatened -to kill her, and then she reluctantly gave it to him. - -The river was wide and the water so swift that they grew very tired, and -just before they reached the opposite bank the dog dropped the ring. -They searched carefully, but could not find it anywhere, and after -awhile they turned back to tell their master of the sad loss. Just -before reaching the house, however, the dog was so overcome with fear -that he turned and ran away and never was seen again. - -The cat went on alone, and when the master saw her coming he called out -to know why she had returned so soon and what had become of her -companion. The poor cat was frightened, but as well as she could she -explained how the ring had been lost and how the dog had run away. - -On hearing her story the master was very angry, and commanded that all -his people should search for the dog, and that it should be punished by -having its tail cut off. - -He also ordered that all dogs in the world should join in the search, -and ever since when one dog meets another, he says: “Are you the old dog -that lost the magic ring? If so, your tail must be cut off.” Then -immediately each shows his teeth and wags his tail to prove that he is -not the guilty one. - -Since then, too, cats have been afraid of water and will not swim across -a river if they can avoid it. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - PRINCE VARNA - - -There was once a Rajah whose wife died, leaving to her husband a little -son, who was a great comfort to his grief-stricken father. In due time -the young prince was christened and his godmother was a princess who was -known far and wide for her wisdom and kindness, and everyone called her -“the good queen.” She named the little prince Varna, and loved him as -though he were her own son. - -When Varna was three years old the Rajah married a princess of great -beauty, but who was hard-hearted and cruel. In the course of time a -second prince was born, and the queen was filled with jealous rage at -the thought that Varna, and not her own son, was heir to the throne. But -she was very careful not to let the Rajah discover her real feelings. - -In the mountain there lived an old witch whom the queen knew well, and -she sent to her a trusty servant, asking that she find some way of -getting rid of her stepson, who stood in the way of her own son. But the -witch replied that she could work no harm against the young prince, -because he was under the protection of his godmother, whose power was -greater than her own. - -The “good queen” lived in a country which was far away, but was able to -keep herself well-informed of all that went on, and she knew what the -wicked queen desired. She sent to the young prince a ring of jade with -instructions that he must always wear it, as it would protect him from -all harm while in his father’s country. But as a talisman this ring was -useless elsewhere. This the wicked queen knew, so she made every effort -to entice him away from his father’s dominions. - -Her efforts met with no success, but circumstances brought about that -which she herself had been unable to. When the young prince was fifteen -years old his father’s only sister, who had married the king of a -distant country, wrote to her brother begging him to permit his son to -pay her a visit, as she greatly desired to see the nephew of whom she -had received the most excellent reports. - -The Rajah at first refused to allow Varna to leave the country, as he -was fearful that harm might come to him, but his sister entreated and -his wife insisted, so he finally gave his consent, although reluctantly. - -Varna was both good and handsome. When an infant he had been placed in -the care of one of the court ladies, who afterward became his governess, -and between them existed a great affection, which was shared equally by -the lady’s daughter Zaïda. When he became old enough to need the -guidance of a tutor and guardian, this lady’s husband took her place, -and they both loved him as though he were their own son. - -At length the young prince set forth on his journey, accompanied by his -tutor and former governess and a numerous retinue. All went well until -they left his father’s dominions, when the talisman lost its power to -protect him. They were crossing a desert under a burning sun and at -length reached an oasis, where the caravan rested. Suddenly Varna sprang -from his carriage, and immediately disappeared. As time went on and he -did not return, the tutor and his wife were filled with alarm. They -sought for him in every possible place, but could not find him. - -Sadly they mingled their tears, for they were sure that this was the -work of the wicked queen and the witch of the mountain. Suddenly they -heard a voice, which came from the branches of a tree beneath which they -were sitting. Looking up, they saw a large bird, which said to them: -“You seek your prince in vain. Return to your own country and tell the -king that many moons shall come and go before his son shall be -restored.” There was nothing else to do, so they sorrowfully went home, -and when they told their sad news to the king he was so deeply grieved -that he was stricken with a severe sickness from which he never -recovered. - -The wicked queen was now happy; her son was the Rajah, and she wielded -all the authority. The power that was hers made her harsher and more -cruel than ever, and the people soon began to hate her, especially as -they believed that it was she who had caused the disappearance of Prince -Varna. Fortunately, her son was loved by his subjects, for he was kind -and noble, and only this kept them from rebellion. - -One day, about three years after the supposed death of Prince Varna, the -young Rajah was out hunting, a sport of which he was very fond. He and -his courtiers stopped to rest at a pleasant spot, and refreshments were -prepared for them. While at luncheon his attention was attracted to a -bird of brilliant red plumage which was perched on the branch of a tree. -Taking some crumbs, he threw them beneath the tree, and the bird flew -down and ate them. - -Cautioning his courtiers to make no noise, he gradually approached the -gaily clad bird, which, to his surprise, did not fly away. In the open -palm of his hand were more crumbs, and the bird actually hopped towards -him and ate these too. - -Such confidence and lack of fear quite moved the Rajah, who resolved to -take his little feathered friend home with him. He tenderly stroked its -pretty feathers, and the bird made no effort to fly away. Soon it -nestled on his shoulder and stayed there until the party returned to the -palace. - -The young ruler became greatly attached to his new pet, and would allow -no one but himself to look after it. He even took it with him when he -went out walking—the bird on his shoulder. - -One day when they were out together the prince passed the house where -Varna’s former governess and her daughter lived. Both of them were -sitting by an open window, and suddenly the bird flew from its master’s -shoulder to the window sill. It looked right into the eyes of both -mother and daughter and boldly approached them. This utter absence of -fear, and also, perhaps, the bright red plumage, attracted them as it -had the Rajah, and they at once fell in love with it. - -The Rajah soon missed his pet, and looking about saw the two ladies -caressing it. He called and whistled, but the bird paid no attention to -him. He then entered the house, intending to take the bird away, but -when he reached the room in which they were it flew up to the ceiling -where it could not be reached. - -After spending some time in vain efforts to capture the bird, the ladies -begged the Rajah to leave it with them for a few days, promising to take -the greatest care of it. To this he consented, and at once, as though -understanding all that was said, the bird flew to Zaïda and nestled on -her shoulder. - -That night the mother dreamed that she saw the “good queen,” who told -her to go to a certain tree in her garden and to lift up a large stone -which she would find beneath it. There she would find a small phial -which was filled with bright red liquid. This she was to sprinkle over -the Rajah’s bird. - -This dream made such an impression upon the former governess that in the -morning, as soon as she arose, she hastened to the garden. The stone was -there beneath the tree, and upon removing this she saw the phial -containing the bright red liquid. - -Hurrying back to the house she told her daughter about the dream, and -showed her the small bottle she had found. - -Without a word Zaïda held out her hand, to which the bird at once flew. -Her mother removed the cork and sprinkled the contents of the phial over -the bright red feathers, and there before them stood the handsome Prince -Varna. - -Great was the joy of this meeting, and when they were somewhat composed -the ladies asked the prince to tell them of his adventures. - -He told them that when his carriage had stopped at the oasis some force -had compelled him to spring from it, and he found himself transformed at -once into a bird. Many times had he tried to reach his own country, but -was unable to do so until now. He had suffered greatly, and his only -comfort was when the good queen visited him. It was through her that he -was at last enabled to meet his brother, and finally be turned again -into human form. - -It was not long before the Queen learned from the witch of the mountain -that Prince Varna had returned, and she immediately sought to destroy -him. Hastening to her son she said that some ill-disposed subjects were -plotting to dethrone him, and that they had set up an impostor who they -declared to be Prince Varna. - -The Rajah told her to have no fear, and that he would soon find the -conspirators and properly punish them. He made inquiries and found that -Prince Varna was at the house of his former governess, so he went there -at once, determined to find out the truth for himself. - -The two ladies and Prince Varna were in earnest conversation when the -Rajah reached their house, and great was his astonishment to find that -this was really his long lost brother, whom he immediately recognized. - -“Brother,” said he, “I came here thinking to find an impostor, but it -makes me happy to see alive you whom we have so long mourned as dead. -The throne is yours, and I am your most loyal subject.” - -The two brothers embraced one another with great affection, and then -hastened to the royal palace, where, in the presence of the entire -court, the crown was placed upon Varna’s head by his brother himself. -This defeat of the wicked queen’s plans was so great a shock to her that -she immediately perished. - -The new Rajah and the lovely Zaïda were soon married, and to their great -joy the good queen herself attended the wedding. Her most valued gift -was the assurance that the witch of the mountain had no more power over -him. - -Varna insisted that his noble brother share the throne with him, and no -ruler was ever more beloved by faithful and loyal subjects than was each -of these. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - EMPRESS JANQWI AND THE MAGICIANS - - -Thousands of years ago, when China was peopled by giants, that country -was ruled by a great Empress named Janqwi, who came to the throne when -her brother, Emperor Fugi, died. This story tells how the heavens and -one of the pillars which upheld the sky were damaged during a rebellion -raised by one of her subjects, and how she mended the broken parts. - -The man who rebelled was a wicked and fearsome magician named Korkwi, a -giant quite terrible to look upon. He was twenty-eight feet tall, whose -face and body were entirely covered with coal-black hair, so it can be -imagined that he was anything but beautiful. - -It had long been his desire to rule the country, so when Fugi died, he -thought his opportunity had come. But Janqwi was too clever for him, and -she mounted the throne which was rightly hers. - -This so enraged Korkwi that he raised a large army and defied the -Empress. The next thing he did was to use his wizard’s power, and flood -the country, so that thousands of people were drowned. This meant war -between the Empress and Korkwi. - -Among the warriors of Janqwi were two brilliant young warriors named -Haki and Oku, and the first of these she appointed to command that part -of the army which would be first to engage the enemy. - -This great honor delighted Haki, and he at once made himself ready for -battle. He had mounted his favorite charger and had just started for the -front when he heard his name called loudly by someone who was galloping -behind him. He looked around and saw his friend Oku, who said to him: -“Halt, Haki! I intend to lead the first army!” - -This enraged Haki, who exclaimed: “You are insolent! The Empress Janqwi -has appointed me to lead our warriors into battle; your place is with -the reserves.” - -To this Oku replied: “It is my right to lead the first army, and yours -to follow.” - -Then Haki lunged at Oku with his sword, but the latter caused his horse -to swerve quickly, and with his lance he wounded Haki’s steed. - -Haki at once dismounted and prepared to rush at his comrade when Oku, -with lightning rapidity, tore the badge of leadership from Haki’s -helmet, and galloped quickly away. - -Now the Empress had seen all of this through the palace window, and she -could not help admiring the dexterity of the ambitious Oku, so she -divided the leadership of the front army between them, making Oku -commander of the left wing and Haki of the right. So the two became -friends again, and they marched against Korkwi at the head of a hundred -thousand soldiers. - -They soon reached the place which the rebel had fortified, and Korkwi -thought it would be easy, with all the power that he possessed, to -frighten them into submission. Seizing an immense iron rod, he mounted a -powerful black horse, and with a roar like an angry lion he charged his -foes. But he found that Haki and Oku did not fear him. - -He was coming toward them at a terrific rate, and the two comrades said -to each other: “We will attack him from right and left, and not allow -him to escape alive.” But the wizard was a fierce fighter, and his iron -rod a fearful weapon. For a long time they fought without either side -gaining. - -Then Korkwi aimed a blow at Haki’s head, and in order to avoid this Haki -turned his horse too quickly, so that the animal’s rear hoof struck -against a large stone. - -The horse suddenly reared up straight, and threw Haki to the ground, and -Korkwi thought he had his enemy at his mercy. Drawing his huge sword, he -was about to sever his head from his body when Oku wheeled his horse -right in front of him, and at once attacked the magician. - -Now the brunt of the fight had fallen to Haki’s lot, so that Oku was -fresher than his friend. Korkwi was tired, and did not fancy engaging -the young warrior, so he turned and fled. - -Haki had been only stunned by the fall, and he soon recovered. He rushed -after Korkwi on foot, while Oku pursued on horseback. Korkwi turned, and -fitting an arrow to his bow, aimed the shaft at Oku, who, being on -horseback, was ahead of his comrade. Just in time Oku swerved, so that -the arrow missed him. - -When the wizard saw that he had failed to kill either of his pursuers, -he saw that he would have to use his magic power in order to save -himself, so he stretched forth his wand, and there came a great wave -which engulfed Janqwi’s army and the two young generals. - -Haki and Oku were struggling in the water, and Korkwi went after them -with his iron rod, ready to strike. Suddenly a small island seemed to -lift itself out of the water right in front of them, and upon it stood -an old man, with snow white hair. He stretched out his hands over the -water, which went to the right and to the left, leaving a dry path by -means of which the young warriors reached the island. - -Seeing that his enemies were now safe, Korkwi turned furiously upon -their preserver. He rushed upon the old man, who merely laughed and then -turned into a beautiful white bird and flew away. - -All thought of further fighting was for the time abandoned. Haki and Oku -saw that it was useless for them, being only human, to fight against -Korkwi, who possessed supernatural powers, so they returned to the -Empress, who decided to call on Shiku, the Fire King, for aid. - -Now the Fire King lived at the South Pole, where all was snow and ice, -for he burned up everything else around him. He also was a giant, with a -face like marble and whose hair and beard were snow white. He was master -of all fire, as Korkwi was of water, and his strength was marvelous. - -The Empress sent Oku to the South Pole to ask Shiku for help, and this -the Fire King at once promised to give. He then told Oku that it was he -who had saved the two young generals from drowning, and Oku thanked him -for coming to their rescue. - -Shiku and Oku returned to the Empress, who made the Fire King -Commander-in-Chief of her army. He told her to have no fear, for he -would certainly vanquish their enemy. - -The new general was aware of the source of the magician’s power, and he -instructed all of the soldiers to gather large quantities of a certain -plant. This was done, and a great fire was made of all that was -collected, and then everyone was ordered to fill a bag full of the -ashes. - -Shiku, accompanied by Haki and Oku, marched at the head of his army -against Korkwi, who, knowing that water would extinguish fire, laughed -at him. As the army approached, the magician caused the water to rise, -thinking to speedily destroy his foes. But Shiku showed no fear; he -ordered every soldier to scatter the ashes they carried, and this -mingling with the water, turned into a sort of clay, thus stopping the -progress of the water. - -When Korkwi saw that Shiku was his superior in wisdom, he became furious -with rage, and charged the enemy headlong. - -Oku rode to meet him, and soon the two were engaged in deadly combat. -For a long time they fought without advantage to either, then Oku began -to tire, and his comrade, seeing this, took his place. Being fresh, he -began to prove more than a match for Korkwi, who now desired to retire -from the fight. So he artfully said: - -“It was courageous on your part to risk your life for your friend, and I -wish to show how highly I esteem such valor. Far be it from me to slay -such a man.” - -With this he turned his horse in retreat; but his idea was to take Haki -off his guard, and then to turn on him and kill him without mercy. - -But Shiku saw what his intention was at once, and called him a cowardly -deceiver. Then Korkwi attacked Shiku, who wounded him in the arm. - -The magician then tried to escape in earnest, and galloped away at his -utmost speed. - -It was the custom at that time for opposing armies to watch when a -champion from each side should engage in a duel, and so the armies of -Shiku and Korkwi had stood awaiting the result. Shiku now ordered his -soldiers to charge the enemy, and this they did, defeating them utterly. - -Korkwi saw that fate was against him. His magic was useless to him, -because Shiku knew more than he did, so, frenzied with pain and -disappointment, he dashed his head against the rocks of Mount Kuri, and -so perished. With such force did he strike the rocks that he made a -great hole in the mountain, in which were embedded some of the pillars -which upheld the heavens, and one of these pillars was broken. One -corner of the sky thereupon began to drop, and at length it touched the -earth. - -Then Shiku, taking with him the body of his enemy, returned to the -Empress Janqwi, victorious. - -But trouble had not ceased for Janqwi. Fire was bursting out from the -mountain in which was the broken pillar, and was doing great damage to -the country round about. The Empress hastened to the scene of the -disaster, and found that considerable damage had been done to both -Heaven and earth. - -The problem now was how to repair this damage, so she gathered together -the wise men of the kingdom to see what could be done. - -Under their advice she ordered her subjects to collect all the stones -they could find of these five colors—red, blue, yellow, white and black. -These she had boiled in a huge cauldron, and the result was a cement -which would mend anything. - -With Shiku’s magic help she then mounted the clouds, taking the cement -with her, and having reached that corner of the sky which was broken, -she mended it. She then repaired the broken pillar. - -Now all of this was the more difficult to do because ever since the hole -was made in the mountain the moon had ceased to shine by night, and the -sun by day, so that it was quite dark, and even now it remained so. - -She called another meeting of the wise men, and they decided that -neither the sun nor the moon could travel because the roads by which -they made their daily and nightly journeys had been damaged by the -accident to the pillar, and it was now necessary to inform them that -repairs had been made, and they could safely venture forth again. - -But the sun and moon were millions of miles away, and the problem was -how to reach them. Then Shiku had recourse to his magic, and he produced -a chariot which could race through the air at unbelievable speed. - -Haki and Oku were chosen by the Empress to be her messengers to the sun -and moon to tell them that the roads were now perfectly safe. - -So these two set out on their journey in the wonderful chariot, and -finally they reached both the sun and the moon. - -It was just as the wise men had said—neither sun nor moon was aware that -the roads damaged by the breaking of the pillar had been repaired, but -when they were assured by Haki and Oku that these were now perfectly -safe for travel they were satisfied, and so the Lords of Light again -took up their daily and nightly duties. - -So again all was well in China, and for many years the people lived in -peace and prosperity, rejoicing in the fact that the beloved and wise -Janqwi was their Empress. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - RAJA RASALU - - -Once there lived a great Rajah, whose name was Salabhan, and he had a -Queen, by name Lona, who, though she wept and prayed at many a shrine, -had never a child to gladden her eyes. After a long time, however, a son -was promised to her. - -Queen Lona returned to the palace, and when the time for the birth of -the promised son drew nigh, she inquired of three Jogis who came begging -to her gate, what the child’s fate would be, and the youngest of them -answered and said: “Oh, Queen! The child will be a boy, and he will live -to be a great man. But for twelve years you must not look upon his face, -for if either you or his father see it before the twelve years are past, -you will surely die! This is what you must do: As soon as the child is -born you must send him away to a cellar underneath the ground, and never -let him see the light of day for twelve years. After they are over he -may come forth, bathe in the river, put on new clothes, and visit you. -His name shall be Rajah Rasalu, and he shall be known far and wide.” - -So, when a fair young Prince was in due time born, his parents hid him -away in an underground palace, with nurses and servants, and everything -else a king’s son might desire. And with him they sent a young colt, -born the same day, and sword, spear, and shield, against the day when -Rajah Rasalu should go forth into the world. - -So there the child lived, playing with his colt, and talking to his -parrot; but when the twelfth year began the lad’s heart leaped up with -desire for change, and he loved to listen to the sounds of life which -came to him in his palace-prison from the outside world. - -“I must go and see where the voices come from!” he said; and when his -nurses told him he must not go for one year more, he only laughed aloud, -saying, “Nay! I stay no longer here for any man!” - -Then he saddled his Arab horse Bhanur, put on his shining armor; and -rode forth into the world; but, mindful of what his nurses had oft told -him, when he came to the river, he dismounted, and going into the water, -washed himself and his clothes. - -Then, clean of raiment, fair of face, and brave of heart, he rode on his -way until he reached his father’s city. There he sat down to rest awhile -by a well, where the women were drawing water in earthern pitchers. Now, -as they passed him, their full pitchers poised upon their heads, the gay -young Prince flung stones at the earthern vessels, and broke them all. -Then the women, drenched with water, went weeping and wailing to the -palace, complaining to the King that a mighty young Prince in shining -armor, with a parrot on his wrist and a gallant steed beside him, sat by -the well, and broke their pitchers. - -Now, as soon as Rajah Salabhan heard this he guessed at once that it was -Prince Rasalu come forth before the time, and, mindful of the Jogis’ -words that he would die if he looked on his son’s face before twelve -years were past, he did not dare to send his guards to seize the -offender and bring him to be judged. So he bade the women be comforted, -and take pitchers of iron and brass, giving new ones from the treasury -to those who did not possess any of their own. - -But when Prince Rasalu saw the women returning to the well with pitchers -of iron and brass, he laughed to himself, and drew his mighty bow till -the sharp-pointed arrows pierced the metal vessels as though they had -been clay. - -Yet still the King did not send for him, so he mounted his steed and set -off in the pride of his youth and strength to the palace. He strode into -the audience hall, where his father sat trembling, and saluted him with -all reverence; but Rajah Salabhan, in fear of his life, turned his back -hastily and said never a word in reply. - -Then Prince Rasalu called scornfully to him across the hall: - - “I came to greet thee, King, and not to harm thee! - What have I done that thou shouldst turn away? - Scepter and empire have no power to charm me— - I go to seek a worthier prize than they!” - -Then he strode away, full of bitterness and anger; but as he passed -under the palace windows, he heard his mother weeping, and the sound -softened his heart, so that his wrath died down, and a great loneliness -fell upon him, because he was spurned by both father and mother. So he -cried sorrowfully: - - “Oh, heart crown’d with grief, hast thou nought - But tears for thy son? - Art mother of mine? Give one thought - To my life just begun!” - -And Queen Lona answered through her tears: - - “Yea! Mother am I, though I weep, - So hold this word sure,— - Go, reign king of all men, but keep - Thy heart good and pure!” - -So Rajah Rasalu was comforted, and began to make ready for fortune. He -took with him his horse Bhanur and his parrot, both of whom had lived -with him since he was born. - -So they made a goodly company, and Queen Lona, when she saw them going, -watched them from her window till she saw nothing but a cloud of dust on -the horizon; then she bowed her head on her hands and wept, saying: - - “Oh! Son who ne’er gladdened mine eyes, - Let the cloud of thy going arise, - Dim the sunlight and darken the day; - For the mother whose son is away - Is as dust!” - -Rasalu had started off to play chaupur[3] with King Sarkap. And as he -journeyed there came a fierce storm of thunder and lightning, so that he -sought shelter, and found none save an old graveyard, where a headless -corpse lay upon the ground. So lonesome was it that even the corpse -seemed company, and Rasalu, sitting down beside it, said: - - “There is no one here, nor far nor near, - Save this breathless corpse so cold and grim; - Would God he might come to life again, - ’Twould be less lonely to talk to him.” - -And immediately the headless corpse arose and sat beside Rajah Rasalu. -And he, nothing astonished, said to it: - - “The storm beats fierce and loud - The clouds rise thick in the West; - What ails thy grave and shroud, - Oh, corpse! That thou canst not rest?” - -Then the headless corpse replied: - - “On earth I was even as thou, - My turban awry like a king, - My head with the highest, I trow. - Having my fun and my fling, - Fighting my foes like a brave, - Living my life with a swing. - And, now I am dead, - Sins, heavy as lead, - Will give me no rest in my grave!” - - -[Footnote 3: A game very similar to the modern game of Parchesi.] - - -So the night passed on, dark and dreary, while Rasalu sat in the -graveyard and talked to the headless corpse. Now when morning broke and -Rasalu said he must continue his journey, the headless corpse asked him -whither he was going, and when he said, “To play chaupur with King -Sarkap,” the corpse begged him to give up the idea, saying: “I am King -Sarkap’s brother, and I know his ways. Every day before breakfast he -cuts off the heads of two or three men just to amuse himself. One day no -one else was at hand, so he cut off mine, and he will surely cut off -yours on one pretense or another. However, if you are determined to go -and play chaupur with him, take some of the bones from this graveyard, -and make your dice out of them, and then the enchanted dice with which -my brother plays will lose their virtue. Otherwise he will always win.” - -So Rasalu took some of the bones lying about, and fashioned them into -dice, and these he put into his pocket. Then, bidding adieu to the -headless corpse, he went on his way to play chaupur with the king. - -Now, as Rajah Rasalu, tender-hearted and strong, journeyed along to play -chaupur with the king, he came to a burning forest, and a voice rose -from the fire, saying, “Oh, traveler! Save me from the fire!” - -Then the Prince turned towards the burning forest, and lo! the voice was -the voice of a tiny cricket. Nevertheless, Rasalu, tender-hearted and -strong, snatched it from the fire and set it at liberty. Then the little -creature, full of gratitude, pulled out one of its feelers, and giving -it to its preserver, said, “Keep this, and should you ever be in -trouble, put it into the fire, and instantly I will come to your aid.” - -The Prince smiled, saying, “What help could _you_ give _me_?” -Nevertheless, he kept the hair and went on his way. - -Now, when he reached the city of King Sarkap, seventy maidens, daughters -of the king, came out to meet him—seventy fair maidens, merry and -careless, full of smiles and laughter; but one, the youngest of them -all, when she saw the gallant young Prince riding on Bhanur, going gayly -to his doom, was filled with pity, and called to him, saying: - - “Fair Prince, on the charger so gray, - Turn thee back! Turn thee back! - Or lower thy lance for the fray; - Thy head will be forfeit to-day! - Dost love life? Then, stranger, I pray, - Turn thee back! Turn thee back!” - -But he, smiling at the maiden, answered lightly: - - “Fair maiden, I come from afar, - Sworn conqueror in love and in war! - King Sarkap my coming will rue, - His head in four pieces I’ll hew; - Then forth as a bridegroom I’ll ride, - With you, little maid, as my bride!” - -Now when Rasalu replied so gallantly, the maiden looked in his face, and -seeing how fair he was, and how brave and strong, she straightway fell -in love with him, and would gladly have followed him through the world. - -But the other sixty-nine maidens, being jealous, laughed scornfully at -her, saying: “Not so fast, oh gallant warrior! If you would marry our -sister you must first do our bidding, for you will be our younger -brother.” - -“Fair sisters!” quoth Rasalu gayly, “give me my task and I will perform -it.” - -So the sixty-nine maidens mixed a hundred-weight of millet seed with a -hundred-weight of sand, and giving it to Rasalu, bade him separate the -seed from the sand. - -Then he bethought him of the cricket, and drawing the feeler from his -pocket, thrust it into the fire. And immediately there was a whirring -noise in the air, and a great flight of crickets alighted beside him, -and amongst them the cricket whose life he had saved. - -Then Rasalu said, “Separate the millet seed from the sand.” - -“Is that all?” quoth the cricket. “Had I known how small a job you -wanted me to do, I would not have assembled so many of my brethren.” - -With that the flight of crickets set to work, and in one night they -separated the seed from the sand. - -Now when the sixty-nine fair maidens, daughters of the king, saw that -Rasalu had performed his task, they set him another, bidding him swing -them all, one by one, in their swings, until they were tired. - -Whereupon he laughed, saying, “There are seventy of you, counting my -little bride yonder, and I am not going to spend my life swinging girls! -Why, by the time I have given each of you a swing, the first will be -wanting another! No! If you want a swing, get in, all seventy of you, -and then I’ll see what can be done.” - -So the seventy maidens climbed into one swing, and Rajah Rasalu, -standing in his shining armor, fastened the ropes to his mighty bow, and -drew it up to its fullest bent. Then he let go, and like an arrow the -swing shot into the air, with its burden of seventy fair maidens, merry -and careless, full of smiles and laughter. - -But as it swung back again, Rasalu, standing there in his shining armor, -drew his sharp sword and severed the ropes. Then the seventy fair -maidens fell to the ground headlong; and some were bruised and some were -broken, but the only one who escaped unhurt was the maiden who loved -Rasalu, for she fell out last, on the top of the others, and so came to -no harm. - -After this, Rasalu strode on fifteen paces, till he came to the seventy -drums, that everyone who came to play chaupur with the king had to beat -in turn; and he beat them so loudly that he broke them all. Then he came -to the seventy gongs, all in a row, and he hammered them so hard that -they cracked to pieces. - -Seeing this, the youngest Princess, who was the only one who could run, -fled to her father, the king, in a great fright, saying: - - “A mighty Prince, Sarkap! making havoc rides along, - He swung us, seventy maidens fair, and threw us out headlong; - He broke the drums you placed there, and the gongs, too, in his pride, - Sure, he will kill thee, father mine, and take me for his bride!” - -But King Sarkap replied scornfully: - - “Silly maiden, thy words make a lot - Of a very small matter; - For fear of my valor, I wot, - His armor will clatter. - As soon as I’ve eaten my bread - I’ll go forth and cut off his head!” - -Notwithstanding these brave and boastful words he was in reality very -much afraid, having heard of Rasalu’s renown. And learning that he was -stopping at the house of an old woman in the city, till the hour of -playing chaupur arrived, Sarkap sent slaves to him with trays of -sweetmeats and fruit, as to an honored guest. But the food was poisoned. - -Now, when the slaves brought the trays to Rajah Rasalu, he rose up -haughtily, saying: “Go tell your master I have naught to do with him in -friendship. I am his sworn enemy, and I eat not of his salt!” - -So saying, he threw the sweetmeats to Rajah Sarkap’s dog, which had -followed the slaves, and lo! the dog died. - -Then Rasalu was very wroth, and said bitterly, “Go back to Sarkap, -slaves. And tell him that Rasalu deems it no act of bravery to kill even -an enemy by treachery.” - -Now, when evening came, Rajah Rasalu went forth to play chaupur with -King Sarkap, and as he passed some potters’ kilns he saw a cat wandering -about restlessly; so he asked what ailed her, that she never stood -still, and she replied: “My kittens are in an unbaked pot in the kiln -yonder. It has just been set alight, and my children will be baked -alive; therefore I cannot rest!” - -Her words moved the heart of Rajah Rasalu, and going to the potter, he -asked him to sell the kiln as it was; but the potter replied that he -could not settle a fair price till the pots were burned, as he could not -tell how many would come out whole. Nevertheless, after some bargaining, -he consented at last to sell the kiln, and Rasalu, having searched all -the pots, restored the kittens to their mother, and she in gratitude for -his mercy, gave him one of them, saying, “Put it in your pocket, for it -will help you when you are in difficulties.” So Rajah Rasalu put the -kitten in his pocket, and went to play chaupur with the king. - -Now, before they sat down to play, Rajah Sarkap fixed his stakes—on the -first game, his kingdom; on the second, the wealth of the whole world, -and on the third, his own head. So, likewise, Rajah Rasalu fixed his -stakes—on the first game, his arms; on the second, his horse, and on the -third, his own head. - -Then they began to play, and it fell to Rasalu’s lot to make the first -move. Now he, forgetful of the dead man’s warning, played with the dice -given him by Rajah Sarkap, besides which, Sarkap let loose his famous -rat, Dhol Rajah, and it ran about the board, upsetting the chaupur -pieces on the sly, so that Rasalu lost the first game, and gave up his -shining armor. - -Then the second game began, and once more Dhol Rajah, the rat, upset the -pieces; and Rasalu, losing the game, gave up his faithful steed. Then -Bhanur, the Arab steed, who stood by, found voice, and cried to his -master: - - “Sea-born am I, bought with much gold; - Dear Prince! Trust me now as of old. - I’ll carry you far from these wiles— - My flight, all unspurr’d, will be swift as a bird, - For thousands and thousands of miles! - Or if needs you must stay; ere the next game you play - Place your hand in your pocket, I pray!” - -Hearing this, Rajah Sarkap frowned, and bade his slaves remove Bhanur, -the Arab steed, since he gave his master advice in the game. Now, when -the slaves came to lead the faithful steed away, Rasalu could not -refrain from tears, thinking over the long years during which Bhanur, -the Arab steed, had been his companion. But the horse cried out again: - - “Weep not, dear Prince! I shall not eat my bread - Of stranger hands, nor to strange stall be led. - Take thy right hand, and place it as I said.” - -These words roused some recollection in Rasalu’s mind, and when, just at -this moment, the kitten in his pocket began to struggle, he remembered -all about the warning, and the dice made from dead men’s bones. Then his -heart rose up once more, and he called boldly to Rajah Sarkap: “Leave my -horse and arms here for the present. Time enough to take them away when -you have won my head!” - -Now, Rajah Sarkap, seeing Rasalu’s confident bearing, began to be -afraid, and ordered all the women of his palace to come forth in their -gayest attire and stand before Rasalu, so as to distract his attention -from the game. But he never even looked at them, and drawing the dice -from his pocket, said to Sarkap, “We have played with your dice all this -time. Now we will play with mine.” - -Then the kitten went and sat at the window through which the rat Dhol -Rajah used to come, and the game began. - -After awhile, Sarkap, seeing Rajah Rasalu was winning, called to his -rat, but when Dhol Rajah saw the kitten he was afraid, and would not go -farther. So Rasalu won, and took back his arms. Next he played for his -horse, and once more Rajah Sarkap called for his rat; but Dhol Rajah, -seeing the kitten keeping watch, was afraid. So Rasalu won the second -stake, and took back Bhanur, the Arab steed. - -Then Sarkap brought all his skill to bear on the third and last game, -saying: - - “Oh, molded pieces! Favor me to-day! - Forsooth this is a man with whom I play. - No paltry risk—but life and death at stake; - As Sarkap does, so do, for Sarkap’s sake!” - -But Rasalu answered back: - - “Oh, molded pieces! Favor me to-day! - Forsooth it is a man with whom I play. - No paltry risk—but life and death at stake; - As Heaven does, so do, for Heaven’s sake!” - -So they began to play, whilst the women stood round in a circle, and the -kitten watched Dhol Rajah, from the window. Then Sarkap lost, first his -kingdom, then the wealth of the whole world, and lastly his head. - -Just then, a servant came in to announce the birth of a daughter to -Rajah Sarkap, and he, overcome by misfortunes, said, “Kill her at once! -For she has been born in an evil moment, and has brought her father ill -luck!” - -But Rasalu rose up in his shining armor, tender-hearted and strong, -saying: “Not so, O King! She has done no evil. Give me this child to -wife; and if you will vow, by all you hold sacred, never again to play -chaupur for another’s head, I will spare yours now!” - -Then Sarkap vowed a solemn vow never to play for another’s head; and -after that he took a fresh mango branch, and the newborn babe, and -placing them on a golden dish, gave them to Rasalu. - -Now, as he left the palace, carrying with him the newborn babe and the -mango branch, he met a band of prisoners, and they called out to him: - - “A royal hawk art thou, O King, the rest - But timid wild-fowl. Grant us our request, - Unloose these chains, and live forever blest!” - -And Rajah Rasalu harkened to them, and bade King Sarkap set them at -liberty. - -Then he went to the Murti Hills, and placed the newborn babe, Kokilan, -in an underground palace, and planted the mango branch at the door, -saying, “In twelve years the mango tree will blossom; then will I return -and marry Kokilan.” - -And after twelve years, the mango tree began to flower, and Raja Rasalu -married the Princess Kokilan, who he won from Sarkap when he played -chaupur with the king. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE FOUR FRIENDS - - -Three great friends, a tortoise, a weasel and a crow, were talking -together one fine day when they were disturbed by the noise of an animal -who was coming their way in great haste. They soon saw that it was a -goat, who was evidently being pursued, so, as a matter of safety, each -of them sought a place of refuge. - -The goat stopped quite suddenly by the side of a pool, near which the -three friends had been conversing together, but he seemed to be afraid -to drink. The crow, who had flown to the upper branches of a high tree, -saw that the man who had been hunting the goat had given up the chase, -so he called to the tortoise, whose haven was the pool, that it was -quite safe now for him to come out. - -The tortoise at once came to the surface, and seeing the goat standing -there, evidently thirsty, but trembling and afraid to drink, spoke -kindly to him, assuring him that there was no danger. - -Then the goat drank, and the tortoise asked him why he was so -distressed. The goat replied that he had reason to be, for he had barely -escaped death at the hands of a hunter. - -“Well,” said the tortoise, “you are quite safe now. There are three of -us here, a weasel, a crow, and myself, who are great friends. How would -you like to join our company? It is our practice to stand by one another -in all things, and to make our lives as pleasant as possible.” - -By this time the weasel and the crow had joined them and they seconded -the invitation, so the goat accepted, and each of them swore to be a -true friend to the others. - -For a long time they lived pleasantly together; but one day the goat -failed to be at their meeting-place, and this caused them great anxiety. -They waited for some time, but as their friend didn’t appear, they -decided to search for him, fearing that he was in trouble. So the crow -flew up into the air, and looking round about saw the poor goat striving -to release himself from the meshes of a hunter’s net. - -He at once reported his discovery to his friends, and their sorrow upon -receiving the news of the goat’s capture was great. It was their duty -now to see what could be done to help their comrade, and at length they -hit upon a plan to rescue him. - -The weasel possessed very sharp teeth, and he was to gnaw the meshes of -the net in which the goat was confined, and so set him at liberty. As -this would take some time, it was necessary that the weasel get to work -as soon as possible, because the hunter might return to his net at any -minute. - -The crow and the weasel hastened to the spot, and such good work did the -latter do with his teeth, that by the time the tortoise arrived, the -goat was at liberty. - -It was foolish for the tortoise to have come so far from home, -especially to a place so dangerous as this, because it surely would not -be very long before the hunter returned, and his presence there caused -the goat to say: “My dear friend, I am sorry to have been the cause of -bringing you here, for if the hunter should come, how could you escape? -The rest of us could easily look after ourselves, for the crow would fly -into the air, the weasel could hide in any hole, and I should seek -safety in flight; but you, who move so slowly, would be at the mercy of -the hunter.” - -At this moment, surely enough, the hunter appeared, and it happened as -the goat had said. The latter ran swiftly away; the crow flew into the -air, and the weasel disappeared into a hole. Only the tortoise was left, -unable to escape. - -The hunter was greatly vexed when he saw the broken net, and he wondered -who could have helped the goat to get away. He looked around, and of -course saw the tortoise. - -“Well,” he said, “here is a tortoise, and that is better than nothing, -and it will make a very good meal.” So he threw the tortoise into a sack -which he carried, threw it over his shoulder, and started off home. - -When he had gone the three friends returned, and guessed at once what -had happened to the tortoise. They bitterly bemoaned his fate, -especially the goat, who blamed himself as being the cause of this -trouble. - -Then the crow said: “Tears and lamentations will not help our poor -friend, so let us devise means of saving him. It is our part to show -what we can do in a case of such need.” - -They thought hard, and finally decided upon a plan. The goat was to let -himself be seen by the hunter, and to make out that he was lame. The -hunter would then be sure of being able to catch him, and so lay down -his sack, and run after him. As soon as he was far enough away from the -sack (and it was the part of the goat to lead him as far away as -possible) the weasel would again put his sharp teeth into use, and gnaw -through the cord which would be tied around the mouth of the sack, and -so free their friend. - -So the goat ran with speed until he was in front of the hunter, and then -he appeared to be lame and weary. As soon as the hunter saw him in such -feeble condition he was sure he could catch him without difficulty, and -so, throwing down his sack, he ran after the goat, who artfully drew him -farther and farther away, until they were both out of sight. - -Then came the weasel, whose strong teeth soon set the tortoise at -liberty, and together they hid themselves in a bush. - -The goat had led the hunter a merry chase, which the latter was finally -forced to give up, and then return to recover his sack. He was -congratulating himself on having at least captured something that -couldn’t run away from him, when he lifted the sack from the ground, and -found that now he had lost the tortoise. - -This story shows the strength of true friendship, and that when the -desire to help is there, a way to do so will be found. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE ADVENTURES OF JUAN - - -Juan was always getting into trouble. He was a lazy boy, and more than -that, he did not have good sense. When he tried to do things, he made -such dreadful mistakes that he might better not have tried. - -His family grew very impatient with him, scolding and beating him -whenever he did anything wrong. One day his mother, who was almost -discouraged with him, gave him a bolo[4] and sent him to the forest, for -she thought he could at least cut firewood. Juan walked leisurely along, -contemplating some means of escape. At last he came to a tree that -seemed easy to cut, and then he drew his long knife and prepared to -work. - - -[Footnote 4: A long knife.] - - -Now it happened that this was a magic tree, and it said to Juan: - -“If you do not cut me I will give you a goat that shakes silver from its -whiskers.” - -This pleased Juan wonderfully, both because he was curious to see the -goat, and because he would not have to chop the wood. He agreed at once -to spare the tree, whereupon the bark separated and the goat stepped -out. Juan commanded it to shake its whiskers, and when the money began -to drop he was so delighted that he took the animal and started home to -show his treasure to his mother. - -On the way he met a friend who was more cunning than Juan, and when he -heard of the boy’s rich goat he decided to rob him. Knowing Juan’s -fondness for tuba,[5] he persuaded him to drink. This sent him to sleep, -and then the friend substituted another goat for the magic one. As soon -as he awoke, Juan hastened home with the goat and told his people of the -wonderful tree, but when he commanded the animal to shake its whiskers, -no money fell out. The family, believing it to be another of Juan’s -tricks, beat and scolded the poor boy. - - -[Footnote 5: Fermented juice of the cocoanut.] - - -He went back to the tree and threatened to cut it down for lying to him, -but the tree said: - -“No, do not cut me down and I will give you a net which you may cast on -dry ground, or even in the tree tops, and it will return full of fish.” - -So Juan spared the tree and started home with his precious net, but on -the way he met the same friend who again persuaded him to drink tuba. -While he was asleep, the friend replaced the magic net with a common -one, so that when Juan reached home and tried to show his power, he was -again the subject of ridicule. - -Once more Juan went to his tree, this time determined to cut it down. -But the offer of a magic pot, always full of rice and spoons which -provided whatever he wished to eat with his rice, dissuaded him, and he -started home happier than ever. Before reaching home, however, he met -with the same fate as before, and his folks, who were becoming tired of -his pranks, beat him harder than ever. - -Thoroughly angered, Juan sought the tree a fourth time and was on the -point of cutting it down when once more it arrested his attention. After -some discussion, he consented to accept a stick to which he had only to -say, “Boombye, Boomba,” and it would beat and kill anything he wished. - -When he met his friend on this trip, he was asked what he had, and he -replied: - -“Oh, it is only a stick, but if I say, ‘Boombye, Boomba,’ it will beat -you to death.” - -At the sound of the magic words the stick leaped from his hands and -began beating his friend until he cried: - -“Oh, stop it and I will give back everything that I stole from you.” -Juan ordered the stick to stop, and then he compelled the man to lead -the goat and to carry the net and the jar and spoons to his home. - -There Juan commanded the goat, and it shook its whiskers until his -mother and brothers had all the silver they could carry. Then they ate -from the magic jar and spoons until they were filled. And this time Juan -was not scolded. After they had finished Juan said: - -“You have beaten me and scolded me all my life, and now you are glad to -accept my good things. I am going to show you something else: ‘Boombye, -Boomba.’” Immediately the stick leaped out and beat them all until they -begged for mercy and promised that Juan should ever after be head of the -house. - -From that time Juan was rich and powerful, but he never went anywhere -without his stick. One night, when some thieves came to his house, he -would have been robbed and killed had it not been for the magic words -“Boombye, Boomba,” which caused the death of all the robbers. - -Some time after this he married a beautiful princess, and because of the -kindness of the magic tree they always lived happily. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE FEAST OF THE LANTERNS - - -Wang Chih was only a poor man, but he had a wife and children to love, -and they made him so happy that he would not have changed places with -the Emperor himself. - -He worked in the fields all day, and at night his wife always had a bowl -of rice ready for his supper. And sometimes, for a treat, she made him -some bean soup, or gave him a little dish of fried pork. - -But they could not afford pork very often; he generally had to be -content with rice. - -One morning, as he was setting off to his work, his wife sent Han Chung, -his son, running after him to ask him to bring home some firewood. - -“I shall have to go up into the mountain for it at noon,” he said. “Go -and bring me my axe, Han Chung.” - -Han Chung ran for his father’s axe, and Ho-Seen-Ko, his little sister, -came out of the cottage with him. - -“Remember, it is the Feast of Lanterns to-night, father,” she said. -“Don’t fall asleep upon the mountain; we want you to come back and light -them for us.” - -She had a lantern in the shape of a fish, painted red and black and -yellow, and Han Chung had got a big round one, all bright crimson, to -carry in the procession; and, besides that, there were two large -lanterns to be hung outside the cottage door as soon as it grew dark. - -Wang Chih was not likely to forget the Feast of Lanterns, for the -children had talked of nothing else for a month, and he promised to come -home as early as he could. - -At noontide, when his fellow-laborers gave up working, and sat down to -rest and eat, Wang Chih took his axe and went up the mountain slope to -find a small tree he might cut down for fuel. - -He walked a long way, and at last saw one growing at the mouth of a -cave. - -“This will be just the thing,” he said to himself. But, before striking -the first blow, he peeped into the cave to see if it were empty. - -To his surprise, two old men, with long, white beards, were sitting -inside playing chess, as quietly as mice, with their eyes fixed on the -chessboard. - -Wang Chih knew something of chess, and he stepped in and watched them -for a few minutes. - -“As soon as they look up I can ask them if I may chop down a tree,” he -said to himself. But they did not look up, and by and by Wang Chih got -so interested in the game that he put down his axe, and sat on the floor -to watch it better. - -The two old men sat cross-legged on the ground, and the chessboard -rested on a slab, like a stone table, between them. - -On one corner of the slab lay a heap of small brown objects which Wang -Chih took at first to be date stones; but after a time the chess-players -ate one each, and put one in Wang Chih’s mouth, and he found it was not -a date stone at all. - -It was a delicious kind of sweetmeat, the like of which he had never -tasted before; and the strangest thing about it was that it took his -hunger and thirst away. - -He had been both hungry and thirsty when he came into the cave, as he -had not waited to have his mid-day meal with the other field-workers; -but now he felt quite comforted and refreshed. - -He sat there some time longer, and noticed that as the old men frowned -over the chessboard, their beards grew longer and longer, until they -swept the floor of the cave, and even found their way out of the door. - -“I hope my beard will never grow as quickly,” said Wang Chih, as he rose -and took up his axe again. - -Then one of the old men spoke, for the first time. “Our beards have not -grown quickly, young man. How long is it since you came here?” - -“About half an hour, I dare say,” replied Wang Chih. But as he spoke, -the axe crumbled to dust beneath his fingers, and the second -chess-player laughed, and pointed to the little brown sweetmeats on the -table. - -“Half an hour, or half a century—aye, half a thousand years are all -alike to him who tastes of these. Go down into your village and see what -has happened since you left it.” - -So Wang Chih went down as quickly as he could from the mountain, and -found the fields where he had worked covered with houses, and a busy -town where his own little village had been. In vain he looked for his -house, his wife, and his children. - -There were strange faces everywhere; and although when evening came the -Feast of Lanterns was being held once more, there was no Ho-Seen-Ko -carrying her red and yellow fish, or Han Chung with his flaming red -ball. - -At last he found a woman, a very, very old woman, who told him that when -she was a tiny girl she remembered her grand-mother saying how, when -_she_ was a tiny girl, a poor young man had been spirited away by the -Genii of the mountains on the day of the Feast of Lanterns, leaving his -wife and little children with only a few handfuls of rice in the house. - -“Moreover, if you wait while the procession passes, you will see two -children dressed to represent Han Chung and Ho-Seen-Ko, and their mother -carrying the empty rice-bowl between them; for this is done every year -to remind people to take care of the widow and fatherless,” she said. So -Wang Chih waited in the street; and in a little while the procession -came to an end, and the last three figures in it were a boy and girl, -dressed like his own two children, walking on either side of a young -woman carrying a rice-bowl. But she was not like his wife in anything -but her dress, and the children were not at all like Han Chung and -Ho-Seen-Ko; and poor Wang Chih’s heart was very heavy as he walked out -of the town. - -He slept out on the mountain, and early in the morning found his way -back to the cave where the two old men were playing chess. - -At first they said they could do nothing for him and told him to go away -and not disturb them; but Wang Chih would not go, and they found the -only way to get rid of him was to give him some really good advice. - -“You must go to the White Hare of the Moon, and ask him for a bottle of -the elixir of life. If you drink that you will live forever,” said one -of them. - -“But I don’t want to live forever,” objected Wang Chih. “I wish to go -back and live in the days when my wife and children were here.” - -“Ah, well! For that you must mix the elixir of life with some water out -of the sky-dragon’s mouth.” - -“And where is the sky-dragon to be found?” inquired Wang Chih. - -“In the sky, of course. You really ask very stupid questions. He lives -in a cloud-cave. And when he comes out of it he breathes fire, and -sometimes water. If he is breathing fire you will be burned up, but if -it is only water, you will easily be able to catch some in a little -bottle. What else do you want?” - -For Wang Chih still lingered at the mouth of the cave. - -“I want a pair of wings to fly with, and a bottle to catch the water -in,” he replied boldly. - -So they gave him a little bottle and before he had time to say “Thank -you!” a white crane came sailing past and lighted on the ground close to -the cave. - -“The crane will take you wherever you like,” said the old men. “Go now, -and leave us in peace.” - -So Wang Chih sat on the white crane’s back, and was taken up and up -through the sky to the cloud-cave where the sky-dragon lived. And the -dragon had the head of a camel, the horns of a deer, the eyes of a -rabbit, the ears of a cow, and the claws of a hawk. - -Besides this, he had whiskers and a beard, and in his beard was a bright -pearl. - -All these things show that he was a real, genuine dragon, and if you -ever meet a dragon who is not exactly like this, you will know he is -only a make-believe one. - -Wang Chih felt rather frightened when he perceived the cave in the -distance, and if it had not been for the thought of seeing his wife -again, and his little boy and girl, he would have been glad to turn -back. - -While he was far away the cloud-cave looked like a dark hole in the -midst of a soft woolly mass, such as one sees in the sky on an April -day; but as he came nearer he found the cloud was as hard as a rock, and -covered with a kind of dry, white grass. - -When he got there, he sat down on a tuft of grass near the cave, and -considered what he should do next. - -The first thing was, of course, to bring the dragon out, and the next to -make him breathe water instead of fire. - -“I have it!” cried Wang Chih at last; and he nodded his head so many -times that the little white crane expected to see it fall off. - -He struck a light, and set the grass on fire, and it was so dry that the -flames spread all around the entrance to the cave, and made such a smoke -and crackling that the sky-dragon put his head out to see what was the -matter. - -“Ho! Ho!” cried the dragon, when he saw what Wang Chih had done, “I can -soon put this to rights.” And he breathed once, and the water came out -of his nose and mouth in three streams. - -But this was not enough to put the fire out. Then he breathed twice, and -the water came out in three mighty rivers, and Wang Chih, who had taken -care to fill his bottle when the first stream began to flow, sailed away -on the white crane’s back as fast as he could go, to escape being -drowned. - -The rivers poured over the cloud rock, until there was not a spark left -alight, and rushed down through the sky into the sea below. - -Fortunately, the sea lay right underneath the dragon’s cave, or he would -have done some nice mischief. As it was, the people on the coast looked -out across the water toward Japan, and saw three inky-black clouds -stretching from the sky into the sea. - -“My word! There is a fine rain-storm out at sea!” they said to each -other. - -But, of course, it was nothing of the kind; it was only the sky-dragon -putting out the fire Wang Chih had kindled. - -Meanwhile, Wang Chih was on his way to the moon, and when he got there -he went straight to the hut where the Hare of the Moon lived, and -knocked at the door. - -The Hare was busy pounding the drugs which make up the elixir of life; -but he left his work, opened the door, and invited Wang Chih to come in. - -He was not ugly, like the dragon; his fur was quite white and soft and -glossy, and he had lovely, gentle brown eyes. - -The Hare of the Moon lives a thousand years, as you know, and when he is -five hundred years old he changes his color from brown to white, and -becomes, if possible, better tempered and nicer than he was before. - -As soon as he heard what Wang Chih wanted, he opened two windows at the -back of the hut, and told him to look through each of them in turn. - -“Tell me what you see,” said the Hare, going back to the table where he -was pounding the drugs. - -“I can see a great many houses and people,” said Wang Chih, “and -streets—why, this is the town I was in yesterday, the one which has -taken the place of my old village.” - -Wang Chih stared, and grew more and more puzzled. Here he was up in the -moon, and yet he could have thrown a stone into the busy street of the -Chinese town below his window. - -“How does it come here,” he stammered, at last. - -“Oh, that is my secret,” replied the wise old Hare. “I know how to do a -great many things which would surprise you. But the question is, do you -want to go back there?” - -Wang Chih shook his head. - -“Then close the window. It is the window of the Present. And look -through the other, which is the window of the Past.” - -Wang Chih obeyed, and through this window he saw his own dear little -village, and his wife, and Han Chung and Ho-Seen-Ko jumping about her as -she hung up the colored lanterns outside the door. - -“Father won’t be in time to light them for us, after all,” Han Chung was -saying. - -Wang Chih turned, and looked eagerly at the White Hare. - -“Let me go to them,” he said. “I have got a bottle of water from the -sky-dragon’s mouth, and——” - -“That’s all right,” said the White Hare. “Give it to me.” - -He opened the bottle, and mixed the contents carefully with a few drops -of the elixir of life, which was clear as crystal, and of which each -drop shone like a diamond as he poured it in. - -“Now, drink this,” he said to Wang Chih, “and it will give you the power -of living once more in the past, as you desire.” - -Wang Chih held out his hand, and drank every drop. - -The moment he had done so the window grew larger, and he saw some steps -leading from it down into the village street. - -Thanking the Hare, he rushed through it, and ran toward his own house, -arriving in time to take from his wife’s hand the taper with which she -was about to light the red and yellow lanterns which swung over the -door. - -“What has kept you so long, father? Where have you been?” asked Han -Chung, while little Ho-Seen-Ko wondered why he kissed and embraced them -all so eagerly. - -But Wang Chih did not tell them his adventures just then; only when -darkness fell, and the Feast of Lanterns began, he took his part in it -with a merry heart. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - LUMAWIG ON EARTH - - -One day when Lumawig, the Great Spirit, looked down from his place in -the sky, he saw two sisters gathering beans, and he decided to visit -them. When he arrived at the place he asked them what they were doing. - -The younger, whose name was Fukan, answered: - -“We are gathering beans, but it takes a long time to get enough, for my -sister wants to go bathing all the time.” - -Then Lumawig said to the older sister: - -“Hand me a single pod of the beans.” - -And when she had given it to him, he shelled it into the basket and -immediately the basket was full. The younger sister laughed at this, and -Lumawig said to her: - -“Give me another pod and another basket.” - -She did so, and when he had shelled the pod, that basket was full also. -Then he said to the younger sister: - -“Go home and get three more baskets.” - -She went home, but when she asked for three more baskets her mother said -that the beans were few and she could not need so many. Then Fukan told -her of the young man who could fill a basket from one pod of beans, and -the father, who heard her story, said: - -“Go, bring the young man here, for I think he must be a god.” - -So Fukan took the three baskets back to Lumawig, and when he had filled -them as he did the other two, he helped the girls carry them to the -house. As they reached their home, he stopped outside to cool himself, -but the father called to him, and he went into the house and asked for -some water. The father brought him a cocoanut shell full, and before -drinking Lumawig looked at it and said: - -“If I stay here with you, I shall become very strong.” - -The next morning Lumawig asked to see their chickens, and when they -opened the chicken-coop out came a hen and many little chicks. - -“Are these all of your chickens?” asked Lumawig; and the father assured -him that they were all. He then bade them bring rice meal that he might -feed them, and as the chickens ate they all grew rapidly till they were -cocks and hens. - -Next Lumawig asked how many pigs they had, and the father replied that -they had one with some little ones. Then Lumawig bade them fill a pail -with sweet potato leaves, and he fed the pigs. And as they ate they also -grew to full size. - -The father was so pleased with all these things that he offered his -elder daughter to Lumawig for a wife. But the Great Spirit said he -preferred to marry the younger, and so it was arranged. Now when his -brother-in-law learned that Lumawig desired a feast at his wedding, he -was very angry and said: - -“Where would you get food for your wedding feast? There is no rice, nor -beef, nor pork, nor chicken.” - -But Lumawig only answered, “I shall provide our wedding feast.” - -In the morning they all set out for Lanao, for Lumawig did not care to -stay any longer in the house with his brother-in-law. As soon as they -arrived he sent out for some tree trunks, but the trees that the people -brought in were so small that Lumawig himself went to the forest and cut -two large pine trees which he hurled to Lanao. - -When the people had built a fire of the trees he commanded them to bring -ten kettles filled with water. Soon the water was boiling hot and the -brother-in-law laughed and said: - -“Where is your rice? You have the boiling water, but you do not seem to -think of the rice.” - -In answer to this Lumawig took a small basket of rice and passed it over -five kettles and they were full. Then he called, “Yish-tjau,” and some -deer came running out of the forest. These were not what he wanted, -however, so he called again and some pigs came. He told the people that -they were each to catch one, and for his brother-in-law he selected the -largest and best. - -They all set out in pursuit of the pigs and the others quickly caught -theirs, but though the brother-in-law chased his until he was very tired -and hot he could not catch it. Lumawig laughed at him and said: - -“You chase that pig until he is thin and still you cannot catch it, -though all the others have theirs.” - -Thereupon he grasped the hind legs of the pig and lifted it. All the -people laughed and the brother-in-law said: - -“Of course you can catch it, because I chased it until it was tired.” - -Lumawig then handed it to him, and said: “Here, you carry it.” But no -sooner had the brother-in-law put it over his shoulder than it cut loose -and ran away. - -“Why did you let it go?” asked Lumawig. “Do you care nothing for it, -even after I caught it for you? Catch it again and bring it here.” - -So the brother-in-law started out again, and he chased it up stream and -down, but he could not catch it. Finally Lumawig reached down and picked -up the pig and carried it to the place where the others were cooking. - -After they had all eaten and drunk and made their offerings to the -spirits, Lumawig said: - -“Come, let us go to the mountain to consult the omen concerning the -northern tribes.” - -So they consulted the omen, but it was not favorable, and they were -starting home when the brother-in-law asked Lumawig to create some -water, as the people were hot and thirsty. - -“Why do you not create water, Lumawig?” he repeated, as Lumawig paid no -attention to him. “You care nothing that the people are thirsty and in -need of drink.” - -Then they quarreled and were very angry and Lumawig said to the people, -“Let us sit down and rest.” - -While they rested, Lumawig struck the rock with his spear, and water -came out. The brother-in-law jumped up to get a drink first, but Lumawig -held him back, and said he must be the last to drink. So they all drank, -and when they had finished the brother-in-law stepped up, but Lumawig -gave him a push which sent him into the rock, and water came from his -body. - -“You must stay there,” said Lumawig, “because you have troubled me a -great deal.” And they went home, leaving him in the rock. - -Some time after this Lumawig decided to go back to the sky to live, but -before he went he took care that his wife should have a home. He made a -coffin of wood and placed her in it with a dog at her feet and a cock at -her head. And as he set it floating on the water, he told it not to stop -until it reached Tinglayen. Then, if the foot struck first, the dog -should bark; and if the head end was the first to strike, the cock -should crow. So it floated away, on and on, until it came to Tinglayen. - -Now a widower was sharpening his axe on the bank of the river, and when -he saw the coffin stop, he went to fish it out of the water. On the -shore he started to open it, but Fukan cried out, “Do not drive a wedge, -for I am here.” So the widower opened it carefully and took Fukan up to -the town, and then, as he had no wife of his own, he married her. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - IN UNION IS STRENGTH - - -A lion was wandering over the desert, seeking water. It was very hot, -and the sun had dried so many pools that it was a long time before he -found a well where he could assuage his thirst. But this he did at last, -although the water in it was not at all fresh. However, he was too -thirsty to care much whether it was stale or not. - -He reached down to drink, and then his ears were assailed with the -buzzing of mosquitoes, who said to him: - -“Lion, leave us in peace. We did not ask you to come here and drink up -our home, and you are not welcome.” - -This surprised the Lion, who was not used to being spoken to in such an -impertinent manner. He roared and said: “Do you know whom you are -speaking to? I am the Lion, the King of all beasts. What affair of yours -is it what I do? Leave me at once, or I will kill you all.” - -But the Mosquitoes said: “You are one, and we are many. For generations -has this old well been our home, and it is not for you to say that we -must go. Take our advice and seek another well, or trouble will visit -you.” - -“You insignificant little creatures, how dare you address me in such -manner,” roared the Lion. “Why, in one minute I can swallow you all and -you will make only the very smallest part of a mouthful for me. Know -that when I speak all beasts of the forest and the wilderness bow before -me, and tremble. Now fly away, all of you, for I am going to drink.” - -“We know how great is your renown,” said the Mosquitoes, “but we do not -fear you. If you wish to fight us we are very willing to have it so, but -we will not allow you to destroy our home.” - -The Lion was now enraged more than he had ever been before. Such -language to him, the King, meant that destruction must be meted out to -those who dared to use it. He roared again, and made ready to kill the -foolish Mosquitoes. - -But he found that he had undertaken no easy task. The Mosquitoes flew -into his ears, his eyes, his nose and his mouth. They stung him all over -his body, and soon he knew that he was conquered. He shook himself; he -rolled over and over on the ground, but he could not drive them away. - -Then he jumped high into the air, and when he came down his head and -fore feet went into the well, and he was unable to release himself. - -And so he died, thus teaching a lesson to those who are so proud of -their own might that they all think all others must bow down to them. -The water in the well was the home of the Mosquitoes, and he had no -right to deprive them of it. Had he made a request for water with gentle -words, it would without doubt have been given to him, but in the -foolishness of his pride and anger he demanded that which was not his. -Gentleness, and consideration for others will bring their reward. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE STORY OF BANTUGAN - - -Before the Spaniards occupied the island of Mindanao, there lived in the -valley of the Rio Grande a very strong man, Bantugan, whose father was -the brother of the earthquake and thunder. - -Now the Sultan of the Island had a beautiful daughter whom Bantugan -wished to marry, but the home of the Sultan was far off, and whoever -went to carry Bantugan’s proposal would have a long and hazardous -journey. All the head men consulted together regarding who should be -sent, and at last it was decided that Bantugan’s own son, Balatama, was -the one to go. Balatama was young but he was strong and brave, and when -the arms of his father were given him to wear on the long journey his -heart swelled with pride. More than once on the way, however, his -courage was tried, and only the thought of his brave father gave him -strength to proceed. - -Once he came to a wooden fence which surrounded a stone in the form of a -man, and as it was directly in his path he drew his fighting knife to -cut down the fence. Immediately the air became as black as night and -stones rained down as large as houses. This made Balatama cry, but he -protected himself with his father’s shield and prayed, calling on the -winds from the homeland until they came and cleared the air again. - -Thereupon Balatama encountered a great snake in the road, and it -inquired his errand. When told, the snake said: - -“You cannot go on, for I am guard of this road and no one can pass.” - -The animal made a move to seize him, but with one stroke of his fighting -knife the boy cut the snake into two pieces, one of which he threw into -the sea and the other into the mountains. - -After many days the weary lad came to a high rock in the road, which -glistened in the sunlight. From the top he could look down into the city -for which he was bound. It was a splendid place with ten harbors. -Standing out from the other palaces was one of crystal and another of -pure gold. Encouraged by this sight he went on, but though it seemed -only a short distance, it was some time before he at last stood at the -gate of the town. - -It was not long after this, however, before Balatama had made known his -errand to the Sultan, and that monarch, turning to his courtiers, said: - -“You, my friends, decide whether or not I shall give the hand of my -daughter to Bantugan in marriage.” - -The courtiers slowly shook their heads and began to offer objections. - -Said one, “I do not see how Bantugan can marry the Sultan’s daughter -because the first gift must be a figure of a man or woman in pure gold.” - -“Well,” said the son of Bantugan, “I am here to learn what you want and -to say whether or not it can be given.” - -Then a second man spoke: “You must give a great yard with a floor of -gold, which must be three feet thick.” - -“All this can be given,” answered the boy. - -And the sister of the Princess said: “The gifts must be as many as the -blades of grass in our city.” - -“It shall be granted,” said Balatama. - -“You must give a bridge built of stone to cross the great river,” said -one. - -And another: “A ship of stone you must give, and you must change into -gold all the cocoanuts and leaves in the Sultan’s grove.” - -“All this can be done,” said Balatama. “My uncles will give all save the -statue of gold, and that I shall give myself. But first I must go to my -father’s town to secure it.” - -At this they were angry and declared that he had made sport of them and -unless he produced the statue at once they would kill him. - -“If I give you the statue now,” said he, “there will come dreadful -storms, rain, and darkness.” - -But they only laughed at him and insisted on having the statue, so he -reached into his helmet and drew it forth. - -Immediately the earth began to quake. A great storm arose, and stones as -large as houses rained until the Sultan called to Balatama to put back -the statue lest they all be killed. - -“You would not believe what I told you,” said the boy; “and now I am -going to let the storm continue.” - -But the Sultan begged him and promised that Bantugan might marry his -daughter with no other gifts at all save the statue of gold. Balatama -put back the statue into his helmet, and the air became calm again to -the great relief of the Sultan and his courtiers. Then Balatama prepared -to return home, promising that Bantugan would come in three months for -the wedding. - -All went well with the boy on the way home until he came to the fence -surrounding the stone in the form of a man, and there he was detained -and compelled to remain four months. - -Now about this time a Spanish general heard that Bantugan was preparing -to marry the Sultan’s daughter, whom he determined to wed himself. A -great expedition was prepared, and he with all his brothers embarked on -his large warship which was followed by ten thousand other ships. They -went to the Sultan’s city, and their number was so great that they -filled the harbor, frightening the people greatly. - -Then the General’s brother disembarked and came to the house of the -Sultan. He demanded the Princess for the General, saying that if the -request were refused the fleet would destroy the city and all its -people. The Sultan and his courtiers were so frightened that they -decided to give his daughter to the General, the next full moon being -the date set for the wedding. - -In the meantime Bantugan had been preparing everything for the marriage -which he expected to take place at the appointed time. But as the days -went by and Balatama did not return they became alarmed, fearing that he -was dead. After three months had passed Bantugan prepared a great -expedition to go in search of his son, and the great warship was -decorated with flags of gold. - -As they came in sight of the Sultan’s city, they saw the Spanish fleet -in the harbor, and one of his brothers advised Bantugan not to enter -until the Spaniards left. They then brought their ship to anchor. But -all were disappointed that they could go no farther, and one said, “Why -do we not go on? Even if the blades of grass turn into Spaniards we need -not fear.” Another said: “Why do we fear? Even if the cannon-balls come -like rain, we can always fight.” Finally some wanted to return to their -homes and Bantugan said: “No, let us seek my son. Even though we must -enter the harbor where the Spaniards are, let us continue our search.” -So at his command the anchors were lifted, and they sailed into the -harbor where the Spanish fleet lay. - -Now at this very time the Spanish general and his brother were with the -Sultan, intending to call upon the Princess. As the brother talked with -one of the sisters of the Princess they moved toward the window, and -looking down they saw Bantugan’s ships entering the harbor. They could -not tell whose flags the ships bore. Neither could the Sultan when he -was called. Then he sent his brother to bring his father, who was a very -old man, to see if he could tell. The father was kept in a little dark -room by himself that he might not get hurt, and the Sultan said to his -brother: - -“If he is so bent with age that he cannot see, talk, or walk, tickle him -in the ribs and that will make him young again; and, my Brother, carry -him here yourself lest one of the slaves should let him fall and he -should hurt himself.” - -So the old man was brought, and when he looked out upon the ships he saw -that the flags were those of the father of Bantugan who had been a great -friend of his in his youth. And he told them that he and Bantugan’s -father years ago had made a contract that their children and children’s -children should inter-marry, and now since the Sultan had promised his -daughter to two people, he foresaw that great trouble would come to the -land. Then the Sultan said to the General: - -“Here are two claimants to my daughter’s hand. Go aboard your ships and -you and Bantugan make war on each other, and the victor shall have my -daughter.” - -So the Spaniards opened fire upon Bantugan, and for three days the earth -was so covered with smoke from the battle that neither could see his -enemy. Then the Spanish general said: - -“I cannot see Bantugan or the fleet anywhere, so let us go and claim the -Princess.” - -But the Sultan said: “We must wait until the smoke rises to make sure -that Bantugan is gone.” - -When the smoke rose, the ships of Bantugan were apparently unharmed and -the Sultan said: - -“Bantugan has surely won, for his fleet is uninjured while yours is -badly damaged. You have lost.” - -“No,” said the General, “we will fight it out on dry land.” - -So they both landed their troops and their cannon, and a great fight -took place, and soon the ground was covered with dead bodies. And the -Sultan commanded them to stop, as the women and children in the city -were being killed by the cannon-balls, but the General said: - -“If you give your daughter to Bantugan we shall fight forever, or until -we die.” - -Then the Sultan sent for Bantugan and said: - -“We must deceive the Spaniard in order to get him to go away. Let us -tell him that neither of you will marry my daughter, and then after he -has gone, we shall have the wedding.” - -Bantugan agreed to this, and word was sent to the Spaniard that the -fighting must cease since many women and children were being killed. So -it was agreed between the Spaniard and Bantugan that neither of them -should marry the Princess. Then they both sailed away to their homes. - -Bantugan soon returned, however, and married the Princess, and on the -way back to his home they found his son and took him with them. For -about a week the Spanish general sailed toward his home and then he, -too, turned about to go back, planning to take the Princess by force. -When he found that she had already been carried away by Bantugan, his -wrath knew no bounds. He destroyed the Sultan, his city, and all its -people. And then he sailed away to prepare a great expedition with which -he should utterly destroy Bantugan and his country as well. - -One morning Bantugan looked out and saw at the mouth of the Rio Grande -the enormous fleet of the Spaniards whose numbers were so great that in -no direction could the horizon be seen. His heart sank within him, for -he knew well that he and his country were doomed. - -Though he could not hope to win in a fight against such great numbers, -he called his head men together, and said: - -“My Brothers, the Spanish dogs have come to destroy the land. We cannot -successfully oppose them, but in the defense of the fatherland we can -die.” - -So the great warship was again prepared, and all the soldiers of Islam -embarked, and then with Bantugan standing at the bow they sailed forth -to meet their fate. - -The fighting was fast and furious, but soon the great warship of -Bantugan filled with water until at last it sank, drawing with it -hundreds of the Spanish ships. And then a strange thing happened. At the -very spot where Bantugan’s warship sank, there arose from the sea a -great island which you can see to-day not far from the mouth of the Rio -Grande. It is covered with bongo-palms, and deep within its mountains -live Bantugan and his warriors. A Moro sailboat passing this island is -always scanned by Bantugan’s watchers, and if it contains women such as -he admires, they are snatched from their seats and carried deep into the -heart of the mountain. For this reason Moro women fear even to sail near -the island of Bongos. - -When the wife of Bantugan saw that her husband was no more and that his -warship had been destroyed, she gathered together the remaining warriors -and set forth herself to avenge him. In a few hours her ship also was -sunk, and in the place where it sank there arose the mountain of Timaco. - -On this thickly wooded island are found white monkeys, the servants of -the Princess, who still lives in the center of the mountain. On a quiet -day high up on the mountain side one can hear the chanting and singing -of the waiting-girls of the wife of Bantugan. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE PESTLE AND MORTAR OF JADE - - -Once upon a time, so very long ago that even the great-grandfathers of -our great-grandmothers had not been born, there lived in the city of -Kwen-lu a little Chinese boy named Pei-Hang. - -His father and mother loved him dearly, and did all they could to shield -him from the power of the evil Genii, or spirits, of whom there were a -great many in China. Of course, there were some good Genii too, but most -of them were very much the opposite, and Pei-Hang’s mother took every -precaution against them. - -It is well-known that a wicked Genii will not come near a Chinese boy if -he has some red silk braided in with his pigtail, or if he wears a -silver chain around his neck, and all of them dread an old fishing-net. -So Pei-Hang’s mother made him a little shirt out of an old fishing-net, -and she took care that his pigtail should be plaited with the brightest -of red silk. - -Also she was particular in having his head shaved in just the right way, -with a tuft sticking straight up in the luckiest place. - -And so Pei-Hang got safely over the troubles of his babyhood, and grew -from a baby into a big boy, and then to a tall, handsome youth. Then he -left off wearing his fish-net shirt, but still wore the silver chain -round his neck and had red silk in his pigtail. - -“It is time that Pei-Hang saw a little more of the world,” said his -father. “He must go to Chang-ngan and study under the wise men there.” - -Chang-ngan was the ancient capital of China, a very large city indeed, -and Pin-Too, the teacher to whom Pei-Hang was sent, was the wisest man -there. - -Pei-Hang soon learned what the world was thinking about, and many other -things also. As soon as he was eighteen he took the red silk out of his -pigtail and the silver chain from his neck, because grown-up people were -supposed to be able to protect themselves against the Genii without the -aid of charms. - -When he was twenty, Pin-Too said he could not teach him any more, and -told him to go back to his parents, and comfort them in their old age. - -Pei-Hang was his favorite pupil, and Pin-Too looked very sorry when he -said this. - -“I will start to-morrow, Master, and will leave the city by the Golden -Bridge,” replied Pei-Hang obediently. - -“No, you must go by the Indigo Bridge,” said Pin-Too, “for there you -will meet your future wife.” - -“I was not thinking of a wife,” observed Pei-Hang, with some dismay. - -Pin-Too just wrinkled up his eyes and laughed. - -“So much the better!” said he. “When you have once seen her, you will be -able to think of nothing else.” - -It was very hot, and Pei-Hang intended to start in the cool of the early -morning, but he sat so long over his books the night before his journey -that he wakened late, and when he opened his eyes the sun was blazing -down upon the streets, making the town like a furnace. - -However, he had promised to start that day, so he took up his stick and -set off. - -“I will rest at the Indigo Bridge,” said he to himself, “and walk on -again in the cool of the evening.” - -But he had spent many sleepless nights in study, and when he reached the -bridge he was so tired that he sat down and fell asleep. - -Then, in a dream which came to him, he saw a tall and beautiful maiden, -who showed him her right foot, around which was bound a red cord. - -“What does this mean?” asked Pei-Hang, who could hardly take his eyes -away from her face to look at her foot. - -“What does the red cord around your own foot mean?” replied the girl. - -Then Pei-Hang looked at his right foot, and saw that it was tied to the -girl’s by the same thin red cord. So he knew that he had met his future -wife. - -“My mother used to say that when a boy is born, the Moon Fairy ties an -invisible red cord around his right foot, and the other end of the cord -encircles the foot of the girl-baby whom he is to marry,” said he. - -“Quite true,” said the maiden, “and to people who are awake this cord is -invisible. Now I will tell you my name, that you may remember it. It is -Yun-Ying.” - -“And I will tell you mine,” began Pei-Hang, but Yun-Ying stopped him, -smiling. - -“Ah, I know yours, and all about you,” she said. - -Pei-Hang was greatly surprised, but he need not have been, for everyone -in Chang-ngan knew that he was Pin-Too’s wisest, handsomest, and -best-loved pupil. And Yun-Ying lived close to the city, and had often -seen him walking through the streets carrying his books. - -When Pei-Hang awoke, he looked for the red cord around his foot, but he -saw neither this nor the fair maiden. - -“I wonder if she is real, or only a dream-maiden, after all,” he said to -himself. - -But Yun-Ying was quite real; only her mother, who knew something of -magic, had given her the power of stepping in and out of people’s -dreams. - -Pei-Hang got up and went on his way, thinking of Yun-Ying all the time. - -It was still very hot, and he grew so thirsty that he went to a little -hut by the roadside, and asked an old woman who was sitting in the -doorway to give him a drink. - -She called to her daughter to fill their best goblet with fresh spring -water, and bring it out to the stranger. Then appeared none other than -Yun-Ying herself. - -“Oh!” cried Pei-Hang, “I thought that I might never see you again, and I -have found you already.” - -“And who am I?” asked the girl, smiling. - -“Yun-Ying,” replied Pei-Hang; and the name seemed so musical to him that -he said it over and over again. - -Yun-Ying was dressed in white underneath, but her overdress was bright -blue, embroidered with beautiful flowers which she had worked herself; -and she stood in the door of the hut, with a peach tree in full bloom -over her head, making such a picture of youth and loveliness that -Pei-Hang’s heart seemed to jump into his throat, and beat there fast -enough to choke him. - -“Who are you? And how do you come to know Yun-Ying?” asked the old -woman, peering and blinking at him, with her hand over her eyes to -shield them from the sun. - -Then Pei-Hang told her about the dream, and the red cord, and when he -said that he wanted to marry her daughter, the old woman did not look at -all pleased. “If I had two daughters, you would be welcome to one of -them,” she said. - -Pei-Hang was not a bad match, for his parents were well-off, and he was -their only child; but Yun-Ying was a very pretty girl and a mandarin of -Chang-ngan was anxious to marry her. - -“He is four times her age, it is true,” said her mother, explaining this -to Pei-Hang, “but he is very rich.” - -“He is old and wrinkled, like a little brown monkey,” said Yun-Ying, -“and I don’t want to marry him. Besides, the Moon Fairy didn’t tie my -foot to his.” - -“No, that’s true,” sighed her mother. - -She would have liked to send Pei-Hang away, but she knew it would not be -safe to do that if the red cord had really been tied to his foot and -Yun-Ying’s, so she asked him to come inside, and they would talk it -over. - -“Now,” said she, “on this stool I pound magic drugs given to me by the -Genii, but my pestle and mortar is broken, and I want a new one.” - -“That I can easily buy in Chang-ngan,” replied Pei-Hang. - -“No, you cannot,” said the old woman, “because it is a pestle and mortar -of jade, and you can only get another one from the home of the Genii, -which is on a mountain above the Lake of Gems. If you will do that, and -bring it back to me, you shall marry Yun-Ying.” - -“I will do that, but I must see my parents first,” said Pei-Yang. - -He had no idea where the home of the Genii was, but Yun-Ying took him -out into the garden, and showed him, in the far distance, a range of -snow-capped mountains, with one peak towering above all the others. - -“That is Mount Sumi,” she said, “and it is there the Genii live, sitting -on the snow-peaks, and looking down at the Lake of Gems.” - -“In order to reach it you must cross the Blue River, the White River, -the Red River, and the Black River, all of which are full of monstrous -fishes. That is why my mother is sending you,” sighed Yun-Ying. “She -thinks you will not return alive.” - -“I am a good swimmer, and not afraid of fish,” said Pei-Hang. - -“But you must not try to swim,” said Yun-Ying earnestly, “for you would -be instantly devoured. Take this box with you. In it you will find six -red seeds, one of which you must throw into each river as you come to -it. The river will then shrink to the size of a small brook, over which -you can jump.” - -Pei-Hang opened the box, and saw inside six round, red seeds, each of -them the size of a pea, and these he promised to use as she had -directed. Then he kissed her, and set out on his journey. - -On his way to Mount Sumi he passed through the town in which his parents -lived, and when he saw them, he told them everything that had happened -to him since he left Chang-ngan. - -His mother, who was a very wise woman, as most mothers are, told him the -Genii would be angry if he turned their great rivers into brooks, and -would probably refuse to give him the pestle and mortar made of jade. -But she gave him a box containing six white seeds, one of which he was -to cast into each brook as he passed it on his return journey, and it -would then expand into a river again. - -The next morning Pei-Hang kissed his parents, and continued on his way -to Mount Sumi. On the seventh day he came to the Blue River, which was a -quarter of a mile wide, and as blue as the sky of summer, and fishes -were popping their heads out of the water in every direction. The head -of every fish was twice as large as a football, and had two rows of -teeth. But he threw a red seed into the river, and in a moment it had -become a little brook, across which he could hop on one foot, and the -huge fishes were changed into tadpoles. - -Very soon he reached the White River, which was half a mile wide, and so -rapid that it was covered with foam, and full of immense sea-serpents. - -This river was so wide that Pei-Hang was really surprised when, on -throwing another of the red seeds into it, there lay before him a tiny -brook, in the bottom of which some eels were wriggling. - -Stepping across this, Pei-Hang walked on for some time until he came in -sight of the Red River, which was three-quarters of a mile wide, and -bright scarlet. Stretched right across it, like a bridge, was a row of -huge alligators, each of which had its mouth wide open. - -Into the river Pei-Hang threw one of the little red seeds, and one of -the nearest alligators made a snap at it, but missed it. The seed sank -into the water, and there before him was a small stream less than two -feet across, and at the bottom of it a row of tiny lizards. - -Pei-Hang crossed the stream, and was met by one of the Genii, who had -come down from the snow-peak to see who had been playing tricks with the -three mighty rivers. - -Then Pei-Hang showed him the white seeds in the other box, and said: -“With these I can make them as large as they were before, on my way -back, so it is all right. But first I must find the home of the Genii, -and get a pestle and mortar of jade for my future mother-in-law to pound -magic drugs in.” - -“First you must cross the Black River,” replied the Geni, with a rather -scornful laugh. “It is a mile wide, and the fish in it are six yards -long, and covered with spikes like porcupines.” - -“How did you get across?” inquired Pei-Hang. - -“I? O, I can fly,” said the Geni. - -“And I can jump,” retorted Pei-Hang, sturdily. - -The Geni walked with him as far as the Black River, and when our hero -saw the great waste of water as black as ink, stretching away in front -of him, it must be confessed his heart sank a little. - -But he took out his fourth seed, and watched it disappear beneath a -coal-black wave. - -To the Geni’s astonishment the river immediately dried up, and a shallow -stream running through the grass lay at their feet. - -The Geni was much impressed by the wonderful things Pei-Hang seemed able -to do. He was not bad-hearted, so he showed him the nearest way to the -home of the Genii on the top of Mount Sumi. - -It was a long and wearisome climb, but at last they got up there, and -found eight of the Genii sitting on eight snow-peaks, and looking down -on the Lake of Gems, as Yun-Ying had said. - -The Lake of Gems lay on the other side of Mount Sumi, and was a -beautiful sheet of water, flashing all the colors of the rainbow. - -Pei-Hang could not take his eyes away from it. He forgot all about the -pestle and mortar as he watched the waves rippling along the shore, and -leaving behind them diamonds, rubies, sapphires and pearls in thousands. - -Each pebble on the margin of the lake was a precious stone, and Pei-Hang -wanted to go down and fill his pockets with them. - -“We must let him have the pestle and mortar,” said the Geni who had been -his guide, and who had told the others about the wonderful red and white -seeds while Pei-Hang was standing spell-bound by the beauty of the Lake. -“If we don’t he won’t give us back our rivers.” - -The eight Genii nodded their eight heads, and spoke all at once, and the -noise they made was like the rumble of thunder among the mountains. “Let -him take it, if he can carry it,” they said. - -And they laughed until the snow-peaks shook beneath them; for the mortar -made of jade was six feet high and four feet wide, and the pestle was so -heavy no mortal could lift it. - -Pei-Hang, when he had finished staring at the Lake of Gems, walked round -it, and wondered how he was to carry it down the mountain and across the -plains to Chang-ngan. - -Then he sat down on the ground to think the matter over, and the Genii, -even his own good-natured Geni, laughed at him again. - -“Come!” they said. “If you like to fill the mortar with precious stones, -you may do so. Any man who can carry it empty can carry it full.” - -“Because no one can carry it at all,” concluded the good-natured Geni -softly to himself. - -Pei-Hang folded his arms and sat still, and thought, and thought, and -took no notice of their gibes and jeers. He had not studied for three -years under the wisest man in Chang-ngan for nothing, and, besides, he -was determined to marry Yun-Ying, and when young men are very much in -love, they sometimes accomplish things which seem to be impossible. - -At last he jumped up and asked the friendly Geni if he would make a -little heap of stones at one side of the mortar. - -“I want to be able to look inside it, and I am not tall enough,” said -he. - -“And why don’t you do it yourself?” asked the Geni. - -“Because I must go down to the Lake of Gems and collect precious -stones,” replied Pei-Hang. - -Then he ran down to the shore of the lake and gathered diamonds, rubies, -emeralds, pearls, and sapphires, as many as he could carry. - -This he did again and again, emptying them into the mortar each time, -until it was quite full and held gems enough to make Pei-Hang the -richest man in China. - -And this was just what he wanted to be, for the yellow-faced mandarin -was only the richest man in Chang-ngan, and he knew that the richest man -in China would have much the greater chance of winning Yun-Ying. - -“Well, what next?” cried the eight Genii, when he had finished. “Will -you take it on your shoulder or on your head?” - -“I will just carry it under my arm,” replied Pei-Hang. - -He took out his little box, threw one of the red seeds on top of the -gems, and in a moment the tremendous pestle and mortar shrank into one -of ordinary size. - -Pei-Hang put the pestle in his pocket, and took up the mortar carefully, -because he did not wish to lose any of the precious stones. Then he -bowed low to the Genii, thanked them, and said good-by. - -This time they did not laugh, but each of them roared with rage. They -dared not stop him, knowing that he had the power to turn the four -brooks into rivers again. - -Pei-Hang hastened away, and on his journey did exactly as he had -promised. - -After crossing the first brook, he threw a white seed into it, and -turned it into an inky black waste of water a mile wide, full of fishes -six yards long, and every fish covered with spikes. - -When the Genii saw this they stopped roaring, so glad were they to see -the Black River guarding them once more from the outer world. - -On reaching the Red River, the White River, and the Blue River, Pei-Hang -did the same thing, and since that time no one has been able to find the -home of the Genii, because no one else could cross the Blue River, much -less the other three. - -Having traveled for seven days Pei-Hang came to his father’s and -mother’s house. He told them all that he had experienced, and for each -white seed his mother had given him he gave her a jewel as large as an -egg. Then he went on to Chang-ngan, where he found that Yun-Ying’s -mother had spread a report that he was dead, and had invited all her -friends to attend a wedding feast in honor of her daughter’s marriage -with the yellow-faced old mandarin. - -The wedding had not taken place when Pei-Hang arrived, but Yun-Ying was -already arrayed in her wedding dress, and was standing beneath a peach -tree which stood in front of the house. As soon as she saw him she threw -herself into his arms, and shed tears of joy at his safe return. - -He put down the pestle and mortar and kissed Yun-Ying’s tears away. Then -her mother came, and said: - -“You are too late to marry my daughter, but I’ll buy the pestle and -mortar from you with some of the money the mandarin gave me.” - -“Oh, no, you will not,” replied Pei-Hang. He then dropped one of his -white seeds into the mortar, and it at once became so large that it -covered the whole grass plot under the peach tree, and it was filled to -the brim with glittering precious stones. He then climbed into a branch -overhanging it, and from there he threw down to the wedding guests -handfuls of jewels, and the yellow-faced mandarin was as busy as any one -picking them up, much to the disgust of many who thought he was rich -enough already. - -Pei-Hang offered him three diamonds, each as large as a sparrow’s egg, -if he would go away and forget that he ever knew Yun-Ying. These the -mandarin took and away he went. He was sure that Yun-Ying’s mother would -have no more to do with him now that she could marry her daughter to one -who scattered jewels as Pei-Hang did. - -The wedding feast took place, only the bridegrooms were changed. -Pei-Hang married Yun-Ying, and took her to where his father and mother -lived, and they were as happy as could be. - -The pestle and mortar of jade stood beneath the peach tree, for it was -too large and too heavy to be moved, and it was certainly of no use to -Yun-Ying’s mother, because it was too big for her to pound her magic -drugs in, even if she could get inside it, which she couldn’t. This made -her very angry, but it served her right because of the unfair manner in -which she had treated Pei-Hang. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE MYSTERIOUS GARDEN - - -Once upon a time there lived a mighty king who was both wise and just. -This ruler issued a decree that no one in his dominions should receive -any reward, office or honor that he did not truly deserve. - -Now at the court were three royal children, each of them richly endowed -with virtue and talent, and they grew up to be handsome and amiable -young men, well-liked by every one. The king was very fond of them and -wished them to occupy the highest stations in life which would accord -with their merit. So one day he sent for them and said, “My children, I -would like to set you above all others in my palace, for I believe you -capable of great deeds of virtue. But you know the law of this country -which says that honors may be conferred upon no one who has not proved -worthy to receive them. It is my desire that you attain high rank, but -this you cannot reach by remaining at court. You will therefore go out -into the world and try to earn, by your own endeavor, the prize promised -by the law, and which I shall delight to bestow upon you. In due time I -will send for you, and the summons must be answered without delay. Be -careful what you do, for your reward will be that which you merit.” - -The king had ordered, and the three young men had to obey, although they -did not relish leaving the court, where life was very pleasant for them. -So they bade their sovereign good-bye, embarked on a ship and set sail, -without any definite plan as to what country they should visit. - -The weather was fine and they sailed on until they reached an island -which looked very beautiful to them. They landed, and after walking for -some time reached a fair garden full of wonderful trees, flowers and -fruit. There they were met by three men, each of whom gave them a word -of advice. - -The first said that their stay in the garden would not be forever; that -the time would come when they would be forced to leave. - -The second told them that they were welcome to enjoy all that the garden -could offer, but that they must leave it just as they entered it, and -take nothing away with them. - -The third advised them to be virtuous, upright, and moderate in their -pleasures, as such a course would go far towards living a long and happy -life. - -The young men listened to this wise counsel and then entered the garden, -which was much more wonderful than they had imagined it to be. There -were great trees, from the branches of which came the exquisite singing -of innumerable birds; their eyes were gladdened by the beauty of the -flowers, which gave forth a most pleasing perfume, and they found an -abundance of delicious fruit, with which the trees were laden. Here was -a paradise. - -For some time they rested under the shade of the trees, regaling -themselves with the freshly-picked fruit and drinking from springs that -bubbled and sparkled from the ground like fountains. Then they -separated, each seeking a still more enchanting spot. - -The first of the young men was so overcome by the beauty that surrounded -him that he thought only of present enjoyment, forgetting entirely the -advice of the man who had first addressed them before entering the -garden. His only idea was to eat, sleep, be merry and cast away all -care. - -In his wanderings the second youth discovered gold, silver and precious -stones in such abundance that neither the beauty of the flowers, with -their fragrance, nor the lusciousness of the fruit appealed to him at -all. He was dazzled by the treasures he found, and his only thought was -of how much he could gather together and take away with him. He, too, -forgot the warning of the second man who had spoken to them. - -But the third young man bore in mind all the advice given them by the -three guards, and he did not agree with the habits into which his -companions had fallen. He certainly enjoyed his life in the garden, and -took great pleasure in studying all that it contained. And the more he -studied the greater was his wonder at the marvels of nature. Everything -was in such good order and so well kept; there was not even a blade of -grass that did not show evidence of having been watered. And the -strangest thing about it was that he had seen no one to care for all of -this. But the garden was so perfect and so admirably kept that it was -impossible there should be no master gardener to keep this domain in -such wonderful order. - -So great became his admiration for this man, whoever he might be, that -it became his greatest desire to know him, and to thank him for all the -pleasure he had received from just being there, and for the opportunity -allowed him to study the marvels that were all about him. - -But there is an end to all things, and the course which each of these -young men was pursuing was changed when an order from their king called -upon them to return and render an account of their doings. So they set -out for the gate by which they had entered, and as soon as they had -passed through this the first of the three—he who had thought only of -present enjoyment—was overcome by the change of air. He had left the -garden, to the fruit of which he had become so accustomed; his strength -left him, and he sank to the ground and expired. - -The second one struggled along, staggering beneath the weight of -treasure he had gathered, the thought of enjoying which helped him to -forget his weariness. But as soon as he had passed the gate the men on -guard took from him all of the spoil, leaving him wretched, despairing -and unhappy. - -The third youth, however, reached the gate and passed through it in a -happy frame of mind. He was sure that now he would find the master -gardener, and be able to express his gratitude to him for the marvels he -had seen and studied. He was welcomed by the guards, who were pleased to -congratulate him upon the way in which he had listened to and heeded -their good advice and counsel. - -The youth, whose treasure had been taken from him, drew near to the -court. He was so weary that he could scarcely drag himself along. He was -changed too, so that those who had formerly known him did not recognize -him now. When he claimed relationship to the king they laughed and -jeered at him. He insisted upon entering the palace, but instead of -being allowed to do this he was thrown into prison. - -But how different was the reception of the third young man! Many of the -courtiers went out to greet him, and accompanied him to the king’s -presence. His Majesty rejoiced at his return, and although he knew all -that had happened since he left the court, he asked him to tell his own -story. - -The youth told the king all about the wonderful garden, and said that it -was his great desire to meet the master of so enchanting a place, and to -express to him his thanks for the great pleasure that had been his while -living in such a paradise. - -“Your wish shall be granted,” said the king. “I am the master of the -garden, and rule it from here through my ministers. There is no living -or growing thing there that is not carefully watched, not even a blade -of grass.” - -And now the young man understood that which had before been a mystery to -him, and the love and gratitude he had always felt for his master grew -greater. The king commended him for his good conduct and for the manner -in which he had acted upon the advice given by the three guards, and as -a reward raised him to a position of power and honor. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - RASALU, THE FAKIR, AND THE GIANTS - - -There was once a fakir who had gained such a wide reputation for working -wonders that Rájá Rasalu, King of Sialkot, determined to pay him a -visit. So one day, accompanied by his retinue, he set out for the -village of Tilláh, where the holy man dwelt. - -The fakir’s power was so great that he knew of the King’s approach long -before he reached the foot of the mountain on one side of which the -village was situated, and he said to his disciples, “Rájá Rasalu is on -his way here with the purpose of putting my knowledge to the test. He is -the son of a Hindoo, and therefore should know better. I have heard that -his own power is very great, so I will first put him to the test.” - -His pupils agreed with him, but said that he should first change himself -into some great animal, so that the King might not know him. The fakir -then turned himself into a powerful tiger, and when Rasalu and his -followers reached the house they saw this wild beast prowling round. - -The King’s attendants were stricken with fear, and said, “How great must -be the power of this fakir when even tigers are under his sway! Let us -return while we may!” - -But the Rájá answered sternly, “A wise man will finish the enterprise -upon which he starts, and only a fool will confess to failure.” So he -challenged the tiger, and said, “You are indeed a mighty full-grown -tiger, but I am a Rájput, therefore let us fight.” - -Then the tiger uttered a terrific growl which was like the roar of an -earthquake, and prepared to spring. But Rasalu fitted a magic arrow to -his bow, and the fakir, knowing its power, immediately vanished. - -The King entered the house of the famous fakir, whom he found in the -midst of his pupils, and who at once rose and made a respectful bow to -one who was more powerful than himself. - -Rasalu said, “You are a pretty fakir to try to outwit me or any one.” - -Then was the fakir irritated and ashamed, and he said, “O King, this is -only the abode of poor holy men, and not Gangar, which is the home of -the seven famous giants. If you would achieve renown, conquer these, for -none will come to you for lording it over fakirs.” - -To this the Rájá replied, “O fakir, you taunt me. Now, as I am the -descendant of the great King Bikrámájit, I make a vow never to return to -my home until I have defeated the giants of whom you speak. Tell me how -I may find them.” - -The fakir told him the way, and said, “I pray for your success, and this -will come to you if you will observe the two following conditions: -First, do not draw sword, and next, kill no woman.” - -So Rájá Rasalu set out for Gangar. Now Gangar was the name also of the -most mighty giant of all the seven, and the mountain which was named -after him was full of enormous caverns, which were the homes of himself -and of his comrades. - -In a few days the King arrived, and began to ascend the mountain, but -for a long time he searched in vain for the giants. At last he saw one -of them carrying water towards the base of a rock and he challenged him. -The giant roared so that the stones rattled together and rushed upon -Rasalu, who at once fitted an arrow to his bow, let fly, and slew him. - -The noise made by the giant roused the others, who came rushing out from -their dens. But when they saw that it was King Rasalu who had come -against them they were afraid, for they had heard of his might. Then one -of them said, “We have been told of your power, but to know whether or -not you are worthy to fight with us, let us see you pierce seven plates -of iron with your arrow.” - -Then they set up seven plates of iron, and the King sent his arrow -through them all. This wonderful feat filled them with dismay, and they -at once turned and fled. But the King pursued them, bow in hand, and -with the exception of one only, he slew them all with his invincible -arrows. - -Rasalu then saw that the remaining giant was a woman, and remembering -the second direction of the fakir he put back the arrow which he had -already fitted to his bow. He called out, “Stand, woman, I am King -Rasalu, and you cannot escape me.” - -But the giantess replied, “You may indeed capture me, O King, but take -notice that in this very country which you have invaded your head shall -be smitten from your body.” - -She then disappeared within a mighty cavern just as Rasalu, urging his -horse, made a leap over a great chasm in order to reach her. - -The Rájá dismounted, but by this time the giantess was a long way within -the mountain. Then he engraved his likeness on the face of the rock -inside the entrance of the cave, which he closed by rolling a great -stone over its mouth. Escape for her was impossible, and there she -remains to this day. At times she endeavors to get out, but as soon as -she catches sight of King Rasalu’s likeness on the rock she rushes back, -filled with dismay, and her roaring fills the villages around with -dread. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - Transcriber’s note: - -Footnote notation and positioning has been normalized throughout. - -Chapter titles have been normalized throughout. - -Variations in spelling and hyphenation between stories have been -retained. - -Booklist before page i, ‘Hallow’en’ changed to ‘Hallowe’en,’ “Autumn, -Hallowe’en, and Thanksgiving” - -Page 3, ‘lake’ changed to ‘lakes,’ “Overhanging the lakes were the” - -Page 8, opening double quote inserted before ‘His,’ ““His Most Gracious -Highness” - -Page 21, comma changed to full stop after ‘kingdom,’ “for myself or my -kingdom.” - -Page 63, ‘here’ changed to ‘her,’ “resume her former shape” - -Page 90, closing double quote inserted after ‘die,’ “and thence did -die.’”” - -Page 95, closing single quote changed to closing double quote after -‘hold,’ “will hold,’ said he” - -Page 95, ‘To-morow’ changed to ‘To-morrow,’ “To-morrow I will do” - -Page 95, comma changed to a question mark after ‘Jackal,’ “rascally -Jackal?” asked the” - -Pages 99 and 100, all instances of ‘Spreckle-neck’ changed to -‘Speckle-neck’ - -Page 124, ‘power’ changed to ‘powder,’ “their magic powder” - -Page 137, closing double quote inserted after ‘Mutabor,’ “Latin word; it -is ‘Mutabor.’”” - -Page 143, ‘Princes’ changed to ‘Princess,’ “the Princess Nouronnihar” - -Page 143, ‘Bisnager’ changed to ‘Bisnagar,’ “the kingdom of Bisnagar, -bent” - -Page 156, ‘eys’ changed to ‘eyes,’ “opened her eyes, and” - -Page 160, ‘Princess’ changed to ‘Princes,’ “the Princes Houssain’s and -Ali’s” - -Page 185, ‘Armed’ changed to ‘Ahmed,’ “out of Prince Ahmed’s hands” - -Page 185, closing double quote inserted after ‘,’ ““You see,” said the -fairy,” - -Page 191, ‘aproached’ changed to ‘approached,’ “He approached the -throne” - -Page 195, ‘midle’ changed to ‘middle,’ “into the middle of the” - -Page 197, ‘asuring’ changed to ‘assuring,’ “assuring him of his -submission” - -Page 209, redundant full stop struck after ‘fish,’ “replied the fish.” - -Page 222, closing double quote inserted after ‘treasure,’ “find a rich -treasure.”” - -Page 234, ‘darknes’ changed to ‘darkness,’ “a thick darkness, a furious -storm” - -Page 238, ‘imaun’ changed to ‘imaum,’ “the imaum to the” - -Page 245, ‘annointed’ changed to ‘anointed,’ “Wood has anointed me” - -Page 245, ‘Jakal’ changed to ‘Jackal,’ “reign of the dyed Jackal” - -Page 262, ‘imense’ changed to ‘immense,’ “Seizing an immense iron rod” - -Page 265, ‘aginst’ changed to ‘against,’ “to fight against Korkwi” - -Page 287, ‘Weap’ changed to ‘Weep,’ “Weep not, dear Prince!” - -Page 293, closing double quote inserted after ‘possible,’ “as pleasant -as possible.”” - -Page 295, closing double quote inserted after ‘hunter,’ “at the mercy of -the hunter.”” - -Page 300, closing double quote inserted after ‘fish,’ “it will return -full of fish.”” - -Page 314, closing double quote inserted after ‘Past,’ “the window of the -Past.”” - -Page 345, ‘snow peaks’ changed to ‘snow-peaks,’ “sitting on the -snow-peaks” - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JADE STORY BOOK; STORIES FROM -THE ORIENT *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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