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+Project Gutenberg's The Green Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang, Ed.
+
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+Title: The Green Fairy Book
+
+Author: Andrew Lang, Ed.
+
+Release Date: January, 2005 [EBook #7277]
+[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule]
+[This file was first posted on April 6, 2003]
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+Edition: 10
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+Language: English
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+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREEN FAIRY BOOK ***
+
+
+
+
+Text scanned by JC Byers.  Proofreading by Wendy Crockett.
+
+
+
+
+                      The Green Fairy Book
+
+                           Edited by
+                          Andrew Lang
+
+                               To
+                    Stella Margaret Alleyne
+                              the
+                        Green Fairy Book
+                          is dedicated
+
+
+
+                     To The Friendly Reader
+
+
+
+This is the third, and probably the last, of the Fairy Books of
+many colours. First there was the Blue Fairy Book; then,
+children, you asked for more, and we made up the Red Fairy Book;
+and, when you wanted more still, the Green Fairy Book was put
+together. The stories in all the books are borrowed from many
+countries; some are French, some German, some Russian, some
+Italian, some Scottish, some English, one Chinese. However much
+these nations differ about trifles, they all agree in liking
+fairy tales. The reason, no doubt, is that men were much like
+children in their minds long ago, long, long ago, and so before
+they took to writing newspapers, and sermons, and novels, and
+long poems, they told each other stories, such as you read in the
+fairy books. They believed that witches could turn people into
+beasts, that beasts could speak, that magic rings could make
+their owners invisible, and all the other wonders in the stories.
+Then, as the world became grown-up, the fairy tales which were
+not written down would have been quite forgotten but that the old
+grannies remembered them, and told them to the little
+grandchildren: and when they, in their turn, became grannies,
+they remembered them, and told them also. In this way these tales
+are older than reading and writing, far older than printing. The
+oldest fairy tales ever written down were written down in Egypt,
+about Joseph's time, nearly three thousand five hundred years
+ago. Other fairy stories Homer knew, in Greece, nearly three
+thousand years ago, and he made them all up into a poem, the
+Odyssey, which I hope you will read some day. Here you will find
+the witch who turns men into swine, and the man who bores out the
+big foolish giant's eye, and the cap of darkness, and the shoes
+of swiftness, that were worn later by Jack the Giant-Killer.
+These fairy tales are the oldest stories in the world, and as
+they were first made by men who were childlike for their own
+amusement, so they amuse children still, and also grown-up people
+who have not forgotten how they once were children.
+
+Some of the stories were made, no doubt, not only to amuse, but
+to teach goodness. You see, in the tales, how the boy who is kind
+to beasts, and polite, and generous, and brave, always comes best
+through his trials, and no doubt these tales were meant to make
+their hearers kind, unselfish, courteous, and courageous. This is
+the moral of them. But, after all, we think more as we read them
+of the diversion than of the lesson. There are grown-up people
+now who say that the stories are not good for children, because
+they are not true, because there are no witches, nor talking
+beasts, and because people are killed in them, especially wicked
+giants. But probably you who read the tales know very well how
+much is true and how much is only make-believe, and I never yet
+heard of a child who killed a very tall man merely because Jack
+killed the giants, or who was unkind to his stepmother, if he had
+one, because, in fairy tales, the stepmother is often
+disagreeable. If there are frightful monsters in fairy tales,
+they do not frighten you now, because that kind of monster is no
+longer going about the world, whatever he may have done long,
+long ago. He has been turned into stone, and you may see his
+remains in museums. Therefore, I am not afraid that you will be
+afraid of the magicians and dragons; besides, you see that a
+really brave boy or girl was always their master, even in the
+height of their power.
+
+Some of the tales here, like The Half-Chick, are for very little
+children; others for older ones. The longest tales, like Heart of
+Ice, were not invented when the others were, but were written in
+French, by clever men and women, such as Madame d'Aulnoy, and the
+Count de Caylus, about two hundred years ago. There are not many
+people now, perhaps there are none, who can write really good
+fairy tales, because they do not believe enough in their own
+stories, and because they want to be wittier than it has pleased
+Heaven to make them.
+
+So here we give you the last of the old stories, for the present,
+and hope you will like them, and feel grateful to the Brothers
+Grimm, who took them down from the telling of old women, and to
+M. Sebillot and M. Charles Marelles, who have lent us some tales
+from their own French people, and to Mr. Ford, who drew the
+pictures, and to the ladies, Miss Blackley, Miss Alma Alleyne,
+Miss Eleanor Sellar, Miss May Sellar, Miss Wright, and Mrs. Lang,
+who translated many of the tales out of French, German, and other
+languages.
+
+If we have a book for you next year, it shall not be a fairy
+book. What it is to be is a secret, but we hope that it will not
+be dull. So good-bye, and when you have read a fairy book, lend
+it to other children who have none, or tell them the stories in
+your own way, which is a very pleasant mode of passing the time.
+
+
+
+                            Contents
+
+The Blue Bird
+The Half-Chick
+The Story of Caliph Stork
+The Enchanted Watch
+Rosanella
+Sylvain and Jocosa
+Fairy Gifts
+Prince Narcissus and the Princess Potentilla
+Prince Featherhead and the Princess Celandine
+The Three Little Pigs
+Heart of Ice
+The Enchanted Ring
+The Snuff-box
+The Golden Blackbird
+The Little Soldier
+The Magic Swan
+The Dirty Shepherdess
+The Enchanted Snake
+The Biter Bit
+King Kojata
+Prince Fickle and Fair Helena
+Puddocky
+The Story of Hok Lee and the Dwarfs
+The Story of the Three Bears
+Prince Vivien and the Princess Placida
+Little One-eye, Little Two-eyes, and Little Three-eyes
+Jorinde and Joringel
+Allerleirauh; or, the Many-furred Creature
+The Twelve Huntsmen
+Spindle, Shuttle, and Needle
+The Crystal Coffin
+The Three Snake-leaves
+The Riddle
+Jack my Hedgehog
+The Golden Lads
+The White Snake
+The Story of a Clever Tailor
+The Golden Mermaid
+The War of the Wolf and the Fox
+The Story of the Fisherman and his Wife
+The Three Musicians
+The Three Dogs
+
+
+
+
+
+                         THE BLUE BIRD
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King who was immensely rich. He
+had broad lands, and sacks overflowing with gold and silver; but
+he did not care a bit for all his riches, because the Queen, his
+wife, was dead. He shut himself up in a little room and knocked
+his head against the walls for grief, until his courtiers were
+really afraid that he would hurt himself. So they hung
+feather-beds between the tapestry and the walls, and then he
+could go on knocking his head as long as it was any consolation
+to him without coming to much harm. All his subjects came to see
+him, and said whatever they thought would comfort him: some were
+grave, even gloomy with him; and some agreeable, even gay; but
+not one could make the least impression upon him. Indeed, he
+hardly seemed to hear what they said. At last came a lady who was
+wrapped in a black mantle, and seemed to be in the deepest grief.
+She wept and sobbed until even the King's attention was
+attracted; and when she said that, far from coming to try and
+diminish his grief, she, who had just lost a good husband, was
+come to add her tears to his, since she knew what he must be
+feeling, the King redoubled his lamentations. Then he told the
+sorrowful lady long stories about the good qualities of his
+departed Queen, and she in her turn recounted all the virtues of
+her departed husband; and this passed the time so agreeably that
+the King quite forgot to thump his head against the feather-beds,
+and the lady did not need to wipe the tears from her great blue
+eyes as often as before. By degrees they came to talking about
+other things in which the King took an interest, and in a
+wonderfully short time the whole kingdom was astonished by the
+news that the King was married again to the sorrowful lady.
+
+Now the King had one daughter, who was just fifteen years old.
+Her name was Fiordelisa, and she was the prettiest and most
+charming Princess imaginable, always gay and merry. The new
+Queen, who also had a daughter, very soon sent for her to come to
+the Palace. Turritella, for that was her name, had been brought
+up by her godmother, the Fairy Mazilla, but in spite of all the
+care bestowed upon her, she was neither beautiful nor gracious.
+Indeed, when the Queen saw how ill-tempered and ugly she appeared
+beside Fiordelisa she was in despair, and did everything in her
+power to turn the King against his own daughter, in the hope that
+he might take a fancy to Turritella. One day the King said that
+it was time Fiordelisa and Turritella were married, so he would
+give one of them to the first suitable Prince who visited his
+Court. The Queen answered:
+
+'My daughter certainly ought to be the first to be married; she
+is older than yours, and a thousand times more charming!'
+
+The King, who hated disputes, said, 'Very well, it's no affair of
+mine, settle it your own way.'
+
+Very soon after came the news that King Charming, who was the
+most handsome and magnificent Prince in all the country round,
+was on his way to visit the King. As soon as the Queen heard
+this, she set all her jewellers, tailors, weavers, and
+embroiderers to work upon splendid dresses and ornaments for
+Turritella, but she told the King that Fiordelisa had no need of
+anything new, and the night before the King was to arrive, she
+bribed her waiting woman to steal away all the Princess's own
+dresses and jewels, so that when the day came, and Fiordelisa
+wished to adorn herself as became her high rank, not even a
+ribbon could she find.
+
+However, as she easily guessed who had played her such a trick,
+she made no complaint, but sent to the merchants for some rich
+stuffs. But they said that the Queen had expressly forbidden them
+to supply her with any, and they dared not disobey. So the
+Princess had nothing left to put on but the little white frock
+she had been wearing the day before; and dressed in that, she
+went down when the time of the King's arrival came, and sat in a
+corner hoping to escape notice. The Queen received her guest with
+great ceremony, and presented him to her daughter, who was
+gorgeously attired, but so much splendour only made her ugliness
+more noticeable, and the King, after one glance at her, looked
+the other way. The Queen, however, only thought that he was
+bashful, and took pains to keep Turritella in full view. King
+Charming then asked it there was not another Princess, called
+Fiordelisa.
+
+'Yes,' said Turritella, pointing with her finger, 'there she is,
+trying to keep out of sight because she is not smart.'
+
+At this Fiordelisa blushed, and looked so shy and so lovely, that
+the King was fairly astonished. He rose, and bowing low before
+her, said--
+
+'Madam, your incomparable beauty needs no adornment.'
+
+'Sire,' answered the Princess, 'I assure you that I am not in the
+habit of wearing dresses as crumpled and untidy as this one, so I
+should have been better pleased if you had not seen me at all.'
+
+'Impossible!' cried King Charming. 'Wherever such a marvellously
+beautiful Princess appears I can look at nothing else.'
+
+Here the Queen broke in, saying sharply--
+
+'I assure you, Sire, that Fiordelisa is vain enough already. Pray
+make her no more flattering speeches.'
+
+The King quite understood that she was not pleased, but that did
+not matter to him, so he admired Fiordelisa to his heart's
+content, and talked to her for three hours without stopping.
+
+The Queen was in despair, and so was Turritella, when they saw
+how much the King preferred Fiordelisa. They complained bitterly
+to the King, and begged and teased him, until he at last
+consented to have the Princess shut up somewhere out of sight
+while King Charming's visit lasted. So that night, as she went to
+her room, she was seized by four masked figures, and carried up
+into the topmost room of a high tower, where they left her in the
+deepest dejection. She easily guessed that she was to be kept out
+of sight for fear the King should fall in love with her; but
+then, how disappointing that was, for she already liked him very
+much, and would have been quite willing to be chosen for his
+bride! As King Charming did not know what had happened to the
+Princess, he looked forward impatiently to meeting her again, and
+he tried to talk about her with the courtiers who were placed in
+attendance on him. But by the Queen's orders they would say
+nothing good of her, but declared that she was vain, capricious,
+and bad-tempered; that she tormented her waiting-maids, and that,
+in spite of all the money that the King gave her, she was so mean
+that she preferred to go about dressed like a poor shepherdess,
+rather than spend any of it. All these things vexed the King very
+much, and he was silent.
+
+'It is true,' thought he, 'that she was very poorly dressed, but
+then she was so ashamed that it proves that she was not
+accustomed to be so. I cannot believe that with that lovely face
+she can be as ill-tempered and contemptible as they say. No, no,
+the Queen must be jealous of her for the sake of that ugly
+daughter of hers, and so these evil reports are spread.'
+
+The courtiers could not help seeing that what they had told the
+King did not please him, and one of them cunningly began to
+praise Fiordelisa, when he could talk to the King without being
+heard by the others.
+
+King Charming thereupon became so cheerful, and interested in all
+he said, that it was easy to guess how much he admired the
+Princess. So when the Queen sent for the courtiers and questioned
+them about all they had found out, their report confirmed her
+worst fears. As to the poor Princess Fiordelisa, she cried all
+night without stopping.
+
+'It would have been quite bad enough to be shut up in this gloomy
+tower before I had ever seen King Charming,' she said; 'but now
+when he is here, and they are all enjoying themselves with him,
+it is too unkind.'
+
+The next day the Queen sent King Charming splendid presents of
+jewels and rich stuffs, and among other things an ornament made
+expressly in honour of the approaching wedding. It was a heart
+cut out of one huge ruby, and was surrounded by several diamond
+arrows, and pierced by one. A golden true-lover's knot above the
+heart bore the motto, 'But one can wound me,' and the whole jewel
+was hung upon a chain of immense pearls. Never, since the world
+has been a world, had such a thing been made, and the King was
+quite amazed when it was presented to him. The page who brought
+it begged him to accept it from the Princess, who chose him to be
+her knight.
+
+'What!' cried he, 'does the lovely Princess Fiordelisa deign to
+think of me in this amiable and encouraging way?'
+
+'You confuse the names, Sire,' said the page hastily. 'I come on
+behalf of the Princess Turritella.'
+
+'Oh, it is Turritella who wishes me to be her knight,' said the
+King coldly. 'I am sorry that I cannot accept the honour.' And he
+sent the splendid gifts back to the Queen and Turritella, who
+were furiously angry at the contempt with which they were
+treated. As soon as he possibly could, King Charming went to see
+the King and Queen, and as he entered the hall he looked for
+Fiordelisa, and every time anyone came in he started round to see
+who it was, and was altogether so uneasy and dissatisfied that
+the Queen saw it plainly. But she would not take any notice, and
+talked of nothing but the entertainments she was planning. The
+Prince answered at random, and presently asked if he was not to
+have the pleasure of seeing the Princess Fiordelisa.
+
+'Sire,' answered the Queen haughtily, 'her father has ordered
+that she shall not leave her own apartments until my daughter is
+married.'
+
+'What can be the reason for keeping that lovely Princess a
+prisoner?' cried the King in great indignation.
+
+'That I do not know,' answered the Queen; 'and even if I did, I
+might not feel bound to tell you.'
+
+The King was terribly angry at being thwarted like this. He felt
+certain that Turritella was to blame for it, so casting a furious
+glance at her he abruptly took leave of the Queen, and returned
+to his own apartments. There he said to a young squire whom he
+had brought with him: 'I would give all I have in the world to
+gain the good will of one of the Princess's waiting-women, and
+obtain a moment's speech with Fiordelisa.'
+
+'Nothing could be easier,' said the young squire; and he very
+soon made friends with one of the ladies, who told him that in
+the evening Fiordelisa would be at a little window which looked
+into the garden, where he could come and talk to her. Only, she
+said, he must take very great care not to be seen, as it would be
+as much as her place was worth to be caught helping King Charming
+to see the Princess. The squire was delighted, and promised all
+she asked; but the moment he had run off to announce his success
+to the King, the false waiting-woman went and told the Queen all
+that had passed. She at once determined that her own daughter
+should be at the little window; and she taught her so well all
+she was to say and do, that even the stupid Turritella could make
+no mistake.
+
+The night was so dark that the King had not a chance of finding
+out the trick that was being played upon him, so he approached
+the window with the greatest delight, and said everything that he
+had been longing to say to Fiordelisa to persuade her of his love
+for her. Turritella answered as she had been taught, that she was
+very unhappy, and that there was no chance of her being better
+treated by the Queen until her daughter was married. And then the
+King entreated her to marry him; and thereupon he drew his ring
+from his finger and put it upon Turritella's, and she answered
+him as well as she could. The King could not help thinking that
+she did not say exactly what he would have expected from his
+darling Fiordelisa, but he persuaded himself that the fear of
+being surprised by the Queen was making her awkward and
+unnatural. He would not leave her until she had promised to see
+him again the next night, which Turritella did willingly enough.
+The Queen was overjoyed at the success of her stratagem, end
+promised herself that all would now be as she wished; and sure
+enough, as soon as it was dark the following night the King came,
+bringing with him a chariot which had been given him by an
+Enchanter who was his friend. This chariot was drawn by flying
+frogs, and the King easily persuaded Turritella to come out and
+let him put her into it, then mounting beside her he cried
+triumphantly--
+
+'Now, my Princess, you are free; where will it please you that we
+shall hold our wedding?'
+
+And Turritella, with her head muffled in her mantle, answered
+that the Fairy Mazilla was her godmother, and that she would like
+it to be at her castle. So the King told the Frogs, who had the
+map of the whole world in their heads, and very soon he and
+Turritella were set down at the castle of the Fairy Mazilla. The
+King would certainly have found out his mistake the moment they
+stepped into the brilliantly lighted castle, but Turritella held
+her mantle more closely round her, and asked to see the Fairy by
+herself, and quickly told her all that had happened, and how she
+had succeeded in deceiving King Charming.
+
+'Oho! my daughter,' said the Fairy, 'I see we have no easy task
+before us. He loves Fiordelisa so much that he will not be easily
+pacified. I feel sure he will defy us!' Meanwhile the King was
+waiting in a splendid room with diamond walls, so clear that he
+could see the Fairy and Turritella as they stood whispering
+together, and he was very much puzzled.
+
+'Who can have betrayed us?' he said to himself. 'How comes our
+enemy here? She must be plotting to prevent our marriage. Why
+doesn't my lovely Fiordelisa make haste and come hack to me?'
+
+But it was worse than anything he had imagined when the Fairy
+Mazilla entered, leading Turritella by the hand, and said to
+him--
+
+'King Charming, here is the Princess Turritella to whom you have
+plighted your faith. Let us have the wedding at once.'
+
+'I!' cried the King. 'I marry that little creature! What do you
+take me for? I have promised her nothing!'
+
+'Say no more. Have you no respect for a Fairy?' cried she
+angrily.
+
+'Yes, madam,' answered the King, 'I am prepared to respect you as
+much as a Fairy can be respected, if you will give me back my
+Princess.'
+
+'Am I not here?' interrupted Turritella. 'Here is the ring you
+gave me. With whom did you talk at the little window, if it was
+not with me?'
+
+'What!' cried the King angrily, 'have I been altogether deceived
+and deluded? Where is my chariot? Not another moment will I stay
+here.'
+
+'Oho,' said the Fairy, 'not so fast.' And she touched his feet,
+which instantly became as firmly fixed to the floor as if they
+had been nailed there.
+
+'Oh! do whatever you like with me,' said the King; 'you may turn
+me to stone, but I will marry no one but Fiordelisa.'
+
+And not another word would he say, though the Fairy scolded and
+threatened, and Turritella wept and raged for twenty days and
+twenty nights. At last the Fairy Mazilla said furiously (for she
+was quite tired out by his obstinacy), 'Choose whether you will
+marry my goddaughter, or do penance seven years for breaking your
+word to her.'
+
+And then the King cried gaily: 'Pray do whatever you like with
+me, as long as you deliver me from this ugly scold!'
+
+'Scold!' cried Turritella angrily. 'Who are you, I should like to
+know, that you dare to call me a scold? A miserable King who
+breaks his word, and goes about in a chariot drawn by croaking
+frogs out of a marsh!'
+
+'Let us have no more of these insults,' cried the Fairy. 'Fly
+from that window, ungrateful King, and for seven years be a Blue
+Bird.' As she spoke the King's face altered, his arms turned to
+wings, his feet to little crooked black claws. In a moment he had
+a slender body like a bird, covered with shining blue feathers,
+his beak was like ivory, his eyes were bright as stars, and a
+crown of white feathers adorned his head.
+
+As soon as the transformation was complete the King uttered a
+dolorous cry and fled through the open window, pursued by the
+mocking laughter of Turritella and the Fairy Mazilla. He flew on
+until he reached the thickest part of the wood, and there,
+perched upon a cypress tree, he bewailed his miserable fate.
+'Alas! in seven years who knows what may happen to my darling
+Fiordelisa!' he said. 'Her cruel stepmother may have married her
+to someone else before I am myself again, and then what good will
+life be to me?'
+
+In the meantime the Fairy Mazilla had sent Turritella back to the
+Queen, who was all anxiety to know how the wedding, had gone off.
+But when her daughter arrived and told her all that had happened
+she was terribly angry, and of course all her wrath fell upon
+Fiordelisa. 'She shall have cause to repent that the King admires
+her,' said the Queen, nodding her head meaningly, and then she
+and Turritella went up to the little room in the tower where the
+Princess was imprisoned. Fiordelisa was immensely surprised to
+see that Turritella was wearing a royal mantle and a diamond
+crown, and her heart sank when the Queen said: 'My daughter is
+come to show you some of her wedding presents, for she is King
+Charming's bride, and they are the happiest pair in the world, he
+loves her to distraction.' All this time Turritella was spreading
+out lace, and jewels, and rich brocades, and ribbons before
+Fiordelisa's unwilling eyes, and taking good care to display King
+Charming's ring, which she wore upon her thumb. The Princess
+recognised it as soon as her eyes fell upon it, and after that
+she could no longer doubt that he had indeed married Turritella.
+In despair she cried, 'Take away these miserable gauds! what
+pleasure has a wretched captive in the sight of them?' and then
+she fell insensible upon the floor, and the cruel Queen laughed
+maliciously, and went away with Turritella, leaving her there
+without comfort or aid. That night the Queen said to the King,
+that his daughter was so infatuated with King Charming, in spite
+of his never having shown any preference for her, that it was
+just as well she should stay in the tower until she came to her
+senses. To which he answered that it was her affair, and she
+could give what orders she pleased about the Princess.
+
+When the unhappy Fiordelisa recovered, and remembered all she had
+just heard, she began to cry bitterly, believing that King
+Charming was lost to her for ever, and all night long she sat at
+her open window sighing and lamenting; but when it was dawn she
+crept away into the darkest corner of her little room and sat
+there, too unhappy to care about anything. As soon as night came
+again she once more leaned out into the darkness and bewailed her
+miserable lot.
+
+Now it happened that King Charming, or rather the Blue Bird, had
+been flying round the palace in the hope of seeing his beloved
+Princess, but had not dared to go too near the windows for fear
+of being seen and recognised by Turritella. When night fell he
+had not succeeded in discovering where Fiordelisa was imprisoned,
+and, weary and sad, he perched upon a branch of a tall fir tree
+which grew close to the tower, and began to sing himself to
+sleep. But soon the sound of a soft voice lamenting attracted his
+attention, and listening intently he heard it say--
+
+'Ah! cruel Queen! what have I ever done to be imprisoned like
+this? And was I not unhappy enough before, that you must needs
+come and taunt me with the happiness your daughter is enjoying
+now she is King Charming's bride?'
+
+The Blue Bird, greatly surprised, waited impatiently for the
+dawn, and the moment it was light flew off to see who it could
+have been who spoke thus. But he found the window shut, and could
+see no one. The next night, however, he was on the watch, and by
+the clear moonlight he saw that the sorrowful lady at the window
+was Fiordelisa herself.
+
+'My Princess! have I found you at last?' said he, alighting close
+to her.
+
+'Who is speaking to me?' cried the Princess in great surprise.
+
+'Only a moment since you mentioned my name, and now you do not
+know me, Fiordelisa,' said he sadly. 'But no wonder, since I am
+nothing but a Blue Bird, and must remain one for seven years.'
+
+'What! Little Blue Bird, are you really the powerful King
+Charming?' said the Princess, caressing him.
+
+'It is too true,' he answered. 'For being faithful to you I am
+thus punished. But believe me, if it were for twice as long I
+would bear it joyfully rather than give you up.'
+
+'Oh! what are you telling me?' cried the Princess. 'Has not your
+bride, Turritella, just visited me, wearing the royal mantle and
+the diamond crown you gave her? I cannot be mistaken, for I saw
+your ring upon her thumb.'
+
+Then the Blue Bird was furiously angry, and told the Princess all
+that had happened, how he had been deceived into carrying off
+Turritella, and how, for refusing to marry her, the Fairy Mazilla
+had condemned him to be a Blue Bird for seven years.
+
+The Princess was very happy when she heard how faithful her lover
+was, and would never have tired of hearing his loving speeches
+and explanations, but too soon the sun rose, and they had to part
+lest the Blue Bird should be discovered. After promising to come
+again to the Princess's window as soon as it was dark, he flew
+away, and hid himself in a little hole in the fir-tree, while
+Fiordelisa remained devoured by anxiety lest he should be caught
+in a trap, or eaten up by an eagle.
+
+But the Blue Bird did not long stay in his hiding-place. He flew
+away, and away, until he came to his own palace, and got into it
+through a broken window, and there he found the cabinet where his
+jewels were kept, and chose out a splendid diamond ring as a
+present for the Princess. By the time he got back, Fiordelisa was
+sitting waiting for him by the open window, and when he gave her
+the ring, she scolded him gently for having run such a risk to
+get it for her.
+
+'Promise me that you will wear it always!' said the Blue Bird.
+And the Princess promised on condition that he should come and
+see her in the day as well as by night. They talked all night
+long, and the next morning the Blue Bird flew off to his kingdom,
+and crept into his palace through the broken window, and chose
+from his treasures two bracelets, each cut out of a single
+emerald. When he presented them to the Princess, she shook her
+head at him reproachfully, saying--
+
+'Do you think I love you so little that I need all these gifts to
+remind me of you?'
+
+And he answered--
+
+'No, my Princess; but I love you so much that I feel I cannot
+express it, try as I may. I only bring you these worthless
+trifles to show that I have not ceased to think of you, though I
+have been obliged to leave you for a time.' The following night
+he gave Fiordelisa a watch set in a single pearl. The Princess
+laughed a little when she saw it, and said--
+
+'You may well give me a watch, for since I have known you I have
+lost the power of measuring time. The hours you spend with me
+pass like minutes, and the hours that I drag through without you
+seem years to me.'
+
+'Ah, Princess, they cannot seem so long to you as they do to me!'
+he answered. Day by day he brought more beautiful things for the
+Princess--diamonds, and rubies, and opals; and at night she
+decked herself with them to please him, but by day she hid them
+in her straw mattress. When the sun shone the Blue Bird, hidden
+in the tall fir-tree, sang to her so sweetly that all the
+passersby wondered, and said that the wood was inhabited by a
+spirit. And so two years slipped away, and still the Princess was
+a prisoner, and Turritella was not married. The Queen had offered
+her hand to all the neighbouring Princes, but they always
+answered that they would marry Fiordelisa with pleasure, but not
+Turritella on any account. This displeased the Queen terribly.
+'Fiordelisa must be in league with them, to annoy me!' she said.
+'Let us go and accuse her of it.'
+
+So she and Turritella went up into the tower. Now it happened
+that it was nearly midnight, and Fiordelisa, all decked with
+jewels, was sitting at the window with the Blue Bird, and as the
+Queen paused outside the door to listen she heard the Princess
+and her lover singing together a little song he had just taught
+her. These were the words:--
+
+     'Oh! what a luckless pair are we,
+     One in a prison, and one in a tree.
+     All our trouble and anguish came
+     From our faithfulness spoiling our enemies' game.
+     But vainly they practice their cruel arts,
+     For nought can sever our two fond hearts.'
+
+They sound melancholy perhaps, but the two voices sang them gaily
+enough, and the Queen burst open the door, crying, 'Ah! my
+Turritella, there is some treachery going on here!'
+
+As soon as she saw her, Fiordelisa, with great presence of mind,
+hastily shut her little window, that the Blue Bird might have
+time to escape, and then turned to meet the Queen, who
+overwhelmed her with a torrent of reproaches.
+
+'Your intrigues are discovered, Madam,' she said furiously; 'and
+you need not hope that your high rank will save you from the
+punishment you deserve.'
+
+'And with whom do you accuse me of intriguing, Madam?' said the
+Princess. 'Have I not been your prisoner these two years, and who
+have I seen except the gaolers sent by you?'
+
+While she spoke the Queen and Turritella were looking at her in
+the greatest surprise, perfectly dazzled by her beauty and the
+splendour of her jewels, and the Queen said:
+
+'If one may ask, Madam, where did you get all these diamonds?
+Perhaps you mean to tell me that you have discovered a mine of
+them in the tower!'
+
+'I certainly did find them here,' answered the Princess.
+
+'And pray,' said the Queen, her wrath increasing every moment,
+'for whose admiration are you decked out like this, since I have
+often seen you not half as fine on the most important occasions
+at Court?'
+
+'For my own,' answered Fiordelisa. 'You must admit that I have
+had plenty of time on my hands, so you cannot be surprised at my
+spending some of it in making myself smart.'
+
+'That's all very fine,' said the Queen suspiciously. 'I think I
+will look about, and see for myself.'
+
+So she and Turritella began to search every corner of the little
+room, and when they came to the straw mattress out fell such a
+quantity of pearls, diamonds, rubies, opals, emeralds, and
+sapphires, that they were amazed, and could not tell what to
+think. But the Queen resolved to hide somewhere a packet of false
+letters to prove that the Princess had been conspiring with the
+King's enemies, and she chose the chimney as a good place.
+Fortunately for Fiordelisa this was exactly where the Blue Bird
+had perched himself, to keep an eye upon her proceedings, and try
+to avert danger from his beloved Princess, and now he cried:
+
+'Beware, Fiordelisa! Your false enemy is plotting against you.'
+
+This strange voice so frightened the Queen that she took the
+letter and went away hastily with Turritella, and they held a
+council to try and devise some means of finding out what Fairy or
+Enchanter was favouring the Princess. At last they sent one of
+the Queen's maids to wait upon Fiordelisa, and told her to
+pretend to be quite stupid, and to see and hear nothing, while
+she was really to watch the Princess day and night, and keep the
+Queen informed of all her doings.
+
+Poor Fiordelisa, who guessed she was sent as a spy, was in
+despair, and cried bitterly that she dared not see her dear Blue
+Bird for fear that some evil might happen to him if he were
+discovered.
+
+The days were so long, and the nights so dull, but for a whole
+month she never went near her little window lest he should fly to
+her as he used to do.
+
+However, at last the spy, who had never taken her eyes off the
+Princess day or night, was so overcome with weariness that she
+fell into a deep sleep, and as son as the Princess saw that, she
+flew to open her window and cried softly:
+
+     'Blue Bird, blue as the sky,
+     Fly to me now, there's nobody by.'
+
+And the Blue Bird, who had never ceased to flutter round within
+sight and hearing of her prison, came in an instant. They had so
+much to say, and were so overjoyed to meet once more, that it
+scarcely seemed to them five minutes before the sun rose, and the
+Blue Bird had to fly away.
+
+But the next night the spy slept as soundly as before, so that
+the Blue Bird came, and he and the Princess began to think they
+were perfectly safe, and to make all sorts of plans for being
+happy as they were before the Queen's visit. But, alas! the third
+night the spy was not quite so sleepy, and when the Princess
+opened her window and cried as usual:
+
+     'Blue Bird, blue as the sky,
+     Fly to me now, there's nobody nigh,'
+
+she was wide awake in a moment, though she was sly enough to keep
+her eyes shut at first. But presently she heard voices, and
+peeping cautiously, she saw by the moonlight the most lovely blue
+bird in the world, who was talking to the Princess, while she
+stroked and caressed it fondly.
+
+The spy did not lose a single word of the conversation, and as
+soon as the day dawned, and the Blue Bird had reluctantly said
+good-bye to the Princess, she rushed off to the Queen, and told
+her all she had seen and heard.
+
+Then the Queen sent for Turritella, and they talked it over, and
+very soon came to the conclusion than this Blue Bird was no other
+than King Charming himself.
+
+'Ah! that insolent Princess!' cried the Queen. 'To think that
+when we supposed her to be so miserable, she was all the while as
+happy as possible with that false King. But I know how we can
+avenge ourselves!'
+
+So the spy was ordered to go back and pretend to sleep as soundly
+as ever, and indeed she went to bed earlier than usual, and
+snored as naturally as possible, and the poor Princess ran to the
+window and cried:
+
+     'Blue Bird, blue as the sky,
+     Fly to me now, there's nobody by!'
+
+But no bird came. All night long she called, and waited, and
+listened, but still there was no answer, for the cruel Queen had
+caused the fir tree to be hung all over with knives, swords,
+razors, shears, bill-hooks, and sickles, so that when the Blue
+Bird heard the Princess call, and flew towards her, his wings
+were cut, and his little black feet clipped off, and all pierced
+and stabbed in twenty places, he fell back bleeding into his
+hiding place in the tree, and lay there groaning and despairing,
+for he thought the Princess must have been persuaded to betray
+him, to regain her liberty.
+
+'Ah! Fiordelisa, can you indeed be so lovely and so faithless?'
+he sighed, 'then I may as well die at once!' And he turned over
+on his side and began to die. But it happened that his friend the
+Enchanter had been very much alarmed at seeing the Frog chariot
+come back to him without King Charming, and had been round the
+world eight times seeking him, but without success. At the very
+moment when the King gave himself up to despair, he was passing
+through the wood for the eighth time, and called, as he had done
+all over the world:
+
+'Charming! King Charming! Are you here?'
+
+The King at once recognised his friend's voice, and answered very
+faintly:
+
+'I am here.'
+
+The Enchanter looked all round him, but could see nothing, and
+then the King said again:
+
+'I am a Blue Bird.'
+
+Then the Enchanter found him in an instant, and seeing his
+pitiable condition, ran hither and thither without a word, until
+he had collected a handful of magic herbs, with which, and a few
+incantations, he speedily made the King whole and sound again.
+
+'Now,' said he, 'let me hear all about it. There must be a
+Princess at the bottom of this.'
+
+'There are two!' answered King Charming, with a wry smile.
+
+And then he told the whole story, accusing Fiordelisa of having
+betrayed the secret of his visits to make her peace with the
+Queen, and indeed saying a great many hard things about her
+fickleness and her deceitful beauty, and so on. The Enchanter
+quite agreed with him, and even went further, declaring that all
+Princesses were alike, except perhaps in the matter of beauty,
+and advised him to have done with Fiordelisa, and forget all
+about her. But, somehow or other, this advice did not quite
+please the King.
+
+'What is to be done next?' said the Enchanter, 'since you still
+have five years to remain a Blue Bird.'
+
+'Take me to your palace,' answered the King; 'there you can at
+least keep me in a cage safe from cats and swords.'
+
+'Well, that will be the best thing to do for the present,' said
+his friend. 'But I am not an Enchanter for nothing. I'm sure to
+have a brilliant idea for you before long.'
+
+In the meantime Fiordelisa, quite in despair, sat at her window
+day and night calling her dear Blue Bird in vain, and imagining
+over and over again all the terrible things that could have
+happened to him, until she grew quite pale and thin. As for the
+Queen and Turritella, they were triumphant; but their triumph was
+short, for the King, Fiordelisa's father, fell ill and died, and
+all the people rebelled against the Queen and Turritella, and
+came in a body to the palace demanding Fiordelisa.
+
+The Queen came out upon the balcony with threats and haughty
+words, so that at last they lost their patience, and broke open
+the doors of the palace, one of which fell back upon the Queen
+and killed her. Turritella fled to the Fairy Mazilla, and all the
+nobles of the kingdom fetched the Princess Fiordelisa from her
+prison in the tower, and made her Queen. Very soon, with all the
+care and attention they bestowed upon her, she recovered from the
+effects of her long captivity and looked more beautiful than
+ever, and was able to take counsel with her courtiers, and
+arrange for the governing of her kingdom during her absence. And
+then, taking a bagful of jewels, she set out all alone to look
+for the Blue Bird, without telling anyone where she was going.
+
+Meanwhile, the Enchanter was taking care of King Charming, but as
+his power was not great enough to counteract the Fairy Mazilla's,
+he at last resolved to go and see if he could make any kind of
+terms with her for his friend; for you see, Fairies and
+Enchanters are cousins in a sort of way, after all; and after
+knowing one another for five or six hundred years and falling
+out, and making it up again pretty often, they understand one
+another well enough. So the Fairy Mazilla received him
+graciously. 'And what may you be wanting, Gossip?' said she.
+
+'You can do a good turn for me if you will;' he answered. 'A
+King, who is a friend of mine, was unlucky enough to offend
+you--'
+
+'Aha! I know who you mean,' interrupted the Fairy. 'I am sorry
+not to oblige you, Gossip, but he need expect no mercy from me
+unless he will marry my goddaughter, whom you see yonder looking
+so pretty and charming. Let him think over what I say.'
+
+The Enchanter hadn't a word to say, for he thought Turritella
+really frightful, but he could not go away without making one
+more effort for his friend the King, who was really in great
+danger as long as he lived in a cage. Indeed, already he had met
+with several alarming accidents. Once the nail on which his cage
+was hung had given way, and his feathered Majesty had suffered
+much from the fall, while Madam Puss, who happened to be in the
+room at the time, had given him a scratch in the eye which came
+very near blinding him. Another time they had forgotten to give
+him any water to drink, so that he was nearly dead with thirst;
+and the worst thing of all was that he was in danger of losing
+his kingdom, for he had been absent so long that all his subjects
+believed him to be dead. So considering all these things the
+Enchanter agreed with the Fairy Mazilla that she should restore
+the King to his natural form, and should take Turritella to stay
+in his palace for several months, and if, after the time was over
+he still could not make up his mind to marry her, he should once
+more be changed into a Blue Bird.
+
+Then the Fairy dressed Turritella in a magnificent gold and
+silver robe, and they mounted together upon a flying Dragon, and
+very soon reached King Charming's palace, where he, too, had just
+been brought by his faithful friend the Enchanter.
+
+Three strokes of the Fairy's wand restored his natural form, and
+he was as handsome and delightful as ever, but he considered that
+he paid dearly for his restoration when he caught sight of
+Turritella, and the mere idea of marrying her made him shudder.
+
+Meanwhile, Queen Fiordelisa, disguised as a poor peasant girl,
+wearing a great straw hat that concealed her face, and carrying
+an old sack over her shoulder, had set out upon her weary
+journey, and had travelled far, sometimes by sea and sometimes by
+land; sometimes on foot, and sometimes on horseback, but not
+knowing which way to go. She feared all the time that every step
+she took was leading her farther from her lover. One day as she
+sat, quite tired and sad, on the bank of a little brook, cooling
+her white feet in the clear running water, and combing her long
+hair that glittered like gold in the sunshine, a little bent old
+woman passed by, leaning on a stick. She stopped, and said to
+Fiordelisa:
+
+'What, my pretty child, are you all alone?'
+
+'Indeed, good mother, I am too sad to care for company,' she
+answered; and the tears ran down her cheeks.
+
+'Don't cry,' said the old woman, 'but tell me truly what is the
+matter. Perhaps I can help you.'
+
+The Queen told her willingly all that had happened, and how she
+was seeking the Blue Bird. Thereupon the little old woman
+suddenly stood up straight, and grew tall, and young, and
+beautiful, and said with a smile to the astonished Fiordelisa:
+
+'Lovely Queen, the King whom you seek is no longer a bird. My
+sister Mazilla has given his own form back to him, and he is in
+his own kingdom. Do not be afraid, you will reach him, and will
+prosper. Take these four eggs; if you break one when you are in
+any great difficulty, you will find aid.'
+
+So saying, she disappeared, and Fiordelisa, feeling much
+encouraged, put the eggs into her bag and turned her steps
+towards Charming's kingdom. After walking on and on for eight
+days and eight nights, she came at last to a tremendously high
+hill of polished ivory, so steep that it was impossible to get a
+foothold upon it. Fiordelisa tried a thousand times, and
+scrambled and slipped, but always in the end found herself
+exactly where she started from. At last she sat down at the foot
+of it in despair, and then suddenly bethought herself of the
+eggs. Breaking one quickly, she found in it some little gold
+hooks, and with these fastened to her feet and hands, she mounted
+the ivory hill without further trouble, for the little hooks
+saved her from slipping. As soon as she reached the top a new
+difficulty presented itself, for all the other side, and indeed
+the whole valley, was one polished mirror, in which thousands and
+thousands of people were admiring their reflections. For this was
+a magic mirror, in which people saw themselves just as they
+wished to appear, and pilgrims came to it from the four corners
+of the world. But nobody had ever been able to reach the top of
+the hill, and when they saw Fiordelisa standing there, they
+raised a terrible outcry, declaring that if she set foot upon
+their glass she would break it to pieces. The Queen, not knowing
+what to do, for she saw it would be dangerous to try to go down,
+broke the second egg, and out came a chariot, drawn by two white
+doves, and Fiordelisa got into it, and was floated softly away.
+After a night and a day the doves alighted outside the gate of
+King Charming's kingdom. Here the Queen got out of the chariot,
+and kissed the doves and thanked them, and then with a beating
+heart she walked into the town, asking the people she met where
+she could see the King. But they only laughed at her, crying:
+
+'See the King? And pray, why do you want to see the King, my
+little kitchen-maid? You had better go and wash your face first,
+your eyes are not clear enough to see him!' For the Queen had
+disguised herself, and pulled her hair down about her eyes, that
+no one might know her. As they would not tell her, she went on
+farther, and presently asked again, and this time the people
+answered that to-morrow she might see the King driving through
+the streets with the Princess Turritella, as it was said that at
+last he had consented to marry her. This was indeed terrible news
+to Fiordelisa. Had she come all this weary way only to find
+Turritella had succeeded in making King Charming forget her?
+
+She was too tired and miserable to walk another step, so she sat
+down in a doorway and cried bitterly all night long. As soon as
+it was light she hastened to the palace, and after being sent
+away fifty times by the guards, she got in at last, and saw the
+thrones set in the great hall for the King and Turritella, who
+was already looked upon as Queen.
+
+Fiordelisa hid herself behind a marble pillar, and very soon saw
+Turritella make her appearance, richly dressed, but as ugly as
+ever, and with her came the King, more handsome and splendid even
+than Fiordelisa had remembered him. When Turritella had seated
+herself upon the throne, the Queen approached her.
+
+'Who are you, and how dare you come near my high-mightiness, upon
+my golden throne?' said Turritella, frowning fiercely at her.
+
+'They call me the little kitchen-maid,' she replied, 'and I come
+to offer some precious things for sale,' and with that she
+searched in her old sack, and drew out the emerald bracelets King
+Charming had given her.
+
+'Ho, ho!' said Turritella, those are pretty bits of glass. I
+suppose you would like five silver pieces for them.'
+
+'Show them to someone who understands such things, Madam,'
+answered the Queen; 'after that we can decide upon the price.'
+
+Turritella, who really loved King Charming as much as she could
+love anybody, and was always delighted to get a chance of talking
+to him, now showed him the bracelets, asking how much he
+considered them worth. As soon as he saw them he remembered those
+he had given to Fiordelisa, and turned very pale and sighed
+deeply, and fell into such sad thought that he quite forgot to
+answer her. Presently she asked him again, and then he said, with
+a great effort:
+
+'I believe these bracelets are worth as much as my kingdom. I
+thought there was only one such pair in the world; but here, it
+seems, is another.'
+
+Then Turritella went back to the Queen, and asked her what was
+the lowest price she would take for them.
+
+'More than you would find it easy to pay, Madam,' answered she;
+'but if you will manage for me to sleep one night in the Chamber
+of Echoes, I will give you the emeralds.'
+
+'By all means, my little kitchen-maid,' said Turritella, highly
+delighted.
+
+The King did not try to find out where the bracelets had come
+from, not because he did not want to know, but because the only
+way would have been to ask Turritella, and he disliked her so
+much that he never spoke to her if he could possibly avoid it. It
+was he who had told Fiordelisa about the Chamber of Echoes, when
+he was a Blue Bird. It was a little room below the King's own
+bed-chamber, and was so ingeniously built that the softest
+whisper in it was plainly heard in the King's room. Fiordelisa
+wanted to reproach him for his faithlessness, and could not
+imagine a better way than this. So when, by Turritella's orders,
+she was left there she began to weep and lament, and never ceased
+until daybreak.
+
+The King's pages told Turritella, when she asked them, what a
+sobbing and sighing they had heard, and she asked Fiordelisa what
+it was all about. The Queen answered that she often dreamed and
+talked aloud.
+
+But by an unlucky chance the King heard nothing of all this, for
+he took a sleeping draught every night before he lay down, and
+did not wake up until the sun was high.
+
+The Queen passed the day in great disquietude.
+
+'If he did hear me,' she said, 'could he remain so cruelly
+indifferent? But if he did not hear me, what can I do to get
+another chance? I have plenty of jewels, it is true, but nothing
+remarkable enough to catch Turritella's fancy.'
+
+Just then she thought of the eggs, and broke one, out of which
+came a little carriage of polished steel ornamented with gold,
+drawn by six green mice. The coachman was a rose-coloured rat,
+the postilion a grey one, and the carriage was occupied by the
+tiniest and most charming figures, who could dance and do
+wonderful tricks. Fiordelisa clapped her hands and danced for joy
+when she saw this triumph of magic art, and as soon as it was
+evening, went to a shady garden-path down which she knew
+Turritella would pass, and then she made the mice galop, and the
+tiny people show off their tricks, and sure enough Turritella
+came, and the moment she saw it all cried:
+
+'Little kitchen-maid, little kitchen-maid, what will you take for
+your mouse-carriage?'
+
+And the Queen answered:
+
+'Let me sleep once more in the Chamber of Echoes.'
+
+'I won't refuse your request, poor creature,' said Turritella
+condescendingly.
+
+And then she turned to her ladies and whispered
+
+'The silly creature does not know how to profit by her chances;
+so much the better for me.'
+
+When night came Fiordelisa said all the loving words she could
+think of, but alas! with no better success than before, for the
+King slept heavily after his draught. One of the pages said:
+
+'This peasant girl must he crazy;' but another answered:
+
+'Yet what she says sounds very sad and touching.'
+
+As for Fiordelisa, she thought the King must have a very hard
+heart if he could hear how she grieved and yet pay her no
+attention. She had but one more chance, and on breaking the last
+egg she found to her great delight that it contained a more
+marvellous thing than ever. It was a pie made of six birds,
+cooked to perfection, and yet they were all alive, and singing
+and talking, and they answered questions and told fortunes in the
+most amusing way. Taking this treasure Fiordelisa once more set
+herself to wait in the great hall through which Turritella was
+sure to pass, and as she sat there one of the King's pages came
+by, and said to her:
+
+'Well, little kitchen-maid, it is a good thing that the King
+always takes a sleeping draught, for if not he would be kept
+awake all night by your sighing and lamenting.'
+
+Then Fiordelisa knew why the King had not heeded her, and taking
+a handful of pearls and diamonds out of her sack, she said, 'If
+you can promise me that to-night the King shall not have his
+sleeping draught, I will give you all these jewels.'
+
+'Oh! I promise that willingly,' said the page.
+
+At this moment Turritella appeared, and at the first sight of the
+savoury pie, with the pretty little birds all singing and
+chattering, she cried:--
+
+'That is an admirable pie, little kitchen-maid. Pray what will
+you take for it?'
+
+'The usual price,' she answered. 'To sleep once more in the
+Chamber of Echoes.'
+
+'By all means, only give me the pie,' said the greedy Turritella.
+And when night was come, Queen Fiordelisa waited until she
+thought everybody in the palace would be asleep, and then began
+to lament as before.
+
+'Ah, Charming!' she said, 'what have I ever done that you should
+forsake me and marry Turritella? If you could only know all I
+have suffered, and what a weary way I have come to seek you.'
+
+Now the page had faithfully kept his word, and given King
+Charming a glass of water instead of his usual sleeping draught,
+so there he lay wide awake, and heard every word Fiordelisa said,
+and even recognised her voice, though he could not tell where it
+came from.
+
+'Ah, Princess!' he said, 'how could you betray me to our cruel
+enemies when I loved you so dearly?'
+
+Fiordelisa heard him, and answered quickly:
+
+'Find out the little kitchen-maid, and she will explain
+everything.'
+
+Then the King in a great hurry sent for his pages and said:
+
+'If you can find the little kitchen-maid, bring her to me at
+once.'
+
+'Nothing could be easier, Sire,' they answered, 'for she is in
+the Chamber of Echoes.'
+
+The King was very much puzzled when he heard this. How could the
+lovely Princess Fiordelisa be a little kitchen-maid? or how could
+a little kitchen-maid have Fiordelisa's own voice? So he dressed
+hastily, and ran down a little secret staircase which led to the
+Chamber of Echoes. There, upon a heap of soft cushions, sat his
+lovely Princess. She had laid aside all her ugly disguises and
+wore a white silken robe, and her golden hair shone in the soft
+lamp-light. The King was overjoyed at the sight, and rushed to
+throw himself at her feet, and asked her a thousand questions
+without giving her time to answer one. Fiordelisa was equally
+happy to be with him once more, and nothing troubled them but the
+remembrance of the Fairy Mazilla. But at this moment in came the
+Enchanter, and with him a famous Fairy, the same in fact who had
+given Fiordelisa the eggs. After greeting the King and Queen,
+they said that as they were united in wishing to help King
+Charming, the Fairy Mazilla had no longer any power against him,
+and he might marry Fiordelisa as soon as he pleased. The King's
+joy may be imagined, and as soon as it was day the news was
+spread through the palace, and everybody who saw Fiordelisa loved
+her directly. When Turritella heard what had happened she came
+running to the King, and when she saw Fiordelisa with him she was
+terribly angry, but before she could say a word the Enchanter and
+the Fairy changed her into a big brown owl, and she floated away
+out of one of the palace windows, hooting dismally. Then the
+wedding was held with great splendour, and King Charming and
+Queen Fiordelisa lived happily ever after.
+
+L'Oiseau Bleu. Par Mme. d'Aulnoy.
+
+
+
+
+
+                         THE HALF-CHICK
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there was a handsome black Spanish hen, who had
+a large brood of chickens. They were all fine, plump little
+birds, except the youngest, who was quite unlike his brothers and
+sisters. Indeed, he was such a strange, queer-looking creature,
+that when he first chipped his shell his mother could scarcely
+believe her eyes, he was so different from the twelve other
+fluffy, downy, soft little chicks who nestled under her wings.
+This one looked just as if he had been cut in two. He had only
+one leg, and one wing, and one eye, and he had half a head and
+half a beak. His mother shook her head sadly as she looked at him
+and said:
+
+'My youngest born is only a half-chick. He can never grow up a
+tall handsome cock like his brothers. They will go out into the
+world and rule over poultry yards of their own; but this poor
+little fellow will always have to stay at home with his mother.'
+And she called him Medio Pollito, which is Spanish for
+half-chick.
+
+Now though Medio Pollito was such an odd, helpless-looking little
+thing, his mother soon found that he was not at all willing to
+remain under her wing and protection. Indeed, in character he was
+as unlike his brothers and sisters as he was in appearance. They
+were good, obedient chickens, and when the old hen chicked after
+them, they chirped and ran back to her side. But Medio Pollito
+had a roving spirit in spite of his one leg, and when his mother
+called to him to return to the coop, he pretended that he could
+not hear, because he had only one ear.
+
+When she took the whole family out for a walk in the fields,
+Medio Pollito would hop away by himself, and hide among the
+Indian corn. Many an anxious minute his brothers and sisters had
+looking for him, while his mother ran to and fro cackling in fear
+and dismay.
+
+As he grew older he became more self-willed and disobedient, and
+his manner to his mother was often very rude, and his temper to
+the other chickens very disagreeable.
+
+One day he had been out for a longer expedition than usual in the
+fields. On his return he strutted up to his mother with the
+peculiar little hop and kick which was his way of walking, and
+cocking his one eye at her in a very bold way he said:
+
+'Mother, I am tired of this life in a dull farmyard, with nothing
+but a dreary maize field to look at. I'm off to Madrid to see the
+King.'
+
+'To Madrid, Medio Pollito!' exclaimed his mother; 'why, you silly
+chick, it would be a long journey for a grown-up cock, and a poor
+little thing like you would be tired out before you had gone half
+the distance. No, no, stay at home with your mother, and some
+day, when you are bigger, we will go a little journey together.'
+
+But Medio Pollito had made up his mind, and he would not listen
+to his mother's advice, nor to the prayers and entreaties of his
+brothers and sisters.
+
+'What is the use of our all crowding each other up in this poky
+little place?' he said. 'When I have a fine courtyard of my own
+at the King's palace, I shall perhaps ask some of you to come and
+pay me a short visit,' and scarcely waiting to say good-bye to
+his family, away he stumped down the high road that led to
+Madrid.
+
+'Be sure that you are kind and civil to everyone you meet,'
+called his mother, running after him; but he was in such a hurry
+to be off, that he did not wait to answer her, or even to look
+back.
+
+A little later in the day, as he was taking a short cut through a
+field, he passed a stream. Now the stream was all choked up, and
+overgrown with weeds and water-plants, so that its waters could
+not flow freely.
+
+'Oh! Medio Pollito,' it cried, as the half-chick hopped along its
+banks, 'do come and help me by clearing away these weeds.'
+
+'Help you, indeed!' exclaimed Medio Pollito, tossing his head,
+and shaking the few feathers in his tail. 'Do you think I have
+nothing to do but to waste my time on such trifles? Help
+yourself, and don't trouble busy travellers. I am off to Madrid
+to see the King,' and hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick, away stumped
+Medio Pollito.
+
+A little later he came to a fire that had been left by some
+gipsies in a wood. It was burning very low, and would soon be
+out.
+
+'Oh! Medio Pollito,' cried the fire, in a weak, wavering voice as
+the half-chick approached, 'in a few minutes I shall go quite
+out, unless you put some sticks and dry leaves upon me. Do help
+me, or I shall die!'
+
+'Help you, indeed!' answered Medio Pollito. 'I have other things
+to do. Gather sticks for yourself, and don't trouble me. I am off
+to Madrid to see the King,' and hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick, away
+stumped Medio Pollito.
+
+The next morning, as he was getting near Madrid, he passed a
+large chestnut tree, in whose branches the wind was caught and
+entangled. 'Oh! Medio Pollito,' called the wind, 'do hop up here,
+and help me to get free of these branches. I cannot come away,
+and it is so uncomfortable.'
+
+'It is your own fault for going there,' answered Medio Pollito.
+'I can't waste all my morning stopping here to help you. Just
+shake yourself off, and don't hinder me, for I am off to Madrid
+to see the King,' and hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick, away stumped
+Medio Pollito in great glee, for the towers and roofs of Madrid
+were now in sight. When he entered the town he saw before him a
+great splendid house, with soldiers standing before the gates.
+This he knew must be the King's palace, and he determined to hop
+up to the front gate and wait there until the King came out. But
+as he was hopping past one of the back windows the King's cook
+saw him:
+
+'Here is the very thing I want,' he exclaimed, 'for the King has
+just sent a message to say that he must have chicken broth for
+his dinner,' and opening the window he stretched out his arm,
+caught Medio Pollito, and popped him into the broth-pot that was
+standing near the fire. Oh! how wet and clammy the water felt as
+it went over Medio Pollito's head, making his feathers cling to
+his side.
+
+'Water, water!' he cried in his despair, 'do have pity upon me
+and do not wet me like this.'
+
+'Ah! Medio Pollito,' replied the water, 'you would not help me
+when I was a little stream away on the fields, now you must be
+punished.'
+
+Then the fire began to burn and scald Medio Pollito, and he
+danced and hopped from one side of the pot to the other, trying
+to get away from the heat, and crying out in pain:
+
+Fire, fire! do not scorch me like this; you can't think how it
+hurts.'
+
+'Ah! Medio Pollito,' answered the fire, 'you would not help me
+when I was dying away in the wood. You are being punished.'
+
+At last, just when the pain was so great that Medio Pollito
+thought he must die, the cook lifted up the lid of the pot to see
+if the broth was ready for the King's dinner.
+
+'Look here!' he cried in horror, 'this chicken is quite useless.
+It is burnt to a cinder. I can't send it up to the royal table;'
+and opening the window he threw Medio Pollito out into the
+street. But the wind caught him up, and whirled him through the
+air so quickly that Medio Pollito could scarcely breathe, and his
+heart beat against his side till he thought it would break.
+
+'Oh, wind!' at last he gasped out, 'if you hurry me along like
+this you will kill me. Do let me rest a moment, or--' but he was
+so breathless that he could not finish his sentence.
+
+'Ah! Medio Pollito,' replied the wind, 'when I was caught in the
+branches of the chestnut tree you would not help me; now you are
+punished.' And he swirled Medio Pollito over the roofs of the
+houses till they reached the highest church in the town, and
+there he left him fastened to the top of the steeple.
+
+And there stands Medio Pollito to this day. And if you go to
+Madrid, and walk through the streets till you come to the highest
+church, you will see Medio Pollito perched on his one leg on the
+steeple, with his one wing drooping at his side, and gazing sadly
+out of his one eye over the town.
+
+Spanish Tradition.
+
+
+
+
+
+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
+humour. 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 pedlar 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 pedlar
+before him at once. The slave soon returned, followed by the
+pedlar, 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
+jewelled comb for the Vizier's wife. Just as the pedlar was about
+to close his box, the Caliph noticed a small drawer, and asked if
+there was anything else in it for sale. The pedlar opened the
+drawer and showed them a box containing a black powder, and a
+scroll written in strange characters, which neither the Caliph nor
+the Mansor could read.
+
+'I got these two articles from a merchant who had picked them up
+in the street at Mecca,' said the pedlar. '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 pedlar. 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 these 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 honour; 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 shall 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 bow three times towards 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 for ever.'
+
+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 his 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 in 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 could tempt them to try their magic power. 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 towards 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. True! Bow three
+times towards 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 shrivelled 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 in 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, 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 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 quite 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
+get on no longer; you really fly too quick for me. Besides, it is
+nearly evening, and we should do well to find some place in which
+to spend the night.'
+
+Chasid listened with favour to his servant's suggestion, and
+perceiving in the valley beneath them a ruin which seemed to
+promise shelter they flew towards 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 splendour. 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 towards the spot
+from whence 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 the Caliph had recovered from his surprise, he drew up his
+feet into a graceful position, bent his long neck, and said: 'Oh,
+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 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, and one day, when
+I was in the garden, and asked for some refreshment, 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 some one 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 aback 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 you 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 fulfil 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 coloured 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 recognised the pedlar 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 recognise 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; but when the
+Caliph went on nodding and bowing, and calling 'Mu...mu...' too
+long, the Vizier would threaten laughingly to tell the Chaliphess
+the subject of the discussion carried on one night outside the
+door of Princess Screech Owl.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE ENCHANTED WATCH
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a rich man who had three sons. When
+they grew up, he sent the eldest to travel and see the world, and
+three years passed before his family saw him again. Then he
+returned, magnificently dressed, and his father was so delighted
+with his behaviour, that he gave a great feast in his honour, to
+which all the relations and friends were invited.
+
+When the rejoicings were ended, the second son begged leave of his
+father to go in his turn to travel and mix with the world. The
+father was enchanted at the request, and gave him plenty of money
+for his expenses, saying, 'If you behave as well as your brother,
+I will do honour to you as I did to him.' The young man promised
+to do his best, and his conduct during three years was all that it
+should be. Then he went home, and his father was so pleased with
+him that his feast of welcome was even more splendid than the one
+before.
+
+The third brother, whose name was Jenik, or Johnnie, was
+considered the most foolish of the three. He never did anything at
+home except sit over the stove and dirty himself with the ashes;
+but he also begged his father's leave to travel for three years.
+'Go if you like, you idiot; but what good will it do you?'
+
+The youth paid no heed to his father's observations as long as he
+obtained permission to go. The father saw him depart with joy,
+glad to get rid of him, and gave him a handsome sum of money for
+his needs.
+
+Once, as he was making one of his journeys, Jenik chanced to cross
+a meadow where some shepherds were just about to kill a dog. He
+entreated them to spare it, and to give it to him instead which
+they willingly did, and he went on his way, followed by the dog. A
+little further on he came upon a cat, which someone was going to
+put to death. He implored its life, and the cat followed him.
+Finally, in another place, he saved a serpent, which was also
+handed over to him and now they made a party of four--the dog
+behind Jenik, the cat behind the dog, and the serpent behind the
+cat.
+
+Then the serpent said to Jenik, 'Go wherever you see me go,' for
+in the autumn, when all the serpents hide themselves in their
+holes, this serpent was going in search of his king, who was king
+of all the snakes.
+
+Then he added: 'My king will scold me for my long absence,
+everyone else is housed for the winter, and I am very late. I
+shall have to tell him what danger I have been in, and how,
+without your help, I should certainly have lost my life. The king
+will ask what you would like in return, and be sure you beg for
+the watch which hangs on the wall. It has all sorts of wonderful
+properties, you only need to rub it to get whatever you like.'
+
+No sooner said than done. Jenik became the master of the watch,
+and the moment he got out he wished to put its virtues to the
+proof. He was hungry, and thought it would be delightful to eat in
+the meadow a loaf of new bread and a steak of good beef washed
+down by a flask of wine, so he scratched the watch, and in an
+instant it was all before him. Imagine his joy!
+
+Evening soon came, and Jenik rubbed his watch, and thought it
+would be very pleasant to have a room with a comfortable bed and a
+good supper. In an instant they were all before him. After supper
+he went to bed and slept till morning, as every honest man ought
+to do. Then he set forth for his father's house, his mind dwelling
+on the feast that would be awaiting him. But as he returned in the
+same old clothes in which he went away, his father flew into a
+great rage, and refused to do anything for him. Jenik went to his
+old place near the stove, and dirtied himself in the ashes without
+anybody minding.
+
+The third day, feeling rather dull, he thought it would be nice to
+see a three-story house filled with beautiful furniture, and with
+vessels of silver and gold. So he rubbed the watch, and there it
+all was. Jenik went to look for his father, and said to him: 'You
+offered me no feast of welcome, but permit me to give one to you,
+and come and let me show you my plate.'
+
+The father was much astonished, and longed to know where his son
+had got all this wealth. Jenik did not reply, but begged him to
+invite all their relations and friends to a grand banquet.
+
+So the father invited all the world, and everyone was amazed to
+see such splendid things, so much plate, and so many fine dishes
+on the table. After the first course Jenik prayed his father to
+invite the King, and his daughter the Princess. He rubbed his
+watch and wished for a carriage ornamented with gold and silver,
+and drawn by six horses, with harness glittering with precious
+stones. The father did not dare to sit in this gorgeous coach, but
+went to the palace on foot. The King and his daughter were
+immensely surprised with the beauty of the carriage, and mounted
+the steps at once to go to Jenik's banquet. Then Jenik rubbed his
+watch afresh, and wished that for six miles the way to the house
+should be paved with marble. Who ever felt so astonished as the
+King? Never had he travelled over such a gorgeous road.
+
+When Jenik heard the wheels of the carriage, he rubbed his watch
+and wished for a still more beautiful house, four stories high,
+and hung with gold, silver, and damask; filled with wonderful
+tables, covered with dishes such as no king had ever eaten before.
+The King, the Queen, and the Princess were speechless with
+surprise. Never had they seen such a splendid palace, nor such a
+high feast! At dessert the King asked Jenik's father to give him
+the young man for a son-in-law. No sooner said than done! The
+marriage took place at once, and the King returned to his own
+palace, and left Jenik with his wife in the enchanted house.
+
+Now Jenik was not a very clever man, and at the end of a very
+short time he began to bore his wife. She inquired how he managed
+to build palaces and to get so many precious things. He told her
+all about the watch, and she never rested till she had stolen the
+precious talisman. One night she took the watch, rubbed it, and
+wished for a carriage drawn by four horses; and in this carriage
+she at once set out for her father's palace. There she called to
+her own attendants, bade them follow her into the carriage, and
+drove straight to the sea-side. Then she rubbed her watch, and
+wished that the sea might be crossed by a bridge, and that a
+magnificent palace might arise in the middle of the sea. No sooner
+said than done. The Princess entered the house, rubbed her watch,
+and in an instant the bridge was gone.
+
+Left alone, Jenik felt very miserable. His father, mother, and
+brothers, and, indeed, everybody else, all laughed at him. Nothing
+remained to him but the cat and dog whose lives he had once saved.
+He took them with him and went far away, for he could no longer
+live with his family. He reached at last a great desert, and saw
+some crows flying towards a mountain. One of them was a long way
+behind, and when he arrived his brothers inquired what had made
+him so late. 'Winter is here,' they said, 'and it is time to fly
+to other countries.' He told them that he had seen in the middle
+of the sea the most wonderful house that ever was built.
+
+On hearing this, Jenik at once concluded that this must be the
+hiding-place of his wife. So he proceeded directly to the shore
+with his dog and his cat. When he arrived on the beach, he said to
+the dog: 'You are an excellent swimmer, and you, little one, are
+very light; jump on the dog's back and he will take you to the
+palace. Once there, he will hide himself near the door, and you
+must steal secretly in and try to get hold of my watch.'
+
+No sooner said than done. The two animals crossed the sea; the dog
+hid near the house, and the cat stole into the chamber. The
+Princess recognised him, and guessed why he had come; and she took
+the watch down to the cellar and locked it in a box. But the cat
+wriggled its way into the cellar, and the moment the Princess
+turned her back, he scratched and scratched till he had made a
+hole in the box. Then he took the watch between his teeth, and
+waited quietly till the Princess came back. Scarcely had she
+opened the door when the cat was outside, and the watch into the
+bargain.
+
+The cat was no sooner beyond the gates than she said to the dog:
+
+'We are going to cross the sea; be very careful not to speak to
+me.'
+
+The dog laid this to heart and said nothing; but when they
+approached the shore he could not help asking, 'Have you got the
+watch?'
+
+The cat did not answer--he was afraid that he might let the
+talisman fall. When they touched the shore the dog repeated his
+question.
+
+'Yes,' said the cat.
+
+And the watch fell into the sea. Then our two friends began each
+to accuse the other, and both looked sorrowfully at the place
+where their treasure had fallen in. Suddenly a fish appeared near
+the edge of the sea. The cat seized it, and thought it would make
+them a good supper.
+
+'I have nine little children,' cried the fish. 'Spare the father
+of a family!'
+
+'Granted,' replied the cat; 'but on condition that you find our
+watch.'
+
+The fish executed his commission, and they brought the treasure
+back to their master. Jenik rubbed the watch and wished that the
+palace, with the Princess and all its inhabitants, should be
+swallowed up in the sea. No sooner said than done. Jenik returned
+to his parents, and he and his watch, his cat and his dog, lived
+together happily to the end of their days.
+
+Deulin.
+
+
+
+
+
+ROSANELLA
+
+
+
+Everybody knows that though the fairies live hundreds of years
+they do sometimes die, and especially as they are obliged to pass
+one day in every week under the form of some animal, when of
+course they are liable to accident. It was in this way that death
+once overtook the Queen of the Fairies, and it became necessary to
+call a general assembly to elect a new sovereign. After much
+discussion, it appeared that the choice lay between two fairies,
+one called Surcantine and the other Paridamie; and their claims
+were so equal that it was impossible without injustice to prefer
+one to the other. Under these circumstances it was unanimously
+decided that whichever of the two could show to the world the
+greatest wonder should be Queen; but it was to be a special kind
+of wonder, no moving of mountains or any such common fairy tricks
+would do. Surcantine, therefore, resolved that she would bring up
+a Prince whom nothing could make constant. While Paridamie decided
+to display to admiring mortals a Princess so charming that no one
+could see her without falling in love with her. They were allowed
+to take their own time, and meanwhile the four oldest fairies were
+to attend to the affairs of the kingdom.
+
+Now Paridamie had for a long time been very friendly with King
+Bardondon, who was a most accomplished Prince, and whose court was
+the model of what a court should be. His Queen, Balanice, was also
+charming; indeed it is rare to find a husband and wife so
+perfectly of one mind about everything. They had one little
+daughter, whom they had named 'Rosanella,' because she had a
+little pink rose printed upon her white throat. From her earliest
+infancy she had shown the most astonishing intelligence, and the
+courtiers knew her smart sayings by heart, and repeated them on
+all occasions. In the middle of the night following the assembly
+of fairies, Queen Balanice woke up with a shriek, and when her
+maids of honour ran to see what was the matter, they found she had
+had a frightful dream.
+
+'I thought,' said she, 'that my little daughter had changed into a
+bouquet of roses, and that as I held it in my hand a bird swooped
+down suddenly and snatched it from me and carried it away.'
+
+'Let some one run and see that all is well with the Princess,' she
+added.
+
+So they ran; but what was their dismay when they found that the
+cradle was empty; and though they sought high and low, not a trace
+of Rosanella could they discover. The Queen was inconsolable, and
+so, indeed, was the King, only being a man he did not say quite so
+much about his feelings. He presently proposed to Balanice that
+they should spend a few days at one of their palaces in the
+country; and to this she willingly agreed, since her grief made
+the gaiety of the capital distasteful to her. One lovely summer
+evening, as they sat together on a shady lawn shaped like a star,
+from which radiated twelve splendid avenues of trees, the Queen
+looked round and saw a charming peasant-girl approaching by each
+path, and what was still more singular was that everyone carried
+something in a basket which appeared to occupy her whole
+attention. As each drew near she laid her basket at Balanice's
+feet, saying:
+
+'Charming Queen, may this be some slight consolation to you in
+your unhappiness!'
+
+The Queen hastily opened the baskets, and found in each a lovely
+baby-girl, about the same age as the little Princess for whom she
+sorrowed so deeply. At first the sight of them renewed her grief;
+but presently their charms so gained upon her that she forgot her
+melancholy in providing them with nursery-maids, cradle-rockers,
+and ladies-in-waiting, and in sending hither and thither for
+swings and dolls and tops, and bushels of the finest sweetmeats.
+
+Oddly enough, every baby had upon its throat a tiny pink rose. The
+Queen found it so difficult to decide on suitable names for all of
+them, that until she could settle the matter she chose a special
+colour for everyone, by which it was known, so that when they were
+all together they looked like nothing so much as a nosegay of gay
+flowers. As they grew older it became evident that though they
+were all remarkably intelligent, and profited equally by the
+education they received, yet they differed one from another in
+disposition, so much so that they gradually ceased to be known as
+'Pearl,' or 'Primrose,' or whatever might have been their colour,
+and the Queen instead would say:
+
+'Where is my Sweet?' or 'my Beautiful,' or 'my Gay.'
+
+Of course, with all these charms they had lovers by the dozen. Not
+only in their own court, but princes from afar, who were
+constantly arriving, attracted by the reports which were spread
+abroad; but these lovely girls, the first Maids of Honour, were as
+discreet as they were beautiful, and favoured no one.
+
+But let us return to Surcantine. She had fixed upon the son of a
+king who was cousin to Bardondon, to bring up as her fickle
+Prince. She had before, at his christening, given him all the
+graces of mind and body that a prince could possibly require; but
+now she redoubled her efforts, and spared no pains in adding every
+imaginable charm and fascination. So that whether he happened to
+be cross or amiable, splendidly or simply attired, serious or
+frivolous, he was always perfectly irresistible! In truth, he was
+a charming young fellow, since the Fairy had given him the best
+heart in the world as well as the best head, and had left nothing
+to be desired but--constancy. For it cannot be denied that Prince
+Mirliflor was a desperate flirt, and as fickle as the wind; so
+much so, that by the time he arrived at his eighteenth birthday
+there was not a heart left for him to conquer in his father's
+kingdom--they were all his own, and he was tired of everyone!
+Things were in this state when he was invited to visit the court
+of his father's cousin, King Bardondon.
+
+Imagine his feelings when he arrived and was presented at once to
+twelve of the loveliest creatures in the world, and his
+embarrassment was heightened by the fact that they all liked him
+as much as he liked each one of them, so that things came to such
+a pass that he was never happy a single instant without them. For
+could he not whisper soft speeches to Sweet, and laugh with Joy,
+while he looked at Beauty? And in his more serious moments what
+could be pleasanter than to talk to Grave upon some shady lawn,
+while he held the hand of Loving in his own, and all the others
+lingered near in sympathetic silence? For the first time in his
+life he really loved, though the object of his devotion was not
+one person, but twelve, to whom he was equally attached, and even
+Surcantine was deceived into thinking that this was indeed the
+height of inconstancy. But Paridamie said not a word.
+
+In vain did Prince Mirliflor's father write commanding him to
+return, and proposing for him one good match after another.
+Nothing in the world could tear him from his twelve enchantresses.
+
+One day the Queen gave a large garden-party, and just as the
+guests were all assembled, and Prince Mirliflor was as usual
+dividing his attentions between the twelve beauties, a humming of
+bees was heard. The Rose-maidens, fearing their stings, uttered
+little shrieks, and fled all together to a distance from the rest
+of the company. Immediately, to the horror of all who were looking
+on, the bees pursued them, and, growing suddenly to an enormous
+size, pounced each upon a maiden and carried her off into the air,
+and in an instant they were all lost to view. This amazing
+occurrence plunged the whole court into the deepest affliction,
+and Prince Mirliflor, after giving way to the most violent grief
+at first, fell gradually into a state of such deep dejection that
+it was feared if nothing could rouse him he would certainly die.
+Surcantine came in all haste to see what she could do for her
+darling, but he rejected with scorn all the portraits of lovely
+princesses which she offered him for his collection. In short, it
+was evident that he was in a bad way, and the Fairy was at her
+wits' end. One day, as he wandered about absorbed in melancholy
+reflections, he heard sudden shouts and exclamations of amazement,
+and if he had taken the trouble to look up he could not have
+helped being as astonished as everyone else, for through the air a
+chariot of crystal was slowly approaching which glittered in the
+sunshine. Six lovely maidens with shining wings drew it by rose-
+coloured ribbons, while a whole flight of others, equally
+beautiful, were holding long garlands of roses crossed above it,
+so as to form a complete canopy. In it sat the Fairy Paridamie,
+and by her side a Princess whose beauty positively dazzled all who
+saw her. At the foot of the great staircase they descended, and
+proceeded to the Queen's apartments, though everyone had run
+together to see this marvel, till it was quite difficult to make a
+way through the crowd; and exclamations of wonder rose on all
+sides at the loveliness of the strange Princess. 'Great Queen,'
+said Paridamie, 'permit me to restore to you your daughter
+Rosanella, whom I stole out of her cradle.'
+
+After the first transports of joy were over the Queen said to
+Paridamie:
+
+'But my twelve lovely ones, are they lost to me for ever? Shall I
+never see them again?'
+
+But Paridamie only said:
+
+'Very soon you will cease to miss them!' in a tone that evidently
+meant 'Don't ask me any more questions.' And then mounting again
+into her chariot she swiftly disappeared.
+
+The news of his beautiful cousin's arrival was soon carried to the
+Prince, but he had hardly the heart to go and see her. However, it
+became absolutely necessary that he should pay his respects, and
+he had scarcely been five minutes in her presence before it seemed
+to him that she combined in her own charming person all the gifts
+and graces which had so attracted him in the twelve Rose-maidens
+whose loss he had so truly mourned; and after all it is really
+more satisfactory to make love to one person at a time. So it came
+to pass that before he knew where he was he was entreating his
+lovely cousin to marry him, and the moment the words had left his
+lips, Paridamie appeared, smiling and triumphant, in the chariot
+of the Queen of the Fairies, for by that time they had all heard
+of her success, and declared her to have earned the kingdom. She
+had to give a full account of how she had stolen Rosanella from
+her cradle, and divided her character into twelve parts, that each
+might charm Prince Mirliflor, and when once more united might cure
+him of his inconstancy once and for ever.
+
+And as one more proof of the fascination of the whole Rosanella, I
+may tell you that even the defeated Surcantine sent her a wedding
+gift, and was present at the ceremony which took place as soon as
+the guests could arrive. Prince Mirliflor was constant for the
+rest of his life. And indeed who would not have been in his place?
+As for Rosanella, she loved him as much as all the twelve beauties
+put together, so they reigned in peace and happiness to the end of
+their long lives.
+
+By the Comte de Caylus.
+
+
+
+
+
+SYLVAIN AND JOCOSA
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived in the same village two children, one
+called Sylvain and the other Jocosa, who were both remarkable for
+beauty and intelligence. It happened that their parents were not
+on terms of friendship with one another, on account of some old
+quarrel, which had, however, taken place so long ago, that they
+had quite forgotten what it was all about, and only kept up the
+feud from force of habit. Sylvain and Jocosa for their parts were
+far from sharing this enmity, and indeed were never happy when
+apart. Day after day they fed their flocks of sheep together, and
+spent the long sunshiny hours in playing, or resting upon some
+shady bank. It happened one day that the Fairy of the Meadows
+passed by and saw them, and was so much attracted by their pretty
+faces and gentle manners that she took them under her protection,
+and the older they grew the dearer they became to her. At first
+she showed her interest by leaving in their favourite haunts many
+little gifts such as they delighted to offer one to the other, for
+they loved each other so much that their first thought was always,
+'What will Jocosa like?' or, 'What will please Sylvain?' And the
+Fairy took a great delight in their innocent enjoyment of the
+cakes and sweetmeats she gave them nearly every day. When they
+were grown up she resolved to make herself known to them, and
+chose a time when they were sheltering from the noonday sun in the
+deep shade of a flowery hedgerow. They were startled at first by
+the sudden apparition of a tall and slender lady, dressed all in
+green, and crowned with a garland of flowers. But when she spoke
+to them sweetly, and told them how she had always loved them, and
+that it was she who had given them all the pretty things which it
+had so surprised them to find, they thanked her gratefully, and
+took pleasure in answering the questions she put to them. When she
+presently bade them farewell, she told them never to tell anyone
+else that they had seen her. 'You will often see me again,' added
+she, 'and I shall be with you frequently, even when you do not see
+me.' So saying she vanished, leaving them in a state of great
+wonder and excitement. After this she came often, and taught them
+numbers of things, and showed them many of the marvels of her
+beautiful kingdom, and at last one day she said to them, 'You know
+that I have always been kind to you; now I think it is time you
+did something for me in your turn. You both remember the fountain
+I call my favourite? Promise me that every morning before the sun
+rises you will go to it and clear away every stone that impedes
+its course, and every dead leaf or broken twig that sullies its
+clear waters. I shall take it as a proof of your gratitude to me
+if you neither forget nor delay this duty, and I promise that so
+long as the sun's earliest rays find my favourite spring the
+clearest and sweetest in all my meadows, you two shall not be
+parted from one another.'
+
+Sylvain and Jocosa willingly undertook this service, and indeed
+felt that it was but a very small thing in return for all that the
+fairy had given and promised to them. So for a long time the
+fountain was tended with the most scrupulous care, and was the
+clearest and prettiest in all the country round. But one morning
+in the spring, long before the sun rose, they were hastening
+towards it from opposite directions, when, tempted by the beauty
+of the myriads of gay flowers which grew thickly on all sides,
+they paused each to gather some for the other.
+
+'I will make Sylvain a garland,' said Jocosa, and 'How pretty
+Jocosa will look in this crown!' thought Sylvain.
+
+Hither and thither they strayed, led ever farther and farther, for
+the brightest flowers seemed always just beyond them, until at
+last they were startled by the first bright rays of the rising
+sun. With one accord they turned and ran towards the fountain,
+reaching it at the same moment, though from opposite sides. But
+what was their horror to see its usually tranquil waters seething
+and bubbling, and even as they looked down rushed a mighty stream,
+which entirely engulfed it, and Sylvain and Jocosa found
+themselves parted by a wide and swiftly-rushing river. All this
+had happened with such rapidity that they had only time to utter a
+cry, and each to hold up to the other the flowers they had
+gathered; but this was explanation enough. Twenty times did
+Sylvain throw himself into the turbulent waters, hoping to be able
+to swim to the other side, but each time an irresistible force
+drove him back upon the bank he had just quitted, while, as for
+Jocosa, she even essayed to cross the flood upon a tree which came
+floating down torn up by the roots, but her efforts were equally
+useless. Then with heavy hearts they set out to follow the course
+of the stream, which had now grown so wide that it was only with
+difficulty they could distinguish each other. Night and day, over
+mountains and through valleys, in cold or in heat, they struggled
+on, enduring fatigue and hunger and every hardship, and consoled
+only by the hope of meeting once more--until three years had
+passed, and at last they stood upon the cliffs where the river
+flowed into the mighty sea.
+
+And now they seemed farther apart than ever, and in despair they
+tried once more to throw themselves into the foaming waves. But
+the Fairy of the Meadows, who had really never ceased to watch
+over them, did not intend that they should be drowned at last, so
+she hastily waved her wand, and immediately they found themselves
+standing side by side upon the golden sand. You may imagine their
+joy and delight when they realised that their weary struggle was
+ended, and their utter contentment as they clasped each other by
+the hand. They had so much to say that they hardly knew where to
+begin, but they agreed in blaming themselves bitterly for the
+negligence which had caused all their trouble; and when she heard
+this the Fairy immediately appeared to them. They threw themselves
+at her feet and implored her forgiveness, which she granted
+freely, and promised at the same time that now their punishment
+was ended she would always befriend them. Then she sent for her
+chariot of green rushes, ornamented with May dewdrops, which she
+particularly valued and always collected with great care; and
+ordered her six short-tailed moles to carry them all back to the
+well-known pastures, which they did in a remarkably short time;
+and Sylvain and Jocosa were overjoyed to see their dearly-loved
+home once more after all their toilful wanderings. The Fairy, who
+had set her mind upon securing their happiness, had in their
+absence quite made up the quarrel between their parents, and
+gained their consent to the marriage of the faithful lovers; and
+now she conducted them to the most charming little cottage that
+can be imagined, close to the fountain, which had once more
+resumed its peaceful aspect, and flowed gently down into the
+little brook which enclosed the garden and orchard and pasture
+which belonged to the cottage. Indeed, nothing more could have
+been thought of, either for Sylvain and Jocosa or for their
+flocks; and their delight satisfied even the Fairy who had planned
+it all to please them. When they had explored and admired until
+they were tired they sat down to rest under the rose-covered
+porch, and the Fairy said that to pass the time until the wedding
+guests whom she had invited could arrive she would tell them a
+story. This is it:
+
+
+
+The Yellow Bird
+
+
+
+Once upon a time a Fairy, who had somehow or other got into
+mischief, was condemned by the High Court of Fairyland to live for
+several years under the form of some creature, and at the moment
+of resuming her natural appearance once again to make the fortune
+of two men. It was left to her to choose what form she would take,
+and because she loved yellow she transformed herself into a lovely
+bird with shining golden feathers such as no one had ever seen
+before. When the time of her punishment was at an end the
+beautiful yellow bird flew to Bagdad, and let herself be caught by
+a Fowler at the precise moment when Badi-al-Zaman was walking up
+and down outside his magnificent summer palace. This Badi-al-
+Zaman--whose name means 'Wonder-of-the-World'--was looked upon in
+Bagdad as the most fortunate creature under the sun, because of
+his vast wealth. But really, what with anxiety about his riches
+and being weary of everything, and always desiring something he
+had not, he never knew a moment's real happiness. Even now he had
+come out of his palace, which was large and splendid enough for
+fifty kings, weary and cross because he could find nothing new to
+amuse him. The Fowler thought that this would be a favourable
+opportunity for offering him the marvellous bird, which he felt
+certain he would buy the instant he saw it. And he was not
+mistaken, for when Badi-al-Zaman took the lovely prisoner into his
+own hands, he saw written under its right wing the words, 'He who
+eats my head will become a king,' and under its left wing, 'He who
+eats my heart will find a hundred gold pieces under his pillow
+every morning.' In spite of all his wealth he at once began to
+desire the promised gold, and the bargain was soon completed. Then
+the difficulty arose as to how the bird was to be cooked; for
+among all his army of servants not one could Badi-al-Zaman trust.
+At last he asked the Fowler if he were married, and on hearing
+that he was he bade him take the bird home with him and tell his
+wife to cook it.
+
+'Perhaps,' said he, 'this will give me an appetite, which I have
+not had for many a long day, and if so your wife shall have a
+hundred pieces of silver.'
+
+The Fowler with great joy ran home to his wife, who speedily made
+a savoury stew of the Yellow Bird. But when Badi-al-Zaman reached
+the cottage and began eagerly to search in the dish for its head
+and its heart he could not find either of them, and turned to the
+Fowler's wife in a furious rage. She was so terrified that she
+fell upon her knees before him and confessed that her two children
+had come in just before he arrived, and had so teased her for some
+of the dish she was preparing that she had presently given the
+head to one and the heart to the other, since these morsels are
+not generally much esteemed; and Badi-al-Zaman rushed from the
+cottage vowing vengeance against the whole family. The wrath of a
+rich man is generally to be feared, so the Fowler and his wife
+resolved to send their children out of harm's way; but the wife,
+to console her husband, confided to him that she had purposely
+given them the head and heart of the bird because she had been
+able to read what was written under its wings. So, believing that
+their children's fortunes were made, they embraced them and sent
+them forth, bidding them get as far away as possible, to take
+different roads, and to send news of their welfare. For
+themselves, they remained hidden and disguised in the town, which
+was really rather clever of them; but very soon afterwards Badi-
+al-Zaman died of vexation and annoyance at the loss of the
+promised treasure, and then they went back to their cottage to
+wait for news of their children. The younger, who had eaten the
+heart of the Yellow Bird, very soon found out what it had done for
+him, for each morning when he awoke he found a purse containing a
+hundred gold pieces under his pillow. But, as all poor people may
+remember for their consolation, nothing in the world causes so
+much trouble or requires so much care as a great treasure.
+Consequently, the Fowler's son, who spent with reckless profusion
+and was supposed to be possessed of a great hoard of gold, was
+before very long attacked by robbers, and in trying to defend
+himself was so badly wounded that he died.
+
+The elder brother, who had eaten the Yellow Bird's head, travelled
+a long way without meeting with any particular adventure, until at
+last he reached a large city in Asia, which was all in an uproar
+over the choosing of a new Emir. All the principal citizens had
+formed themselves into two parties, and it was not until after a
+prolonged squabble that they agreed that the person to whom the
+most singular thing happened should be Emir. Our young traveller
+entered the town at this juncture, with his agreeable face and
+jaunty air, and all at once felt something alight upon his head,
+which proved to be a snow-white pigeon. Thereupon all the people
+began to stare, and to run after him, so that he presently reached
+the palace with the pigeon upon his head and all the inhabitants
+of the city at his heels, and before he knew where he was they
+made him Emir, to his great astonishment.
+
+As there is nothing more agreeable than to command, and nothing to
+which people get accustomed more quickly, the young Emir soon felt
+quite at his ease in his new position; but this did not prevent
+him from making every kind of mistake, and so misgoverning the
+kingdom that at last the whole city rose in revolt and deprived
+him at once of his authority and his life--a punishment which he
+richly deserved, for in the days of his prosperity he disowned the
+Fowler and his wife, and allowed them to die in poverty.
+
+'I have told you this story, my dear Sylvain and Jocosa,' added
+the Fairy, 'to prove to you that this little cottage and all that
+belongs to it is a gift more likely to bring you happiness and
+contentment than many things that would at first seem grander and
+more desirable. If you will faithfully promise me to till your
+fields and feed your flocks, and will keep your word better than
+you did before, I will see that you never lack anything that is
+really for your good.'
+
+Sylvain and Jocosa gave their faithful promise, and as they kept
+it they always enjoyed peace and prosperity. The Fairy had asked
+all their friends and neighbours to their wedding, which took
+place at once with great festivities and rejoicings, and they
+lived to a good old age, always loving one another with all their
+hearts.
+
+By the Comte de Caylus.
+
+
+
+
+
+FAIRY GIFTS
+
+
+
+It generally happens that people's surroundings reflect more or
+less accurately their minds and dispositions, so perhaps that is
+why the Flower Fairy lived in a lovely palace, with the most
+delightful garden you can imagine, full of flowers, and trees, and
+fountains, and fish-ponds, and everything nice. For the Fairy
+herself was so kind and charming that everybody loved her, and all
+the young princes and princesses who formed her court, were as
+happy as the day was long, simply because they were near her. They
+came to her when they were quite tiny, and never left her until
+they were grown up and had to go away into the great world; and
+when that time came she gave to each whatever gift he asked of
+her. But it is chiefly of the Princess Sylvia that you are going
+to hear now. The Fairy loved her with all her heart, for she was
+at once original and gentle, and she had nearly reached the age at
+which the gifts were generally bestowed. However, the Fairy had a
+great wish to know how the other princesses who had grown up and
+left her, were prospering, and before the time came for Sylvia to
+go herself, she resolved to send her to some of them. So one day
+her chariot, drawn by butterflies, was made ready, and the Fairy
+said: 'Sylvia, I am going to send you to the court of Iris; she
+will receive you with pleasure for my sake as well as for your
+own. In two months you may come back to me again, and I shall
+expect you to tell me what you think of her.'
+
+Sylvia was very unwilling to go away, but as the Fairy wished it
+she said nothing--only when the two months were over she stepped
+joyfully into the butterfly chariot, and could not get back
+quickly enough to the Flower-Fairy, who, for her part, was equally
+delighted to see her again.
+
+'Now, child,' said she, 'tell me what impression you have
+received.'
+
+'You sent me, madam,' answered Sylvia, 'to the Court of Iris, on
+whom you had bestowed the gift of beauty. She never tells anyone,
+however, that it was your gift, though she often speaks of your
+kindness in general. It seemed to me that her loveliness, which
+fairly dazzled me at first, had absolutely deprived her of the use
+of any of her other gifts or graces. In allowing herself to be
+seen, she appeared to think that she was doing all that could
+possibly be required of her. But, unfortunately, while I was still
+with her she became seriously ill, and though she presently
+recovered, her beauty is entirely gone, so that she hates the very
+sight of herself, and is in despair. She entreated me to tell you
+what had happened, and to beg you, in pity, to give her beauty
+back to her. And, indeed, she does need it terribly, for all the
+things in her that were tolerable, and even agreeable, when she
+was so pretty, seem quite different now she is ugly, and it is so
+long since she thought of using her mind or her natural
+cleverness, that I really don't think she has any left now. She is
+quite aware of all this herself, so you may imagine how unhappy
+she is, and how earnestly she begs for your aid.'
+
+'You have told me what I wanted to know,' cried the Fairy, 'but
+alas! I cannot help her; my gifts can be given but once.'
+
+Some time passed in all the usual delights of the Flower-Fairy's
+palace, and then she sent for Sylvia again, and told her she was
+to stay for a little while with the Princess Daphne, and
+accordingly the butterflies whisked her off, and set her down in
+quite a strange kingdom. But she had only been there a very little
+time before a wandering butterfly brought a message from her to
+the Fairy, begging that she might be sent for as soon as possible,
+and before very long she was allowed to return.
+
+'Ah! madam,' cried she, 'what a place you sent me to that time!'
+
+'Why, what was the matter?' asked the Fairy. 'Daphne was one of
+the princesses who asked for the gift of eloquence, if I remember
+rightly.'
+
+'And very ill the gift of eloquence becomes a woman,' replied
+Sylvia, with an air of conviction. 'It is true that she speaks
+well, and her expressions are well chosen; but then she never
+leaves off talking, and though at first one may be amused, one
+ends by being wearied to death. Above all things she loves any
+assembly for settling the affairs of her kingdom, for on those
+occasions she can talk and talk without fear of interruption; but,
+even then, the moment it is over she is ready to begin again about
+anything or nothing, as the case may be. Oh! how glad I was to
+come away I cannot tell you.'
+
+The Fairy smiled at Sylvia's unfeigned disgust at her late
+experience; but after allowing her a little time to recover she
+sent her to the Court of the Princess Cynthia, where she left her
+for three months. At the end of that time Sylvia came back to her
+with all the joy and contentment that one feels at being once more
+beside a dear friend. The Fairy, as usual, was anxious to hear
+what she thought of Cynthia, who had always been amiable, and to
+whom she had given the gift of pleasing.
+
+'I thought at first,' said Sylvia, 'that she must be the happiest
+Princess in the world; she had a thousand lovers who vied with one
+another in their efforts to please and gratify her. Indeed, I had
+nearly decided that I would ask a similar gift.'
+
+'Have you altered your mind, then?' interrupted the Fairy.
+
+'Yes, indeed, madam,' replied Sylvia; 'and I will tell you why.
+The longer I stayed the more I saw that Cynthia was not really
+happy. In her desire to please everyone she ceased to be sincere,
+and degenerated into a mere coquette; and even her lovers felt
+that the charms and fascinations which were exercised upon all who
+approached her without distinction were valueless, so that in the
+end they ceased to care for them, and went away disdainfully.'
+
+'I am pleased with you, child,' said the Fairy; 'enjoy yourself
+here for awhile and presently you shall go to Phyllida.'
+
+Sylvia was glad to have leisure to think, for she could not make
+up her mind at all what she should ask for herself, and the time
+was drawing very near. However, before very long the Fairy sent
+her to Phyllida, and waited for her report with unabated interest.
+
+'I reached her court safely,' said Sylvia, 'and she received me
+with much kindness, and immediately began to exercise upon me that
+brilliant wit which you had bestowed upon her. I confess that I
+was fascinated by it, and for a week thought that nothing could be
+more desirable; the time passed like magic, so great was the charm
+of her society. But I ended by ceasing to covet that gift more
+than any of the others I have seen, for, like the gift of
+pleasing, it cannot really give satisfaction. By degrees I wearied
+of what had so delighted me at first, especially as I perceived
+more and more plainly that it is impossible to be constantly smart
+and amusing without being frequently ill-natured, and too apt to
+turn all things, even the most serious, into mere occasions for a
+brilliant jest.'
+
+The Fairy in her heart agreed with Sylvia's conclusions, and felt
+pleased with herself for having brought her up so well.
+
+But now the time was come for Sylvia to receive her gift, and all
+her companions were assembled; the Fairy stood in the midst and in
+the usual manner asked what she would take with her into the great
+world.
+
+Sylvia paused for a moment, and then answered: 'A quiet spirit.'
+And the Fairy granted her request.
+
+This lovely gift makes life a constant happiness to its possessor,
+and to all who are brought into contact with her. She has all the
+beauty of gentleness and contentment in her sweet face; and if at
+times it seems less lovely through some chance grief or
+disquietude, the hardest thing that one ever hears said is:
+
+'Sylvia's dear face is pale to-day. It grieves one to see her so.'
+
+And when, on the contrary, she is gay and joyful, the sunshine of
+her presence rejoices all who have the happiness of being near
+her.
+
+By the Comte de Caylus.
+
+
+
+
+
+PRINCE NARCISSUS AND THE PRINCESS POTENTILLA
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who, though it is a
+very long while since they died, were much the same in their
+tastes and pursuits as people nowadays. The King, who was called
+Cloverleaf, liked hunting better than anything else; but he
+nevertheless bestowed as much care upon his kingdom as he felt
+equal to--that is to say, he never made an end of folding and
+unfolding the State documents. As to the Queen, she had once been
+very pretty, and she liked to believe that she was so still, which
+is, of course, always made quite easy for queens. Her name was
+Frivola, and her one occupation in life was the pursuit of
+amusement. Balls, masquerades, and picnics followed one another in
+rapid succession, as fast as she could arrange them, and you may
+imagine that under these circumstances the kingdom was somewhat
+neglected. As a matter of fact, if anyone had a fancy for a town,
+or a province, he helped himself to it; but as long as the King
+had his horses and dogs, and the Queen her musicians and her
+actors, they did not trouble themselves about the matter. King
+Cloverleaf and Queen Frivola had but one child, and this Princess
+had from her very babyhood been so beautiful, that by the time she
+was four years old the Queen was desperately jealous of her, and
+so fearful that when she was grown up she would be more admired
+than herself, that she resolved to keep her hidden away out of
+sight. To this end she caused a little house to be built not far
+beyond the Palace gardens, on the bank of a river. This was
+surrounded by a high wall, and in it the charming Potentilla was
+imprisoned. Her nurse, who was dumb, took care of her, and the
+necessaries of life were conveyed to her through a little window
+in the wall, while guards were always pacing to and fro outside,
+with orders to cut off the head of anyone who tried to approach,
+which they would certainly have done without thinking twice about
+it. The Queen told everyone, with much pretended sorrow, that the
+Princess was so ugly, and so troublesome, and altogether so
+impossible to love, that to keep her out of sight was the only
+thing that could be done for her. And this tale she repeated so
+often, that at last the whole court believed it. Things were in
+this state, and the Princess was about fifteen years old, when
+Prince Narcissus, attracted by the report of Queen Frivola's gay
+doings, presented himself at the court. He was not much older than
+the Princess, and was as handsome a Prince as you would see in a
+day's journey, and really, for his age, not so very scatter-
+brained. His parents were a King and Queen, whose story you will
+perhaps read some day. They died almost at the same time, leaving
+their kingdom to the eldest of their children, and commending
+their youngest son, Prince Narcissus, to the care of the Fairy
+Melinette. In this they did very well for him, for the Fairy was
+as kind as she was powerful, and she spared no pains in teaching
+the little Prince everything it was good for him to know, and even
+imparted to him some of her own Fairy lore. But as soon as he was
+grown up she sent him out to see the world for himself, though all
+the time she was secretly keeping watch over him, ready to help in
+any time of need. Before he started she gave him a ring which
+would render him invisible when he put it on his finger. These
+rings seem to be quite common; you must often have heard of them,
+even if you have never seen one. It was in the course of the
+Prince's wanderings, in search of experience of men and things,
+that he came to the court of Queen Frivola, where he was extremely
+well received. The Queen was delighted with him, so were all her
+ladies; and the King was very polite to him, though he did not
+quite see why the whole court was making such a fuss over him.
+
+Prince Narcissus enjoyed all that went on, and found the time pass
+very pleasantly. Before long, of course, he heard the story about
+the Princess Potentilla, and, as it had by that time been repeated
+many times, and had been added to here and there, she was
+represented as such a monster of ugliness that he was really quite
+curious to see her, and resolved to avail himself of the magic
+power of his ring to accomplish his design. So he made himself
+invisible, and passed the guard without their so much as
+suspecting that anyone was near. Climbing the wall was rather a
+difficulty, but when he at length found himself inside it he was
+charmed with the peaceful beauty of the little domain it enclosed,
+and still more delighted when he perceived a slender, lovely
+maiden wandering among the flowers. It was not until he had sought
+vainly for the imaginary monster that he realised that this was
+the Princess herself, and by that time he was deeply in love with
+her, for indeed it would have been hard to find anyone prettier
+than Potentilla, as she sat by the brook, weaving a garland of
+blue forget-me-nots to crown her waving golden locks, or to
+imagine anything more gentle than the way she tended all the birds
+and beasts who inhabited her small kingdom, and who all loved and
+followed her. Prince Narcissus watched her every movement, and
+hovered near her in a dream of delight, not daring as yet to
+appear to her, so humble had he suddenly become in her presence.
+And when evening came, and the nurse fetched the Princess into her
+little house, he felt obliged to go back to Frivola's palace, for
+fear his absence should be noticed and someone should discover his
+new treasure. But he forgot that to go back absent, and dreamy,
+and indifferent, when he had before been gay and ardent about
+everything, was the surest way of awakening suspicion; and when,
+in response to the jesting questions which were put to him upon
+the subject, he only blushed and returned evasive answers, all the
+ladies were certain that he had lost his heart, and did their
+utmost to discover who was the happy possessor of it. As to the
+Prince, he was becoming day by day more attached to Potentilla,
+and his one thought was to attend her, always invisible, and help
+her in everything she did, and provide her with everything that
+could possibly amuse or please her. And the Princess, who had
+learnt to find diversion in very small things in her quiet life,
+was in a continual state of delight over the treasures which the
+Prince constantly laid where she must find them. Then Narcissus
+implored his faithful friend Melinette to send the Princess such
+dreams of him as should make her recognise him as a friend when he
+actually appeared before her eyes; and this device was so
+successful that the Princess quite dreaded the cessation of these
+amusing dreams, in which a certain Prince Narcissus was such a
+delightful lover and companion. After that he went a step further
+and began to have long talks with the Princess--still, however,
+keeping himself invisible, until she begged him so earnestly to
+appear to her that he could no longer resist, and after making her
+promise that, no matter what he was like, she would still love
+him, he drew the ring from his finger, and the Princess saw with
+delight that he was as handsome as he was agreeable. Now, indeed,
+they were perfectly happy, and they passed the whole long summer
+day in Potentilla's favourite place by the brook, and when at last
+Prince Narcissus had to leave her it seemed to them both that the
+hours had gone by with the most amazing swiftness. The Princess
+stayed where she was, dreaming of her delightful Prince, and
+nothing could have been further from her thoughts than any trouble
+or misfortune, when suddenly, in a cloud of dust and shavings, by
+came the enchanter Grumedan, and unluckily he chanced to catch
+sight of Potentilla. Down he came straightway and alighted at her
+feet, and one look at her charming blue eyes and smiling lips
+quite decided him that he must appear to her at once, though he
+was rather annoyed to remember that he had on only his second-best
+cloak. The Princess sprang to her feet with a cry of terror at
+this sudden apparition, for really the Enchanter was no beauty. To
+begin with, he was very big and clumsy, then he had but one eye,
+and his teeth were long, and he stammered badly; nevertheless, he
+had an excellent opinion of himself, and mistook the Princess's
+cry of terror for an exclamation of delighted surprise. After
+pausing a moment to give her time to admire him, the Enchanter
+made her the most complimentary speech he could invent, which,
+however, did not please her at all, though he was extremely
+delighted with it himself. Poor Potentilla only shuddered and
+cried:
+
+'Oh! where is my Narcissus?'
+
+To which he replied with a self-satisfied chuckle: 'You want a
+narcissus, madam? Well, they are not rare; you shall have as many
+as you like.'
+
+Whereupon he waved his wand, and the Princess found herself
+surrounded and half buried in the fragrant flowers. She would
+certainly have betrayed that this was not the kind of narcissus
+she wanted, but for the Fairy Melinette, who had been anxiously
+watching the interview, and now thought it quite time to
+interfere. Assuming the Prince's voice, she whispered in
+Potentilla's ear:
+
+'We are menaced by a great danger, but my only fear is for you, my
+Princess. Therefore I beg you to hide what you really feel, and we
+will hope that some way out of the difficulty may present itself.'
+
+The Princess was much agitated by this speech, and feared lest the
+Enchanter should have overheard it; but he had been loudly calling
+her attention to the flowers, and chuckling over his own smartness
+in getting them for her; and it was rather a blow to him when she
+said very coldly that they were not the sort she preferred, and
+she would be glad if he would send them all away. This he did, but
+afterwards wished to kiss the Princess's hand as a reward for
+having been so obliging; but the Fairy Melinette was not going to
+allow anything of that kind. She appeared suddenly, in all her
+splendour, and cried:
+
+'Stay, Grumedan; this Princess is under my protection, and the
+smallest impertinence will cost you a thousand years of captivity.
+If you can win Potentilla's heart by the ordinary methods I cannot
+oppose you, but I warn you that I will not put up with any of your
+usual tricks.'
+
+This declaration was not at all to the Enchanter's taste; but he
+knew that there was no help for it, and that he would have to
+behave well, and pay the Princess all the delicate attentions he
+could think of; though they were not at all the sort of thing he
+was used to. However, he decided that to win such a beauty it was
+quite worth while; and Melinette, feeling that she could now leave
+the Princess in safety, hurried off to tell Prince Narcissus what
+was going forward. Of course, at the very mention of the Enchanter
+as a rival he was furious, and I don't know what foolish things he
+would not have done if Melinette had not been there to calm him
+down. She represented to him what a powerful enchanter Grumedan
+was, and how, if he were provoked, he might avenge himself upon
+the Princess, since he was the most unjust and churlish of all the
+enchanters, and had often before had to be punished by the Fairy
+Queen for some of his ill-deeds. Once he had been imprisoned in a
+tree, and was only released when it was blown down by a furious
+wind; another time he was condemned to stay under a big stone at
+the bottom of a river, until by some chance the stone should be
+turned over; but nothing could ever really improve him. The Fairy
+finally made Narcissus promise that he would remain invisible when
+he was with the Princess, since she felt sure that this would make
+things easier for all of them. Then began a struggle between
+Grumedan and the Prince, the latter under the name of Melinette,
+as to which could best delight and divert the Princess and win her
+approbation. Prince Narcissus first made friends with all the
+birds in Potentilla's little domain, and taught them to sing her
+name and her praises, with all their sweetest trills and most
+touching melodies, and all day long to tell her how dearly he
+loved her. Grumedan, thereupon, declared that there was nothing
+new about that, since the birds had sung since the world began,
+and all lovers had imagined that they sang for them alone.
+Therefore he said he would himself write an opera that should be
+absolutely a novelty and something worth hearing. When the time
+came for the performance (which lasted five weary hours) the
+Princess found to her dismay that the 'opera' consisted of this
+more than indifferent verse, chanted with all their might by ten
+thousand frogs:
+
+'Admirable Potentilla, Do you think it kind or wise In this sudden
+way to kill a Poor Enchanter with your eyes?'
+
+Really, if Narcissus had not been there to whisper in her ear and
+divert her attention, I don't know what would have become of poor
+Potentilla, for though the first repetition of this absurdity
+amused her faintly, she nearly died of weariness before the time
+was over. Luckily Grumedan did not perceive this, as he was too
+much occupied in whipping up the frogs, many of whom perished
+miserably from fatigue, since he did not allow them to rest for a
+moment. The Prince's next idea for Potentilla's amusement was to
+cause a fleet of boats exactly like those of Cleopatra, of which
+you have doubtless read in history, to come up the little river,
+and upon the most gorgeously decorated of these reclined the great
+Queen herself, who, as soon as she reached the place where
+Potentilla sat in rapt attention, stepped majestically on shore
+and presented the Princess with that celebrated pearl of which you
+have heard so much, saying:
+
+'You are more beautiful than I ever was. Let my example warn you
+to make a better use of your beauty!'
+
+And then the little fleet sailed on, until it was lost to view in
+the windings of the river. Grumedan was also looking on at the
+spectacle, and said very contemptuously:
+
+'I cannot say I think these marionettes amusing. What a to-do to
+make over a single pearl! But if you like pearls, madam, why, I
+will soon gratify you.'
+
+So saying, he drew a whistle from his pocket, and no sooner had he
+blown it than the Princess saw the water of the river bubble and
+grow muddy, and in another instant up came hundreds of thousands
+of great oysters, who climbed slowly and laboriously towards her
+and laid at her feet all the pearls they contained.
+
+'Those are what I call pearls,' cried Grumedan in high glee. And
+truly there were enough of them to pave every path in Potentilla's
+garden and leave some to spare! The next day Prince Narcissus had
+prepared for the Princess's pleasure a charming arbour of leafy
+branches, with couches of moss and grassy floor and garlands
+everywhere, with her name written in different coloured blossoms.
+Here he caused a dainty little banquet to be set forth, while
+hidden musicians played softly, and the silvery fountains plashed
+down into their marble basins, and when presently the music
+stopped a single nightingale broke the stillness with his
+delicious chant.
+
+'Ah!' cried the Princess, recognizing the voice of one of her
+favourites, 'Philomel, my sweet one, who taught you that new
+song?'
+
+And he answered: 'Love, my Princess.'
+
+Meanwhile the Enchanter was very ill-pleased with the
+entertainment, which he declared was dulness itself.
+
+'You don't seem to have any idea in these parts beyond little
+squeaking birds!' said he. 'And fancy giving a banquet without so
+much as an ounce of plate!'
+
+So the next day, when the Princess went out into her garden, there
+stood a summer-house built of solid gold, decorated within and
+without with her initials and the Enchanter's combined. And in it
+was spread an enormous repast, while the table so glittered with
+golden cups and plates, flagons and dishes, candlesticks and a
+hundred other things beside, that it was hardly possible to look
+steadily at it. The Enchanter ate like six ogres, but the Princess
+could not touch a morsel. Presently Grumedan remarked with a grin:
+
+'I have provided neither musicians nor singers; but as you seem
+fond of music I will sing to you myself.'
+
+Whereupon he began, with a voice like a screech-owl's, to chant
+the words of his 'opera,' only this time happily not at such a
+length, and without the frog accompaniment. After this the Prince
+again asked the aid of his friends the birds, and when they had
+assembled from all the country round he tied about the neck of
+each one a tiny lamp of some brilliant colour, and when darkness
+fell he made them go through a hundred pretty tricks before the
+delighted Potentilla, who clapped her little hands with delight
+when she saw her own name traced in points of light against the
+dark trees, or when the whole flock of sparks grouped themselves
+into bouquets of different colours, like living flowers. Grumedan
+leaning back in his arm-chair, with one knee crossed over the
+other and his nose in the air, looked on disdainfully.
+
+'Oh! if you like fireworks, Princess,' said he; and the next night
+all the will-o'-the-wisps in the country came and danced on the
+plain, which could be seen from the Princess's windows, and as she
+was looking out, and rather enjoying the sight, up sprang a
+frightful volcano, pouring out smoke and flames which terrified
+her greatly, to the intense amusement of the Enchanter, who
+laughed like a pack of wolves quarrelling. After this, as many of
+the will-o'-the-wisps as could get in crowded into Potentilla's
+garden, and by their light the tall yew-trees danced minuets until
+the Princess was weary and begged to be excused from looking at
+anything more that night. But, in spite of Potentilla's efforts to
+behave politely to the tiresome old Enchanter, whom she detested,
+he could not help seeing that he failed to please her, and then he
+began to suspect very strongly that she must love someone else,
+and that somebody besides Melinette was responsible for all the
+festivities he had witnessed. So after much consideration he
+devised a plan for finding out the truth. He went to the Princess
+suddenly, and announced that he was most unwillingly forced to
+leave her, and had come to bid her farewell. Potentilla could
+scarcely hide her delight when she heard this, and his back was
+hardly turned before she was entreating Prince Narcissus to make
+himself visible once more. The poor Prince had been getting quite
+thin with anxiety and annoyance, and was only too delighted to
+comply with her request. They greeted one another rapturously, and
+were just sitting down to talk over everything cosily, and enjoy
+the Enchanter's discomfiture together, when out he burst in a fury
+from behind a bush. With his huge club he aimed a terrific blow at
+Narcissus, which must certainly have killed him but for the
+adroitness of the Fairy Melinette, who arrived upon the scene just
+in time to snatch him up and carry him off at lightning speed to
+her castle in the air. Poor Potentilla, however, had not the
+comfort of knowing this, for at the sight of the Enchanter
+threatening her beloved Prince she had given one shriek and fallen
+back insensible. When she recovered her senses she was more than
+ever convinced that he was dead, since even Melinette was no
+longer near her, and no one was left to defend her from the odious
+old Enchanter.
+
+To make matters worse, he seemed to be in a very bad temper, and
+came blustering and raging at the poor Princess.
+
+'I tell you what it is, madam,' said he: 'whether you love this
+whipper-snapper Prince or not doesn't matter in the least. You are
+going to marry me, so you may as well make up your mind to it; and
+I am going away this very minute to make all the arrangements. But
+in case you should get into mischief in my absence, I think I had
+better put you to sleep.'
+
+So saying, he waved his wand over her, and in spite of her utmost
+efforts to keep awake she sank into a profound and dreamless
+slumber.
+
+As he wished to make what he considered a suitable entry into the
+King's palace, he stepped outside the Princess's little domain,
+and mounted upon an immense chariot with great solid wheels, and
+shafts like the trunk of an oak-tree, but all of solid gold. This
+was drawn with great difficulty by forty-eight strong oxen; and
+the Enchanter reclined at his ease, leaning upon his huge club,
+and holding carelessly upon his knee a tawny African lion, as if
+it had been a little lapdog. It was about seven o'clock in the
+morning when this extraordinary chariot reached the palace gates;
+the King was already astir, and about to set off on a hunting
+expedition; as for the Queen, she had only just gone off into her
+first sleep, and it would have been a bold person indeed who
+ventured to wake her.
+
+The King was greatly annoyed at having to stay and see a visitor
+at such a time, and pulled off his hunting boots again with many
+grimaces. Meantime the Enchanter was stumping about in the hall,
+crying:
+
+'Where is this King? Let him be told that I must see him and his
+wife also.'
+
+The King, who was listening at the top of the staircase, thought
+this was not very polite; however, he took counsel with his
+favourite huntsman, and, following his advice, presently went down
+to see what was wanted of him. He was struck with astonishment at
+the sight of the chariot, and was gazing at it, when the Enchanter
+strode up to him, exclaiming:
+
+'Shake hands, Cloverleaf, old fellow! Don't you know me?'
+
+'No, I can't say I do,' replied the King, somewhat embarrassed.
+
+'Why, I am Grumedan, the Enchanter,' said he, 'and I am come to
+make your fortune. Let us come in and talk things over a bit.'
+
+Thereupon he ordered the oxen to go about their business, and they
+bounded off like stags, and were out of sight in a moment. Then,
+with one blow of his club, he changed the massive chariot into a
+perfect mountain of gold pieces.
+
+'Those are for your lackeys,' said he to the King, 'that they may
+drink my health.'
+
+Naturally a great scramble ensued, and at last the laughter and
+shouting awoke the Queen, who rang for her maids to ask the reason
+of such an unwonted hurry-burly. When they said that a visitor was
+asking for her, and then proceeded each one to tell breathlessly a
+different tale of wonder, in which she could only distinguish the
+words, 'oxen,' 'gold,' 'club,' 'giant,' 'lion,' she thought they
+were all out of their minds. Meanwhile the King was asking the
+Enchanter to what he was indebted for the honour of this visit,
+and on his replying that he would not say until the Queen was also
+present, messenger after messenger was dispatched to her to beg
+her immediate attendance. But Frivola was in a very bad humour at
+having been so unceremoniously awakened, and declared that she had
+a pain in her little finger, and that nothing should induce her to
+come.
+
+When the Enchanter heard this he insisted that she must come.
+
+'Take my club to her Majesty,' said he, 'and tell her that if she
+smells the end of it she will find it wonderfully reviving.'
+
+So four of the King's strongest men-at-arms staggered off with it;
+and after some persuasion the Queen consented to try this novel
+remedy. She had hardly smelt it for an instant when she declared
+herself to be perfectly restored; but whether that was due to the
+scent of the wood or to the fact that as soon as she touched it
+out fell a perfect shower of magnificent jewels, I leave you to
+decide. At any rate, she was now all eagerness to see the
+mysterious stranger, and hastily throwing on her royal mantle,
+popped her second-best diamond crown over her night-cap, put a
+liberal dab of rouge upon each cheek, and holding up her largest
+fan before her nose--for she was not used to appearing in broad
+daylight--she went mincing into the great hall. The Enchanter
+waited until the King and Queen had seated themselves upon their
+throne, and then, taking his place between them, he began
+solemnly:
+
+'My name is Grumedan. I am an extremely well-connected Enchanter;
+my power is immense. In spite of all this, the charms of your
+daughter Potentilla have so fascinated me that I cannot live
+without her. She fancies that she loves a certain contemptible
+puppy called Narcissus; but I have made very short work with him.
+I really do not care whether you consent to my marriage with your
+daughter or not, but I am bound to ask your consent, on account of
+a certain meddling Fairy called Melinette, with whom I have reason
+for wishing to keep on good terms.'
+
+The King and Queen were somewhat embarrassed to know what answer
+to make to this terrible suitor, but at last they asked for time
+to talk over the matter: since, they said, their subjects might
+think that the heir to the throne should not be married with as
+little consideration as a dairymaid.
+
+'Oh! take a day or two if you like,' said the Enchanter; 'but in
+the meantime, I am going to send for your daughter. Perhaps you
+will be able to induce her to be reasonable.'
+
+So saying, he drew out his favourite whistle, and blew one ear-
+piercing note--whereupon the great lion, who had been dozing in
+the sunny courtyard, come bounding in on his soft, heavy feet.
+'Orion,' said the Enchanter, 'go and fetch me the Princess, and
+bring her here at once. Be gentle now!'
+
+At these words Orion went off at a great pace, and was soon at the
+other end of the King's gardens. Scattering the guards right and
+left, he cleared the wall at a bound, and seizing the sleeping
+Princess, he threw her on to his back, where he kept her by
+holding her robe in his teeth. Then he trotted gently back, and in
+less than five minutes stood in the great hall before the
+astonished King and Queen.
+
+The Enchanter held his club close to the Princess's charming
+little nose, whereupon she woke up and shrieked with terror at
+finding herself in a strange place with the detested Grumedan.
+Frivola, who had stood by, stiff with displeasure at the sight of
+the lovely Princess, now stepped forward, and with much pretended
+concern proposed to carry off Potentilla to her own apartments
+that she might enjoy the quiet she seemed to need. Really her one
+idea was to let the Princess be seen by as few people as possible;
+so, throwing a veil over her head, she led her away and locked her
+up securely. All this time Prince Narcissus, gloomy and
+despairing, was kept a prisoner by Melinette in her castle in the
+air, and in spite of all the splendour by which he was surrounded,
+and all the pleasures which he might have enjoyed, his one thought
+was to get back to Potentilla. The Fairy, however, left him there,
+promising to do her very best for him, and commanding all her
+swallows and butterflies to wait upon him and do his bidding. One
+day, as he paced sadly to and fro, he thought he heard a voice he
+knew calling to him, and sure enough there was the faithful
+Philomel, Potentilla's favourite, who told him all that had
+passed, and how the sleeping Princess had been carried off by the
+Lion to the great grief of all her four-footed and feathered
+subjects, and how, not knowing what to do, he had wandered about
+until he heard the swallows telling one another of the Prince who
+was in their airy castle and had come to see if it could be
+Narcissus. The Prince was more distracted than ever, and tried
+vainly to escape from the castle, by leaping from the roof into
+the clouds; but every time they caught him, and rolling softly up,
+brought him back to the place from which he started, so at last he
+gave up the attempt and waited with desperate patience for the
+return of Melinette. Meanwhile matters were advancing rapidly in
+the court of King Cloverleaf, for the Queen quite made up her mind
+that such a beauty as Potentilla must be got out of the way as
+quickly as possible. So she sent for the Enchanter secretly, and
+after making him promise that he would never turn herself and King
+Cloverleaf out of their kingdom, and that he would take Potentilla
+far away, so that never again might she set eyes upon her, she
+arranged the wedding for the next day but one.
+
+You may imagine how Potentilla lamented her sad fate, and
+entreated to be spared. All the comfort she could get out of
+Frivola was, that if she preferred a cup of poison to a rich
+husband she would certainly provide her with one.
+
+When, then, the fatal day came the unhappy Potentilla was led into
+the great hall between the King and Queen, the latter wild with
+envy at the murmurs of admiration which rose on all sides at the
+loveliness of the Princess. An instant later in came Grumedan by
+the opposite door. His hair stood on end, and he wore a huge bag-
+purse and a cravat tied in a bow, his mantle was made of a shower
+of silver coins with a lining of rose colour, and his delight in
+his own appearance knew no bounds. That any Princess could prefer
+a cup of poison to himself never for an instant occurred to him.
+Nevertheless, that was what did happen, for when Queen Frivola in
+jest held out the fatal cup to the Princess, she took it eagerly,
+crying:
+
+'Ah! beloved Narcissus, I come to thee!' and was just raising it
+to her lips when the window of the great hall burst open, and the
+Fairy Melinette floated in upon a glowing sunset cloud, followed
+by the Prince himself:
+
+All the court looked on in dazzled surprise, while Potentilla,
+catching sight of her lover, dropped the cup and ran joyfully to
+meet him.
+
+The Enchanter's first thought was to defend himself when he saw
+Melinette appear, but she slipped round his blind side, and
+catching him by the eyelashes dragged him off to the ceiling of
+the hall, where she held him kicking for a while just to give him
+a lesson, and then touching him with her wand she imprisoned him
+for a thousand years in a crystal ball which hung from the roof.
+'Let this teach you to mind what I tell you another time,' she
+remarked severely. Then turning to the King and Queen, she begged
+them to proceed with the wedding, since she had provided a much
+more suitable bridegroom. She also deprived them of their kingdom,
+for they had really shown themselves unfit to manage it, and
+bestowed it upon the Prince and Princess, who, though they were
+unwilling to take it, had no choice but to obey the Fairy.
+However, they took care that the King and Queen were always
+supplied with everything they could wish for.
+
+Prince Narcissus and Princess Potentilla lived long and happily,
+beloved by all their subjects. As for the Enchanter, I don't
+believe he has been let out yet.
+
+La Princesse Pimprenella et Le Prince Romarin.
+
+
+
+
+
+PRINCE FEATHERHEAD AND THE PRINCESS CELANDINE
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen, who were the best
+creatures in the world, and so kind-hearted that they could not
+bear to see their subjects want for anything. The consequence was
+that they gradually gave away all their treasures, till they
+positively had nothing left to live upon; and this coming to the
+ears of their neighbour, King Bruin, he promptly raised a large
+army and marched into their country. The poor King, having no
+means of defending his kingdom, was forced to disguise himself
+with a false beard, and carrying his only son, the little Prince
+Featherhead, in his arms, and accompanied only by the Queen, to
+make the best of his way into the wild country. They were lucky
+enough to escape the soldiers of King Bruin, and at last, after
+unheard-of fatigues and adventures, they found themselves in a
+charming green valley, through which flowed a stream clear as
+crystal and overshadowed by beautiful trees. As they looked round
+them with delight, a voice said suddenly: 'Fish, and see what you
+will catch.' Now the King had always loved fishing, and never went
+anywhere without a fish-hook or two in his pocket, so he drew one
+out hastily, and the Queen lent him her girdle to fasten it to,
+and it had hardly touched the water before it caught a big fish,
+which made them an excellent meal--and not before they needed it,
+for they had found nothing until then but a few wild berries and
+roots. They thought that for the present they could not do better
+than stay in this delightful place, and the King set to work, and
+soon built a bower of branches to shelter them; and when it was
+finished the Queen was so charmed with it that she declared
+nothing was lacking to complete her happiness but a flock of
+sheep, which she and the little Prince might tend while the King
+fished. They soon found that the fish were not only abundant and
+easily caught, but also very beautiful, with glittering scales of
+every imaginable hue; and before long the King discovered that he
+could teach them to talk and whistle better than any parrot. Then
+he determined to carry some to the nearest town and try to sell
+them; and as no one had ever before seen any like them the people
+flocked about him eagerly and bought all he had caught, so that
+presently not a house in the city was considered complete without
+a crystal bowl full of fish, and the King's customers were very
+particular about having them to match the rest of the furniture,
+and gave him a vast amount of trouble in choosing them. However,
+the money he obtained in this way enabled him to buy the Queen her
+flock of sheep, as well as many of the other things which go to
+make life pleasant, so that they never once regretted their lost
+kingdom. Now it happened that the Fairy of the Beech-Woods lived
+in the lovely valley to which chance had led the poor fugitives,
+and it was she who had, in pity for their forlorn condition, sent
+the King such good luck to his fishing, and generally taken them
+under her protection. This she was all the more inclined to do as
+she loved children, and little Prince Featherhead, who never cried
+and grew prettier day by day, quite won her heart. She made the
+acquaintance of the King and the Queen without at first letting
+them know that she was a fairy, and they soon took a great fancy
+to her, and even trusted her with the precious Prince, whom she
+carried off to her palace, where she regaled him with cakes and
+tarts and every other good thing. This was the way she chose of
+making him fond of her; but afterwards, as he grew older, she
+spared no pains in educating and training him as a prince should
+be trained. But unfortunately, in spite of all her care, he grew
+so vain and frivolous that he quitted his peaceful country life in
+disgust, and rushed eagerly after all the foolish gaieties of the
+neighbouring town, where his handsome face and charming manners
+speedily made him popular. The King and Queen deeply regretted
+this alteration in their son, but did not know how to mend
+matters, since the good old Fairy had made him so self-willed.
+
+Just at this time the Fairy of the Beech-Woods received a visit
+from an old friend of hers called Saradine, who rushed into her
+house so breathless with rage that she could hardly speak.
+
+'Dear, dear! what is the matter?' said the Fairy of the Beech-
+Woods soothingly.
+
+'The matter!' cried Saradine. 'You shall soon hear all about it.
+You know that, not content with endowing Celandine, Princess of
+the Summer Islands, with everything she could desire to make her
+charming, I actually took the trouble to bring her up myself; and
+now what does she do but come to me with more coaxings and
+caresses than usual to beg a favour. And what do you suppose this
+favour turns out to be--when I have been cajoled into promising to
+grant it? Nothing more nor less than a request that I will take
+back all my gifts--"since," says my young madam, "if I have the
+good fortune to please you, how am I to know that it is really I,
+myself? And that's how it will be all my life long, whenever I
+meet anybody. You see what a weariness my life will be to me under
+these circumstances, and yet I assure you I am not ungrateful to
+you for all your kindness!" I did all I could,' continued
+Saradine, 'to make her think better of it, but in vain; so after
+going through the usual ceremony for taking back my gifts, I'm
+come to you for a little peace and quietness. But, after all, I
+have not taken anything of consequence from this provoking
+Celandine. Nature had already made her so pretty, and given her
+such a ready wit of her own, that she will do perfectly well
+without me. However, I thought she deserved a little lesson, so to
+begin with I have whisked her off into the desert, and there left
+her!'
+
+'What! all alone, and without any means of existence?' cried the
+kind-hearted old Fairy. 'You had better hand her over to me. I
+don't think so very badly of her after all. I'll just cure her
+vanity by making her love someone better than herself. Really,
+when I come to consider of it, I declare the little minx has shown
+more spirit and originality in the matter than one expects of a
+princess.'
+
+Saradine willingly consented to this arrangement, and the old
+Fairy's first care was to smooth away all the difficulties which
+surrounded the Princess, and lead her by the mossy path overhung
+with trees to the bower of the King and Queen, who still pursued
+their peaceful life in the valley.
+
+They were immensely surprised at her appearance, but her charming
+face, and the deplorably ragged condition to which the thorns and
+briers had reduced her once elegant attire, speedily won their
+compassion; they recognised her as a companion in misfortune, and
+the Queen welcomed her heartily, and begged her to share their
+simple repast. Celandine gracefully accepted their hospitality,
+and soon told them what had happened to her. The King was charmed
+with her spirit, while the Queen thought she had indeed been
+daring thus to go against the Fairy's wishes.
+
+'Since it has ended in my meeting you,' said the Princess, 'I
+cannot regret the step I have taken, and if you will let me stay
+with you, I shall be perfectly happy.'
+
+The King and Queen were only too delighted to have this charming
+Princess to supply the place of Prince Featherhead, whom they saw
+but seldom, since the Fairy had provided him with a palace in the
+neighbouring town, where he lived in the greatest luxury, and did
+nothing but amuse himself from morning to night. So Celandine
+stayed, and helped the Queen to keep house, and very soon they
+loved her dearly. When the Fairy of the Beech-Woods came to them,
+they presented the Princess to her, and told her story, little
+thinking that the Fairy knew more about Celandine than they did.
+The old Fairy was equally delighted with her, and often invited
+her to visit her Leafy Palace, which was the most enchanting place
+that could be imagined, and full of treasures. Often she would say
+to the Princess, when showing her some wonderful thing:
+
+'This will do for a wedding gift some day.' And Celandine could
+not help thinking that it was to her that the Fairy meant to give
+the two blue wax-torches which burned without ever getting
+smaller, or the diamond from which more diamonds were continually
+growing, or the boat that sailed under water, or whatever
+beautiful or wonderful thing they might happen to be looking at.
+It is true that she never said so positively, but she certainly
+allowed the Princess to believe it, because she thought a little
+disappointment would be good for her. But the person she really
+relied upon for curing Celandine of her vanity was Prince
+Featherhead. The old Fairy was not at all pleased with the way he
+had been going on for some time, but her heart was so soft towards
+him that she was unwilling to take him away from the pleasures he
+loved, except by offering him something better, which is not the
+most effectual mode of correction, though it is without doubt the
+most agreeable.
+
+However, she did not even hint to the Princess that Featherhead
+was anything but absolutely perfect, and talked of him so much
+that when at last she announced that he was coming to visit her,
+Celandine made up her mind that this delightful Prince would be
+certain to fall in love with her at once, and was quite pleased at
+the idea. The old Fairy thought so too, but as this was not at all
+what she wished, she took care to throw such an enchantment over
+the Princess that she appeared to Featherhead quite ugly and
+awkward, though to every one else she looked just as usual. So
+when he arrived at the Leafy Palace, more handsome and fascinating
+even than ever she had been led to expect, he hardly so much as
+glanced at the Princess, but bestowed all his attention upon the
+old Fairy, to whom he seemed to have a hundred things to say. The
+Princess was immensely astonished at his indifference, and put on
+a cold and offended air, which, however, he did not seem to
+observe. Then as a last resource she exerted all her wit and
+gaiety to amuse him, but with no better success, for he was of an
+age to be more attracted by beauty than by anything else, and
+though he responded politely enough, it was evident that his
+thoughts were elsewhere. Celandine was deeply mortified, since for
+her part the Prince pleased her very well, and for the first time
+she bitterly regretted the fairy gifts she had been anxious to get
+rid of. Prince Featherhead was almost equally puzzled, for he had
+heard nothing from the King and Queen but the praises of this
+charming Princess, and the fact that they had spoken of her as so
+very beautiful only confirmed his opinion that people who live in
+the country have no taste. He talked to them of his charming
+acquaintances in the town, the beauties he had admired, did
+admire, or thought he was going to admire, until Celandine, who
+heard it all, was ready to cry with vexation. The Fairy too was
+quite shocked at his conceit, and hit upon a plan for curing him
+of it. She sent to him by an unknown messenger a portrait of
+Princess Celandine as she really was, with this inscription: 'All
+this beauty and sweetness, with a loving heart and a great
+kingdom, might have been yours but for your well-known
+fickleness.'
+
+This message made a great impression upon the Prince, but not so
+much as the portrait. He positively could not tear his eyes away
+from it, and exclaimed aloud that never, never had he seen
+anything so lovely and so graceful. Then he began to think that it
+was too absurd that he, the fascinating Featherhead, should fall
+in love with a portrait; and, to drive away the recollections of
+its haunting eyes, he rushed back to the town; but somehow
+everything seemed changed. The beauties no longer pleased him,
+their witty speeches had ceased to amuse; and indeed, for their
+parts, they found the Prince far less amiable than of yore, and
+were not sorry when he declared that, after all, a country life
+suited him best, and went back to the Leafy Palace. Meanwhile, the
+Princess Celandine had been finding the time pass but slowly with
+the King and Queen, and was only too pleased when Featherhead
+reappeared. She at once noticed the change in him, and was deeply
+curious to find the reason of it. Far from avoiding her, he now
+sought her company and seemed to take pleasure in talking to her,
+and yet the Princess did not for a moment flatter herself with the
+idea that he was in love with her, though it did not take her long
+to decide that he certainly loved someone. But one day the
+Princess, wandering sadly by the river, spied Prince Featherhead
+fast asleep in the shade of a tree, and stole nearer to enjoy the
+delight of gazing at his dear face unobserved. Judge of her
+astonishment when she saw that he was holding in his hand a
+portrait of herself! In vain did she puzzle over the apparent
+contradictoriness of his behaviour. Why did he cherish her
+portrait while he was so fatally indifferent to herself? At last
+she found an opportunity of asking him the name of the Princess
+whose picture he carried about with him always.
+
+'Alas! how can I tell you?' replied he.
+
+'Why should you not?' said the Princess timidly. 'Surely there is
+nothing to prevent you.'
+
+'Nothing to prevent me!' repeated he, 'when my utmost efforts have
+failed to discover the lovely original. Should I be so sad if I
+could but find her? But I do not even know her name.'
+
+More surprised than ever, the Princess asked to be allowed to see
+the portrait, and after examining it for a few minutes returned
+it, remarking shyly that at least the original had every cause to
+be satisfied with it.
+
+'That means that you consider it flattered,' said the Prince
+severely. 'Really, Celandine, I thought better of you, and should
+have expected you to be above such contemptible jealousy. But all
+women are alike!'
+
+'Indeed, I meant only that it was a good likeness,' said the
+Princess meekly.
+
+'Then you know the original,' cried the Prince, throwing himself
+on his knees beside her. 'Pray tell me at once who it is, and
+don't keep me in suspense!'
+
+'Oh! don't you see that it is meant for me?' cried Celandine.
+
+The Prince sprang to his feet, hardly able to refrain from telling
+her that she must be blinded by vanity to suppose she resembled
+the lovely portrait even in the slightest degree; and after gazing
+at her for an instant with icy surprise, turned and left her
+without another word, and in a few hours quitted the Leafy Palace
+altogether.
+
+Now the Princess was indeed unhappy, and could no longer bear to
+stay in a place where she had been so cruelly disdained. So,
+without even bidding farewell to the King and Queen, she left the
+valley behind her, and wandered sadly away, not caring whither.
+After walking until she was weary, she saw before her a tiny
+house, and turned her slow steps towards it. The nearer she
+approached the more miserable it appeared, and at length she saw a
+little old woman sitting upon the door-step, who said grimly:
+
+'Here comes one of these fine beggars who are too idle to do
+anything but run about the country!'
+
+'Alas! madam,' said Celandine, with tears in her pretty eyes, 'a
+sad fate forces me to ask you for shelter.'
+
+'Didn't I tell you what it would be?' growled the old hag. 'From
+shelter we shall proceed to demand supper, and from supper money
+to take us on our way. Upon my word, if I could be sure of finding
+some one every day whose head was as soft as his heart, I wouldn't
+wish for a more agreeable life myself! But I have worked hard to
+build my house and secure a morsel to eat, and I suppose you think
+that I am to give away everything to the first passer-by who
+chooses to ask for it. Not at all! I wager that a fine lady like
+you has more money than I have. I must search her, and see if it
+is not so,' she added, hobbling towards Celandine with the aid of
+her stick.
+
+'Alas! madam,' replied the Princess, 'I only wish I had. I would
+give it to you with all the pleasure in life.'
+
+'But you are very smartly dressed for the kind of life you lead,'
+continued the old woman.
+
+'What!' cried the Princess, 'do you think I am come to beg of
+you?'
+
+'I don't know about that,' answered she; 'but at any rate you
+don't seem to have come to bring me anything. But what is it that
+you do want? Shelter? Well, that does not cost much; but after
+that comes supper, and that I can't hear of. Oh dear no! Why, at
+your age one is always ready to eat; and now you have been
+walking, and I suppose you are ravenous?'
+
+'Indeed no, madam,' answered the poor Princess, 'I am too sad to
+be hungry.'
+
+'Oh, well! if you will promise to go on being sad, you may stay
+for the night,' said the old woman mockingly.
+
+Thereupon she made the Princess sit down beside her, and began
+fingering her silken robe, while she muttered 'Lace on top, lace
+underneath! This must have cost you a pretty penny! It would have
+been better to save enough to feed yourself, and not come begging
+to those who want all they have for themselves. Pray, what may you
+have paid for these fine clothes?'
+
+'Alas! madam,' answered the Princess, 'I did not buy them, and I
+know nothing about money.'
+
+'What do you know, if I may ask?' said the old dame.
+
+'Not much; but indeed I am very unhappy,' cried Celandine,
+bursting into tears, 'and if my services are any good to you--'
+
+'Services!' interrupted the hag crossly. 'One has to pay for
+services, and I am not above doing my own work.'
+
+'Madam, I will serve you for nothing,' said the poor Princess,
+whose spirits were sinking lower and lower. 'I will do anything
+you please; all I wish is to live quietly in this lonely spot.'
+
+'Oh! I know you are only trying to take me in,' answered she; 'and
+if I do let you serve me, is it fitting that you should be so much
+better dressed I am? If I keep you, will you give me your clothes
+and wear some that I will provide you with? It is true that I am
+getting old and may want someone to take care of me some day.'
+
+'Oh! for pity's sake, do what you please with my clothes,' cried
+poor Celandine miserably.
+
+And the old woman hobbled off with great alacrity, and fetched a
+little bundle containing a wretched dress, such as the Princess
+had never even seen before, and nimbly skipped round, helping her
+to put it on instead of her own rich robe, with many exclamations
+of:
+
+'Saints!--what a magnificent lining! And the width of it! It will
+make me four dresses at least. Why, child, I wonder you could walk
+under such a weight, and certainly in my house you would not have
+had room to turn round.'
+
+So saying, she folded up the robe, and put it by with great care,
+while she remarked to Celandine:
+
+'That dress of mine certainly suits you to a marvel; be sure you
+take great care of it.'
+
+When supper-time came she went into the house, declining all the
+Princess's offers of assistance, and shortly afterwards brought
+out a very small dish, saying:
+
+'Now let us sup.'
+
+Whereupon she handed Celandine a small piece of black bread and
+uncovered the dish, which contained two dried plums.
+
+'We will have one between us,' continued the old dame; 'and as you
+are the visitor, you shall have the half which contains the stone;
+but be very careful that you don't swallow it, for I keep them
+against the winter, and you have no idea what a good fire they
+make. Now, you take my advice--which won't cost you anything--and
+remember that it is always more economical to buy fruit with
+stones on this account.'
+
+Celandine, absorbed in her own sad thoughts, did not even hear
+this prudent counsel, and quite forgot to eat her share of the
+plum, which delighted the old woman, who put it by carefully for
+her breakfast, saying:
+
+'I am very much pleased with you, and if you go on as you have
+begun, we shall do very well, and I can teach you many useful
+things which people don't generally know. For instance, look at my
+house! It is built entirely of the seeds of all the pears I have
+eaten in my life. Now, most people throw them away, and that only
+shows what a number of things are wasted for want of a little
+patience and ingenuity.'
+
+But Celandine did not find it possible to be interested in this
+and similar pieces of advice. And the old woman soon sent her to
+bed, for fear the night air might give her an appetite. She passed
+a sleepless night; but in the morning the old dame remarked:
+
+'I heard how well you slept. After such a night you cannot want
+any breakfast; so while I do my household tasks you had better
+stay in bed, since the more one sleeps the less one need eat; and
+as it is market-day I will go to town and buy a pennyworth of
+bread for the week's eating.'
+
+And so she chattered on, but poor Celandine did not hear or heed
+her; she wandered out into the desolate country to think over her
+sad fate. However, the good Fairy of the Beech-Woods did not want
+her to be starved, so she sent her an unlooked for relief in the
+shape of a beautiful white cow, which followed her back to the
+tiny house. When the old woman saw it her joy knew no bounds.
+
+'Now we can have milk and cheese and butter!' cried she. 'Ah! how
+good milk is! What a pity it is so ruinously expensive!' So they
+made a little shelter of branches for the beautiful creature which
+was quite gentle, and followed Celandine about like a dog when she
+took it out every day to graze. One morning as she sat by a little
+brook, thinking sadly, she suddenly saw a young stranger
+approaching, and got up quickly, intending to avoid him. But
+Prince Featherhead, for it was he, perceiving her at the same
+moment, rushed towards her with every demonstration of joy: for he
+had recognised her, not as the Celandine whom he had slighted, but
+as the lovely Princess whom he had sought vainly for so long. The
+fact was that the Fairy of the Beech-Woods, thinking she had been
+punished enough, had withdrawn the enchantment from her, and
+transferred it to Featherhead, thereby in an instant depriving him
+of the good looks which had done so much towards making him the
+fickle creature he was. Throwing himself down at the Princess's
+feet, he implored her to stay, and at least speak to him, and she
+at last consented, but only because he seemed to wish it so very
+much. After that he came every day in the hope of meeting her
+again, and often expressed his delight at being with her. But one
+day, when he had been begging Celandine to love him, she confided
+to him that it was quite impossible, since her heart was already
+entirely occupied by another.
+
+'I have,' said she, 'the unhappiness of loving a Prince who is
+fickle, frivolous, proud, incapable of caring for anyone but
+himself, who has been spoilt by flattery, and, to crown all, who
+does not love me.'
+
+'But,' cried Prince Featherhead, 'surely you cannot care for so
+contemptible and worthless a creature as that.'
+
+'Alas! but I do care,' answered the Princess, weeping.
+
+'But where can his eyes be,' said the Prince, 'that your beauty
+makes no impression upon him? As for me, since I have possessed
+your portrait I have wandered over the whole world to find you,
+and, now we have met, I see that you are ten times lovelier than I
+could have imagined, and I would give all I own to win your love.'
+
+'My portrait?' cried Celandine with sudden interest. 'Is it
+possible that Prince Featherhead can have parted with it?'
+
+'He would part with his life sooner, lovely Princess,' answered
+he; 'I can assure you of that, for I am Prince Featherhead.'
+
+At the same moment the Fairy of the Beech-Woods took away the
+enchantment, and the happy Princess recognised her lover, now
+truly hers, for the trials they had both undergone had so changed
+and improved them that they were capable of a real love for each
+other. You may imagine how perfectly happy they were, and how much
+they had to hear and to tell. But at length it was time to go back
+to the little house, and as they went along Celandine remembered
+for the first time what a ragged old dress she was wearing, and
+what an odd appearance she must present. But the Prince declared
+that it became her vastly, and that he thought it most
+picturesque. When they reached the house the old woman received
+them very crossly.
+
+'I declare,' said she, 'that it's perfectly true: wherever there
+is a girl you may be sure that a young man will appear before
+long! But don't imagine that I'm going to have you here--not a bit
+of it, be off with you, my fine fellow!'
+
+Prince Featherhead was inclined to be angry at this uncivil
+reception, but he was really too happy to care much, so he only
+demanded, on Celandine's behalf, that the old dame should give her
+back her own attire, that she might go away suitably dressed.
+
+This request roused her to fury, since she had counted upon the
+Princess's fine robes to clothe her for the rest of her life, so
+that it was some time before the Prince could make himself heard
+to explain that he was willing to pay for them. The sight of a
+handful of gold pieces somewhat mollified her, however, and after
+making them both promise faithfully that on no consideration would
+they ask for the gold back again, she took the Princess into the
+house and grudgingly doled out to her just enough of her gay
+attire to make her presentable, while the rest she pretended to
+have lost. After this they found that they were very hungry, for
+one cannot live on love, any more than on air, and then the old
+woman's lamentations were louder than before. 'What!' she cried,
+'feed people who were as happy as all that! Why, it was simply
+ruinous!'
+
+But as the Prince began to look angry, she, with many sighs and
+mutterings, brought out a morsel of bread, a bowl of milk, and six
+plums, with which the lovers were well content: for as long as
+they could look at one another they really did not know what they
+were eating. It seemed as if they would go on for ever with their
+reminiscences, the Prince telling how he had wandered all over the
+world from beauty to beauty, always to be disappointed when he
+found that no one resembled the portrait; the Princess wondering
+how it was he could have been so long with her and yet never have
+recognised her, and over and over again pardoning him for his cold
+and haughty behaviour to her.
+
+'For,' she said, 'you see, Featherhead, I love you, and love makes
+everything right! But we cannot stay here,' she added; 'what are
+we to do?'
+
+The Prince thought they had better find their way to the Fairy of
+the Beech-Woods and put themselves once more under her protection,
+and they had hardly agreed upon this course when two little
+chariots wreathed with jasmine and honeysuckle suddenly appeared,
+and, stepping into them, they were whirled away to the Leafy
+Palace. Just before they lost sight of the little house they heard
+loud cries and lamentations from the miserly old dame, and,
+looking round, perceived that the beautiful cow was vanishing in
+spite of her frantic efforts to hold it fast. And they afterwards
+heard that she spent the rest of her life in trying to put the
+handful of gold the Prince had thrown to her into her money-bag.
+For the Fairy, as a punishment for her avarice, caused it to slip
+out again as fast as she dropped it in.
+
+The Fairy of the Beech-Woods ran to welcome the Prince and
+Princess with open arms, only too delighted to find them so much
+improved that she could, with a clear conscience, begin to spoil
+them again. Very soon the Fairy Saradine also arrived, bringing
+the King and Queen with her. Princess Celandine implored her
+pardon, which she graciously gave; indeed the Princess was so
+charming she could refuse her nothing. She also restored to her
+the Summer Islands, and promised her protection in all things. The
+Fairy of the Beech-Woods then informed the King and Queen that
+their subjects had chased King Bruin from the throne, and were
+waiting to welcome them back again; but they at once abdicated in
+favour of Prince Featherhead, declaring that nothing could induce
+them to forsake their peaceful life, and the Fairies undertook to
+see the Prince and Princess established in their beautiful
+kingdoms. Their marriage took place the next day, and they lived
+happily ever afterwards, for Celandine was never vain and
+Featherhead was never fickle any more.
+
+Le Prince Muguet et la Princesse Zaza.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE THREE LITTLE PIGS
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a pig who lived with her three children
+on a large, comfortable, old-fashioned farmyard. The eldest of the
+little pigs was called Browny, the second Whitey, and the youngest
+and best looking Blacky. Now Browny was a very dirty little pig,
+and I am sorry to say spent most of his time rolling and wallowing
+about in the mud. He was never so happy as on a wet day, when the
+mud in the farmyard got soft, and thick, and slab. Then he would
+steal away from his mother's side, and finding the muddiest place
+in the yard, would roll about in it and thoroughly enjoy himself.
+His mother often found fault with him for this, and would shake
+her head sadly and say: 'Ah, Browny! some day you will be sorry
+that you did not obey your old mother.' But no words of advice or
+warning could cure Browny of his bad habits.
+
+Whitey was quite a clever little pig, but she was greedy. She was
+always thinking of her food, and looking forward to her dinner;
+and when the farm girl was seen carrying the pails across the
+yard, she would rise up on her hind legs and dance and caper with
+excitement. As soon as the food was poured into the trough she
+jostled Blacky and Browny out of the way in her eagerness to get
+the best and biggest bits for herself. Her mother often scolded
+her for her selfishness, and told her that some day she would
+suffer for being so greedy and grabbing.
+
+Blacky was a good, nice little pig, neither dirty nor greedy. He
+had nice dainty ways (for a pig), and his skin was always as
+smooth and shining as black satin. He was much cleverer than
+Browny and Whitey, and his mother's heart used to swell with pride
+when she heard the farmer's friends say to each other that some
+day the little black fellow would be a prize pig.
+
+Now the time came when the mother pig felt old and feeble and near
+her end. One day she called the three little pigs round her and
+said:
+
+'My children, I feel that I am growing odd and weak, and that I
+shall not live long. Before I die I should like to build a house
+for each of you, as this dear old sty in which we have lived so
+happily will be given to a new family of pigs, and you will have
+to turn out. Now, Browny, what sort of a house would you like to
+have?'
+
+'A house of mud,' replied Browny, looking longingly at a wet
+puddle in the corner of the yard.
+
+'And you, Whitey?' said the mother pig in rather a sad voice, for
+she was disappointed that Browny had made so foolish a choice.
+
+'A house of cabbage,' answered Whitey, with a mouth full, and
+scarcely raising her snout out of the trough in which she was
+grubbing for some potato-parings.
+
+'Foolish, foolish child!' said the mother pig, looking quite
+distressed. 'And you, Blacky?' turning to her youngest son, 'what
+sort of a house shall I order for you?'
+
+'A house of brick, please mother, as it will be warm in winter,
+and cool in summer, and safe all the year round.'
+
+'That is a sensible little pig,' replied his mother, looking
+fondly at him. 'I will see that the three houses are got ready at
+once. And now one last piece of advice. You have heard me talk of
+our old enemy the fox. When he hears that I am dead, he is sure to
+try and get hold of you, to carry you off to his den. He is very
+sly and will no doubt disguise himself, and pretend to be a
+friend, but you must promise me not to let him enter your houses
+on any pretext whatever.'
+
+And the little pigs readily promised, for they had always had a
+great fear of the fox, of whom they had heard many terrible tales.
+A short time afterwards the old pig died, and the little pigs went
+to live in their own houses.
+
+Browny was quite delighted with his soft mud walls and with the
+clay floor, which soon looked like nothing but a big mud pie. But
+that was what Browny enjoyed, and he was as happy as possible,
+rolling about all day and making himself in such a mess. One day,
+as he was lying half asleep in the mud, he heard a soft knock at
+his door, and a gentle voice said:
+
+'May I come in, Master Browny? I want to see your beautiful new
+house.'
+
+'Who are you?' said Browny, starting up in great fright, for
+though the voice sounded gentle, he felt sure it was a feigned
+voice, and he feared it was the fox.
+
+'I am a friend come to call on you,' answered the voice.
+
+'No, no,' replied Browny, 'I don't believe you are a friend. You
+are the wicked fox, against whom our mother warned us. I won't let
+you in.'
+
+'Oho! is that the way you answer me?' said the fox, speaking very
+roughly in his natural voice. 'We shall soon see who is master
+here,' and with his paws he set to work and scraped a large hole
+in the soft mud walls. A moment later he had jumped through it,
+and catching Browny by the neck, flung him on his shoulders and
+trotted off with him to his den.
+
+The next day, as Whitey was munching a few leaves of cabbage out
+of the corner of her house, the fox stole up to her door,
+determined to carry her off to join her brother in his den. He
+began speaking to her in the same feigned gentle voice in which he
+had spoken to Browny; but it frightened her very much when he
+said:
+
+'I am a friend come to visit you, and to have some of your good
+cabbage for my dinner.'
+
+'Please don't touch it,' cried Whitey in great distress. 'The
+cabbages are the walls of my house, and if you eat them you will
+make a hole, and the wind and rain will come in and give me a
+cold. Do go away; I am sure you are not a friend, but our wicked
+enemy the fox.' And poor Whitey began to whine and to whimper, and
+to wish that she had not been such a greedy little pig, and had
+chosen a more solid material than cabbages for her house. But it
+was too late now, and in another minute the fox had eaten his way
+through the cabbage walls, and had caught the trembling, shivering
+Whitey, and carried her off to his den.
+
+The next day the fox started off for Blacky's house, because he
+had made up his mind that he would get the three little pigs
+together in his den, and then kill them, and invite all his
+friends to a feast. But when he reached the brick house, he found
+that the door was bolted and barred, so in his sly manner he
+began, 'Do let me in, dear Blacky. I have brought you a present of
+some eggs that I picked up in a farmyard on my way here.'
+
+'No, no, Mister Fox,' replied Blacky, 'I am not going to open my
+door to you. I know your cunning ways. You have carried off poor
+Browny and Whitey, but you are not going to get me.'
+
+At this the fox was so angry that he dashed with all his force
+against the wall, and tried to knock it down. But it was too
+strong and well-built; and though the fox scraped and tore at the
+bricks with his paws he only hurt himself, and at last he had to
+give it up, and limp away with his fore-paws all bleeding and
+sore.
+
+'Never mind!' he cried angrily as he went off, 'I'll catch you
+another day, see if I don't, and won't I grind your bones to
+powder when I have got you in my den!' and he snarled fiercely and
+showed his teeth.
+
+Next day Blacky had to go into the neighbouring town to do some
+marketing and to buy a big kettle. As he was walking home with it
+slung over his shoulder, he heard a sound of steps stealthily
+creeping after him. For a moment his heart stood still with fear,
+and then a happy thought came to him. He had just reached the top
+of a hill, and could see his own little house nestling at the foot
+of it among the trees. In a moment he had snatched the lid off the
+kettle and had jumped in himself. Coiling himself round he lay
+quite snug in the bottom of the kettle, while with his fore-leg he
+managed to put the lid on, so that he was entirely hidden. With a
+little kick from the inside he started the kettle off, and down
+the hill it rolled full tilt; and when the fox came up, all that
+he saw was a large black kettle spinning over the ground at a
+great pace. Very much disappointed, he was just going to turn
+away, when he saw the kettle stop close to the little brick house,
+and in a moment later Blacky jumped out of it and escaped with the
+kettle into the house, when he barred and bolted the door, and put
+the shutter up over the window.
+
+'Oho!' exclaimed the fox to himself, 'you think you will escape me
+that way, do you? We shall soon see about that, my friend,' and
+very quietly and stealthily he prowled round the house looking for
+some way to climb on to the roof.
+
+In the meantime Blacky had filled the kettle with water, and
+having put it on the fire, sat down quietly waiting for it to
+boil. Just as the kettle was beginning to sing, and steam to come
+out of the spout, he heard a sound like a soft, muffled step,
+patter, patter, patter overhead, and the next moment the fox's
+head and fore-paws were seen coming down the chimney. But Blacky
+very wisely had not put the lid on the kettle, and, with a yelp of
+pain, the fox fell into the boiling water, and before he could
+escape, Blacky had popped the lid on, and the fox was scalded to
+death.
+
+As soon as he was sure that their wicked enemy was really dead,
+and could do them no further harm, Blacky started off to rescue
+Browny and Whitey. As he approached the den he heard piteous
+grunts and squeals from his poor little brother and sister who
+lived in constant terror of the fox killing and eating them. But
+when they saw Blacky appear at the entrance to the den their joy
+knew no bounds. He quickly found a sharp stone and cut the cords
+by which they were tied to a stake in the ground, and then all
+three started off together for Blacky's house, where they lived
+happily ever after; and Browny quite gave up rolling in the mud,
+and Whitey ceased to be greedy, for they never forgot how nearly
+these faults had brought them to an untimely end.
+
+
+
+
+
+HEART OF ICE
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who were foolish
+beyond all telling, but nevertheless they were vastly fond of one
+another. It is true that certain spiteful people were heard to say
+that this was only one proof the more of their exceeding
+foolishness, but of course you will understand that these were not
+their own courtiers, since, after all, they were a King and Queen,
+and up to this time all things had prospered with them. For in
+those days the one thing to be thought of in governing a kingdom
+was to keep well with all the Fairies and Enchanters, and on no
+account to stint them of the cakes, the ells of ribbon, and
+similar trifles which were their due, and, above all things, when
+there was a christening, to remember to invite every single one,
+good, bad, or indifferent, to the ceremony. Now, the foolish Queen
+had one little son who was just going to be christened, and for
+several months she had been hard at work preparing an enormous
+list of the names of those who were to be invited, but she quite
+forgot that it would take nearly as long to read it over as it had
+taken to write it out. So, when the moment of the christening
+arrived the King--to whom the task had been entrusted--had barely
+reached the end of the second page and his tongue was tripping
+with fatigue and haste as he repeated the usual formula: 'I
+conjure and pray you, Fairy so-and-so'--or 'Enchanter such-a-one'
+--'to honour me with a visit, and graciously bestow your gifts upon
+my son.'
+
+To make matters worse, word was brought to him that the Fairies
+asked on the first page had already arrived and were waiting
+impatiently in the Great Hall, and grumbling that nobody was there
+to receive them. Thereupon he gave up the list in despair and
+hurried to greet those whom he had succeeded in asking, imploring
+their goodwill so humbly that most of them were touched, and
+promised that they would do his son no harm. But there happened to
+be among them a Fairy from a far country about whom they knew
+nothing, though her name had been written on the first page of the
+list. This Fairy was annoyed that after having taken the trouble
+to come so quickly, there had been no one to receive her, or help
+her to alight from the great ostrich on which she had travelled
+from her distant home, and now she began to mutter to herself in
+the most alarming way.
+
+'Oh! prate away,' said she, 'your son will never be anything to
+boast of. Say what you will, he will be nothing but a Mannikin--'
+
+No doubt she would have gone on longer in this strain, and given
+the unhappy little Prince half-a-dozen undesirable gifts, if it
+had not been for the good Fairy Genesta, who held the kingdom
+under her special protection, and who luckily hurried in just in
+time to prevent further mischief. When she had by compliments and
+entreaties pacified the unknown Fairy, and persuaded her to say no
+more, she gave the King a hint that now was the time to distribute
+the presents, after which ceremony they all took their departure,
+excepting the Fairy Genesta, who then went to see the Queen, and
+said to her:
+
+'A nice mass you seem to have made of this business, madam. Why
+did you not condescend to consult me? But foolish people like you
+always think they can do without help or advice, and I observe
+that, in spite of all my goodness to you, you had not even the
+civility to invite me!'
+
+'Ah! dear madam,' cried the King, throwing himself at her feet;
+'did I ever have time to get as far as your name? See where I put
+in this mark when I abandoned the hopeless undertaking which I had
+but just begun!'
+
+'There! there!' said the Fairy, 'I am not offended. I don't allow
+myself to be put out by trifles like that with people I really am
+fond of. But now about your son: I have saved him from a great
+many disagreeable things, but you must let me take him away and
+take care of him, and you will not see him again until he is all
+covered with fur!'
+
+At these mysterious words the King and Queen burst into tears, for
+they lived in such a hot climate themselves that how or why the
+Prince should come to be covered with fur they could not imagine,
+and thought it must portend some great misfortune to him.
+
+However, Genesta told them not to disquiet themselves.
+
+'If I left him to you to bring up,' said she, 'you would be
+certain to make him as foolish as yourselves. I do not even intend
+to let him know that he is your son. As for you, you had better
+give your minds to governing your kingdom properly.' So saying,
+she opened the window, and catching up the little Prince, cradle
+and all, she glided away in the air as if she were skating upon
+ice, leaving the King and Queen in the greatest affliction. They
+consulted everyone who came near them as to what the Fairy could
+possibly have meant by saying that when they saw their son again
+he would be covered with fur. But nobody could offer any solution
+of the mystery, only they all seemed to agree that it must be
+something frightful, and the King and Queen made themselves more
+miserable than ever, and wandered about their palace in a way to
+make anyone pity them. Meantime the Fairy had carried off the
+little Prince to her own castle, and placed him under the care of
+a young peasant woman, whom she bewitched so as to make her think
+that this new baby was one of her own children. So the Prince grew
+up healthy and strong, leading the simple life of a young peasant,
+for the Fairy thought that he could have no better training; only
+as he grew older she kept him more and more with herself, that his
+mind might be cultivated and exercised as well as his body. But
+her care did not cease there: she resolved that he should be tried
+by hardships and disappointments and the knowledge of his
+fellowmen; for indeed she knew the Prince would need every
+advantage that she could give him, since, though he increased in
+years, he did not increase in height, but remained the tiniest of
+Princes. However, in spite of this he was exceedingly active and
+well formed, and altogether so handsome and agreeable that the
+smallness of his stature was of no real consequence. The Prince
+was perfectly aware that he was called by the ridiculous name of
+'Mannikin,' but he consoled himself by vowing that, happen what
+might, he would make it illustrious.
+
+In order to carry out her plans for his welfare the Fairy now
+began to send Prince Mannikin the most wonderful dreams of
+adventure by sea and land, and of these adventures he himself was
+always the hero. Sometimes he rescued a lovely Princess from some
+terrible danger, again he earned a kingdom by some brave deed,
+until at last he longed to go away and seek his fortune in a far
+country where his humble birth would not prevent his gaining
+honour and riches by his courage, and it was with a heart full of
+ambitious projects that he rode one day into a great city not far
+from the Fairy's castle. As he had set out intending to hunt in
+the surrounding forest he was quite simply dressed, and carried
+only a bow and arrows and a light spear; but even thus arrayed he
+looked graceful and distinguished. As he entered the city he saw
+that the inhabitants were all racing with one accord towards the
+market-place, and he also turned his horse in the same direction,
+curious to know what was going forward. When he reached the spot
+he found that certain foreigners of strange and outlandish
+appearance were about to make a proclamation to the assembled
+citizens, and he hastily pushed his way into the crowd until he
+was near enough to hear the words of the venerable old man who was
+their spokesman:
+
+'Let the whole world know that he who can reach the summit of the
+Ice Mountain shall receive as his reward, not only the
+incomparable Sabella, fairest of the fair, but also all the realms
+of which she is Queen!' 'Here,' continued the old man after he had
+made this proclamation--'here is the list of all those Princes
+who, struck by the beauty of the Princess, have perished in the
+attempt to win her; and here is the list of these who have just
+entered upon the high emprise.'
+
+Prince Mannikin was seized with a violent desire to inscribe his
+name among the others, but the remembrance of his dependent
+position and his lack of wealth held him back. But while he
+hesitated the old man, with many respectful ceremonies, unveiled a
+portrait of the lovely Sabella, which was carried by some of the
+attendants, and after one glance at it the Prince delayed no
+longer, but, rushing forward, demanded permission to add his name
+to the list. When they saw his tiny stature anti simple attire the
+strangers looked at each other doubtfully, not knowing whether to
+accept or refuse him. But the Prince said haughtily:
+
+'Give me the paper that I may sign it,' and they obeyed. What
+between admiration for the Princess and annoyance at the
+hesitation shown by her ambassadors the Prince was too much
+agitated to choose any other name than the one by which he was
+always known. But when, after all the grand titles of the other
+Princes, he simply wrote 'Mannikin,' the ambassadors broke into
+shouts of laughter.
+
+'Miserable wretches!' cried the Prince; 'but for the presence of
+that lovely portrait I would cut off your heads.'
+
+But he suddenly remembered that, after all, it was a funny name,
+and that he had not yet had time to make it famous; so he was
+calm, and enquired the way to the Princess Sabella's country.
+
+Though his heart did not fail him in the least, still he felt
+there were many difficulties before him, and he resolved to set
+out at once, without even taking leave of the Fairy, for fear she
+might try to stop him. Everybody in the town who knew him made
+great fun of the idea of Mannikin's undertaking such an
+expedition, and it even came to the ears of the foolish King and
+Queen, who laughed over it more than any of the others, without
+having an idea that the presumptuous Mannikin was their only son!
+
+Meantime the Prince was travelling on, though the direction he had
+received for his journey were none of the clearest.
+
+'Four hundred leagues north of Mount Caucasus you will receive
+your orders and instructions for the conquest of the Ice
+Mountain.'
+
+Fine marching orders, those, for a man starting from a country
+near where Japan is nowadays!
+
+However, he fared eastward, avoiding all towns, lest the people
+should laugh at his name, for, you see, he was not a very
+experienced traveller, and had not yet learned to enjoy a joke
+even if it were against himself. At night he slept in the woods,
+and at first he lived upon wild fruits; but the Fairy, who was
+keeping a benevolent eye upon him, thought that it would never do
+to let him be half-starved in that way, so she took to feeding him
+with all sorts of good things while he was asleep, and the Prince
+wondered very much that when he was awake he never felt hungry!
+True to her plan the Fairy sent him various adventures to prove
+his courage, and he came successfully through them all, only in
+his last fight with a furious monster rather like a tiger he had
+the ill luck to lose his horse. However, nothing daunted, he
+struggled on on foot, and at last reached a seaport. Here he found
+a boat sailing for the coast which he desired to reach, and,
+having just enough money to pay his passage, he went on board and
+they started. But after some days a fearful storm came on, which
+completely wrecked the little ship, and the Prince only saved his
+life by swimming a long, long way to the only land that was in
+sight, and which proved to be a desert island. Here he lived by
+fishing and hunting, always hoping that the good Fairy would
+presently rescue him. One day, as he was looking sadly out to sea,
+he became aware of a curious looking boat which was drifting
+slowly towards the shore, and which presently ran into a little
+creek and there stuck fast in the sand. Prince Mannikin rushed
+down eagerly to examine it, and saw with amazement that the masts
+and spars were all branched, and covered thickly with leaves until
+it looked like a little wood. Thinking from the stillness that
+there could be no one on board, the Prince pushed aside the
+branches and sprang over the side, and found himself surrounded by
+the crew, who lay motionless as dead men and in a most deplorable
+condition. They, too, had become almost like trees, and were
+growing to the deck, or to the masts, or to the sides of the
+vessel, or to whatever they had happened to be touching when the
+enchantment fell upon them. Mannikin was struck with pity for
+their miserable plight, and set to work with might and main to
+release them. With the sharp point of one of his arrows he gently
+detached their hands and feet from the wood which held them fast,
+and carried them on shore, one after another, where he rubbed
+their rigid limbs, and bathed them with infusions of various herbs
+with such success, that, after a few days, they recovered
+perfectly and were as fit to manage a boat as ever. You may be
+sure that the good Fairy Genesta had something to do with this
+marvellous cure, and she also put it into the Prince's head to rub
+the boat itself with the same magic herbs, which cleared it
+entirely, and not before it was time, for, at the rate at which it
+was growing before, it would very soon have become a forest! The
+gratitude of the sailors was extreme, and they willingly promised
+to land the Prince upon any coast he pleased; but, when he
+questioned them about the extraordinary thing that had happened to
+them and to their ship, they could in no way explain it, except
+that they said that, as they were passing along a thickly wooded
+coast, a sudden gust of wind had reached them from the land and
+enveloped them in a dense cloud of dust, after which everything in
+the boat that was not metal had sprouted and blossomed, as the
+Prince had seen, and that they themselves had grown gradually numb
+and heavy, and had finally lost all consciousness. Prince Mannikin
+was deeply interested in this curious story, and collected a
+quantity of the dust from the bottom of the boat, which he
+carefully preserved, thinking that its strange property might one
+day stand him in good stead.
+
+Then they joyfully left the desert island, and after a long and
+prosperous voyage over calm seas they at length came in sight of
+land, and resolved to go on shore, not only to take in a fresh
+stock of water and provisions, but also to find out, if possible,
+where they were and in what direction to proceed.
+
+As they neared the coast they wondered if this could be another
+uninhabited land, for no human beings could be distinguished, and
+yet that something was stirring became evident, for in the dust-
+clouds that moved near the ground small dark forms were dimly
+visible. These appeared to be assembling at the exact spot where
+they were preparing to run ashore, and what was their surprise to
+find they were nothing more nor less than large and beautiful
+spaniels, some mounted as sentries, others grouped in companies
+and regiments, all eagerly watching their disembarkation. When
+they found that Prince Mannikin, instead of saying, 'Shoot them,'
+as they had feared, said 'Hi, good dog!' in a thoroughly friendly
+and ingratiating way, they crowded round him with a great wagging
+of tails and giving of paws, and very soon made him understand
+that they wanted him to leave his men with the boat and follow
+them. The Prince was so curious to know more about them that he
+agreed willingly; so, after arranging with the sailors to wait for
+him fifteen days, and then, if he had not come back, to go on
+their way without him, he set out with his new friends. Their way
+lay inland, and Mannikin noticed with great surprise that the
+fields were well cultivated and that the carts and ploughs were
+drawn by horses or oxen, just as they might have been in any other
+country, and when they passed any village the cottages were trim
+and pretty, and an air of prosperity was everywhere. At one of the
+villages a dainty little repast was set before the Prince, and
+while he was eating, a chariot was brought, drawn by two splendid
+horses, which were driven with great skill by a large spaniel. In
+this carriage he continued his journey very comfortably, passing
+many similar equipages upon the road, and being always most
+courteously saluted by the spaniels who occupied them. At last
+they drove rapidly into a large town, which Prince Mannikin had no
+doubt was the capital of the kingdom. News of his approach had
+evidently been received, for all the inhabitants were at their
+doors and windows, and all the little spaniels had climbed upon
+the wall and gates to see him arrive. The Prince was delighted
+with the hearty welcome they gave him, and looked round him with
+the deepest interest. After passing through a few wide streets,
+well paved, and adorned with avenues of fine trees, they drove
+into the courtyard of a grand palace, which was full of spaniels
+who were evidently soldiers. 'The King's body-guard,' thought the
+Prince to himself as he returned their salutations, and then the
+carriage stopped, and he was shown into the presence of the King,
+who lay upon a rich Persian carpet surrounded by several little
+spaniels, who were occupied in chasing away the flies lest they
+should disturb his Majesty. He was the most beautiful of all
+spaniels, with a look of sadness in his large eyes, which,
+however, quite disappeared as he sprang up to welcome Prince
+Mannikin with every demonstration of delight; after which he made
+a sign to his courtiers, who came one by one to pay their respects
+to the visitor. The Prince thought that he would find himself
+puzzled as to how he should carry on a conversation, but as soon
+as he and the King were once more left alone, a Secretary of State
+was sent for, who wrote from his Majesty's dictation a most polite
+speech, in which he regretted much that they were unable to
+converse, except in writing, the language of dogs being difficult
+to understand. As for the writing, it had remained the same as the
+Prince's own.
+
+Mannikin thereupon wrote a suitable reply, and then begged the
+King to satisfy his curiosity about all the strange things he had
+seen and heard since his landing. This appeared to awaken sad
+recollections in the King's mind, but he informed the Prince that
+he was called King Bayard, and that a Fairy, whose kingdom was
+next his own, had fallen violently in love with him, and had done
+all she could to persuade him to marry her; but that he could not
+do so as he himself was the devoted lover of the Queen of the
+Spice Islands. Finally, the Fairy, furious at the indifference
+with which her love was treated, had reduced him to the state in
+which the Prince found him, leaving him unchanged in mind, but
+deprived of the power of speech; and, not content with wreaking
+her vengeance upon the King alone, she had condemned all his
+subjects to a similar fate, saying:
+
+'Bark, and run upon four feet, until the time comes when virtue
+shall be rewarded by love and fortune.'
+
+Which, as the poor King remarked, was very much the same thing as
+if she had said, 'Remain a spaniel for ever and ever.'
+
+Prince Mannikin was quite of the same opinion; nevertheless he
+said what we should all have said in the same circumstances:
+
+'Your Majesty must have patience.'
+
+He was indeed deeply sorry for poor King Bayard, and said all the
+consoling things he could think of, promising to aid him with all
+his might if there was anything to be done. In short they became
+firm friends, and the King proudly displayed to Mannikin the
+portrait of the Queen of the Spice Islands, and he quite agreed
+that it was worth while to go through anything for the sake of a
+creature so lovely. Prince Mannikin in his turn told his own
+history, and the great undertaking upon which he had set out, and
+King Bayard was able to give him some valuable instructions as to
+which would be the best way for him to proceed, and then they went
+together to the place where the boat had been left. The sailors
+were delighted to see the Prince again, though they had known that
+he was safe, and when they had taken on board all the supplies
+which the King had sent for them, they started once more. The King
+and Prince parted with much regret, and the former insisted that
+Mannikin should take with him one of his own pages, named Mousta,
+who was charged to attend to him everywhere, and serve him
+faithfully, which he promised to do.
+
+The wind being favourable they were soon out of hearing of the
+general howl of regret from the whole army, which had been given
+by order of the King, as a great compliment, and it was not long
+before the land was entirely lost to view. They met with no
+further adventures worth speaking of, and presently found
+themselves within two leagues of the harbour for which they were
+making. The Prince, however, thought it would suit him better to
+land where he was, so as to avoid the town, since he had no money
+left and was very doubtful as to what he should do next. So the
+sailors set him and Mousta on shore, and then went back
+sorrowfully to their ship, while the Prince and his attendant
+walked off in what looked to them the most promising direction.
+They soon reached a lovely green meadow on the border of a wood,
+which seemed to them so pleasant after their long voyage that they
+sat down to rest in the shade and amused themselves by watching
+the gambols and antics of a pretty tiny monkey in the trees close
+by. The Prince presently became so fascinated by it that he sprang
+up and tried to catch it, but it eluded his grasp and kept just
+out of arm's reach, until it had made him promise to follow
+wherever it led him, and then it sprang upon his shoulder and
+whispered in his ear:
+
+'We have no money, my poor Mannikin, and we are altogether badly
+off, and at a loss to know what to do next.'
+
+'Yes, indeed,' answered the Prince ruefully, 'and I have nothing
+to give you, no sugar or biscuits, or anything that you like, my
+pretty one.'
+
+'Since you are so thoughtful for me, and so patient about your own
+affairs,' said the little monkey, 'I will show you the way to the
+Golden Rock, only you must leave Mousta to wait for you here.'
+
+Prince Mannikin agreed willingly, and then the little monkey
+sprang from his shoulder to the nearest tree, and began to run
+through the wood from branch to branch, crying, 'Follow me.'
+
+This the Prince did not find quite so easy, but the little monkey
+waited for him and showed him the easiest places, until presently
+the wood grew thinner and they came out into a little clear grassy
+space at the foot of a mountain, in the midst of which stood a
+single rock, about ten feet high. When they were quite close to it
+the little monkey said:
+
+'This stone looks pretty hard, but give it a blow with your spear
+and let us see what will happen.'
+
+So the Prince took his spear and gave the rock a vigorous dig,
+which split off several pieces, and showed that, though the
+surface was thinly coated with stone, inside it was one solid mass
+of pure gold.
+
+Thereupon the little monkey said, laughing at his astonishment:
+
+'I make you a present of what you have broken off; take as much of
+it as you think proper.'
+
+The Prince thanked her gratefully, and picked up one of the
+smallest of the lumps of gold; as he did so the little monkey was
+suddenly transformed into a tall and gracious lady, who said to
+him:
+
+'If you are always as kind and persevering and easily contented as
+you are now you may hope to accomplish the most difficult tasks;
+go on your way and have no fear that you will be troubled any more
+for lack of gold, for that little piece which you modestly chose
+shall never grow less, use it as much as you will. But that you
+may see the danger you have escaped by your moderation, come with
+me.' So saying she led him back into the wood by a different path,
+and he saw that it was full of men and women; their faces were
+pale and haggard, and they ran hither and thither seeking madly
+upon the ground, or in the air, starting at every sound, pushing
+and trampling upon one another in their frantic eagerness to find
+the way to the Golden Rock.
+
+'You see how they toil,' said the Fairy; 'but it is all of no
+avail: they will end by dying of despair, as hundreds have done
+before them.'
+
+As soon as they had got back to the place where they had left
+Mousta the Fairy disappeared, and the Prince and his faithful
+Squire, who had greeted him with every demonstration of joy, took
+the nearest way to the city. Here they stayed several days, while
+the Prince provided himself with horses and attendants, and made
+many enquiries about the Princess Sabella, and the way to her
+kingdom, which was still so far away that he could hear but
+little, and that of the vaguest description, but when he presently
+reached Mount Caucasus it was quite a different matter. Here they
+seemed to talk of nothing but the Princess Sabella, and strangers
+from all parts of the world were travelling towards her father's
+Court.
+
+The Prince heard plenty of assurances as to her beauty and her
+riches, but he also heard of the immense number of his rivals and
+their power. One brought an army at his back, another had vast
+treasures, a third was as handsome and accomplished as it was
+possible to be; while, as to poor Mannikin, he had nothing but his
+determination to succeed, his faithful spaniel, and his ridiculous
+name--which last was hardly likely to help him, but as he could
+not alter it he wisely determined not to think of it any more.
+After journeying for two whole months they came at last to
+Trelintin, the capital of the Princess Sabella's kingdom, and here
+he heard dismal stories about the Ice Mountain, and how none of
+those who had attempted to climb it had ever come back. He heard
+also the story of King Farda-Kinbras, Sabella's father. It
+appeared that he, being a rich and powerful monarch, had married a
+lovely Princess named Birbantine, and they were as happy as the
+day was long--so happy that as they were out sledging one day they
+were foolish enough to defy fate to spoil their happiness.
+
+'We shall see about that,' grumbled an old hag who sat by the
+wayside blowing her fingers to keep them warm. The King thereupon
+was very angry, and wanted to punish the woman; but the Queen
+prevented him, saying:
+
+'Alas! sire, do not let us make bad worse; no doubt this is a
+Fairy!'
+
+'You are right there,' said the old woman, and immediately she
+stood up, and as they gazed at her in horror she grew gigantic and
+terrible, her staff turned to a fiery dragon with outstretched
+wings, her ragged cloak to a golden mantle, and her wooden shoes
+to two bundles of rockets. 'You are right there, and you will see
+what will come of your fine goings on, and remember the Fairy
+Gorgonzola!' So saying she mounted the dragon and flew off, the
+rockets shooting in all directions and leaving long trails of
+sparks.
+
+In vain did Farda-Kinbras and Birbantine beg her to return, and
+endeavour by their humble apologies to pacify her; she never so
+much as looked at them, and was very soon out of sight, leaving
+them a prey to all kinds of dismal forebodings. Very soon after
+this the Queen had a little daughter, who was the most beautiful
+creature ever seen; all the Fairies of the North were invited to
+her christening, and warned against the malicious Gorgonzola. She
+also was invited, but she neither came to the banquet nor received
+her present; but as soon as all the others were seated at table,
+after bestowing their gifts upon the little Princess, she stole
+into the Palace, disguised as a black cat, and hid herself under
+the cradle until the nurses and the cradle-rockers had all turned
+their backs, and then she sprang out, and in an instant had stolen
+the little Princess's heart and made her escape, only being chased
+by a few dogs and scullions on her way across the courtyard. Once
+outside she mounted her chariot and flew straight away to the
+North Pole, where she shut up her stolen treasure on the summit of
+the Ice Mountain, and surrounded it with so many difficulties that
+she felt quite easy about its remaining there as long as the
+Princess lived, and then she went home, chuckling at her success.
+As to the other Fairies, they went home after the banquet without
+discovering that anything was amiss, and so the King and Queen
+were quite happy. Sabella grew prettier day by day. She learnt
+everything a Princess ought to know without the slightest trouble,
+and yet something always seemed lacking to make her perfectly
+charming. She had an exquisite voice, but whether her songs were
+grave or gay it did not matter, she did not seem to know what they
+meant; and everyone who heard her said:
+
+'She certainly sings perfectly; but there is no tenderness, no
+heart in her voice.' Poor Sabella! how could there be when her
+heart was far away on the Ice Mountains? And it was just the same
+with all the other things that she did. As time went on, in spite
+of the admiration of the whole Court and the blind fondness of the
+King and Queen, it became more and more evident that something was
+fatally wrong: for those who love no one cannot long be loved; and
+at last the King called a general assembly, and invited the
+Fairies to attend, that they might, if possible, find out what was
+the matter. After explaining their grief as well as he could, he
+ended by begging them to see the Princess for themselves. 'It is
+certain,' said he, 'that something is wrong--what it is I don't
+know how to tell you, but in some way your work is imperfect.'
+
+They all assured him that, so far as they knew, everything had
+been done for the Princess, and they had forgotten nothing that
+they could bestow on so good a neighbour as the King had been to
+them. After this they went to see Sabella; but they had no sooner
+entered her presence than they cried out with one accord:
+
+'Oh! horror!--she has no heart!'
+
+On hearing this frightful announcement, the King and Queen gave a
+cry of despair, and entreated the Fairies to find some remedy for
+such an unheard-of misfortune. Thereupon the eldest Fairy
+consulted her Book of Magic, which she always carried about with
+her, hung to her girdle by a thick silver chain, and there she
+found out at once that it was Gorgonzola who had stolen the
+Princess's heart, and also discovered what the wicked old Fairy
+had done with it.
+
+'What shall we do? What shall we do?' cried the King and Queen in
+one breath.
+
+'You must certainly suffer much annoyance from seeing and loving
+Sabella, who is nothing but a beautiful image,' replied the Fairy,
+'and this must go on for a long time; but I think I see that, in
+the end, she will once more regain her heart. My advice is that
+you shall at once cause her portrait to be sent all over the
+world, and promise her hand and all her possessions to the Prince
+who is successful in reaching her heart. Her beauty alone is
+sufficient to engage all the Princes of the world in the quest.'
+
+This was accordingly done, and Prince Mannikin heard that already
+five hundred Princes had perished in the snow and ice, not to
+mention their squires and pages, and that more continued to arrive
+daily, eager to try their fortune. After some consideration he
+determined to present himself at Court; but his arrival made no
+stir, as his retinue was as inconsiderable as his stature, and the
+splendour of his rivals was great enough to throw even Farda-
+Kinbras himself into the shade. However, he paid his respects to
+the King very gracefully, and asked permission to kiss the hand of
+the Princess in the usual manner; but when he said he was called
+'Mannikin,' the King could hardly repress a smile, and the Princes
+who stood by openly shouted with laughter.
+
+Turning to the King, Prince Mannikin said with great dignity:
+
+'Pray laugh if it pleases your Majesty, I am glad that it is in my
+power to afford you any amusement; but I am not a plaything for
+these gentlemen, and I must beg them to dismiss any ideas of that
+kind from their minds at once,' and with that he turned upon the
+one who had laughed the loudest and proudly challenged him to a
+single combat. This Prince, who was called Fadasse, accepted the
+challenge very scornfully, mocking at Mannikin, whom he felt sure
+had no chance against himself; but the meeting was arranged for
+the next day. When Prince Mannikin quitted the King's presence he
+was conducted to the audience hall of the Princess Sabella. The
+sight of so much beauty and magnificence almost took his breath
+away for an instant, but, recovering himself with an effort, he
+said:
+
+'Lovely Princess, irresistibly drawn by the beauty of your
+portrait, I come from the other end of the world to offer my
+services to you. My devotion knows no bounds, but my absurd name
+has already involved me in a quarrel with one of your courtiers.
+Tomorrow I am to fight this ugly, overgrown Prince, and I beg you
+to honour the combat with your presence, and prove to the world
+that there is nothing in a name, and that you deign to accept
+Mannikin as your knight.'
+
+When it came to this the Princess could not help being amused,
+for, though she had no heart, she was not without humour. However,
+she answered graciously that she accepted with pleasure, which
+encouraged the Prince to entreat further that she would not show
+any favour to his adversary.
+
+'Alas!' said she, 'I favour none of these foolish people, who
+weary me with their sentiment and their folly. I do very well as I
+am, and yet from one year's end to another they talk of nothing
+but delivering me from some imaginary affliction. Not a word do I
+understand of all their pratings about love, and who knows what
+dull things besides, which, I declare to you, I cannot even
+remember.'
+
+Mannikin was quick enough to gather from this speech that to amuse
+and interest the Princess would be a far surer way of gaining her
+favour than to add himself to the list of those who continually
+teased her about that mysterious thing called 'love' which she was
+so incapable of comprehending. So he began to talk of his rivals,
+and found in each of them something to make merry over, in which
+diversion the Princess joined him heartily, and so well did he
+succeed in his attempt to amuse her that before very long she
+declared that of all the people at Court he was the one to whom
+she preferred to talk.
+
+The following day, at the time appointed for the combat, when the
+King, the Queen, and the Princess had taken their places, and the
+whole Court and the whole town were assembled to see the show,
+Prince Fadasse rode into the lists magnificently armed and
+accoutred, followed by twenty-four squires and a hundred men-at-
+arms, each one leading, a splendid horse, while Prince Mannikin
+entered from the other side armed only with his spear and followed
+by the faithful Mousta. The contrast between the two champions was
+so great that there was a shout of laughter from the whole
+assembly; but when at the sounding of a trumpet the combatants
+rushed upon each other, and Mannikin, eluding the blow aimed at
+him, succeeded in thrusting Prince Fadasse from his horse and
+pinning him to the sand with his spear, it changed to a murmur of
+admiration.
+
+So soon as he had him at his mercy, however, Mannikin, turning to
+the Princess, assured her that he had no desire to kill anyone who
+called himself her courtier, and then he bade the furious and
+humiliated Fadasse rise and thank the Princess to whom he owed his
+life. Then, amid the sounding of the trumpets and the shoutings of
+the people, he and Mousta retired gravely from the lists.
+
+The King soon sent for him to congratulate him upon his success,
+and to offer him a lodging in the Palace, which he joyfully
+accepted. While the Princess expressed a wish to have Mousta
+brought to her, and, when the Prince sent for him, she was so
+delighted with his courtly manners and his marvellous intelligence
+that she entreated Mannikin to give him to her for her own. The
+Prince consented with alacrity, not only out of politeness, but
+because he foresaw that to have a faithful friend always near the
+Princess might some day be of great service to him. All these
+events made Prince Mannikin a person of much more consequence at
+the Court. Very soon after, there arrived upon the frontier the
+Ambassador of a very powerful King, who sent to Farda-Kinbras the
+following letter, at the same time demanding permission to enter
+the capital in state to receive the answer:
+
+'I, Brandatimor, to Farda-Kinbras send greeting. If I had before
+this time seen the portrait of your beautiful daughter Sabella I
+should not have permitted all these adventurers and petty Princes
+to be dancing attendance and getting themselves frozen with the
+absurd idea of meriting her hand. For myself I am not afraid of
+any rivals, and, now I have declared my intention of marrying your
+daughter, no doubt they will at once withdraw their pretensions.
+My Ambassador has orders, therefore, to make arrangements for the
+Princess to come and be married to me without delay--for I attach
+no importance at all to the farrago of nonsense which you have
+caused to be published all over the world about this Ice Mountain.
+If the Princess really has no heart, be assured that I shall not
+concern myself about it, since, if anybody can help her to
+discover one, it is myself. My worthy father-in-law, farewell!'
+
+The reading of this letter embarrassed and displeased Farda-
+Kinbras and Birbantine immensely, while the Princess was furious
+at the insolence of the demand. They all three resolved that its
+contents must be kept a profound secret until they could decide
+what reply should be sent, but Mousta contrived to send word of
+all that had passed to Prince Mannikin. He was naturally alarmed
+and indignant, and, after thinking it over a little, he begged an
+audience of the Princess, and led the conversation so cunningly up
+to the subject that was uppermost in her thoughts, as well as his
+own, that she presently told him all about the matter and asked
+his advice as to what it would be best to do. This was exactly
+what he had not been able to decide for himself; however, he
+replied that he should advise her to gain a little time by
+promising her answer after the grand entry of the Ambassador, and
+this was accordingly done.
+
+The Ambassador did not at all like being put off after that
+fashion, but he was obliged to be content, and only said very
+arrogantly that so soon as his equipages arrived, as he expected
+they would do very shortly, he would give all the people of the
+city, and the stranger Princes with whom it was inundated, an idea
+of the power and the magnificence of his master. Mannikin, in
+despair, resolved that he would for once beg the assistance of the
+kind Fairy Genesta. He often thought of her and always with
+gratitude, but from the moment of his setting out he had
+determined to seek her aid only on the greatest occasions. That
+very night, when he had fallen asleep quite worn out with thinking
+over all the difficulties of the situation, he dreamed that the
+Fairy stood beside him, and said:
+
+'Mannikin, you have done very well so far; continue to please me
+and you shall always find good friends when you need them most. As
+for this affair with the Ambassador, you can assure Sabella that
+she may look forward tranquilly to his triumphal entry, since it
+will all turn out well for her in the end.'
+
+The Prince tried to throw himself at her feet to thank her, but
+woke to find it was all a dream; nevertheless he took fresh
+courage, and went next day to see the Princess, to whom he gave
+many mysterious assurances that all would yet be well. He even
+went so far as to ask her if she would not be very grateful to
+anyone who would rid her of the insolent Brandatimor. To which she
+replied that her gratitude would know no bounds. Then he wanted to
+know what would be her best wish for the person who was lucky
+enough to accomplish it. To which she said that she would wish
+them to be as insensible to the folly called 'love' as she was
+herself!
+
+This was indeed a crushing speech to make to such a devoted lover
+as Prince Mannikin, but he concealed the pain it caused him with
+great courage.
+
+And now the Ambassador sent to say that on the very next day he
+would come in state to receive his answer, and from the earliest
+dawn the inhabitants were astir, to secure the best places for the
+grand sight; but the good Fairy Genesta was providing them an
+amount of amusement they were far from expecting, for she so
+enchanted the eyes of all the spectators that when the
+Ambassador's gorgeous procession appeared, the splendid uniforms
+seemed to them miserable rags that a beggar would have been
+ashamed to wear, the prancing horses appeared as wretched
+skeletons hardly able to drag one leg after the other, while their
+trappings, which really sparkled with gold and jewels, looked like
+old sheepskins that would not have been good enough for a plough
+horse. The pages resembled the ugliest sweeps. The trumpets gave
+no more sound than whistles made of onion-stalks, or combs wrapped
+in paper; while the train of fifty carriages looked no better than
+fifty donkey carts. In the last of these sat the Ambassador with
+the haughty and scornful air which he considered becoming in the
+representative of so powerful a monarch: for this was the crowning
+point of the absurdity of the whole procession, that all who took
+part in it wore the expression of vanity and self-satisfaction and
+pride in their own appearance and all their surroundings which
+they believed their splendour amply justified.
+
+The laughter and howls of derision from the whole crowd rose ever
+louder and louder as the extraordinary cortege advanced, and at
+last reached the ears of the King as he waited in the audience
+hall, and before the procession reached the palace he had been
+informed of its nature, and, supposing that it must be intended as
+an insult, he ordered the gates to be closed. You may imagine the
+fury of the Ambassador when, after all his pomp and pride, the
+King absolutely and unaccountably refused to receive him. He raved
+wildly both against King and people, and the cortege retired in
+great confusion, jeered at and pelted with stones and mud by the
+enraged crowd. It is needless to say that he left the country as
+fast as horses could carry him, but not before he had declared
+war, with the most terrible menaces, threatening to devastate the
+country with fire and sword.
+
+Some days after this disastrous embassy King Bayard sent couriers
+to Prince Mannikin with a most friendly letter, offering his
+services in any difficulty, and enquiring with the deepest
+interest how he fared.
+
+Mannikin at once replied, relating all that had happened since
+they parted, not forgetting to mention the event which had just
+involved Farda-Kinbras and Brandatimor in this deadly quarrel, and
+he ended by entreating his faithful friend to despatch a few
+thousands of his veteran spaniels to his assistance.
+
+Neither the King, the Queen, nor the Princess could in the least
+understand the amazing conduct of Brandatimor's Ambassador;
+nevertheless the preparations for the war went forward briskly and
+all the Princes who had not gone on towards the Ice Mountain
+offered their services, at the same time demanding all the best
+appointments in the King's army. Mannikin was one of the first to
+volunteer, but he only asked to go as aide-de-camp to the
+Commander-in chief, who was a gallant soldier and celebrated for
+his victories. As soon as the army could be got together it was
+marched to the frontier, where it met the opposing force headed by
+Brandatimor himself, who was full of fury, determined to avenge
+the insult to his Ambassador and to possess himself of the
+Princess Sabella. All the army of Farda-Kinbras could do, being so
+heavily outnumbered, was to act upon the defensive, and before
+long Mannikin won the esteem of the officers for his ability, and
+of the soldiers for his courage, and care for their welfare, and
+in all the skirmishes which he conducted he had the good fortune
+to vanquish the enemy.
+
+At last Brandatimor engaged the whole army in a terrific conflict,
+and though the troops of Farda-Kinbras fought with desperate
+courage, their general was killed, and they were defeated and
+forced to retreat with immense loss. Mannikin did wonders, and
+half-a-dozen times turned the retreating forces and beat back the
+enemy; and he afterwards collected troops enough to keep them in
+check until, the severe winter setting in, put an end to
+hostilities for a while.
+
+He then returned to the Court, where consternation reigned. The
+King was in despair at the death of his trusty general, and ended
+by imploring Mannikin to take the command of the army, and his
+counsel was followed in all the affairs of the Court. He followed
+up his former plan of amusing the Princess, and on no account
+reminding her of that tedious thing called 'love,' so that she was
+always glad to see him, and the winter slipped by gaily for both
+of them.
+
+The Prince was all the while secretly making plans for the next
+campaign; he received private intelligence of the arrival of a
+strong reinforcement of Spaniels, to whom he sent orders to post
+themselves along the frontier without attracting attention, and as
+soon as he possibly could he held a consultation with their
+Commander, who was an old and experienced warrior. Following his
+advice, he decided to have a pitched battle as soon as the enemy
+advanced, and this Brandatimor lost not a moment in doing, as he
+was perfectly persuaded that he was now going to make an end of
+the war and utterly vanquish Farda-Kinbras. But no sooner had he
+given the order to charge than the Spaniels, who had mingled with
+his troops unperceived, leaped each upon the horse nearest to him,
+and not only threw the whole squadron into confusion by the terror
+they caused, but, springing at the throats of the riders, unhorsed
+many of them by the suddenness of their attack; then turning the
+horses to the rear, they spread consternation everywhere, and made
+it easy for Prince Mannikin to gain a complete victory. He met
+Brandatimor in single combat, and succeeded in taking him
+prisoner; but he did not live to reach the Court, to which
+Mannikin had sent him: his pride killed him at the thought of
+appearing before Sabella under these altered circumstances. In the
+meantime Prince Fadasse and all the others who had remained behind
+were setting out with all speed for the conquest of the Ice
+Mountain, being afraid that Prince Mannikin might prove as
+successful in that as he seemed to be in everything else, and when
+Mannikin returned he heard of it with great annoyance. True he had
+been serving the Princess, but she only admired and praised him
+for his gallant deeds, and seemed no whit nearer bestowing on him
+the love he so ardently desired, and all the comfort Mousta could
+give him on the subject was that at least she loved no one else,
+and with that he had to content himself. But he determined that,
+come what might, he would delay no longer, but attempt the great
+undertaking for which he had come so far. When he went to take
+leave of the King and Queen they entreated him not to go, as they
+had just heard that Prince Fadasse, and all who accompanied him,
+had perished in the snow; but he persisted in his resolve. As for
+Sabella, she gave him her hand to kiss with precisely the same
+gracious indifference as she had given it to him the first time
+they met. It happened that this farewell took place before the
+whole Court, and so great a favourite had Prince Mannikin become
+that they were all indignant at the coldness with which the
+Princess treated him.
+
+Finally the King said to him:
+
+'Prince, you have constantly refilled all the gifts which, in my
+gratitude for your invaluable services, I have offered to you, but
+I wish the Princess to present you with her cloak of marten's fur,
+and that I hope you will not reject!' Now this was a splendid fur
+mantle which the Princess was very fond of wearing, not so much
+because she felt cold, as that its richness set off to perfection
+the delicate tints of her complexion and the brilliant gold of her
+hair. However, she took it off, and with graceful politeness
+begged Prince Mannikin to accept it, which you may be sure he was
+charmed to do, and, taking only this and a little bundle of all
+kinds of wood, and accompanied only by two spaniels out of the
+fifty who had stayed with him when the war was ended, he set
+forth, receiving many tokens of love and favour from the people in
+every town he passed through. At the last little village he left
+his horse behind him, to begin his toilful march through the snow,
+which extended, blank and terrible, in every direction as far as
+the eye could see. Here he had appointed to meet the other forty-
+eight spaniels, who received him joyfully, and assured him that,
+happen what might, they would follow and serve him faithfully. And
+so they started, full of heart and hope. At first there was a
+slight track, difficult, but not impossible to follow; but this
+was soon lost, and the Pole Star was their only guide. When the
+time came to call a halt, the Prince, who had after much
+consideration decided on his plan of action, caused a few twigs
+from the faggot he had brought with him to be planted in the snow,
+and then he sprinkled over them a pinch of the magic powder he had
+collected from the enchanted boat. To his great joy they instantly
+began to sprout and grow, and in a marvellously short time the
+camp was surrounded by a perfect grove of trees of all sorts,
+which blossomed and bore ripe fruit, so that all their wants were
+easily supplied, and they were able to make huge fires to warm
+themselves. The Prince then sent out several spaniels to
+reconnoitre, and they had the good luck to discover a horse laden
+with provisions stuck fast in the snow. They at once fetched their
+comrades, and brought the spoil triumphantly into the camp, and,
+as it consisted principally of biscuits, not a spaniel among them
+went supperless to sleep. In this way they journeyed by day and
+encamped safely at night, always remembering to take on a few
+branches to provide them with food and shelter. They passed by the
+way armies of those who had set out upon the perilous enterprise,
+who stood frozen stiffly, without sense or motion; but Prince
+Mannikin strictly forbade that any attempt should be made to thaw
+them. So they went on and on for more than three months, and day
+by day the Ice Mountain, which they had seen for a long time, grew
+clearer, until at last they stood close to it, and shuddered at
+its height and steepness. But by patience and perseverance they
+crept up foot by foot, aided by their fires of magic wood, without
+which they must have perished in the intense cold, until presently
+they stood at the gates of the magnificent Ice Palace which
+crowned the mountain, where, in deadly silence and icy sleep, lay
+the heart of Sabella. Now the difficulty became immense, for if
+they maintained enough heat to keep themselves alive they were in
+danger every moment of melting the blocks of solid ice of which
+the palace was entirely built, and bringing the whole structure
+down upon their heads; but cautiously and quickly they traversed
+courtyards and halls, until they found themselves at the foot of a
+vast throne, where, upon a cushion of snow, lay an enormous and
+brilliantly sparkling diamond, which contained the heart of the
+lovely Princess Sabella. Upon the lowest step of the throne was
+inscribed in icy letters, 'Whosoever thou art who by courage and
+virtue canst win the heart of Sabella enjoy peacefully the good
+fortune which thou hast richly deserved.'
+
+Prince Mannikin bounded forward, and had just strength left to
+grasp the precious diamond which contained all he coveted in the
+world before he fell insensible upon the snowy cushion. But his
+good spaniels lost no time in rushing to the rescue, and between
+them they bore him hastily from the hall, and not a moment too
+soon, for all around them they heard the clang of the falling
+blocks of ice as the Fairy Palace slowly collapsed under the
+unwonted heat. Not until they reached the foot of the mountain did
+they pause to restore the Prince to consciousness, and then his
+joy to find himself the possessor of Sabella's heart knew no
+bounds.
+
+With all speed they began to retrace their steps, but this time
+the happy Prince could not bear the sight of his defeated and
+disappointed rivals, whose frozen forms lined his triumphant way.
+He gave orders to his spaniels to spare no pains to restore them
+to life, and so successful were they that day by day his train
+increased, so that by the time he got back to the little village
+where he had left his horse he was escorted by five hundred
+sovereign Princes, and knights and squires without number, and he
+was so courteous and unassuming that they all followed him
+willingly, anxious to do him honour. But then he was so happy and
+blissful himself that he found it easy to be at peace with all the
+world. It was not long before he met the faithful Mousta, who was
+coming at the top of his speed hoping to meet the Prince, that he
+might tell him of the sudden and wonderful change that had come
+over the Princess, who had become gentle and thoughtful and had
+talked to him of nothing but Prince Mannikin, of the hardships she
+feared he might be suffering, and of her anxiety for him, and all
+this with a hundred fonder expressions which put the finishing
+stroke to the Prince's delight. Then came a courier bearing the
+congratulations of the King and Queen, who had just heard of his
+successful return, and there was even a graceful compliment from
+Sabella herself. The Prince sent Mousta back to her, and he was
+welcomed with joy, for was he not her lover's present?
+
+At last the travellers reached the capital, and were received with
+regal magnificence. Farda-Kinbras and Birbantine embraced Prince
+Mannikin, declaring that they regarded him as their heir and the
+future husband of the Princess, to which he replied that they did
+him too much honour. And then he was admitted into the presence of
+the Princess, who for the first time in her life blushed as he
+kissed her hand, and could not find a word to say. But the Prince,
+throwing himself on his knees beside her, held out the splendid
+diamond, saying:
+
+'Madam, this treasure is yours, since none of the dangers and
+difficulties I have gone through have been sufficient to make me
+deserve it.'
+
+'Ah! Prince,' said she, 'if I take it, it is only that I may give
+it back to you, since truly it belongs to you already.'
+
+At this moment in came the King and Queen, and interrupted them by
+asking all the questions imaginable, and not infrequently the same
+over and over again. It seems that there is always one thing that
+is sure to be said about an event by everybody, and Prince
+Mannikin found that the question which he was asked by more than a
+thousand people on this particular occasion was:
+
+'And didn't you find it very cold?'
+
+The King had come to request Prince Mannikin and the Princess to
+follow him to the Council Chamber, which they did, not knowing
+that he meant to present the Prince to all the nobles assembled
+there as his son-in-law and successor. But when Mannikin perceived
+his intention, he begged permission to speak first, and told his
+whole story, even to the fact that he believed himself to be a
+peasant's son. Scarcely had he finished speaking when the sky grew
+black, the thunder growled, and the lightning flashed, and in the
+blaze of light the good Fairy Genesta suddenly appeared. Turning
+to Prince Mannikin, she said:
+
+'I am satisfied with you, since you have shown not only courage
+but a good heart.' Then she addressed King Farda-Kinbras, and
+informed him of the real history of the Prince, and how she had
+determined to give him the education she knew would be best for a
+man who was to command others. 'You have already found the
+advantage of having a faithful friend,' she added to the Prince
+'and now you will have the pleasure of seeing King Bayard and his
+subjects regain their natural forms as a reward for his kindness
+to you.'
+
+Just then arrived a chariot drawn by eagles, which proved to
+contain the foolish King and Queen, who embraced their long-lost
+son with great joy, and were greatly struck with the fact that
+they did indeed find him covered with fur! While they were
+caressing Sabella and wringing her hands (which is a favourite
+form of endearment with foolish people) chariots were seen
+approaching from all points of the compass, containing numbers of
+Fairies.
+
+'Sire,' said Genesta to Farda-Kinbras, 'I have taken the liberty
+of appointing your Court as a meeting-place for all the Fairies
+who could spare the time to come; and I hope you can arrange to
+hold the great ball, which we have once in a hundred years, on
+this occasion.'
+
+The King having suitably acknowledged the honour done him, was
+next reconciled to Gorgonzola, and they two presently opened the
+ball together. The Fairy Marsontine restored their natural forms
+to King Bayard and all his subjects, and he appeared once more as
+handsome a king as you could wish to see. One of the Fairies
+immediately despatched her chariot for the Queen of the Spice
+Islands, and their wedding took place at the same time as that of
+Prince Mannikin and the lovely and gracious Sabella. They lived
+happily ever afterwards, and their vast kingdoms were presently
+divided between their children.
+
+The Prince, out of grateful remembrance of the Princess Sabella's
+first gift to him bestowed the right of bearing her name upon the
+most beautiful of the martens, and that is why they are called
+sables to this day.
+
+Comte de Caylus.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE ENCHANTED RING
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a young man named Rosimond, who was
+as good and handsome as his elder brother Bramintho was ugly and
+wicked. Their mother detested her eldest son, and had only eyes
+for the youngest. This excited Bramintho's jealousy, and he
+invented a horrible story in order to ruin his brother. He told
+his father that Rosimond was in the habit of visiting a neighbour
+who was an enemy of the family, and betraying to him all that went
+on in the house, and was plotting with him to poison their father.
+
+The father flew into a rage, and flogged his son till the blood
+came. Then he threw him into prison and kept him for three days
+without food, and after that he turned him out of the house, and
+threatened to kill him if he ever came back. The mother was
+miserable, and did nothing but weep, but she dared not say
+anything.
+
+The youth left his home with tears in his eyes, not knowing where
+to go, and wandered about for many hours till he came to a thick
+wood. Night overtook him at the foot of a great rock, and he fell
+asleep on a bank of moss, lulled by the music of a little brook.
+
+It was dawn when he woke, and he saw before him a beautiful woman
+seated on a grey horse, with trappings of gold, who looked as if
+she were preparing for the hunt.
+
+'Have you seen a stag and some deerhounds go by?' she asked.
+
+'No, madam,' he replied.
+
+Then she added, 'You look unhappy; is there anything the matter?
+Take this ring, which will make you the happiest and most powerful
+of men, provided you never make a bad use of it. If you turn the
+diamond inside, you will become invisible. If you turn it outside,
+you will become visible again. If you place it on your little
+finger, you will take the shape of the King's son, followed by a
+splendid court. If you put it on your fourth finger, you will take
+your own shape.'
+
+Then the young man understood that it was a Fairy who was speaking
+to him, and when she had finished she plunged into the woods. The
+youth was very impatient to try the ring, and returned home
+immediately. He found that the Fairy had spoken the truth, and
+that he could see and hear everything, while he himself was
+unseen. It lay with him to revenge himself, if he chose, on his
+brother, without the slightest danger to himself, and he told no
+one but his mother of all the strange things that had befallen
+him. He afterwards put the enchanted ring on his little finger,
+and appeared as the King's son, followed by a hundred fine horses,
+and a guard of officers all richly dressed.
+
+His father was much surprised to see the King's son in his quiet
+little house, and he felt rather embarrassed, not knowing what was
+the proper way to behave on such a grand occasion. Then Rosimond
+asked him how many sons he had.
+
+'Two,' replied he.
+
+'I wish to see them,' said Rosimond. 'Send for them at once. I
+desire to take them both to Court, in order to make their
+fortunes.'
+
+The father hesitated, then answered: 'Here is the eldest, whom I
+have the honour to present to your Highness.'
+
+'But where is the youngest? I wish to see him too,' persisted
+Rosimond.
+
+'He is not here,' said the father. 'I had to punish him for a
+fault, and he has run away.'
+
+Then Rosimond replied, 'You should have shown him what was right,
+but not have punished him. However, let the elder come with me,
+and as for you, follow these two guards, who will escort you to a
+place that I will point out to them.'
+
+Then the two guards led off the father, and the Fairy of whom you
+have heard found him in the forest, and beat him with a golden
+birch rod, and cast him into a cave that was very deep and dark,
+where he lay enchanted. 'Lie there,' she said, 'till your son
+comes to take you out again.'
+
+Meanwhile the son went to the King's palace, and arrived just when
+the real prince was absent. He had sailed away to make war on a
+distant island, but the winds had been contrary, and he had been
+shipwrecked on unknown shores, and taken captive by a savage
+people. Rosimond made his appearance at Court in the character of
+the Prince, whom everyone wept for as lost, and told them that he
+had been rescued when at the point of death by some merchants. His
+return was the signal for great public rejoicings, and the King
+was so overcome that he became quite speechless, and did nothing
+but embrace his son. The Queen was even more delighted, and fetes
+were ordered over the whole kingdom.
+
+One day the false Prince said to his real brother, 'Bramintho, you
+know that I brought you here from your native village in order to
+make your fortune; but I have found out that you are a liar, and
+that by your deceit you have been the cause of all the troubles of
+your brother Rosimond. He is in hiding here, and I desire that you
+shall speak to him, and listen to his reproaches.'
+
+Bramintho trembled at these words, and, flinging himself at the
+Prince's feet, confessed his crime.
+
+'That is not enough,' said Rosimond. 'It is to your brother that
+you must confess, and I desire that you shall ask his forgiveness.
+He will be very generous if he grants it, and it will be more than
+you deserve. He is in my ante-room, where you shall see him at
+once. I myself will retire into another apartment, so as to leave
+you alone with him.'
+
+Bramintho entered, as he was told, into the anteroom. Then
+Rosimond changed the ring, and passed into the room by another
+door.
+
+Bramintho was filled with shame as soon as he saw his brother's
+face. He implored his pardon, and promised to atone for all his
+faults. Rosimond embraced him with tears, and at once forgave him,
+adding, 'I am in great favour with the King. It rests with me to
+have your head cut off, or to condemn you to pass the remainder of
+your life in prison; but I desire to be as good to you as you have
+been wicked to me.' Bramintho, confused and ashamed, listened to
+his words without daring to lift his eyes or to remind Rosimond
+that he was his brother. After this, Rosimond gave out that he was
+going to make a secret voyage, to marry a Princess who lived in a
+neighbouring kingdom; but in reality he only went to see his
+mother, whom he told all that had happened at the Court, giving
+her at the same time some money that she needed, for the King
+allowed him to take exactly what he liked, though he was always
+careful not to abuse this permission. Just then a furious war
+broke out between the King his master and the Sovereign of the
+adjoining country, who was a bad man and one that never kept his
+word. Rosimond went straight to the palace of the wicked King, and
+by means of his ring was able to be present at all the councils,
+and learnt all their schemes, so that he was able to forestall
+them and bring them to naught. He took the command of the army
+which was brought against the wicked King, and defeated him in a
+glorious battle, so that peace was at once concluded on conditions
+that were just to everyone.
+
+Henceforth the King's one idea was to marry the young man to a
+Princess who was the heiress to a neighbouring kingdom, and,
+besides that, was as lovely as the day. But one morning, while
+Rosimond was hunting in the forest where for the first time he had
+seen the Fairy, his benefactress suddenly appeared before him.
+'Take heed,' she said to him in severe tones, 'that you do not
+marry anybody who believes you to be a Prince. You must never
+deceive anyone. The real Prince, whom the whole nation thinks you
+are, will have to succeed his father, for that is just and right.
+Go and seek him in some distant island, and I will send winds that
+will swell your sails and bring you to him. Hasten to render this
+service to your master, although it is against your own ambition,
+and prepare, like an honest man, to return to your natural state.
+If you do not do this, you will become wicked and unhappy, and I
+will abandon you to all your former troubles.'
+
+Rosimond took these wise counsels to heart. He gave out that he
+had undertaken a secret mission to a neighbouring state, and
+embarked on board a vessel, the winds carrying him straight to the
+island where the Fairy had told him he would find the real Prince.
+This unfortunate youth had been taken captive by a savage people,
+who had kept him to guard their sheep. Rosimond, becoming
+invisible, went to seek him amongst the pastures, where he kept
+his flock, and, covering him with his mantle, he delivered him out
+of the hands of his cruel masters, and bore him back to the ship.
+Other winds sent by the Fairy swelled the sails, and together the
+two young men entered the King's presence.
+
+Rosimond spoke first and said, 'You have believed me to be your
+son. I am not he, but I have brought him back to you.' The King,
+filled with astonishment, turned to his real son and asked, 'Was
+it not you, my son, who conquered my enemies and won such a
+glorious peace? Or is it true that you have been shipwrecked and
+taken captive, and that Rosimond has set you free?'
+
+'Yes, my father,' replied the Prince. 'It is he who sought me out
+in my captivity and set me free, and to him I owe the happiness of
+seeing you once more. It was he, not I, who gained the victory.'
+
+The King could hardly believe his ears; but Rosimond, turning the
+ring, appeared before him in the likeness of the Prince, and the
+King gazed distractedly at the two youths who seemed both to be
+his son. Then he offered Rosimond immense rewards for his
+services, which were refused, and the only favour the young man
+would accept was that one of his posts at Court should be
+conferred on his brother Bramintho. For he feared for himself the
+changes of fortune, the envy of mankind and his own weakness. His
+desire was to go back to his mother and his native village, and to
+spend his time in cultivating the land.
+
+One day, when he was wandering through the woods, he met the
+Fairy, who showed him the cavern where his father was imprisoned,
+and told him what words he must use in order to set him free. He
+repeated them joyfully, for he had always longed to bring the old
+man back and to make his last days happy. Rosimond thus became the
+benefactor of all his family, and had the pleasure of doing good
+to those who had wished to do him evil. As for the Court, to whom
+he had rendered such services, all he asked was the freedom to
+live far from its corruption; and, to crown all, fearing that if
+he kept the ring he might be tempted to use it in order to regain
+his lost place in the world, he made up his mind to restore it to
+the Fairy. For many days he sought her up and down the woods and
+at last he found her. 'I want to give you back,' he said, holding
+out the ring, 'a gift as dangerous as it is powerful, and which I
+fear to use wrongfully. I shall never feel safe till I have made
+it impossible for me to leave my solitude and to satisfy my
+passions.'
+
+While Rosimond was seeking to give back the ring to the Fairy,
+Bramintho, who had failed to learn any lessons from experience,
+gave way to all his desires, and tried to persuade the Prince,
+lately become King, to ill-treat Rosimond. But the Fairy, who knew
+all about everything, said to Rosimond, when he was imploring her
+to accept the ring:
+
+'Your wicked brother is doing his best to poison the mind of the
+King towards you, and to ruin you. He deserves to be punished, and
+he must die; and in order that he may destroy himself, I shall
+give the ring to him.'
+
+Rosimond wept at these words, and then asked:
+
+'What do you mean by giving him the ring as a punishment? He will
+only use it to persecute everyone, and to become master.'
+
+'The same things,' answered the Fairy, 'are often a healing
+medicine to one person and a deadly poison to another. Prosperity
+is the source of all evil to a naturally wicked man. If you wish
+to punish a scoundrel, the first thing to do is to give him power.
+You will see that with this rope he will soon hang himself.'
+
+Having said this, she disappeared, and went straight to the
+Palace, where she showed herself to Bramintho under the disguise
+of an old woman covered with rags. She at once addressed him in
+these words:
+
+'I have taken this ring from the hands of your brother, to whom I
+had lent it, and by its help he covered himself with glory. I now
+give it to you, and be careful what you do with it.'
+
+Bramintho replied with a laugh:
+
+'I shall certainly not imitate my brother, who was foolish enough
+to bring back the Prince instead of reigning in his place,' and he
+was as good as his word. The only use he made of the ring was to
+find out family secrets and betray them, to commit murders and
+every sort of wickedness, and to gain wealth for himself
+unlawfully. All these crimes, which could be traced to nobody,
+filled the people with astonishment. The King, seeing so many
+affairs, public and private, exposed, was at first as puzzled as
+anyone, till Bramintho's wonderful prosperity and amazing
+insolence made him suspect that the enchanted ring had become his
+property. In order to find out the truth he bribed a stranger just
+arrived at Court, one of a nation with whom the King was always at
+war, and arranged that he was to steal in the night to Bramintho
+and to offer him untold honours and rewards if he would betray the
+State secrets.
+
+Bramintho promised everything, and accepted at once the first
+payment of his crime, boasting that he had a ring which rendered
+him invisible, and that by means of it he could penetrate into the
+most private places. But his triumph was short. Next day he was
+seized by order of the King, and his ring was taken from him. He
+was searched, and on him were found papers which proved his
+crimes; and, though Rosimond himself came back to the Court to
+entreat his pardon, it was refused. So Bramintho was put to death,
+and the ring had been even more fatal to him than it had been
+useful in the hands of his brother.
+
+To console Rosimond for the fate of Bramintho, the King gave him
+back the enchanted ring, as a pearl without price. The unhappy
+Rosimond did not look upon it in the same light, and the first
+thing he did on his return home was to seek the Fairy in the
+woods.
+
+'Here,' he said, 'is your ring. My brother's experience has made
+me understand many things that I did not know before. Keep it, it
+has only led to his destruction. Ah! without it he would be alive
+now, and my father and mother would not in their old age be bowed
+to the earth with shame and grief! Perhaps he might have been wise
+and happy if he had never had the chance of gratifying his wishes!
+Oh! how dangerous it is to have more power than the rest of the
+world! Take back your ring, and as ill fortune seems to follow all
+on whom you bestow it, I will implore you, as a favour to myself,
+that you will never give it to anyone who is dear to me.'
+
+Fenelon.
+
+
+
+THE SNUFF-BOX
+
+
+
+As often happens in this world, there was once a young man who
+spent all his time in travelling. One day, as he was walking
+along, he picked up a snuff-box. He opened it, and the snuff-box
+said to him in the Spanish language, 'What do you want?' He was
+very much frightened, but, luckily, instead of throwing the box
+away, he only shut it tight, and put it in his pocket. Then he
+went on, away, away, away, and as he went he said to himself, 'If
+it says to me again "What do you want?" I shall know better what
+to say this time.' So he took out the snuff-box and opened it, and
+again it asked 'What do you want?' 'My hat full of gold,' answered
+the youth, and immediately it was full.
+
+Our young man was enchanted. Henceforth he should never be in need
+of anything. So on he travelled, away, away, away, through thick
+forests, till at last he came to a beautiful castle. In the castle
+there lived a King. The young man walked round and round the
+castle, not caring who saw him, till the King noticed him, and
+asked what he was doing there. 'I was just looking at your
+castle.' 'You would like to have one like it, wouldn't you?' The
+young man did not reply, but when it grew dark he took his snuff-
+box and opened the lid. 'What do you want?' 'Build me a castle
+with laths of gold and tiles of diamond, and the furniture all of
+silver and gold.' He had scarcely finished speaking when there
+stood in front of him, exactly opposite the King's palace, a
+castle built precisely as he had ordered. When the King awoke he
+was struck dumb at the sight of the magnificent house shining in
+the rays of the sun. The servants could not do their work for
+stopping to stare at it. Then the King dressed himself, and went
+to see the young man. And he told him plainly that he was a very
+powerful Prince; and that he hoped that they might all live
+together in one house or the other, and that the King would give
+him his daughter to wife. So it all turned out just as the King
+wished. The young man married the Princess, and they lived happily
+in the palace of gold.
+
+But the King's wife was jealous both of the young man and of her
+own daughter. The Princess had told her mother about the snuff-
+box, which gave them everything they wanted, and the Queen bribed
+a servant to steal the snuff-box. They noticed carefully where it
+was put away every night, and one evening, when the whole world
+was asleep, the woman stole it and brought it to her old mistress.
+Oh how happy the Queen was! She opened the lid, and the snuff-box
+said to her 'What do you want?' And she answered at once 'I want
+you to take me and my husband and my servants and this beautiful
+house and set us down on the other side of the Red Sea, but my
+daughter and her husband are to stay behind.'
+
+When the young couple woke up, they found themselves back in the
+old castle, without their snuff-box. They hunted for it high and
+low, but quite vainly. The young man felt that no time was to be
+lost, and he mounted his horse and filled his pockets with as much
+gold as he could carry. On he went, away, away, away, but he
+sought the snuff-box in vain all up and down the neighbouring
+countries, and very soon he came to the end of all his money. But
+still he went on, as fast as the strength of his horse would let
+him, begging his way.
+
+Someone told him that he ought to consult the moon, for the moon
+travelled far, and might be able to tell him something. So he went
+away, away, away, and ended, somehow or other, by reaching the
+land of the moon. There he found a little old woman who said to
+him 'What are you doing here? My son eats all living things he
+sees, and if you are wise, you will go away without coming any
+further.' But the young man told her all his sad tale, and how he
+possessed a wonderful snuff-box, and how it had been stolen from
+him, and how he had nothing left, now that he was parted from his
+wife and was in need of everything. And he said that perhaps her
+son, who travelled so far, might have seen a palace with laths of
+gold and tiles of diamond, and furnished all in silver and gold.
+As he spoke these last words, the moon came in and said he smelt
+mortal flesh and blood. But his mother told him that it was an
+unhappy man who had lost everything, and had come all this way to
+consult him, and bade the young man not to be afraid, but to come
+forward and show himself. So he went boldly up to the moon, and
+asked if by any accident he had seen a palace with the laths of
+gold and the tiles of diamond, and all the furniture of silver and
+gold. Once this house belonged to him, but now it was stolen. And
+the moon said no, but that the sun travelled farther than he did,
+and that the young man had better go and ask him.
+
+So the young man departed, and went away, away, away, as well as
+his horse would take him, begging his living as he rode along,
+and, somehow or other, at last he got to the land of the sun.
+There he found a little old woman, who asked him, 'What are you
+doing here? Go away. Have you not heard that my son feeds upon
+Christians?' But he said no, and that he would not go, for he was
+so miserable that it was all one to him whether he died or not;
+that he had lost everything, and especially a splendid palace like
+none other in the whole world, for it had laths of gold and tiles
+of diamond, and all the furniture was of silver and gold. And that
+he had sought it far and long, and in all the earth there was no
+man more unhappy. So the old woman's heart melted, and she agreed
+to hide him.
+
+When the Sun arrived, he declared that he smelt Christian flesh,
+and he meant to have it for his dinner. But his mother told him
+such a pitiful story of the miserable wretch who had lost
+everything, and had come from far to ask his help, that at last he
+promised to see him.
+
+So the young man came out from his hiding-place and begged the sun
+to tell him if in the course of his travels he had not seen
+somewhere a palace that had not its like in the whole world, for
+its laths were of gold and its tiles of diamond, and all the
+furniture in silver and gold.
+
+And the sun said no, but that perhaps the wind had seen it, for he
+entered everywhere, and saw things that no one else ever saw, and
+if anyone knew where it was, it was certainly the wind.
+
+Then the poor young man again set forth as well as his horse could
+take him, begging his living as he went, and, somehow or other, he
+ended by reaching the home of the wind. He found there a little
+old woman busily occupied in filling great barrels with water. She
+asked him what had put it into his head to come there, for her son
+ate everything he saw, and that he would shortly arrive quite mad,
+and that the young man had better look out. But he answered that
+he was so unhappy that he had ceased to mind anything, even being
+eaten, and then he told her that he had been robbed of a palace
+that had not its equal in all the world, and of all that was in
+it, and that he had even left his wife, and was wandering over the
+world until he found it. And that it was the sun who had sent him
+to consult the wind. So she hid him under the staircase, and soon
+they heard the south wind arrive, shaking the house to its
+foundations. Thirsty as he was, he did not wait to drink, but he
+told his mother that he smelt the blood of a Christian man, and
+that she had better bring him out at once and make him ready to be
+eaten. But she bade her son eat and drink what was before him, and
+said that the poor young man was much to be pitied, and that the
+sun had granted him his life in order that he might consult the
+wind. Then she brought out the young man, who explained how he was
+seeking for his palace, and that no man had been able to tell him
+where it was, so he had come to the wind. And he added that he had
+been shamefully robbed, and that the laths were of gold and the
+tiles of diamond, and all the furniture in silver and gold, and he
+inquired if the wind had not seen such a palace during his
+wanderings.
+
+And the wind said yes, and that all that day he had been blowing
+backwards and forwards over it without being able to move one
+single tile. 'Oh, do tell me where it is,' cried the you man. 'It
+is a long way off,' replied the wind, 'on the other side of the
+Red Sea.' But our traveller was not discouraged, he had already
+journeyed too far.
+
+So he set forth at once, and, somehow or other, he managed to
+reach that distant land. And he enquired if anyone wanted a
+gardener. He was told that the head gardener at the castle had
+just left, and perhaps he might have a chance of getting the
+place. The young man lost no time, but walked up to the castle and
+asked if they were in want of a gardener; and how happy he was
+when they agreed to take him! Now he passed most of his day in
+gossiping with the servants about the wealth of their masters and
+the wonderful things in the house. He made friends with one of the
+maids, who told him the history of the snuff-box, and he coaxed
+her to let him see it. One evening she managed to get hold of it,
+and the young man watched carefully where she hid it away, in a
+secret place in the bedchamber of her mistress.
+
+The following night, when everyone was fast asleep, he crept in
+and took the snuff-box. Think of his joy as he opened the lid!
+When it asked him, as of yore, 'What do you want?' he replied:
+'What do I want? What do I want? Why, I want to go with my palace
+to the old place, and for the King and the Queen and all their
+servants to be drowned in the Red Sea.' He hardly finished
+speaking when he found himself back again with his wife, while all
+the other inhabitants of the palace were lying at the bottom of
+the Red Sea.
+
+Sebillot.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE GOLDEN BLACKBIRD
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there was a great lord who had three sons. He
+fell very ill, sent for doctors of every kind, even bonesetters,
+but they, none of them, could find out what was the matter with
+him, or even give him any relief. At last there came a foreign
+doctor, who declared that the Golden Blackbird alone could cure
+the sick man.
+
+So the old lord despatched his eldest son to look for the
+wonderful bird, and promised him great riches if he managed to
+find it and bring it back.
+
+The young man began his journey, and soon arrived at a place where
+four roads met. He did not know which to choose, and tossed his
+cap in the air, determining that the direction of its fall should
+decide him. After travelling for two or three days, he grew tired
+of walking without knowing where or for how long, and he stopped
+at an inn which was filled with merrymakers and ordered something
+to eat and drink.
+
+'My faith,' said he, 'it is sheer folly to waste more time hunting
+for this bird. My father is old, and if he dies I shall inherit
+his goods.'
+
+The old man, after waiting patiently for some time, sent his
+second son to seek the Golden Blackbird. The youth took the same
+direction as his brother, and when he came to the cross roads, he
+too tossed up which road he should take. The cap fell in the same
+place as before, and he walked on till he came to the spot where
+his brother had halted. The latter, who was leaning out of the
+window of the inn, called to him to stay where he was and amuse
+himself.
+
+'You are right,' replied the youth. 'Who knows if I should ever
+find the Golden Blackbird, even if I sought the whole world
+through for it. At the worst, if the old man dies, we shall have
+his property.'
+
+He entered the inn and the two brothers made merry and feasted,
+till very soon their money was all spent. They even owed something
+to their landlord, who kept them as hostages till they could pay
+their debts.
+
+The youngest son set forth in his turn, and he arrived at the
+place where his brothers were still prisoners. They called to him
+to stop, and did all they could to prevent his going further.
+
+'No,' he replied, 'my father trusted me, and I will go all over
+the world till I find the Golden Blackbird.'
+
+'Bah,' said his brothers, 'you will never succeed any better than
+we did. Let him die if he wants to; we will divide the property.'
+
+As he went his way he met a little hare, who stopped to look at
+him, and asked:
+
+'Where are you going, my friend?'
+
+'I really don't quite know,' answered he. 'My father is ill, and
+he cannot be cured unless I bring him back the Golden Blackbird.
+It is a long time since I set out, but no one can tell me where to
+find it.'
+
+'Ah,' said the hare, 'you have a long way to go yet. You will have
+to walk at least seven hundred miles before you get to it.'
+
+'And how am I to travel such a distance?'
+
+'Mount on my back,' said the little hare, 'and I will conduct
+you.'
+
+The young man obeyed: at each bound the little hare went seven
+miles, and it was not long before they reached a castle that was
+as large and beautiful as a castle could be.
+
+'The Golden Blackbird is in a little cabin near by,' said the
+little hare, 'and you will easily find it. It lives in a little
+cage, with another cage beside it made all of gold. But whatever
+you do, be sure not to put it in the beautiful cage, or everybody
+in the castle will know that you have stolen it.'
+
+The youth found the Golden Blackbird standing on a wooden perch,
+but as stiff and rigid as if he was dead. And beside the beautiful
+cage was the cage of gold.
+
+'Perhaps he would revive if I were to put him in that lovely
+cage,' thought the youth.
+
+The moment that Golden Bird had touched the bars of the splendid
+cage he awoke, and began to whistle, so that all the servants of
+the castle ran to see what was the matter, saying that he was a
+thief and must be put in prison.
+
+'No,' he answered, 'I am not a thief. If I have taken the Golden
+Blackbird, it is only that it may cure my father, who is ill, and
+I have travelled more than seven hundred miles in order to find
+it.'
+
+'Well,' they replied, 'we will let you go, and will even give you
+the Golden Bird, if you are able to bring us the Porcelain
+Maiden.'
+
+The youth departed, weeping, and met the little hare, who was
+munching wild thyme.
+
+'What are you crying for, my friend?' asked the hare.
+
+'It is because,' he answered, 'the castle people will not allow me
+to carry off the Golden Blackbird without giving them the
+Porcelain Maiden in exchange.'
+
+'You have not followed my advice,' said the little hare. 'And you
+have put the Golden Bird into the fine cage.'
+
+'Alas! yes!'
+
+'Don't despair! the Porcelain Maiden is a young girl, beautiful as
+Venus, who dwells two hundred miles from here. Jump on my back and
+I will take you there.'
+
+The little hare, who took seven miles in a stride, was there in no
+time at all, and he stopped on the borders of a lake.
+
+'The Porcelain Maiden,' said the hare to the youth, 'will come
+here to bathe with her friends, while I just eat a mouthful of
+thyme to refresh me. When she is in the lake, be sure you hide her
+clothes, which are of dazzling whiteness, and do not give them
+back to her unless she consents to follow you.'
+
+The little hare left him, and almost immediately the Porcelain
+Maiden arrived with her friends. She undressed herself and got
+into the water. Then the young man glided up noiselessly and laid
+hold of her clothes, which he hid under a rock at some distance.
+
+When the Porcelain Maiden was tired of playing in the water she
+came out to dress herself, but, though she hunted for her clothes
+high and low, she could find them nowhere. Her friends helped her
+in the search, but, seeing at last that it was of no use, they
+left her, alone on the bank, weeping bitterly.
+
+'Why do you cry?' said the young man, approaching her.
+
+'Alas!' answered she, 'while I was bathing someone stole my
+clothes, and my friends have abandoned me.'
+
+'I will find your clothes if you will only come with me.'
+
+And the Porcelain Maiden agreed to follow him, and after having
+given up her clothes, the young man bought a small horse for her,
+which went like the wind. The little hare brought them both back
+to seek for the Golden Blackbird, and when they drew near to the
+castle where it lived the little hero said to the young man:
+
+'Now, do be a little sharper than you were before, and you will
+manage to carry off both the Golden Blackbird and the Porcelain
+Maiden. Take the golden cage in one hand, and leave the bird in
+the old cage where he is, and bring that away too.'
+
+The little hare then vanished; the youth did as he was bid, and
+the castle servants never noticed that he was carrying off the
+Golden Bird. When he reached the inn where his brothers were
+detained, he delivered them by paying their debt. They set out all
+together, but as the two elder brothers were jealous of the
+success of the youngest, they took the opportunity as they were
+passing by the shores of a lake to throw themselves upon him,
+seize the Golden Bird, and fling him in the water. Then they
+continued their journey, taking with them the Porcelain Maiden, in
+the firm belief that their brother was drowned. But, happily, he
+had snatched in falling at a tuft of rushes and called loudly for
+help. The little hare came running to him, and said 'Take hold of
+my leg and pull yourself out of the water.'
+
+When he was safe on shore the little hare said to him:
+
+'Now this is what you have to do: dress yourself like a Breton
+seeking a place as stable-boy, and go and offer your services to
+your father. Once there, you will easily be able to make him
+understand the truth.'
+
+The young man did as the little hare bade him, and he went to his
+father's castle and enquired if they were not in want of a stable-
+boy.
+
+'Yes,' replied his father, 'very much indeed. But it is not an
+easy place. There is a little horse in the stable which will not
+let anyone go near it, and it has already kicked to death several
+people who have tried to groom it.'
+
+'I will undertake to groom it,' said the youth. 'I never saw the
+horse I was afraid of yet.' The little horse allowed itself to be
+rubbed down without a toss of its head and without a kick.
+
+'Good gracious!' exclaimed the master; 'how is it that he lets you
+touch him, when no one else can go near him?'
+
+'Perhaps he knows me,' answered the stable-boy.
+
+Two or three days later the master said to him: 'The Porcelain
+Maiden is here: but, though she is as lovely as the dawn, she is
+so wicked that she scratches everyone that approaches her. Try if
+she will accept your services.'
+
+When the youth entered the room where she was, the Golden
+Blackbird broke forth into a joyful song, and the Porcelain Maiden
+sang too, and jumped for joy.
+
+'Good gracious!' cried the master. 'The Porcelain Maiden and the
+Golden Blackbird know you too?'
+
+'Yes,' replied the youth, 'and the Porcelain Maiden can tell you
+the whole truth, if she only will.'
+
+Then she told all that had happened, and how she had consented to
+follow the young man who had captured the Golden Blackbird.
+
+'Yes,' added the youth, 'I delivered my brothers, who were kept
+prisoners in an inn, and, as a reward, they threw me into a lake.
+So I disguised myself and came here, in order to prove the truth
+to you.'
+
+So the old lord embraced his son, and promised that he should
+inherit all his possessions, and he put to death the two elder
+ones, who had deceived him and had tried to slay their own
+brother.
+
+The young man married the Porcelain Maiden, and had a splendid
+wedding-feast.
+
+Sebillot.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE LITTLE SOLDIER
+
+
+
+I
+
+Once upon a time there was a little soldier who had just come back
+from the war. He was a brave little fellow, but he had lost
+neither arms nor legs in battle. Still, the fighting was ended and
+the army disbanded, so he had to return to the village where he
+was born.
+
+Now the soldier's name was really John, but for some reason or
+other his friends always called him the Kinglet; why, no one ever
+knew, but so it was.
+
+As he had no father or mother to welcome him home, he did not
+hurry himself, but went quietly along, his knapsack on his back
+and his sword by his side, when suddenly one evening he was seized
+with a wish to light his pipe. He felt for his match-box to strike
+a light, but to his great disgust he found he had lost it.
+
+He had only gone about a stone's throw after making this discovery
+when he noticed a light shining through the trees. He went towards
+it, and perceived before him an old castle, with the door standing
+open.
+
+The little soldier entered the courtyard, and, peeping through a
+window, saw a large fire blazing at the end of a low hall. He put
+his pipe in his pocket and knocked gently, saying politely:
+
+'Would you give me a light?'
+
+But he got no answer.
+
+After waiting for a moment John knocked again, this time more
+loudly. There was still no reply.
+
+He raised the latch and entered; the hall was empty.
+
+The little soldier made straight for the fireplace, seized the
+tongs, and was stooping down to look for a nice red hot coal with
+which to light his pipe, when clic! something went, like a spring
+giving way, and in the very midst of the flames an enormous
+serpent reared itself up close to his face.
+
+And what was more strange still, this serpent had the head of a
+woman.
+
+At such an unexpected sight many men would have turned and run for
+their lives; but the little soldier, though he was so small, had a
+true soldier's heart. He only made one step backwards, and grasped
+the hilt of his sword.
+
+'Don't unsheath it,' said the serpent. 'I have been waiting for
+you, as it is you who must deliver me.'
+
+'Who are you?'
+
+'My name is Ludovine, and I am the daughter of the King of the Low
+Countries. Deliver me, and I will marry you and make you happy for
+ever after.'
+
+Now, some people might not have liked the notion of being made
+happy by a serpent with the head of a woman, but the Kinglet had
+no such fears. And, besides, he felt the fascination of Ludovine's
+eyes, which looked at him as a snake looks at a little bird. They
+were beautiful green eyes, not round like those of a cat, but long
+and almond-shaped, and they shone with a strange light, and the
+golden hair which floated round them seemed all the brighter for
+their lustre. The face had the beauty of an angel, though the body
+was only that of a serpent.
+
+'What must I do?' asked the Kinglet.
+
+'Open that door. You will find yourself in a gallery with a room
+at the end just like this. Cross that, and you will see a closet,
+out of which you must take a tunic, and bring it back to me.'
+
+The little soldier boldly prepared to do as he was told. He
+crossed the gallery in safety, but when he reached the room he saw
+by the light of the stars eight hands on a level with his face,
+which threatened to strike him. And, turn his eyes which way he
+would, he could discover no bodies belonging to them.
+
+He lowered his head and rushed forward amidst a storm of blows,
+which he returned with his fists. When he got to the closet, he
+opened it, took down the tunic, and brought it to the first room.
+
+'Here it is,' he panted, rather out of breath.
+
+'Clic!' once more the flames parted. Ludovine was a woman down to
+her waist. She took the tunic and put it on.
+
+It was a magnificent tunic of orange velvet, embroidered in
+pearls, but the pearls were not so white as her own neck.
+
+'That is not all,' she said. 'Go to the gallery, take the
+staircase which is on the left, and in the second room on the
+first story you will find another closet with my skirt. Bring this
+to me.'
+
+The Kinglet did as he was told, but in entering the room he saw,
+instead of merely hands, eight arms, each holding an enormous
+stick. He instantly unsheathed his sword and cut his way through
+with such vigour that he hardly received a scratch.
+
+He brought back the skirt, which was made of silk as blue as the
+skies of Spain.
+
+'Here it is,' said John, as the serpent appeared. She was now a
+woman as far as her knees.
+
+'I only want my shoes and stockings now,' she said. 'Go and get
+them from the closet which is on the second story.'
+
+The little soldier departed, and found himself in the presence of
+eight goblins armed with hammers, and flames darting from their
+eyes. This time he stopped short at the threshold. 'My sword is no
+use,' he thought to himself; 'these wretches will break it like
+glass, and if I can't think of anything else, I am a dead man.' At
+this moment his eyes fell on the door, which was made of oak,
+thick and heavy. He wrenched it off its hinges and held it over
+his head, and then went straight at the goblins, whom he crushed
+beneath it. After that he took the shoes and stockings out of the
+closet and brought them to Ludovine, who, directly she had put
+them on, became a woman all over.
+
+When she was quite dressed in her white silk stockings and little
+blue slippers dotted over with carbuncles, she said to her
+deliverer, 'Now you must go away, and never come back here,
+whatever happens. Here is a purse with two hundred ducats. Sleep
+to-night at the inn which is at the edge of the wood, and awake
+early in the morning: for at nine o'clock I shall pass the door,
+and shall take you up in my carriage.' 'Why shouldn't we go now?'
+asked the little soldier. 'Because the time has not yet come,'
+said the Princess. 'But first you may drink my health in this
+glass of wine,' and as she spoke she filled a crystal goblet with
+a liquid that looked like melted gold.
+
+John drank, then lit his pipe and went out.
+
+
+II
+
+When he arrived at the inn he ordered supper, but no sooner had he
+sat down to eat it than he felt that he was going sound asleep.
+
+'I must be more tired than I thought,' he said to himself, and,
+after telling them to be sure to wake him next morning at eight
+o'clock, he went to bed.
+
+All night long he slept like a dead man. At eight o'clock they
+came to wake him, and at half-past, and a quarter of an hour
+later, but it was no use; and at last they decided to leave him in
+peace.
+
+The clocks were striking twelve when John awoke. He sprang out of
+bed, and, scarcely waiting to dress himself, hastened to ask if
+anyone had been to inquire for him.
+
+'There came a lovely princess,' replied the landlady, 'in a coach
+of gold. She left you this bouquet, and a message to say that she
+would pass this way to-morrow morning at eight o'clock.'
+
+The little soldier cursed his sleep, but tried to console himself
+by looking at his bouquet, which was of immortelles.
+
+'It is the flower of remembrance,' thought he, forgetting that it
+is also the flower of the dead.
+
+When the night came, he slept with one eye open, and jumped up
+twenty times an hour. When the birds began to sing he could lie
+still no longer, and climbed out of his window into the branches
+of one of the great lime-trees that stood before the door. There
+he sat, dreamily gazing at his bouquet till he ended by going fast
+asleep.
+
+Once asleep, nothing was able to wake him; neither the brightness
+of the sun, nor the songs of the birds, nor the noise of
+Ludovine's golden coach, nor the cries of the landlady who sought
+him in every place she could think of.
+
+As the clock struck twelve he woke, and his heart sank as he came
+down out of his tree and saw them laying the table for dinner.
+
+'Did the Princess come?' he asked.
+
+'Yes, indeed, she did. She left this flower-coloured scarf for
+you; said she would pass by to-morrow at seven o'clock, but it
+would be the last time.'
+
+'I must have been bewitched,' thought the little soldier. Then he
+took the scarf, which had a strange kind of scent, and tied it
+round his left arm, thinking all the while that the best way to
+keep awake was not to go to bed at all. So he paid his bill, and
+bought a horse with the money that remained, and when the evening
+came he mounted his horse and stood in front of the inn door,
+determined to stay there all night.
+
+Every now and then he stooped to smell the sweet perfume of the
+scarf round his arm; and gradually he smelt it so often that at
+last his head sank on to the horse's neck, and he and his horse
+snored in company.
+
+When the Princess arrived, they shook him, and beat him, and
+screamed at him, but it was all no good. Neither man nor horse
+woke till the coach was seen vanishing away in the distance.
+
+Then John put spurs to his horse, calling with all his might
+'Stop! stop!' But the coach drove on as before, and though the
+little soldier rode after it for a day and a night, he never got
+one step nearer.
+
+Thus they left many villages and towns behind them, till they came
+to the sea itself. Here John thought that at last the coach must
+stop, but, wonder of wonders! it went straight on, and rolled over
+the water as easily as it had done over the land. John's horse,
+which had carried him so well, sank down from fatigue, and the
+little soldier sat sadly on the shore, watching the coach which
+was fast disappearing on the horizon.
+
+
+III
+
+However, he soon plucked up his spirits again, and walked along
+the beach to try and find a boat in which he could sail after the
+Princess. But no boat was there, and at last, tired and hungry, he
+sat down to rest on the steps of a fisherman's hut.
+
+In the hut was a young girl who was mending a net. She invited
+John to come in, and set before him some wine and fried fish, and
+John ate and drank and felt comforted, and he told his adventures
+to the little fisher-girl. But though she was very pretty, with a
+skin as white as a gull's breast, for which her neighbours gave
+her the name of the Seagull, he did not think about her at all,
+for he was dreaming of the green eyes of the Princess.
+
+When he had finished his tale, she was filled with pity and said:
+
+'Last week, when I was fishing, my net suddenly grew very heavy,
+and when I drew it in I found a great copper vase, fastened with
+lead. I brought it home and placed it on the fire. When the lead
+had melted a little, I opened the vase with my knife and drew out
+a mantle of red cloth and a purse containing fifty crowns. That is
+the mantle, covering my bed, and I have kept the money for my
+marriage-portion. But take it and go to the nearest seaport, where
+you will find a ship sailing for the Low Countries, and when you
+become King you will bring me back my fifty crowns.'
+
+And the Kinglet answered: 'When I am King of the Low Countries, I
+will make you lady-in-waiting to the Queen, for you are as good as
+you are beautiful. So farewell,' said he, and as the Seagull went
+back to her fishing he rolled himself in the mantle and threw
+himself down on a heap of dried grass, thinking of the strange
+things that had befallen him, till he suddenly exclaimed:
+
+'Oh, how I wish I was in the capital of the Low Countries!'
+
+
+IV
+
+In one moment the little soldier found himself standing before a
+splendid palace. He rubbed his eyes and pinched himself, and when
+he was quite sure he was not dreaming he said to a man who was
+smoking his pipe before the door, 'Where am I?'
+
+'Where are you? Can't you see? Before the King's palace, of
+course.'
+
+'What King?'
+
+'Why the King of the Low Countries!' replied the man, laughing and
+supposing that he was mad.
+
+Was there ever anything so strange? But as John was an honest
+fellow, he was troubled at the thought that the Seagull would
+think he had stolen her mantle and purse. And he began to wonder
+how he could restore them to her the soonest. Then he remembered
+that the mantle had some hidden charm that enabled the bearer to
+transport himself at will from place to place, and in order to
+make sure of this he wished himself in the best inn of the town.
+In an instant he was there.
+
+Enchanted with this discovery, he ordered supper, and as it was
+too late to visit the King that night he went to bed.
+
+The next day, when he got up, he saw that all the houses were
+wreathed with flowers and covered with flags, and all the church
+bells were ringing. The little soldier inquired the meaning of all
+this noise, and was told that the Princess Ludovine, the King's
+beautiful daughter, had been found, and was about to make her
+triumphal entry. 'That will just suit me,' thought the Kinglet; 'I
+will stand at the door and see if she knows me.'
+
+He had scarcely time to dress himself when the golden coach of
+Ludovine went by. She had a crown of gold upon her head, and the
+King and Queen sat by her side. By accident her eyes fell upon the
+little soldier, and she grew pale and turned away her head.
+
+'Didn't she know me?' the little soldier asked himself, 'or was
+she angry because I missed our meetings?' and he followed the
+crowd till he got to the palace. When the royal party entered he
+told the guards that it was he who had delivered the Princess, and
+wished to speak to the King. But the more he talked the more they
+believed him mad and refused to let him pass.
+
+The little soldier was furious. He felt that he needed his pipe to
+calm him, and he entered a tavern and ordered a pint of beer. 'It
+is this miserable soldier's helmet,' said he to himself 'If I had
+only money enough I could look as splendid as the lords of the
+Court; but what is the good of thinking of that when I have only
+the remains of the Seagull's fifty crowns?'
+
+He took out his purse to see what was left, and he found that
+there were still fifty crowns.
+
+'The Seagull must have miscounted,' thought he, and he paid for
+his beer. Then he counted his money again, and there were still
+fifty crowns. He took away five and counted a third time, but
+there were still fifty. He emptied the purse altogether and then
+shut it; when he opened it the fifty crowns were still there!
+
+Then a plan came into his head, and he determined to go at once to
+the Court tailor and coachbuilder.
+
+He ordered the tailor to make him a mantle and vest of blue velvet
+embroidered with pearls, and the coachbuilder to make him a golden
+coach like the coach of the Princess Ludovine. If the tailor and
+the coachbuilder were quick he promised to pay them double.
+
+A few days later the little soldier was driven through the city in
+his coach drawn by six white horses, and with four lacqueys richly
+dressed standing behind. Inside sat John, clad in blue velvet,
+with a bouquet of immortelles in his hand and a scarf bound round
+his arm. He drove twice round the city, throwing money to the
+right and left, and the third time, as he passed under the palace
+windows, he saw Ludovine lift a corner of the curtain and peep
+out.
+
+
+V
+
+The next day no one talked of anything but the rich lord who had
+distributed money as he drove along. The talk even reached the
+Court, and the Queen, who was very curious, had a great desire to
+see the wonderful Prince.
+
+'Very well,' said the King; 'let him be asked to come and play
+cards with me.'
+
+This time the Kinglet was not late for his appointment.
+
+The King sent for the cards and they sat down to play. They had
+six games, and John always lost. The stake was fifty crowns, and
+each time he emptied his purse, which was full the next instant.
+
+The sixth time the King exclaimed, 'It is amazing!'
+
+The Queen cried, 'It is astonishing!'
+
+The Princess said, 'It is bewildering!'
+
+'Not so bewildering,' replied the little soldier, 'as your change
+into a serpent.'
+
+'Hush!' interrupted the King, who did not like the subject.
+
+'I only spoke of it,' said John, 'because you see in me the man
+who delivered the Princess from the goblins and whom she promised
+to marry.'
+
+'Is that true?' asked the King of the Princess.
+
+'Quite true,' answered Ludovine. 'But I told my deliverer to be
+ready to go with me when I passed by with my coach. I passed three
+times, but he slept so soundly that no one could wake him.'
+
+'What is your name?' said the King, 'and who are you?'
+
+'My name is John. I am a soldier, and my father is a boatman.'
+
+'You are not a fit husband for my daughter. Still, if you will
+give us your purse, you shall have her for your wife.'
+
+'My purse does not belong to me, and I cannot give it away.'
+
+'But you can lend it to me till our wedding-day,' said the
+Princess with one of those glances the little soldier never could
+resist.
+
+'And when will that be?'
+
+'At Easter,' said the monarch.
+
+'Or in a blue moon!' murmured the Princess; but the Kinglet did
+not hear her and let her take his purse.
+
+Next evening he presented himself at the palace to play picquet
+with the King and to make his court to the Princess. But he was
+told that the King had gone into the country to receive his rents.
+He returned the following day, and had the same answer. Then he
+asked to see the Queen, but she had a headache. When this had
+happened five or six times, he began to understand that they were
+making fun of him.
+
+'That is not the way for a King to behave,' thought John. 'Old
+scoundrel!' and then suddenly he remembered his red cloak.
+
+'Ah, what an idiot I am!' said he. 'Of course I can get in
+whenever I like with the help of this.'
+
+That evening he was in front of the palace, wrapped in his red
+cloak.
+
+On the first story one window was lighted, and John saw on the
+curtains the shadow of the Princess.
+
+'I wish myself in the room of the Princess Ludovine,' said he, and
+in a second he was there.
+
+The King's daughter was sitting before a table counting the money
+that she emptied from the inexhaustible purse.
+
+'Eight hundred and fifty, nine hundred, nine hundred and fifty--'
+
+'A thousand,' finished John. 'Good evening everybody!'
+
+The Princess jumped and gave a little cry. 'You here! What
+business have you to do it? Leave at once, or I shall call--'
+
+'I have come,' said the Kinglet, 'to remind you of your promise.
+The day after to-morrow is Easter Day, and it is high time to
+think of our marriage.'
+
+Ludovine burst out into a fit of laughter. 'Our marriage! Have you
+really been foolish enough to believe that the daughter of the
+King of the Low Countries would ever marry the son of a boatman?'
+
+'Then give me back the purse,' said John.
+
+'Never,' said the Princess, and put it calmly in her pocket.
+
+'As you like,' said the little soldier. 'He laughs best who laughs
+the last;' and he took the Princess in his arms. 'I wish,' he
+cried, 'that we were at the ends of the earth;' and in one second
+he was there, still clasping the Princess tightly in his arms.
+
+'Ouf,' said John, laying her gently at the foot of a tree. 'I
+never took such a long journey before. What do you say, madam?'
+The Princess understood that it was no time for jesting, and did
+not answer. Besides she was still feeling giddy from her rapid
+flight, and had not yet collected her senses.
+
+
+VI
+
+The King of the Low Countries was not a very scrupulous person,
+and his daughter took after him. This was why she had been changed
+into a serpent. It had been prophesied that she should be
+delivered by a little soldier, and that she must marry him, unless
+he failed to appear at the meeting-place three times running. The
+cunning Princess then laid her plans accordingly.
+
+The wine that she had given to John in the castle of the goblins,
+the bouquet of immortelles, and the scarf, all had the power of
+producing sleep like death. And we know how they had acted on
+John.
+
+However, even in this critical moment, Ludovine did not lose her
+head.
+
+'I thought you were simply a street vagabond,' said she, in her
+most coaxing voice; 'and I find you are more powerful than any
+king. Here is your purse. Have you got my scarf and my bouquet?'
+
+'Here they are,' said the Kinglet, delighted with this change of
+tone, and he drew them from his bosom. Ludovine fastened one in
+his buttonhole and the other round his arm. 'Now,' she said, 'you
+are my lord and master, and I will marry you at your good
+pleasure.'
+
+'You are kinder than I thought,' said John; 'and you shall never
+be unhappy, for I love you.'
+
+'Then, my little husband, tell me how you managed to carry me so
+quickly to the ends of the world.'
+
+The little soldier scratched his head. 'Does she really mean to
+marry me,' he thought to himself, 'or is she only trying to
+deceive me again?'
+
+But Ludovine repeated, 'Won't you tell me?' in such a tender voice
+he did not know how to resist her.
+
+'After all,' he said to himself, 'what does it matter telling her
+the secret, as long as I don't give her the cloak.'
+
+And he told her the virtue of the red mantle.
+
+'Oh dear, how tired I am!' sighed Ludovine. 'Don't you think we
+had better take a nap? And then we can talk over our plans.'
+
+She stretched herself on the grass, and the Kinglet did the same.
+He laid his head on his left arm, round which the scarf was tied,
+and was soon fast asleep.
+
+Ludovine was watching him out of one eye, and no sooner did she
+hear him snore than she unfastened the mantle, drew it gently from
+under him and wrapped it round her, took the purse from his
+pocket, and put it in hers, and said: 'I wish I was back in my own
+room.' In another moment she was there.
+
+
+VII
+
+Who felt foolish but John, when he awoke, twenty-four hours after,
+and found himself without purse, without mantle, and without
+Princess? He tore his hair, he beat his breast, he trampled on the
+bouquet, and tore the scarf of the traitress to atoms.
+
+Besides this he was very hungry, and he had nothing to eat.
+
+He thought of all the wonderful things his grandmother had told
+him when he was a child, but none of them helped him now. He was
+in despair, when suddenly he looked up and saw that the tree under
+which he had been sleeping was a superb plum, covered with fruit
+as yellow as gold.
+
+'Here goes for the plums,' he said to himself, 'all is fair in
+war.'
+
+He climbed the tree and began to eat steadily. But he had hardly
+swallowed two plums when, to his horror, he felt as if something
+was growing on his forehead. He put up his hand and found that he
+had two horns!
+
+He leapt down from the tree and rushed to a stream that flowed
+close by. Alas! there was no escape: two charming little horns,
+that would not have disgraced the head of a goat.
+
+Then his courage failed him.
+
+'As if it was not enough,' said he, 'that a woman should trick me,
+but the devil must mix himself up in it and lend me his horns.
+What a pretty figure I should cut if I went back into the world!'
+
+But as he was still hungry, and the mischief was done, he climbed
+boldly up another tree, and plucked two plums of a lovely green
+colour. No sooner had he swallowed two than the horns disappeared.
+The little soldier was enchanted, though greatly surprised, and
+came to the conclusion that it was no good to despair too quickly.
+When he had done eating an idea suddenly occurred to him.
+
+'Perhaps,' thought he, 'these pretty little plums may help me to
+recover my purse, my cloak, and my heart from the hands of this
+wicked Princess. She has the eyes of a deer already; let her have
+the horns of one. If I can manage to set her up with a pair, I
+will bet any money that I shall cease to want her for my wife. A
+horned maiden is by no means lovely to look at.' So he plaited a
+basket out of the long willows, and placed in it carefully both
+sorts of plums. Then he walked bravely on for many days, having no
+food but the berries by the wayside, and was in great danger from
+wild beasts and savage men. But he feared nothing, except that his
+plums should decay, and this never happened.
+
+At last he came to a civilised country, and with the sale of some
+jewels that he had about him on the evening of his flight he took
+passage on board a vessel for the Low Countries. So, at the end of
+a year and a day, he arrived at the capital of the kingdom.
+
+
+VIII
+
+The next day he put on a false beard and the dress of a date
+merchant, and, taking a little table, he placed himself before the
+door of the church.
+
+He spread carefully out on a fine white cloth his Mirabelle plums,
+which looked for all the world as if they had been freshly
+gathered, and when he saw the Princess coming out of church he
+began to call out in a feigned voice: 'Fine plums! lovely plums!'
+
+'How much are they?' said the Princess.
+
+'Fifty crowns each.'
+
+'Fifty crowns! But what is there so very precious about them? Do
+they give one wit, or will they increase one's beauty?'
+
+'They could not increase what is perfect already, fair Princess,
+but still they might add something.'
+
+Rolling stones gather no moss, but they sometimes gain polish; and
+the months which John had spent in roaming about the world had not
+been wasted. Such a neatly turned compliment flattered Ludovine.
+
+'What will they add?' she smilingly asked.
+
+'You will see, fair Princess, when you taste them. It will be a
+surprise for you.'
+
+Ludovine's curiosity was roused. She drew out the purse and shook
+out as many little heaps of fifty crowns as there were plums in
+the basket. The little soldier was seized with a wild desire to
+snatch the purse from her and proclaim her a thief, but he managed
+to control himself.
+
+His plums all sold, he shut up shop, took off his disguise,
+changed his inn, and kept quiet, waiting to see what would happen.
+
+No sooner had she reached her room than the Princess exclaimed,
+'Now let us see what these fine plums can add to my beauty,' and
+throwing off her hood, she picked up a couple and ate them.
+
+Imagine with what surprise and horror she felt all of a sudden
+that something was growing out of her forehead. She flew to her
+mirror and uttered a piercing cry.
+
+'Horns! so that was what he promised me! Let someone find the
+plum-seller at once and bring him to me! Let his nose and ears be
+cut off! Let him be flayed alive, or burnt at a slow fire and his
+ashes scattered to the winds! Oh, I shall die of shame and
+despair!'
+
+Her women ran at the sound of her screams, and tried to wrench off
+the horns, but it was of no use, and they only gave her a violent
+headache.
+
+The King then sent round a herald to proclaim that he would give
+the hand of the Princess to anyone who would rid her of her
+strange ornaments. So all the doctors and sorcerers and surgeons
+in the Low Countries and the neighbouring kingdoms thronged to the
+palace, each with a remedy of his own. But it was all no good, and
+the Princess suffered so much from their remedies that the King
+was obliged to send out a second proclamation that anyone who
+undertook to cure the Princess, and who failed to do it, should be
+hanged up to the nearest tree.
+
+But the prize was too great for any proclamation to put a stop to
+the efforts of the crowd of suitors, and that year the orchards of
+the Low Countries all bore a harvest of dead men.
+
+
+IX
+
+The King had given orders that they should seek high and low for
+the plum-seller, but in spite of all their pains, he was nowhere
+to be found.
+
+When the little soldier discovered that their patience was worn
+out, he pressed the juice of the green Queen Claude plums into a
+small phial, bought a doctor's robe, put on a wig and spectacles,
+and presented himself before the King of the Low Countries. He
+gave himself out as a famous physician who had come from distant
+lands, and he promised that he would cure the Princess if only he
+might be left alone with her.
+
+'Another madman determined to be hanged,' said the King. 'Very
+well, do as he asks; one should refuse nothing to a man with a
+rope round his neck.'
+
+As soon as the little soldier was in the presence of the Princess
+he poured some drops of the liquid into a glass. The Princess had
+scarcely tasted it, when the tip of the horns disappeared.
+
+'They would have disappeared completely,' said the pretended
+doctor, 'if there did not exist something to counteract the
+effect. It is only possible to cure people whose souls are as
+clean as the palm of my hand. Are you sure you have not committed
+some little sin? Examine yourself well.'
+
+Ludovine had no need to think over it long, but she was torn in
+pieces between the shame of a humiliating confession, and the
+desire to be unhorned. At last she made answer with downcast eyes,
+
+'I have stolen a leather purse from a little soldier.'
+
+'Give it to me. The remedy will not act till I hold the purse in
+my hands.'
+
+It cost Ludovine a great pang to give up the purse, but she
+remembered that riches would not benefit her if she was still to
+keep the horns.
+
+With a sigh, she handed the purse to the doctor, who poured more
+of the liquid into the glass, and when the Princess had drunk it,
+she found that the horns had diminished by one half.
+
+'You must really have another little sin on your conscience. Did
+you steal nothing from this soldier but his purse?'
+
+'I also stole from him his cloak.'
+
+'Give it me.'
+
+'Here it is.'
+
+This time Ludovine thought to herself that when once the horns had
+departed, she would call her attendants and take the things from
+the doctor by force.
+
+She was greatly pleased with this idea, when suddenly the
+pretended physician wrapped himself in the cloak, flung away the
+wig and spectacles, and showed to the traitress the face of the
+Little Soldier.
+
+She stood before him dumb with fright.
+
+'I might,' said John, 'have left you horned to the end of your
+days, but I am a good fellow and I once loved you, and besides--
+you are too like the devil to have any need of his horns.'
+
+
+X
+
+John had wished himself in the house of the Seagull. Now the
+Seagull was seated at the window, mending her net, and from time
+to time her eyes wandered to the sea as if she was expecting
+someone. At the noise made by the little soldier, she looked up
+and blushed.
+
+'So it is you!' she said. 'How did you get here?' And then she
+added in a low voice, 'And have you married your Princess?'
+
+Then John told her all his adventures, and when he had finished,
+he restored to her the purse and the mantle.
+
+'What can I do with them?' said she. 'You have proved to me that
+happiness does not lie in the possession of treasures.'
+
+'It lies in work and in the love of an honest woman,' replied the
+little soldier, who noticed for the first time what pretty eyes
+she had. 'Dear Seagull, will you have me for a husband?' and he
+held out his hand.
+
+'Yes, I will,' answered the fisher maiden, blushing very red, 'but
+only on condition that we seal up the purse and the mantle in the
+copper vessel and throw them into the sea.'
+
+And this they did.
+
+Charles Deulin.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE MAGIC SWAN
+
+
+
+There were once upon a time three brothers, of whom the eldest was
+called Jacob, the second Frederick, and the youngest Peter. This
+youngest brother was made a regular butt of by the other two, and
+they treated him shamefully. If anything went wrong with their
+affairs, Peter had to bear the blame and put things right for
+them, and he had to endure all this ill-treatment because he was
+weak and delicate and couldn't defend himself against his stronger
+brothers. The poor creature had a most trying life of it in every
+way, and day and night he pondered how he could make it better.
+One day, when he was in the wood gathering sticks and crying
+bitterly, a little old woman came up to him and asked him what was
+the matter; and he told her all his troubles.
+
+'Come, my good youth,' said the old dame, when he had finished his
+tale of woe, 'isn't the world wide enough? Why don't you set out
+and try your fortune somewhere else?'
+
+Peter took her words to heart, and left his father's house early
+one morning to try his fortune in the wide world, as the old woman
+had advised him. But he felt very bitterly parting from the home
+where he had been born, and where he had at least passed a short
+but happy childhood, and sitting down on a hill he gazed once more
+fondly on his native place.
+
+Suddenly the little old woman stood before him, and, tapping him
+on the shoulder, said, 'So far good, my boy; but what do you mean
+to do now?'
+
+Peter was at a loss what to answer, for so far he had always
+thought that fortune would drop into his mouth like a ripe cherry.
+The old woman, who guessed his thoughts, laughed kindly and said,
+'I'll tell you what you must do, for I've taken a fancy to you,
+and I'm sure you won't forget me when you've made your fortune.'
+
+Peter promised faithfully he wouldn't, and the old woman
+continued:
+
+'This evening at sunset go to yonder pear-tree which you see
+growing at the cross roads. Underneath it you will find a man
+lying asleep, and a beautiful large swan will be fastened to the
+tree close to him. You must be careful not to waken the man, but
+you must unfasten the swan and take it away with you. You will
+find that everyone will fall in love with its beautiful plumage,
+and you must allow anyone who likes to pull out a feather. But as
+soon as the swan feels as much as a finger on it, it will scream
+out, and then you must say, "Swan, hold fast." Then the hand of
+the person who has touched the bird will be held as in a vice, and
+nothing will set it free, unless you touch it with this little
+stick which I will make you a present of. When you have captured a
+whole lot of people in this way, lead your train straight on with
+you; you will come to a big town where a Princess lives who has
+never been known to laugh. If you can only make her laugh your
+fortune is made; then I beg you won't forget your old friend.'
+
+Peter promised again that he wouldn't, and at sunset he went to
+the tree the old woman had mentioned. The man lay there fast
+asleep, and a large beautiful swan was fastened to the tree beside
+him by a red cord. Peter loosed the bird, and led it away with him
+without disturbing the bird's master.
+
+He walked on with the swan for some time, and came at last to a
+building-yard where some men were busily at work. They were all
+lost in admiration of the bird's beautiful plumage, and one
+forward youth, who was covered with clay from head to foot, called
+out, 'Oh, if I'd only one of those feathers how happy I should
+be!'
+
+'Pull one out then,' said Peter kindly, and the youth seized one
+from the bird's tail; instantly the swan screamed, and Peter
+called out, 'Swan, hold fast,' and do what he could the poor youth
+couldn't get his hand away. The more he howled the more the others
+laughed, till a girl who had been washing clothes in the
+neighbouring stream hurried up to see what was the matter. When
+she saw the poor boy fastened to the swan she felt so sorry for
+him that she stretched out her hand to free him. The bird
+screamed.
+
+'Swan, hold fast,' called out Peter, and the girl was caught also.
+
+When Peter had gone on for a bit with his captives, they met a
+chimney sweep, who laughed loudly over the extraordinary troop,
+and asked the girl what she was doing.
+
+'Oh, dearest John,' replied the girl, 'give me your hand and set
+me free from this cursed young man.'
+
+'Most certainly I will, if that's all you want,' replied the
+sweep, and gave the girl his hand. The bird screamed.
+
+'Swan, hold fast,' said Peter, and the black man was added to
+their number.
+
+They soon came to a village where a fair was being held. A
+travelling circus was giving a performance, and the clown was just
+doing his tricks. He opened his eyes wide with amazement when he
+saw the remarkable trio fastened on to the swan's tail.
+
+'Have you gone raving mad, Blackie?' he asked as well as he could
+for laughing.
+
+'It's no laughing matter,' the sweep replied. 'This wench has got
+so tight hold of me that I feel as if I were glued to her. Do set
+me free, like a good clown, and I'll do you a good turn some day.'
+
+Without a moment's hesitation the clown grasped the black
+outstretched hand. The bird screamed.
+
+'Swan, hold fast,' called out Peter, and the clown became the
+fourth of the party.
+
+Now in the front row of the spectators sat the respected and
+popular Mayor of the village, who was much put out by what he
+considered nothing but a foolish trick. So much annoyed was he
+that he seized the clown by the hand and tried to tear him away,
+in order to hand him over to the police.
+
+Then the bird screamed, and Peter called out, 'Swan, hold fast,'
+and the dignified Mayor shared the fate of his predecessors.
+
+The Mayoress, a long thin stick of a woman, enraged at the insult
+done to her husband, seized his free arm and tore at it with all
+her might, with the only result that she too was forced to swell
+the procession. After this no one else had any wish to join them.
+
+Soon Peter saw the towers of the capital in front of him. Just
+before entering it, a glittering carriage came out to meet him, in
+which was seated a young lady as beautiful as the day, but with a
+very solemn and serious expression. But no sooner had she
+perceived the motley crowd fastened to the swan's tail than she
+burst into a loud fit of laughter, in which she was joined by all
+her servants and ladies in waiting.
+
+'The Princess has laughed at last,' they all cried with joy.
+
+She stepped out of her carriage to look more closely at the
+wonderful sight, and laughed again over the capers the poor
+captives cut. She ordered her carriage to be turned round and
+drove slowly back into the town, never taking her eyes off Peter
+and his procession.
+
+When the King heard the news that his daughter had actually
+laughed, he was more than delighted, and had Peter and his
+marvellous train brought before him. He laughed himself when he
+saw them till the tears rolled down his cheeks.
+
+'My good friend,' he said to Peter, 'do you know what I promised
+the person who succeeded in making the Princess laugh?'
+
+'No, I don't,' said Peter.
+
+'Then I'll tell you,' answered the King; 'a thousand gold crowns
+or a piece of land. Which will you choose?'
+
+Peter decided in favour of the land. Then he touched the youth,
+the girl, the sweep, the clown, the Mayor, and the Mayoress with
+his little stick, and they were all free again, and ran away home
+as if a fire were burning behind them; and their flight, as you
+may imagine, gave rise to renewed merriment.
+
+Then the Princess felt moved to stroke the swan, at the same time
+admiring its plumage. The bird screamed.
+
+'Swan, hold fast,' called out Peter, and so he won the Princess
+for his bride. But the swan flew up into the air, and vanished in
+the blue horizon. Peter now received a duchy as a present, and
+became a very great man indeed; but he did not forget the little
+old woman who had been the cause of all his good fortune, and
+appointed her as head housekeeper to him and his royal bride in
+their magnificent castle.
+
+Kletke.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE DIRTY SHEPHERDESS
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King who had two daughters, and he
+loved them with all his heart. When they grew up, he was suddenly
+seized with a wish to know if they, on their part, truly loved
+him, and he made up his mind that he would give his kingdom to
+whichever best proved her devotion.
+
+So he called the elder Princess and said to her, 'How much do you
+love me?'
+
+'As the apple of my eye!' answered she.
+
+'Ah!' exclaimed the King, kissing her tenderly as he spoke, 'you
+are indeed a good daughter.'
+
+Then he sent for the younger, and asked her how much she loved
+him.
+
+'I look upon you, my father,' she answered, 'as I look upon salt
+in my food.'
+
+But the King did not like her words, and ordered her to quit the
+court, and never again to appear before him. The poor Princess
+went sadly up to her room and began to cry, but when she was
+reminded of her father's commands, she dried her eyes, and made a
+bundle of her jewels and her best dresses and hurriedly left the
+castle where she was born.
+
+She walked straight along the road in front of her, without
+knowing very well where she was going or what was to become of
+her, for she had never been shown how to work, and all she had
+learnt consisted of a few household rules, and receipts of dishes
+which her mother had taught her long ago. And as she was afraid
+that no housewife would want to engage a girl with such a pretty
+face, she determined to make herself as ugly as she could.
+
+She therefore took off the dress that she was wearing and put on
+some horrible old rags belonging to a beggar, all torn and covered
+with mud. After that she smeared mud all over her hands and face,
+and shook her hair into a great tangle. Having thus changed her
+appearance, she went about offering herself as a goose-girl or
+shepherdess. But the farmers' wives would have nothing to say to
+such a dirty maiden, and sent her away with a morsel of bread for
+charity's sake.
+
+After walking for a great many days without being able to find any
+work, she came to a large farm where they were in want of a
+shepherdess, and engaged her gladly.
+
+One day when she was keeping her sheep in a lonely tract of land,
+she suddenly felt a wish to dress herself in her robes of
+splendour. She washed herself carefully in the stream, and as she
+always carried her bundle with her, it was easy to shake off her
+rags, and transform herself in a few moments into a great lady.
+
+The King's son, who had lost his way out hunting, perceived this
+lovely damsel a long way off, and wished to look at her closer.
+But as soon as the girl saw what he was at, she fled into the wood
+as swiftly as a bird. The Prince ran after her, but as he was
+running he caught his foot in the root of a tree and fell, and
+when he got up again, she was nowhere to be seen.
+
+When she was quite safe, she put on her rags again, and smeared
+over her face and hands. However the young Prince, who was both
+hot and thirsty, found his way to the farm, to ask for a drink of
+cider, and he inquired the name of the beautiful lady that kept
+the sheep. At this everyone began to laugh, for they said that the
+shepherdess was one of the ugliest and dirtiest creatures under
+the sun.
+
+The Prince thought some witchcraft must be at work, and he
+hastened away before the return of the shepherdess, who became
+that evening the butt of everybody's jests.
+
+But the King's son thought often of the lovely maiden whom he had
+only seen for a moment, though she seemed to him much more
+fascinating than any lady of the Court. At last he dreamed of
+nothing else, and grew thinner day by day till his parents
+inquired what was the matter, promising to do all they could to
+make him as happy as he once was. He dared not tell them the
+truth, lest they should laugh at him, so he only said that he
+should like some bread baked by the kitchen girl in the distant
+farm.
+
+Although the wish appeared rather odd, they hastened to fulfil it,
+and the farmer was told the request of the King's son. The maiden
+showed no surprise at receiving such an order, but merely asked
+for some flour, salt, and water, and also that she might be left
+alone in a little room adjoining the oven, where the kneading-
+trough stood. Before beginning her work she washed herself
+carefully, and even put on her rings; but, while she was baking,
+one of her rings slid into the dough. When she had finished she
+dirtied herself again, and let the lumps of the dough stick to her
+fingers, so that she became as ugly as before.
+
+The loaf, which was a very little one, was brought to the King's
+son, who ate it with pleasure. But in cutting it he found the ring
+of the Princess, and declared to his parents that he would marry
+the girl whom that ring fitted.
+
+So the King made a proclamation through his whole kingdom and
+ladies came from afar to lay claim to the honour. But the ring was
+so tiny that even those who had the smallest hands could only get
+it on their little fingers. In a short time all the maidens of the
+kingdom, including the peasant girls, had tried on the ring, and
+the King was just about to announce that their efforts had been in
+vain, when the Prince observed that he had not yet seen the
+shepherdess.
+
+They sent to fetch her, and she arrived covered with rags, but
+with her hands cleaner than usual, so that she could easily slip
+on the ring. The King's son declared that he would fulfil his
+promise, and when his parents mildly remarked that the girl was
+only a keeper of sheep, and a very ugly one too, the maiden boldly
+said that she was born a princess, and that, if they would only
+give her some water and leave her alone in a room for a few
+minutes, she would show that she could look as well as anyone in
+fine clothes.
+
+They did what she asked, and when she entered in a magnificent
+dress, she looked so beautiful that all saw she must be a princess
+in disguise. The King's son recognized the charming damsel of whom
+he had once caught a glimpse, and, flinging himself at her feet,
+asked if she would marry him. The Princess then told her story,
+and said that it would be necessary to send an ambassador to her
+father to ask his consent and to invite him to the wedding.
+
+The Princess's father, who had never ceased to repent his
+harshness towards his daughter, had sought her through the land,
+but as no one could tell him anything of her, he supposed her
+dead. Therefore it was with great joy he heard that she was living
+and that a king's son asked her in marriage, and he quitted his
+kingdom with his elder daughter so as to be present at the
+ceremony.
+
+By the orders of the bride, they only served her father at the
+wedding breakfast bread without salt, and meat without seasoning.
+Seeing him make faces, and eat very little, his daughter, who sat
+beside him, inquired if his dinner was not to his taste.
+
+'No,' he replied, 'the dishes are carefully cooked and sent up,
+but they are all so dreadfully tasteless.'
+
+'Did not I tell you, my father, that salt was the best thing in
+life? And yet, when I compared you to salt, to show how much I
+loved you, you thought slightingly of me and you chased me from
+your presence.'
+
+The King embraced his daughter, and allowed that he had been wrong
+to misinterpret her words. Then, for the rest of the wedding feast
+they gave him bread made with salt, and dishes with seasoning, and
+he said they were the very best he had ever eaten.
+
+Sebillot.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE ENCHANTED SNAKE
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a poor woman who would have given all
+she possessed for a child, but she hadn't one.
+
+Now it happened one day that her husband went to the wood to
+collect brushwood, and when he had brought it home, he discovered
+a pretty little snake among the twigs.
+
+When Sabatella, for that was the name of the peasant's wife, saw
+the little beast, she sighed deeply and said, 'Even the snakes
+have their brood; I alone am unfortunate and have no children.' No
+sooner had she said these words than, to her intense surprise, the
+little snake looked up into her face and spoke: 'Since you have no
+children, be a mother to me instead, and I promise you will never
+repent it, for I will love you as if I were your own son.'
+
+At first Sabatella was frightened to death at hearing a snake
+speak, but plucking up her courage, she replied, 'If it weren't
+for any other reason than your kindly thought, I would agree to
+what you say, and I will love you and look after you like a
+mother.'
+
+So she gave the snake a little hole in the house for its bed, fed
+it with all the nicest food she could think of, and seemed as if
+she never could show it enough kindness. Day by day it grew bigger
+and fatter, and at last one morning it said to Cola-Mattheo, the
+peasant, whom it always regarded as its father, 'Dear papa, I am
+now of a suitable age and wish to marry.'
+
+'I'm quite agreeable,' answered Mattheo, 'and I'll do my best to
+find another snake like yourself and arrange a match between you.'
+
+'Why, if you do that,' replied the snake, 'we shall be no better
+than the vipers and reptiles, and that's not what I want at all.
+No; I'd much prefer to marry the King's daughter; therefore I pray
+you go without further delay, and demand an audience of the King,
+and tell him a snake wishes to marry his daughter.'
+
+Cola-Mattheo, who was rather a simpleton, went as he was desired
+to the King, and having obtained an audience, he said, 'Your
+Majesty, I have often heard that people lose nothing by asking, so
+I have come to inform you that a snake wants to marry your
+daughter, and I'd be glad to know if you are willing to mate a
+dove with a serpent?'
+
+The King, who saw at once that the man was a fool, said, in order
+to get quit of him, 'Go home and tell your friend the snake that
+if he can turn this palace into ivory, inlaid with gold and
+silver, before to-morrow at noon, I will let him marry my
+daughter.' And with a hearty laugh he dismissed the peasant.
+
+When Cola-Mattheo brought this answer back to the snake, the
+little creature didn't seem the least put out, but said, 'To-
+morrow morning, before sunrise, you must go to the wood and gather
+a bunch of green herbs, and then rub the threshold of the palace
+with them, and you'll see what will happen.'
+
+Cola-Mattheo, who was, as I have said before, a great simpleton,
+made no reply; but before sunrise next morning he went to the wood
+and gathered a bunch of St. John's Wort, and rosemary, and
+suchlike herbs, and rubbed them, as he had been told, on the floor
+of the palace. Hardly had he done so than the walls immediately
+turned into ivory, so richly inlaid with gold and silver that they
+dazzled the eyes of all beholders. The King, when he rose and saw
+the miracle that had been performed, was beside himself with
+amazement, and didn't know what in the world he was to do.
+
+But when Cola-Mattheo came next day, and, in the name of the
+snake, demanded the hand of the Princess, the King replied, 'Don't
+be in such a hurry; if the snake really wants to marry my
+daughter, he must do some more things first, and one of these is
+to turn all the paths and walls of my garden into pure gold before
+noon to-morrow.'
+
+When the snake was told of this new condition, he replied, 'To-
+morrow morning, early, you must go and collect all the odds and
+ends of rubbish you can find in the streets, and then take them
+and throw them on the paths and walls of the garden, and you'll
+see then if we won't be more than a match for the old King.'
+
+So Cola-Mattheo rose at cock-crow, took a large basket under his
+arm, and carefully collected all the broken fragments of pots and
+pans, and jugs and lamps, and other trash of that sort. No sooner
+had he scattered them over the paths and walls of the King's
+garden than they became one blaze of glittering gold, so that
+everyone's eyes were dazzled with the brilliancy, and everyone's
+soul was filled with wonder. The King, too, was amazed at the
+sight, but still he couldn't make up his mind to part with his
+daughter, so when Cola-Mattheo came to remind him of his promise
+he replied, 'I have still a third demand to make. If the snake can
+turn all the trees and fruit of my garden into precious stones,
+then I promise him my daughter in marriage.'
+
+When the peasant informed the snake what the King had said, he
+replied, 'To-morrow morning, early, you must go to the market and
+buy all the fruit you see there, and then sow all the stones and
+seeds in the palace garden, and, if I'm not mistaken, the King
+will be satisfied with the result.'
+
+Cola-Mattheo rose at dawn, and taking a basket on his arm, he went
+to the market, and bought all the pomegranates, apricots,
+cherries, and other fruit he could find there, and sowed the seeds
+and stones in the palace garden. In one moment, the trees were all
+ablaze with rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and every other precious
+stone you can think of.
+
+This time the King felt obliged to keep his promise, and calling
+his daughter to him, he said, 'My dear Grannonia,' for that was
+the Princess's name, 'more as a joke than anything else, I
+demanded what seemed to me impossibilities from your bridegroom,
+but now that he has done all I required, I am bound to stick to my
+part of the bargain. Be a good child, and as you love me, do not
+force me to break my word, but give yourself up with as good grace
+as you can to a most unhappy fate.'
+
+'Do with me what you like, my lord and father, for your will is my
+law,' answered Grannonia.
+
+When the King heard this, he told Cola-Mattheo to bring the snake
+to the palace, and said that he was prepared to receive the
+creature as his son-in-law.
+
+The snake arrived at court in a carriage made of gold and drawn by
+six white elephants; but wherever it appeared on the way, the
+people fled in terror at the sight of the fearful reptile.
+
+When the snake reached the palace, all the courtiers shook and
+trembled with fear down to the very scullion, and the King and
+Queen were in such a state of nervous collapse that they hid
+themselves in a far-away turret. Grannonia alone kept her presence
+of mind, and although both her father and mother implored her to
+fly for her life, she wouldn't move a step, saying, 'I'm certainly
+not going to fly from the man you have chosen for my husband.'
+
+As soon as the snake saw Grannonia, it wound its tail round her
+and kissed her. Then, leading her into a room, it shut the door,
+and throwing off its skin, it changed into a beautiful young man
+with golden locks, and flashing eyes, who embraced Grannonia
+tenderly, and said all sorts of pretty things to her.
+
+When the King saw the snake shut itself into a room with his
+daughter, he said to his wife, 'Heaven be merciful to our child,
+for I fear it is all over with her now. This cursed snake has most
+likely swallowed her up.' Then they put their eyes to the keyhole
+to see what had happened.
+
+Their amazement knew no bounds when they saw a beautiful youth
+standing before their daughter with the snake's skin lying on the
+floor beside him. In their excitement they burst open the door,
+and seizing the skin they threw it into the fire. But no sooner
+had they done this than the young man called out, 'Oh, wretched
+people! what have you done?' and before they had time to look
+round he had changed himself into a dove, and dashing against the
+window he broke a pane of glass, and flew away from their sight.
+
+But Grannonia, who in one and the same moment saw herself merry
+and sad, cheerful and despairing, rich and beggared, complained
+bitterly over this robbery of her happiness, this poisoning of her
+cup of joy, this unlucky stroke of fortune, and laid all the blame
+on her parents, though they assured her that they had meant no
+harm. But the Princess refused to be comforted, and at night, when
+all the inhabitants of the palace were asleep, she stole out by a
+back door, disguised as a peasant woman, determined to seek for
+her lost happiness till she found it. When she got to the
+outskirts of the town, led by the light of the moon, she met a
+fox, who offered to accompany her, an offer which Grannonia gladly
+accepted, saying 'You are most heartily welcome, for I don't know
+my way at all about the neighbourhood.'
+
+So they went on their way together, and came at last to a wood,
+where, being tired with walking, they paused to rest under the
+shade of a tree, where a spring of water sported with the tender
+grass, refreshing it with its crystal spray.
+
+They laid themselves down on the green carpet and soon fell fast
+asleep, and did not waken again till the sun was high in the
+heavens. They rose up and stood for some time listening to the
+birds singing, because Grannonia delighted in their songs.
+
+When the fox perceived this, he said: 'If you only understood, as
+I do, what these little birds are saying, your pleasure would be
+even greater.'
+
+Provoked by his words--for we all know that curiosity is as deeply
+inborn in every woman as even the love of talking--Grannonia
+implored the fox to tell her what the birds had said.
+
+At first the wily fox refused to tell her what he had gathered
+from the conversation of the birds, but at last he gave way to her
+entreaties, and told her that they had spoken of the misfortunes
+of a beautiful young Prince, whom a wicked enchantress had turned
+into a snake for the period of seven years. At the end of this
+time he had fallen in love with a charming Princess, but that when
+he had shut himself up into a room with her, and had thrown off
+his snake's skin, her parents had forced their way into the room
+and had burnt the skin, whereupon the Prince, changed into the
+likeness of a dove, had broken a pane of glass in trying to fly
+out of the window, and had wounded himself so badly that the
+doctors despaired of his life.
+
+Grannonia, when she learnt that they were talking of her lover,
+asked at once whose son he was, and if there was any hope of his
+recovery; to which the fox made answer that the birds had said he
+was the son of the King of Vallone Grosso, and that the only thing
+that could cure him was to rub the wounds on his head with the
+blood of the very birds who had told the tale.
+
+Then Grannonia knelt down before the fox, and begged him in her
+sweetest way to catch the birds for her and procure their blood,
+promising at the same time to reward him richly.
+
+'All right,' said the fox, 'only don't be in such a hurry; let's
+wait till night, when the little birds have gone to roost, then
+I'll climb up and catch them all for you.'
+
+So they passed the day, talking now of the beauty of the Prince,
+now of the father of the Princess, and then of the misfortune that
+had happened. At last the night arrived, and all the little birds
+were asleep high up on the branches of a big tree. The fox climbed
+up stealthily and caught the little creatures with his paws one
+after the other; and when he had killed them all he put their
+blood into a little bottle which he wore at his side and returned
+with it to Grannonia, who was beside herself with joy at the
+result of the fox's raid. But the fox said, 'My dear daughter,
+your joy is in vain, because, let me tell you, this blood is of no
+earthly use to you unless you add some of mine to it,' and with
+these words he took to his heels.
+
+Grannonia, who saw her hopes dashed to the ground in this cruel
+way, had recourse to flattery and cunning, weapons which have
+often stood the sex in good stead, and called out after the fox,
+'Father Fox, you would be quite right to save your skin, if, in
+the first place, I didn't feel I owed so much to you, and if, in
+the second, there weren't other foxes in the world; but as you
+know how grateful I feel to you, and as there are heaps of other
+foxes about, you can trust yourself to me. Don't behave like the
+cow that kicks the pail over after it has filled it with milk, but
+continue your journey with me, and when we get to the capital you
+can sell me to the King as a servant girl.'
+
+It never entered the fox's head that even foxes can be outwitted,
+so after a bit he consented to go with her; but he hadn't gone far
+before the cunning girl seized a stick, and gave him such a blow
+with it on the head, that he dropped down dead on the spot. Then
+Grannonia took some of his blood and poured it into her little
+bottle; and went on her way as fast as she could to Vallone
+Grosso.
+
+When she arrived there she went straight to the Royal palace, and
+let the King be told she had come to cure the young Prince.
+
+The King commanded her to be brought before him at once, and was
+much astonished when he saw that it was a girl who undertook to do
+what all the cleverest doctors of his kingdom had failed in. As an
+attempt hurts no one, he willingly consented that she should do
+what she could.
+
+'All I ask,' said Grannonia, 'is that, should I succeed in what
+you desire, you will give me your son in marriage.'
+
+The King, who had given up all hopes of his son's recovery,
+replied: 'Only restore him to life and health and he shall be
+yours. It is only fair to give her a husband who gives me a son.'
+
+And so they went into the Prince's room. The moment Grannonia had
+rubbed the blood on his wounds the illness left him, and he was as
+sound and well as ever. When the King saw his son thus
+marvellously restored to life and health, he turned to him and
+said: 'My dear son, I thought of you as dead, and now, to my great
+joy and amazement, you are alive again. I promised this young
+woman that if she should cure you, to bestow your hand and heart
+on her, and seeing that Heaven has been gracious, you must fulfil
+the promise I made her; for gratitude alone forces me to pay this
+debt.'
+
+But the Prince answered: 'My lord and father, I would that my will
+were as free as my love for you is great. But as I have plighted
+my word to another maiden, you will see yourself, and so will this
+young woman, that I cannot go back from my word, and be faithless
+to her whom I love.'
+
+When Grannonia heard these words, and saw how deeply rooted the
+Prince's love for her was, she felt very happy, and blushing rosy
+red, she said: 'But should I get the other lady to give up her
+rights, would you then consent to marry me?'
+
+'Far be it from me,' replied the Prince, 'to banish the beautiful
+picture of my love from my heart. Whatever she may say, my heart
+and desire will remain the same, and though I were to lose my life
+for it, I couldn't consent to this exchange.'
+
+Grannonia could keep silence no longer, and throwing off her
+peasant's disguise, she discovered herself to the Prince, who was
+nearly beside himself with joy when he recognised his fair lady-
+love. He then told his father at once who she was, and what she
+had done and suffered for his sake.
+
+Then they invited the King and Queen of Starza-Longa to their
+Court, and had a great wedding feast, and proved once more that
+there is no better seasoning for the joys of true love than a few
+pangs of grief.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE BITER BIT
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a man called Simon, who was very
+rich, but at the same time as stingy and miserly as he could be.
+He had a housekeeper called Nina, a clever capable woman, and as
+she did her work carefully and conscientiously, her master had the
+greatest respect for her.
+
+In his young days Simon had been one of the gayest and most active
+youths of the neighbourhood, but as he grew old and stiff he found
+it very difficult to walk, and his faithful servant urged him to
+get a horse so as to save his poor old bones. At last Simon gave
+way to the request and persuasive eloquence of his housekeeper,
+and betook himself one day to the market where he had seen a mule,
+which he thought would just suit him, and which he bought for
+seven gold pieces.
+
+Now it happened that there were three merry rascals hanging about
+the market-place, who much preferred living on other people's
+goods to working for their own living. As soon as they saw that
+Simon had bought a mule, one of them said to his two boon
+companions, 'My friends, this mule must be ours before we are many
+hours older.'
+
+'But how shall we manage it,' asked one of them.
+
+'We must all three station ourselves at different intervals along
+the old man's homeward way, and must each in his turn declare that
+the mule he has bought is a donkey. If we only stick to it you'll
+see the mule will soon be ours.' This proposal quite satisfied the
+others, and they all separated as they had agreed.
+
+Now when Simon came by, the first rogue said to him, 'God bless
+you, my fine gentleman.'
+
+'Thanks for your courtesy,' replied Simon.
+
+'Where have you been?' asked the thief.
+
+'To the market,' was the reply.
+
+'And what did you buy there?' continued the rogue.
+
+'This mule.'
+
+'Which mule?'
+
+'The one I'm sitting upon, to be sure,' replied Simon.
+
+'Are you in earnest, or only joking?'
+
+'What do you mean?'
+
+'Because it seems to me you've got hold of a donkey, and not of a
+mule.'
+
+'A donkey? Rubbish!' screamed Simon, and without another word he
+rode on his way. After a few hundred yards he met the second
+confederate, who addressed him, 'Good day, dear sir, where are you
+coming from?'
+
+'From the market,' answered Simon.
+
+'Did things go pretty cheap?' asked the other.
+
+'I should just think so,' said Simon.
+
+'And did you make any good bargain yourself?'
+
+'I bought this mule on which you see me.'
+
+'Is it possible that you really bought that beast for a mule?'
+
+'Why certainly.'
+
+'But, good heavens, it's nothing but a donkey!'
+
+'A donkey!' repeated Simon, 'you don't mean to say so; if a single
+other person tells me that, I'll make him a present of the
+wretched animal.'
+
+With these words he continued his way, and very soon met the third
+knave, who said to him, 'God bless you, sir; are you by any chance
+coming from the market?'
+
+'Yes, I am,' replied Simon.
+
+'And what bargain did you drive there?' asked the cunning fellow.
+
+'I bought this mule on which I am riding.'
+
+'A mule! Are you speaking seriously, or do you wish to make a fool
+of me?'
+
+'I'm speaking in sober earnest,' said Simon; 'it wouldn't occur to
+me to make a joke of it.'
+
+'Oh, my poor friend,' cried the rascal, 'don't you see that is a
+donkey and not a mule? you have been taken in by some wretched
+cheats.'
+
+'You are the third person in the last two hours who has told me
+the same thing,' said Simon, 'but I couldn't believe it,' and
+dismounting from the mule he spoke: 'Keep the animal, I make you a
+present of it.' The rascal took the beast, thanked him kindly, and
+rode on to join his comrades, while Simon continued his journey on
+foot.
+
+As soon as the old man got home, he told his housekeeper that he
+had bought a beast under the belief that it was a mule, but that
+it had turned out to be a donkey--at least, so he had been assured
+by several people he had met on the road, and that in disgust he
+had at last given it away.
+
+'Oh, you simpleton!' cried Nina; 'didn't you see that they were
+only playing you a trick? Really, I thought you'd have had more
+gumption than that; they wouldn't have taken me in in that way.'
+
+'Never mind,' replied Simon, 'I'll play them one worth two of
+that; for depend upon it they won't be contented with having got
+the donkey out of me, but they'll try by some new dodge to get
+something more, or I'm much mistaken.'
+
+Now there lived in the village not far from Simon's house, a
+peasant who had two goats, so alike in every respect that it was
+impossible to distinguish one from the other. Simon bought them
+both, paid as small a price as he could for them, and leading them
+home with him, he told Nina to prepare a good meal, as he was
+going to invite some friends to dinner. He ordered her to roast
+some veal, and to boil a pair of chickens, and gave her some herbs
+to make a good savoury, and told her to bake the best tart she
+could make. Then he took one of the goats and tied it to a post in
+the courtyard, and gave it some grass to eat; but he bound a cord
+round the neck of the other goat and led it to the market.
+
+Hardly had he arrived there, than the three gentlemen who had got
+his mule perceived him, and coming up to him said: 'Welcome, Mr.
+Simon, what brings you here; are you on the look out for a
+bargain?'
+
+'I've come to get some provisions,' he answered, 'because some
+friends are coming to dine with me today, and it would give me
+much pleasure if you were to honour me with your company also.'
+
+The accomplices willingly accepted this invitation; and after
+Simon had made all his purchases, he tied them on to the goat's
+back, and said to it, in the presence of the three cheats, 'Go
+home now, and tell Nina to roast the veal, and boil the chickens,
+and tell her to prepare a savoury with herbs, and to bake the best
+tart she can make. Have you followed me? Then go, and Heaven's
+blessing go with you.'
+
+As soon as it felt itself free, the laden goat trotted off as
+quickly as it could, and to this day nobody knows what became of
+it. But Simon, after wandering about the market for some time with
+his three friends and some others he had picked up, returned home
+to his house.
+
+When he and his guests entered the courtyard, they noticed the
+goat tied to the post quietly chewing the cud. They were not a
+little astonished at this, for of course they thought it was the
+same goat that Simon had sent home laden with provisions. As soon
+as they reached the house Mr. Simon said to his housekeeper,
+'Well, Nina, have you done what I told the goat to tell you to
+do?' The artful woman, who at once understood her master,
+answered, 'Certainly I have. The veal is roasted, and the chickens
+boiled.'
+
+'That's all right,' said Simon.
+
+When the three rogues saw the cooked meats, and the tart in the
+oven, and heard Nina's words, they were nearly beside themselves
+with amazement, and began to consult at once how they were to get
+the goat into their own possession. At last, towards the end of
+the meal, having sought in vain for some cunning dodge to get the
+goat away from Mr. Simon, one of them said to him, 'My worthy
+host, you must sell your goat to us.'
+
+Simon replied that he was most unwilling to part with the
+creature, as no amount of money would make up to him for its loss;
+still, if they were quite set on it, he would let them have the
+goat for fifty gold pieces.
+
+The knaves, who thought they were doing a capital piece of
+business, paid down the fifty gold pieces at once, and left the
+house quite happily, leading the goat with them. When they got
+home they said to their wives, 'You needn't begin to cook the
+dinner to-morrow till we send the provisions home.'
+
+The following day they went to the market and bought chickens and
+other eatables, and after they had packed them on the back of the
+goat (which they had brought with them), they told it all the
+dishes they wished their wives to prepare. As soon as the goat
+felt itself free, it ran as quickly as it could, and was very soon
+lost to sight, and, as far as I know, was never heard of again.
+
+When the dinner hour approached all three went home and asked
+their wives if the goat had returned with the necessary
+provisions, and had told them what they wished prepared for their
+meal.
+
+'Oh, you fools and blockheads!' cried their wives, 'how could you
+ever believe for a moment that a goat would do the work of a
+servant-maid? You have been finely deceived for once in a way. Of
+course, if you are always taking in other people, your turn to be
+taken in comes too, and this time you've been made to look pretty
+foolish.'
+
+When the three comrades saw that Mr. Simon had got the better of
+them, and done them out of fifty gold pieces, they flew into such
+a rage that they made up their minds to kill him, and, seizing
+their weapons for this purpose, went to his house.
+
+But the sly old man, who was terrified for his life that the three
+rogues might do him some harm, was on his guard, and said to his
+housekeeper, 'Nina, take this bladder, which is filled with blood,
+and hide it under your cloak; then when these thieves come I'll
+lay all the blame on you, and will pretend to be so angry with you
+that I will run at you with my knife, and pierce the bladder with
+it; then you must fall on the ground as if you were dead, and
+leave the rest to me.'
+
+Hardly had Simon said these words when the three rogues appeared
+and fell on him to kill him.
+
+'My friends,' called out Simon to then, 'what do you accuse me of?
+I am in no way to blame; perhaps my housekeeper has done you some
+injury of which I know nothing.' And with these words, he turned
+on Nina with his knife, and stuck it right into her, so that he
+pierced the bladder filled with blood. Instantly the housekeeper
+fell down as if she were dead, and the blood streamed all over the
+ground.
+
+Simon then pretended to be seized with remorse at the sight of
+this dreadful catastrophe, and cried out in a loud voice, 'Unhappy
+wretch that I am! What have I done? Like a madman I have killed
+the woman who is the prop and stay of my old age. How could I ever
+go on living without her?' Then he seized a pipe, and when he had
+blown into it for some time Nina sprang up alive and well.
+
+The rogues were more amazed than ever; they forgot their anger,
+and buying the pipe for two hundred gold pieces, they went
+joyfully home.
+
+Not long after this one of them quarrelled with his wife, and in
+his rage he thrust his knife into her breast so that she fell dead
+on the ground. Then he took Simon's pipe and blew into it with all
+his might, in the hopes of calling his wife back to life. But he
+blew in vain, for the poor soul was as dead as a door-nail.
+
+When one of his comrades heard what had happened, he said, 'You
+blockhead, you can't have done it properly; just let me have a
+try,' and with these words he seized his wife by the roots of her
+hair, cut her throat with a razor, and then took the pipe and blew
+into it with all his might but he couldn't bring her back to life.
+The same thing happened to the third rogue, so that they were now
+all three without wives.
+
+Full of wrath they ran to Simon's house, and, refusing to listen
+to a word of explanation or excuse, they seized the old man and
+put him into a sack, meaning to drown him in the neighbouring
+river. On their way there, however, a sudden noise threw them into
+such a panic that they dropped the sack with Simon in it and ran
+for their lives.
+
+Soon after this a shepherd happened to pass by with his flock, and
+while he was slowly following the sheep, who paused here and there
+by the wayside to browse on the tender grass, he heard a pitiful
+voice wailing, 'They insist on my taking her, and I don't want
+her, for I am too old, and I really can't have her.' The shepherd
+was much startled, for he couldn't make out where these words,
+which were repeated more than once, came from, and looked about
+him to the right and left; at last he perceived the sack in which
+Simon was hidden, and going up to it he opened it and discovered
+Simon repeating his dismal complaint. The shepherd asked him why
+he had been left there tied up in a sack.
+
+Simon replied that the king of the country had insisted on giving
+him one of his daughters as a wife, but that he had refused the
+honour because he was too old and too frail. The simple-minded
+shepherd, who believed his story implicitly, asked him, 'Do you
+think the king of the country would give his daughter to me?'
+
+'Yes, certainly, I know he would,' answered Simon, 'if you were
+tied up in this sack instead of me.' Then getting out of the sack,
+he tied the confiding shepherd up in it instead, and at his
+request fastened it securely and drove the sheep on himself.
+
+An hour had scarcely passed when the three rogues returned to the
+place where they had left Simon in the sack, and without opening
+it, one of them seized it and threw it into the river. And so the
+poor shepherd was drowned instead of Mr. Simon!
+
+The three rogues, having wreaked their vengeance, set out, for
+home. On their way they noticed a flock of sheep grazing not far
+from the road. They longed to steal a few of the lambs, and
+approached the flock, and were more than startled to recognise Mr.
+Simon, whom they had drowned in the river, as the shepherd who was
+looking after the sheep. They asked him how he had managed to get
+out of the river, to which he replied:
+
+'Get along with you--you are no better than silly donkeys without
+any sense; if you had only drowned me in deeper water I would have
+returned with three times as many sheep.'
+
+When the three rogues heard this, they said to him: 'Oh, dear Mr.
+Simon, do us the favour to tie us up in sacks and throw us into
+the river that we may give up our thieving ways and become the
+owners of flocks.'
+
+'I am ready,' answered Simon, 'to do what you please; there's
+nothing in the world I wouldn't do for you.'
+
+So he took three strong sacks and put a man in each of them, and
+fastened them up so tightly that they couldn't get out, and then
+he threw them all into the river; and that was the end of the
+three rogues. But Mr. Simon returned home to his faithful Nina
+rich in flocks and gold, and lived for many a year in health and
+happiness.
+
+Kletke.
+
+
+
+
+
+KING KOJATA (From the Russian)
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a king called Kojata, whose beard was
+so long that it reached below his knees. Three years had passed
+since his marriage, and he lived very happily with his wife, but
+Heaven granted him no heir, which grieved the King greatly. One
+day he set forth from his capital, in order to make a journey
+through his kingdom. He travelled for nearly a year through the
+different parts of his territory, and then, having seen all there
+was to be seen, he set forth on his homeward way. As the day was
+very hot and sultry he commanded his servants to pitch tents in
+the open field, and there await the cool of the evening. Suddenly
+a frightful thirst seized the King, and as he saw no water near,
+he mounted his horse, and rode through the neighbourhood looking
+for a spring. Before long he came to a well filled to the brim
+with water clear as crystal, and on the bosom of which a golden
+jug was floating. King Kojata at once tried to seize the vessel,
+but though he endeavoured to grasp it with his right hand, and
+then with his left, the wretched thing always eluded his efforts
+and refused to let itself be caught. First with one hand, and then
+with two, did the King try to seize it, but like a fish the goblet
+always slipped through his fingers and bobbed to the ground only
+to reappear at some other place, and mock the King.
+
+'Plague on you!' said King Kojata. 'I can quench my thirst without
+you,' and bending over the well he lapped up the water so greedily
+that he plunged his face, beard and all, right into the crystal
+mirror. But when he had satisfied his thirst, and wished to raise
+himself up, he couldn't lift his head, because someone held his
+beard fast in the water. 'Who's there? let me go!' cried King
+Kojata, but there was no answer; only an awful face looked up from
+the bottom of the well with two great green eyes, glowing like
+emeralds, and a wide mouth reaching from ear to ear showing two
+rows of gleaming white teeth, and the King's beard was held, not
+by mortal hands, but by two claws. At last a hoarse voice sounded
+from the depths. 'Your trouble is all in vain, King Kojata; I will
+only let you go on condition that you give me something you know
+nothing about, and which you will find on your return home.'
+
+The King didn't pause to ponder long, 'for what,' thought he,
+'could be in my palace without my knowing about it--the thing is
+absurd;' so he answered quickly:
+
+'Yes, I promise that you shall have it.'
+
+The voice replied, 'Very well; but it will go ill with you if you
+fail to keep your promise.' Then the claws relaxed their hold, and
+the face disappeared in the depths. The King drew his chin out of
+the water, and shook himself like a dog; then he mounted his horse
+and rode thoughtfully home with his retinue. When they approached
+the capital, all the people came out to meet them with great joy
+and acclamation, and when the King reached his palace the Queen
+met him on the threshold; beside her stood the Prime Minister,
+holding a little cradle in his hands, in which lay a new-born
+child as beautiful as the day. Then the whole thing dawned on the
+King, and groaning deeply he muttered to himself 'So this is what
+I did not know about,' and the tears rolled down his cheeks. All
+the courtiers standing round were much amazed at the King's grief,
+but no one dared to ask him the cause of it. He took the child in
+his arms and kissed it tenderly; then laying it in its cradle, he
+determined to control his emotion and began to reign again as
+before.
+
+The secret of the King remained a secret, though his grave,
+careworn expression escaped no one's notice. In the constant dread
+that his child would be taken from him, poor Kojata knew no rest
+night or day. However, time went on and nothing happened. Days and
+months and years passed, and the Prince grew up into a beautiful
+youth, and at last the King himself forgot all about the incident
+that had happened so long ago.
+
+One day the Prince went out hunting, and going in pursuit of a
+wild boar he soon lost the other huntsmen, and found himself quite
+alone in the middle of a dark wood. The trees grew so thick and
+near together that it was almost impossible to see through them,
+only straight in front of him lay a little patch of meadowland.
+Overgrown with thistles and rank weeds, in the centre of which a
+leafy lime tree reared itself. Suddenly a rustling sound was heard
+in the hollow of the tree, and an extraordinary old man with green
+eyes and chin crept out of it.
+
+'A fine day, Prince Milan,' he said; 'you've kept me waiting a
+good number of years; it was high time for you to come and pay me
+a visit.'
+
+'Who are you, in the name of wonder?' demanded the astonished
+Prince.
+
+'You'll find out soon enough, but in the meantime do as I bid you.
+Greet your father King Kojata from me, and don't forget to remind
+him of his debt; the time has long passed since it was due, but
+now he will have to pay it. Farewell for the present; we shall
+meet again.'
+
+With these words the old man disappeared into the tree, and the
+Prince returned home rather startled, and told his father all that
+he had seen and heard.
+
+The King grew as white as a sheet when he heard the Prince's
+story, and said, 'Woe is me, my son! The time has come when we
+must part,' and with a heavy heart he told the Prince what had
+happened at the time of his birth.
+
+'Don't worry or distress yourself, dear father,' answered Prince
+Milan. 'Things are never as bad as they look. Only give me a horse
+for my journey, and I wager you'll soon see me back again.'
+
+The King gave him a beautiful charger, with golden stirrups, and a
+sword. The Queen hung a little cross round his neck, and after
+much weeping and lamentation the Prince bade them all farewell and
+set forth on his journey.
+
+He rode straight on for two days, and on the third he came to a
+lake as smooth as glass and as clear as crystal. Not a breath of
+wind moved, not a leaf stirred, all was silent as the grave, only
+on the still bosom of the lake thirty ducks, with brilliant
+plumage, swam about in the water. Not far from the shore Prince
+Milan noticed thirty little white garments lying on the grass, and
+dismounting from his horse, he crept down under the high
+bulrushes, took one of the garments and hid himself with it behind
+the bushes which grew round the lake. The ducks swam about all
+over the place, dived down into the depths and rose again and
+glided through the waves. At last, tired of disporting themselves,
+they swam to the shore, and twenty-nine of them put on their
+little white garments and instantly turned into so many beautiful
+maidens. Then they finished dressing and disappeared. Only the
+thirtieth little duck couldn't come to the land; it swam about
+close to the shore, and, giving out a piercing cry, it stretched
+its neck up timidly, gazed wildly around, and then dived under
+again. Prince Milan's heart was so moved with pity for the poor
+little creature that he came out from behind the bulrushes, to see
+if he could be of any help. As soon as the duck perceived him, it
+cried in a human voice, 'Oh, dear Prince Milan, for the love of
+Heaven give me back my garment, and I will be so grateful to you.'
+The Prince lay the little garment on the bank beside her, and
+stepped back into the bushes. In a few seconds a beautiful girl in
+a white robe stood before him, so fair and sweet and young that no
+pen could describe her. She gave the Prince her hand and spoke.
+
+'Many thanks, Prince Milan, for your courtesy. I am the daughter
+of a wicked magician, and my name is Hyacinthia. My father has
+thirty young daughters, and is a mighty ruler in the underworld,
+with many castles and great riches. He has been expecting you for
+ages, but you need have no fear if you will only follow my advice.
+As soon as you come into the presence of my father, throw yourself
+at once on the ground and approach him on your knees. Don't mind
+if he stamps furiously with his feet and curses and swears. I'll
+attend to the rest, and in the meantime we had better be off.'
+
+With these words the beautiful Hyacinthia stamped on the ground
+with her little foot, and the earth opened and they both sank down
+into the lower world.
+
+The palace of the Magician was all hewn out of a single carbuncle,
+lighting up the whole surrounding region, and Prince Milan walked
+into it gaily.
+
+The Magician sat on a throne, a sparkling crown on his head; his
+eyes blazed like a green fire, and instead of hands he had claws.
+As soon as Prince Milan entered he flung himself on his knees. The
+Magician stamped loudly with his feet, glared frightfully out of
+his green eyes, and cursed so loudly that the whole underworld
+shook. But the Prince, mindful of the counsel he had been given,
+wasn't the least afraid, and approached the throne still on his
+knees. At last the Magician laughed aloud and said, 'You rogue,
+you have been well advised to make me laugh; I won't be your enemy
+any more. Welcome to the underworld! All the same, for your delay
+in coming here, we must demand three services from you. For to-day
+you may go, but to-morrow I shall have something more to say to
+you.'
+
+Then two servants led Prince Milan to a beautiful apartment, and
+he lay down fearlessly on the soft bed that had been prepared for
+him, and was soon fast asleep.
+
+Early the next morning the Magician sent for him, and said, 'Let's
+see now what you've learnt. In the first place you must build me a
+palace to-night, the roof of purest gold, the walls of marble, and
+the windows of crystal; all round you must lay out a beautiful
+garden, with fish-ponds and artistic waterfalls. If you do all
+this, I will reward you richly; but if you don't, you shall lose
+your head.'
+
+'Oh, you wicked monster!' thought Prince Milan, 'you might as well
+have put me to death at once.' Sadly he returned to his room, and
+with bent head sat brooding over his cruel fate till evening. When
+it grew dark, a little bee flew by, and knocking at the window, it
+said, 'Open, and let me in.'
+
+Milan opened the window quickly, and as soon as the bee had
+entered, it changed into the beautiful Hyacinthia.
+
+'Good evening, Prince Milan. Why are you so sad?'
+
+'How can I help being sad? Your father threatens me with death,
+and I see myself already without a head.'
+
+'And what have you made up your mind to do?'
+
+'There's nothing to be done, and after all I suppose one can only
+die once.'
+
+'Now, don't be so foolish, my dear Prince; but keep up your
+spirits, for there is no need to despair. Go to bed, and when you
+wake up to-morrow morning the palace will be finished. Then you
+must go all round it, giving a tap here and there on the walls to
+look as if you had just finished it.'
+
+And so it all turned out just as she had said. As soon as it was
+daylight Prince Milan stepped out of his room, and found a palace
+which was quite a work of art down to the very smallest detail.
+The Magician himself was not a little astonished at its beauty,
+and could hardly believe his eyes.
+
+'Well, you certainly are a splendid workman,' he said to the
+Prince. 'I see you are very clever with your hands, now I must see
+if you are equally accomplished with your head. I have thirty
+daughters in my house, all beautiful princesses. To-morrow I will
+place the whole thirty in a row. You must walk past them three
+times, and the third time you must show me which is my youngest
+daughter Hyacinthia. If you don't guess rightly, you shall lose
+your head.'
+
+'This time you've made a mistake,' thought Prince Milan, and going
+to his room he sat down at the window. Just fancy my not
+recognising the beautiful Hyacinthia! Why, that is the easiest
+thing in the world.'
+
+'Not so easy as you think,' cried the little bee, who was flying
+past. 'If I weren't to help you, you'd never guess. We are thirty
+sisters so exactly alike that our own father can hardly
+distinguish us apart.'
+
+'Then what am I to do?' asked Prince Milan.
+
+'Listen,' answered Hyacinthia. 'You will recognise me by a tiny
+fly I shall have on my left cheek, but be careful for you might
+easily make a mistake.'
+
+The next day the Magician again commanded Prince Milan to be led
+before him. His daughters were all arranged in a straight row in
+front of him, dressed exactly alike, and with their eyes bent on
+the ground.
+
+'Now, you genius,' said the Magician, 'look at these beauties
+three times, and then tell us which is the Princess Hyacinthia.'
+
+Prince Milan went past them and looked at them closely. But they
+were all so precisely alike that they looked like one face
+reflected in thirty mirrors, and the fly was nowhere to be seen;
+the second time he passed them he still saw nothing; but the third
+time he perceived a little fly stealing down one cheek, causing it
+to blush a faint pink. Then the Prince seized the girl's hand and
+cried out, 'This is the Princess Hyacinthia!'
+
+'You're right again,' said the Magician in amazement; 'but I've
+still another task for you to do. Before this candle, which I
+shall light, burns to the socket, you must have made me a pair of
+boots reaching to my knees. If they aren't finished in that time,
+off comes your head.'
+
+The Prince returned to his room in despair; then the Princess
+Hyacinthia came to him once more changed into the likeness of a
+bee, and asked him, 'Why so sad, Prince Milan?'
+
+'How can I help being sad? Your father has set me this time an
+impossible task. Before a candle which he has lit burns to the
+socket, I am to make a pair of boots. But what does a prince know
+of shoemaking? If I can't do it, I lose my head.'
+
+'And what do you mean to do?' asked Hyacinthia.
+
+'Well, what is there to be done? What he demands I can't and won't
+do, so he must just make an end of me.'
+
+'Not so, dearest. I love you dearly, and you shall marry me, and
+I'll either save your life or die with you. We must fly now as
+quickly as we can, for there is no other way of escape.'
+
+With these words she breathed on the window, and her breath froze
+on the pane. Then she led Milan out of the room with her, shut the
+door, and threw the key away. Hand in hand, they hurried to the
+spot where they had descended into the lower world, and at last
+reached the banks of the lake. Prince Milan's charger was still
+grazing on the grass which grew near the water. The horse no
+sooner recognized his master, than it neighed loudly with joy, and
+springing towards him, it stood as if rooted to the ground, while
+Prince Milan and Hyacinthia jumped on its back. Then it sped
+onwards like an arrow from a bow.
+
+In the meantime the Magician was waiting impatiently for the
+Prince. Enraged by the delay, he sent his servants to fetch him,
+for the appointed time was past.
+
+The servants came to the door, and finding it locked, they
+knocked; but the frozen breath on the window replied in Prince
+Milan's voice, 'I am coming directly.' With this answer they
+returned to the Magician. But when the Prince still did not
+appear, after a time he sent his servants a second time to bring
+him. The frozen breath always gave the same answer, but the Prince
+never came. At last the Magician lost all patience, and commanded
+the door to be burst open. But when his servants did so, they
+found the room empty, and the frozen breath laughed aloud. Out of
+his mind with rage, the Magician ordered the Prince to be pursued.
+
+Then a wild chase began. 'I hear horses' hoofs behind us,' said
+Hyacinthia to the Prince. Milan sprang from the saddle, put his
+ear to the ground and listened. 'Yes,' he answered, 'they are
+pursuing us, and are quite close.' 'Then no time must be lost,'
+said Hyacinthia, and she immediately turned herself into a river,
+Prince Milan into an iron bridge, and the charger into a
+blackbird. Behind the bridge the road branched off into three
+ways.
+
+The Magician's servants hurried after the fresh tracks, but when
+they came to the bridge, they stood, not knowing which road to
+take, as the footprints stopped suddenly, and there were three
+paths for them to choose from. In fear and trembling they returned
+to tell the Magician what had happened. He flew into a dreadful
+rage when he saw them, and screamed out, 'Oh, you fools! the river
+and bridge were they! Go back and bring them to me at once, or it
+will be the worse for you.'
+
+Then the pursuit began afresh. 'I hear horses' hoofs,' sighed
+Hyacinthia. The Prince dismounted and put his ear to the ground.
+'They are hurrying after us, and are already quite near.' In a
+moment the Princess Hyacinthia had changed herself, the Prince,
+and his charger into a thick wood where a thousand paths and roads
+crossed each other. Their pursuers entered the forest, but
+searched in vain for Prince Milan and his bride. At last they
+found themselves back at the same spot they had started from, and
+in despair they returned once more with empty hands to the
+Magician.
+
+'Then I'll go after the wretches myself,' he shouted. 'Bring a
+horse at once; they shan't escape me.'
+
+Once more the beautiful Hyacinthia murmured, 'I hear horses' hoofs
+quite near.' And the Prince answered, 'They are pursuing us hotly
+and are quite close.'
+
+'We are lost now, for that is my father himself. But at the first
+church we come to his power ceases; he may chase us no further.
+Hand me your cross.'
+
+Prince Milan loosened from his neck the little gold cross his
+mother had given him, and as soon as Hyacinthia grasped it, she
+had changed herself into a church, Milan into a monk, and the
+horse into a belfry. They had hardly done this when the magician
+and his servants rode up.
+
+'Did you see no one pass by on horseback, reverend father?' he
+asked the monk.
+
+'Prince Milan and Princess Hyacinthia have just gone on this
+minute; they stopped for a few minutes in the church to say their
+prayers, and bade me light this wax candle for you, and give you
+their love.'
+
+'I'd like to wring their necks,' said the magician, and made all
+haste home, where he had every one of his servants beaten to
+within an inch of their lives.
+
+Prince Milan rode on slowly with his bride without fearing any
+further pursuit. The sun was just setting, and its last rays lit
+up a large city they were approaching. Prince Milan was suddenly
+seized with an ardent desire to enter the town.
+
+'Oh my beloved,' implored Hyacinthia, 'please don't go; for I am
+frightened and fear some evil.'
+
+'What are you afraid of?' asked the Prince. 'We'll only go and
+look at what's to be seen in the town for about an hour, and then
+we'll continue our journey to my father's kingdom.'
+
+'The town is easy to get into, but more difficult to get out of,'
+sighed Hyacinthia. 'But let it be as you wish. Go, and I will
+await you here, but I will first change myself into a white
+milestone; only I pray you be very careful. The King and Queen of
+the town will come out to meet you, leading a little child with
+them. Whatever you do, don't kiss the child, or you will forget me
+and all that has happened to us. I will wait for you here for
+three days.'
+
+The Prince hurried to the town, but Hyacinthia remained behind
+disguised as a white milestone on the road. The first day passed,
+and then the second, and at last the third also, but Prince Milan
+did not return, for he had not taken Hyacinthia's advice. The King
+and Queen came out to meet him as she had said, leading with them
+a lovely fair-haired little girl, whose eyes shone like two clear
+stars. The child at once caressed the Prince, who, carried away by
+its beauty, bent down and kissed it on the cheek. From that moment
+his memory became a blank, and he forgot all about the beautiful
+Hyacinthia.
+
+When the Prince did not return, poor Hyacinthia wept bitterly and
+changing herself from a milestone into a little blue field flower,
+she said, 'I will grow here on the wayside till some passer-by
+tramples me under foot.' And one of her tears remained as a
+dewdrop and sparkled on the little blue flower.
+
+Now it happened shortly after this that an old man passed by, and
+seeing the flower, he was delighted with its beauty. He pulled it
+up carefully by the roots and carried it home. Here he planted it
+in a pot, and watered and tended the little plant carefully. And
+now the most extraordinary thing happened, for from this moment
+everything in the old man's house was changed. When he awoke in
+the morning he always found his room tidied and put into such
+beautiful order that not a speck of dust was to be found anywhere.
+When he came home at midday, he found a table laid out with the
+most dainty food, and he had only to sit down and enjoy himself to
+his heart's content. At first he was so surprised he didn't know
+what to think, but after a time he grew a little uncomfortable,
+and went to an old witch to ask for advice.
+
+The witch said, 'Get up before the cock crows, and watch carefully
+till you see something move, and then throw this cloth quickly
+over it, and you'll see what will happen.'
+
+All night the old man never closed an eye. When the first ray of
+light entered the room, he noticed that the little blue flower
+began to tremble, and at last it rose out of the pot and flew
+about the room, put everything in order, swept away the dust, and
+lit the fire. In great haste the old man sprang from his bed, and
+covered the flower with the cloth the old witch had given him, and
+in a moment the beautiful Princess Hyacinthia stood before him.
+
+'What have you done?' she cried. 'Why have you called me back to
+life? For I have no desire to live since my bridegroom, the
+beautiful Prince Milan, has deserted me.'
+
+'Prince Milan is just going to be married,' replied the old man.
+'Everything is being got ready for the feast, and all the invited
+guests are flocking to the palace from all sides.'
+
+The beautiful Hyacinthia cried bitterly when she heard this; then
+she dried her tears, and went into the town dressed as a peasant
+woman. She went straight to the King's kitchen, where the white-
+aproned cooks were running about in great confusion. The Princess
+went up to the head cook, and said, 'Dear cook, please listen to
+my request, and let me make a wedding-cake for Prince Milan.'
+
+The busy cook was just going to refuse her demand and order her
+out of the kitchen, but the words died on his lips when he turned
+and beheld the beautiful Hyacinthia, and he answered politely,
+'You have just come in the nick of time, fair maiden. Bake your
+cake, and I myself will lay it before Prince Milan.'
+
+The cake was soon made. The invited guests were already thronging
+round the table, when the head cook entered the room, bearing a
+beautiful wedding cake on a silver dish, and laid it before Prince
+Milan. The guests were all lost in admiration, for the cake was
+quite a work of art. Prince Milan at once proceeded to cut it
+open, when to his surprise two white doves sprang out of it, and
+one of them said to the other: 'My dear mate, do not fly away and
+leave me, and forget me as Prince Milan forgot his beloved
+Hyacinthia.'
+
+Milan sighed deeply when he heard what the little dove said. Then
+he jumped up suddenly from the table and ran to the door, where he
+found the beautiful Hyacinthia waiting for him. Outside stood his
+faithful charger, pawing the ground. Without pausing for a moment,
+Milan and Hyacinthia mounted him and galloped as fast as they
+could into the country of King Kojata. The King and Queen received
+them with such joy and gladness as had never been heard of before,
+and they all lived happily for the rest of their lives.
+
+
+
+
+
+PRINCE FICKLE AND FAIR HELENA (From the German)
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a beautiful girl called Helena. Her own
+mother had died when she was quite a child, and her stepmother was
+as cruel and unkind to her as she could be. Helena did all she
+could to gain her love, and performed the heavy work given her to
+do cheerfully and well; but her stepmother's heart wasn't in the
+least touched, and the more the poor girl did the more she asked
+her to do.
+
+One day she gave Helena twelve pounds of mixed feathers and bade
+her separate them all before evening, threatening her with heavy
+punishment if she failed to do so.
+
+The poor child sat down to her task with her eyes so full of tears
+that she could hardly see to begin. And when she had made one
+little heap of feathers, she sighed so deeply that they all blew
+apart again. And so it went on, and the poor girl grew more and
+more miserable. She bowed her head in her hands and cried, 'Is
+there no one under heaven who will take pity on me?'
+
+Suddenly a soft voice replied, 'Be comforted, my child: I have
+come to help you.'
+
+Terrified to death, Helena looked up and saw a Fairy standing in
+front of her, who asked in the kindest way possible, 'Why are you
+crying, my dear?'
+
+Helena, who for long had heard no friendly voice, confided her sad
+tale of woe to the Fairy, and told her what the new task she had
+been given to do was, and how she despaired of ever accomplishing
+it.
+
+'Don't worry yourself about it any more,' said the kind Fairy;
+'lie down and go to sleep, and I'll see that your work is done all
+right.' So Helena lay down, and when she awoke all the feathers
+were sorted into little bundles; but when she turned to thank the
+good Fairy she had vanished.
+
+In the evening her stepmother returned and was much amazed to find
+Helena sitting quietly with her work all finished before her.
+
+She praised her diligence, but at the same time racked her brain
+as to what harder task she could set her to do.
+
+The next day she told Helena to empty a pond near the house with a
+spoon which was full of holes. Helena set to work at once, but she
+very soon found that what her stepmother had told her to do was an
+impossibility. Full of despair and misery, she was in the act of
+throwing the spoon away, when suddenly the kind Fairy stood before
+her again, and asked her why she was so unhappy?
+
+When Helena told her of her stepmother's new demand she said,
+'Trust to me and I will do your task for you. Lie down and have a
+sleep in the meantime.'
+
+Helena was comforted and lay down, and before you would have
+believed it possible the Fairy roused her gently and told her the
+pond was empty. Full of joy and gratitude, Helena hurried to her
+stepmother, hoping that now at last her heart would be softened
+towards her. But the wicked woman was furious at the frustration
+of her own evil designs, and only thought of what harder thing she
+could set the girl to do.
+
+Next morning she ordered her to build before evening a beautiful
+castle, and to furnish it all from garret to basement. Helena sat
+down on the rocks which had been pointed out to her as the site of
+the castle, feeling very depressed, but at the same time with the
+lurking hope that the kind Fairy would come once more to her aid.
+
+And so it turned out. The Fairy appeared, promised to build the
+castle, and told Helena to lie down and go to sleep in the
+meantime. At the word of the Fairy the rocks and stones rose and
+built themselves into a beautiful castle, and before sunset it was
+all furnished inside, and left nothing to be desired. You may
+think how grateful Helena was when she awoke and found her task
+all finished.
+
+But her stepmother was anything but pleased, and went through the
+whole castle from top to bottom, to see if she couldn't find some
+fault for which she could punish Helena. At last she went down
+into one of the cellars, but it was so dark that she fell down the
+steep stairs and was killed on the spot.
+
+So Helena was now mistress of the beautiful castle, and lived
+there in peace and happiness. And soon the noise of her beauty
+spread abroad, and many wooers came to try and gain her hand.
+
+Among them came one Prince Fickle by name, who very quickly won
+the love of fair Helena. One day, as they were sitting happily
+together under a lime-tree in front of the castle, Prince Fickle
+broke the sad news to Helena that he must return to his parents to
+get their consent to his marriage. He promised faithfully to come
+back to her as soon as he could and begged her to await his return
+under the lime-tree where they had spent so many happy hours.
+
+Helena kissed him tenderly at parting on his left cheek, and
+begged him not to let anyone else kiss him there while they were
+parted, and she promised to sit and wait for him under the lime-
+tree, for she never doubted that the Prince would be faithful to
+her and would return as quickly as he could.
+
+And so she sat for three days and three nights under the tree
+without moving. But when her lover never returned, she grew very
+unhappy, and determined to set out to look for him. She took as
+many of her jewels as she could carry, and three of her most
+beautiful dresses, one embroidered with stars, one with moons, and
+the third with suns, all of pure gold. Far and wide she wandered
+through the world, but nowhere did she find any trace of her
+bridegroom. At last she gave up the search in despair. She could
+not bear to return to her own castle where she had been so happy
+with her lover, but determined rather to endure her loneliness and
+desolation in a strange land. She took a place as herd-girl with a
+peasant, and buried her jewels and beautiful dresses in a safe and
+hidden spot.
+
+Every day she drove the cattle to pasture, and all the time she
+thought of nothing but her faithless bridegroom. She was very
+devoted to a certain little calf in the herd, and made a great pet
+of it, feeding it out of her own hands. She taught it to kneel
+before her, and then she whispered in its ear:
+
+'Kneel, little calf, kneel; Be faithful and leal, Not like Prince
+Fickle, Who once on a time Left his fair Helena Under the lime.'
+
+After some years passed in this way, she heard that the daughter
+of the king of the country she was living in was going to marry a
+Prince called 'Fickle.' Everybody rejoiced at the news except poor
+Helena, to whom it was a fearful blow, for at the bottom of her
+heart she had always believed her lover to be true.
+
+Now it chanced that the way to the capital led right past the
+village where Helena was, and often when she was leading her
+cattle forth to the meadows Prince Fickle rode past her, without
+ever noticing the poor herd-girl, so engrossed was he in thoughts
+of his new bride. Then it occurred to Helena to put his heart to
+the test and to see if it weren't possible to recall herself to
+him. So one day as Prince Fickle rode by she said to her little
+calf:
+
+'Kneel, little calf, kneel;  Be faithful and leal,  Not like
+Prince Fickle,  Who once on a time  Left his poor Helena  Under
+the lime.'
+
+When Prince Fickle heard her voice it seemed to him to remind him
+of something, but of what he couldn't remember, for he hadn't
+heard the words distinctly, as Helena had only spoken them very
+low and with a shaky voice. Helena herself had been far too moved
+to let her see what impression her words had made on the Prince,
+and when she looked round he was already far away. But she noticed
+how slowly he was riding, and how deeply sunk he was in thought,
+so she didn't quite give herself up as lost.
+
+In honour of the approaching wedding a feast lasting many nights
+was to be given in the capital. Helena placed all her hopes on
+this, and determined to go to the feast and there to seek out her
+bridegroom.
+
+When evening drew near she stole out of the peasant's cottage
+secretly, and, going to her hiding-place, she put on her dress
+embroidered with the gold suns, and all her jewels, and loosed her
+beautiful golden hair, which up to now she had always worn under a
+kerchief, and, adorned thus, she set out for the town.
+
+When she entered the ball-room all eyes were turned on her, and
+everyone marvelled at her beauty, but no one knew who she was.
+Prince Fickle, too, was quite dazzled by the charms of the
+beautiful maiden, and never guessed that she had once been his own
+ladylove. He never left her side all night, and it was with great
+difficulty that Helena escaped from him in the crowd when it was
+time to return home. Prince Fickle searched for her everywhere,
+and longed eagerly for the next night, when the beautiful lady had
+promised to come again.
+
+The following evening the fair Helena started early for the feast.
+
+This time she wore her dress embroidered with silver moons, and in
+her hair she placed a silver crescent. Prince Fickle was enchanted
+to see her again, and she seemed to him even more beautiful than
+she had been the night before. He never left her side, and refused
+to dance with anyone else. He begged her to tell him who she was,
+but this she refused to do. Then he implored her to return again
+next evening, and this she promised him she would.
+
+On the third evening Prince Fickle was so impatient to see his
+fair enchantress again, that he arrived at the feast hours before
+it began, and never took his eyes from the door. At last Helena
+arrived in a dress all covered with gold and silver stars, and
+with a girdle of stars round her waist, and a band of stars in her
+hair. Prince Fickle was more in love with her than ever, and
+begged her once again to tell him her name.
+
+Then Helena kissed him silently on the left cheek, and in one
+moment Prince Fickle recognized his old love. Full of remorse and
+sorrow, he begged for her forgiveness, and Helena, only too
+pleased to have got him back again, did not, you may be sure, keep
+him waiting very long for her pardon, and so they were married and
+returned to Helena's castle, where they are no doubt still sitting
+happily together under the lime-tree.
+
+
+
+
+
+PUDDOCKY (From the German)
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a poor woman who had one little
+daughter called 'Parsley.' She was so called because she liked
+eating parsley better than any other food, indeed she would hardly
+eat anything else. Her poor mother hadn't enough money always to
+be buying parsley for her, but the child was so beautiful that she
+could refuse her nothing, and so she went every night to the
+garden of an old witch who lived near and stole great branches of
+the coveted vegetable, in order to satisfy her daughter.
+
+This remarkable taste of the fair Parsley soon became known, and
+the theft was discovered. The witch called the girl's mother to
+her, and proposed that she should let her daughter come and live
+with her, and then she could eat as much parsley as she liked. The
+mother was quite pleased with this suggestion, and so the
+beautiful Parsley took up her abode with the old witch.
+
+One day three Princes, whom their father had sent abroad to
+travel, came to the town where Parsley lived and perceived the
+beautiful girl combing and plaiting her long black hair at the
+window. In one moment they all fell hopelessly in love with her,
+and longed ardently to have the girl for their wife; but hardly
+had they with one breath expressed their desire than, mad with
+jealousy, they drew their swords and all three set upon each
+other. The struggle was so violent and the noise so loud that the
+old witch heard it, and said at once 'Of course Parsley is at the
+bottom of all this.'
+
+And when she had convinced herself that this was so, she stepped
+forward, and, full of wrath over the quarrels and feuds Parsley's
+beauty gave rise to, she cursed the girl and said, 'I wish you
+were an ugly toad, sitting under a bridge at the other end of the
+world.'
+
+Hardly were the words out of her mouth than Parsley was changed
+into a toad and vanished from their sight. The Princes, now that
+the cause of their dispute was removed, put up their swords,
+kissed each other affectionately, and returned to their father.
+
+The King was growing old and feeble, and wished to yield his
+sceptre and crown in favour of one of his sons, but he couldn't
+make up his mind which of the three he should appoint as his
+successor. He determined that fate should decide for him. So he
+called his three children to him and said, 'My dear sons, I am
+growing old, and am weary of reigning, but I can't make up my mind
+to which of you three I should yield my crown, for I love you all
+equally. At the same time I would like the best and cleverest of
+you to rule over my people. I have, therefore, determined to set
+you three tasks to do, and the one that performs them best shall
+be my heir. The first thing I shall ask you to do is to bring me a
+piece of linen a hundred yards long, so fine that it will go
+through a gold ring.' The sons bowed low, and, promising to do
+their best, they started on their journey without further delay.
+
+The two elder brothers took many servants and carriages with them,
+but the youngest set out quite alone. In a short time they came to
+three cross roads; two of them were gay and crowded, but the third
+was dark and lonely.
+
+The two elder brothers chose the more frequented ways, but the
+youngest, bidding them farewell, set out on the dreary road.
+
+Wherever linen was to be bought, there the two elder brothers
+hastened. They loaded their carriages with bales of the finest
+linen they could find and then returned home.
+
+The youngest brother, on the other hand, went on his weary way for
+many days, and nowhere did he come across any linen that would
+have done. So he journeyed on, and his spirits sank with every
+step. At last he came to a bridge which stretched over a deep
+river flowing through a flat and marshy land. Before crossing the
+bridge he sat down on the banks of the stream and sighed dismally
+over his sad fate. Suddenly a misshapen toad crawled out of the
+swamp, and, sitting down opposite him, asked: 'What's the matter
+with you, my dear Prince?'
+
+The Prince answered impatiently, 'There's not much good my telling
+you, Puddocky, for you couldn't help me if I did.'
+
+'Don't be too sure of that,' replied the toad; 'tell me your
+trouble and we'll see.'
+
+Then the Prince became most confidential and told the little
+creature why he had been sent out of his father's kingdom.
+
+'Prince, I will certainly help you,' said the toad, and, crawling
+back into her swamp, she returned dragging after her a piece of
+linen not bigger than a finger, which she lay before the Prince,
+saying, 'Take this home, and you'll see it will help you.'
+
+The Prince had no wish to take such an insignificant bundle with
+him; but he didn't like to hurt Puddocky's feelings by refusing
+it, so he took up the little packet, put it in his pocket, and
+bade the little toad farewell. Puddocky watched the Prince till he
+was out of sight and then crept back into the water.
+
+The further the Prince went the more he noticed that the pocket in
+which the little roll of linen lay became heavier, and in
+proportion his heart grew lighter. And so, greatly comforted, he
+returned to the Court of his father, and arrived home just at the
+same time as his brothers with their caravans. The King was
+delighted to see them all again, and at once drew the ring from
+his finger and the trial began. In all the waggon-loads there was
+not one piece of linen the tenth part of which would go through
+the ring, and the two elder brothers, who had at first sneered at
+their youngest brother for returning with no baggage, began to
+feel rather small. But what were their feelings when he drew a
+bale of linen out of his pocket which in fineness, softness, and
+purity of colour was unsurpassable! The threads were hardly
+visible, and it went through the ring without the smallest
+difficulty, at the same time measuring a hundred yards quite
+correctly.
+
+The father embraced his fortunate son, and commanded the rest of
+the linen to be thrown into the water; then, turning to his
+children he said, 'Now, dear Princes, prepare yourselves for the
+second task. You must bring me back a little dog that will go
+comfortably into a walnut-shell.'
+
+The sons were all in despair over this demand, but as they each
+wished to win the crown, they determined to do their best, and
+after a very few days set out on their travels again.
+
+At the cross roads they separated once more. The youngest went by
+himself along his lonely way, but this time he felt much more
+cheerful. Hardly had he sat down under the bridge and heaved a
+sigh, than Puddocky came out; and, sitting down opposite him,
+asked, 'What's wrong with you now, dear Prince?'
+
+The Prince, who this time never doubted the little toad's power to
+help him, told her his difficulty at once. 'Prince, I will help
+you,' said the toad again, and crawled back into her swamp as fast
+as her short little legs would carry her. She returned, dragging a
+hazel nut behind her, which she laid at the Prince's feet and
+said, 'Take this nut home with you and tell your father to crack
+it very carefully, and you'll see then what will happen.' The
+Prince thanked her heartily and went on his way in the best of
+spirits, while the little puddock crept slowly back into the
+water.
+
+When the Prince got home he found his brothers had just arrived
+with great waggon-loads of little dogs of all sorts. The King had
+a walnut shell ready, and the trial began; but not one of the dogs
+the two eldest sons had brought with them would in the least fit
+into the shell. When they had tried all their little dogs, the
+youngest son handed his father the hazel-nut, with a modest bow,
+and begged him to crack it carefully. Hardly had the old King done
+so than a lovely tiny dog sprang out of the nutshell, and ran
+about on the King's hand, wagging its tail and barking lustily at
+all the other little dogs. The joy of the Court was great. The
+father again embraced his fortunate son, commanded the rest of the
+small dogs to be thrown into the water and drowned, and once more
+addressed his sons. 'The two most difficult tasks have been
+performed. Now listen to the third and last: whoever brings the
+fairest wife home with him shall be my heir.'
+
+This demand seemed so easy and agreeable and the reward was so
+great, that the Princes lost no time in setting forth on their
+travels. At the cross roads the two elder brothers debated if they
+should go the same way as the youngest, but when they saw how
+dreary and deserted it looked they made up their minds that it
+would be impossible to find what they sought in these wilds, and
+so they stuck to their former paths.
+
+The youngest was very depressed this time and said to himself,
+'Anything else Puddocky could have helped me in, but this task is
+quite beyond her power. How could she ever find a beautiful wife
+for me? Her swamps are wide and empty, and no human beings dwell
+there; only frogs and toads and other creatures of that sort.'
+However, he sat down as usual under the bridge, and this time he
+sighed from the bottom of his heart.
+
+In a few minutes the toad stood in front of him and asked, 'What's
+the matter with you now, my dear Prince?'
+
+'Oh, Puddocky, this time you can't help me, for the task is beyond
+even your power,' replied the Prince.
+
+'Still,' answered the toad, 'you may as well tell me your
+difficulty, for who knows but I mayn't be able to help you this
+time also.'
+
+The Prince then told her the task they had been set to do. 'I'll
+help you right enough, my dear Prince,' said the little toad;
+'just you go home, and I'll soon follow you.' With these words,
+Puddocky, with a spring quite unlike her usual slow movements,
+jumped into the water and disappeared.
+
+The Prince rose up and went sadly on his way, for he didn't
+believe it possible that the little toad could really help him in
+his present difficulty. He had hardly gone a few steps when he
+heard a sound behind him, and, looking round, he saw a carriage
+made of cardboard, drawn by six big rats, coming towards him. Two
+hedgehogs rode in front as outriders, and on the box sat a fat
+mouse as coachman, and behind stood two little frogs as footmen.
+In the carriage itself sat Puddocky, who kissed her hand to the
+Prince out of the window as she passed by.
+
+Sunk deep in thought over the fickleness of fortune that had
+granted him two of his wishes and now seemed about to deny him the
+last and best, the Prince hardly noticed the absurd equipage, and
+still less did he feel inclined to laugh at its comic appearance.
+
+The carriage drove on in front of him for some time and then
+turned a corner. But what was his joy and surprise when suddenly,
+round the same corner, but coming towards him, there appeared a
+beautiful coach drawn by six splendid horses, with outriders,
+coachmen, footmen and other servants all in the most gorgeous
+liveries, and seated in the carriage was the most beautiful woman
+the Prince had ever seen, and in whom he at once recognised the
+beautiful Parsley, for whom his heart had formerly burned. The
+carriage stopped when it reached him, and the footmen sprang down
+and opened the door for him. He got in and sat down beside the
+beautiful Parsley, and thanked her heartily for her help, and told
+her how much he loved her.
+
+And so he arrived at his father's capital, at the same moment as
+his brothers who had returned with many carriage-loads of
+beautiful women. But when they were all led before the King, the
+whole Court with one consent awarded the prize of beauty to the
+fair Parsley.
+
+The old King was delighted, and embraced his thrice fortunate son
+and his new daughter-in-law tenderly, and appointed them as his
+successors to the throne. But he commanded the other women to be
+thrown into the water and drowned, like the bales of linen and the
+little dogs. The Prince married Puddocky and reigned long and
+happily with her, and if they aren't dead I suppose they are
+living still.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF HOK LEE AND THE DWARFS
+
+
+
+There once lived in a small town in China a man named Hok Lee. He
+was a steady industrious man, who not only worked hard at his
+trade, but did all his own house-work as well, for he had no wife
+to do it for him. 'What an excellent industrious man is this Hok
+Lee!' said his neighbours; 'how hard he works: he never leaves his
+house to amuse himself or to take a holiday as others do!'
+
+But Hok Lee was by no means the virtuous person his neighbours
+thought him. True, he worked hard enough by day, but at night,
+when all respectable folk were fast asleep, he used to steal out
+and join a dangerous band of robbers, who broke into rich people's
+houses and carried off all they could lay hands on.
+
+This state of things went on for some time, and, though a thief
+was caught now and then and punished, no suspicion ever fell on
+Hok Lee, he was such a very respectable, hard-working man.
+
+Hok Lee had already amassed a good store of money as his share of
+the proceeds of these robberies when it happened one morning on
+going to market that a neighbour said to him:
+
+'Why, Hok Lee, what is the matter with your face? One side of it
+is all swelled up.'
+
+True enough, Hok Lee's right cheek was twice the size of his left,
+and it soon began to feel very uncomfortable.
+
+'I will bind up my face,' said Hok Lee; 'doubtless the warmth will
+cure the swelling.' But no such thing. Next day it was worse, and
+day by day it grew bigger and bigger till it was nearly as large
+as his head and became very painful.
+
+Hok Lee was at his wits' ends what to do. Not only was his cheek
+unsightly and painful, but his neighbours began to jeer and make
+fun of him, which hurt his feelings very much indeed.
+
+One day, as luck would have it, a travelling doctor came to the
+town. He sold not only all kinds of medicine, but also dealt in
+many strange charms against witches and evil spirits.
+
+Hok Lee determined to consult him, and asked him into his house.
+
+After the doctor had examined him carefully, he spoke thus: 'This,
+O Hok Lee, is no ordinary swelled face. I strongly suspect you
+have been doing some wrong deed which has called down the anger of
+the spirits on you. None of my drugs will avail to cure you, but,
+if you are willing to pay me handsomely, I can tell you how you
+may be cured.'
+
+Then Hok Lee and the doctor began to bargain together, and it was
+a long time before they could come to terms. However, the doctor
+got the better of it in the end, for he was determined not to part
+with his secret under a certain price, and Hok Lee had no mind to
+carry his huge cheek about with him to the end of his days. So he
+was obliged to part with the greater portion of his ill-gotten
+gains.
+
+When the Doctor had pocketed the money, he told Hok Lee to go on
+the first night of the full moon to a certain wood and there to
+watch by a particular tree. After a time he would see the dwarfs
+and little sprites who live underground come out to dance. When
+they saw him they would be sure to make him dance too. 'And mind
+you dance your very best,' added the doctor. 'If you dance well
+and please them they will grant you a petition and you can then
+beg to be cured; but if you dance badly they will most likely do
+you some mischief out of spite.' With that he took leave and
+departed.
+
+Happily the first night of the full moon was near, and at the
+proper time Hok Lee set out for the wood. With a little trouble he
+found the tree the doctor had described, and, feeling nervous, he
+climbed up into it.
+
+He had hardly settled himself on a branch when he saw the little
+dwarfs assembling in the moonlight. They came from all sides, till
+at length there appeared to be hundreds of them. They seemed in
+high glee, and danced and skipped and capered about, whilst Hok
+Lee grew so eager watching them that he crept further and further
+along his branch till at length it gave a loud crack. All the
+dwarfs stood still, and Hok Lee felt as if his heart stood still
+also.
+
+Then one of the dwarfs called out, 'Someone is up in that tree.
+Come down at once, whoever you are, or we must come and fetch
+you.'
+
+In great terror, Hok Lee proceeded to come down; but he was so
+nervous that he tripped near the ground and came rolling down in
+the most absurd manner. When he had picked himself up, he came
+forward with a low bow, and the dwarf who had first spoken and who
+appeared to be the leader, said, 'Now, then, who art thou, and
+what brings thee here?'
+
+So Hok Lee told him the sad story of his swelled cheek, and how he
+had been advised to come to the forest and beg the dwarfs to cure
+him.
+
+'It is well,' replied the dwarf. 'We will see about that. First,
+however, thou must dance before us. Should thy dancing please us,
+perhaps we may be able to do something; but shouldst thou dance
+badly, we shall assuredly punish thee, so now take warning and
+dance away.'
+
+With that, he and all the other dwarfs sat down in a large ring,
+leaving Hok Lee to dance alone in the middle. He felt half
+frightened to death, and besides was a good deal shaken by his
+fall from the tree and did not feel at all inclined to dance. But
+the dwarfs were not to be trifled with.
+
+'Begin!' cried their leader, and 'Begin!' shouted the rest in
+chorus.
+
+So in despair Hok Lee began. First he hopped on one foot and then
+on the other, but he was so stiff and so nervous that he made but
+a poor attempt, and after a time sank down on the ground and vowed
+he could dance no more.
+
+The dwarfs were very angry. They crowded round Hok Lee and abused
+him. 'Thou to come here to be cured, indeed!' they cried, 'thou
+hast brought one big cheek with thee, but thou shalt take away
+two.' And with that they ran off and disappeared, leaving Hok Lee
+to find his way home as best he might.
+
+He hobbled away, weary and depressed, and not a little anxious on
+account of the dwarfs' threat.
+
+Nor were his fears unfounded, for when he rose next morning his
+left cheek was swelled up as big as his right, and he could hardly
+see out of his eyes. Hok Lee felt in despair, and his neighbours
+jeered at him more than ever. The doctor, too, had disappeared, so
+there was nothing for it but to try the dwarfs once more.
+
+He waited a month till the first night of the full moon came round
+again, and then he trudged back to the forest, and sat down under
+the tree from which he had fallen. He had not long to wait. Ere
+long the dwarfs came trooping out till all were assembled.
+
+'I don't feel quite easy,' said one; 'I feel as if some horrid
+human being were near us.'
+
+When Hok Lee heard this he came forward and bent down to the
+ground before the dwarfs, who came crowding round, and laughed
+heartily at his comical appearance with his two big cheeks.
+
+'What dost thou want?' they asked; and Hok Lee proceeded to tell
+them of his fresh misfortunes, and begged so hard to be allowed
+one more trial at dancing that the dwarfs consented, for there is
+nothing they love so much as being amused.
+
+Now, Hok Lee knew how much depended on his dancing well, so he
+plucked up a good spirit and began, first quite slowly, and faster
+by degrees, and he danced so well and gracefully, and made such
+new and wonderful steps, that the dwarfs were quite delighted with
+him.
+
+They clapped their tiny hands, and shouted, 'Well done, Hok Lee,
+well done, go on, dance more, for we are pleased.'
+
+And Hok Lee danced on and on, till he really could dance no more,
+and was obliged to stop.
+
+Then the leader of the dwarfs said, 'We are well pleased, Hok Lee,
+and as a recompense for thy dancing thy face shall be cured.
+Farewell.'
+
+With these words he and the other dwarfs vanished, and Hok Lee,
+putting his hands to his face, found to his great joy that his
+cheeks were reduced to their natural size. The way home seemed
+short and easy to him, and he went to bed happy, and resolved
+never to go out robbing again.
+
+Next day the whole town was full of the news of Hok's sudden cure.
+His neighbours questioned him, but could get nothing from him,
+except the fact that he had discovered a wonderful cure for all
+kinds of diseases.
+
+After a time a rich neighbour, who had been ill for some years,
+came, and offered to give Hok Lee a large sum of money if he would
+tell him how he might get cured. Hok Lee consented on condition
+that he swore to keep the secret. He did so, and Hok Lee told him
+of the dwarfs and their dances.
+
+The neighbour went off, carefully obeyed Hok Lee's directions, and
+was duly cured by the dwarfs. Then another and another came to Hok
+Lee to beg his secret, and from each he extracted a vow of secrecy
+and a large sum of money. This went on for some years, so that at
+length Hok Lee became a very wealthy man, and ended his days in
+peace and prosperity.
+
+From the Chinese.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF THE THREE BEARS
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there were Three Bears, who lived together in a
+house of their own in a wood. One of them was a Little, Small, Wee
+Bear; and one was a Middle-sized Bear, and the other was a Great,
+Huge Bear. They had each a pot for their porridge, a little pot
+for the Little, Small, Wee Bear; and a middle-sized pot for the
+Middle Bear; and a great pot for the Great, Huge Bear. And they
+had each a chair to sit in; a little chair for the Little, Small,
+Wee Bear; and a middle-sized chair for the Middle Bear; and a
+great chair for the Great, Huge Bear. And they had each a bed to
+sleep in; a little bed for the Little, Small, Wee Bear; and a
+middle-sized bed for the Middle Bear; and a great bed for the
+Great, Huge Bear.
+
+One day, after they had made the porridge for their breakfast, and
+poured it into their porridge-pots, they walked out into the wood
+while the porridge was cooling, that they might not burn their
+mouths by beginning too soon to eat it. And while they were
+walking, a little old woman came to the house. She could not have
+been a good, honest old woman; for, first, she looked in at the
+window, and then she peeped in at the keyhole; and, seeing nobody
+in the house, she lifted the latch. The door was not fastened,
+because the bears were good bears, who did nobody any harm, and
+never suspected that anybody would harm them. So the little old
+woman opened the door and went in; and well pleased she was when
+she saw the porridge on the table. If she had been a good little
+old woman she would have waited till the bears came home, and
+then, perhaps, they would have asked her to breakfast; for they
+were good bears--a little rough or so, as the manner of bears is,
+but for all that very good-natured and hospitable. But she was an
+impudent, bad old woman, and set about helping herself.
+
+So first she tasted the porridge of the Great, Huge Bear, and that
+was too hot for her; and she said a bad word about that. And then
+she tasted the porridge of the Middle Bear; and that was too cold
+for her; and she said a bad word about that too. And then she went
+to the porridge of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and tasted that;
+and that was neither too hot nor too cold, but just right; and she
+liked it so well, that she ate it all up: but the naughty old
+woman said a bad word about the little porridge-pot, because it
+did not hold enough for her.
+
+Then the little old woman sate down in the chair of the Great,
+Huge Bear, and that was too hard for her. And then she sate down
+in the chair of the Middle Bear, and that was too soft for her.
+And then she sate down in the chair of the Little, Small, Wee
+Bear, and that was neither too hard nor too soft, but just right.
+So she seated herself in it, and there she sate till the bottom of
+the chair came out, and down came she, plump upon the ground. And
+the naughty old woman said a wicked word about that too.
+
+Then the little old woman went up stairs into the bed-chamber in
+which the three bears slept. And first she lay down upon the bed
+of the Great, Huge Bear; but that was too high at the head for
+her. And next she lay down upon the bed of the Middle Bear; and
+that was too high at the foot for her. And then she lay down upon
+the bed of the Little, Small, Wee Bear; and that was neither too
+high at the head, nor at the foot, but just right. So she covered
+herself up comfortably, and lay there till she fell fast asleep.
+
+By this time the three bears thought their porridge would be cool
+enough; so they came home to breakfast. Now the little old woman
+had left the spoon of the Great, Huge Bear, standing in his
+porridge.
+
+'SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY PORRIDGE!'
+
+said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great gruff voice. And when the
+Middle Bear looked at his, he saw that the spoon was standing in
+it too. They were wooden spoons; if they had been silver ones, the
+naughty old woman would have put them in her pocket.
+
+'Somebody Has Been At My Porridge!'
+
+said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice.
+
+Then the Little, Small, Wee Bear looked at his, and there was the
+spoon in the porridge-pot, but the porridge was all gone.
+
+'_Somebody has been at my porridge, and has eaten it all up_!'
+
+said the Little, Small Wee Bear, in his little, small wee voice.
+
+Upon this the three bears, seeing that some one had entered their
+house, and eaten up the Little, Small, Wee Bear's breakfast, began
+to look about them. Now the little old woman had not put the hard
+cushion straight when she rose from the chair of the Great, Huge
+Bear.
+
+'SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR!'
+
+said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice.
+
+And the little old woman had squatted down the soft cushion of the
+Middle Bear.
+
+'Somebody Has Been Sitting In My Chair!'
+
+said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice.
+
+And you know what the little old woman had done to the third
+chair.
+
+'_Somebody has been sitting in my chair, and has sate the bottom
+of it out_!'
+
+said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice.
+
+Then the three bears thought it necessary that they should make
+farther search; so they went up stairs into their bed-chamber. Now
+the little old woman had pulled the pillow of the Great, Huge Bear
+out of its place.
+
+'SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED!'
+
+said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice.
+
+And the little old woman had pulled the bolster of the Middle Bear
+out of its place.
+
+'Somebody Has Been Lying In My Bed!'
+
+said the Middle Bear in his middle voice.
+
+And when the Little, Small, Wee Bear came to look at his bed,
+there was the bolster in its place, and the pillow in its place
+upon the bolster, and upon the pillow was the little old woman's
+ugly, dirty head,--which was not in its place, for she had no
+business there.
+
+'_Somebody has been lying in my bed,--and here she is_!'
+
+said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice.
+
+The little old woman had heard in her sleep the great, rough,
+gruff voice of the Great, Huge Bear; but she was so fast asleep
+that it was no more to her than the roaring of wind or the
+rumbling of thunder. And she had heard the middle voice of the
+Middle Bear, but it was only as if she had heard someone speaking
+in a dream. But when she heard the little, small, wee voice of the
+Little, Small, Wee Bear, it was so sharp, and so shrill, that it
+awakened her at once. Up she started; and when she saw the Three
+Bears on one side of the bed, she tumbled herself out at the
+other, and ran to the window. Now the window was open, because the
+bears, like good, tidy bears as they were, always opened their
+bedchamber window when they got up in the morning. Out the little
+old woman jumped; and whether she broke her neck in the fall, or
+ran into the wood and was lost there, or found her way out of the
+wood and was taken up by the constable and sent to the House of
+Correction for a vagrant as she was, I cannot tell. But the Three
+Bears never saw anything more of her.
+
+Southey.
+
+
+
+
+
+PRINCE VIVIEN AND THE PRINCESS PLACIDA
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who loved one
+another dearly. Indeed the Queen, whose name was Santorina, was so
+pretty and so kind-hearted that it would have been a wonder if her
+husband had not been fond of her, while King Gridelin himself was
+a perfect bundle of good qualities, for the Fairy who presided at
+his christening had summoned the shades of all his ancestors, and
+taken something good from each of them to form his character.
+Unfortunately, though, she had given him rather too much kindness
+of heart, which is a thing that generally gets its possessor into
+trouble, but so far all things had prospered with King Gridelin.
+However, it was not to be expected such good fortune could last,
+and before very long the Queen had a lovely little daughter who
+was named Placida. Now the King, who thought that if she resembled
+her mother in face and mind she would need no other gift, never
+troubled to ask any of the Fairies to her christening, and this
+offended them mortally, so that they resolved to punish him
+severely for thus depriving them of their rights. So, to the
+despair of King Gridelin, the Queen first of all became very ill,
+and then disappeared altogether. If it had not been for the little
+Princess there is no saying what would have become of him, he was
+so miserable, but there she was to be brought up, and luckily the
+good Fairy Lolotte, in spite of all that had passed, was willing
+to come and take charge of her, and of her little cousin Prince
+Vivien, who was an orphan and had been placed under the care of
+his uncle, King Gridelin, when he was quite a baby. Although she
+neglected nothing that could possibly have been done for them,
+their characters, as they grew up, plainly proved that education
+only softens down natural defects, but cannot entirely do away
+with them; for Placida, who was perfectly lovely, and with a
+capacity and intelligence which enabled her to learn and
+understand anything that presented itself, was at the same time as
+lazy and indifferent as it is possible for anyone to be, while
+Vivien on the contrary was only too lively, and was for ever
+taking up some new thing and as promptly tiring of it, and flying
+off to something else which held his fickle fancy an equally short
+time. As these two children would possibly inherit the kingdom, it
+was natural that their people should take a great interest in
+them, and it fell out that all the tranquil and peace-loving
+citizens desired that Placida should one day be their Queen, while
+the rash and quarrelsome hoped great things for Vivien. Such a
+division of ideas seemed to promise civil wars and all kinds of
+troubles to the State, and even in the Palace the two parties
+frequently came into collision. As for the children themselves,
+though they were too well brought up to quarrel, still the
+difference in all their tastes and feelings made it impossible for
+them to like one another, so there seemed no chance of their ever
+consenting to be married, which was a pity, since that was the
+only thing that would have satisfied both parties. Prince Vivien
+was fully aware of the feeling in his favour, but being too
+honourable to wish to injure his pretty cousin, and perhaps too
+impatient and volatile to care to think seriously about anything,
+he suddenly took it into his head that he would go off by himself
+in search of adventure. Luckily this idea occurred to him when he
+was on horseback, for he would certainly have set out on foot
+rather than lose an instant. As it was, he simply turned his
+horse's head, without another thought than that of getting out of
+the kingdom as soon as possible. This abrupt departure was a great
+blow to the State, especially as no one had any idea what had
+become of the Prince. Even King Gridelin, who had never cared for
+anything since the disappearance of Queen Santorina, was roused by
+this new loss, and though he could not so much as look at the
+Princess Placida without shedding floods of tears, he resolved to
+see for himself what talents and capabilities she showed. He very
+soon found out that in addition to her natural indolence, she was
+being as much indulged and spoilt day by day as if the Fairy had
+been her grandmother, and was obliged to remonstrate very
+seriously upon the subject. Lolotte took his reproaches meekly,
+and promised faithfully that she would not encourage the Princess
+in her idleness and indifference any more. From this moment poor
+Placida's troubles began! She was actually expected to choose her
+own dresses, to take care of her jewels, and to find her own
+amusements; but rather than take so much trouble she wore the same
+old frock from morning till night, and never appeared in public if
+she could possibly avoid it. However, this was not all, King
+Gridelin insisted that the affairs of the kingdom should be
+explained to her, and that she should attend all the councils and
+give her opinion upon the matter in hand whenever it was asked of
+her, and this made her life such a burden to her that she implored
+Lolotte to take her away from a country where too much was
+required of an unhappy Princess.
+
+The Fairy refused at first with a great show of firmness, but who
+could resist the tears and entreaties of anyone so pretty as
+Placida? It came to this in the end, that she transported the
+Princess just as she was, cosily tucked up upon her favourite
+couch, to her own Grotto, and this new disappearance left all the
+people in despair, and Gridelin went about looking more distracted
+than ever. But now let us return to Prince Vivien, and see what
+his restless spirit has brought him to. Though Placida's kingdom
+was a large one; his horse had carried him gallantly to the limit
+of it, but it could go no further, and the Prince was obliged to
+dismount and continue his journey on foot, though this slow mode
+of progress tired his patience severely.
+
+After what seemed to him a very long time, he found himself all
+alone in a vast forest, so dark and gloomy that he secretly
+shuddered; however, he chose the most promising looking path he
+could find, and marched along it courageously at his best speed,
+but in spite of all his efforts, night fell before he reached the
+edge of the wood.
+
+For some time he stumbled along, keeping to the path as well as he
+could in the darkness, and just as he was almost wearied out he
+saw before him a gleam of light.
+
+This sight revived his drooping spirits, and he made sure that he
+was now close to the shelter and supper he needed so much, but the
+more he walked towards the light the further away it seemed;
+sometimes he even lost sight of it altogether, and you may imagine
+how provoked and impatient he was by the time he finally arrived
+at the miserable cottage from which the light proceeded. He gave a
+loud knock at the door, and an old woman's voice answered from
+within, but as she did not seem to be hurrying herself to open it
+he redoubled his blows, and demanded to be let in imperiously,
+quite forgetting that he was no longer in his own kingdom. But all
+this had no effect upon the old woman, who only noticed all the
+uproar he was making by saying gently:
+
+'You must have patience.'
+
+He could hear that she really was coming to open the door to him,
+only she was so very long about it. First she chased away her cat,
+lest it should run away when the door was opened, then he heard
+her talking to herself and made out that her lamp wanted trimming,
+that she might see better who it was that knocked, and then that
+it lacked fresh oil, and she must refill it. So what with one
+thing and another she was an immense time trotting to and fro, and
+all the while she now and again bade the Prince have patience.
+When at last he stood within the little hut he saw with despair
+that it was a picture of poverty, and that not a crumb of anything
+eatable was to be seen, and when he explained to the old woman
+that he was dying of hunger and fatigue she only answered
+tranquilly that he must have patience. However, she presently
+showed him a bundle of straw on which he could sleep.
+
+'But what can I have to eat?' cried Prince Vivien sharply.
+
+'Wait a little, wait a little,' she replied. 'If you will only
+have patience I am just going out into the garden to gather some
+peas: we will shell them at our leisure, then I will light a fire
+and cook them, and when they are thoroughly done, we can enjoy
+them peaceably; there is no hurry.'
+
+'I shall have died of starvation by the time all that is done,'
+said the Prince ruefully.
+
+'Patience, patience,' said the old woman looking at him with her
+slow gentle smile, 'I can't be hurried. "All things come at last
+to him who waits;" you must have heard that often.'
+
+Prince Vivien was wild with aggravation, but there was nothing to
+be done.
+
+'Come then,' said the old woman, 'you shall hold the lamp to light
+me while I pick the peas.'
+
+The Prince in his haste snatched it up so quickly that it went
+out, and it took him a long time to light it again with two little
+bits of glowing charcoal which he had to dig out from the pile of
+ashes upon the hearth. However, at last the peas were gathered and
+shelled, and the fire lighted, but then they had to be carefully
+counted, since the old woman declared that she would cook fifty-
+four, and no more. In vain did the Prince represent to her that he
+was famished--that fifty-four peas would go no way towards
+satisfying his hunger--that a few peas, more or less, surely could
+not matter. It was quite useless, in the end he had to count out
+the fifty-four, and worse than that, because he dropped one or two
+in his hurry, he had to begin again from the very first, to be
+sure the number was complete. As soon as they were cooked the old
+dame took a pair of scales and a morsel of bread from the
+cupboard, and was just about to divide it when Prince Vivien, who
+really could wait no longer, seized the whole piece and ate it up,
+saying in his turn, 'Patience.'
+
+'You mean that for a joke,' said the old woman, as gently as ever,
+'but that is really my name, and some day you will know more about
+me.'
+
+Then they each ate their twenty-seven peas, and the Prince was
+surprised to find that he wanted nothing more, and he slept as
+sweetly upon his bed of straw as he had ever done in his palace.
+
+In the morning the old woman gave him milk and bread for his
+breakfast, which he ate contentedly, rejoicing that there was
+nothing to be gathered, or counted, or cooked, and when he had
+finished he begged her to tell him who she was.
+
+'That I will, with pleasure,' she replied. 'But it will be a long
+story.'
+
+'Oh! if it's long, I can't listen,' cried the Prince.
+
+'But,' said she, 'at your age, you should attend to what old
+people say, and learn to have patience.'
+
+'But, but,' said the Prince, in his most impatient tone, 'old
+people should not be so long-winded! Tell me what country I have
+got into, and nothing else.'
+
+'With all my heart,' said she. 'You are in the Forest of the Black
+Bird; it is here that he utters his oracles.'
+
+'An Oracle,' cried the Prince. 'Oh! I must go and consult him.'
+Thereupon he drew a handful of gold from his pocket, and offered
+it to the old woman, and when she would not take it, he threw it
+down upon the table and was off like a flash of lightning, without
+even staying to ask the way. He took the first path that presented
+itself and followed it at the top of his speed, often losing his
+way, or stumbling over some stone, or running up against a tree,
+and leaving behind him without regret the cottage which had been
+as little to his taste as the character of its possessor. After
+some time he saw in the distance a huge black castle which
+commanded a view of the whole forest. The Prince felt certain that
+this must be the abode of the Oracle, and just as the sun was
+setting he reached its outermost gates. The whole castle was
+surrounded by a deep moat, and the drawbridge and the gates, and
+even the water in the moat, were all of the same sombre hue as the
+walls and towers. Upon the gate hung a huge bell, upon which was
+written in red letters:
+
+'Mortal, if thou art curious to know thy fate, strike this bell,
+and submit to what shall befall thee.'
+
+The Prince, without the smallest hesitation, snatched up a great
+stone, and hammered vigorously upon the bell, which gave forth a
+deep and terrible sound, the gate flew open, and closed again with
+a thundering clang the moment the Prince had passed through it,
+while from every tower and battlement rose a wheeling, screaming
+crowd of bats which darkened the whole sky with their multitudes.
+Anyone but Prince Vivien would have been terrified by such an
+uncanny sight, but he strode stoutly forward till he reached the
+second gate, which was opened to him by sixty black slaves covered
+from head to foot in long mantles.
+
+He wished to speak to them, but soon discovered that they spoke an
+utterly unknown language, and did not seem to understand a word he
+said. This was a great aggravation to the Prince, who vas not
+accustomed to keep his ideas to himself, and he positively found
+himself wishing for his old friend Patience. However, he had to
+follow his guides in silence, and they led him into a magnificent
+hall; the floor was of ebony, the walls of jet, and all the
+hangings were of black velvet, but the Prince looked round it in
+vain for something to eat, and then made signs that he was hungry.
+In the same manner he was respectfully given to understand that he
+must wait, and after several hours the sixty hooded and shrouded
+figures re-appeared, and conducted him with great ceremony, and
+also very very slowly, to a banqueting hall, where they all placed
+themselves at a long table. The dishes were arranged down the
+centre of it, and with his usual impetuosity the Prince seized the
+one that stood in front of him to draw it nearer, but soon found
+that it was firmly fixed in its place. Then he looked at his
+solemn and lugubrious neighbours, and saw that each one was
+supplied with a long hollow reed through which he slowly sucked up
+his portion, and the Prince was obliged to do the same, though he
+found it a frightfully tedious process. After supper, they
+returned as they had come to the ebony room, where he was
+compelled to look on while his companions played interminable
+games of chess, and not until he was nearly dying of weariness did
+they, slowly and ceremoniously as before, conduct him to his
+sleeping apartment. The hope of consulting the Oracle woke him
+very early the next morning, and his first demand was to be
+allowed to present himself before it, but, without replying, his
+attendants conducted him to a huge marble bath, very shallow at
+one end, and quite deep at the other, and gave him to understand
+that he was to go into it. The Prince, nothing loth, was for
+springing at once into deep water, but he was gently but forcibly
+held back and only allowed to stand where it was about an inch
+deep, and he was nearly wild with impatience when he found that
+this process was to be repeated every day in spite of all he could
+say or do, the water rising higher and higher by inches, so that
+for sixty days he had to live in perpetual silence, ceremoniously
+conducted to and fro, supping all his meals through the long reed,
+and looking on at innumerable games of chess, the game of all
+others which he detested most. But at last the water rose as high
+as his chin, and his bath was complete. And that day the slaves in
+their black robes, and each having a large bat perched upon his
+head, marched in slow procession with the Prince in their midst,
+chanting a melancholy song, to the iron gate that led into a kind
+of Temple. At the sound of their chanting, another band of slaves
+appeared, and took possession of the unhappy Vivien.
+
+They looked to him exactly like the ones he had left, except that
+they moved more slowly still, and each one held a raven upon his
+wrist, and their harsh croakings re-echoed through the dismal
+place. Holding the Prince by the arms, not so much to do him
+honour as to restrain his impatience, they proceeded by slow
+degrees up the steps of the Temple, and when they at last reached
+the top he thought his long waiting must be at an end. But on the
+contrary, after slowly enshrouding him in a long black robe like
+their own, they led him into the Temple itself, where he was
+forced to witness numbers of lengthy rites and ceremonies. By this
+time Vivien's active impatience had subsided into passive
+weariness, his yawns were continual and scandalous, but nobody
+heeded him, he stared hopelessly at the thick black curtain which
+hung down straight in front of him, and could hardly believe his
+eyes when it presently began to slide back, and he saw before him
+the Black Bird. It was of enormous size, and was perched upon a
+thick bar of iron which ran across from one side of the Temple to
+the other. At the sight of it all the slaves fell upon their knees
+and hid their faces, and when it had three times flapped its
+mighty wings it uttered distinctly in Prince Vivien's own language
+the words:
+
+'Prince, your only chance of happiness depends upon that which is
+most opposed to your own nature.'
+
+Then the curtain fell before it once more, and the Prince, after
+many ceremonies, was presented with a raven which perched upon his
+wrist, and was conducted slowly back to the iron gate. Here the
+raven left him and he was handed over once more to the care of the
+first band of slaves, while a large bat flickered down and settled
+upon his head of its own accord, and so he was taken back to the
+marble bath, and had to go through the whole process again, only
+this time he began in deep water which receded daily inch by inch.
+When this was over the slaves escorted him to the outer gate, and
+took leave of him with every mark of esteem and politeness, to
+which it is to be feared he responded but indifferently, since the
+gate was no sooner opened than he took to his heels, and fled away
+with all his might, his one idea being to put as much space as
+possible between himself and the dreary place into which he had
+ventured so rashly, just to consult a tedious Oracle who after all
+had told him nothing. He actually reflected for about five seconds
+on his folly, and came to the conclusion that it might sometimes
+be advisable to think before one acted.
+
+After wandering about for several days until he was weary and
+hungry, he at last succeeded in finding a way out of the forest,
+and soon came to a wide and rapid river, which he followed, hoping
+to find some means of crossing it, and it happened that as the sun
+rose the next morning he saw something of a dazzling whiteness
+moored out in the middle of the stream. Upon looking more
+attentively at it he found that it was one of the prettiest little
+ships he had ever seen, and the boat that belonged to it was made
+fast to the bank quite close to him. The Prince was immediately
+seized with the most ardent desire to go on board the ship, and
+shouted loudly to attract the notice of her crew, but no one
+answered. So he sprang into the little boat and rowed away without
+finding it at all hard work, for the boat was made all of white
+paper and was as light as a rose leaf. The ship was made of white
+paper too, as the Prince presently discovered when he reached it.
+He found not a soul on board, but there was a very cosy little bed
+in the cabin, and an ample supply of all sorts of good things to
+eat and drink, which he made up his mind to enjoy until something
+new happened. Having been thoroughly well brought up at the court
+of King Gridelin, of course he understood the art of navigation,
+but when once he had started, the current carried the vessel down
+at such a pace that before he knew where he was the Prince found
+himself out at sea, and a wind springing up behind him just at
+this moment soon drove him out of sight of land. By this time he
+was somewhat alarmed, and did his best to put the ship about and
+get back to the river, but wind and tide were too strong for him,
+and he began to think of the number of times, from his childhood
+up, that he had been warned not to meddle with water. But it was
+too late now to do anything but wish vainly that he had stayed on
+shore, and to grow heartily weary of the boat and the sea and
+everything connected with it. These two things, however, he did
+most thoroughly. To put the finishing touch to his misfortunes he
+presently found himself becalmed in mid-ocean, a state of affairs
+which would be considered trying by the most patient of men, so
+you may imagine how it affected Prince Vivien! He even came to
+wishing himself back at the Castle of the Black Bird, for there at
+least he saw some living beings, whereas on board the white-paper
+ship he was absolutely alone, and could not imagine how he was
+ever to get away from his wearisome prison. However, after a very
+long time, he did see land, and his impatience to be on shore was
+so great that he at once flung himself over the ship's side that
+he might reach it sooner by swimming. But this was quite useless,
+for spring as far as he might from the vessel, it was always under
+his feet again before he reached the water, and he had to resign
+himself to his fate, and wait with what patience he could muster
+until the winds and waves carried the ship into a kind of natural
+harbour which ran far into the land. After his long imprisonment
+at sea the Prince was delighted with the sight of the great trees
+which grew down to the very edge of the water, and leaping lightly
+on shore he speedily lost himself in the thick forest. When he had
+wandered a long way he stopped to rest beside a clear spring of
+water, but scarcely had he thrown himself down upon the mossy bank
+when there was a great rustling in the bushes close by, and out
+sprang a pretty little gazelle panting and exhausted, which fell
+at his feet gasping out--
+
+'Oh! Vivien, save me!'
+
+The Prince in great astonishment leapt to his feet, and had just
+time to draw his sword before he found himself face to face with a
+large green lion which had been hotly pursuing the poor little
+gazelle. Prince Vivien attacked it gallantly and a fierce combat
+ensued, which, however, ended before long in the Prince's dealing
+his adversary a terrific blow which felled him to the earth. As he
+fell the lion whistled loudly three times with such force that the
+forest rang again, and the sound must have been heard for more
+than two leagues round, after which having apparently nothing more
+to do in the world he rolled over on his side and died. The Prince
+without paying any further heed to him or to his whistling
+returned to the pretty gazelle, saying:
+
+'Well! are you satisfied now? Since you can talk, pray tell me
+instantly what all this is about, and how you happen to know my
+name.'
+
+'Oh, I must rest for a long time before I can talk,' she replied,
+'and beside, I very much doubt if you will have leisure to listen,
+for the affair is by no means finished. In fact,' she continued in
+the same languid tone, 'you had better look behind you now.'
+
+The Prince turned sharply round and to his horror saw a huge Giant
+approaching with mighty strides, crying fiercely--
+
+'Who has made my lion whistle I should like to know?'
+
+'I have,' replied Prince Vivien boldly, 'but I can answer for it
+that he will not do it again!'
+
+At these words the Giant began to howl and lament.
+
+'Alas, my poor Tiny, my sweet little pet,' he cried, 'but at least
+I can avenge thy death.'
+
+Thereupon he rushed at the Prince, brandishing an immense serpent
+which was coiled about his wrist. Vivien, without losing his
+coolness, aimed a terrific blow at it with his sword, but no
+sooner did he touch the snake than it changed into a Giant and the
+Giant into a snake, with such rapidity that the Prince felt
+perfectly giddy, and this happened at least half-a-dozen times,
+until at last with a fortunate stroke he cut the serpent in
+halves, and picking up one morsel flung it with all his force at
+the nose of the Giant, who fell insensible on top of the lion, and
+in an instant a thick black cloud rolled up which hid them from
+view, and when it cleared away they had all disappeared.
+
+Then the Prince, without even waiting to sheathe his sword, rushed
+back to the gazelle, crying:
+
+'Now you have had plenty of time to recover your wits, and you
+have nothing more to fear, so tell me who you are, and what this
+horrible Giant, with his lion and his serpent, have to do with you
+and for pity's sake be quick about it.'
+
+'I will tell you with pleasure,' she answered, 'but where is the
+hurry? I want you to come back with me to the Green Castle, but I
+don't want to walk there, it is so far, and walking is so
+fatiguing.'
+
+'Let us set out at once then,' replied the Prince severely, 'or
+else really I shall have to leave you where you are. Surely a
+young and active gazelle like you ought to be ashamed of not being
+able to walk a few steps. The further off this castle is the
+faster we ought to walk, but as you don't appear to enjoy that, I
+will promise that we will go gently, and we can talk by the way.'
+
+'It would be better still if you would carry me,' said she
+sweetly, 'but as I don't like to see people giving themselves
+trouble, you may carry me, and make that snail carry you.' So
+saying, she pointed languidly with one tiny foot at what the
+Prince had taken for a block of stone, but now he saw that it was
+a huge snail.
+
+'What! I ride a snail!' cried the Prince; 'you are laughing at me,
+and beside we should not get there for a year.'
+
+'Oh! well then don't do it,' replied the gazelle, 'I am quite
+willing to stay here. The grass is green, and the water clear. But
+if I were you I should take the advice that was given me and ride
+the snail.'
+
+So, though it did not please him at all, the Prince took the
+gazelle in his arms, and mounted upon the back of the snail, which
+glided along very peaceably, entirely declining to be hurried by
+frequent blows from the Prince's heels. In vain did the gazelle
+represent to him that she was enjoying herself very much, and that
+this was the easiest mode of conveyance she had ever discovered.
+Prince Vivien was wild with impatience, and thought that the Green
+Castle would never be reached. However, at last, they did get
+there, and everyone who was in it ran to see the Prince dismount
+from his singular steed.
+
+But what was his surprise, when having at her request set the
+gazelle gently down upon the steps which led up to the castle, he
+saw her suddenly change into a charming Princess, and recognized
+in her his pretty cousin Placida, who greeted him with her usual
+tranquil sweetness. His delight knew no bounds, and he followed
+her eagerly up into the castle, impatient to know what strange
+events had brought her there. But after all he had to wait for the
+Princess's story, for the inhabitants of the Green Lands, hearing
+that the Giant was dead, ran to offer the kingdom to his
+vanquisher, and Prince Vivien had to listen to various
+complimentary harangues, which took a great deal of time, though
+he cut them as short as politeness allowed--if not shorter. But at
+last he was free to rejoin Placida, who at once began the story of
+her adventures.
+
+'After you had gone away,' said she, 'they tried to make me learn
+how to govern the kingdom, which wearied me to death, so that I
+begged and prayed Lolotte to take me away with her, and this she
+presently did, but very reluctantly. However, having been
+transported to her grotto upon my favourite couch, I spent several
+delicious days, soothed by the soft green light, which was like a
+beech wood in the spring, and by the murmuring of bees and the
+tinkle of falling water. But alas! Lolotte was forced to go away
+to a general assembly of the Fairies, and she came back in great
+dismay, telling me that her indulgence to me had cost her dear,
+for she had been severely reprimanded and ordered to hand me over
+to the Fairy Mirlifiche, who was already taking charge of you, and
+who had been much commended for her management of you.'
+
+'Fine management, indeed,' interrupted the Prince, 'if it is to
+her I owe all the adventures I have met with! But go on with your
+story, my cousin. I can tell you all about my doings afterwards,
+and then you can judge for yourself.'
+
+'At first I was grieved to see Lolotte cry,' resumed the Princess,
+'but I soon found that grieving was very troublesome, so I thought
+it better to be calm, and very soon afterwards I saw the Fairy
+Mirlifiche arrive, mounted upon her great unicorn. She stopped
+before the grotto and bade Lolotte bring me out to her, at which
+she cried worse than ever, and kissed me a dozen times, but she
+dared not refuse. I was lifted up on to the unicorn, behind
+Mirlifiche, who said to me--
+
+'"Hold on tight, little girl, if you don't want to break your
+neck."
+
+'And, indeed, I had to hold on with all my might, for her horrible
+steed trotted so violently that it positively took my breath away.
+However, at last we stopped at a large farm, and the farmer and
+his wife ran out as soon as they saw the Fairy, and helped us to
+dismount.
+
+'I knew that they were really a King and Queen, whom the Fairies
+were punishing for their ignorance and idleness. You may imagine
+that I was by this time half dead with fatigue, but Mirlifiche
+insisted upon my feeding her unicorn before I did anything else.
+To accomplish this I had to climb up a long ladder into the
+hayloft, and bring down, one after another, twenty-four handfuls
+of hay. Never, never before, did I have such a wearisome task! It
+makes me shudder to think of it now, and that was not all. In the
+same way I had to carry the twenty-four handfuls of hay to the
+stable, and then it was supper time, and I had to wait upon all
+the others. After that I really thought I should be allowed to go
+peaceably to my little bed, but, oh dear no! First of all I had to
+make it, for it was all in confusion, and then I had to make one
+for the Fairy, and tuck her in, and draw the curtains round her,
+beside rendering her a dozen little services which I was not at
+all accustomed to. Finally, when I was perfectly exhausted by all
+this toil, I was free to go to bed myself, but as I had never
+before undressed myself, and really did not know how to begin, I
+lay down as I was. Unfortunately, the Fairy found this out, and
+just as I was falling into a sweet slumber, she made me get up
+once more, but even then I managed to escape her vigilance, and
+only took off my upper robe. Indeed, I may tell you in confidence,
+that I always find disobedience answer very well. One is often
+scolded, it is true, but then one has been saved some trouble.
+
+'At the earliest dawn of day Mirlifiche woke me, and made me take
+many journeys to the stable to bring her word how her unicorn had
+slept, and how much hay he had eaten, and then to find out what
+time it was, and if it was a fine day. I was so slow, and did my
+errands so badly, that before she left she called the King and
+Queen and said to them:
+
+'"I am much more pleased with you this year. Continue to make the
+best of your farm, if you wish to get back to your kingdom, and
+also take care of this little Princess for me, and teach her to be
+useful, that when I come I may find her cured of her faults. If
+she is not--"
+
+'Here she broke off with a significant look, and mounting my enemy
+the unicorn, speedily disappeared.
+
+'Then the King and Queen, turning to me, asked me what I could do.
+
+'"Nothing at all, I assure you," I replied in a tone which really
+ought to have convinced them, but they went on to describe various
+employments, and tried to discover which of them would be most to
+my taste. However, at last I persuaded them that to do nothing
+whatever would be the only thing that would suit me, and that if
+they really wanted to be kind to me, they would let me go to bed
+and to sleep, and not tease me about doing anything. To my great
+joy, they not only permitted this, but actually, when they had
+their own meals, the Queen brought my portion up to me. But early
+the next morning she appeared at my bedside, saying, with an
+apologetic air:
+
+'"My pretty child, I am afraid you must really make up your mind
+to get up to-day. I know quite well how delightful it is to be
+thoroughly idle, for when my husband and I were King and Queen we
+did nothing at all from morning to night, and I sincerely hope
+that it will not be long before those happy days will come again
+for us. But at present we have not reached them, nor have you, and
+you know from what the Fairy said that perhaps worse things may
+happen to us if she is not obeyed. Make haste, I beg of you, and
+come down to breakfast, for I have put by some delicious cream for
+you."
+
+'It was really very tiresome, but as there was no help for it I
+went down!
+
+'But the instant breakfast was over they began again their cuckoo-
+cry of "What will you do?" In vain did I answer--
+
+'"Nothing at all, if it please you, madam."
+
+'The Queen at last gave me a spindle and about four pounds of hemp
+upon a distaff, and sent me out to keep the sheep, assuring me
+that there could not be a pleasanter occupation, and that I could
+take my ease as much as I pleased. I was forced to set out, very
+unwillingly, as you may imagine, but I had not walked far before I
+came to a shady bank in what seemed to me a charming place. I
+stretched myself cosily upon the soft grass, and with the bundle
+of hemp for a pillow slept as tranquilly as if there were no such
+things as sheep in the world, while they for their part wandered
+hither and thither at their own sweet will, as if there were no
+such thing as a shepherdess, invading every field, and browsing
+upon every kind of forbidden dainty, until the peasants, alarmed
+by the havoc they were making, raised a clamour, which at last
+reached the ears of the King and Queen, who ran out, and seeing
+the cause of the commotion, hastily collected their flock. And,
+indeed, the sooner the better, since they had to pay for all the
+damage they had done. As for me I lay still and watched them run,
+for I was very comfortable, and there I might be still if they had
+not come up, all panting and breathless, and compelled me to get
+up and follow them; they also reproached me bitterly, but I need
+hardly tell you that they did not again entrust me with the flock.
+
+'But whatever they found for me to do it was always the same
+thing, I spoilt and mismanaged it all, and was so successful in
+provoking even the most patient people, that one day I ran away
+from the farm, for I was really afraid the Queen would be obliged
+to beat me. When I came to the little river in which the King used
+to fish, I found the boat tied to a tree, and stepping in I
+unfastened it, and floated gently down with the current. The
+gliding of the boat was so soothing that I did not trouble myself
+in the least when the Queen caught sight of me and ran along the
+bank, crying--
+
+'"My boat, my boat! Husband, come and catch the little Princess
+who is running away with my boat!"
+
+'The current soon carried me out of hearing of her cries, and I
+dreamed to the song of the ripples and the whisper of the trees,
+until the boat suddenly stopped, and I found it was stuck fast
+beside a fresh green meadow, and that the sun was rising. In the
+distance I saw some little houses which seemed to be built in a
+most singular fashion, but as I was by this time very hungry I set
+out towards them, but before I had walked many steps, I saw that
+the air was full of shining objects which seemed to be fixed, and
+yet I could not see what they hung from.
+
+'I went nearer, and saw a silken cord hanging down to the ground,
+and pulled it just because it was so close to my hand. Instantly
+the whole meadow resounded to the melodious chiming of a peal of
+silver bells, and they sounded so pretty that I sat down to
+listen, and to watch them as they swung shining in the sunbeams.
+Before they ceased to sound, came a great flight of birds, and
+each one perching upon a bell added its charming song to the
+concert. As they ended, I looked up and saw a tall and stately
+dame advancing towards me, surrounded and followed by a vast flock
+of every kind of bird.
+
+'"Who are you, little girl," said she, "who dares to come where I
+allow no mortal to live, lest my birds should be disturbed? Still,
+if you are clever at anything," she added, "I might be able to put
+up with your presence."
+
+'"Madam," I answered, rising, "you may be very sure that I shall
+not do anything to alarm your birds. I only beg you, for pity's
+sake, to give me something to eat."
+
+'"I will do that," she replied, "before I send you where you
+deserve to go."
+
+'And thereupon she despatched six jays, who were her pages, to
+fetch me all sorts of biscuits, while some of the other birds
+brought ripe fruits. In fact, I had a delicious breakfast, though
+I do not like to be waited upon so quickly. It is so disagreeable
+to be hurried. I began to think I should like very well to stay in
+this pleasant country, and I said so to the stately lady, but she
+answered with the greatest disdain:
+
+'"Do you think I would keep you here? _You_! Why what do you
+suppose would be the good of you in this country, where everybody
+is wide-awake and busy? No, no, I have shown you all the
+hospitality you will get from me."
+
+'With these words she turned and gave a vigorous pull to the
+silken rope which I mentioned before, but instead of a melodious
+chime, there arose a hideous clanging which quite terrified me,
+and in an instant a huge Black Bird appeared, which alighted at
+the Fairy's feet, saying in a frightful voice--
+
+'"What do you want of me, my sister?"
+
+'"I wish you to take this little Princess to my cousin, the Giant
+of the Green Castle, at once," she replied, "and beg him from me
+to make her work day and night upon his beautiful tapestry."
+
+'At these words the great Bird snatched me up, regardless of my
+cries, and flew off at a terrific pace--'
+
+'Oh! you are joking, cousin,' interrupted Prince Vivien; 'you mean
+as slowly as possible. I know that horrible Black Bird, and the
+lengthiness of all his proceedings and surroundings.'
+
+'Have it your own way,' replied Placida, tranquilly. 'I cannot
+bear arguing. Perhaps, this was not even the same bird. At any
+rate, he carried me off at a prodigious speed, and set me gently
+down in this very castle of which you are now the master. We
+entered by one of the windows, and when the Bird had handed me
+over to the Giant from whom you have been good enough to deliver
+me, and given the Fairy's message, it departed.
+
+'Then the Giant turned to me, saying,
+
+'"So you are an idler! Ah! well, we must teach you to work. You
+won't be the first we have cured of laziness. See how busy all my
+guests are."
+
+'I looked up as he spoke, and saw that an immense gallery ran all
+round the hall, in which were tapestry frames, spindles, skeins of
+wool, patterns, and all necessary things. Before each frame about
+a dozen people were sitting, hard at work, at which terrible sight
+I fainted away, and as soon as I recovered they began to ask me
+what I could do.
+
+'It was in vain that I replied as before, and with the strongest
+desire to be taken at my word, "Nothing at all."
+
+'The Giant only said,
+
+'"Then you must learn to do something; in this world there is
+enough work for everybody."
+
+'It appeared that they were working into the tapestry all the
+stories the Fairies liked best, and they began to try and teach me
+to help them, but from the first class, where they tried me to
+begin with, I sank lower and lower, and not even the most simple
+stitches could I learn.
+
+'In vain they punished me by all the usual methods. In vain the
+Giant showed me his menagerie, which was entirely composed of
+children who would not work! Nothing did me any good, and at last
+I was reduced to drawing water for the dyeing of the wools, and
+even over that I was so slow that this morning the Giant flew into
+a rage and changed me into a gazelle. He was just putting me into
+the menagerie when I happened to catch sight of a dog, and was
+seized with such terror that I fled away at my utmost speed, and
+escaped through the outer court of the castle. The Giant, fearing
+that I should be lost altogether, sent his green lion after me,
+with orders to bring me back, cost what it might, and I should
+certainly have let myself be caught, or eaten up, or anything,
+rather than run any further, if I had not luckily met you by the
+fountain. And oh!' concluded the Princess, 'how delightful it is
+once more to be able to sit still in peace. I was so tired of
+trying to learn things.'
+
+Prince Vivien said that, for his part, he had been kept a great
+deal too still, and had not found it at all amusing, and then he
+recounted all his adventures with breathless rapidity. How he had
+taken shelter with Dame Patience, and consulted the Oracle, and
+voyaged in the paper ship. Then they went hand in hand to release
+all the prisoners in the castle, and all the Princes and
+Princesses who were in cages in the menagerie, for the instant the
+Green Giant was dead they had resumed their natural forms. As you
+may imagine, they were all very grateful, and Princess Placida
+entreated them never, never to do another stitch of work so long
+as they lived, and they promptly made a great bonfire in the
+courtyard, and solemnly burnt all the embroidery frames and
+spinning wheels. Then the Princess gave them splendid presents, or
+rather sat by while Prince Vivien gave them, and there were great
+rejoicings in the Green Castle, and everyone did his best to
+please the Prince and Princess. But with all their good
+intentions, they often made mistakes, for Vivien and Placida were
+never of one mind about their plans, so it was very confusing, and
+they frequently found themselves obeying the Prince's orders,
+very, very slowly, and rushing off with lightning speed to do
+something that the Princess did not wish to have done at all,
+until, by-and-by, the two cousins took to consulting with, and
+consoling one another in all these little vexations, and at last
+came to be so fond of each other that for Placida's sake Vivien
+became quite patient, and for Vivien's sake Placida made the most
+unheard-of exertions. But now the Fairies who had been watching
+all these proceedings with interest, thought it was time to
+interfere, and ascertain by further trials if this improvement was
+likely to continue, and if they really loved one another. So they
+caused Placida to seem to have a violent fever, and Vivien to
+languish and grow dull, and made each of them very uneasy about
+the other, and then, finding a moment when they were apart, the
+Fairy Mirlifiche suddenly appeared to Placida, and said--
+
+'I have just seen Prince Vivien, and he seemed to me to be very
+ill.'
+
+'Alas! yes, madam,' she answered, 'and if you will but cure him,
+you may take me back to the farm, or bring the Green Giant to life
+again, and you shall see how obedient I will be.'
+
+'If you really wish him to recover,' said the Fairy, 'you have
+only to catch the Trotting Mouse and the Chaffinch-on-the-Wing and
+bring them to me. Only remember that time presses!'
+
+She had hardly finished speaking before the Princess was rushing
+headlong out of the castle gate, and the Fairy after watching her
+till she was lost to sight, gave a little chuckle and went in
+search of the Prince, who begged her earnestly to send him back to
+the Black Castle, or to the paper boat if she would but save
+Placida's life. The Fairy shook her head, and looked very grave.
+She quite agreed with him, the Princess was in a bad way--'But,'
+said she, 'if you can find the Rosy Mole, and give him to her she
+will recover.' So now it was the Prince's turn to set off in a
+vast hurry, only as soon as he left the Castle he happened to go
+in exactly the opposite direction to the one Placida had taken.
+Now you can imagine these two devoted lovers hunting night and
+day. The Princess in the woods, always running, always listening,
+pursuing hotly after two creatures which seemed to her very hard
+to catch, which she yet never ceased from pursuing. The Prince on
+the other hand wandering continually across the meadows, his eyes
+fixed upon the ground, attentive to every movement among the
+moles. He was forced to walk slowly--slowly upon tip-toe, hardly
+venturing to breathe. Often he stood for hours motionless as a
+statue, and if the desire to succeed could have helped him he
+would soon have possessed the Rosy Mole. But alas! all that he
+caught were black and ordinary, though strange to say he never
+grew impatient, but always seemed ready to begin the tedious hunt
+again. But this changing of character is one of the most ordinary
+miracles which love works. Neither the Prince nor the Princess
+gave a thought to anything but their quest. It never even occurred
+to them to wonder what country they had reached. So you may guess
+how astonished they were one day, when having at last been
+successful after their long and weary chase, they cried aloud at
+the same instant: 'At last I have saved my beloved,' and then
+recognising each other's voice looked up, and rushed to meet one
+another with the wildest joy. Surprise kept them silent while for
+one delicious moment they gazed into each other's eyes, and just
+then who should come up but King Gridelin, for it was into his
+kingdom they had accidentally strayed. He recognized them in his
+turn and greeted them joyfully, but when they turned afterwards to
+look for the Rosy Mole, the Chaffinch, and the Trotting-Mouse,
+they had vanished, and in their places stood a lovely lady whom
+they did not know, the Black Bird, and the Green Giant. King
+Gridelin had no sooner set eyes upon the lady than with a cry of
+joy he clasped her in his arms, for it was no other than his long-
+lost wife, Santorina, about whose imprisonment in Fairyland you
+may perhaps read some day.
+
+Then the Black Bird and the Green Giant resumed their natural
+form, for they were enchanters, and up flew Lolotte and Mirlifiche
+in their chariots, and then there was a great kissing and
+congratulating, for everybody had regained someone he loved,
+including the enchanters, who loved their natural forms dearly.
+After this they repaired to the Palace, and the wedding of Prince
+Vivien and Princess Placida was held at once with all the
+splendour imaginable.
+
+King Gridelin and Queen Santorina, after all their experiences had
+no further desire to reign, so they retired happily to a peaceful
+place, leaving their kingdom to the Prince and Princess, who were
+beloved by all their subjects, and found their greatest happiness
+all their lives long in making other people happy.
+
+Nonchalante et Papillon
+
+
+
+
+
+LITTLE ONE-EYE, LITTLE TWO-EYES, AND LITTLE THREE-EYES
+
+
+
+There was once a woman who had three daughters, of whom the eldest
+was called Little One-eye, because she had only one eye in the
+middle of her forehead; and the second, Little Two-eyes, because
+she had two eyes like other people; and the youngest, Little
+Three-eyes, because she had three eyes, and _her_ third eye
+was also in the middle of her forehead. But because Little Two-
+eyes did not look any different from other children, her sisters
+and mother could not bear her. They would say to her, 'You with
+your two eyes are no better than common folk; you don't belong to
+us.' They pushed her here, and threw her wretched clothes there,
+and gave her to eat only what they left, and they were as unkind
+to her as ever they could be.
+
+It happened one day that Little Two-eyes had to go out into the
+fields to take care of the goat, but she was still quite hungry
+because her sisters had given her so little to eat. So she sat
+down in the meadow and began to cry, and she cried so much that
+two little brooks ran out of her eyes. But when she looked up once
+in her grief there stood a woman beside her who asked, 'Little
+Two-eyes, what are you crying for?' Little Two-eyes answered,
+'Have I not reason to cry? Because I have two eyes like other
+people, my sisters and my mother cannot bear me; they push me out
+of one corner into another, and give me nothing to eat except what
+they leave. To-day they have given me so little that I am still
+quite hungry.' Then the wise woman said, 'Little Two-eyes, dry
+your eyes, and I will tell you something so that you need never be
+hungry again. Only say to your goat,
+
+"Little goat, bleat, Little table, appear,"
+
+and a beautifully spread table will stand before you, with the
+most delicious food on it, so that you can eat as much as you
+want. And when you have had enough and don't want the little table
+any more, you have only to say,
+
+"Little goat, bleat, Little table, away,"
+
+and then it will vanish.' Then the wise woman went away.
+
+But Little Two-eyes thought, 'I must try at once if what she has
+told me is true, for I am more hungry than ever'; and she said,
+
+'Little goat, bleat, Little table appear,'
+
+and scarcely had she uttered the words, when there stood a little
+table before her covered with a white cloth, on which were
+arranged a plate, with a knife and fork and a silver spoon, and
+the most beautiful dishes, which were smoking hot, as if they had
+just come out of the kitchen. Then Little Two-eyes said the
+shortest grace she knew, and set to work and made a good dinner.
+And when she had had enough, she said, as the wise woman had told
+her,
+
+'Little goat, bleat, Little table, away,'
+
+and immediately the table and all that was on it disappeared
+again. 'That is a splendid way of housekeeping,' thought Little
+Two-eyes, and she was quite happy and contented.
+
+In the evening, when she went home with her goat, she found a
+little earthenware dish with the food that her sisters had thrown
+to her, but she did not touch it. The next day she went out again
+with her goat, and left the few scraps which were given her. The
+first and second times her sisters did not notice this, but when
+it happened continually, they remarked it and said, 'Something is
+the matter with Little Two-eyes, for she always leaves her food
+now, and she used to gobble up all that was given her. She must
+have found other means of getting food.' So in order to get at the
+truth, Little One-eye was told to go out with Little Two-eyes when
+she drove the goat to pasture, and to notice particularly what she
+got there, and whether anyone brought her food and drink.
+
+Now when Little Two-eyes was setting out, Little One-eye came up
+to her and said, 'I will go into the field with you and see if you
+take good care of the goat, and if you drive him properly to get
+grass.' But Little Two-eyes saw what Little One-eye had in her
+mind, and she drove the goat into the long grass and said, 'Come,
+Little One-eye, we will sit down here, and I will sing you
+something.'
+
+Little One-eye sat down, and as she was very much tired by the
+long walk to which she was not used, and by the hot day, and as
+Little Two-eyes went on singing.
+
+'Little One-eye, are you awake? Little One-eye, are you asleep?'
+
+she shut her one eye and fell asleep. When Little Two-eyes saw
+that Little One-eye was asleep and could find out nothing, she
+said,
+
+'Little goat, bleat, Little table, appear,'
+
+and sat down at her table and ate and drank as much as she wanted.
+Then she said again,
+
+'Little goat, bleat, Little table, away.'
+
+and in the twinkling of an eye all had vanished.
+
+Little Two-eyes then woke Little One-eye and said, 'Little One-
+eye, you meant to watch, and, instead, you went to sleep; in the
+meantime the goat might have run far and wide. Come, we will go
+home.' So they went home, and Little Two-eyes again left her
+little dish untouched, and Little One-eye could not tell her
+mother why she would not eat, and said as an excuse, 'I was so
+sleepy out-of-doors.'
+
+The next day the mother said to Little Three-eyes, 'This time you
+shall go with Little Two-eyes and watch whether she eats anything
+out in the fields, and whether anyone brings her food and drink,
+for eat and drink she must secretly.' So Little Three-eyes went to
+Little Two-eyes and said, 'I will go with you and see if you take
+good care of the goat, and if you drive him properly to get
+grass.' But little Two-eyes knew what Little Three-eyes had in her
+mind, and she drove the goat out into the tall grass and said, 'We
+will sit down here, Little Three-eyes, and I will sing you
+something.' Little Three-eyes sat down; she was tired by the walk
+and the hot day, and Little Two-eyes sang the same little song
+again:
+
+'Little Three eyes, are you awake?'
+
+but instead of singing as she ought to have done,
+
+'Little Three-eyes, are you asleep?'
+
+she sang, without thinking,
+
+'Little _Two-eyes_, are you asleep?'
+
+She went on singing,
+
+'Little Three-eyes, are you awake? Little _Two-eyes_, are you
+asleep?'
+
+so that the two eyes of Little Three-eyes fell asleep, but the
+third, which was not spoken to in the little rhyme, did not fall
+asleep. Of course Little Three-eyes shut that eye also out of
+cunning, to look as if she were asleep, but it was blinking and
+could see everything quite well.
+
+And when Little Two-eyes thought that Little Three-eyes was sound
+asleep, she said her rhyme,
+
+'Little goat, bleat, Little table, appear,'
+
+and ate and drank to her heart's content, and then made the table
+go away again, by saying,
+
+'Little goat, bleat, Little table, away.'
+
+But Little Three-eyes had seen everything. Then Little Two-eyes
+came to her, and woke her and said, 'Well, Little Three-eyes, have
+you been asleep? You watch well! Come, we will go home.' When they
+reached home, Little Two-eyes did not eat again, and Little Three-
+eyes said to the mother, 'I know now why that proud thing eats
+nothing. When she says to the goat in the field,
+
+"Little goat, bleat, Little table, appear,"
+
+a table stands before her, spread with the best food, much better
+than we have; and when she has had enough, she says,
+
+"Little goat, bleat, Little table, away,"
+
+and everything disappears again. I saw it all exactly. She made
+two of my eyes go to sleep with a little rhyme, but the one in my
+forehead remained awake, luckily!'
+
+Then the envious mother cried out, 'Will you fare better than we
+do? you shall not have the chance to do so again!' and she fetched
+a knife, and killed the goat.
+
+When Little Two-eyes saw this, she went out full of grief, and sat
+down in the meadow and wept bitter tears. Then again the wise
+woman stood before her, and said, 'Little Two-eyes, what are you
+crying for?' 'Have I not reason to cry?' she answered, 'the goat,
+which when I said the little rhyme, spread the table so
+beautifully, my mother has killed, and now I must suffer hunger
+and want again.' The wise woman said, 'Little Two-eyes, I will
+give you a good piece of advice. Ask your sisters to give you the
+heart of the dead goat, and bury it in the earth before the house-
+door; that will bring you good luck.' Then she disappeared, and
+Little Two-eyes went home, and said to her sisters, 'Dear sisters,
+do give me something of my goat; I ask nothing better than its
+heart.' Then they laughed and said, 'You can have that if you want
+nothing more.' And Little Two-eyes took the heart and buried it in
+the evening when all was quiet, as the wise woman had told her,
+before the house-door. The next morning when they all awoke and
+came to the house-door, there stood a most wonderful tree, which
+had leaves of silver and fruit of gold growing on it--you never
+saw anything more lovely and gorgeous in your life! But they did
+not know how the tree had grown up in the night; only Little Two-
+eyes knew that it had sprung from the heart of the goat, for it
+was standing just where she had buried it in the ground. Then the
+mother said to Little One-eye, 'Climb up, my child, and break us
+off the fruit from the tree.' Little One-eye climbed up, but just
+when she was going to take hold of one of the golden apples the
+bough sprang out of her hands; and this happened every time, so
+that she could not break off a single apple, however hard she
+tried. Then the mother said, 'Little Three-eyes, do you climb up;
+you with your three eyes can see round better than Little One-
+eye.' So Little One-eye slid down, and Little Three-eyes climbed
+up; but she was not any more successful; look round as she might,
+the golden apples bent themselves back. At last the mother got
+impatient and climbed up herself, but she was even less successful
+than Little One-eye and Little Three-eyes in catching hold of the
+fruit, and only grasped at the empty air. Then Little Two-eyes
+said, 'I will just try once, perhaps I shall succeed better.' The
+sisters called out, 'You with your two eyes will no doubt
+succeed!' But Little Two-eyes climbed up, and the golden apples
+did not jump away from her, but behaved quite properly, so that
+she could pluck them off, one after the other, and brought a whole
+apron-full down with her. The mother took them from her, and,
+instead of behaving better to poor Little Two-eyes, as they ought
+to have done, they were jealous that she only could reach the
+fruit and behaved still more unkindly to her.
+
+It happened one day that when they were all standing together by
+the tree that a young knight came riding along. 'Be quick, Little
+Two-eyes,' cried the two sisters, 'creep under this, so that you
+shall not disgrace us,' and they put over poor Little Two-eyes as
+quickly as possible an empty cask, which was standing close to the
+tree, and they pushed the golden apples which she had broken off
+under with her. When the knight, who was a very handsome young
+man, rode up, he wondered to see the marvellous tree of gold and
+silver, and said to the two sisters, 'Whose is this beautiful
+tree? Whoever will give me a twig of it shall have whatever she
+wants.' Then Little One-eye and Little Three-eyes answered that
+the tree belonged to them, and that they would certainly break him
+off a twig. They gave themselves a great deal of trouble, but in
+vain; the twigs and fruit bent back every time from their hands.
+Then the knight said, 'It is very strange that the tree should
+belong to you, and yet that you have not the power to break
+anything from it!' But they would have that the tree was theirs;
+and while they were saying this, Little Two-eyes rolled a couple
+of golden apples from under the cask, so that they lay at the
+knight's feet, for she was angry with Little One-eye and Little
+Three-eyes for not speaking the truth. When the knight saw the
+apples he was astonished, and asked where they came from. Little
+One-eye and Little Three-eyes answered that they had another
+sister, but she could not be seen because she had only two eyes,
+like ordinary people. But the knight demanded to see her, and
+called out, 'Little Two-eyes, come forth.' Then Little Two-eyes
+came out from under the cask quite happily, and the knight was
+astonished at her great beauty, and said, 'Little Two-eyes, I am
+sure you can break me off a twig from the tree.' 'Yes,' answered
+Little Two-eyes, 'I can, for the tree is mine.' So she climbed up
+and broke off a small branch with its silver leaves and golden
+fruit without any trouble, and gave it to the knight. Then he
+said, 'Little Two-eyes, what shall I give you for this?' 'Ah,'
+answered Little Two-eyes, 'I suffer hunger and thirst, want and
+sorrow, from early morning till late in the evening; if you would
+take me with you, and free me from this, I should be happy!' Then
+the knight lifted Little Two-eyes on his horse, and took her home
+to his father's castle. There he gave her beautiful clothes, and
+food and drink, and because he loved her so much he married her,
+and the wedding was celebrated with great joy.
+
+When the handsome knight carried Little Two-eyes away with him,
+the two sisters envied her good luck at first. 'But the wonderful
+tree is still with us, after all,' they thought, 'and although we
+cannot break any fruit from it, everyone will stop and look at it,
+and will come to us and praise it; who knows whether _we_ may
+not reap a harvest from it?' But the next morning the tree had
+flown, and their hopes with it; and when Little Two-eyes looked
+out of her window there it stood underneath, to her great delight.
+Little Two-eyes lived happily for a long time. Once two poor women
+came to the castle to beg alms. Then Little Two-eyes looked at
+then and recognised both her sisters, Little One-eye and Little
+Three-eyes, who had become so poor that they came to beg bread at
+her door. But Little Two-eyes bade them welcome, and was so good
+to them that they both repented from their hearts of having been
+so unkind to their sister.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+JORINDE AND JORINGEL
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a castle in the middle of a thick wood
+where lived an old woman quite alone, for she was an enchantress.
+In the day-time she changed herself into a cat or a night-owl, but
+in the evening she became like an ordinary woman again. She could
+entice animals and birds to come to her, and then she would kill
+and cook them. If any youth came within a hundred paces of the
+castle, he was obliged to stand still, and could not stir from the
+spot till she set him free; but if a pretty girl came within this
+boundary, the old enchantress changed her into a bird, and shut
+her up in a wicker cage, which she put in one of the rooms in the
+castle. She had quite seven thousand of such cages in the castle
+with very rare birds in them.
+
+Now, there was once a maiden called Jorinde, who was more
+beautiful than other maidens. She and a youth named Joringel, who
+was just as good-looking as she was, were betrothed to one
+another. Their greatest delight was to be together, and so that
+they might get a good long talk, they went one evening for a walk
+in the wood. 'Take care,' said Joringel, 'not to come too close to
+the castle.' It was a beautiful evening; the sun shone brightly
+between the stems of the trees among the dark green leaves of the
+forest, and the turtle-dove sang clearly on the old maybushes.
+
+Jorinde wept from time to time, and she sat herself down in the
+sunshine and lamented, and Joringel lamented too. They felt as sad
+as if they had been condemned to die; they looked round and got
+quite confused, and did not remember which was their way home.
+Half the sun was still above the mountain and half was behind it
+when Joringel looked through the trees and saw the old wall of the
+castle quite near them. He was terrified and half dead with
+fright. Jorinde sang:
+
+'My little bird with throat so red Sings sorrow, sorrow, sorrow;
+He sings to the little dove that's dead, Sings sorrow, sor--jug,
+jug, jug.'
+
+Joringel looked up at Jorinde. She had been changed into a
+nightingale, who was singing 'jug, jug.' A night-owl with glowing
+eyes flew three times round her, and screeched three times 'tu-
+whit, tu-whit, tu-whoo.' Joringel could not stir; he stood there
+like a stone; he could not weep, or speak, or move hand or foot.
+Now the sun set; the owl flew into a bush, and immediately an old,
+bent woman came out of it; she was yellow-skinned and thin, and
+had large red eyes and a hooked nose, which met her chin. She
+muttered to herself, caught the nightingale, and carried her away
+in her hand. Joringel could say nothing; he could not move from
+the spot, and the nightingale was gone. At last the woman came
+back again, and said in a gruff voice, 'Good evening, Zachiel;
+when the young moon shines in the basket, you are freed early,
+Zachiel.' Then Joringel was free. He fell on his knees before the
+old woman and implored her to give him back his Jorinde, but she
+said he should never have her again, and then went away. He called
+after her, he wept and lamented, but all in vain. 'What is to
+become of me!' he thought. Then he went away, and came at last to
+a strange village, where he kept sheep for a long time. He often
+went round the castle while he was there, but never too close. At
+last he dreamt one night that he had found a blood-red flower,
+which had in its centre a beautiful large pearl. He plucked this
+flower and went with it to the castle; and there everything which
+he touched with the flower was freed from the enchantment, and he
+got his Jorinde back again through it. When he awoke in the
+morning he began to seek mountain and valley to find such a
+flower. He sought it for eight days, and on the ninth early in the
+morning he found the blood-red flower. In its centre was a large
+dew-drop, as big as the most lovely pearl. He travelled day and
+night with this flower till he arrived at the castle. When he came
+within a hundred paces of it he did not cease to be able to move,
+but he went on till he reached the gate. He was delighted at his
+success, touched the great gate with the flower, and it sprung
+open. He entered, passed through the courtyard, and then stopped
+to listen for the singing of the birds; at last he heard it. He
+went in and found the hall in which was the enchantress, and with
+her seven thousand birds in their wicker cages. When she saw
+Joringel she was furious, and breathed out poison and gall at him,
+but she could not move a step towards him. He took no notice of
+her, and went and looked over the cages of birds; but there were
+many hundred nightingales, and how was he to find his Jorinde from
+among them? Whilst he was considering, he observed the old witch
+take up a cage secretly and go with it towards the door. Instantly
+he sprang after her, touched the cage with the flower, and the old
+woman as well. Now she could no longer work enchantments, and
+there stood Jorinde before him, with her arms round his neck, and
+more beautiful than ever. Then he turned all the other birds again
+into maidens, and he went home with his Jorinde, and they lived a
+long and happy life.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+ALLERLEIRAUH; OR, THE MANY-FURRED CREATURE
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a King who had a wife with golden hair,
+and she was so beautiful that you couldn't find anyone like her in
+the world. It happened that she fell ill, and when she felt that
+she must soon die, she sent for the King, and said, 'If you want
+to marry after my death, make no one queen unless she is just as
+beautiful as I am, and has just such golden hair as I have.
+Promise me this.' After the King had promised her this, she closed
+her eyes and died.
+
+For a long time the King was not to be comforted, and he did not
+even think of taking a second wife. At last his councillors said,
+'The King _must_ marry again, so that we may have a queen.'
+So messengers were sent far and wide to seek for a bride equal to
+the late Queen in beauty. But there was no one in the wide world,
+and if there had been she could not have had such golden hair.
+Then the messengers came home again, not having been able to find
+a queen.
+
+Now, the King had a daughter, who was just as beautiful as her
+dead mother, and had just such golden hair. One day when she had
+grown up, her father looked at her, and saw that she was exactly
+like her mother, so he said to his councillors, 'I will marry my
+daughter to one of you, and she shall be queen, for she is exactly
+like her dead mother, and when I die her husband shall be king.'
+But when the Princess heard of her father's decision, she was not
+at all pleased, and said to him, 'Before I do your bidding, I must
+have three dresses; one as golden as the sun, one as silver as the
+moon, and one as shining as the stars. Besides these, I want a
+cloak made of a thousand different kinds of skin; every animal in
+your kingdom must give a bit of his skin to it.' But she thought
+to herself, 'This will be quite impossible, and I shall not have
+to marry someone I do not care for.' The King, however, was not to
+be turned from his purpose, and he commanded the most skilled
+maidens in his kingdom to weave the three dresses, one as golden
+as the sun, and one as silver as the moon, and one as shining as
+the stars; and he gave orders to all his huntsmen to catch one of
+every kind of beast in the kingdom, and to get a bit of its skin
+to make the cloak of a thousand pieces of fur. At last, when all
+was ready, the King commanded the cloak to be brought to him, and
+he spread it out before the Princess, and said, 'Tomorrow shall be
+your wedding-day.' When the Princess saw that there was no more
+hope of changing her father's resolution, she determined to flee
+away. In the night, when everyone else was sleeping, she got up
+and took three things from her treasures, a gold ring, a little
+gold spinning-wheel, and a gold reel; she put the sun, moon, and
+star dresses in a nut-shell, drew on the cloak of many skins, and
+made her face and hands black with soot. Then she commended
+herself to God, and went out and travelled the whole night till
+she came to a large forest. And as she was very much tired she sat
+down inside a hollow tree and fell asleep.
+
+The sun rose and she still slept on and on, although it was nearly
+noon. Now, it happened that the king to whom this wood belonged
+was hunting in it. When his dogs came to the tree, they sniffed,
+and ran round and round it, barking. The King said to the
+huntsmen, 'See what sort of a wild beast is in there.' The
+huntsmen went in, and then came back and said, 'In the hollow tree
+there lies a wonderful animal that we don't know, and we have
+never seen one like it; its skin is made of a thousand pieces of
+fur; but it is lying down asleep.' The King said, 'See if you can
+catch it alive, and then fasten it to the cart, and we will take
+it with us.' When the huntsmen seized the maiden, she awoke and
+was frightened, and cried out to them, 'I am a poor child,
+forsaken by father and mother; take pity on me, and let me go with
+you.' Then they said to her, 'Many-furred Creature, you can work
+in the kitchen; come with us and sweep the ashes together.' So
+they put her in the cart and they went back to the palace. There
+they showed her a tiny room under the stairs, where no daylight
+came, and said to her, 'Many-furred Creature, you can live and
+sleep here.' Then she was sent into the kitchen, where she carried
+wood and water, poked the fire, washed vegetables, plucked fowls,
+swept up the ashes, and did all the dirty work.
+
+So the Many-furred Creature lived for a long time in great
+poverty. Ah, beautiful King's daughter, what is going to befall
+you now?
+
+It happened once when a great feast was being held in the palace,
+that she said to the cook, 'Can I go upstairs for a little bit and
+look on? I will stand outside the doors.' The cook replied, 'Yes,
+you can go up, but in half-an-hour you must be back here to sweep
+up the ashes.' Then she took her little oil-lamp, and went into
+her little room, drew off her fur cloak, and washed off the soot
+from her face and hands, so that her beauty shone forth, and it
+was as if one sunbeam after another were coming out of a black
+cloud. Then she opened the nut, and took out the dress as golden
+as the sun. And when she had done this, she went up to the feast,
+and everyone stepped out of her way, for nobody knew her, and they
+thought she must be a King's daughter. But the King came towards
+her and gave her his hand, and danced with her, thinking to
+himself, 'My eyes have never beheld anyone so fair!' When the
+dance was ended, she curtseyed to him, and when the King looked
+round she had disappeared, no one knew whither. The guards who
+were standing before the palace were called and questioned, but no
+one had seen her.
+
+She had run to her little room and had quickly taken off her
+dress, made her face and hands black, put on the fur cloak, and
+was once more the Many-furred Creature. When she came into the
+kitchen and was setting about her work of sweeping the ashes
+together, the cook said to her, 'Let that wait till to-morrow, and
+just cook the King's soup for me; I want to have a little peep at
+the company upstairs; but be sure that you do not let a hair fall
+into it, otherwise you will get nothing to eat in future!' So the
+cook went away, and the Many-furred Creature cooked the soup for
+the King. She made a bread-soup as well as she possibly could, and
+when it was done, she fetched her gold ring from her little room,
+and laid it in the tureen in which the soup was to be served up.
+
+When the dance was ended, the King had his soup brought to him and
+ate it, and it was so good that he thought he had never tasted
+such soup in his life. But when he came to the bottom of the dish
+he saw a gold ring lying there, and he could not imagine how it
+got in. Then he commanded the cook to be brought before him. The
+cook was terrified when he heard the command, and said to the
+Many-furred Creature, 'You must have let a hair fall into the
+soup, and if you have you deserve a good beating!' When he came
+before the King, the King asked who had cooked the soup. The cook
+answered, 'I cooked it.' But the King said, 'That's not true, for
+it was quite different and much better soup than you have ever
+cooked.' Then the cook said, 'I must confess; _I_ did not
+cook the soup; the Many-furred Creature did.' 'Let her be brought
+before me,' said the King. When the Many-furred Creature came, the
+King asked her who she was. 'I am a poor child without father or
+mother.' Then he asked her, 'What do you do in my palace?' 'I am
+of no use except to have boots thrown at my head.' 'How did you
+get the ring which was in the soup?' he asked. 'I know nothing at
+all about the ring,' she answered. So the King could find out
+nothing, and was obliged to send her away.
+
+After a time there was another feast, and the Many-furred Creature
+begged the cook as at the last one to let her go and look on. He
+answered, 'Yes, but come back again in half-an-hour and cook the
+King the bread-soup that he likes so much.' So she ran away to her
+little room, washed herself quickly, took out of the nut the dress
+as silver as the moon and put it on. Then she went upstairs
+looking just like a King's daughter, and the King came towards
+her, delighted to see her again, and as the dance had just begun,
+they danced together. But when the dance was ended, she
+disappeared again so quickly that the King could not see which way
+she went. She ran to her little room and changed herself once more
+into the Many-furred Creature, and went into the kitchen to cook
+the bread-soup. When the cook was upstairs, she fetched the golden
+spinning-wheel and put it in the dish so that the soup was poured
+over it. It was brought to the King, who ate it, and liked it as
+much as the last time. He had the cook sent to him, and again he
+had to confess that the Many-furred Creature had cooked the soup.
+Then the Many-furred Creature came before the King, but she said
+again that she was of no use except to have boots thrown at her
+head, and that she knew nothing at all of the golden spinning-
+wheel.
+
+When the King had a feast for the third time, things did not turn
+out quite the same as at the other two. The cook said, 'You must
+be a witch, Many-furred Creature, for you always put something in
+the soup, so that it is much better and tastes nicer to the King
+than any that I cook.' But because she begged hard, he let her go
+up for the usual time. Now she put on the dress as shining as the
+stars, and stepped into the hall in it.
+
+The King danced again with the beautiful maiden, and thought she
+had never looked so beautiful. And while he was dancing, he put a
+gold ring on her finger without her seeing it, and he commanded
+that the dance should last longer than usual. When it was finished
+he wanted to keep her hands in his, but she broke from him, and
+sprang so quickly away among the people that she vanished from his
+sight. She ran as fast as she could to her little room under the
+stairs, but because she had stayed too long beyond the half-hour,
+she could not stop to take off the beautiful dress, but only threw
+the fur cloak over it, and in her haste she did not make herself
+quite black with the soot, one finger remaining white. The Many-
+furred Creature now ran into the kitchen, cooked the King's bread-
+soup, and when the cook had gone, she laid the gold reel in the
+dish. When the King found the reel at the bottom, he had the Many-
+furred Creature brought to him, and then he saw the white finger,
+and the ring which he had put on her hand in the dance. Then he
+took her hand and held her tightly, and as she was trying to get
+away, she undid the fur-cloak a little bit and the star-dress
+shone out. The King seized the cloak and tore it off her. Her
+golden hair came down, and she stood there in her full splendour,
+and could not hide herself away any more. And when the soot and
+ashes had been washed from her face, she looked more beautiful
+than anyone in the world. But the King said, 'You are my dear
+bride, and we will never be separated from one another.' So the
+wedding was celebrated and they lived happily ever after.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE TWELVE HUNTSMEN
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there was a King's son who was engaged to a
+Princess whom he dearly loved. One day as he sat by her side
+feeling very happy, he received news that his father was lying at
+the point of death, and desired to see him before his end. So he
+said to his love: 'Alas! I must go off and leave you, but take
+this ring and wear it as a remembrance of me, and when I am King I
+will return and fetch you home.'
+
+Then he rode off, and when he reached his father he found him
+mortally ill and very near death.
+
+The King said: 'Dearest son, I have desired to see you again
+before my end. Promise me, I beg of you, that you will marry
+according to my wishes'; and he then named the daughter of a
+neighbouring King who he was anxious should be his son's wife. The
+Prince was so overwhelmed with grief that he could think of
+nothing but his father, and exclaimed: 'Yes, yes, dear father,
+whatever you desire shall be done.' Thereupon the King closed his
+eyes and died.
+
+After the Prince had been proclaimed King, and the usual time of
+mourning had elapsed, he felt that he must keep the promise he had
+made to his father, so he sent to ask for the hand of the King's
+daughter, which was granted to him at once.
+
+Now, his first love heard of this, and the thought of her lover's
+desertion grieved her so sadly that she pined away and nearly
+died. Her father said to her: 'My dearest child, why are you so
+unhappy? If there is anything you wish for, say so, and you shall
+have it.'
+
+His daughter reflected for a moment, and then said: 'Dear father,
+I wish for eleven girls as nearly as possible of the same height,
+age, and appearance as myself.'
+
+Said the King: 'If the thing is possible your wish shall be
+fulfilled'; and he had his kingdom searched till he found eleven
+maidens of the same height, size, and appearance as his daughter.
+
+Then the Princess desired twelve complete huntsmen's suits to be
+made, all exactly alike, and the eleven maidens had to dress
+themselves in eleven of the suits, while she herself put on the
+twelfth. After this she took leave of her father, and rode off
+with her girls to the court of her former lover.
+
+Here she enquired whether the King did not want some huntsmen, and
+if he would not take them all into his service. The King saw her
+but did not recognize her, and as he thought them very good-
+looking young people, he said, 'Yes, he would gladly engage them
+all.' So they became the twelve royal huntsmen.
+
+Now, the King had a most remarkable Lion, for it knew every hidden
+or secret thing.
+
+One evening the Lion said to the King: 'So you think you have got
+twelve huntsmen, do you?'
+
+'Yes, certainly,' said the King, 'they _are_ twelve
+huntsmen.'
+
+'There you are mistaken,' said the Lion; 'they are twelve
+maidens.'
+
+'That cannot possibly be,' replied the King; 'how do you mean to
+prove that?'
+
+'Just have a number of peas strewed over the floor of your ante-
+chamber,' said the Lion, 'and you will soon see. Men have a
+strong, firm tread, so that if they happen to walk over peas not
+one will stir, but girls trip, and slip, and slide, so that the
+peas roll all about.'
+
+The King was pleased with the Lion's advice, and ordered the peas
+to be strewn in his ante-room.
+
+Fortunately one of the King's servants had become very partial to
+the young huntsmen, and hearing of the trial they were to be put
+to, he went to them and said: 'The Lion wants to persuade the King
+that you are only girls'; and then told them all the plot.
+
+The King's daughter thanked him for the hint, and after he was
+gone she said to her maidens: 'Now make every effort to tread
+firmly on the peas.'
+
+Next morning, when the King sent for his twelve huntsmen, and they
+passed through the ante-room which was plentifully strewn with
+peas, they trod so firmly and walked with such a steady, strong
+step that not a single pea rolled away or even so much as stirred.
+After they were gone the King said to the Lion: 'There now--you
+have been telling lies--you see yourself they walk like men.'
+
+'Because they knew they were being put to the test,' answered the
+Lion; 'and so they made an effort; but just have a dozen spinning-
+wheels placed in the ante-room. When they pass through you'll see
+how pleased they will be, quite unlike any man.'
+
+The King was pleased with the advice, and desired twelve spinning-
+wheels to be placed in his ante-chamber.
+
+But the good-natured servant went to the huntsmen and told them
+all about this fresh plot. Then, as soon as the King's daughter
+was alone with her maidens, she exclaimed: 'Now, pray make a great
+effort and don't even _look_ at those spinning-wheels.'
+
+When the King sent for his twelve huntsmen next morning they
+walked through the ante-room without even casting a glance at the
+spinning-wheels.
+
+Then the King said once more to the Lion: 'You have deceived me
+again; they _are_ men, for they never once looked at the
+spinning-wheels.'
+
+The Lion replied: 'They knew they were being tried, and they did
+violence to their feelings.' But the King declined to believe in
+the Lion any longer.
+
+So the twelve huntsmen continued to follow the King, and he grew
+daily fonder of them. One day whilst they were all out hunting it
+so happened that news was brought that the King's intended bride
+was on her way and might soon be expected. When the true bride
+heard of this she felt as though a knife had pierced her heart,
+and she fell fainting to the ground. The King, fearing something
+had happened to his dear huntsman, ran up to help, and began
+drawing off his gloves. Then he saw the ring which he had given to
+his first love, and as he gazed into her face he knew her again,
+and his heart was so touched that he kissed her, and as she opened
+her eyes, he cried: 'I am thine and thou art mine, and no power on
+earth can alter that.'
+
+To the other Princess he despatched a messenger to beg her to
+return to her own kingdom with all speed. 'For,' said he, 'I have
+got a wife, and he who finds an old key again does not require a
+new one.'
+
+Thereupon the wedding was celebrated with great pomp, and the Lion
+was restored to the royal favour, for after all he had told the
+truth.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+SPINDLE, SHUTTLE, AND NEEDLE
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a girl who lost her father and mother
+when she was quite a tiny child. Her godmother lived all alone in
+a little cottage at the far end of the village, and there she
+earned her living by spinning, weaving, and sewing. The old woman
+took the little orphan home with her and brought her up in good,
+pious, industrious habits.
+
+When the girl was fifteen years old, her godmother fell ill, and,
+calling the child to her bedside, she said: 'My dear daughter, I
+feel that my end is near. I leave you my cottage, which will, at
+least, shelter you, and also my spindle, my weaver's shuttle, and
+my needle, with which to earn your bread.'
+
+Then she laid her hands on the girl's head, blessed her, and
+added: 'Mind and be good, and then all will go well with you.'
+With that she closed her eyes for the last time, and when she was
+carried to her grave the girl walked behind her coffin weeping
+bitterly, and paid her all the last honours.
+
+After this the girl lived all alone in the little cottage. She
+worked hard, spinning, weaving, and sewing, and her old
+godmother's blessing seemed to prosper all she did. The flax
+seemed to spread and increase; and when she wove a carpet or a
+piece of linen, or made a shirt, she was sure to find a customer
+who paid her well, so that not only did she feel no want herself,
+but she was able to help those who did.
+
+Now, it happened that about this time the King's son was making a
+tour through the entire country to look out for a bride. He could
+not marry a poor woman, and he did not wish for a rich one.
+
+'She shall be my wife,' said he, 'who is at once the poorest and
+the richest.'
+
+When he reached the village where the girl lived, he inquired who
+was the richest and who the poorest woman in it. The richest was
+named first; the poorest, he was told, was a young girl who lived
+alone in a little cottage at the far end of the village.
+
+The rich girl sat at her door dressed out in all her best clothes,
+and when the King's son came near she got up, went to meet him,
+and made him a low curtsey. He looked well at her, said nothing,
+but rode on further.
+
+When he reached the poor girl's house he did not find her at her
+door, for she was at work in her room. The Prince reined in his
+horse, looked in at the window through which the sun was shining
+brightly, and saw the girl sitting at her wheel busily spinning
+away.
+
+She looked up, and when she saw the King's son gazing in at her,
+she blushed red all over, cast down her eyes and span on. Whether
+the thread was quite as even as usual I really cannot say, but she
+went on spinning till the King's son had ridden off. Then she
+stepped to the window and opened the lattice, saying, 'The room is
+so hot,' but she looked after him as long as she could see the
+white plumes in his hat.
+
+Then she sat down to her work once more and span on, and as she
+did so an old saying which, she had often heard her godmother
+repeat whilst at work, came into her head, and she began to sing:
+
+'Spindle, spindle, go and see, If my love will come to me.'
+
+Lo, and behold! the spindle leapt from her hand and rushed out of
+the room, and when she had sufficiently recovered from her
+surprise to look after it she saw it dancing merrily through the
+fields, dragging a long golden thread after it, and soon it was
+lost to sight.
+
+The girl, having lost her spindle, took up the shuttle and,
+seating herself at her loom, began to weave. Meantime the spindle
+danced on and on, and just as it had come to the end of the golden
+thread, it reached the King's son.
+
+'What do I see?' he cried; 'this spindle seems to wish to point
+out the way to me.' So he turned his horses head and rode back
+beside the golden thread.
+
+Meantime the girl sat weaving, and sang:
+
+'Shuttle, weave both web and woof, Bring my love beneath my roof.'
+
+The shuttle instantly escaped from her hand, and with one bound
+was out at the door. On the threshold it began weaving the
+loveliest carpet that was ever seen. Roses and lilies bloomed on
+both sides, and in the centre a thicket seemed to grow with
+rabbits and hares running through it, stags and fawns peeping
+through the branches, whilst on the topmost boughs sat birds of
+brilliant plumage and so life-like one almost expected to hear
+them sing. The shuttle flew from side to side and the carpet
+seemed almost to grow of itself.
+
+As the shuttle had run away the girl sat down to sew. She took her
+needle and sang:
+
+'Needle, needle, stitch away, Make my chamber bright and gay,'
+
+and the needle promptly slipped from her fingers and flew about
+the room like lightning. You would have thought invisible spirits
+were at work, for in next to no time the table and benches were
+covered with green cloth, the chairs with velvet, and elegant silk
+curtains hung before the windows. The needle had barely put in its
+last stitch when the girl, glancing at the window, spied the white
+plumed hat of the King's son who was being led back by the spindle
+with the golden thread.
+
+He dismounted and walked over the carpet into the house, and when
+he entered the room there stood the girl blushing like any rose.
+'You are the poorest and yet the richest,' said he: 'come with me,
+you shall be my bride.'
+
+She said nothing, but she held out her hand. Then he kissed her,
+and led her out, lifted her on his horse and took her to his royal
+palace, where the wedding was celebrated with great rejoicings.
+
+The spindle, the shuttle, and the needle were carefully placed in
+the treasury, and were always held in the very highest honour.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE CRYSTAL COFFIN
+
+
+
+Now let no one say that a poor tailor can't get on in the world,
+and, indeed, even attain to very high honour. Nothing is required
+but to set the right way to work, but of course the really
+important thing is to succeed.
+
+A very bright active young tailor once set off on his travels,
+which led him into a wood, and as he did not know the way he soon
+lost himself. Night came on, and there seemed to be nothing for it
+but to seek out the best resting-place he could find. He could
+have made himself quite comfortable with a bed of soft moss, but
+the fear of wild beasts disturbed his mind, and at last he
+determined to spend the night in a tree.
+
+He sought out a tall oak tree, climbed up to the top, and felt
+devoutly thankful that his big smoothing-iron was in his pocket,
+for the wind in the tree-tops was so high that he might easily
+have been blown away altogether.
+
+After passing some hours of the night, not without considerable
+fear and trembling, he noticed a light shining at a little
+distance, and hoping it might proceed from some house where he
+could find a better shelter than in the top of the tree, he
+cautiously descended and went towards the light. It led him to a
+little hut all woven together of reeds and rushes. He knocked
+bravely at the door, which opened, and by the light which shone
+from within he saw an old gray-haired man dressed in a coat made
+of bright-coloured patches. 'Who are you, and what do you want?'
+asked the old man roughly.
+
+'I am a poor tailor,' replied the youth. 'I have been benighted in
+the forest, and I entreat you to let me take shelter in your hut
+till morning.'
+
+'Go your way,' said the old man in a sulky tone, 'I'll have
+nothing to do with tramps. You must just go elsewhere.'
+
+With these words he tried to slip back into his house, but the
+tailor laid hold of his coat-tails, and begged so hard to be
+allowed to stay that the old fellow, who was by no means as cross
+as he appeared, was at length touched by his entreaties, let him
+come in, and after giving him some food, showed him quite a nice
+bed in one corner of the room. The weary tailor required no
+rocking to rest, but slept sound till early morning, when he was
+roused from his slumbers by a tremendous noise. Loud screams and
+shouts pierced the thin walls of the little hut. The tailor, with
+new-born courage, sprang up, threw on his clothes with all speed
+and hurried out. There he saw a huge black bull engaged in a
+terrible fight with a fine large stag. They rushed at each other
+with such fury that the ground seemed to tremble under them and
+the whole air to be filled with their cries. For some time it
+appeared quite uncertain which would be the victor, but at length
+the stag drove his antlers with such force into his opponent's
+body that the bull fell to the ground with a terrific roar, and a
+few more strokes finished him.
+
+The tailor, who had been watching the fight with amazement, was
+still standing motionless when the stag bounded up to him, and
+before he had time to escape forked him up with its great antlers,
+and set off at full gallop over hedges and ditches, hill and dale,
+through wood and water. The tailor could do nothing but hold on
+tight with both hands to the stag's horns and resign himself to
+his fate. He felt as if he were flying along. At length the stag
+paused before a steep rock and gently let the tailor down to the
+ground.
+
+Feeling more dead than alive, he paused for a while to collect his
+scattered senses, but when he seemed somewhat restored the stag
+struck such a blow on a door in the rock that it flew open. Flames
+of fire rushed forth, and such clouds of steam followed that the
+stag had to avert its eyes. The tailor could not think what to do
+or which way to turn to get away from this awful wilderness, and
+to find his way back amongst human beings once more.
+
+As he stood hesitating, a voice from the rock cried to him: 'Step
+in without fear, no harm shall befall you.'
+
+He still lingered, but some mysterious power seemed to impel him,
+and passing through the door he found himself in a spacious hall,
+whose ceiling, walls, and floor were covered with polished tiles
+carved all over with unknown figures. He gazed about, full of
+wonder, and was just preparing to walk out again when the same
+voice bade him: 'Tread on the stone in the middle of the hall, and
+good luck will attend you.'
+
+By this time he had grown so courageous that he did not hesitate
+to obey the order, and hardly had he stepped on the stone than it
+began to sink gently with him into the depths below. On reaching
+firm ground he found himself in a hall of much the same size as
+the upper one, but with much more in it to wonder at and admire.
+Round the walls were several niches, in each of which stood glass
+vessels filled with some bright-coloured spirit or bluish smoke.
+On the floor stood two large crystal boxes opposite each other,
+and these attracted his curiosity at once.
+
+Stepping up to one of them, he saw within it what looked like a
+model in miniature of a fine castle surrounded by farms, barns,
+stables, and a number of other buildings. Everything was quite
+tiny, but so beautifully and carefully finished that it might have
+been the work of an accomplished artist. He would have continued
+gazing much longer at this remarkable curiosity had not the voice
+desired him to turn round and look at the crystal coffin which
+stood opposite.
+
+What was his amazement at seeing a girl of surpassing loveliness
+lying in it! She lay as though sleeping, and her long, fair hair
+seemed to wrap her round like some costly mantle. Her eyes were
+closed, but the bright colour in her face, and the movement of a
+ribbon, which rose and fell with her breath, left no doubt as to
+her being alive.
+
+As the tailor stood gazing at her with a beating heart, the maiden
+suddenly opened her eyes, and started with delighted surprise.
+
+'Great heavens!' she cried, 'my deliverance approaches! Quick,
+quick, help me out of my prison; only push back the bolt of this
+coffin and I am free.'
+
+The tailor promptly obeyed, when she quickly pushed back the
+crystal lid, stepped out of the coffin and hurried to a corner of
+the hall, when she proceeded to wrap herself in a large cloak.
+Then she sat down on a stone, desired the young man to come near,
+and, giving him an affectionate kiss, she said, 'My long-hoped-for
+deliverer, kind heaven has led you to me, and has at length put an
+end to all my sufferings. You are my destined husband, and,
+beloved by me, and endowed with every kind of riches and power,
+you shall spend the remainder of your life in peace and happiness.
+Now sit down and hear my story. I am the daughter of a wealthy
+nobleman. My parents died when I was very young, and they left me
+to the care of my eldest brother, by whom I was carefully
+educated. We loved each other so tenderly, and our tastes and
+interests were so much alike that we determined never to marry,
+but to spend our entire lives together. There was no lack of
+society at our home. Friends and neighbours paid us frequent
+visits, and we kept open house for all. Thus it happened that one
+evening a stranger rode up to the castle and asked for
+hospitality, as he could not reach the nearest town that night. We
+granted his request with ready courtesy, and during supper he
+entertained us with most agreeable conversation, mingled with
+amusing anecdotes. My brother took such a fancy to him that he
+pressed him to spend a couple of days with us, which, after a
+little hesitation, the stranger consented to do. We rose late from
+table, and whilst my brother was showing our guest to his room I
+hurried to mine, for I was very tired and longed to get to bed. I
+had hardly dropped off to sleep when I was roused by the sound of
+some soft and charming music. Wondering whence it could come, I
+was about to call to my maid who slept in the room next mine,
+when, to my surprise, I felt as if some heavy weight on my chest
+had taken all power from me, and I lay there unable to utter the
+slightest sound. Meantime, by the light of the night lamp, I saw
+the stranger enter my room, though the double doors had been
+securely locked. He drew near and told me that through the power
+of his magic arts he had caused the soft music to waken me, and
+had made his way through bolts and bars to offer me his hand and
+heart. My repugnance to his magic was so great that I would not
+condescend to give any answer. He waited motionless for some time,
+hoping no doubt for a favourable reply, but as I continued silent
+he angrily declared that he would find means to punish my pride,
+and therewith he left the room in a rage.
+
+'I spent the night in the greatest agitation, and only fell into a
+doze towards morning. As soon as I awoke I jumped up, and hurried
+to tell my brother all that had happened, but he had left his
+room, and his servant told me that he had gone out at daybreak to
+hunt with the stranger.
+
+'My mind misgave me. I dressed in all haste, had my palfrey
+saddled, and rode of at full gallop towards the forest, attended
+by one servant only. I pushed on without pausing, and ere long I
+saw the stranger coming towards me, and leading a fine stag. I
+asked him where he had left my brother, and how he had got the
+stag, whose great eyes were overflowing with tears. Instead of
+answering he began to laugh, and I flew into such a rage that I
+drew a pistol and fired at him; but the bullet rebounded from his
+breast and struck my horse in the forehead. I fell to the ground,
+and the stranger muttered some words, which robbed me of my
+senses.
+
+'When I came to myself I was lying in a crystal coffin in this
+subterranean vault. The Magician appeared again, and told me that
+he had transformed my brother into a stag, had reduced our castle
+and all its defences to miniature and locked them up in a glass
+box, and after turning all our household into different vapours
+had banished them into glass phials. If I would only yield to his
+wishes he could easily open these vessels, and all would then
+resume their former shapes.
+
+'I would not say a word more than I had done previously, and he
+vanished, leaving me in my prison, where a deep sleep soon fell on
+me. Amongst the many dreams which floated through my brain was a
+cheering one of a young man who was to come and release me, and
+to-day, when I opened my eyes, I recognised you and saw that my
+dream was fulfilled. Now help me to carry out the rest of my
+vision. The first thing is to place the glass box which contains
+my castle on this large stone.'
+
+As soon as this was done the stone gently rose through the air and
+transported them into the upper hall, whence they easily carried
+the box into the outer air. The lady then removed the lid, and it
+was marvellous to watch the castle, houses, and farmyards begin to
+grow and spread themselves till they had regained their proper
+size. Then the young couple returned by means of the movable
+stone, and brought up all the glass vessels filled with smoke. No
+sooner were they uncorked than the blue vapours poured out and
+became transformed to living people, in whom the lady joyfully
+recognised her many servants and attendants.
+
+Her delight was complete when her brother (who had killed the
+Magician under the form of a bull) was seen coming from the forest
+in his proper shape, and that very day, according to her promise,
+she gave her hand in marriage to the happy young tailor.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE THREE SNAKE-LEAVES
+
+
+
+There was once a poor man who could no longer afford to keep his
+only son at home. So the son said to him, 'Dear father, you are so
+poor that I am only a burden to you; I would rather go out into
+the world and see if I can earn my own living.' The father gave
+him his blessing and took leave of him with much sorrow. About
+this time the King of a very powerful kingdom was carrying on a
+war; the youth therefore took service under him and went on the
+campaign. When they came before the enemy, a battle took place,
+there was some hot fighting, and it rained bullets so thickly that
+his comrades fell around him on all sides. And when their leader
+fell too the rest wished to take to flight; but the youth stepped
+forward and encouraged them and called out, 'We must not let our
+country be ruined!' Then others followed him, and he pressed on
+and defeated the enemy. When the King heard that he had to thank
+him alone for the victory, he raised him higher than anyone else
+in rank, gave him great treasures and made him the first in the
+kingdom.
+
+The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also
+very capricious. She had made a vow to marry no one who would not
+promise her that if she died first, he would allow himself to be
+buried alive with her. 'If he loves me truly,' she used to say,
+'what use would life be to him then?' At the same time she was
+willing to do the same, and if he died first to be buried with
+him. This curious vow had up to this time frightened away all
+suitors, but the young man was so captivated by her beauty, that
+he hesitated at nothing and asked her hand of her father. 'Do you
+know,' asked the King, 'what you have to promise?' 'I shall have
+to go into her grave with her,' he answered, 'if I outlive her,
+but my love is so great that I do not think of the risk.' So the
+King consented, and the wedding was celebrated with great
+splendour.
+
+Now, they lived for a long time very happily with one another, but
+then it came to pass that the young Queen fell seriously ill, and
+no doctor could save her. And when she lay dead, the young King
+remembered what he had promised, and it made him shudder to think
+of lying in her grave alive, but there was no escape. The King had
+set guards before all the gates, and it was not possible to avoid
+his fate.
+
+When the day arrived on which the corpse was to be laid in the
+royal vault, he was led thither, then the entrance was bolted and
+closed up.
+
+Near the coffin stood a table on which were placed four candles,
+four loaves of bread, and four bottles of wine. As soon as this
+provision came to an end he would have to die. So he sat there
+full of grief and misery, eating every day only a tiny bit of
+bread, and drinking only a mouthful of ovine, and he watched death
+creeping nearer and nearer to him. One day as he was sitting
+staring moodily in front of him, he saw a snake creep out of the
+corner towards the corpse. Thinking it was going to touch it, he
+drew his sword and saying, 'As long as I am alive you shall not
+harm her,' he cut it in three pieces. After a little time a second
+snake crept out of the corner, but when it saw the first one lying
+dead and in pieces it went back and came again soon, holding three
+green leaves in its mouth. Then it took the three bits of the
+snake and laid them in order, and put one of the leaves on each
+wound. Immediately the pieces joined together, the snake moved
+itself and became alive and then both hurried away. The leaves
+remained lying on the ground, and it suddenly occurred to the
+unfortunate man who had seen everything, that the wonderful power
+of the leaves might also be exercised upon a human being.
+
+So he picked up the leaves and laid one of them on the mouth and
+the other two on the eyes of the dead woman. And scarcely had he
+done this, before the blood began to circulate in her veins, then
+it mounted and brought colour back to her white face. Then she
+drew her breath, opened her eyes, and said, 'Ah! where am I?' 'You
+are with me, dear lady,' he answered, and told her all that had
+happened, and how he had brought her to life again. He then gave
+her some wine and bread, and when all her strength had returned
+she got up, and they went to the door and knocked and called so
+loudly that the guards heard them, and told the King. The King
+came himself to open the door, and there he found both happy and
+well, and he rejoiced with them that now all trouble was over. But
+the young King gave the three snake-leaves to a servant, saying to
+him, 'Keep them carefully for me, and always carry them with you;
+who knows but that they may help us in a time of need!'
+
+It seemed, however, as if a change had come over the young Queen
+after she had been restored to life, and as if all her love for
+her husband had faded from her heart. Some time afterwards, when
+he wanted to take a journey over the sea to his old father, and
+they were on board the ship, she forgot the great love and
+faithfulness he had shown her and how he had saved her from death,
+and fell in love with the captain. And one day when the young King
+was lying asleep, she called the captain to her, and seized the
+head of the sleeping King and made him take his feet, and together
+they threw him into the sea. When they had done this wicked deed,
+she said to him, 'Now let us go home and say that he died on the
+journey. I will praise you so much to my father that he will marry
+me to you and make you the heir to the throne.' But the faithful
+servant, who had seen everything, let down a little boat into the
+sea, unobserved by them, and rowed after his master while the
+traitors sailed on. He took the drowned man out of the water, and
+with the help of the three snake-leaves which he carried with him,
+placing them on his mouth and eyes, he brought him to life again.
+
+They both rowed as hard as they could night and day, and their
+little boat went so quickly that they reached the old King before
+the other two did. He was much astonished to see them come back
+alone, and asked what had happened to them. When he heard the
+wickedness of his daughter, he said, 'I cannot believe that she
+has acted so wrongly, but the truth will soon come to light.' He
+made them both go into a secret chamber, and let no one see them.
+
+Soon after this the large ship came in, and the wicked lady
+appeared before her father with a very sad face. He said to her,
+'Why have you come back alone? Where is your husband?'
+
+'Ah, dear father,' she replied, 'I have come home in great grief;
+my husband fell ill on the voyage quite suddenly, and died, and if
+the good captain had not given me help, I should have died too. He
+was at his death-bed and can tell you everything.'
+
+The King said, 'I will bring the dead to life again,' and he
+opened the door of the room and called them both out. The lady was
+as if thunderstruck when she caught sight of her husband; she fell
+on her knees and begged for mercy. But the King said, 'You shall
+have no mercy. He was ready to die with you, and restored you to
+life again; but you killed him when he was sleeping, and shall
+receive your deserts.'
+
+So she and her accomplice were put in a ship which was bored
+through with holes, and were drawn out into the sea, where they
+soon perished in the waves.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE RIDDLE
+
+
+
+A King's son once had a great desire to travel through the world,
+so he started off, taking no one with him but one trusty servant.
+One day he came to a great forest, and as evening drew on he could
+find no shelter, and could not think where to spend the night. All
+of a sudden he saw a girl going towards a little house, and as he
+drew nearer he remarked that she was both young and pretty. He
+spoke to her, and said, 'Dear child, could I and my servant spend
+the night in this house?'
+
+'Oh yes,' said the girl in a sad tone, 'you can if you like, but I
+should not advise you to do so. Better not go in.'
+
+'Why not?' asked the King's son.
+
+The girl sighed and answered, 'My stepmother deals in black arts,
+and she is not very friendly to strangers.'
+
+The Prince guessed easily that he had fallen on a witch's house,
+but as by this time it was quite dark and he could go no further,
+and as moreover he was not at all afraid, he stepped in.
+
+An old woman sat in an armchair near the fire, and as the
+strangers entered she turned her red eyes on them. 'Good evening,'
+she muttered, and pretending to be quite friendly. 'Won't you sit
+down?'
+
+She blew up the fire on which she was cooking something in a
+little pot, and her daughter secretly warned the travellers to be
+very careful not to eat or drink anything, as the old woman's
+brews were apt to be dangerous.
+
+They went to bed, and slept soundly till morning. When they were
+ready to start and the King's son had already mounted his horse
+the old woman said: 'Wait a minute, I must give you a stirrup
+cup.' Whilst she went to fetch it the King's son rode off, and the
+servant who had waited to tighten his saddle-girths was alone when
+the witch returned.
+
+'Take that to your master,' she said; but as she spoke the glass
+cracked and the poison spurted over the horse, and it was so
+powerful that the poor creature sank down dead. The servant ran
+after his master and told him what had happened, and then, not
+wishing to lose the saddle as well as the horse, he went back to
+fetch it. When he got to the spot he saw that a raven had perched
+on the carcase and was pecking at it. 'Who knows whether we shall
+get anything better to eat to-day!' said the servant, and he shot
+the raven and carried it off.
+
+Then they rode on all day through the forest without coming to the
+end. At nightfall they reached an inn, which they entered, and the
+servant gave the landlord the raven to dress for their supper.
+Now, as it happened, this inn was a regular resort of a band of
+murderers, and the old witch too was in the habit of frequenting
+it.
+
+As soon as it was dark twelve murderers arrived, with the full
+intention of killing and robbing the strangers. Before they set to
+work, however, they sat down to table, and the landlord and the
+old witch joined them, and they all ate some broth in which the
+flesh of the raven had been stewed down. They had hardly taken a
+couple of spoonfuls when they all fell down dead, for the poison
+had passed from the horse to the raven and so into the broth. So
+there was no one left belonging to the house but the landlord's
+daughter, who was a good, well-meaning girl, and had taken no part
+in all the evil doings.
+
+She opened all the doors, and showed the strangers the treasures
+the robbers had gathered together; but the Prince bade her keep
+them all for herself, as he wanted none of them, and so he rode
+further with his servant.
+
+After travelling about for some length of time they reached a town
+where lived a lovely but most arrogant Princess. She had given out
+that anyone who asked her a riddle which she found herself unable
+to guess should be her husband, but should she guess it he must
+forfeit his head. She claimed three days in which to think over
+the riddles, but she was so very clever that she invariably
+guessed them in a much shorter time. Nine suitors had already lost
+their lives when the King's son arrived, and, dazzled by her
+beauty, determined to risk his life in hopes of winning her.
+
+So he came before her and propounded his riddle. 'What is this?'
+he asked. 'One slew none and yet killed twelve.'
+
+She could not think what it was! She thought, and thought, and
+looked through all her books of riddles and puzzles, but she found
+nothing to help her, and could not guess; in fact, she was at her
+wits' end. As she could think of no way to guess the riddle, she
+ordered her maid to steal at night into the Prince's bedroom and
+to listen, for she thought that he might perhaps talk aloud in his
+dreams and so betray the secret. But the clever servant had taken
+his master's place, and when the maid came he tore off the cloak
+she had wrapped herself in and hunted her off with a whip.
+
+On the second night the Princess sent her lady-in-waiting, hoping
+that she might succeed better, but the servant took away her
+mantle and chased her away also.
+
+On the third night the King's son thought he really might feel
+safe, so he went to bed. But in the middle of the night the
+Princess came herself, all huddled up in a misty grey mantle, and
+sat down near him. When she thought he was fast asleep, she spoke
+to him, hoping he would answer in the midst of his dreams, as many
+people do; but he was wide awake all the time, and heard and
+understood everything very well.
+
+Then she asked: 'One slew none--what is that?' and he answered: 'A
+raven which fed on the carcase of a poisoned horse.'
+
+She went on: 'And yet killed twelve--what is that?' 'Those are
+twelve murderers who ate the raven and died of it.'
+
+As soon as she knew the riddle she tried to slip away, but he held
+her mantle so tightly that she was obliged to leave it behind.
+
+Next morning the Princess announced that she had guessed the
+riddle, and sent for the twelve judges, before whom she declared
+it. But the young man begged to be heard, too, and said: 'She came
+by night to question me, otherwise she never could have guessed
+it.'
+
+The judges said: 'Bring us some proof.' So the servant brought out
+the three cloaks, and when the judges saw the grey one, which the
+Princess was in the habit of wearing, they said: 'Let it be
+embroidered with gold and silver; it shall be your wedding
+mantle.'
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+JACK MY HEDGEHOG
+
+
+
+There was once a farmer who lived in great comfort. He had both
+lands and money, but, though he was so well off, one thing was
+wanting to complete his happiness; he had no children. Many and
+many a time, when he met other farmers at the nearest market town,
+they would teaze him, asking how it came about that he was
+childless. At length he grew so angry that he exclaimed: 'I must
+and will have a child of some sort or kind, even should it only be
+a hedgehog!'
+
+Not long after this his wife gave birth to a child, but though the
+lower half of the little creature was a fine boy, from the waist
+upwards it was a hedgehog, so that when his mother first saw him
+she was quite frightened, and said to her husband, 'There now, you
+have cursed the child yourself.' The farmer said, 'What's the use
+of making a fuss? I suppose the creature must be christened, but I
+don't see how we are to ask anyone to be sponsor to him, and what
+are we to call him?'
+
+'There is nothing we can possibly call him but Jack my Hedgehog,'
+replied the wife.
+
+So they took him to be christened, and the parson said: 'You'll
+never be able to put that child in a decent bed on account of his
+prickles.' Which was true, but they shook down some straw for him
+behind the stove, and there he lay for eight years. His father
+grew very tired of him and often wished him dead, but he did not
+die, but lay on there year after year.
+
+Now one day there was a big fair at the market town to which the
+farmer meant to go, so he asked his wife what he should bring her
+from it. 'Some meat and a couple of big loaves for the house,'
+said she. Then he asked the maid what she wanted, and she said a
+pair of slippers and some stockings. Lastly he said, 'Well, Jack
+my Hedgehog, and what shall I bring you?'
+
+'Daddy,' said he, 'do bring me a bagpipe.' When the farmer came
+home he gave his wife and the maid the things they had asked for,
+and then he went behind the stove and gave Jack my Hedgehog the
+bagpipes.
+
+When Jack had got his bagpipes he said, 'Daddy, do go to the
+smithy and have the house cock shod for me; then I'll ride off and
+trouble you no more.' His father, who was delighted at the
+prospect of getting rid of him, had the cock shod, and when it was
+ready Jack my Hedgehog mounted on its back and rode off to the
+forest, followed by all the pigs and asses which he had promised
+to look after.
+
+Having reached the forest he made the cock fly up to the top of a
+very tall tree with him, and there he sat looking after his pigs
+and donkeys, and he sat on and on for several years till he had
+quite a big herd; but all this time his father knew nothing about
+him.
+
+As he sat up in his tree he played away on his pipes and drew the
+loveliest music from them. As he was playing one day a King, who
+had lost his way, happened to pass close by, and hearing the music
+he was much surprised, and sent one of his servants to find out
+where it came from. The man peered about, but he could see nothing
+but a little creature which looked like a cock with a hedgehog
+sitting on it, perched up in a tree. The King desired the servant
+to ask the strange creature why it sat there, and if it knew the
+shortest way to his kingdom.
+
+On this Jack my Hedgehog stepped down from his tree and said he
+would undertake to show the King his way home if the King on his
+part would give him his written promise to let him have whatever
+first met him on his return.
+
+The King thought to himself, 'That's easy enough to promise. The
+creature won't understand a word about it, so I can just write
+what I choose.'
+
+So he took pen and ink and wrote something, and when he had done
+Jack my Hedgehog pointed out the way and the King got safely home.
+
+Now when the King's daughter saw her father returning in the
+distance she was so delighted that she ran to meet him and threw
+herself into his arms. Then the King remembered Jack my Hedgehog,
+and he told his daughter how he had been obliged to give a written
+promise to bestow whatever he first met when he got home on an
+extraordinary creature which had shown him the way. The creature,
+said he, rode on a cock as though it had been a horse, and it made
+lovely music, but as it certainly could not read he had just
+written that he would _not_ give it anything at all. At this
+the Princess was quite pleased, and said how cleverly her father
+had managed, for that of course nothing would induce her to have
+gone off with Jack my Hedgehog.
+
+Meantime Jack minded his asses and pigs, sat aloft in his tree,
+played his bagpipes, and was always merry and cheery. After a time
+it so happened that another King, having lost his way, passed by
+with his servants and escort, wondering how he could find his way
+home, for the forest was very vast. He too heard the music, and
+told one of his men to find out whence it came. The man came under
+the tree, and looking up to the top there he saw Jack my Hedgehog
+astride on the cock.
+
+The servant asked Jack what he was doing up there. 'I'm minding my
+pigs and donkeys; but what do you want?' was the reply. Then the
+servant told him they had lost their way, and wanted some one to
+show it them. Down came Jack my Hedgehog with his cock, and told
+the old King he would show him the right way if he would solemnly
+promise to give him the first thing he met in front of his royal
+castle.
+
+The King said 'Yes,' and gave Jack a written promise to that
+effect.
+
+Then Jack rode on in front pointing out the way, and the King
+reached his own country in safety.
+
+Now he had an only daughter who was extremely beautiful, and who,
+delighted at her father's return, ran to meet him, threw her arms
+round his neck and kissed him heartily. Then she asked where he
+had been wandering so long, and he told her how he had lost his
+way and might never have reached home at all but for a strange
+creature, half-man, half-hedgehog, which rode a cock and sat up in
+a tree making lovely music, and which had shown him the right way.
+He also told her how he had been obliged to pledge his word to
+give the creature the first thing which met him outside his castle
+gate, and he felt very sad at the thought that she had been the
+first thing to meet him.
+
+But the Princess comforted him, and said she should be quite
+willing to go with Jack my Hedgehog whenever he came to fetch her,
+because of the great love she bore to her dear old father.
+
+Jack my Hedgehog continued to herd his pigs, and they increased in
+number till there were so many that the forest seemed full of
+them. So he made up his mind to live there no longer, and sent a
+message to his father telling him to have all the stables and
+outhouses in the village cleared, as he was going to bring such an
+enormous herd that all who would might kill what they chose. His
+father was much vexed at this news, for he thought Jack had died
+long ago. Jack my Hedgehog mounted his cock, and driving his pigs
+before him into the village, he let every one kill as many as they
+chose, and such a hacking and hewing of pork went on as you might
+have heard for miles off.
+
+Then said Jack, 'Daddy, let the blacksmith shoe my cock once more;
+then I'll ride off, and I promise you I'll never come back again
+as long as I live.' So the father had the cock shod, and rejoiced
+at the idea of getting rid of his son.
+
+Then Jack my Hedgehog set off for the first kingdom, and there the
+King had given strict orders that if anyone should be seen riding
+a cock and carrying a bagpipe he was to be chased away and shot
+at, and on no account to be allowed to enter the palace. So when
+Jack my Hedgehog rode up the guards charged him with their
+bayonets, but he put spurs to his cock, flew up over the gate
+right to the King's windows, let himself down on the sill, and
+called out that if he was not given what had been promised him,
+both the King and his daughter should pay for it with their lives.
+Then the King coaxed and entreated his daughter to go with Jack
+and so save both their lives.
+
+The Princess dressed herself all in white, and her father gave her
+a coach with six horses and servants in gorgeous liveries and
+quantities of money. She stepped into the coach, and Jack my
+Hedgehog with his cock and pipes took his place beside her. They
+both took leave, and the King fully expected never to set eyes on
+them again. But matters turned out very differently from what he
+had expected, for when they had got a certain distance from the
+town Jack tore all the Princess's smart clothes off her, and
+pricked her all over with his bristles, saying: 'That's what you
+get for treachery. Now go back, I'll have no more to say to you.'
+And with that he hunted her home, and she felt she had been
+disgraced and put to shame till her life's end.
+
+Then Jack my Hedgehog rode on with his cock and bagpipes to the
+country of the second King to whom he had shown the way. Now this
+King had given orders that, in the event of Jack's coming the
+guards were to present arms, the people to cheer, and he was to be
+conducted in triumph to the royal palace.
+
+When the King's daughter saw Jack my Hedgehog, she was a good deal
+startled, for he certainly was very peculiar looking; but after
+all she considered that she had given her word and it couldn't be
+helped. So she made Jack welcome and they were betrothed to each
+other, and at dinner he sat next her at the royal table, and they
+ate and drank together.
+
+When they retired to rest the Princess feared lest Jack should
+kiss her because of his prickles, but he told her not to be
+alarmed as no harm should befall her. Then he begged the old King
+to place a watch of four men just outside his bedroom door, and to
+desire them to make a big fire. When he was about to lie down in
+bed he would creep out of his hedgehog skin, and leave it lying at
+the bedside; then the men must rush in, throw the skin into the
+fire, and stand by till it was entirely burnt up.
+
+And so it was, for when it struck eleven, Jack my Hedgehog went to
+his room, took off his skin and left it at the foot of the bed.
+The men rushed in, quickly seized the skin and threw it on the
+fire, and directly it was all burnt Jack was released from his
+enchantment and lay in his bed a man from head to foot, but quite
+black as though he had been severely scorched.
+
+The King sent off for his physician in ordinary, who washed Jack
+all over with various essences and salves, so that he became white
+and was a remarkably handsome young man. When the King's daughter
+saw him she was greatly pleased, and next day the marriage
+ceremony was performed, and the old King bestowed his kingdom on
+Jack my Hedgehog.
+
+After some years Jack and his wife went to visit his father, but
+the farmer did not recognize him, and declared he had no son; he
+had had one, but that one was born with bristles like a hedgehog,
+and had gone off into the wide world. Then Jack told his story,
+and his old father rejoiced and returned to live with him in his
+kingdom.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE GOLDEN LADS
+
+
+
+A poor man and his wife lived in a little cottage, where they
+supported themselves by catching fish in the nearest river, and
+got on as best they could, living from hand to mouth. One day it
+happened that when the fisherman drew in his net he found in it a
+remarkable fish, for it was entirely of gold. As he was inspecting
+it with some surprise, the fish opened its mouth and said: 'Listen
+to me, fisher; if you will just throw me back into the water I'll
+turn your poor little cottage into a splendid castle.'
+
+The fisher replied: 'What good, pray, will a castle be to me if I
+have nothing to eat in it?'
+
+'Oh,' said the gold fish, 'I'll take care of that. There will be a
+cupboard in the castle, in which you will find dishes of every
+kind of food you can wish for most.'
+
+'If that's the case,' said the man, 'I've no objection to oblige
+you.'
+
+'Yes,' observed the fish, 'but there is one condition attached to
+my offer, and that is that you are not to reveal to a soul where
+your good fortune comes from. If you say a word about it, it will
+all vanish.'
+
+The man threw the fish back into the water, and went home. But on
+the spot where his cottage used to stand he found a spacious
+castle. He opened his eyes wide, went in and found his wife
+dressed out in smart clothes, sitting in a splendidly furnished
+drawing-room. She was in high spirits, and cried out: 'Oh husband!
+how can this all have happened? I am so pleased!'
+
+'Yes,' said her husband, 'so am I pleased; but I'm uncommonly
+hungry, and I want something to eat at once.'
+
+Said his wife, 'I've got nothing, and I don't know where anything
+is in this new house.'
+
+'Never mind,' replied the man. 'I see a big cupboard there.
+Suppose you unlock it.'
+
+When the cupboard was opened they found meat, cakes, fruit, and
+wine, all spread out in the most tempting fashions. The wife
+clapped her hands with joy, and cried: 'Dear heart! what more can
+one wish for?' and they sat down and ate and drank.
+
+When they had finished the wife asked, 'But husband, where do all
+these riches come from?'
+
+'Ah!' said he, 'don't ask me. I dare not tell you. If I reveal the
+secret to anyone, it will be all up with us.'
+
+'Very well,' she replied, 'if I'm not to be told, of course I
+don't want to know anything about it.'
+
+But she was not really in earnest, for her curiosity never left
+her a moment's peace by day or night, and she teazed and worried
+her husband to such a pitch, that at length he quite lost patience
+and blurted out that it all came from a wonderful golden fish
+which he had caught and set free again. Hardly were the words well
+out of his mouth, when castle, cupboard, and all vanished, and
+there they were sitting in their poor little fishing hut once
+more.
+
+The man had to betake himself to his former trade, and set to
+fishing again. As luck would have it, he caught the golden fish a
+second time.
+
+'Now listen,' said the fish, 'if you'll throw me back into the
+water, I'll give you back the castle and the cupboard with all its
+good things; but now take care, and don't for your life betray
+where you got them, or you'll just lose them again.'
+
+'I'll be very careful,' promised the fisher, and threw the fish
+back into the water. When he went home he found all their former
+splendour restored, and his wife overjoyed at their good fortune.
+But her curiosity still continued to torment her, and after
+restraining it with a great effort for a couple of days, she began
+questioning her husband again, as to what had happened, and how he
+had managed.
+
+The man kept silence for some time, but at last she irritated him
+so much that he burst out with the secret, and in one moment the
+castle was gone, and they sat once more in their wretched old hut.
+
+'There!' exclaimed the man, 'you _would_ have it--now we may
+just go on short commons.'
+
+'Ah!' said his wife, 'after all I'd rather not have all the riches
+in the world if I can't know where they come from--I shall not
+have a moment's peace.'
+
+The man took to his fishing again, and one day fate brought the
+gold fish into his net for the third time. 'Well,' said the fish,
+'I see that I am evidently destined to fall into your hands. Now
+take me home, and cut me into six pieces. Give two bits to your
+wife to eat, two to your horse, and plant the remaining two in
+your garden, and they will bring you a blessing.'
+
+The man carried the fish home, and did exactly as he had been
+told. After a time, it came to pass that from the two pieces he
+had planted in the garden two golden lilies grew up, and that his
+horse had two golden foals, whilst his wife gave birth to twin
+boys who were all golden.
+
+The children grew up both tall and handsome, and the foals and the
+lilies grew with them.
+
+One day the children came to their father and said, 'Father, we
+want to mount on golden steeds, and ride forth to see the world.'
+
+Their father answered sadly, 'How can I bear it if, when you are
+far away, I know nothing about you?' and they said, 'The golden
+lilies will tell you all about us if you look at them. If they
+seem to droop, you will know we are ill, and if they fall down and
+fade away, it will be a sign we are dead.'
+
+So off they rode, and came to an inn where were a number of people
+who, as soon as they saw the two golden lads, began to laugh and
+jeer at them. When one of them heard this, his heart failed him,
+and he thought he would go no further into the world, so he turned
+back and rode home to his father, but his brother rode on till he
+reached the outskirts of a huge forest. Here he was told, 'It will
+never do for you to ride through the forest, it is full of
+robbers, and you're sure to come to grief, especially when they
+see that you and your horse are golden. They will certainly fall
+on you and kill you.' However, he was not to be intimidated, but
+said, 'I must and will ride on.'
+
+So he procured some bears' skins, and covered himself and his
+horse with them, so that not a particle of gold could be seen, and
+then rode bravely on into the heart of the forest.
+
+When he had got some way he heard a rustling through the bushes
+and presently a sound of voices. Someone whispered on one side of
+him: 'There goes someone,' and was answered from the other side:
+'Oh, let him pass. He's only a bear-keeper, and as poor as any
+church mouse.' So golden lad rode through the forest and no harm
+befell him.
+
+One day he came to a village, where he saw a girl who struck him
+as being the loveliest creature in the whole world, and as he felt
+a great love for her, he went up to her and said: 'I love you with
+all my heart; will you be my wife?' And the girl liked him so much
+that she put her hand in his and replied: 'Yes, I will be your
+wife, and will be true to you as long as I live.'
+
+So they were married, and in the middle of all the festivities and
+rejoicings the bride's father came home and was not a little
+surprised at finding his daughter celebrating her wedding. He
+enquired: 'And who is the bridegroom?'
+
+Then someone pointed out to him the golden lad, who was still
+wrapped up in the bear's skin, and the father exclaimed angrily:
+'Never shall a mere bear-keeper have my daughter,' and tried to
+rush at him and kill him. But the bride did all she could to
+pacify him, and begged hard, saying: 'After all he is my husband,
+and I love him with all my heart,' so that at length he gave in.
+
+However, he could not dismiss the thought from his mind, and next
+morning he rose very early, for he felt he must go and look at his
+daughter's husband and see whether he really was nothing better
+than a mere ragged beggar. So he went to his son-in-law's room,
+and who should he see lying in the bed but a splendid golden man,
+and the rough bearskin thrown on the ground close by. Then he
+slipped quietly away, and thought to himself, 'How lucky that I
+managed to control my rage! I should certainly have committed a
+great crime.'
+
+Meantime the golden lad dreamt that he was out hunting and was
+giving chase to a noble stag, and when he woke he said to his
+bride: 'I must go off and hunt.' She felt very anxious, and begged
+he would stay at home, adding: 'Some mishap might so easily befall
+you,' but he answered, 'I must and will go.'
+
+So he went off into the forest, and before long a fine stag, such
+as he had seen in his dream, stopped just in front of him. He took
+aim, and was about to fire when the stag bounded away. Then he
+started off in pursuit, making his way through bushes and briars,
+and never stopped all day; but in the evening the stag entirely
+disappeared, and when golden lad came to look about him he found
+himself just opposite a hut in which lived a witch. He knocked at
+the door, which was opened by a little old woman who asked, 'What
+do you want at this late hour in the midst of this great forest?'
+
+He said, 'Haven't you seen a stag about here?'
+
+'Yes,' said she, 'I know the stag well,' and as she spoke a little
+dog ran out of the house and began barking and snapping at the
+stranger.
+
+'Be quiet, you little toad,' he cried, 'or I'll shoot you dead.'
+
+Then the witch flew into a great rage, and screamed out, 'What!
+you'll kill my dog, will you?' and the next moment he was turned
+to stone and lay there immovable, whilst his bride waited for him
+in vain and thought to herself, 'Alas! no doubt the evil I feared,
+and which has made my heart so heavy, has befallen him.'
+
+Meantime, the other brother was standing near the golden lilies at
+home, when suddenly one of them bent over and fell to the ground.
+'Good heavens!' cried he, 'some great misfortune has befallen my
+brother. I must set off at once; perhaps I may still be in time to
+save him.'
+
+His father entreated him, 'Stay at home. If I should lose you too,
+what would become of me?'
+
+But his son replied, 'I must and will go.'
+
+Then he mounted his golden horse, and rode off till he reached the
+forest where his brother lay transformed to stone. The old witch
+came out of her house and called to him, for she would gladly have
+cast her spells on him too, but he took care not to go near her,
+and called out: 'Restore my brother to life at once, or I'll shoot
+you down on the spot.'
+
+Reluctantly she touched the stone with her finger, and in a moment
+it resumed its human shape. The two golden lads fell into each
+other's arms and kissed each other with joy, and then rode off
+together to the edge of the forest, where they parted, one to
+return to his old father, and the other to his bride.
+
+When the former got home his father said, 'I knew you had
+delivered your brother, for all of a sudden the golden lily reared
+itself up and burst into blossom.'
+
+Then they all lived happily to their lives' ends, and all things
+went well with them.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE WHITE SNAKE
+
+
+
+Not very long ago there lived a King, the fame of whose wisdom was
+spread far and wide. Nothing appeared to be unknown to him, and it
+really seemed as if tidings of the most secret matters must be
+borne to him by the winds. He had one very peculiar habit. Every
+day, after the dinner table had been cleared, and everyone had
+retired, a confidential servant brought in a dish. It was covered,
+and neither the servant nor anyone else had any idea what was on
+it, for the King never removed the cover or partook of the dish,
+till he was quite alone.
+
+This went on for some time till, one day, the servant who removed
+the dish was so overcome with curiosity, that he could not resist
+carrying it off to his own room. After carefully locking the door,
+he lifted the cover, and there he saw a white snake lying on the
+dish. On seeing it he could not restrain his desire to taste it,
+so he cut off a small piece and put it in his mouth.
+
+Hardly had it touched his tongue than he heard a strange sort of
+whispering of tiny voices outside his window. He stepped to the
+casement to listen, and found that the sound proceeded from the
+sparrows, who were talking together and telling each other all
+they had seen in the fields and woods. The piece of the white
+snake which he had eaten had enabled him to understand the
+language of animals.
+
+Now on this particular day, it so happened that the Queen lost her
+favourite ring, and suspicion fell on the confidential servant who
+had access to all parts of the palace. The King sent for him, and
+threatened him angrily, saying that if he had not found the thief
+by the next day, he should himself be taken up and tried.
+
+It was useless to assert his innocence; he was dismissed without
+ceremony. In his agitation and distress, he went down to the yard
+to think over what he could do in this trouble. Here were a number
+of ducks resting near a little stream, and pluming, themselves
+with their bills, whilst they kept up an animated conversation
+amongst themselves. The servant stood still listening to them.
+They were talking of where they had been waddling about all the
+morning, and of the good food they had found, but one of them
+remarked rather sadly, 'There's something lying very heavy on my
+stomach, for in my haste I've swallowed a ring, which was lying
+just under the Queen's window.'
+
+No sooner did the servant hear this than he seized the duck by the
+neck, carried it off to the kitchen, and said to the cook,
+'Suppose you kill this duck; you see she's nice and fat.'
+
+'Yes, indeed,' said the cook, weighing the duck in his hand, 'she
+certainly has spared no pains to stuff herself well, and must have
+been waiting for the spit for some time.' So he chopped off her
+head, and when she was opened there was the Queen's ring in her
+stomach.
+
+It was easy enough now for the servant to prove his innocence, and
+the King, feeling he had done him an injustice, and anxious to
+make some amends, desired him to ask any favour he chose, and
+promised to give him the highest post at Court he could wish for.
+
+The servant, however, declined everything, and only begged for a
+horse and some money to enable him to travel, as he was anxious to
+see something of the world.
+
+When his request was granted, he set off on his journey, and in
+the course of it he one day came to a large pond, on the edge of
+which he noticed three fishes which had got entangled in the reeds
+and were gasping for water. Though fish are generally supposed to
+be quite mute, he heard them grieving aloud at the prospect of
+dying in this wretched manner. Having a very kind heart he
+dismounted and soon set the prisoners free, and in the water once
+more. They flapped with joy, and stretching up their heads cried
+to him: 'We will remember, and reward you for saving us.'
+
+He rode further, and after a while he thought he heard a voice in
+the sand under his feet. He paused to listen, and heard the King
+of the Ants complaining: 'If only men with their awkward beasts
+would keep clear of us! That stupid horse is crushing my people
+mercilessly to death with his great hoofs.' The servant at once
+turned into a side path, and the Ant-King called after him, 'We'll
+remember and reward you.'
+
+The road next led through a wood, where he saw a father and a
+mother raven standing by their nest and throwing out their young:
+'Away with you, you young rascals!' they cried, 'we can't feed you
+any longer. You are quite big enough to support yourselves now.'
+The poor little birds lay on the ground flapping and beating their
+wings, and shrieked, 'We poor helpless children, feed ourselves
+indeed! Why, we can't even fly yet; what can we do but die of
+hunger?' Then the kind youth dismounted, drew his sword, and
+killing his horse left it there as food for the young ravens. They
+hopped up, satisfied their hunger, and piped: 'We'll remember, and
+reward you!'
+
+He was now obliged to trust to his own legs, and after walking a
+long way he reached a big town. Here he found a great crowd and
+much commotion in the streets, and a herald rode about announcing,
+'The King's daughter seeks a husband, but whoever would woo her
+must first execute a difficult task, and if he does not succeed he
+must be content to forfeit his life.' Many had risked their lives,
+but in vain. When the youth saw the King's daughter, he was so
+dazzled by her beauty, that he forgot all idea of danger, and went
+to the King to announce himself a suitor.
+
+On this he was led out to a large lake, and a gold ring was thrown
+into it before his eyes. The King desired him to dive after it,
+adding, 'If you return without it you will be thrown back into the
+lake time after time, till you are drowned in its depths.'
+
+Everyone felt sorry for the handsome young fellow and left him
+alone on the shore. There he stood thinking and wondering what he
+could do, when all of a sudden he saw three fishes swimming along,
+and recognised them as the very same whose lives he had saved. The
+middle fish held a mussel in its mouth, which it laid at the young
+man's feet, and when he picked it up and opened it, there was the
+golden ring inside.
+
+Full of delight he brought it to the King's daughter, expecting to
+receive his promised reward. The haughty Princess, however, on
+hearing that he was not her equal by birth despised him, and
+exacted the fulfilment of a second task.
+
+She went into the garden, and with her own hands she strewed ten
+sacks full of millet all over the grass. 'He must pick all that up
+to-morrow morning before sunrise,' she said; 'not a grain must be
+lost.'
+
+The youth sat down in the garden and wondered how it would be
+possible for him to accomplish such a task, but he could think of
+no expedient, and sat there sadly expecting to meet his death at
+daybreak.
+
+But when the first rays of the rising sun fell on the garden, he
+saw the ten sacks all completely filled, standing there in a row,
+and not a single grain missing. The Ant-King, with his thousands
+and thousands of followers, had come during the night, and the
+grateful creatures had industriously gathered all the millet
+together and put it in the sacks.
+
+The King's daughter came down to the garden herself, and saw to
+her amazement that her suitor had accomplished the task she had
+given him. But even now she could not bend her proud heart, and
+she said, 'Though he has executed these two tasks, yet he shall
+not be my husband till he brings me an apple from the tree of
+life.'
+
+The young man did not even know where the tree of life grew, but
+he set off, determined to walk as far as his legs would carry him,
+though he had no hope of ever finding it.
+
+After journeying through three different kingdoms he reached a
+wood one night, and lying down under a tree prepared to go to
+sleep there. Suddenly he heard a sound in the boughs, and a golden
+apple fell right into his hand. At the same moment three ravens
+flew down to him, perched on his knee and said, 'We are the three
+young ravens whom you saved from starvation. When we grew up and
+heard you were searching for the golden apple, we flew far away
+over the seas to the end of the world, where the tree of life
+grows, and fetched the golden apple for you.'
+
+Full of joy the young man started on his way back and brought the
+golden apple to the lovely Princess, whose objections were now
+entirely silenced. They divided the apple of life and ate it
+together, and her heart grew full of love for him, so they lived
+together to a great age in undisturbed happiness.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF A CLEVER TAILOR
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived an exceedingly proud Princess. If any
+suitor for her hand ventured to present himself, she would give
+him some riddle or conundrum to guess, and if he failed to do so,
+he was hunted out of the town with scorn and derision. She gave
+out publicly that all comers were welcome to try their skill, and
+that whoever could solve her riddle should be her husband.
+
+Now it happened that three tailors had met together, and the two
+elder thought, that after having successfully put in so many fine
+and strong stitches with never a wrong one amongst them, they were
+certain to do the right thing here too. The third tailor was a
+lazy young scamp who did not even know his own trade properly, but
+who thought that surely luck would stand by him now, just for
+once, for, if not, what _was_ to become of him?
+
+The two others said to him, 'You just stay at home, you'll never
+get on much with your small allowance of brains.' But the little
+tailor was not to be daunted, and said he had set his mind on it
+and meant to shift for himself, so off he started as though the
+whole world belonged to him.
+
+The three tailors arrived at Court, where they had themselves duly
+presented to the Princess, and begged she would propound her
+riddles, 'for,' said they, 'here were the right men at last, with
+wits so sharp and so fine you might almost thread a needle with
+them.'
+
+Then said the Princess, 'I have on my head two different kinds of
+hair. Of what colours are they?'
+
+'If that's all,' said the first tailor, 'they are most likely
+black and white, like the kind of cloth we call pepper-and-salt.'
+
+'Wrong,' said the Princess.
+
+'Then,' said the second tailor, 'if they are not black and white,
+no doubt they are red and brown, like my father's Sunday coat.'
+
+'Wrong again,' said the Princess; 'now let the third speak. I see
+he thinks he knows all about it.'
+
+Then the young tailor stepped boldly to the front and said, 'The
+Princess has one silver and one golden hair on her head, and those
+are the two colours.'
+
+When the Princess heard this she turned quite pale, and almost
+fainted away with fear, for the little tailor had hit the mark,
+and she had firmly believed that not a soul could guess it. When
+she had recovered herself she said, 'Don't fancy you have won me
+yet, there is something else you must do first. Below in the
+stable is a bear with whom you must spend the night, and if when I
+get up in the morning I find you still alive you shall marry me.'
+
+She quite expected to rid herself of the tailor in this way, for
+the bear had never left anyone alive who had once come within
+reach of his claws. The tailor, however, had no notion of being
+scared, but said cheerily, 'Bravely dared is half won.'
+
+When evening came on he was taken to the stable. The bear tried to
+get at him at once and to give him a warm welcome with his great
+paws. 'Gently, gently,' said the tailor, 'I'll soon teach you to
+be quiet,' and he coolly drew a handful of walnuts from his pocket
+and began cracking and eating them as though he had not a care or
+anxiety in the world. When the bear saw this he began to long for
+some nuts himself. The tailor dived into his pocket and gave him a
+handful, but they were pebbles, not nuts. The bear thrust them
+into his mouth, but try as he might he could not manage to crack
+them. 'Dear me,' thought he, 'what a stupid fool I must be--can't
+even crack a nut,' and he said to the tailor, 'I say, crack my
+nuts for me, will you?'
+
+'You're a nice sort of fellow,' said the tailor; 'the idea of
+having those great jaws and not being able even to crack a
+walnut!' So he took the stone, quickly changed it for a nut, and
+crack! it split open in a moment.
+
+'Let me try again,' said the bear; 'when I see the thing done it
+looks so easy I fancy I _must_ be able to manage it myself.'
+
+So the tailor gave him some more pebbles, and the bear bit and
+gnawed away as hard as he could, but I need hardly say that he did
+not succeed in cracking one of them.
+
+Presently the tailor took out a little fiddle and began playing on
+it. When the bear heard the music he could not help dancing, and
+after he had danced some time he was so pleased that he said to
+the tailor, 'I say, is fiddling difficult?' 'Mere child's play,'
+replied the tailor; 'look here! you press the strings with the
+fingers of the left hand, and with the right, you draw the bow
+across them, so--then it goes as easily as possible, up and down,
+tra la la la la--'
+
+'Oh,' cried the bear, 'I do wish I could play like that, then I
+could dance whenever the fancy took me. What do you think? Would
+you give me some lessons?'
+
+'With all my heart,' said the tailor, 'if you are sharp about it.
+But just let me look at your paws. Dear me, your nails are
+terribly long; I must really cut them first.' Then he fetched a
+pair of stocks, and the bear laid his paws on them, and the tailor
+screwed them up tight. 'Now just wait whilst I fetch my scissors,'
+said he, and left the bear growling away to his heart's content,
+whilst he lay down in a corner and fell fast asleep.
+
+When the Princess heard the bear growling so loud that night, she
+made sure he was roaring with delight as he worried the tailor.
+
+Next morning she rose feeling quite cheerful and free from care,
+but when she looked across towards the stables, there stood the
+tailor in front of the door looking as fresh and lively as a fish
+in the water.
+
+After this it was impossible to break the promise she had made so
+publicly, so the King ordered out the state coach to take her and
+the tailor to church to be married.
+
+As they were starting, the two bad-hearted other tailors, who were
+envious of the younger one's happiness, went to the stable and
+unscrewed the bear. Off he tore after the carriage, foaming with
+rage. The Princess heard his puffing and roaring, and growing
+frightened she cried: 'Oh dear! the bear is after us and will
+certainly catch us up!' The tailor remained quite unmoved. He
+quietly stood on his head, stuck his legs out at the carriage
+window and called out to the bear, 'Do you see my stocks? If you
+don't go home this minute I'll screw you tight into them.'
+
+When the bear saw and heard this he turned right round and ran off
+as fast as his legs would carry him. The tailor drove on
+unmolested to church, where he and the Princess were married, and
+he lived with her many years as happy and merry as a lark. Whoever
+does not believe this story must pay a dollar.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+THE GOLDEN MERMAID
+
+
+
+A powerful king had, among many other treasures, a wonderful tree
+in his garden, which bore every year beautiful golden apples. But
+the King was never able to enjoy his treasure, for he might watch
+and guard them as he liked, as soon as they began to get ripe they
+were always stolen. At last, in despair, he sent for his three
+sons, and said to the two eldest, 'Get yourselves ready for a
+journey. Take gold and silver with you, and a large retinue of
+servants, as beseems two noble princes, and go through the world
+till you find out who it is that steals my golden apples, and, if
+possible, bring the thief to me that I may punish him as he
+deserves.' His sons were delighted at this proposal, for they had
+long wished to see something of the world, so they got ready for
+their journey with all haste, bade their father farewell, and left
+the town.
+
+The youngest Prince was much disappointed that he too was not sent
+out on his travels; but his father wouldn't hear of his going, for
+he had always been looked upon as the stupid one of the family,
+and the King was afraid of something happening to him. But the
+Prince begged and implored so long, that at last his father
+consented to let him go, and furnished him with gold and silver as
+he had done his brothers. But he gave him the most wretched horse
+in his stable, because the foolish youth hadn't asked for a
+better. So he too set out on his journey to secure the thief, amid
+the jeers and laughter of the whole court and town.
+
+His path led him first through a wood, and he hadn't gone very far
+when he met a lean-looking wolf who stood still as he approached.
+The Prince asked him if he were hungry, and when the wolf said he
+was, he got down from his horse and said, 'If you are really as
+you say and look, you may take my horse and eat it.'
+
+The wolf didn't wait to have the offer repeated, but set to work,
+and soon made an end of the poor beast. When the Prince saw how
+different the wolf looked when he had finished his meal, he said
+to him, 'Now, my friend, since you have eaten up my horse, and I
+have such a long way to go, that, with the best will in the world,
+I couldn't manage it on foot, the least you can do for me is to
+act as my horse and to take me on your back.'
+
+'Most certainly,' said the wolf, and, letting the Prince mount
+him, he trotted gaily through the wood. After they had gone a
+little way he turned round and asked his rider where he wanted to
+go to, and the Prince proceeded to tell him the whole story of the
+golden apples that had been stolen out of the King's garden, and
+how his other two brothers had set forth with many followers to
+find the thief. When he had finished his story, the wolf, who was
+in reality no wolf but a mighty magician, said he thought he could
+tell him who the thief was, and could help him to secure him.
+'There lives,' he said, 'in a neighbouring country, a mighty
+emperor who has a beautiful golden bird in a cage, and this is the
+creature who steals the golden apples, but it flies so fast that
+it is impossible to catch it at its theft. You must slip into the
+Emperor's palace by night and steal the bird with the cage; but be
+very careful not to touch the walls as you go out.'
+
+The following night the Prince stole into the Emperor's palace,
+and found the bird in its cage as the wolf had told him he would.
+He took hold of it carefully, but in spite of all his caution he
+touched the wall in trying to pass by some sleeping watchmen. They
+awoke at once, and, seizing him, beat him and put him into chains.
+Next day he was led before the Emperor, who at once condemned him
+to death and to be thrown into a dark dungeon till the day of his
+execution arrived.
+
+The wolf, who, of course, knew by his magic arts all that had
+happened to the Prince, turned himself at once into a mighty
+monarch with a large train of followers, and proceeded to the
+Court of the Emperor, where he was received with every show of
+honour. The Emperor and he conversed on many subjects, and, among
+other things, the stranger asked his host if he had many slaves.
+The Emperor told him he had more than he knew what to do with, and
+that a new one had been captured that very night for trying to
+steal his magic bird, but that as he had already more than enough
+to feed and support, he was going to have this last captive hanged
+next morning.
+
+'He must have been a most daring thief,' said the King, 'to try
+and steal the magic bird, for depend upon it the creature must
+have been well guarded. I would really like to see this bold
+rascal.' 'By all means,' said the Emperor; and he himself led his
+guest down to the dungeon where the unfortunate Prince was kept
+prisoner. When the Emperor stepped out of the cell with the King,
+the latter turned to him and said, 'Most mighty Emperor, I have
+been much disappointed. I had thought to find a powerful robber,
+and instead of that I have seen the most miserable creature I can
+imagine. Hanging is far too good for him. If I had to sentence him
+I should make him perform some very difficult task, under pain of
+death. If he did it so much the better for you, and if he didn't,
+matters would just be as they are now and he could still be
+hanged.' 'Your counsel,' said the Emperor, 'is excellent, and, as
+it happens, I've got the very thing for him to do. My nearest
+neighbour, who is also a mighty Emperor, possesses a golden horse
+which he guards most carefully. The prisoner shall be told to
+steal this horse and bring it to me.'
+
+The Prince was then let out of his dungeon, and told his life
+would be spared if he succeeded in bringing the golden horse to
+the Emperor. He did not feel very elated at this announcement, for
+he did not know how in the world he was to set about the task, and
+he started on his way weeping bitterly, and wondering what had
+made him leave his father's house and kingdom. But before he had
+gone far his friend the wolf stood before him and said, 'Dear
+Prince, why are you so cast down? It is true you didn't succeed in
+catching the bird; but don't let that discourage you, for this
+time you will be all the more careful, and will doubtless catch
+the horse.' With these and like words the wolf comforted the
+Prince, and warned him specially not to touch the wall or let the
+horse touch it as he led it out, or he would fail in the same way
+as he had done with the bird.
+
+After a somewhat lengthy journey the Prince and the wolf came to
+the kingdom ruled over by the Emperor who possessed the golden
+horse. One evening late they reached the capital, and the wolf
+advised the Prince to set to work at once, before their presence
+in the city had aroused the watchfulness of the guards. They
+slipped unnoticed into the Emperor's stables and into the very
+place where there were the most guards, for there the wolf rightly
+surmised they would find the horse. When they came to a certain
+inner door the wolf told the Prince to remain outside, while he
+went in. In a short time he returned and said, 'My dear Prince,
+the horse is most securely watched, but I have bewitched all the
+guards, and if you will only be careful not to touch the wall
+yourself, or let the horse touch it as you go out, there is no
+danger and the game is yours. The Prince, who had made up his mind
+to be more than cautious this time, went cheerfully to work. He
+found all the guards fast asleep, and, slipping into the horse's
+stall, he seized it by the bridle and led it out; but,
+unfortunately, before they had got quite clear of the stables a
+gadfly stung the horse and caused it to switch its tail, whereby
+it touched the wall. In a moment all the guards awoke, seized the
+Prince and beat him mercilessly with their horse-whips, after
+which they bound him with chains, and flung him into a dungeon.
+Next morning they brought him before the Emperor, who treated him
+exactly as the King with the golden bird had done, and commanded
+him to be beheaded on the following day.
+
+When the wolf-magician saw that the Prince had failed this time
+too, he transformed himself again into a mighty king, and
+proceeded with an even more gorgeous retinue than the first time
+to the Court of the Emperor. He was courteously received and
+entertained, and once more after dinner he led the conversation on
+to the subject of slaves, and in the course of it again requested
+to be allowed to see the bold robber who had dared to break into
+the Emperor's stable to steal his most valuable possession. The
+Emperor consented, and all happened exactly as it had done at the
+court of the Emperor with the golden bird; the prisoner's life was
+to be spared only on condition that within three days he should
+obtain possession of the golden mermaid, whom hitherto no mortal
+had ever approached.
+
+Very depressed by his dangerous and difficult task, the Prince
+left his gloomy prison; but, to his great joy, he met his friend
+the wolf before he had gone many miles on his journey. The cunning
+creature pretended he knew nothing of what had happened to the
+Prince, and asked him how he had fared with the horse. The Prince
+told him all about his misadventure, and the condition on which
+the Emperor had promised to spare his life. Then the wolf reminded
+him that he had twice got him out of prison, and that if he would
+only trust in him, and do exactly as he told him, he would
+certainly succeed in this last undertaking. Thereupon they bent
+their steps towards the sea, which stretched out before them, as
+far as their eyes could see, all the waves dancing and glittering
+in the bright sunshine. 'Now,' continued the wolf, 'I am going to
+turn myself into a boat full of the most beautiful silken
+merchandise, and you must jump boldly into the boat, and steer
+with my tail in your hand right out into the open sea. You will
+soon come upon the golden mermaid. Whatever you do, don't follow
+her if she calls you, but on the contrary say to her, "The buyer
+comes to the seller, not the seller to the buyer." After which you
+must steer towards the land, and she will follow you, for she
+won't be able to resist the beautiful wares you have on board your
+ship.'
+
+The Prince promised faithfully to do all he had been told,
+whereupon the wolf changed himself into a ship full of most
+exquisite silks, of every shade and colour imaginable. The
+astonished Prince stepped into the boat, and, holding the wolf's
+tail in his hand, he steered boldly out into the open sea, where
+the sun was gilding the blue waves with its golden rays. Soon he
+saw the golden mermaid swimming near the ship, beckoning and
+calling to him to follow her; but, mindful of the wolf's warning,
+he told her in a loud voice that if she wished to buy anything she
+must come to him. With these words he turned his magic ship round
+and steered back towards the land. The mermaid called out to him
+to stand still, but he refused to listen to her and never paused
+till he reached the sand of the shore. Here he stopped and waited
+for the mermaid, who had swum after him. When she drew near the
+boat he saw that she was far more beautiful than any mortal he had
+ever beheld. She swam round the ship for some time, and then swung
+herself gracefully on board, in order to examine the beautiful
+silken stuffs more closely. Then the Prince seized her in his
+arms, and kissing her tenderly on the cheeks and lips, he told her
+she was his for ever; at the same moment the boat turned into a
+wolf again, which so terrified the mermaid that she clung to the
+Prince for protection.
+
+So the golden mermaid was successfully caught, and she soon felt
+quite happy in her new life when she saw she had nothing to fear
+either from the Prince or the wolf--she rode on the back of the
+latter, and the Prince rode behind her. When they reached the
+country ruled over by the Emperor with the golden horse, the
+Prince jumped down, and, helping the mermaid to alight, he led her
+before the Emperor. At the sight of the beautiful mermaid and of
+the grim wolf, who stuck close to the Prince this time, the guards
+all made respectful obeisance, and soon the three stood before his
+Imperial Majesty. When the Emperor heard from the Prince how he
+had gained possession of his fair prize, he at once recognized
+that he had been helped by some magic art, and on the spot gave up
+all claim to the beautiful mermaid. 'Dear youth,' he said,
+'forgive me for my shameful conduct to you, and, as a sign that
+you pardon me, accept the golden horse as a present. I acknowledge
+your power to be greater even than I can understand, for you have
+succeeded in gaining possession of the golden mermaid, whom
+hitherto no mortal has ever been able to approach.' Then they all
+sat down to a huge feast, and the Prince had to relate his
+adventures all over again, to the wonder and astonishment of the
+whole company.
+
+But the Prince was wearying now to return to his own kingdom, so
+as soon as the feast was over he took farewell of the Emperor, and
+set out on his homeward way. He lifted the mermaid on to the
+golden horse, and swung himself up behind her--and so they rode on
+merrily, with the wolf trotting behind, till they came to the
+country of the Emperor with the golden bird. The renown of the
+Prince and his adventure had gone before him, and the Emperor sat
+on his throne awaiting the arrival of the Prince and his
+companions. When the three rode into the courtyard of the palace,
+they were surprised and delighted to find everything festively
+illuminated and decorated for their reception. When the Prince and
+the golden mermaid, with the wolf behind them, mounted the steps
+of the palace, the Emperor came forward to meet them, and led them
+to the throne room. At the same moment a servant appeared with the
+golden bird in its golden cage, and the Emperor begged the Prince
+to accept it with his love, and to forgive him the indignity he
+had suffered at his hands. Then the Emperor bent low before the
+beautiful mermaid, and, offering her his arm, he led her into
+dinner, closely followed by the Prince and her friend the wolf;
+the latter seating himself at table, not the least embarrassed
+that no one had invited him to do so.
+
+As soon as the sumptuous meal was over, the Prince and his mermaid
+took leave of the Emperor, and, seating themselves on the golden
+horse, continued their homeward journey. On the way the wolf
+turned to the Prince and said, 'Dear friends, I must now bid you
+farewell, but I leave you under such happy circumstances that I
+cannot feel our parting to be a sad one.' The Prince was very
+unhappy when he heard these words, and begged the wolf to stay
+with them always; but this the good creature refused to do, though
+he thanked the Prince kindly for his invitation, and called out as
+he disappeared into the thicket, 'Should any evil befall you, dear
+Prince, at any time, you may rely on my friendship and gratitude.'
+These were the wolf's parting words, and the Prince could not
+restrain his tears when he saw his friend vanishing in the
+distance; but one glance at his beloved mermaid soon cheered him
+up again, and they continued on their journey merrily.
+
+The news of his son's adventures had already reached his father's
+Court, and everyone was more than astonished at the success of the
+once despised Prince. His elder brothers, who had in vain gone in
+pursuit of the thief of the golden apples, were furious over their
+younger brother's good fortune, and plotted and planned how they
+were to kill him. They hid themselves in the wood through which
+the Prince had to pass on his way to the palace, and there fell on
+him, and, having beaten him to death, they carried off the golden
+horse and the golden bird. But nothing they could do would
+persuade the golden mermaid to go with them or move from the spot,
+for ever since she had left the sea, she had so attached herself
+to her Prince that she asked nothing else than to live or die with
+him.
+
+For many weeks the poor mermaid sat and watched over the dead body
+of her lover, weeping salt tears over his loss, when suddenly one
+day their old friend the wolf appeared and said, 'Cover the
+Prince's body with all the leaves and flowers you can find in the
+wood.' The maiden did as he told her, and then the wolf breathed
+over the flowery grave, and, lo and behold! the Prince lay there
+sleeping as peacefully as a child. 'Now you may wake him if you
+like,' said the wolf, and the mermaid bent over him and gently
+kissed the wounds his brothers had made on his forehead, and the
+Prince awoke, and you may imagine how delighted he was to find his
+beautiful mermaid beside him, though he felt a little depressed
+when he thought of the loss of the golden bird and the golden
+horse. After a time the wolf, who had likewise fallen on the
+Prince's neck, advised them to continue their journey, and once
+more the Prince and his lovely bride mounted on the faithful
+beast's back.
+
+The King's joy was great when he embraced his youngest son, for he
+had long since despaired of his return. He received the wolf and
+the beautiful golden mermaid most cordially too, and the Prince
+was made to tell his adventures all over from the beginning. The
+poor old father grew very sad when he heard of the shameful
+conduct of his elder sons, and had them called before him. They
+turned as white as death when they saw their brother, whom they
+thought they had murdered, standing beside them alive and well,
+and so startled were they that when the King asked them why they
+had behaved so wickedly to their brother they could think of no
+lie, but confessed at once that they had slain the young Prince in
+order to obtain possession of the golden horse and the golden
+bird. Their father's wrath knew no bounds, and he ordered them
+both to be banished, but he could not do enough to honour his
+youngest son, and his marriage with the beautiful mermaid was
+celebrated with much pomp and magnificence. When the festivities
+were over, the wolf bade them all farewell, and returned once more
+to his life in the woods, much to the regret of the old King and
+the young Prince and his bride.
+
+And so ended the adventures of the Prince with his friend the
+wolf.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE WAR OF THE WOLF AND THE FOX
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a man and his wife who had an old cat
+and an old dog. One day the man, whose name was Simon, said to his
+wife, whose name was Susan, 'Why should we keep our old cat any
+longer? She never catches any mice now-a-days, and is so useless
+that I have made up my mind to drown her.'
+
+But his wife replied, 'Don't do that, for I'm sure she could still
+catch mice.'
+
+'Rubbish,' said Simon. 'The mice might dance on her and she would
+never catch one. I've quite made up my mind that the next time I
+see her, I shall put her in the water.'
+
+Susan was very unhappy when she heard this, and so was the cat,
+who had been listening to the conversation behind the stove. When
+Simon went off to his work, the poor cat miawed so pitifully, and
+looked up so pathetically into Susan's face, that the woman
+quickly opened the door and said, 'Fly for your life, my poor
+little beast, and get well away from here before your master
+returns.'
+
+The cat took her advice, and ran as quickly as her poor old legs
+would carry her into the wood, and when Simon came home, his wife
+told him that the cat had vanished.
+
+'So much the better for her,' said Simon. 'And now we have got rid
+of her, we must consider what we are to do with the old dog. He is
+quite deaf and blind, and invariably barks when there is no need,
+and makes no sound when there is. I think the best thing I can do
+with him is to hang him.'
+
+But soft-hearted Susan replied, 'Please don't do so; he's surely
+not so useless as all that.'
+
+'Don't be foolish,' said her husband. 'The courtyard might be full
+of thieves and he'd never discover it. No, the first time I see
+him, it's all up with him, I can tell you.'
+
+Susan was very unhappy at his words, and so was the dog, who was
+lying in the corner of the room and had heard everything. As soon
+as Simon had gone to his work, he stood up and howled so
+touchingly that Susan quickly opened the door, and said 'Fly for
+your life, poor beast, before your master gets home.' And the dog
+ran into the wood with his tail between his legs.
+
+When her husband returned, his wife told him that the dog had
+disappeared.
+
+'That's lucky for him,' said Simon, but Susan sighed, for she had
+been very fond of the poor creature.
+
+Now it happened that the cat and dog met each other on their
+travels, and though they had not been the best of friends at home,
+they were quite glad to meet among strangers. They sat down under
+a holly tree and both poured forth their woes.
+
+Presently a fox passed by, and seeing the pair sitting together in
+a disconsolate fashion, he asked them why they sat there, and what
+they were grumbling about.
+
+The cat replied, 'I have caught many a mouse in my day, but now
+that I am old and past work, my master wants to drown me.'
+
+And the dog said, 'Many a night have I watched and guarded my
+master's house, and now that I am old and deaf, he wants to hang
+me.'
+
+The fox answered, 'That's the way of the world. But I'll help you
+to get back into your master's favour, only you must first help me
+in my own troubles.'
+
+They promised to do their best, and the fox continued, 'The wolf
+has declared war against me, and is at this moment marching to
+meet me in company with the bear and the wild boar, and to-morrow
+there will be a fierce battle between us.'
+
+'All right,' said the dog and the cat, 'we will stand by you, and
+if we are killed, it is at any rate better to die on the field of
+battle than to perish ignobly at home,' and they shook paws and
+concluded the bargain. The fox sent word to the wolf to meet him
+at a certain place, and the three set forth to encounter him and
+his friends.
+
+The wolf, the bear, and the wild boar arrived on the spot first,
+and when they had waited some time for the fox, the dog, and the
+cat, the bear said, 'I'll climb up into the oak tree, and look if
+I can see them coming.'
+
+The first time he looked round he said, 'I can see nothing,' and
+the second time he looked round he said, 'I can still see
+nothing.' But the third time he said, 'I see a mighty army in the
+distance, and one of the warriors has the biggest lance you ever
+saw!'
+
+This was the cat, who was marching along with her tail erect.
+
+And so they laughed and jeered, and it was so hot that the bear
+said, 'The enemy won't be here at this rate for many hours to
+come, so I'll just curl myself up in the fork of the tree and have
+a little sleep.'
+
+And the wolf lay down under the oak, and the wild boar buried
+himself in some straw, so that nothing was seen of him but one
+ear.
+
+And while they were lying there, the fox, the cat and the dog
+arrived. When the cat saw the wild boar's ear, she pounced upon
+it, thinking it was a mouse in the straw.
+
+The wild boar got up in a dreadful fright, gave one loud grunt and
+disappeared into the wood. But the cat was even more startled than
+the boar, and, spitting with terror, she scrambled up into the
+fork of the tree, and as it happened right into the bear's face.
+Now it was the bear's turn to be alarmed, and with a mighty growl
+he jumped down from the oak and fell right on the top of the wolf
+and killed him as dead as a stone.
+
+On their way home from the war the fox caught score of mice, and
+when they reached Simon's cottage he put them all on the stove and
+said to the cat, 'Now go and fetch one mouse after the other, and
+lay them down before your master.'
+
+'All right,' said the cat, and did exactly as the fox told her.
+
+When Susan saw this she said to her husband, 'Just look, here is
+our old cat back again, and see what a lot of mice she has
+caught.'
+
+'Wonders will never cease,' cried Simon. 'I certainly never
+thought the old cat would ever catch another mouse.'
+
+But Susan answered, 'There, you see, I always said our cat was a
+most excellent creature--but you men always think you know best.'
+
+In the meantime the fox said to the dog, 'Our friend Simon has
+just killed a pig; when it gets a little darker, you must go into
+the courtyard and bark with all your might.'
+
+'All right,' said the dog, and as soon as it grew dusk he began to
+bark loudly.
+
+Susan, who heard him first, said to her husband, 'Our dog must
+have come back, for I hear him barking lustily. Do go out and see
+what's the matter; perhaps thieves may be stealing our sausages.'
+
+But Simon answered, 'The foolish brute is as deaf as a post and is
+always barking at nothing,' and he refused to get up.
+
+The next morning Susan got up early to go to church at the
+neighbouring town, and she thought she would take some sausages to
+her aunt who lived there. But when she went to her larder, she
+found all the sausages gone, and a great hole in the floor. She
+called out to her husband, 'I was perfectly right. Thieves have
+been here last night, and they have not left a single sausage. Oh!
+if you had only got up when I asked you to!'
+
+Then Simon scratched his head and said, 'I can't understand it at
+all. I certainly never believed the old dog was so quick at
+hearing.'
+
+But Susan replied, 'I always told you our old dog was the best dog
+in the world--but as usual you thought you knew so much better.
+Men are the same all the world over.'
+
+And the fox scored a point too, for he had carried away the
+sausages himself!
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE
+
+
+
+There was once a fisherman and his wife who lived together in a
+little hut close to the sea, and the fisherman used to go down
+every day to fish; and he would fish and fish. So he used to sit
+with his rod and gaze into the shining water; and he would gaze
+and gaze.
+
+Now, once the line was pulled deep under the water, and when he
+hauled it up he hauled a large flounder with it. The flounder said
+to him, 'Listen, fisherman. I pray you to let me go; I am not a
+real flounder, I am an enchanted Prince. What good will it do you
+if you kill me--I shall not taste nice? Put me back into the water
+and let me swim away.'
+
+'Well,' said the man, 'you need not make so much noise about it; I
+am sure I had much better let a flounder that can talk swim away.'
+With these words he put him back again into the shining water, and
+the flounder sank to the bottom, leaving a long streak of blood
+behind. Then the fisherman got up, and went home to his wife in
+the hut.
+
+'Husband,' said his wife, 'have you caught nothing to-day?'
+
+'No,' said the man. 'I caught a flounder who said he was an
+enchanted prince, so I let him swim away again.'
+
+'Did you wish nothing from him?' said his wife.
+
+'No,' said the man; 'what should I have wished from him?'
+
+'Ah!' said the woman, 'it's dreadful to have to live all one's
+life in this hut that is so small and dirty; you ought to have
+wished for a cottage. Go now and call him; say to him that we
+choose to have a cottage, and he will certainly give it you.'
+
+'Alas!' said the man, 'why should I go down there again?'
+
+'Why,' said his wife, 'you caught him, and then let him go again,
+so he is sure to give you what you ask. Go down quickly.'
+
+The man did not like going at all, but as his wife was not to be
+persuaded, he went down to the sea.
+
+When he came there the sea was quite green and yellow, and was no
+longer shining. So he stood on the shore and said:
+
+'Once a prince, but changed you be  Into a flounder in the sea.
+Come! for my wife, Ilsebel,  Wishes what I dare not tell.'
+
+Then the flounder came swimming up and said, 'Well, what does she
+want?'
+
+'Alas!' said the man, 'my wife says I ought to have kept you and
+wished something from you. She does not want to live any longer in
+the hut; she would like a cottage.'
+
+'Go home, then,' said the flounder; 'she has it.'
+
+So the man went home, and there was his wife no longer in the hut,
+but in its place was a beautiful cottage, and his wife was sitting
+in front of the door on a bench. She took him by the hand and said
+to him, 'Come inside, and see if this is not much better.' They
+went in, and inside the cottage was a tiny hall, and a beautiful
+sitting-room, and a bedroom in which stood a bed, a kitchen and a
+dining-room all furnished with the best of everything, and fitted
+up with every kind of tin and copper utensil. And outside was a
+little yard in which were chickens and ducks, and also a little
+garden with vegetables and fruit trees.
+
+'See,' said the wife, 'isn't this nice?'
+
+'Yes,' answered her husband; 'here we shall remain and live very
+happily.'
+
+'We will think about that,' said his wife.
+
+With these words they had their supper and went to bed. All went
+well for a week or a fortnight, then the wife said:
+
+'Listen, husband; the cottage is much too small, and so is the
+yard and the garden; the flounder might just as well have sent us
+a larger house. I should like to live in a great stone castle. Go
+down to the flounder, and tell him to send us a castle.'
+
+'Ah, wife!' said the fisherman, 'the cottage is quite good enough;
+why do we choose to live in a castle?'
+
+'Why?' said the wife. 'You go down; the flounder can quite well do
+that.'
+
+'No, wife,' said the man; 'the flounder gave us the cottage. I do
+not like to go to him again; he might take it amiss.'
+
+'Go,' said his wife. 'He can certainly give it us, and ought to do
+so willingly. Go at once.'
+
+The fisherman's heart was very heavy, and he did not like going.
+He said to himself, 'It is not right.' Still, he went down.
+
+When he came to the sea, the water was all violet and dark-blue,
+and dull and thick, and no longer green and yellow, but it was
+still smooth.
+
+So he stood there and said:
+
+'Once a prince, but changed you be  Into a flounder in the sea.
+Come! for my wife, Ilsebel,  Wishes what I dare not tell.'
+
+'What does she want now?' said the flounder.
+
+'Ah!' said the fisherman, half-ashamed, 'she wants to live in a
+great stone castle.'
+
+'Go home; she is standing before the door,' said the flounder.
+
+The fisherman went home and thought he would find no house. When
+he came near, there stood a great stone palace, and his wife was
+standing on the steps, about to enter. She took him by the hand
+and said, 'Come inside.'
+
+Then he went with her, and inside the castle was a large hall with
+a marble floor, and there were heaps of servants who threw open
+the great doors, and the walls were covered with beautiful
+tapestry, and in the apartments were gilded chairs and tables, and
+crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and all the rooms were
+beautifully carpeted. The best of food and drink also was set
+before them when they wished to dine. And outside the house was a
+large courtyard with horse and cow stables and a coach-house--all
+fine buildings; and a splendid garden with most beautiful flowers
+and fruit, and in a park quite a league long were deer and roe and
+hares, and everything one could wish for.
+
+'Now,' said the wife, 'isn't this beautiful?'
+
+'Yes, indeed,' said the fisherman. 'Now we will stay here and live
+in this beautiful castle, and be very happy.'
+
+'We will consider the matter,' said his wife, and they went to
+bed.
+
+The next morning the wife woke up first at daybreak, and looked
+out of the bed at the beautiful country stretched before her. Her
+husband was still sleeping, so she dug her elbows into his side
+and said:
+
+'Husband, get up and look out of the window. Could we not become
+the king of all this land? Go down to the flounder and tell him we
+choose to be king.'
+
+'Ah, wife!' replied her husband, 'why should we be king? I don't
+want to be king.'
+
+'Well,' said his wife, 'if you don't want to be king, I will be
+king. Go down to the flounder; I will be king.'
+
+'Alas! wife,' said the fisherman, 'why do you want to be king? I
+can't ask him that.'
+
+'And why not?' said his wife. 'Go down at once. I must be king.'
+
+So the fisherman went, though much vexed that his wife wanted to
+be king. 'It is not right! It is not right,' he thought. He did
+not wish to go, yet he went.
+
+When he came to the sea, the water was a dark-grey colour, and it
+was heaving against the shore. So he stood and said:
+
+'Once a prince, but changed you be  Into a flounder in the sea.
+Come! for my wife, Ilsebel,  Wishes what I dare not tell.'
+
+'What does she want now?' asked the flounder.
+
+'Alas!' said the fisherman, 'she wants to be king.'
+
+'Go home; she is that already,' said the flounder.
+
+The fisherman went home, and when he came near the palace he saw
+that it had become much larger, and that it had great towers and
+splendid ornamental carving on it. A sentinel was standing before
+the gate, and there were numbers of soldiers with kettledrums and
+trumpets. And when he went into the palace, he found everything
+was of pure marble and gold, and the curtains of damask with
+tassels of gold. Then the doors of the hall flew open, and there
+stood the whole Court round his wife, who was sitting on a high
+throne of gold and diamonds; she wore a great golden crown, and
+had a sceptre of gold and precious stones in her hand, and by her
+on either side stood six pages in a row, each one a head taller
+than the other. Then he went before her and said:
+
+'Ah, wife! are you king now?'
+
+'Yes,' said his wife; 'now I am king.'
+
+He stood looking at her, and when he had looked for some time, he
+said:
+
+'Let that be enough, wife, now that you are king! Now we have
+nothing more to wish for.'
+
+'Nay, husband,' said his wife restlessly, 'my wishing powers are
+boundless; I cannot restrain them any longer. Go down to the
+flounder; king I am, now I must be emperor.'
+
+'Alas! wife,' said the fisherman, 'why do you want to be emperor?'
+
+'Husband,' said she, 'go to the flounder; I will be emperor.'
+
+'Ah, wife,' he said, 'he cannot make you emperor; I don't like to
+ask him that. There is only one emperor in the kingdom. Indeed and
+indeed he cannot make you emperor.'
+
+'What!' said his wife. 'I am king, and you are my husband. Will
+you go at once? Go! If he can make king he can make emperor, and
+emperor I must and will be. Go!'
+
+So he had to go. But as he went, he felt quite frightened, and he
+thought to himself, 'This can't be right; to be emperor is too
+ambitious; the flounder will be tired out at last.'
+
+Thinking this he came to the shore. The sea was quite black and
+thick, and it was breaking high on the beach; the foam was flying
+about, and the wind was blowing; everything looked bleak. The
+fisherman was chilled with fear. He stood and said:
+
+'Once a prince, but changed you be  Into a flounder in the sea.
+Come! for my wife, Ilsebel,  Wishes what I dare not tell.'
+
+'What does she want now?' asked flounder.
+
+'Alas! flounder,' he said, 'my wife wants to be emperor.'
+
+'Go home,' said the flounder; 'she is that already.'
+
+So the fisherman went home, and when he came there he saw the
+whole castle was made of polished marble, ornamented with
+alabaster statues and gold. Before the gate soldiers were
+marching, blowing trumpets and beating drums. Inside the palace
+were walking barons, counts, and dukes, acting as servants; they
+opened the door, which was of beaten gold. And when he entered, he
+saw his wife upon a throne which was made out of a single block of
+gold, and which was quite six cubits high. She had on a great
+golden crown which was three yards high and set with brilliants
+and sparkling gems. In one hand she held a sceptre, and in the
+other the imperial globe, and on either side of her stood two rows
+of halberdiers, each smaller than the other, from a seven-foot
+giant to the tiniest little dwarf no higher than my little finger.
+Many princes and dukes were standing before her. The fisherman
+went up to her quietly and said:
+
+'Wife, are you emperor now?'
+
+'Yes,' she said, 'I am emperor.'
+
+He stood looking at her magnificence, and when he had watched her
+for some time, said:
+
+'Ah, wife, let that be enough, now that you are emperor.'
+
+'Husband,' said she, 'why are you standing there? I am emperor
+now, and I want to be pope too; go down to the flounder.'
+
+'Alas! wife,' said the fisherman, 'what more do you want? You
+cannot be pope; there is only one pope in Christendom, and he
+cannot make you that.'
+
+'Husband,' she said, 'I will be pope. Go down quickly; I must be
+pope to-day.'
+
+'No, wife,' said the fisherman; 'I can't ask him that. It is not
+right; it is too much. The flounder cannot make you pope.'
+
+'Husband, what nonsense!' said his wife. 'If he can make emperor,
+he can make, pope too. Go down this instant; I am emperor and you
+are my husband. Will you be off at once?'
+
+So he was frightened and went out; but he felt quite faint, and
+trembled and shook, and his knees and legs began to give way under
+him. The wind was blowing fiercely across the land, and the clouds
+flying across the sky looked as gloomy as if it were night; the
+leaves were being blown from the trees; the water was foaming and
+seething and dashing upon the shore, and in the distance he saw
+the ships in great distress, dancing and tossing on the waves.
+Still the sky was very blue in the middle, although at the sides
+it was an angry red as in a great storm. So he stood shuddering in
+anxiety, and said:
+
+'Once a prince, but changed you be  Into a flounder in the sea.
+Come! for my wife, Ilsebel,  Wishes what I dare not tell.'
+
+'Well, what does she want now?' asked the flounder.
+
+'Alas!' said the fisherman, 'she wants to be pope.'
+
+'Go home, then; she is that already,' said the flounder.
+
+Then he went home, and when he came there he saw, as it were, a
+large church surrounded by palaces. He pushed his way through the
+people. The interior was lit up with thousands and thousands of
+candles, and his wife was dressed in cloth of gold and was sitting
+on a much higher throne, and she wore three great golden crowns.
+Round her were numbers of Church dignitaries, and on either side
+were standing two rows of tapers, the largest of them as tall as a
+steeple, and the smallest as tiny as a Christmas-tree candle. All
+the emperors and kings were on their knees before her, and were
+kissing her foot.
+
+'Wife,' said the fisherman looking at her, 'are you pope now?'
+
+'Yes,' said she; 'I am pope.'
+
+So he stood staring at her, and it was as if he were looking at
+the bright sun. When he had watched her for some time he said:
+
+'Ah, wife, let it be enough now that you are pope.'
+
+But she sat as straight as a tree, and did not move or bend the
+least bit. He said again:
+
+'Wife, be content now that you are pope. You cannot become
+anything more.'
+
+'We will think about that,' said his wife.
+
+With these words they went to bed. But the woman was not content;
+her greed would not allow her to sleep, and she kept on thinking
+and thinking what she could still become. The fisherman slept well
+and soundly, for he had done a great deal that day, but his wife
+could not sleep at all, and turned from one side to another the
+whole night long, and thought, till she could think no longer,
+what more she could become. Then the sun began to rise, and when
+she saw the red dawn she went to the end of the bed and looked at
+it, and as she was watching the sun rise, out of the window, she
+thought, 'Ha! could I not make the sun and man rise?'
+
+'Husband,' said she, poking him in the ribs with her elbows, 'wake
+up. Go down to the flounder; I will be a god.'
+
+The fisherman was still half asleep, yet he was so frightened that
+he fell out of bed. He thought he had not heard aright, and opened
+his eyes wide and said:
+
+'What did you say, wife?'
+
+'Husband,' she said, 'if I cannot make the sun and man rise when I
+appear I cannot rest. I shall never have a quiet moment till I can
+make the sun and man rise.'
+
+He looked at her in horror, and a shudder ran over him.
+
+'Go down at once; I will be a god.'
+
+'Alas! wife,' said the fisherman, falling on his knees before her,
+'the flounder cannot do that. Emperor and pope he can make you. I
+implore you, be content and remain pope.'
+
+Then she flew into a passion, her hair hung wildly about her face,
+she pushed him with her foot and screamed:
+
+'I am not contented, and I shall not be contented! Will you go?'
+
+So he hurried on his clothes as fast as possible, and ran away as
+if he were mad.
+
+But the storm was raging so fiercely that he could scarcely stand.
+Houses and trees were being blown down, the mountains were being
+shaken, and pieces of rock were rolling in the sea. The sky was as
+black as ink, it was thundering and lightening, and the sea was
+tossing in great waves as high as church towers and mountains, and
+each had a white crest of foam.
+
+So he shouted, not able to hear his own voice:
+
+'Once a prince, but changed you be  Into a flounder in the sea.
+Come! for my wife, Ilsebel,  Wishes what I dare not tell.'
+
+'Well, what does she want now?' asked the flounder.
+
+'Alas!' said he, 'she wants to be a god.'
+
+'Go home, then; she is sitting again in the hut.'
+
+And there they are sitting to this day.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE THREE MUSICIANS
+
+
+
+Once upon a time three musicians left their home and set out on
+their travels. They had all learnt music from the same master, and
+they determined to stick together and to seek their fortune in
+foreign lands. They wandered merrily from place to place and made
+quite a good living, and were much appreciated by everyone who
+heard them play. One evening they came to a village where they
+delighted all the company with their beautiful music. At last they
+ceased playing, and began to eat and drink and listen to the talk
+that was going on around them. They heard all the gossip of the
+place, and many wonderful things were related and discussed. At
+last the conversation fell on a castle in the neighbourhood, about
+which many strange and marvellous things were told. One person
+said that hidden treasure was to be found there; another that the
+richest food was always to be had there, although the castle was
+uninhabited; and a third, that an evil spirit dwelt within the
+walls, so terrible, that anyone who forced his way into the castle
+came out of it more dead than alive.
+
+As soon as the three musicians were alone in their bedroom they
+agreed to go and examine the mysterious castle, and, if possible,
+to find and carry away the hidden treasure. They determined, too,
+to make the attempt separately, one after the other, according to
+age, and they settled that a whole day was to be given to each
+adventurer in which to try his luck.
+
+The fiddler was the first to set out on his adventures, and did so
+in the best of spirits and full of courage. When he reached the
+castle he found the outer gate open, quite as if he were an
+expected guest, but no sooner had he stepped across the entry than
+the heavy door closed behind him with a bang, and was bolted with
+a huge iron bar, exactly as if a sentinel were doing his office
+and keeping watch, but no human being was to be seen anywhere. An
+awful terror overcame the fiddler; but it was hopeless to think of
+turning back or of standing still, and the hopes of finding gold
+and other treasures gave him strength and courage to force his way
+further into the castle. Upstairs and downstairs he wandered,
+through lofty halls, splendid rooms, and lovely little boudoirs,
+everything beautifully arranged, and all kept in the most perfect
+order. But the silence of death reigned everywhere, and no living
+thing, not even a fly, was to be seen. Notwithstanding, the youth
+felt his spirits return to him when he entered the lower regions
+of the castle, for in the kitchen the most tempting and delicious
+food was spread out, the cellars were full of the most costly
+wine, and the store-room crammed with pots of every sort of jam
+you can imagine. A cheerful fire was burning in the kitchen,
+before which a roast was being basted by unseen hands, and all
+kinds of vegetables and other dainty dishes were being prepared in
+like manner. Before the fiddler had time to think, he was ushered
+into a little room by invisible hands, and there a table was
+spread for him with all the delicious food he had seen cooking in
+the kitchen.
+
+The youth first seized his fiddle and played a beautiful air on it
+which echoed through the silent halls, and then he fell to and
+began to eat a hearty meal. Before long, however, the door opened
+and a tiny man stepped into the room, not more than three feet
+high, clothed in a dressing-gown, and with a small wrinkled face,
+and a grey beard which reached down to the silver buckles of his
+shoes. And the little man sat down beside the fiddler and shared
+his meal. When they got to the game course the fiddler handed the
+dwarf a knife and fork, and begged him to help himself first, and
+then to pass the dish on. The little creature nodded, but helped
+himself so clumsily that he dropped the piece of meat he had
+carved on to the floor.
+
+The good-natured fiddler bent down to pick it up, but in the
+twinkling of an eye the little man had jumped on to his back, and
+beat him till he was black and blue all over his head and body. At
+last, when the fiddler was nearly dead, the little wretch left
+off, and shoved the poor fellow out of the iron gate which he had
+entered in such good spirits a few hours before. The fresh air
+revived him a little, and in a short time he was able to stagger
+with aching limbs back to the inn where his companions were
+staying. It was night when he reached the place, and the other two
+musicians were fast asleep. The next morning they were much
+astonished at finding the fiddler in bed beside them, and
+overwhelmed him with questions; but their friend hid his back and
+face, and answered them very shortly, saying, 'Go there
+yourselves, and see what's to be seen! It is a ticklish matter,
+that I can assure you.'
+
+The second musician, who was a trumpeter, now made his way to the
+castle, and everything happened to him exactly as it had to the
+fiddler. He was just as hospitably entertained at first, and then
+just as cruelly beaten and belaboured, so that next morning he too
+lay in his bed like a wounded hare, assuring his friends that the
+task of getting into the haunted castle was no enviable one.
+Notwithstanding the warning of his companions, the third musician,
+who played the flute, was still determined to try his luck, and,
+full of courage and daring, he set out, resolved, if possible, to
+find and secure the hidden treasure.
+
+Fearlessly he wandered the whole castle, and as he roamed through
+the splendid empty apartments he thought to himself how nice it
+would be to live there always, especially with a full larder and
+cellar at his disposal. A table was spread for him too, and when
+he had wandered about for some time, singing and playing the
+flute, he sat down as his companions had done, prepared to enjoy
+the delicious food that was spread out in front of him. Then the
+little man with the beard entered as before and seated himself
+beside the flute-player, who wasn't the least startled at his
+appearance, but chatted away to him as if he had known him all his
+life. But he didn't find his companion very communicative. At last
+they came to the game, and, as usual, the little man let his piece
+fall on the ground. The flute-player was good-naturedly just going
+to pick it up, when he perceived that the little dwarf was in the
+act of springing on his back. Then he turned round sharply, and,
+seizing the little creature by his beard, he gave him such a
+shaking that he tore his beard out, and the dwarf sank groaning to
+the ground.
+
+But as soon as the youth had the beard in his hands he felt so
+strong that he was fit for anything, and he perceived all sorts of
+things in the castle that he had not noticed before, but, on the
+other hand, all strength seemed to have gone from the little man.
+He whined and sobbed out: 'Give, oh give me my beard again, and I
+will instruct you in all the magic art that surrounds this castle,
+and will help you to carry off the hidden treasure, which will
+make you rich and happy for ever.'
+
+But the cunning flute-player replied: 'I will give you back your
+beard, but you must first help me as you have promised to do. Till
+you have done so, I don't let your beard out of my hands.'
+
+Then the old man found himself obliged to fulfil his promise,
+though he had had no intention of doing so, and had only desired
+to get his beard back. He made the youth follow him through dark
+secret passages, underground vaults, and grey rocks till at last
+they came to an open field, which looked as if it belonged to a
+more beautiful world than ours. Then they came to a stream of
+rushing water; but the little man drew out a wand and touched the
+waves, whereupon the waters parted and stood still, and the two
+crossed the river with dry feet. And how beautiful everything on
+the other side was! lovely green paths leading through woods and
+fields covered with flowers, birds with gold and silver feathers
+singing on the trees, lovely butterflies and glittering beetles
+fluttered and crawled about, and dear little beasts hid in the
+bushes and hedges. The sky above them was not blue, but like rays
+of pure gold, and the stars looked twice their usual size, and far
+more brilliant than on our earth.
+
+The youth grew more and more astonished when the little grey man
+led him into a castle far bigger and more splendid than the one
+they had left. Here, too, the deepest silence reigned. They
+wandered all through the castle, and came at last to a room in the
+middle of which stood a bed hung all round with heavy curtains.
+Over the bed hung a bird's cage, and the bird inside it was
+singing beautiful songs into the silent space. The little grey man
+lifted the curtains from the bed and beckoned the youth to
+approach. On the rich silk cushions embroidered with gold a lovely
+maiden lay sleeping. She was as beautiful as an angel, with golden
+hair which fell in curls over her marble shoulders, and a diamond
+crown sparkled on her forehead. But a sleep as of death held her
+in its spell, and no noise seemed able to waken the sleeper.
+
+Then the little man turned to the wondering youth and said: 'See,
+here is the sleeping child! She is a mighty Princess. This
+splendid castle and this enchanted land are hers, but for hundreds
+of years she has slept this magic sleep, and during all that time
+no human being has been able to find their way here. I alone have
+kept guard over her, and have gone daily to my own castle to get
+food and to beat the greedy gold-seekers who forced their way into
+my dwelling. I have watched over the Princess carefully all these
+years and saw that no stranger came near her, but all my magic
+power lay in my beard, and now that you have taken it away I am
+helpless, and can no longer hold the beautiful Princess in her
+enchanted sleep, but am forced to reveal my treasured secret to
+you. So set to work and do as I tell you. Take the bird which
+hangs over the Princess's head, and which by its song sang her
+into this enchanted sleep--a song which it has had to continue
+ever since; take it and kill it, and cut its little heart out and
+burn it to a powder, and then put it into the Princess's mouth;
+then she will instantly awaken, and will bestow on you her heart
+and hand, her kingdom and castle, and all her treasures.
+
+The little dwarf paused, quite worn out, and the youth did not
+wait long to do his bidding. He did all he was told carefully and
+promptly, and having cut the little bird's heart out he proceeded
+to make it into a powder. No sooner had he placed it in the
+Princess's mouth than she opened her lovely eyes, and, looking up
+into the happy youth's face, she kissed him tenderly, thanked him
+for freeing her from her magic sleep, and promised to be his wife.
+At the same moment a sound as of thunder was heard all over the
+castle, and on all the staircases and in every room sounds were to
+be heard. Then a troop of servants, male and female, flocked into
+the apartment where the happy couple sat, and after wishing the
+Princess and her bridegroom joy, they dispersed all over the
+castle to their different occupations.
+
+But the little grey dwarf began now to demand his beard again from
+the youth, for in his wicked heart he was determined to make an
+end of all their happiness; he knew that if only his beard were
+once more on his chin, he would be able to do what he liked with
+them all. But the clever flute-player was quite a match for the
+little man in cunning, and said: 'All right, you needn't be
+afraid, you shall get your beard back before we part; but you must
+allow my bride and me to accompany you a bit on your homeward
+way.'
+
+The dwarf could not refuse this request, and so they all went
+together through the beautiful green paths and flowery meadows,
+and came at last to the river which flowed for miles round the
+Princess's land and formed the boundary of her kingdom. There was
+no bridge or ferryboat to be seen anywhere, and it was impossible
+to get over to the other side, for the boldest swimmer would not
+have dared to brave the fierce current and roaring waters. Then
+the youth said to the dwarf: 'Give me your wand in order that I
+may part the waves.'
+
+And the dwarf was forced to do as he was told because the youth
+still kept his beard from him; but the wicked little creature
+chuckled with joy and thought to himself: 'The foolish youth will
+hand me my beard as soon as we have crossed the river, and then my
+power will return, and I will seize my wand and prevent them both
+ever returning to their beautiful country.'
+
+But the dwarf's wicked intentions were doomed to disappointment.
+The happy youth struck the water with his wand, and the waves at
+once parted and stood still, and the dwarf went on in front and
+crossed the stream. No sooner had he done so than the waters
+closed behind him, and the youth and his lovely bride stood safe
+on the other side. Then they threw his beard to the old man across
+the river, but they kept his wand, so that the wicked dwarf could
+never again enter their kingdom. So the happy couple returned to
+their castle, and lived there in peace and plenty for ever after.
+But the other two musicians waited in vain for the return of their
+companion; and when he never came they said: 'Ah, he's gone to
+play the flute,' till the saying passed into a proverb, and was
+always said of anyone who set out to perform a task from which he
+never returned.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE THREE DOGS
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a shepherd who had two children, a son
+and a daughter. When he was on his death-bed he turned to them and
+said, 'I have nothing to leave you but three sheep and a small
+house; divide them between you, as you like, but don't quarrel
+over them whatever you do.'
+
+When the shepherd was dead, the brother asked his sister which she
+would like best, the sheep or the little house; and when she had
+chosen the house he said, 'Then I'll take the sheep and go out to
+seek my fortune in the wide world. I don't see why I shouldn't be
+as lucky as many another who has set out on the same search, and
+it wasn't for nothing that I was born on a Sunday.'
+
+And so he started on his travels, driving his three sheep in front
+of him, and for a long time it seemed as if fortune didn't mean to
+favour him at all. One day he was sitting disconsolately at a
+cross road, when a man suddenly appeared before him with three
+black dogs, each one bigger than the other.
+
+'Hullo, my fine fellow,' said the man, 'I see you have three fat
+sheep. I'll tell you what; if you'll give them to me, I'll give
+you my three dogs.'
+
+In spite of his sadness, the youth smiled and replied, 'What would
+I do with your dogs? My sheep at least feed themselves, but I
+should have to find food for the dogs.'
+
+'My dogs are not like other dogs,' said the stranger; 'they will
+feed you instead of you them, and will make your fortune. The
+smallest one is called "Salt," and will bring you food whenever
+you wish; the second is called "Pepper," and will tear anyone to
+pieces who offers to hurt you; and the great big strong one is
+called "Mustard," and is so powerful that it will break iron or
+steel with its teeth.'
+
+The shepherd at last let himself be persuaded, and gave the
+stranger his sheep. In order to test the truth of his statement
+about the dogs, he said at once, 'Salt, I am hungry,' and before
+the words were out of his mouth the dog had disappeared, and
+returned in a few minutes with a large basket full of the most
+delicious food. Then the youth congratulated himself on the
+bargain he had made, and continued his journey in the best of
+spirits.
+
+One day he met a carriage and pair, all draped in black; even the
+horses were covered with black trappings, and the coachman was
+clothed in crape from top to toe. Inside the carriage sat a
+beautiful girl in a black dress crying bitterly. The horses
+advanced slowly and mournfully, with their heads bent on the
+ground.
+
+'Coachman, what's the meaning of all this grief?' asked the
+shepherd.
+
+At first the coachman wouldn't say anything, but when the youth
+pressed him he told him that a huge dragon dwelt in the
+neighbourhood, and required yearly the sacrifice of a beautiful
+maiden. This year the lot had fallen on the King's daughter, and
+the whole country was filled with woe and lamentation in
+consequence.
+
+The shepherd felt very sorry for the lovely maiden, and determined
+to follow the carriage. In a little it halted at the foot of a
+high mountain. The girl got out, and walked slowly and sadly to
+meet her terrible fate. The coachman perceived that the shepherd
+wished to follow her, and warned him not to do so if he valued his
+life; but the shepherd wouldn't listen to his advice. When they
+had climbed about half-way up the hill they saw a terrible-looking
+monster with the body of a snake, and with huge wings and claws,
+coming towards them, breathing forth flames of fire, and preparing
+to seize its victim. Then the shepherd called, 'Pepper, come to
+the rescue,' and the second dog set upon the dragon, and after a
+fierce struggle bit it so sharply in the neck that the monster
+rolled over, and in a few moments breathed its last. Then the dog
+ate up the body, all except its two front teeth, which the
+shepherd picked up and put in his pocket.
+
+The Princess was quite overcome with terror and joy, and fell
+fainting at the feet of her deliverer. When she recovered her
+consciousness she begged the shepherd to return with her to her
+father, who would reward him richly. But the youth answered that
+he wanted to see something of the world, and that he would return
+again in three years, and nothing would make him change this
+resolve. The Princess seated herself once more in her carriage,
+and, bidding each other farewell, she and the shepherd separated,
+she to return home, and he to see the world.
+
+But while the Princess was driving over a bridge the carriage
+suddenly stood still, and the coachman turned round to her and
+said, 'Your deliverer has gone, and doesn't thank you for your
+gratitude. It would be nice of you to make a poor fellow happy;
+therefore you may tell your father that it was I who slew the
+dragon, and if you refuse to, I will throw you into the river, and
+no one will be any the wiser, for they will think the dragon has
+devoured you.'
+
+The maiden was in a dreadful state when she heard these words; but
+there was nothing for her to do but to swear that she would give
+out the coachman as her deliverer, and not to divulge the secret
+to anyone. So they returned to the capital, and everyone was
+delighted when they saw the Princess had returned unharmed; the
+black flags were taken down from all the palace towers, and gay-
+coloured ones put up in their place, and the King embraced his
+daughter and her supposed rescuer with tears of joy, and, turning
+to the coachman, he said, 'You have not only saved the life of my
+child, but you have also freed the country from a terrible
+scourge; therefore, it is only fitting that you should be richly
+rewarded. Take, therefore, my daughter for your wife; but as she
+is still so young, do not let the marriage be celebrated for
+another year.'
+
+The coachman thanked the King for his graciousness, and was then
+led away to be richly dressed and instructed in all the arts and
+graces that befitted his new position. But the poor Princess wept
+bitterly, though she did not dare to confide her grief to anyone.
+When the year was over, she begged so hard for another year's
+respite that it was granted to her. But this year passed also, and
+she threw herself at her father's feet, and begged so piteously
+for one more year that the King's heart was melted, and he yielded
+to her request, much to the Princess's joy, for she knew that her
+real deliverer would appear at the end of the third year. And so
+the year passed away like the other two, and the wedding-day was
+fixed, and all the people were prepared to feast and make merry.
+
+But on the wedding-day it happened that a stranger came to the
+town with three black dogs. He asked what the meaning of all the
+feasting and fuss was, and they told him that the King's daughter
+was just going to be married to the man who had slain the terrible
+dragon. The stranger at once denounced the coachman as a liar; but
+no one would listen to him, and he was seized and thrown into a
+cell with iron doors.
+
+While he was lying on his straw pallet, pondering mournfully on
+his fate, he thought he heard the low whining of his dogs outside;
+then an idea dawned on him, and he called out as loudly as he
+could, 'Mustard, come to my help,' and in a second he saw the paws
+of his biggest dog at the window of his cell, and before he could
+count two the creature had bitten through the iron bars and stood
+beside him. Then they both let themselves out of the prison by the
+window, and the poor youth was free once more, though he felt very
+sad when he thought that another was to enjoy the reward that
+rightfully belonged to him. He felt hungry too, so he called his
+dog 'Salt,' and asked him to bring home some food. The faithful
+creature trotted off, and soon returned with a table-napkin full
+of the most delicious food, and the napkin itself was embroidered
+with a kingly crown.
+
+The King had just seated himself at the wedding-feast with all his
+Court, when the dog appeared and licked the Princess's hand in an
+appealing manner. With a joyful start she recognised the beast,
+and bound her own table-napkin round his neck. Then she plucked up
+her courage and told her father the whole story. The King at once
+sent a servant to follow the dog, and in a short time the stranger
+was led into the Kings presence. The former coachman grew as white
+as a sheet when he saw the shepherd, and, falling on his knees,
+begged for mercy and pardon. The Princess recognized her deliverer
+at once, and did not need the proof of the two dragon's teeth
+which he drew from his pocket. The coachman was thrown into a dark
+dungeon, and the shepherd took his place at the Princess's side,
+and this time, you may be sure, she did not beg for the wedding to
+be put off.
+
+The young couple lived for some time in great peace and happiness,
+when suddenly one day the former shepherd bethought himself of his
+poor sister and expressed a wish to see her again, and to let her
+share in his good fortune. So they sent a carriage to fetch her,
+and soon she arrived at the court, and found herself once more in
+her brother's arms. Then one of the dogs spoke and said, 'Our task
+is done; you have no more need of us. We only waited to see that
+you did not forget your sister in your prosperity.' And with these
+words the three dogs became three birds and flew away into the
+heavens.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Green Fairy Book
+by Andrew Lang, Ed.
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREEN FAIRY BOOK ***
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+This file should be named 7gfry10.txt or 7gfry10.zip
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+Project Gutenberg's The Green Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang, Ed.
+
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+Title: The Green Fairy Book
+
+Author: Andrew Lang, Ed.
+
+Release Date: January, 2005 [EBook #7277]
+[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule]
+[This file was first posted on April 6, 2003]
+
+Edition: 10
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-Latin-1
+
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREEN FAIRY BOOK ***
+
+
+
+
+Text scanned by JC Byers.  Proofreading by Wendy Crockett.
+
+
+
+
+                      The Green Fairy Book
+
+                           Edited by
+                          Andrew Lang
+
+                               To
+                    Stella Margaret Alleyne
+                              the
+                        Green Fairy Book
+                          is dedicated
+
+
+
+                     To The Friendly Reader
+
+
+
+This is the third, and probably the last, of the Fairy Books of
+many colours. First there was the Blue Fairy Book; then,
+children, you asked for more, and we made up the Red Fairy Book;
+and, when you wanted more still, the Green Fairy Book was put
+together. The stories in all the books are borrowed from many
+countries; some are French, some German, some Russian, some
+Italian, some Scottish, some English, one Chinese. However much
+these nations differ about trifles, they all agree in liking
+fairy tales. The reason, no doubt, is that men were much like
+children in their minds long ago, long, long ago, and so before
+they took to writing newspapers, and sermons, and novels, and
+long poems, they told each other stories, such as you read in the
+fairy books. They believed that witches could turn people into
+beasts, that beasts could speak, that magic rings could make
+their owners invisible, and all the other wonders in the stories.
+Then, as the world became grown-up, the fairy tales which were
+not written down would have been quite forgotten but that the old
+grannies remembered them, and told them to the little
+grandchildren: and when they, in their turn, became grannies,
+they remembered them, and told them also. In this way these tales
+are older than reading and writing, far older than printing. The
+oldest fairy tales ever written down were written down in Egypt,
+about Joseph's time, nearly three thousand five hundred years
+ago. Other fairy stories Homer knew, in Greece, nearly three
+thousand years ago, and he made them all up into a poem, the
+Odyssey, which I hope you will read some day. Here you will find
+the witch who turns men into swine, and the man who bores out the
+big foolish giant's eye, and the cap of darkness, and the shoes
+of swiftness, that were worn later by Jack the Giant-Killer.
+These fairy tales are the oldest stories in the world, and as
+they were first made by men who were childlike for their own
+amusement, so they amuse children still, and also grown-up people
+who have not forgotten how they once were children.
+
+Some of the stories were made, no doubt, not only to amuse, but
+to teach goodness. You see, in the tales, how the boy who is kind
+to beasts, and polite, and generous, and brave, always comes best
+through his trials, and no doubt these tales were meant to make
+their hearers kind, unselfish, courteous, and courageous. This is
+the moral of them. But, after all, we think more as we read them
+of the diversion than of the lesson. There are grown-up people
+now who say that the stories are not good for children, because
+they are not true, because there are no witches, nor talking
+beasts, and because people are killed in them, especially wicked
+giants. But probably you who read the tales know very well how
+much is true and how much is only make-believe, and I never yet
+heard of a child who killed a very tall man merely because Jack
+killed the giants, or who was unkind to his stepmother, if he had
+one, because, in fairy tales, the stepmother is often
+disagreeable. If there are frightful monsters in fairy tales,
+they do not frighten you now, because that kind of monster is no
+longer going about the world, whatever he may have done long,
+long ago. He has been turned into stone, and you may see his
+remains in museums. Therefore, I am not afraid that you will be
+afraid of the magicians and dragons; besides, you see that a
+really brave boy or girl was always their master, even in the
+height of their power.
+
+Some of the tales here, like The Half-Chick, are for very little
+children; others for older ones. The longest tales, like Heart of
+Ice, were not invented when the others were, but were written in
+French, by clever men and women, such as Madame d'Aulnoy, and the
+Count de Caylus, about two hundred years ago. There are not many
+people now, perhaps there are none, who can write really good
+fairy tales, because they do not believe enough in their own
+stories, and because they want to be wittier than it has pleased
+Heaven to make them.
+
+So here we give you the last of the old stories, for the present,
+and hope you will like them, and feel grateful to the Brothers
+Grimm, who took them down from the telling of old women, and to
+M. Sebillot and M. Charles Marelles, who have lent us some tales
+from their own French people, and to Mr. Ford, who drew the
+pictures, and to the ladies, Miss Blackley, Miss Alma Alleyne,
+Miss Eleanor Sellar, Miss May Sellar, Miss Wright, and Mrs. Lang,
+who translated many of the tales out of French, German, and other
+languages.
+
+If we have a book for you next year, it shall not be a fairy
+book. What it is to be is a secret, but we hope that it will not
+be dull. So good-bye, and when you have read a fairy book, lend
+it to other children who have none, or tell them the stories in
+your own way, which is a very pleasant mode of passing the time.
+
+
+
+                            Contents
+
+The Blue Bird
+The Half-Chick
+The Story of Caliph Stork
+The Enchanted Watch
+Rosanella
+Sylvain and Jocosa
+Fairy Gifts
+Prince Narcissus and the Princess Potentilla
+Prince Featherhead and the Princess Celandine
+The Three Little Pigs
+Heart of Ice
+The Enchanted Ring
+The Snuff-box
+The Golden Blackbird
+The Little Soldier
+The Magic Swan
+The Dirty Shepherdess
+The Enchanted Snake
+The Biter Bit
+King Kojata
+Prince Fickle and Fair Helena
+Puddocky
+The Story of Hok Lee and the Dwarfs
+The Story of the Three Bears
+Prince Vivien and the Princess Placida
+Little One-eye, Little Two-eyes, and Little Three-eyes
+Jorinde and Joringel
+Allerleirauh; or, the Many-furred Creature
+The Twelve Huntsmen
+Spindle, Shuttle, and Needle
+The Crystal Coffin
+The Three Snake-leaves
+The Riddle
+Jack my Hedgehog
+The Golden Lads
+The White Snake
+The Story of a Clever Tailor
+The Golden Mermaid
+The War of the Wolf and the Fox
+The Story of the Fisherman and his Wife
+The Three Musicians
+The Three Dogs
+
+
+
+
+
+                         THE BLUE BIRD
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King who was immensely rich. He
+had broad lands, and sacks overflowing with gold and silver; but
+he did not care a bit for all his riches, because the Queen, his
+wife, was dead. He shut himself up in a little room and knocked
+his head against the walls for grief, until his courtiers were
+really afraid that he would hurt himself. So they hung
+feather-beds between the tapestry and the walls, and then he
+could go on knocking his head as long as it was any consolation
+to him without coming to much harm. All his subjects came to see
+him, and said whatever they thought would comfort him: some were
+grave, even gloomy with him; and some agreeable, even gay; but
+not one could make the least impression upon him. Indeed, he
+hardly seemed to hear what they said. At last came a lady who was
+wrapped in a black mantle, and seemed to be in the deepest grief.
+She wept and sobbed until even the King's attention was
+attracted; and when she said that, far from coming to try and
+diminish his grief, she, who had just lost a good husband, was
+come to add her tears to his, since she knew what he must be
+feeling, the King redoubled his lamentations. Then he told the
+sorrowful lady long stories about the good qualities of his
+departed Queen, and she in her turn recounted all the virtues of
+her departed husband; and this passed the time so agreeably that
+the King quite forgot to thump his head against the feather-beds,
+and the lady did not need to wipe the tears from her great blue
+eyes as often as before. By degrees they came to talking about
+other things in which the King took an interest, and in a
+wonderfully short time the whole kingdom was astonished by the
+news that the King was married again to the sorrowful lady.
+
+Now the King had one daughter, who was just fifteen years old.
+Her name was Fiordelisa, and she was the prettiest and most
+charming Princess imaginable, always gay and merry. The new
+Queen, who also had a daughter, very soon sent for her to come to
+the Palace. Turritella, for that was her name, had been brought
+up by her godmother, the Fairy Mazilla, but in spite of all the
+care bestowed upon her, she was neither beautiful nor gracious.
+Indeed, when the Queen saw how ill-tempered and ugly she appeared
+beside Fiordelisa she was in despair, and did everything in her
+power to turn the King against his own daughter, in the hope that
+he might take a fancy to Turritella. One day the King said that
+it was time Fiordelisa and Turritella were married, so he would
+give one of them to the first suitable Prince who visited his
+Court. The Queen answered:
+
+‘My daughter certainly ought to be the first to be married; she
+is older than yours, and a thousand times more charming!'
+
+The King, who hated disputes, said, ‘Very well, it's no affair of
+mine, settle it your own way.'
+
+Very soon after came the news that King Charming, who was the
+most handsome and magnificent Prince in all the country round,
+was on his way to visit the King. As soon as the Queen heard
+this, she set all her jewellers, tailors, weavers, and
+embroiderers to work upon splendid dresses and ornaments for
+Turritella, but she told the King that Fiordelisa had no need of
+anything new, and the night before the King was to arrive, she
+bribed her waiting woman to steal away all the Princess's own
+dresses and jewels, so that when the day came, and Fiordelisa
+wished to adorn herself as became her high rank, not even a
+ribbon could she find.
+
+However, as she easily guessed who had played her such a trick,
+she made no complaint, but sent to the merchants for some rich
+stuffs. But they said that the Queen had expressly forbidden them
+to supply her with any, and they dared not disobey. So the
+Princess had nothing left to put on but the little white frock
+she had been wearing the day before; and dressed in that, she
+went down when the time of the King's arrival came, and sat in a
+corner hoping to escape notice. The Queen received her guest with
+great ceremony, and presented him to her daughter, who was
+gorgeously attired, but so much splendour only made her ugliness
+more noticeable, and the King, after one glance at her, looked
+the other way. The Queen, however, only thought that he was
+bashful, and took pains to keep Turritella in full view. King
+Charming then asked it there was not another Princess, called
+Fiordelisa.
+
+‘Yes,' said Turritella, pointing with her finger, ‘there she is,
+trying to keep out of sight because she is not smart.'
+
+At this Fiordelisa blushed, and looked so shy and so lovely, that
+the King was fairly astonished. He rose, and bowing low before
+her, said--
+
+‘Madam, your incomparable beauty needs no adornment.'
+
+‘Sire,' answered the Princess, ‘I assure you that I am not in the
+habit of wearing dresses as crumpled and untidy as this one, so I
+should have been better pleased if you had not seen me at all.'
+
+‘Impossible!' cried King Charming. ‘Wherever such a marvellously
+beautiful Princess appears I can look at nothing else.'
+
+Here the Queen broke in, saying sharply--
+
+‘I assure you, Sire, that Fiordelisa is vain enough already. Pray
+make her no more flattering speeches.'
+
+The King quite understood that she was not pleased, but that did
+not matter to him, so he admired Fiordelisa to his heart's
+content, and talked to her for three hours without stopping.
+
+The Queen was in despair, and so was Turritella, when they saw
+how much the King preferred Fiordelisa. They complained bitterly
+to the King, and begged and teased him, until he at last
+consented to have the Princess shut up somewhere out of sight
+while King Charming's visit lasted. So that night, as she went to
+her room, she was seized by four masked figures, and carried up
+into the topmost room of a high tower, where they left her in the
+deepest dejection. She easily guessed that she was to be kept out
+of sight for fear the King should fall in love with her; but
+then, how disappointing that was, for she already liked him very
+much, and would have been quite willing to be chosen for his
+bride! As King Charming did not know what had happened to the
+Princess, he looked forward impatiently to meeting her again, and
+he tried to talk about her with the courtiers who were placed in
+attendance on him. But by the Queen's orders they would say
+nothing good of her, but declared that she was vain, capricious,
+and bad-tempered; that she tormented her waiting-maids, and that,
+in spite of all the money that the King gave her, she was so mean
+that she preferred to go about dressed like a poor shepherdess,
+rather than spend any of it. All these things vexed the King very
+much, and he was silent.
+
+‘It is true,' thought he, ‘that she was very poorly dressed, but
+then she was so ashamed that it proves that she was not
+accustomed to be so. I cannot believe that with that lovely face
+she can be as ill-tempered and contemptible as they say. No, no,
+the Queen must be jealous of her for the sake of that ugly
+daughter of hers, and so these evil reports are spread.'
+
+The courtiers could not help seeing that what they had told the
+King did not please him, and one of them cunningly began to
+praise Fiordelisa, when he could talk to the King without being
+heard by the others.
+
+King Charming thereupon became so cheerful, and interested in all
+he said, that it was easy to guess how much he admired the
+Princess. So when the Queen sent for the courtiers and questioned
+them about all they had found out, their report confirmed her
+worst fears. As to the poor Princess Fiordelisa, she cried all
+night without stopping.
+
+‘It would have been quite bad enough to be shut up in this gloomy
+tower before I had ever seen King Charming,' she said; ‘but now
+when he is here, and they are all enjoying themselves with him,
+it is too unkind.'
+
+The next day the Queen sent King Charming splendid presents of
+jewels and rich stuffs, and among other things an ornament made
+expressly in honour of the approaching wedding. It was a heart
+cut out of one huge ruby, and was surrounded by several diamond
+arrows, and pierced by one. A golden true-lover's knot above the
+heart bore the motto, ‘But one can wound me,' and the whole jewel
+was hung upon a chain of immense pearls. Never, since the world
+has been a world, had such a thing been made, and the King was
+quite amazed when it was presented to him. The page who brought
+it begged him to accept it from the Princess, who chose him to be
+her knight.
+
+‘What!' cried he, ‘does the lovely Princess Fiordelisa deign to
+think of me in this amiable and encouraging way?'
+
+‘You confuse the names, Sire,' said the page hastily. ‘I come on
+behalf of the Princess Turritella.'
+
+‘Oh, it is Turritella who wishes me to be her knight,' said the
+King coldly. ‘I am sorry that I cannot accept the honour.' And he
+sent the splendid gifts back to the Queen and Turritella, who
+were furiously angry at the contempt with which they were
+treated. As soon as he possibly could, King Charming went to see
+the King and Queen, and as he entered the hall he looked for
+Fiordelisa, and every time anyone came in he started round to see
+who it was, and was altogether so uneasy and dissatisfied that
+the Queen saw it plainly. But she would not take any notice, and
+talked of nothing but the entertainments she was planning. The
+Prince answered at random, and presently asked if he was not to
+have the pleasure of seeing the Princess Fiordelisa.
+
+‘Sire,' answered the Queen haughtily, ‘her father has ordered
+that she shall not leave her own apartments until my daughter is
+married.'
+
+‘What can be the reason for keeping that lovely Princess a
+prisoner?' cried the King in great indignation.
+
+‘That I do not know,' answered the Queen; ‘and even if I did, I
+might not feel bound to tell you.'
+
+The King was terribly angry at being thwarted like this. He felt
+certain that Turritella was to blame for it, so casting a furious
+glance at her he abruptly took leave of the Queen, and returned
+to his own apartments. There he said to a young squire whom he
+had brought with him: ‘I would give all I have in the world to
+gain the good will of one of the Princess's waiting-women, and
+obtain a moment's speech with Fiordelisa.'
+
+‘Nothing could be easier,' said the young squire; and he very
+soon made friends with one of the ladies, who told him that in
+the evening Fiordelisa would be at a little window which looked
+into the garden, where he could come and talk to her. Only, she
+said, he must take very great care not to be seen, as it would be
+as much as her place was worth to be caught helping King Charming
+to see the Princess. The squire was delighted, and promised all
+she asked; but the moment he had run off to announce his success
+to the King, the false waiting-woman went and told the Queen all
+that had passed. She at once determined that her own daughter
+should be at the little window; and she taught her so well all
+she was to say and do, that even the stupid Turritella could make
+no mistake.
+
+The night was so dark that the King had not a chance of finding
+out the trick that was being played upon him, so he approached
+the window with the greatest delight, and said everything that he
+had been longing to say to Fiordelisa to persuade her of his love
+for her. Turritella answered as she had been taught, that she was
+very unhappy, and that there was no chance of her being better
+treated by the Queen until her daughter was married. And then the
+King entreated her to marry him; and thereupon he drew his ring
+from his finger and put it upon Turritella's, and she answered
+him as well as she could. The King could not help thinking that
+she did not say exactly what he would have expected from his
+darling Fiordelisa, but he persuaded himself that the fear of
+being surprised by the Queen was making her awkward and
+unnatural. He would not leave her until she had promised to see
+him again the next night, which Turritella did willingly enough.
+The Queen was overjoyed at the success of her stratagem, end
+promised herself that all would now be as she wished; and sure
+enough, as soon as it was dark the following night the King came,
+bringing with him a chariot which had been given him by an
+Enchanter who was his friend. This chariot was drawn by flying
+frogs, and the King easily persuaded Turritella to come out and
+let him put her into it, then mounting beside her he cried
+triumphantly--
+
+‘Now, my Princess, you are free; where will it please you that we
+shall hold our wedding?'
+
+And Turritella, with her head muffled in her mantle, answered
+that the Fairy Mazilla was her godmother, and that she would like
+it to be at her castle. So the King told the Frogs, who had the
+map of the whole world in their heads, and very soon he and
+Turritella were set down at the castle of the Fairy Mazilla. The
+King would certainly have found out his mistake the moment they
+stepped into the brilliantly lighted castle, but Turritella held
+her mantle more closely round her, and asked to see the Fairy by
+herself, and quickly told her all that had happened, and how she
+had succeeded in deceiving King Charming.
+
+‘Oho! my daughter,' said the Fairy, ‘I see we have no easy task
+before us. He loves Fiordelisa so much that he will not be easily
+pacified. I feel sure he will defy us!' Meanwhile the King was
+waiting in a splendid room with diamond walls, so clear that he
+could see the Fairy and Turritella as they stood whispering
+together, and he was very much puzzled.
+
+‘Who can have betrayed us?' he said to himself. ‘How comes our
+enemy here? She must be plotting to prevent our marriage. Why
+doesn't my lovely Fiordelisa make haste and come hack to me?'
+
+But it was worse than anything he had imagined when the Fairy
+Mazilla entered, leading Turritella by the hand, and said to
+him--
+
+‘King Charming, here is the Princess Turritella to whom you have
+plighted your faith. Let us have the wedding at once.'
+
+‘I!' cried the King. ‘I marry that little creature! What do you
+take me for? I have promised her nothing!'
+
+‘Say no more. Have you no respect for a Fairy?' cried she
+angrily.
+
+‘Yes, madam,' answered the King, ‘I am prepared to respect you as
+much as a Fairy can be respected, if you will give me back my
+Princess.'
+
+‘Am I not here?' interrupted Turritella. ‘Here is the ring you
+gave me. With whom did you talk at the little window, if it was
+not with me?'
+
+‘What!' cried the King angrily, ‘have I been altogether deceived
+and deluded? Where is my chariot? Not another moment will I stay
+here.'
+
+‘Oho,' said the Fairy, ‘not so fast.' And she touched his feet,
+which instantly became as firmly fixed to the floor as if they
+had been nailed there.
+
+‘Oh! do whatever you like with me,' said the King; ‘you may turn
+me to stone, but I will marry no one but Fiordelisa.'
+
+And not another word would he say, though the Fairy scolded and
+threatened, and Turritella wept and raged for twenty days and
+twenty nights. At last the Fairy Mazilla said furiously (for she
+was quite tired out by his obstinacy), ‘Choose whether you will
+marry my goddaughter, or do penance seven years for breaking your
+word to her.'
+
+And then the King cried gaily: ‘Pray do whatever you like with
+me, as long as you deliver me from this ugly scold!'
+
+‘Scold!' cried Turritella angrily. ‘Who are you, I should like to
+know, that you dare to call me a scold? A miserable King who
+breaks his word, and goes about in a chariot drawn by croaking
+frogs out of a marsh!'
+
+‘Let us have no more of these insults,' cried the Fairy. ‘Fly
+from that window, ungrateful King, and for seven years be a Blue
+Bird.' As she spoke the King's face altered, his arms turned to
+wings, his feet to little crooked black claws. In a moment he had
+a slender body like a bird, covered with shining blue feathers,
+his beak was like ivory, his eyes were bright as stars, and a
+crown of white feathers adorned his head.
+
+As soon as the transformation was complete the King uttered a
+dolorous cry and fled through the open window, pursued by the
+mocking laughter of Turritella and the Fairy Mazilla. He flew on
+until he reached the thickest part of the wood, and there,
+perched upon a cypress tree, he bewailed his miserable fate.
+‘Alas! in seven years who knows what may happen to my darling
+Fiordelisa!' he said. ‘Her cruel stepmother may have married her
+to someone else before I am myself again, and then what good will
+life be to me?'
+
+In the meantime the Fairy Mazilla had sent Turritella back to the
+Queen, who was all anxiety to know how the wedding, had gone off.
+But when her daughter arrived and told her all that had happened
+she was terribly angry, and of course all her wrath fell upon
+Fiordelisa. ‘She shall have cause to repent that the King admires
+her,' said the Queen, nodding her head meaningly, and then she
+and Turritella went up to the little room in the tower where the
+Princess was imprisoned. Fiordelisa was immensely surprised to
+see that Turritella was wearing a royal mantle and a diamond
+crown, and her heart sank when the Queen said: ‘My daughter is
+come to show you some of her wedding presents, for she is King
+Charming's bride, and they are the happiest pair in the world, he
+loves her to distraction.' All this time Turritella was spreading
+out lace, and jewels, and rich brocades, and ribbons before
+Fiordelisa's unwilling eyes, and taking good care to display King
+Charming's ring, which she wore upon her thumb. The Princess
+recognised it as soon as her eyes fell upon it, and after that
+she could no longer doubt that he had indeed married Turritella.
+In despair she cried, ‘Take away these miserable gauds! what
+pleasure has a wretched captive in the sight of them?' and then
+she fell insensible upon the floor, and the cruel Queen laughed
+maliciously, and went away with Turritella, leaving her there
+without comfort or aid. That night the Queen said to the King,
+that his daughter was so infatuated with King Charming, in spite
+of his never having shown any preference for her, that it was
+just as well she should stay in the tower until she came to her
+senses. To which he answered that it was her affair, and she
+could give what orders she pleased about the Princess.
+
+When the unhappy Fiordelisa recovered, and remembered all she had
+just heard, she began to cry bitterly, believing that King
+Charming was lost to her for ever, and all night long she sat at
+her open window sighing and lamenting; but when it was dawn she
+crept away into the darkest corner of her little room and sat
+there, too unhappy to care about anything. As soon as night came
+again she once more leaned out into the darkness and bewailed her
+miserable lot.
+
+Now it happened that King Charming, or rather the Blue Bird, had
+been flying round the palace in the hope of seeing his beloved
+Princess, but had not dared to go too near the windows for fear
+of being seen and recognised by Turritella. When night fell he
+had not succeeded in discovering where Fiordelisa was imprisoned,
+and, weary and sad, he perched upon a branch of a tall fir tree
+which grew close to the tower, and began to sing himself to
+sleep. But soon the sound of a soft voice lamenting attracted his
+attention, and listening intently he heard it say--
+
+‘Ah! cruel Queen! what have I ever done to be imprisoned like
+this? And was I not unhappy enough before, that you must needs
+come and taunt me with the happiness your daughter is enjoying
+now she is King Charming's bride?'
+
+The Blue Bird, greatly surprised, waited impatiently for the
+dawn, and the moment it was light flew off to see who it could
+have been who spoke thus. But he found the window shut, and could
+see no one. The next night, however, he was on the watch, and by
+the clear moonlight he saw that the sorrowful lady at the window
+was Fiordelisa herself.
+
+‘My Princess! have I found you at last?' said he, alighting close
+to her.
+
+‘Who is speaking to me?' cried the Princess in great surprise.
+
+‘Only a moment since you mentioned my name, and now you do not
+know me, Fiordelisa,' said he sadly. ‘But no wonder, since I am
+nothing but a Blue Bird, and must remain one for seven years.'
+
+‘What! Little Blue Bird, are you really the powerful King
+Charming?' said the Princess, caressing him.
+
+‘It is too true,' he answered. ‘For being faithful to you I am
+thus punished. But believe me, if it were for twice as long I
+would bear it joyfully rather than give you up.'
+
+‘Oh! what are you telling me?' cried the Princess. ‘Has not your
+bride, Turritella, just visited me, wearing the royal mantle and
+the diamond crown you gave her? I cannot be mistaken, for I saw
+your ring upon her thumb.'
+
+Then the Blue Bird was furiously angry, and told the Princess all
+that had happened, how he had been deceived into carrying off
+Turritella, and how, for refusing to marry her, the Fairy Mazilla
+had condemned him to be a Blue Bird for seven years.
+
+The Princess was very happy when she heard how faithful her lover
+was, and would never have tired of hearing his loving speeches
+and explanations, but too soon the sun rose, and they had to part
+lest the Blue Bird should be discovered. After promising to come
+again to the Princess's window as soon as it was dark, he flew
+away, and hid himself in a little hole in the fir-tree, while
+Fiordelisa remained devoured by anxiety lest he should be caught
+in a trap, or eaten up by an eagle.
+
+But the Blue Bird did not long stay in his hiding-place. He flew
+away, and away, until he came to his own palace, and got into it
+through a broken window, and there he found the cabinet where his
+jewels were kept, and chose out a splendid diamond ring as a
+present for the Princess. By the time he got back, Fiordelisa was
+sitting waiting for him by the open window, and when he gave her
+the ring, she scolded him gently for having run such a risk to
+get it for her.
+
+‘Promise me that you will wear it always!' said the Blue Bird.
+And the Princess promised on condition that he should come and
+see her in the day as well as by night. They talked all night
+long, and the next morning the Blue Bird flew off to his kingdom,
+and crept into his palace through the broken window, and chose
+from his treasures two bracelets, each cut out of a single
+emerald. When he presented them to the Princess, she shook her
+head at him reproachfully, saying--
+
+‘Do you think I love you so little that I need all these gifts to
+remind me of you?'
+
+And he answered--
+
+‘No, my Princess; but I love you so much that I feel I cannot
+express it, try as I may. I only bring you these worthless
+trifles to show that I have not ceased to think of you, though I
+have been obliged to leave you for a time.' The following night
+he gave Fiordelisa a watch set in a single pearl. The Princess
+laughed a little when she saw it, and said--
+
+‘You may well give me a watch, for since I have known you I have
+lost the power of measuring time. The hours you spend with me
+pass like minutes, and the hours that I drag through without you
+seem years to me.'
+
+‘Ah, Princess, they cannot seem so long to you as they do to me!'
+he answered. Day by day he brought more beautiful things for the
+Princess--diamonds, and rubies, and opals; and at night she
+decked herself with them to please him, but by day she hid them
+in her straw mattress. When the sun shone the Blue Bird, hidden
+in the tall fir-tree, sang to her so sweetly that all the
+passersby wondered, and said that the wood was inhabited by a
+spirit. And so two years slipped away, and still the Princess was
+a prisoner, and Turritella was not married. The Queen had offered
+her hand to all the neighbouring Princes, but they always
+answered that they would marry Fiordelisa with pleasure, but not
+Turritella on any account. This displeased the Queen terribly.
+‘Fiordelisa must be in league with them, to annoy me!' she said.
+‘Let us go and accuse her of it.'
+
+So she and Turritella went up into the tower. Now it happened
+that it was nearly midnight, and Fiordelisa, all decked with
+jewels, was sitting at the window with the Blue Bird, and as the
+Queen paused outside the door to listen she heard the Princess
+and her lover singing together a little song he had just taught
+her. These were the words:--
+
+     ‘Oh! what a luckless pair are we,
+     One in a prison, and one in a tree.
+     All our trouble and anguish came
+     From our faithfulness spoiling our enemies' game.
+     But vainly they practice their cruel arts,
+     For nought can sever our two fond hearts.'
+
+They sound melancholy perhaps, but the two voices sang them gaily
+enough, and the Queen burst open the door, crying, ‘Ah! my
+Turritella, there is some treachery going on here!'
+
+As soon as she saw her, Fiordelisa, with great presence of mind,
+hastily shut her little window, that the Blue Bird might have
+time to escape, and then turned to meet the Queen, who
+overwhelmed her with a torrent of reproaches.
+
+‘Your intrigues are discovered, Madam,' she said furiously; ‘and
+you need not hope that your high rank will save you from the
+punishment you deserve.'
+
+‘And with whom do you accuse me of intriguing, Madam?' said the
+Princess. ‘Have I not been your prisoner these two years, and who
+have I seen except the gaolers sent by you?'
+
+While she spoke the Queen and Turritella were looking at her in
+the greatest surprise, perfectly dazzled by her beauty and the
+splendour of her jewels, and the Queen said:
+
+‘If one may ask, Madam, where did you get all these diamonds?
+Perhaps you mean to tell me that you have discovered a mine of
+them in the tower!'
+
+‘I certainly did find them here,' answered the Princess.
+
+‘And pray,' said the Queen, her wrath increasing every moment,
+‘for whose admiration are you decked out like this, since I have
+often seen you not half as fine on the most important occasions
+at Court?'
+
+‘For my own,' answered Fiordelisa. ‘You must admit that I have
+had plenty of time on my hands, so you cannot be surprised at my
+spending some of it in making myself smart.'
+
+‘That's all very fine,' said the Queen suspiciously. ‘I think I
+will look about, and see for myself.'
+
+So she and Turritella began to search every corner of the little
+room, and when they came to the straw mattress out fell such a
+quantity of pearls, diamonds, rubies, opals, emeralds, and
+sapphires, that they were amazed, and could not tell what to
+think. But the Queen resolved to hide somewhere a packet of false
+letters to prove that the Princess had been conspiring with the
+King's enemies, and she chose the chimney as a good place.
+Fortunately for Fiordelisa this was exactly where the Blue Bird
+had perched himself, to keep an eye upon her proceedings, and try
+to avert danger from his beloved Princess, and now he cried:
+
+‘Beware, Fiordelisa! Your false enemy is plotting against you.'
+
+This strange voice so frightened the Queen that she took the
+letter and went away hastily with Turritella, and they held a
+council to try and devise some means of finding out what Fairy or
+Enchanter was favouring the Princess. At last they sent one of
+the Queen's maids to wait upon Fiordelisa, and told her to
+pretend to be quite stupid, and to see and hear nothing, while
+she was really to watch the Princess day and night, and keep the
+Queen informed of all her doings.
+
+Poor Fiordelisa, who guessed she was sent as a spy, was in
+despair, and cried bitterly that she dared not see her dear Blue
+Bird for fear that some evil might happen to him if he were
+discovered.
+
+The days were so long, and the nights so dull, but for a whole
+month she never went near her little window lest he should fly to
+her as he used to do.
+
+However, at last the spy, who had never taken her eyes off the
+Princess day or night, was so overcome with weariness that she
+fell into a deep sleep, and as son as the Princess saw that, she
+flew to open her window and cried softly:
+
+     ‘Blue Bird, blue as the sky,
+     Fly to me now, there's nobody by.'
+
+And the Blue Bird, who had never ceased to flutter round within
+sight and hearing of her prison, came in an instant. They had so
+much to say, and were so overjoyed to meet once more, that it
+scarcely seemed to them five minutes before the sun rose, and the
+Blue Bird had to fly away.
+
+But the next night the spy slept as soundly as before, so that
+the Blue Bird came, and he and the Princess began to think they
+were perfectly safe, and to make all sorts of plans for being
+happy as they were before the Queen's visit. But, alas! the third
+night the spy was not quite so sleepy, and when the Princess
+opened her window and cried as usual:
+
+     ‘Blue Bird, blue as the sky,
+     Fly to me now, there's nobody nigh,'
+
+she was wide awake in a moment, though she was sly enough to keep
+her eyes shut at first. But presently she heard voices, and
+peeping cautiously, she saw by the moonlight the most lovely blue
+bird in the world, who was talking to the Princess, while she
+stroked and caressed it fondly.
+
+The spy did not lose a single word of the conversation, and as
+soon as the day dawned, and the Blue Bird had reluctantly said
+good-bye to the Princess, she rushed off to the Queen, and told
+her all she had seen and heard.
+
+Then the Queen sent for Turritella, and they talked it over, and
+very soon came to the conclusion than this Blue Bird was no other
+than King Charming himself.
+
+‘Ah! that insolent Princess!' cried the Queen. ‘To think that
+when we supposed her to be so miserable, she was all the while as
+happy as possible with that false King. But I know how we can
+avenge ourselves!'
+
+So the spy was ordered to go back and pretend to sleep as soundly
+as ever, and indeed she went to bed earlier than usual, and
+snored as naturally as possible, and the poor Princess ran to the
+window and cried:
+
+     ‘Blue Bird, blue as the sky,
+     Fly to me now, there's nobody by!'
+
+But no bird came. All night long she called, and waited, and
+listened, but still there was no answer, for the cruel Queen had
+caused the fir tree to be hung all over with knives, swords,
+razors, shears, bill-hooks, and sickles, so that when the Blue
+Bird heard the Princess call, and flew towards her, his wings
+were cut, and his little black feet clipped off, and all pierced
+and stabbed in twenty places, he fell back bleeding into his
+hiding place in the tree, and lay there groaning and despairing,
+for he thought the Princess must have been persuaded to betray
+him, to regain her liberty.
+
+‘Ah! Fiordelisa, can you indeed be so lovely and so faithless?'
+he sighed, ‘then I may as well die at once!' And he turned over
+on his side and began to die. But it happened that his friend the
+Enchanter had been very much alarmed at seeing the Frog chariot
+come back to him without King Charming, and had been round the
+world eight times seeking him, but without success. At the very
+moment when the King gave himself up to despair, he was passing
+through the wood for the eighth time, and called, as he had done
+all over the world:
+
+‘Charming! King Charming! Are you here?'
+
+The King at once recognised his friend's voice, and answered very
+faintly:
+
+‘I am here.'
+
+The Enchanter looked all round him, but could see nothing, and
+then the King said again:
+
+‘I am a Blue Bird.'
+
+Then the Enchanter found him in an instant, and seeing his
+pitiable condition, ran hither and thither without a word, until
+he had collected a handful of magic herbs, with which, and a few
+incantations, he speedily made the King whole and sound again.
+
+‘Now,' said he, ‘let me hear all about it. There must be a
+Princess at the bottom of this.'
+
+‘There are two!' answered King Charming, with a wry smile.
+
+And then he told the whole story, accusing Fiordelisa of having
+betrayed the secret of his visits to make her peace with the
+Queen, and indeed saying a great many hard things about her
+fickleness and her deceitful beauty, and so on. The Enchanter
+quite agreed with him, and even went further, declaring that all
+Princesses were alike, except perhaps in the matter of beauty,
+and advised him to have done with Fiordelisa, and forget all
+about her. But, somehow or other, this advice did not quite
+please the King.
+
+‘What is to be done next?' said the Enchanter, ‘since you still
+have five years to remain a Blue Bird.'
+
+‘Take me to your palace,' answered the King; ‘there you can at
+least keep me in a cage safe from cats and swords.'
+
+‘Well, that will be the best thing to do for the present,' said
+his friend. ‘But I am not an Enchanter for nothing. I'm sure to
+have a brilliant idea for you before long.'
+
+In the meantime Fiordelisa, quite in despair, sat at her window
+day and night calling her dear Blue Bird in vain, and imagining
+over and over again all the terrible things that could have
+happened to him, until she grew quite pale and thin. As for the
+Queen and Turritella, they were triumphant; but their triumph was
+short, for the King, Fiordelisa's father, fell ill and died, and
+all the people rebelled against the Queen and Turritella, and
+came in a body to the palace demanding Fiordelisa.
+
+The Queen came out upon the balcony with threats and haughty
+words, so that at last they lost their patience, and broke open
+the doors of the palace, one of which fell back upon the Queen
+and killed her. Turritella fled to the Fairy Mazilla, and all the
+nobles of the kingdom fetched the Princess Fiordelisa from her
+prison in the tower, and made her Queen. Very soon, with all the
+care and attention they bestowed upon her, she recovered from the
+effects of her long captivity and looked more beautiful than
+ever, and was able to take counsel with her courtiers, and
+arrange for the governing of her kingdom during her absence. And
+then, taking a bagful of jewels, she set out all alone to look
+for the Blue Bird, without telling anyone where she was going.
+
+Meanwhile, the Enchanter was taking care of King Charming, but as
+his power was not great enough to counteract the Fairy Mazilla's,
+he at last resolved to go and see if he could make any kind of
+terms with her for his friend; for you see, Fairies and
+Enchanters are cousins in a sort of way, after all; and after
+knowing one another for five or six hundred years and falling
+out, and making it up again pretty often, they understand one
+another well enough. So the Fairy Mazilla received him
+graciously. ‘And what may you be wanting, Gossip?' said she.
+
+‘You can do a good turn for me if you will;' he answered. ‘A
+King, who is a friend of mine, was unlucky enough to offend
+you--‘
+
+‘Aha! I know who you mean,' interrupted the Fairy. ‘I am sorry
+not to oblige you, Gossip, but he need expect no mercy from me
+unless he will marry my goddaughter, whom you see yonder looking
+so pretty and charming. Let him think over what I say.'
+
+The Enchanter hadn't a word to say, for he thought Turritella
+really frightful, but he could not go away without making one
+more effort for his friend the King, who was really in great
+danger as long as he lived in a cage. Indeed, already he had met
+with several alarming accidents. Once the nail on which his cage
+was hung had given way, and his feathered Majesty had suffered
+much from the fall, while Madam Puss, who happened to be in the
+room at the time, had given him a scratch in the eye which came
+very near blinding him. Another time they had forgotten to give
+him any water to drink, so that he was nearly dead with thirst;
+and the worst thing of all was that he was in danger of losing
+his kingdom, for he had been absent so long that all his subjects
+believed him to be dead. So considering all these things the
+Enchanter agreed with the Fairy Mazilla that she should restore
+the King to his natural form, and should take Turritella to stay
+in his palace for several months, and if, after the time was over
+he still could not make up his mind to marry her, he should once
+more be changed into a Blue Bird.
+
+Then the Fairy dressed Turritella in a magnificent gold and
+silver robe, and they mounted together upon a flying Dragon, and
+very soon reached King Charming's palace, where he, too, had just
+been brought by his faithful friend the Enchanter.
+
+Three strokes of the Fairy's wand restored his natural form, and
+he was as handsome and delightful as ever, but he considered that
+he paid dearly for his restoration when he caught sight of
+Turritella, and the mere idea of marrying her made him shudder.
+
+Meanwhile, Queen Fiordelisa, disguised as a poor peasant girl,
+wearing a great straw hat that concealed her face, and carrying
+an old sack over her shoulder, had set out upon her weary
+journey, and had travelled far, sometimes by sea and sometimes by
+land; sometimes on foot, and sometimes on horseback, but not
+knowing which way to go. She feared all the time that every step
+she took was leading her farther from her lover. One day as she
+sat, quite tired and sad, on the bank of a little brook, cooling
+her white feet in the clear running water, and combing her long
+hair that glittered like gold in the sunshine, a little bent old
+woman passed by, leaning on a stick. She stopped, and said to
+Fiordelisa:
+
+‘What, my pretty child, are you all alone?'
+
+‘Indeed, good mother, I am too sad to care for company,' she
+answered; and the tears ran down her cheeks.
+
+‘Don't cry,' said the old woman, ‘but tell me truly what is the
+matter. Perhaps I can help you.'
+
+The Queen told her willingly all that had happened, and how she
+was seeking the Blue Bird. Thereupon the little old woman
+suddenly stood up straight, and grew tall, and young, and
+beautiful, and said with a smile to the astonished Fiordelisa:
+
+‘Lovely Queen, the King whom you seek is no longer a bird. My
+sister Mazilla has given his own form back to him, and he is in
+his own kingdom. Do not be afraid, you will reach him, and will
+prosper. Take these four eggs; if you break one when you are in
+any great difficulty, you will find aid.'
+
+So saying, she disappeared, and Fiordelisa, feeling much
+encouraged, put the eggs into her bag and turned her steps
+towards Charming's kingdom. After walking on and on for eight
+days and eight nights, she came at last to a tremendously high
+hill of polished ivory, so steep that it was impossible to get a
+foothold upon it. Fiordelisa tried a thousand times, and
+scrambled and slipped, but always in the end found herself
+exactly where she started from. At last she sat down at the foot
+of it in despair, and then suddenly bethought herself of the
+eggs. Breaking one quickly, she found in it some little gold
+hooks, and with these fastened to her feet and hands, she mounted
+the ivory hill without further trouble, for the little hooks
+saved her from slipping. As soon as she reached the top a new
+difficulty presented itself, for all the other side, and indeed
+the whole valley, was one polished mirror, in which thousands and
+thousands of people were admiring their reflections. For this was
+a magic mirror, in which people saw themselves just as they
+wished to appear, and pilgrims came to it from the four corners
+of the world. But nobody had ever been able to reach the top of
+the hill, and when they saw Fiordelisa standing there, they
+raised a terrible outcry, declaring that if she set foot upon
+their glass she would break it to pieces. The Queen, not knowing
+what to do, for she saw it would be dangerous to try to go down,
+broke the second egg, and out came a chariot, drawn by two white
+doves, and Fiordelisa got into it, and was floated softly away.
+After a night and a day the doves alighted outside the gate of
+King Charming's kingdom. Here the Queen got out of the chariot,
+and kissed the doves and thanked them, and then with a beating
+heart she walked into the town, asking the people she met where
+she could see the King. But they only laughed at her, crying:
+
+‘See the King? And pray, why do you want to see the King, my
+little kitchen-maid? You had better go and wash your face first,
+your eyes are not clear enough to see him!' For the Queen had
+disguised herself, and pulled her hair down about her eyes, that
+no one might know her. As they would not tell her, she went on
+farther, and presently asked again, and this time the people
+answered that to-morrow she might see the King driving through
+the streets with the Princess Turritella, as it was said that at
+last he had consented to marry her. This was indeed terrible news
+to Fiordelisa. Had she come all this weary way only to find
+Turritella had succeeded in making King Charming forget her?
+
+She was too tired and miserable to walk another step, so she sat
+down in a doorway and cried bitterly all night long. As soon as
+it was light she hastened to the palace, and after being sent
+away fifty times by the guards, she got in at last, and saw the
+thrones set in the great hall for the King and Turritella, who
+was already looked upon as Queen.
+
+Fiordelisa hid herself behind a marble pillar, and very soon saw
+Turritella make her appearance, richly dressed, but as ugly as
+ever, and with her came the King, more handsome and splendid even
+than Fiordelisa had remembered him. When Turritella had seated
+herself upon the throne, the Queen approached her.
+
+‘Who are you, and how dare you come near my high-mightiness, upon
+my golden throne?' said Turritella, frowning fiercely at her.
+
+‘They call me the little kitchen-maid,' she replied, ‘and I come
+to offer some precious things for sale,' and with that she
+searched in her old sack, and drew out the emerald bracelets King
+Charming had given her.
+
+‘Ho, ho!' said Turritella, those are pretty bits of glass. I
+suppose you would like five silver pieces for them.'
+
+‘Show them to someone who understands such things, Madam,'
+answered the Queen; ‘after that we can decide upon the price.'
+
+Turritella, who really loved King Charming as much as she could
+love anybody, and was always delighted to get a chance of talking
+to him, now showed him the bracelets, asking how much he
+considered them worth. As soon as he saw them he remembered those
+he had given to Fiordelisa, and turned very pale and sighed
+deeply, and fell into such sad thought that he quite forgot to
+answer her. Presently she asked him again, and then he said, with
+a great effort:
+
+‘I believe these bracelets are worth as much as my kingdom. I
+thought there was only one such pair in the world; but here, it
+seems, is another.'
+
+Then Turritella went back to the Queen, and asked her what was
+the lowest price she would take for them.
+
+‘More than you would find it easy to pay, Madam,' answered she;
+‘but if you will manage for me to sleep one night in the Chamber
+of Echoes, I will give you the emeralds.'
+
+‘By all means, my little kitchen-maid,' said Turritella, highly
+delighted.
+
+The King did not try to find out where the bracelets had come
+from, not because he did not want to know, but because the only
+way would have been to ask Turritella, and he disliked her so
+much that he never spoke to her if he could possibly avoid it. It
+was he who had told Fiordelisa about the Chamber of Echoes, when
+he was a Blue Bird. It was a little room below the King's own
+bed-chamber, and was so ingeniously built that the softest
+whisper in it was plainly heard in the King's room. Fiordelisa
+wanted to reproach him for his faithlessness, and could not
+imagine a better way than this. So when, by Turritella's orders,
+she was left there she began to weep and lament, and never ceased
+until daybreak.
+
+The King's pages told Turritella, when she asked them, what a
+sobbing and sighing they had heard, and she asked Fiordelisa what
+it was all about. The Queen answered that she often dreamed and
+talked aloud.
+
+But by an unlucky chance the King heard nothing of all this, for
+he took a sleeping draught every night before he lay down, and
+did not wake up until the sun was high.
+
+The Queen passed the day in great disquietude.
+
+‘If he did hear me,' she said, ‘could he remain so cruelly
+indifferent? But if he did not hear me, what can I do to get
+another chance? I have plenty of jewels, it is true, but nothing
+remarkable enough to catch Turritella's fancy.'
+
+Just then she thought of the eggs, and broke one, out of which
+came a little carriage of polished steel ornamented with gold,
+drawn by six green mice. The coachman was a rose-coloured rat,
+the postilion a grey one, and the carriage was occupied by the
+tiniest and most charming figures, who could dance and do
+wonderful tricks. Fiordelisa clapped her hands and danced for joy
+when she saw this triumph of magic art, and as soon as it was
+evening, went to a shady garden-path down which she knew
+Turritella would pass, and then she made the mice galop, and the
+tiny people show off their tricks, and sure enough Turritella
+came, and the moment she saw it all cried:
+
+‘Little kitchen-maid, little kitchen-maid, what will you take for
+your mouse-carriage?'
+
+And the Queen answered:
+
+‘Let me sleep once more in the Chamber of Echoes.'
+
+‘I won't refuse your request, poor creature,' said Turritella
+condescendingly.
+
+And then she turned to her ladies and whispered
+
+‘The silly creature does not know how to profit by her chances;
+so much the better for me.'
+
+When night came Fiordelisa said all the loving words she could
+think of, but alas! with no better success than before, for the
+King slept heavily after his draught. One of the pages said:
+
+‘This peasant girl must he crazy;' but another answered:
+
+‘Yet what she says sounds very sad and touching.'
+
+As for Fiordelisa, she thought the King must have a very hard
+heart if he could hear how she grieved and yet pay her no
+attention. She had but one more chance, and on breaking the last
+egg she found to her great delight that it contained a more
+marvellous thing than ever. It was a pie made of six birds,
+cooked to perfection, and yet they were all alive, and singing
+and talking, and they answered questions and told fortunes in the
+most amusing way. Taking this treasure Fiordelisa once more set
+herself to wait in the great hall through which Turritella was
+sure to pass, and as she sat there one of the King's pages came
+by, and said to her:
+
+‘Well, little kitchen-maid, it is a good thing that the King
+always takes a sleeping draught, for if not he would be kept
+awake all night by your sighing and lamenting.'
+
+Then Fiordelisa knew why the King had not heeded her, and taking
+a handful of pearls and diamonds out of her sack, she said, ‘If
+you can promise me that to-night the King shall not have his
+sleeping draught, I will give you all these jewels.'
+
+‘Oh! I promise that willingly,' said the page.
+
+At this moment Turritella appeared, and at the first sight of the
+savoury pie, with the pretty little birds all singing and
+chattering, she cried:--
+
+‘That is an admirable pie, little kitchen-maid. Pray what will
+you take for it?'
+
+‘The usual price,' she answered. ‘To sleep once more in the
+Chamber of Echoes.'
+
+‘By all means, only give me the pie,' said the greedy Turritella.
+And when night was come, Queen Fiordelisa waited until she
+thought everybody in the palace would be asleep, and then began
+to lament as before.
+
+‘Ah, Charming!' she said, ‘what have I ever done that you should
+forsake me and marry Turritella? If you could only know all I
+have suffered, and what a weary way I have come to seek you.'
+
+Now the page had faithfully kept his word, and given King
+Charming a glass of water instead of his usual sleeping draught,
+so there he lay wide awake, and heard every word Fiordelisa said,
+and even recognised her voice, though he could not tell where it
+came from.
+
+‘Ah, Princess!' he said, ‘how could you betray me to our cruel
+enemies when I loved you so dearly?'
+
+Fiordelisa heard him, and answered quickly:
+
+‘Find out the little kitchen-maid, and she will explain
+everything.'
+
+Then the King in a great hurry sent for his pages and said:
+
+‘If you can find the little kitchen-maid, bring her to me at
+once.'
+
+‘Nothing could be easier, Sire,' they answered, ‘for she is in
+the Chamber of Echoes.'
+
+The King was very much puzzled when he heard this. How could the
+lovely Princess Fiordelisa be a little kitchen-maid? or how could
+a little kitchen-maid have Fiordelisa's own voice? So he dressed
+hastily, and ran down a little secret staircase which led to the
+Chamber of Echoes. There, upon a heap of soft cushions, sat his
+lovely Princess. She had laid aside all her ugly disguises and
+wore a white silken robe, and her golden hair shone in the soft
+lamp-light. The King was overjoyed at the sight, and rushed to
+throw himself at her feet, and asked her a thousand questions
+without giving her time to answer one. Fiordelisa was equally
+happy to be with him once more, and nothing troubled them but the
+remembrance of the Fairy Mazilla. But at this moment in came the
+Enchanter, and with him a famous Fairy, the same in fact who had
+given Fiordelisa the eggs. After greeting the King and Queen,
+they said that as they were united in wishing to help King
+Charming, the Fairy Mazilla had no longer any power against him,
+and he might marry Fiordelisa as soon as he pleased. The King's
+joy may be imagined, and as soon as it was day the news was
+spread through the palace, and everybody who saw Fiordelisa loved
+her directly. When Turritella heard what had happened she came
+running to the King, and when she saw Fiordelisa with him she was
+terribly angry, but before she could say a word the Enchanter and
+the Fairy changed her into a big brown owl, and she floated away
+out of one of the palace windows, hooting dismally. Then the
+wedding was held with great splendour, and King Charming and
+Queen Fiordelisa lived happily ever after.
+
+L'Oiseau Bleu. Par Mme. d'Aulnoy.
+
+
+
+
+
+                         THE HALF-CHICK
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there was a handsome black Spanish hen, who had
+a large brood of chickens. They were all fine, plump little
+birds, except the youngest, who was quite unlike his brothers and
+sisters. Indeed, he was such a strange, queer-looking creature,
+that when he first chipped his shell his mother could scarcely
+believe her eyes, he was so different from the twelve other
+fluffy, downy, soft little chicks who nestled under her wings.
+This one looked just as if he had been cut in two. He had only
+one leg, and one wing, and one eye, and he had half a head and
+half a beak. His mother shook her head sadly as she looked at him
+and said:
+
+‘My youngest born is only a half-chick. He can never grow up a
+tall handsome cock like his brothers. They will go out into the
+world and rule over poultry yards of their own; but this poor
+little fellow will always have to stay at home with his mother.'
+And she called him Medio Pollito, which is Spanish for
+half-chick.
+
+Now though Medio Pollito was such an odd, helpless-looking little
+thing, his mother soon found that he was not at all willing to
+remain under her wing and protection. Indeed, in character he was
+as unlike his brothers and sisters as he was in appearance. They
+were good, obedient chickens, and when the old hen chicked after
+them, they chirped and ran back to her side. But Medio Pollito
+had a roving spirit in spite of his one leg, and when his mother
+called to him to return to the coop, he pretended that he could
+not hear, because he had only one ear.
+
+When she took the whole family out for a walk in the fields,
+Medio Pollito would hop away by himself, and hide among the
+Indian corn. Many an anxious minute his brothers and sisters had
+looking for him, while his mother ran to and fro cackling in fear
+and dismay.
+
+As he grew older he became more self-willed and disobedient, and
+his manner to his mother was often very rude, and his temper to
+the other chickens very disagreeable.
+
+One day he had been out for a longer expedition than usual in the
+fields. On his return he strutted up to his mother with the
+peculiar little hop and kick which was his way of walking, and
+cocking his one eye at her in a very bold way he said:
+
+‘Mother, I am tired of this life in a dull farmyard, with nothing
+but a dreary maize field to look at. I'm off to Madrid to see the
+King.'
+
+‘To Madrid, Medio Pollito!' exclaimed his mother; ‘why, you silly
+chick, it would be a long journey for a grown-up cock, and a poor
+little thing like you would be tired out before you had gone half
+the distance. No, no, stay at home with your mother, and some
+day, when you are bigger, we will go a little journey together.'
+
+But Medio Pollito had made up his mind, and he would not listen
+to his mother's advice, nor to the prayers and entreaties of his
+brothers and sisters.
+
+‘What is the use of our all crowding each other up in this poky
+little place?' he said. ‘When I have a fine courtyard of my own
+at the King's palace, I shall perhaps ask some of you to come and
+pay me a short visit,' and scarcely waiting to say good-bye to
+his family, away he stumped down the high road that led to
+Madrid.
+
+‘Be sure that you are kind and civil to everyone you meet,'
+called his mother, running after him; but he was in such a hurry
+to be off, that he did not wait to answer her, or even to look
+back.
+
+A little later in the day, as he was taking a short cut through a
+field, he passed a stream. Now the stream was all choked up, and
+overgrown with weeds and water-plants, so that its waters could
+not flow freely.
+
+‘Oh! Medio Pollito,' it cried, as the half-chick hopped along its
+banks, ‘do come and help me by clearing away these weeds.'
+
+‘Help you, indeed!' exclaimed Medio Pollito, tossing his head,
+and shaking the few feathers in his tail. ‘Do you think I have
+nothing to do but to waste my time on such trifles? Help
+yourself, and don't trouble busy travellers. I am off to Madrid
+to see the King,' and hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick, away stumped
+Medio Pollito.
+
+A little later he came to a fire that had been left by some
+gipsies in a wood. It was burning very low, and would soon be
+out.
+
+‘Oh! Medio Pollito,' cried the fire, in a weak, wavering voice as
+the half-chick approached, ‘in a few minutes I shall go quite
+out, unless you put some sticks and dry leaves upon me. Do help
+me, or I shall die!'
+
+‘Help you, indeed!' answered Medio Pollito. ‘I have other things
+to do. Gather sticks for yourself, and don't trouble me. I am off
+to Madrid to see the King,' and hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick, away
+stumped Medio Pollito.
+
+The next morning, as he was getting near Madrid, he passed a
+large chestnut tree, in whose branches the wind was caught and
+entangled. ‘Oh! Medio Pollito,' called the wind, ‘do hop up here,
+and help me to get free of these branches. I cannot come away,
+and it is so uncomfortable.'
+
+‘It is your own fault for going there,' answered Medio Pollito.
+‘I can't waste all my morning stopping here to help you. Just
+shake yourself off, and don't hinder me, for I am off to Madrid
+to see the King,' and hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick, away stumped
+Medio Pollito in great glee, for the towers and roofs of Madrid
+were now in sight. When he entered the town he saw before him a
+great splendid house, with soldiers standing before the gates.
+This he knew must be the King's palace, and he determined to hop
+up to the front gate and wait there until the King came out. But
+as he was hopping past one of the back windows the King's cook
+saw him:
+
+‘Here is the very thing I want,' he exclaimed, ‘for the King has
+just sent a message to say that he must have chicken broth for
+his dinner,' and opening the window he stretched out his arm,
+caught Medio Pollito, and popped him into the broth-pot that was
+standing near the fire. Oh! how wet and clammy the water felt as
+it went over Medio Pollito's head, making his feathers cling to
+his side.
+
+‘Water, water!' he cried in his despair, ‘do have pity upon me
+and do not wet me like this.'
+
+‘Ah! Medio Pollito,' replied the water, ‘you would not help me
+when I was a little stream away on the fields, now you must be
+punished.'
+
+Then the fire began to burn and scald Medio Pollito, and he
+danced and hopped from one side of the pot to the other, trying
+to get away from the heat, and crying out in pain:
+
+Fire, fire! do not scorch me like this; you can't think how it
+hurts.'
+
+‘Ah! Medio Pollito,' answered the fire, ‘you would not help me
+when I was dying away in the wood. You are being punished.'
+
+At last, just when the pain was so great that Medio Pollito
+thought he must die, the cook lifted up the lid of the pot to see
+if the broth was ready for the King's dinner.
+
+‘Look here!' he cried in horror, ‘this chicken is quite useless.
+It is burnt to a cinder. I can't send it up to the royal table;'
+and opening the window he threw Medio Pollito out into the
+street. But the wind caught him up, and whirled him through the
+air so quickly that Medio Pollito could scarcely breathe, and his
+heart beat against his side till he thought it would break.
+
+‘Oh, wind!' at last he gasped out, ‘if you hurry me along like
+this you will kill me. Do let me rest a moment, or--‘ but he was
+so breathless that he could not finish his sentence.
+
+‘Ah! Medio Pollito,' replied the wind, ‘when I was caught in the
+branches of the chestnut tree you would not help me; now you are
+punished.' And he swirled Medio Pollito over the roofs of the
+houses till they reached the highest church in the town, and
+there he left him fastened to the top of the steeple.
+
+And there stands Medio Pollito to this day. And if you go to
+Madrid, and walk through the streets till you come to the highest
+church, you will see Medio Pollito perched on his one leg on the
+steeple, with his one wing drooping at his side, and gazing sadly
+out of his one eye over the town.
+
+Spanish Tradition.
+
+
+
+
+
+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
+humour. 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 pedlar 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 pedlar
+before him at once. The slave soon returned, followed by the
+pedlar, 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
+jewelled comb for the Vizier's wife. Just as the pedlar was about
+to close his box, the Caliph noticed a small drawer, and asked if
+there was anything else in it for sale. The pedlar opened the
+drawer and showed them a box containing a black powder, and a
+scroll written in strange characters, which neither the Caliph nor
+the Mansor could read.
+
+‘I got these two articles from a merchant who had picked them up
+in the street at Mecca,' said the pedlar. ‘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 pedlar. 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 these 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 honour; 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 shall 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 bow three times towards 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 for ever.'
+
+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 his 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 in 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 could tempt them to try their magic power. 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 towards 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. True! Bow three
+times towards 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 shrivelled 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 in 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, 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 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 quite 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
+get on no longer; you really fly too quick for me. Besides, it is
+nearly evening, and we should do well to find some place in which
+to spend the night.'
+
+Chasid listened with favour to his servant's suggestion, and
+perceiving in the valley beneath them a ruin which seemed to
+promise shelter they flew towards 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 splendour. 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 towards the spot
+from whence 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 the Caliph had recovered from his surprise, he drew up his
+feet into a graceful position, bent his long neck, and said: ‘Oh,
+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 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, and one day, when
+I was in the garden, and asked for some refreshment, 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 some one 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 aback 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 you 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 fulfil 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 coloured 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 recognised the pedlar 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 recognise 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; but when the
+Caliph went on nodding and bowing, and calling ‘Mu...mu...' too
+long, the Vizier would threaten laughingly to tell the Chaliphess
+the subject of the discussion carried on one night outside the
+door of Princess Screech Owl.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE ENCHANTED WATCH
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a rich man who had three sons. When
+they grew up, he sent the eldest to travel and see the world, and
+three years passed before his family saw him again. Then he
+returned, magnificently dressed, and his father was so delighted
+with his behaviour, that he gave a great feast in his honour, to
+which all the relations and friends were invited.
+
+When the rejoicings were ended, the second son begged leave of his
+father to go in his turn to travel and mix with the world. The
+father was enchanted at the request, and gave him plenty of money
+for his expenses, saying, ‘If you behave as well as your brother,
+I will do honour to you as I did to him.' The young man promised
+to do his best, and his conduct during three years was all that it
+should be. Then he went home, and his father was so pleased with
+him that his feast of welcome was even more splendid than the one
+before.
+
+The third brother, whose name was Jenik, or Johnnie, was
+considered the most foolish of the three. He never did anything at
+home except sit over the stove and dirty himself with the ashes;
+but he also begged his father's leave to travel for three years.
+‘Go if you like, you idiot; but what good will it do you?'
+
+The youth paid no heed to his father's observations as long as he
+obtained permission to go. The father saw him depart with joy,
+glad to get rid of him, and gave him a handsome sum of money for
+his needs.
+
+Once, as he was making one of his journeys, Jenik chanced to cross
+a meadow where some shepherds were just about to kill a dog. He
+entreated them to spare it, and to give it to him instead which
+they willingly did, and he went on his way, followed by the dog. A
+little further on he came upon a cat, which someone was going to
+put to death. He implored its life, and the cat followed him.
+Finally, in another place, he saved a serpent, which was also
+handed over to him and now they made a party of four--the dog
+behind Jenik, the cat behind the dog, and the serpent behind the
+cat.
+
+Then the serpent said to Jenik, ‘Go wherever you see me go,' for
+in the autumn, when all the serpents hide themselves in their
+holes, this serpent was going in search of his king, who was king
+of all the snakes.
+
+Then he added: ‘My king will scold me for my long absence,
+everyone else is housed for the winter, and I am very late. I
+shall have to tell him what danger I have been in, and how,
+without your help, I should certainly have lost my life. The king
+will ask what you would like in return, and be sure you beg for
+the watch which hangs on the wall. It has all sorts of wonderful
+properties, you only need to rub it to get whatever you like.'
+
+No sooner said than done. Jenik became the master of the watch,
+and the moment he got out he wished to put its virtues to the
+proof. He was hungry, and thought it would be delightful to eat in
+the meadow a loaf of new bread and a steak of good beef washed
+down by a flask of wine, so he scratched the watch, and in an
+instant it was all before him. Imagine his joy!
+
+Evening soon came, and Jenik rubbed his watch, and thought it
+would be very pleasant to have a room with a comfortable bed and a
+good supper. In an instant they were all before him. After supper
+he went to bed and slept till morning, as every honest man ought
+to do. Then he set forth for his father's house, his mind dwelling
+on the feast that would be awaiting him. But as he returned in the
+same old clothes in which he went away, his father flew into a
+great rage, and refused to do anything for him. Jenik went to his
+old place near the stove, and dirtied himself in the ashes without
+anybody minding.
+
+The third day, feeling rather dull, he thought it would be nice to
+see a three-story house filled with beautiful furniture, and with
+vessels of silver and gold. So he rubbed the watch, and there it
+all was. Jenik went to look for his father, and said to him: ‘You
+offered me no feast of welcome, but permit me to give one to you,
+and come and let me show you my plate.'
+
+The father was much astonished, and longed to know where his son
+had got all this wealth. Jenik did not reply, but begged him to
+invite all their relations and friends to a grand banquet.
+
+So the father invited all the world, and everyone was amazed to
+see such splendid things, so much plate, and so many fine dishes
+on the table. After the first course Jenik prayed his father to
+invite the King, and his daughter the Princess. He rubbed his
+watch and wished for a carriage ornamented with gold and silver,
+and drawn by six horses, with harness glittering with precious
+stones. The father did not dare to sit in this gorgeous coach, but
+went to the palace on foot. The King and his daughter were
+immensely surprised with the beauty of the carriage, and mounted
+the steps at once to go to Jenik's banquet. Then Jenik rubbed his
+watch afresh, and wished that for six miles the way to the house
+should be paved with marble. Who ever felt so astonished as the
+King? Never had he travelled over such a gorgeous road.
+
+When Jenik heard the wheels of the carriage, he rubbed his watch
+and wished for a still more beautiful house, four stories high,
+and hung with gold, silver, and damask; filled with wonderful
+tables, covered with dishes such as no king had ever eaten before.
+The King, the Queen, and the Princess were speechless with
+surprise. Never had they seen such a splendid palace, nor such a
+high feast! At dessert the King asked Jenik's father to give him
+the young man for a son-in-law. No sooner said than done! The
+marriage took place at once, and the King returned to his own
+palace, and left Jenik with his wife in the enchanted house.
+
+Now Jenik was not a very clever man, and at the end of a very
+short time he began to bore his wife. She inquired how he managed
+to build palaces and to get so many precious things. He told her
+all about the watch, and she never rested till she had stolen the
+precious talisman. One night she took the watch, rubbed it, and
+wished for a carriage drawn by four horses; and in this carriage
+she at once set out for her father's palace. There she called to
+her own attendants, bade them follow her into the carriage, and
+drove straight to the sea-side. Then she rubbed her watch, and
+wished that the sea might be crossed by a bridge, and that a
+magnificent palace might arise in the middle of the sea. No sooner
+said than done. The Princess entered the house, rubbed her watch,
+and in an instant the bridge was gone.
+
+Left alone, Jenik felt very miserable. His father, mother, and
+brothers, and, indeed, everybody else, all laughed at him. Nothing
+remained to him but the cat and dog whose lives he had once saved.
+He took them with him and went far away, for he could no longer
+live with his family. He reached at last a great desert, and saw
+some crows flying towards a mountain. One of them was a long way
+behind, and when he arrived his brothers inquired what had made
+him so late. ‘Winter is here,' they said, ‘and it is time to fly
+to other countries.' He told them that he had seen in the middle
+of the sea the most wonderful house that ever was built.
+
+On hearing this, Jenik at once concluded that this must be the
+hiding-place of his wife. So he proceeded directly to the shore
+with his dog and his cat. When he arrived on the beach, he said to
+the dog: ‘You are an excellent swimmer, and you, little one, are
+very light; jump on the dog's back and he will take you to the
+palace. Once there, he will hide himself near the door, and you
+must steal secretly in and try to get hold of my watch.'
+
+No sooner said than done. The two animals crossed the sea; the dog
+hid near the house, and the cat stole into the chamber. The
+Princess recognised him, and guessed why he had come; and she took
+the watch down to the cellar and locked it in a box. But the cat
+wriggled its way into the cellar, and the moment the Princess
+turned her back, he scratched and scratched till he had made a
+hole in the box. Then he took the watch between his teeth, and
+waited quietly till the Princess came back. Scarcely had she
+opened the door when the cat was outside, and the watch into the
+bargain.
+
+The cat was no sooner beyond the gates than she said to the dog:
+
+‘We are going to cross the sea; be very careful not to speak to
+me.'
+
+The dog laid this to heart and said nothing; but when they
+approached the shore he could not help asking, ‘Have you got the
+watch?'
+
+The cat did not answer--he was afraid that he might let the
+talisman fall. When they touched the shore the dog repeated his
+question.
+
+‘Yes,' said the cat.
+
+And the watch fell into the sea. Then our two friends began each
+to accuse the other, and both looked sorrowfully at the place
+where their treasure had fallen in. Suddenly a fish appeared near
+the edge of the sea. The cat seized it, and thought it would make
+them a good supper.
+
+‘I have nine little children,' cried the fish. ‘Spare the father
+of a family!'
+
+‘Granted,' replied the cat; ‘but on condition that you find our
+watch.'
+
+The fish executed his commission, and they brought the treasure
+back to their master. Jenik rubbed the watch and wished that the
+palace, with the Princess and all its inhabitants, should be
+swallowed up in the sea. No sooner said than done. Jenik returned
+to his parents, and he and his watch, his cat and his dog, lived
+together happily to the end of their days.
+
+Deulin.
+
+
+
+
+
+ROSANELLA
+
+
+
+Everybody knows that though the fairies live hundreds of years
+they do sometimes die, and especially as they are obliged to pass
+one day in every week under the form of some animal, when of
+course they are liable to accident. It was in this way that death
+once overtook the Queen of the Fairies, and it became necessary to
+call a general assembly to elect a new sovereign. After much
+discussion, it appeared that the choice lay between two fairies,
+one called Surcantine and the other Paridamie; and their claims
+were so equal that it was impossible without injustice to prefer
+one to the other. Under these circumstances it was unanimously
+decided that whichever of the two could show to the world the
+greatest wonder should be Queen; but it was to be a special kind
+of wonder, no moving of mountains or any such common fairy tricks
+would do. Surcantine, therefore, resolved that she would bring up
+a Prince whom nothing could make constant. While Paridamie decided
+to display to admiring mortals a Princess so charming that no one
+could see her without falling in love with her. They were allowed
+to take their own time, and meanwhile the four oldest fairies were
+to attend to the affairs of the kingdom.
+
+Now Paridamie had for a long time been very friendly with King
+Bardondon, who was a most accomplished Prince, and whose court was
+the model of what a court should be. His Queen, Balanice, was also
+charming; indeed it is rare to find a husband and wife so
+perfectly of one mind about everything. They had one little
+daughter, whom they had named ‘Rosanella,' because she had a
+little pink rose printed upon her white throat. From her earliest
+infancy she had shown the most astonishing intelligence, and the
+courtiers knew her smart sayings by heart, and repeated them on
+all occasions. In the middle of the night following the assembly
+of fairies, Queen Balanice woke up with a shriek, and when her
+maids of honour ran to see what was the matter, they found she had
+had a frightful dream.
+
+‘I thought,' said she, ‘that my little daughter had changed into a
+bouquet of roses, and that as I held it in my hand a bird swooped
+down suddenly and snatched it from me and carried it away.'
+
+‘Let some one run and see that all is well with the Princess,' she
+added.
+
+So they ran; but what was their dismay when they found that the
+cradle was empty; and though they sought high and low, not a trace
+of Rosanella could they discover. The Queen was inconsolable, and
+so, indeed, was the King, only being a man he did not say quite so
+much about his feelings. He presently proposed to Balanice that
+they should spend a few days at one of their palaces in the
+country; and to this she willingly agreed, since her grief made
+the gaiety of the capital distasteful to her. One lovely summer
+evening, as they sat together on a shady lawn shaped like a star,
+from which radiated twelve splendid avenues of trees, the Queen
+looked round and saw a charming peasant-girl approaching by each
+path, and what was still more singular was that everyone carried
+something in a basket which appeared to occupy her whole
+attention. As each drew near she laid her basket at Balanice's
+feet, saying:
+
+‘Charming Queen, may this be some slight consolation to you in
+your unhappiness!'
+
+The Queen hastily opened the baskets, and found in each a lovely
+baby-girl, about the same age as the little Princess for whom she
+sorrowed so deeply. At first the sight of them renewed her grief;
+but presently their charms so gained upon her that she forgot her
+melancholy in providing them with nursery-maids, cradle-rockers,
+and ladies-in-waiting, and in sending hither and thither for
+swings and dolls and tops, and bushels of the finest sweetmeats.
+
+Oddly enough, every baby had upon its throat a tiny pink rose. The
+Queen found it so difficult to decide on suitable names for all of
+them, that until she could settle the matter she chose a special
+colour for everyone, by which it was known, so that when they were
+all together they looked like nothing so much as a nosegay of gay
+flowers. As they grew older it became evident that though they
+were all remarkably intelligent, and profited equally by the
+education they received, yet they differed one from another in
+disposition, so much so that they gradually ceased to be known as
+‘Pearl,' or ‘Primrose,' or whatever might have been their colour,
+and the Queen instead would say:
+
+‘Where is my Sweet?' or ‘my Beautiful,' or ‘my Gay.'
+
+Of course, with all these charms they had lovers by the dozen. Not
+only in their own court, but princes from afar, who were
+constantly arriving, attracted by the reports which were spread
+abroad; but these lovely girls, the first Maids of Honour, were as
+discreet as they were beautiful, and favoured no one.
+
+But let us return to Surcantine. She had fixed upon the son of a
+king who was cousin to Bardondon, to bring up as her fickle
+Prince. She had before, at his christening, given him all the
+graces of mind and body that a prince could possibly require; but
+now she redoubled her efforts, and spared no pains in adding every
+imaginable charm and fascination. So that whether he happened to
+be cross or amiable, splendidly or simply attired, serious or
+frivolous, he was always perfectly irresistible! In truth, he was
+a charming young fellow, since the Fairy had given him the best
+heart in the world as well as the best head, and had left nothing
+to be desired but--constancy. For it cannot be denied that Prince
+Mirliflor was a desperate flirt, and as fickle as the wind; so
+much so, that by the time he arrived at his eighteenth birthday
+there was not a heart left for him to conquer in his father's
+kingdom--they were all his own, and he was tired of everyone!
+Things were in this state when he was invited to visit the court
+of his father's cousin, King Bardondon.
+
+Imagine his feelings when he arrived and was presented at once to
+twelve of the loveliest creatures in the world, and his
+embarrassment was heightened by the fact that they all liked him
+as much as he liked each one of them, so that things came to such
+a pass that he was never happy a single instant without them. For
+could he not whisper soft speeches to Sweet, and laugh with Joy,
+while he looked at Beauty? And in his more serious moments what
+could be pleasanter than to talk to Grave upon some shady lawn,
+while he held the hand of Loving in his own, and all the others
+lingered near in sympathetic silence? For the first time in his
+life he really loved, though the object of his devotion was not
+one person, but twelve, to whom he was equally attached, and even
+Surcantine was deceived into thinking that this was indeed the
+height of inconstancy. But Paridamie said not a word.
+
+In vain did Prince Mirliflor's father write commanding him to
+return, and proposing for him one good match after another.
+Nothing in the world could tear him from his twelve enchantresses.
+
+One day the Queen gave a large garden-party, and just as the
+guests were all assembled, and Prince Mirliflor was as usual
+dividing his attentions between the twelve beauties, a humming of
+bees was heard. The Rose-maidens, fearing their stings, uttered
+little shrieks, and fled all together to a distance from the rest
+of the company. Immediately, to the horror of all who were looking
+on, the bees pursued them, and, growing suddenly to an enormous
+size, pounced each upon a maiden and carried her off into the air,
+and in an instant they were all lost to view. This amazing
+occurrence plunged the whole court into the deepest affliction,
+and Prince Mirliflor, after giving way to the most violent grief
+at first, fell gradually into a state of such deep dejection that
+it was feared if nothing could rouse him he would certainly die.
+Surcantine came in all haste to see what she could do for her
+darling, but he rejected with scorn all the portraits of lovely
+princesses which she offered him for his collection. In short, it
+was evident that he was in a bad way, and the Fairy was at her
+wits' end. One day, as he wandered about absorbed in melancholy
+reflections, he heard sudden shouts and exclamations of amazement,
+and if he had taken the trouble to look up he could not have
+helped being as astonished as everyone else, for through the air a
+chariot of crystal was slowly approaching which glittered in the
+sunshine. Six lovely maidens with shining wings drew it by rose-
+coloured ribbons, while a whole flight of others, equally
+beautiful, were holding long garlands of roses crossed above it,
+so as to form a complete canopy. In it sat the Fairy Paridamie,
+and by her side a Princess whose beauty positively dazzled all who
+saw her. At the foot of the great staircase they descended, and
+proceeded to the Queen's apartments, though everyone had run
+together to see this marvel, till it was quite difficult to make a
+way through the crowd; and exclamations of wonder rose on all
+sides at the loveliness of the strange Princess. ‘Great Queen,'
+said Paridamie, ‘permit me to restore to you your daughter
+Rosanella, whom I stole out of her cradle.'
+
+After the first transports of joy were over the Queen said to
+Paridamie:
+
+‘But my twelve lovely ones, are they lost to me for ever? Shall I
+never see them again?'
+
+But Paridamie only said:
+
+‘Very soon you will cease to miss them!' in a tone that evidently
+meant ‘Don't ask me any more questions.' And then mounting again
+into her chariot she swiftly disappeared.
+
+The news of his beautiful cousin's arrival was soon carried to the
+Prince, but he had hardly the heart to go and see her. However, it
+became absolutely necessary that he should pay his respects, and
+he had scarcely been five minutes in her presence before it seemed
+to him that she combined in her own charming person all the gifts
+and graces which had so attracted him in the twelve Rose-maidens
+whose loss he had so truly mourned; and after all it is really
+more satisfactory to make love to one person at a time. So it came
+to pass that before he knew where he was he was entreating his
+lovely cousin to marry him, and the moment the words had left his
+lips, Paridamie appeared, smiling and triumphant, in the chariot
+of the Queen of the Fairies, for by that time they had all heard
+of her success, and declared her to have earned the kingdom. She
+had to give a full account of how she had stolen Rosanella from
+her cradle, and divided her character into twelve parts, that each
+might charm Prince Mirliflor, and when once more united might cure
+him of his inconstancy once and for ever.
+
+And as one more proof of the fascination of the whole Rosanella, I
+may tell you that even the defeated Surcantine sent her a wedding
+gift, and was present at the ceremony which took place as soon as
+the guests could arrive. Prince Mirliflor was constant for the
+rest of his life. And indeed who would not have been in his place?
+As for Rosanella, she loved him as much as all the twelve beauties
+put together, so they reigned in peace and happiness to the end of
+their long lives.
+
+By the Comte de Caylus.
+
+
+
+
+
+SYLVAIN AND JOCOSA
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived in the same village two children, one
+called Sylvain and the other Jocosa, who were both remarkable for
+beauty and intelligence. It happened that their parents were not
+on terms of friendship with one another, on account of some old
+quarrel, which had, however, taken place so long ago, that they
+had quite forgotten what it was all about, and only kept up the
+feud from force of habit. Sylvain and Jocosa for their parts were
+far from sharing this enmity, and indeed were never happy when
+apart. Day after day they fed their flocks of sheep together, and
+spent the long sunshiny hours in playing, or resting upon some
+shady bank. It happened one day that the Fairy of the Meadows
+passed by and saw them, and was so much attracted by their pretty
+faces and gentle manners that she took them under her protection,
+and the older they grew the dearer they became to her. At first
+she showed her interest by leaving in their favourite haunts many
+little gifts such as they delighted to offer one to the other, for
+they loved each other so much that their first thought was always,
+‘What will Jocosa like?' or, ‘What will please Sylvain?' And the
+Fairy took a great delight in their innocent enjoyment of the
+cakes and sweetmeats she gave them nearly every day. When they
+were grown up she resolved to make herself known to them, and
+chose a time when they were sheltering from the noonday sun in the
+deep shade of a flowery hedgerow. They were startled at first by
+the sudden apparition of a tall and slender lady, dressed all in
+green, and crowned with a garland of flowers. But when she spoke
+to them sweetly, and told them how she had always loved them, and
+that it was she who had given them all the pretty things which it
+had so surprised them to find, they thanked her gratefully, and
+took pleasure in answering the questions she put to them. When she
+presently bade them farewell, she told them never to tell anyone
+else that they had seen her. ‘You will often see me again,' added
+she, ‘and I shall be with you frequently, even when you do not see
+me.' So saying she vanished, leaving them in a state of great
+wonder and excitement. After this she came often, and taught them
+numbers of things, and showed them many of the marvels of her
+beautiful kingdom, and at last one day she said to them, ‘You know
+that I have always been kind to you; now I think it is time you
+did something for me in your turn. You both remember the fountain
+I call my favourite? Promise me that every morning before the sun
+rises you will go to it and clear away every stone that impedes
+its course, and every dead leaf or broken twig that sullies its
+clear waters. I shall take it as a proof of your gratitude to me
+if you neither forget nor delay this duty, and I promise that so
+long as the sun's earliest rays find my favourite spring the
+clearest and sweetest in all my meadows, you two shall not be
+parted from one another.'
+
+Sylvain and Jocosa willingly undertook this service, and indeed
+felt that it was but a very small thing in return for all that the
+fairy had given and promised to them. So for a long time the
+fountain was tended with the most scrupulous care, and was the
+clearest and prettiest in all the country round. But one morning
+in the spring, long before the sun rose, they were hastening
+towards it from opposite directions, when, tempted by the beauty
+of the myriads of gay flowers which grew thickly on all sides,
+they paused each to gather some for the other.
+
+‘I will make Sylvain a garland,' said Jocosa, and ‘How pretty
+Jocosa will look in this crown!' thought Sylvain.
+
+Hither and thither they strayed, led ever farther and farther, for
+the brightest flowers seemed always just beyond them, until at
+last they were startled by the first bright rays of the rising
+sun. With one accord they turned and ran towards the fountain,
+reaching it at the same moment, though from opposite sides. But
+what was their horror to see its usually tranquil waters seething
+and bubbling, and even as they looked down rushed a mighty stream,
+which entirely engulfed it, and Sylvain and Jocosa found
+themselves parted by a wide and swiftly-rushing river. All this
+had happened with such rapidity that they had only time to utter a
+cry, and each to hold up to the other the flowers they had
+gathered; but this was explanation enough. Twenty times did
+Sylvain throw himself into the turbulent waters, hoping to be able
+to swim to the other side, but each time an irresistible force
+drove him back upon the bank he had just quitted, while, as for
+Jocosa, she even essayed to cross the flood upon a tree which came
+floating down torn up by the roots, but her efforts were equally
+useless. Then with heavy hearts they set out to follow the course
+of the stream, which had now grown so wide that it was only with
+difficulty they could distinguish each other. Night and day, over
+mountains and through valleys, in cold or in heat, they struggled
+on, enduring fatigue and hunger and every hardship, and consoled
+only by the hope of meeting once more--until three years had
+passed, and at last they stood upon the cliffs where the river
+flowed into the mighty sea.
+
+And now they seemed farther apart than ever, and in despair they
+tried once more to throw themselves into the foaming waves. But
+the Fairy of the Meadows, who had really never ceased to watch
+over them, did not intend that they should be drowned at last, so
+she hastily waved her wand, and immediately they found themselves
+standing side by side upon the golden sand. You may imagine their
+joy and delight when they realised that their weary struggle was
+ended, and their utter contentment as they clasped each other by
+the hand. They had so much to say that they hardly knew where to
+begin, but they agreed in blaming themselves bitterly for the
+negligence which had caused all their trouble; and when she heard
+this the Fairy immediately appeared to them. They threw themselves
+at her feet and implored her forgiveness, which she granted
+freely, and promised at the same time that now their punishment
+was ended she would always befriend them. Then she sent for her
+chariot of green rushes, ornamented with May dewdrops, which she
+particularly valued and always collected with great care; and
+ordered her six short-tailed moles to carry them all back to the
+well-known pastures, which they did in a remarkably short time;
+and Sylvain and Jocosa were overjoyed to see their dearly-loved
+home once more after all their toilful wanderings. The Fairy, who
+had set her mind upon securing their happiness, had in their
+absence quite made up the quarrel between their parents, and
+gained their consent to the marriage of the faithful lovers; and
+now she conducted them to the most charming little cottage that
+can be imagined, close to the fountain, which had once more
+resumed its peaceful aspect, and flowed gently down into the
+little brook which enclosed the garden and orchard and pasture
+which belonged to the cottage. Indeed, nothing more could have
+been thought of, either for Sylvain and Jocosa or for their
+flocks; and their delight satisfied even the Fairy who had planned
+it all to please them. When they had explored and admired until
+they were tired they sat down to rest under the rose-covered
+porch, and the Fairy said that to pass the time until the wedding
+guests whom she had invited could arrive she would tell them a
+story. This is it:
+
+
+
+The Yellow Bird
+
+
+
+Once upon a time a Fairy, who had somehow or other got into
+mischief, was condemned by the High Court of Fairyland to live for
+several years under the form of some creature, and at the moment
+of resuming her natural appearance once again to make the fortune
+of two men. It was left to her to choose what form she would take,
+and because she loved yellow she transformed herself into a lovely
+bird with shining golden feathers such as no one had ever seen
+before. When the time of her punishment was at an end the
+beautiful yellow bird flew to Bagdad, and let herself be caught by
+a Fowler at the precise moment when Badi-al-Zaman was walking up
+and down outside his magnificent summer palace. This Badi-al-
+Zaman--whose name means ‘Wonder-of-the-World'--was looked upon in
+Bagdad as the most fortunate creature under the sun, because of
+his vast wealth. But really, what with anxiety about his riches
+and being weary of everything, and always desiring something he
+had not, he never knew a moment's real happiness. Even now he had
+come out of his palace, which was large and splendid enough for
+fifty kings, weary and cross because he could find nothing new to
+amuse him. The Fowler thought that this would be a favourable
+opportunity for offering him the marvellous bird, which he felt
+certain he would buy the instant he saw it. And he was not
+mistaken, for when Badi-al-Zaman took the lovely prisoner into his
+own hands, he saw written under its right wing the words, ‘He who
+eats my head will become a king,' and under its left wing, ‘He who
+eats my heart will find a hundred gold pieces under his pillow
+every morning.' In spite of all his wealth he at once began to
+desire the promised gold, and the bargain was soon completed. Then
+the difficulty arose as to how the bird was to be cooked; for
+among all his army of servants not one could Badi-al-Zaman trust.
+At last he asked the Fowler if he were married, and on hearing
+that he was he bade him take the bird home with him and tell his
+wife to cook it.
+
+‘Perhaps,' said he, ‘this will give me an appetite, which I have
+not had for many a long day, and if so your wife shall have a
+hundred pieces of silver.'
+
+The Fowler with great joy ran home to his wife, who speedily made
+a savoury stew of the Yellow Bird. But when Badi-al-Zaman reached
+the cottage and began eagerly to search in the dish for its head
+and its heart he could not find either of them, and turned to the
+Fowler's wife in a furious rage. She was so terrified that she
+fell upon her knees before him and confessed that her two children
+had come in just before he arrived, and had so teased her for some
+of the dish she was preparing that she had presently given the
+head to one and the heart to the other, since these morsels are
+not generally much esteemed; and Badi-al-Zaman rushed from the
+cottage vowing vengeance against the whole family. The wrath of a
+rich man is generally to be feared, so the Fowler and his wife
+resolved to send their children out of harm's way; but the wife,
+to console her husband, confided to him that she had purposely
+given them the head and heart of the bird because she had been
+able to read what was written under its wings. So, believing that
+their children's fortunes were made, they embraced them and sent
+them forth, bidding them get as far away as possible, to take
+different roads, and to send news of their welfare. For
+themselves, they remained hidden and disguised in the town, which
+was really rather clever of them; but very soon afterwards Badi-
+al-Zaman died of vexation and annoyance at the loss of the
+promised treasure, and then they went back to their cottage to
+wait for news of their children. The younger, who had eaten the
+heart of the Yellow Bird, very soon found out what it had done for
+him, for each morning when he awoke he found a purse containing a
+hundred gold pieces under his pillow. But, as all poor people may
+remember for their consolation, nothing in the world causes so
+much trouble or requires so much care as a great treasure.
+Consequently, the Fowler's son, who spent with reckless profusion
+and was supposed to be possessed of a great hoard of gold, was
+before very long attacked by robbers, and in trying to defend
+himself was so badly wounded that he died.
+
+The elder brother, who had eaten the Yellow Bird's head, travelled
+a long way without meeting with any particular adventure, until at
+last he reached a large city in Asia, which was all in an uproar
+over the choosing of a new Emir. All the principal citizens had
+formed themselves into two parties, and it was not until after a
+prolonged squabble that they agreed that the person to whom the
+most singular thing happened should be Emir. Our young traveller
+entered the town at this juncture, with his agreeable face and
+jaunty air, and all at once felt something alight upon his head,
+which proved to be a snow-white pigeon. Thereupon all the people
+began to stare, and to run after him, so that he presently reached
+the palace with the pigeon upon his head and all the inhabitants
+of the city at his heels, and before he knew where he was they
+made him Emir, to his great astonishment.
+
+As there is nothing more agreeable than to command, and nothing to
+which people get accustomed more quickly, the young Emir soon felt
+quite at his ease in his new position; but this did not prevent
+him from making every kind of mistake, and so misgoverning the
+kingdom that at last the whole city rose in revolt and deprived
+him at once of his authority and his life--a punishment which he
+richly deserved, for in the days of his prosperity he disowned the
+Fowler and his wife, and allowed them to die in poverty.
+
+‘I have told you this story, my dear Sylvain and Jocosa,' added
+the Fairy, ‘to prove to you that this little cottage and all that
+belongs to it is a gift more likely to bring you happiness and
+contentment than many things that would at first seem grander and
+more desirable. If you will faithfully promise me to till your
+fields and feed your flocks, and will keep your word better than
+you did before, I will see that you never lack anything that is
+really for your good.'
+
+Sylvain and Jocosa gave their faithful promise, and as they kept
+it they always enjoyed peace and prosperity. The Fairy had asked
+all their friends and neighbours to their wedding, which took
+place at once with great festivities and rejoicings, and they
+lived to a good old age, always loving one another with all their
+hearts.
+
+By the Comte de Caylus.
+
+
+
+
+
+FAIRY GIFTS
+
+
+
+It generally happens that people's surroundings reflect more or
+less accurately their minds and dispositions, so perhaps that is
+why the Flower Fairy lived in a lovely palace, with the most
+delightful garden you can imagine, full of flowers, and trees, and
+fountains, and fish-ponds, and everything nice. For the Fairy
+herself was so kind and charming that everybody loved her, and all
+the young princes and princesses who formed her court, were as
+happy as the day was long, simply because they were near her. They
+came to her when they were quite tiny, and never left her until
+they were grown up and had to go away into the great world; and
+when that time came she gave to each whatever gift he asked of
+her. But it is chiefly of the Princess Sylvia that you are going
+to hear now. The Fairy loved her with all her heart, for she was
+at once original and gentle, and she had nearly reached the age at
+which the gifts were generally bestowed. However, the Fairy had a
+great wish to know how the other princesses who had grown up and
+left her, were prospering, and before the time came for Sylvia to
+go herself, she resolved to send her to some of them. So one day
+her chariot, drawn by butterflies, was made ready, and the Fairy
+said: ‘Sylvia, I am going to send you to the court of Iris; she
+will receive you with pleasure for my sake as well as for your
+own. In two months you may come back to me again, and I shall
+expect you to tell me what you think of her.'
+
+Sylvia was very unwilling to go away, but as the Fairy wished it
+she said nothing--only when the two months were over she stepped
+joyfully into the butterfly chariot, and could not get back
+quickly enough to the Flower-Fairy, who, for her part, was equally
+delighted to see her again.
+
+‘Now, child,' said she, ‘tell me what impression you have
+received.'
+
+‘You sent me, madam,' answered Sylvia, ‘to the Court of Iris, on
+whom you had bestowed the gift of beauty. She never tells anyone,
+however, that it was your gift, though she often speaks of your
+kindness in general. It seemed to me that her loveliness, which
+fairly dazzled me at first, had absolutely deprived her of the use
+of any of her other gifts or graces. In allowing herself to be
+seen, she appeared to think that she was doing all that could
+possibly be required of her. But, unfortunately, while I was still
+with her she became seriously ill, and though she presently
+recovered, her beauty is entirely gone, so that she hates the very
+sight of herself, and is in despair. She entreated me to tell you
+what had happened, and to beg you, in pity, to give her beauty
+back to her. And, indeed, she does need it terribly, for all the
+things in her that were tolerable, and even agreeable, when she
+was so pretty, seem quite different now she is ugly, and it is so
+long since she thought of using her mind or her natural
+cleverness, that I really don't think she has any left now. She is
+quite aware of all this herself, so you may imagine how unhappy
+she is, and how earnestly she begs for your aid.'
+
+‘You have told me what I wanted to know,' cried the Fairy, ‘but
+alas! I cannot help her; my gifts can be given but once.'
+
+Some time passed in all the usual delights of the Flower-Fairy's
+palace, and then she sent for Sylvia again, and told her she was
+to stay for a little while with the Princess Daphne, and
+accordingly the butterflies whisked her off, and set her down in
+quite a strange kingdom. But she had only been there a very little
+time before a wandering butterfly brought a message from her to
+the Fairy, begging that she might be sent for as soon as possible,
+and before very long she was allowed to return.
+
+‘Ah! madam,' cried she, ‘what a place you sent me to that time!'
+
+‘Why, what was the matter?' asked the Fairy. ‘Daphne was one of
+the princesses who asked for the gift of eloquence, if I remember
+rightly.'
+
+‘And very ill the gift of eloquence becomes a woman,' replied
+Sylvia, with an air of conviction. ‘It is true that she speaks
+well, and her expressions are well chosen; but then she never
+leaves off talking, and though at first one may be amused, one
+ends by being wearied to death. Above all things she loves any
+assembly for settling the affairs of her kingdom, for on those
+occasions she can talk and talk without fear of interruption; but,
+even then, the moment it is over she is ready to begin again about
+anything or nothing, as the case may be. Oh! how glad I was to
+come away I cannot tell you.'
+
+The Fairy smiled at Sylvia's unfeigned disgust at her late
+experience; but after allowing her a little time to recover she
+sent her to the Court of the Princess Cynthia, where she left her
+for three months. At the end of that time Sylvia came back to her
+with all the joy and contentment that one feels at being once more
+beside a dear friend. The Fairy, as usual, was anxious to hear
+what she thought of Cynthia, who had always been amiable, and to
+whom she had given the gift of pleasing.
+
+‘I thought at first,' said Sylvia, ‘that she must be the happiest
+Princess in the world; she had a thousand lovers who vied with one
+another in their efforts to please and gratify her. Indeed, I had
+nearly decided that I would ask a similar gift.'
+
+‘Have you altered your mind, then?' interrupted the Fairy.
+
+‘Yes, indeed, madam,' replied Sylvia; ‘and I will tell you why.
+The longer I stayed the more I saw that Cynthia was not really
+happy. In her desire to please everyone she ceased to be sincere,
+and degenerated into a mere coquette; and even her lovers felt
+that the charms and fascinations which were exercised upon all who
+approached her without distinction were valueless, so that in the
+end they ceased to care for them, and went away disdainfully.'
+
+‘I am pleased with you, child,' said the Fairy; ‘enjoy yourself
+here for awhile and presently you shall go to Phyllida.'
+
+Sylvia was glad to have leisure to think, for she could not make
+up her mind at all what she should ask for herself, and the time
+was drawing very near. However, before very long the Fairy sent
+her to Phyllida, and waited for her report with unabated interest.
+
+‘I reached her court safely,' said Sylvia, ‘and she received me
+with much kindness, and immediately began to exercise upon me that
+brilliant wit which you had bestowed upon her. I confess that I
+was fascinated by it, and for a week thought that nothing could be
+more desirable; the time passed like magic, so great was the charm
+of her society. But I ended by ceasing to covet that gift more
+than any of the others I have seen, for, like the gift of
+pleasing, it cannot really give satisfaction. By degrees I wearied
+of what had so delighted me at first, especially as I perceived
+more and more plainly that it is impossible to be constantly smart
+and amusing without being frequently ill-natured, and too apt to
+turn all things, even the most serious, into mere occasions for a
+brilliant jest.'
+
+The Fairy in her heart agreed with Sylvia's conclusions, and felt
+pleased with herself for having brought her up so well.
+
+But now the time was come for Sylvia to receive her gift, and all
+her companions were assembled; the Fairy stood in the midst and in
+the usual manner asked what she would take with her into the great
+world.
+
+Sylvia paused for a moment, and then answered: ‘A quiet spirit.'
+And the Fairy granted her request.
+
+This lovely gift makes life a constant happiness to its possessor,
+and to all who are brought into contact with her. She has all the
+beauty of gentleness and contentment in her sweet face; and if at
+times it seems less lovely through some chance grief or
+disquietude, the hardest thing that one ever hears said is:
+
+‘Sylvia's dear face is pale to-day. It grieves one to see her so.'
+
+And when, on the contrary, she is gay and joyful, the sunshine of
+her presence rejoices all who have the happiness of being near
+her.
+
+By the Comte de Caylus.
+
+
+
+
+
+PRINCE NARCISSUS AND THE PRINCESS POTENTILLA
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who, though it is a
+very long while since they died, were much the same in their
+tastes and pursuits as people nowadays. The King, who was called
+Cloverleaf, liked hunting better than anything else; but he
+nevertheless bestowed as much care upon his kingdom as he felt
+equal to--that is to say, he never made an end of folding and
+unfolding the State documents. As to the Queen, she had once been
+very pretty, and she liked to believe that she was so still, which
+is, of course, always made quite easy for queens. Her name was
+Frivola, and her one occupation in life was the pursuit of
+amusement. Balls, masquerades, and picnics followed one another in
+rapid succession, as fast as she could arrange them, and you may
+imagine that under these circumstances the kingdom was somewhat
+neglected. As a matter of fact, if anyone had a fancy for a town,
+or a province, he helped himself to it; but as long as the King
+had his horses and dogs, and the Queen her musicians and her
+actors, they did not trouble themselves about the matter. King
+Cloverleaf and Queen Frivola had but one child, and this Princess
+had from her very babyhood been so beautiful, that by the time she
+was four years old the Queen was desperately jealous of her, and
+so fearful that when she was grown up she would be more admired
+than herself, that she resolved to keep her hidden away out of
+sight. To this end she caused a little house to be built not far
+beyond the Palace gardens, on the bank of a river. This was
+surrounded by a high wall, and in it the charming Potentilla was
+imprisoned. Her nurse, who was dumb, took care of her, and the
+necessaries of life were conveyed to her through a little window
+in the wall, while guards were always pacing to and fro outside,
+with orders to cut off the head of anyone who tried to approach,
+which they would certainly have done without thinking twice about
+it. The Queen told everyone, with much pretended sorrow, that the
+Princess was so ugly, and so troublesome, and altogether so
+impossible to love, that to keep her out of sight was the only
+thing that could be done for her. And this tale she repeated so
+often, that at last the whole court believed it. Things were in
+this state, and the Princess was about fifteen years old, when
+Prince Narcissus, attracted by the report of Queen Frivola's gay
+doings, presented himself at the court. He was not much older than
+the Princess, and was as handsome a Prince as you would see in a
+day's journey, and really, for his age, not so very scatter-
+brained. His parents were a King and Queen, whose story you will
+perhaps read some day. They died almost at the same time, leaving
+their kingdom to the eldest of their children, and commending
+their youngest son, Prince Narcissus, to the care of the Fairy
+Melinette. In this they did very well for him, for the Fairy was
+as kind as she was powerful, and she spared no pains in teaching
+the little Prince everything it was good for him to know, and even
+imparted to him some of her own Fairy lore. But as soon as he was
+grown up she sent him out to see the world for himself, though all
+the time she was secretly keeping watch over him, ready to help in
+any time of need. Before he started she gave him a ring which
+would render him invisible when he put it on his finger. These
+rings seem to be quite common; you must often have heard of them,
+even if you have never seen one. It was in the course of the
+Prince's wanderings, in search of experience of men and things,
+that he came to the court of Queen Frivola, where he was extremely
+well received. The Queen was delighted with him, so were all her
+ladies; and the King was very polite to him, though he did not
+quite see why the whole court was making such a fuss over him.
+
+Prince Narcissus enjoyed all that went on, and found the time pass
+very pleasantly. Before long, of course, he heard the story about
+the Princess Potentilla, and, as it had by that time been repeated
+many times, and had been added to here and there, she was
+represented as such a monster of ugliness that he was really quite
+curious to see her, and resolved to avail himself of the magic
+power of his ring to accomplish his design. So he made himself
+invisible, and passed the guard without their so much as
+suspecting that anyone was near. Climbing the wall was rather a
+difficulty, but when he at length found himself inside it he was
+charmed with the peaceful beauty of the little domain it enclosed,
+and still more delighted when he perceived a slender, lovely
+maiden wandering among the flowers. It was not until he had sought
+vainly for the imaginary monster that he realised that this was
+the Princess herself, and by that time he was deeply in love with
+her, for indeed it would have been hard to find anyone prettier
+than Potentilla, as she sat by the brook, weaving a garland of
+blue forget-me-nots to crown her waving golden locks, or to
+imagine anything more gentle than the way she tended all the birds
+and beasts who inhabited her small kingdom, and who all loved and
+followed her. Prince Narcissus watched her every movement, and
+hovered near her in a dream of delight, not daring as yet to
+appear to her, so humble had he suddenly become in her presence.
+And when evening came, and the nurse fetched the Princess into her
+little house, he felt obliged to go back to Frivola's palace, for
+fear his absence should be noticed and someone should discover his
+new treasure. But he forgot that to go back absent, and dreamy,
+and indifferent, when he had before been gay and ardent about
+everything, was the surest way of awakening suspicion; and when,
+in response to the jesting questions which were put to him upon
+the subject, he only blushed and returned evasive answers, all the
+ladies were certain that he had lost his heart, and did their
+utmost to discover who was the happy possessor of it. As to the
+Prince, he was becoming day by day more attached to Potentilla,
+and his one thought was to attend her, always invisible, and help
+her in everything she did, and provide her with everything that
+could possibly amuse or please her. And the Princess, who had
+learnt to find diversion in very small things in her quiet life,
+was in a continual state of delight over the treasures which the
+Prince constantly laid where she must find them. Then Narcissus
+implored his faithful friend Melinette to send the Princess such
+dreams of him as should make her recognise him as a friend when he
+actually appeared before her eyes; and this device was so
+successful that the Princess quite dreaded the cessation of these
+amusing dreams, in which a certain Prince Narcissus was such a
+delightful lover and companion. After that he went a step further
+and began to have long talks with the Princess--still, however,
+keeping himself invisible, until she begged him so earnestly to
+appear to her that he could no longer resist, and after making her
+promise that, no matter what he was like, she would still love
+him, he drew the ring from his finger, and the Princess saw with
+delight that he was as handsome as he was agreeable. Now, indeed,
+they were perfectly happy, and they passed the whole long summer
+day in Potentilla's favourite place by the brook, and when at last
+Prince Narcissus had to leave her it seemed to them both that the
+hours had gone by with the most amazing swiftness. The Princess
+stayed where she was, dreaming of her delightful Prince, and
+nothing could have been further from her thoughts than any trouble
+or misfortune, when suddenly, in a cloud of dust and shavings, by
+came the enchanter Grumedan, and unluckily he chanced to catch
+sight of Potentilla. Down he came straightway and alighted at her
+feet, and one look at her charming blue eyes and smiling lips
+quite decided him that he must appear to her at once, though he
+was rather annoyed to remember that he had on only his second-best
+cloak. The Princess sprang to her feet with a cry of terror at
+this sudden apparition, for really the Enchanter was no beauty. To
+begin with, he was very big and clumsy, then he had but one eye,
+and his teeth were long, and he stammered badly; nevertheless, he
+had an excellent opinion of himself, and mistook the Princess's
+cry of terror for an exclamation of delighted surprise. After
+pausing a moment to give her time to admire him, the Enchanter
+made her the most complimentary speech he could invent, which,
+however, did not please her at all, though he was extremely
+delighted with it himself. Poor Potentilla only shuddered and
+cried:
+
+‘Oh! where is my Narcissus?'
+
+To which he replied with a self-satisfied chuckle: ‘You want a
+narcissus, madam? Well, they are not rare; you shall have as many
+as you like.'
+
+Whereupon he waved his wand, and the Princess found herself
+surrounded and half buried in the fragrant flowers. She would
+certainly have betrayed that this was not the kind of narcissus
+she wanted, but for the Fairy Melinette, who had been anxiously
+watching the interview, and now thought it quite time to
+interfere. Assuming the Prince's voice, she whispered in
+Potentilla's ear:
+
+‘We are menaced by a great danger, but my only fear is for you, my
+Princess. Therefore I beg you to hide what you really feel, and we
+will hope that some way out of the difficulty may present itself.'
+
+The Princess was much agitated by this speech, and feared lest the
+Enchanter should have overheard it; but he had been loudly calling
+her attention to the flowers, and chuckling over his own smartness
+in getting them for her; and it was rather a blow to him when she
+said very coldly that they were not the sort she preferred, and
+she would be glad if he would send them all away. This he did, but
+afterwards wished to kiss the Princess's hand as a reward for
+having been so obliging; but the Fairy Melinette was not going to
+allow anything of that kind. She appeared suddenly, in all her
+splendour, and cried:
+
+‘Stay, Grumedan; this Princess is under my protection, and the
+smallest impertinence will cost you a thousand years of captivity.
+If you can win Potentilla's heart by the ordinary methods I cannot
+oppose you, but I warn you that I will not put up with any of your
+usual tricks.'
+
+This declaration was not at all to the Enchanter's taste; but he
+knew that there was no help for it, and that he would have to
+behave well, and pay the Princess all the delicate attentions he
+could think of; though they were not at all the sort of thing he
+was used to. However, he decided that to win such a beauty it was
+quite worth while; and Melinette, feeling that she could now leave
+the Princess in safety, hurried off to tell Prince Narcissus what
+was going forward. Of course, at the very mention of the Enchanter
+as a rival he was furious, and I don't know what foolish things he
+would not have done if Melinette had not been there to calm him
+down. She represented to him what a powerful enchanter Grumedan
+was, and how, if he were provoked, he might avenge himself upon
+the Princess, since he was the most unjust and churlish of all the
+enchanters, and had often before had to be punished by the Fairy
+Queen for some of his ill-deeds. Once he had been imprisoned in a
+tree, and was only released when it was blown down by a furious
+wind; another time he was condemned to stay under a big stone at
+the bottom of a river, until by some chance the stone should be
+turned over; but nothing could ever really improve him. The Fairy
+finally made Narcissus promise that he would remain invisible when
+he was with the Princess, since she felt sure that this would make
+things easier for all of them. Then began a struggle between
+Grumedan and the Prince, the latter under the name of Melinette,
+as to which could best delight and divert the Princess and win her
+approbation. Prince Narcissus first made friends with all the
+birds in Potentilla's little domain, and taught them to sing her
+name and her praises, with all their sweetest trills and most
+touching melodies, and all day long to tell her how dearly he
+loved her. Grumedan, thereupon, declared that there was nothing
+new about that, since the birds had sung since the world began,
+and all lovers had imagined that they sang for them alone.
+Therefore he said he would himself write an opera that should be
+absolutely a novelty and something worth hearing. When the time
+came for the performance (which lasted five weary hours) the
+Princess found to her dismay that the ‘opera' consisted of this
+more than indifferent verse, chanted with all their might by ten
+thousand frogs:
+
+‘Admirable Potentilla, Do you think it kind or wise In this sudden
+way to kill a Poor Enchanter with your eyes?'
+
+Really, if Narcissus had not been there to whisper in her ear and
+divert her attention, I don't know what would have become of poor
+Potentilla, for though the first repetition of this absurdity
+amused her faintly, she nearly died of weariness before the time
+was over. Luckily Grumedan did not perceive this, as he was too
+much occupied in whipping up the frogs, many of whom perished
+miserably from fatigue, since he did not allow them to rest for a
+moment. The Prince's next idea for Potentilla's amusement was to
+cause a fleet of boats exactly like those of Cleopatra, of which
+you have doubtless read in history, to come up the little river,
+and upon the most gorgeously decorated of these reclined the great
+Queen herself, who, as soon as she reached the place where
+Potentilla sat in rapt attention, stepped majestically on shore
+and presented the Princess with that celebrated pearl of which you
+have heard so much, saying:
+
+‘You are more beautiful than I ever was. Let my example warn you
+to make a better use of your beauty!'
+
+And then the little fleet sailed on, until it was lost to view in
+the windings of the river. Grumedan was also looking on at the
+spectacle, and said very contemptuously:
+
+‘I cannot say I think these marionettes amusing. What a to-do to
+make over a single pearl! But if you like pearls, madam, why, I
+will soon gratify you.'
+
+So saying, he drew a whistle from his pocket, and no sooner had he
+blown it than the Princess saw the water of the river bubble and
+grow muddy, and in another instant up came hundreds of thousands
+of great oysters, who climbed slowly and laboriously towards her
+and laid at her feet all the pearls they contained.
+
+‘Those are what I call pearls,' cried Grumedan in high glee. And
+truly there were enough of them to pave every path in Potentilla's
+garden and leave some to spare! The next day Prince Narcissus had
+prepared for the Princess's pleasure a charming arbour of leafy
+branches, with couches of moss and grassy floor and garlands
+everywhere, with her name written in different coloured blossoms.
+Here he caused a dainty little banquet to be set forth, while
+hidden musicians played softly, and the silvery fountains plashed
+down into their marble basins, and when presently the music
+stopped a single nightingale broke the stillness with his
+delicious chant.
+
+‘Ah!' cried the Princess, recognizing the voice of one of her
+favourites, ‘Philomel, my sweet one, who taught you that new
+song?'
+
+And he answered: ‘Love, my Princess.'
+
+Meanwhile the Enchanter was very ill-pleased with the
+entertainment, which he declared was dulness itself.
+
+‘You don't seem to have any idea in these parts beyond little
+squeaking birds!' said he. ‘And fancy giving a banquet without so
+much as an ounce of plate!'
+
+So the next day, when the Princess went out into her garden, there
+stood a summer-house built of solid gold, decorated within and
+without with her initials and the Enchanter's combined. And in it
+was spread an enormous repast, while the table so glittered with
+golden cups and plates, flagons and dishes, candlesticks and a
+hundred other things beside, that it was hardly possible to look
+steadily at it. The Enchanter ate like six ogres, but the Princess
+could not touch a morsel. Presently Grumedan remarked with a grin:
+
+‘I have provided neither musicians nor singers; but as you seem
+fond of music I will sing to you myself.'
+
+Whereupon he began, with a voice like a screech-owl's, to chant
+the words of his ‘opera,' only this time happily not at such a
+length, and without the frog accompaniment. After this the Prince
+again asked the aid of his friends the birds, and when they had
+assembled from all the country round he tied about the neck of
+each one a tiny lamp of some brilliant colour, and when darkness
+fell he made them go through a hundred pretty tricks before the
+delighted Potentilla, who clapped her little hands with delight
+when she saw her own name traced in points of light against the
+dark trees, or when the whole flock of sparks grouped themselves
+into bouquets of different colours, like living flowers. Grumedan
+leaning back in his arm-chair, with one knee crossed over the
+other and his nose in the air, looked on disdainfully.
+
+‘Oh! if you like fireworks, Princess,' said he; and the next night
+all the will-o'-the-wisps in the country came and danced on the
+plain, which could be seen from the Princess's windows, and as she
+was looking out, and rather enjoying the sight, up sprang a
+frightful volcano, pouring out smoke and flames which terrified
+her greatly, to the intense amusement of the Enchanter, who
+laughed like a pack of wolves quarrelling. After this, as many of
+the will-o'-the-wisps as could get in crowded into Potentilla's
+garden, and by their light the tall yew-trees danced minuets until
+the Princess was weary and begged to be excused from looking at
+anything more that night. But, in spite of Potentilla's efforts to
+behave politely to the tiresome old Enchanter, whom she detested,
+he could not help seeing that he failed to please her, and then he
+began to suspect very strongly that she must love someone else,
+and that somebody besides Melinette was responsible for all the
+festivities he had witnessed. So after much consideration he
+devised a plan for finding out the truth. He went to the Princess
+suddenly, and announced that he was most unwillingly forced to
+leave her, and had come to bid her farewell. Potentilla could
+scarcely hide her delight when she heard this, and his back was
+hardly turned before she was entreating Prince Narcissus to make
+himself visible once more. The poor Prince had been getting quite
+thin with anxiety and annoyance, and was only too delighted to
+comply with her request. They greeted one another rapturously, and
+were just sitting down to talk over everything cosily, and enjoy
+the Enchanter's discomfiture together, when out he burst in a fury
+from behind a bush. With his huge club he aimed a terrific blow at
+Narcissus, which must certainly have killed him but for the
+adroitness of the Fairy Melinette, who arrived upon the scene just
+in time to snatch him up and carry him off at lightning speed to
+her castle in the air. Poor Potentilla, however, had not the
+comfort of knowing this, for at the sight of the Enchanter
+threatening her beloved Prince she had given one shriek and fallen
+back insensible. When she recovered her senses she was more than
+ever convinced that he was dead, since even Melinette was no
+longer near her, and no one was left to defend her from the odious
+old Enchanter.
+
+To make matters worse, he seemed to be in a very bad temper, and
+came blustering and raging at the poor Princess.
+
+‘I tell you what it is, madam,' said he: ‘whether you love this
+whipper-snapper Prince or not doesn't matter in the least. You are
+going to marry me, so you may as well make up your mind to it; and
+I am going away this very minute to make all the arrangements. But
+in case you should get into mischief in my absence, I think I had
+better put you to sleep.'
+
+So saying, he waved his wand over her, and in spite of her utmost
+efforts to keep awake she sank into a profound and dreamless
+slumber.
+
+As he wished to make what he considered a suitable entry into the
+King's palace, he stepped outside the Princess's little domain,
+and mounted upon an immense chariot with great solid wheels, and
+shafts like the trunk of an oak-tree, but all of solid gold. This
+was drawn with great difficulty by forty-eight strong oxen; and
+the Enchanter reclined at his ease, leaning upon his huge club,
+and holding carelessly upon his knee a tawny African lion, as if
+it had been a little lapdog. It was about seven o'clock in the
+morning when this extraordinary chariot reached the palace gates;
+the King was already astir, and about to set off on a hunting
+expedition; as for the Queen, she had only just gone off into her
+first sleep, and it would have been a bold person indeed who
+ventured to wake her.
+
+The King was greatly annoyed at having to stay and see a visitor
+at such a time, and pulled off his hunting boots again with many
+grimaces. Meantime the Enchanter was stumping about in the hall,
+crying:
+
+‘Where is this King? Let him be told that I must see him and his
+wife also.'
+
+The King, who was listening at the top of the staircase, thought
+this was not very polite; however, he took counsel with his
+favourite huntsman, and, following his advice, presently went down
+to see what was wanted of him. He was struck with astonishment at
+the sight of the chariot, and was gazing at it, when the Enchanter
+strode up to him, exclaiming:
+
+‘Shake hands, Cloverleaf, old fellow! Don't you know me?'
+
+‘No, I can't say I do,' replied the King, somewhat embarrassed.
+
+‘Why, I am Grumedan, the Enchanter,' said he, ‘and I am come to
+make your fortune. Let us come in and talk things over a bit.'
+
+Thereupon he ordered the oxen to go about their business, and they
+bounded off like stags, and were out of sight in a moment. Then,
+with one blow of his club, he changed the massive chariot into a
+perfect mountain of gold pieces.
+
+‘Those are for your lackeys,' said he to the King, ‘that they may
+drink my health.'
+
+Naturally a great scramble ensued, and at last the laughter and
+shouting awoke the Queen, who rang for her maids to ask the reason
+of such an unwonted hurry-burly. When they said that a visitor was
+asking for her, and then proceeded each one to tell breathlessly a
+different tale of wonder, in which she could only distinguish the
+words, ‘oxen,' ‘gold,' ‘club,' ‘giant,' ‘lion,' she thought they
+were all out of their minds. Meanwhile the King was asking the
+Enchanter to what he was indebted for the honour of this visit,
+and on his replying that he would not say until the Queen was also
+present, messenger after messenger was dispatched to her to beg
+her immediate attendance. But Frivola was in a very bad humour at
+having been so unceremoniously awakened, and declared that she had
+a pain in her little finger, and that nothing should induce her to
+come.
+
+When the Enchanter heard this he insisted that she must come.
+
+‘Take my club to her Majesty,' said he, ‘and tell her that if she
+smells the end of it she will find it wonderfully reviving.'
+
+So four of the King's strongest men-at-arms staggered off with it;
+and after some persuasion the Queen consented to try this novel
+remedy. She had hardly smelt it for an instant when she declared
+herself to be perfectly restored; but whether that was due to the
+scent of the wood or to the fact that as soon as she touched it
+out fell a perfect shower of magnificent jewels, I leave you to
+decide. At any rate, she was now all eagerness to see the
+mysterious stranger, and hastily throwing on her royal mantle,
+popped her second-best diamond crown over her night-cap, put a
+liberal dab of rouge upon each cheek, and holding up her largest
+fan before her nose--for she was not used to appearing in broad
+daylight--she went mincing into the great hall. The Enchanter
+waited until the King and Queen had seated themselves upon their
+throne, and then, taking his place between them, he began
+solemnly:
+
+‘My name is Grumedan. I am an extremely well-connected Enchanter;
+my power is immense. In spite of all this, the charms of your
+daughter Potentilla have so fascinated me that I cannot live
+without her. She fancies that she loves a certain contemptible
+puppy called Narcissus; but I have made very short work with him.
+I really do not care whether you consent to my marriage with your
+daughter or not, but I am bound to ask your consent, on account of
+a certain meddling Fairy called Melinette, with whom I have reason
+for wishing to keep on good terms.'
+
+The King and Queen were somewhat embarrassed to know what answer
+to make to this terrible suitor, but at last they asked for time
+to talk over the matter: since, they said, their subjects might
+think that the heir to the throne should not be married with as
+little consideration as a dairymaid.
+
+‘Oh! take a day or two if you like,' said the Enchanter; ‘but in
+the meantime, I am going to send for your daughter. Perhaps you
+will be able to induce her to be reasonable.'
+
+So saying, he drew out his favourite whistle, and blew one ear-
+piercing note--whereupon the great lion, who had been dozing in
+the sunny courtyard, come bounding in on his soft, heavy feet.
+‘Orion,' said the Enchanter, ‘go and fetch me the Princess, and
+bring her here at once. Be gentle now!'
+
+At these words Orion went off at a great pace, and was soon at the
+other end of the King's gardens. Scattering the guards right and
+left, he cleared the wall at a bound, and seizing the sleeping
+Princess, he threw her on to his back, where he kept her by
+holding her robe in his teeth. Then he trotted gently back, and in
+less than five minutes stood in the great hall before the
+astonished King and Queen.
+
+The Enchanter held his club close to the Princess's charming
+little nose, whereupon she woke up and shrieked with terror at
+finding herself in a strange place with the detested Grumedan.
+Frivola, who had stood by, stiff with displeasure at the sight of
+the lovely Princess, now stepped forward, and with much pretended
+concern proposed to carry off Potentilla to her own apartments
+that she might enjoy the quiet she seemed to need. Really her one
+idea was to let the Princess be seen by as few people as possible;
+so, throwing a veil over her head, she led her away and locked her
+up securely. All this time Prince Narcissus, gloomy and
+despairing, was kept a prisoner by Melinette in her castle in the
+air, and in spite of all the splendour by which he was surrounded,
+and all the pleasures which he might have enjoyed, his one thought
+was to get back to Potentilla. The Fairy, however, left him there,
+promising to do her very best for him, and commanding all her
+swallows and butterflies to wait upon him and do his bidding. One
+day, as he paced sadly to and fro, he thought he heard a voice he
+knew calling to him, and sure enough there was the faithful
+Philomel, Potentilla's favourite, who told him all that had
+passed, and how the sleeping Princess had been carried off by the
+Lion to the great grief of all her four-footed and feathered
+subjects, and how, not knowing what to do, he had wandered about
+until he heard the swallows telling one another of the Prince who
+was in their airy castle and had come to see if it could be
+Narcissus. The Prince was more distracted than ever, and tried
+vainly to escape from the castle, by leaping from the roof into
+the clouds; but every time they caught him, and rolling softly up,
+brought him back to the place from which he started, so at last he
+gave up the attempt and waited with desperate patience for the
+return of Melinette. Meanwhile matters were advancing rapidly in
+the court of King Cloverleaf, for the Queen quite made up her mind
+that such a beauty as Potentilla must be got out of the way as
+quickly as possible. So she sent for the Enchanter secretly, and
+after making him promise that he would never turn herself and King
+Cloverleaf out of their kingdom, and that he would take Potentilla
+far away, so that never again might she set eyes upon her, she
+arranged the wedding for the next day but one.
+
+You may imagine how Potentilla lamented her sad fate, and
+entreated to be spared. All the comfort she could get out of
+Frivola was, that if she preferred a cup of poison to a rich
+husband she would certainly provide her with one.
+
+When, then, the fatal day came the unhappy Potentilla was led into
+the great hall between the King and Queen, the latter wild with
+envy at the murmurs of admiration which rose on all sides at the
+loveliness of the Princess. An instant later in came Grumedan by
+the opposite door. His hair stood on end, and he wore a huge bag-
+purse and a cravat tied in a bow, his mantle was made of a shower
+of silver coins with a lining of rose colour, and his delight in
+his own appearance knew no bounds. That any Princess could prefer
+a cup of poison to himself never for an instant occurred to him.
+Nevertheless, that was what did happen, for when Queen Frivola in
+jest held out the fatal cup to the Princess, she took it eagerly,
+crying:
+
+‘Ah! beloved Narcissus, I come to thee!' and was just raising it
+to her lips when the window of the great hall burst open, and the
+Fairy Melinette floated in upon a glowing sunset cloud, followed
+by the Prince himself:
+
+All the court looked on in dazzled surprise, while Potentilla,
+catching sight of her lover, dropped the cup and ran joyfully to
+meet him.
+
+The Enchanter's first thought was to defend himself when he saw
+Melinette appear, but she slipped round his blind side, and
+catching him by the eyelashes dragged him off to the ceiling of
+the hall, where she held him kicking for a while just to give him
+a lesson, and then touching him with her wand she imprisoned him
+for a thousand years in a crystal ball which hung from the roof.
+‘Let this teach you to mind what I tell you another time,' she
+remarked severely. Then turning to the King and Queen, she begged
+them to proceed with the wedding, since she had provided a much
+more suitable bridegroom. She also deprived them of their kingdom,
+for they had really shown themselves unfit to manage it, and
+bestowed it upon the Prince and Princess, who, though they were
+unwilling to take it, had no choice but to obey the Fairy.
+However, they took care that the King and Queen were always
+supplied with everything they could wish for.
+
+Prince Narcissus and Princess Potentilla lived long and happily,
+beloved by all their subjects. As for the Enchanter, I don't
+believe he has been let out yet.
+
+La Princesse Pimprenella et Le Prince Romarin.
+
+
+
+
+
+PRINCE FEATHERHEAD AND THE PRINCESS CELANDINE
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen, who were the best
+creatures in the world, and so kind-hearted that they could not
+bear to see their subjects want for anything. The consequence was
+that they gradually gave away all their treasures, till they
+positively had nothing left to live upon; and this coming to the
+ears of their neighbour, King Bruin, he promptly raised a large
+army and marched into their country. The poor King, having no
+means of defending his kingdom, was forced to disguise himself
+with a false beard, and carrying his only son, the little Prince
+Featherhead, in his arms, and accompanied only by the Queen, to
+make the best of his way into the wild country. They were lucky
+enough to escape the soldiers of King Bruin, and at last, after
+unheard-of fatigues and adventures, they found themselves in a
+charming green valley, through which flowed a stream clear as
+crystal and overshadowed by beautiful trees. As they looked round
+them with delight, a voice said suddenly: ‘Fish, and see what you
+will catch.' Now the King had always loved fishing, and never went
+anywhere without a fish-hook or two in his pocket, so he drew one
+out hastily, and the Queen lent him her girdle to fasten it to,
+and it had hardly touched the water before it caught a big fish,
+which made them an excellent meal--and not before they needed it,
+for they had found nothing until then but a few wild berries and
+roots. They thought that for the present they could not do better
+than stay in this delightful place, and the King set to work, and
+soon built a bower of branches to shelter them; and when it was
+finished the Queen was so charmed with it that she declared
+nothing was lacking to complete her happiness but a flock of
+sheep, which she and the little Prince might tend while the King
+fished. They soon found that the fish were not only abundant and
+easily caught, but also very beautiful, with glittering scales of
+every imaginable hue; and before long the King discovered that he
+could teach them to talk and whistle better than any parrot. Then
+he determined to carry some to the nearest town and try to sell
+them; and as no one had ever before seen any like them the people
+flocked about him eagerly and bought all he had caught, so that
+presently not a house in the city was considered complete without
+a crystal bowl full of fish, and the King's customers were very
+particular about having them to match the rest of the furniture,
+and gave him a vast amount of trouble in choosing them. However,
+the money he obtained in this way enabled him to buy the Queen her
+flock of sheep, as well as many of the other things which go to
+make life pleasant, so that they never once regretted their lost
+kingdom. Now it happened that the Fairy of the Beech-Woods lived
+in the lovely valley to which chance had led the poor fugitives,
+and it was she who had, in pity for their forlorn condition, sent
+the King such good luck to his fishing, and generally taken them
+under her protection. This she was all the more inclined to do as
+she loved children, and little Prince Featherhead, who never cried
+and grew prettier day by day, quite won her heart. She made the
+acquaintance of the King and the Queen without at first letting
+them know that she was a fairy, and they soon took a great fancy
+to her, and even trusted her with the precious Prince, whom she
+carried off to her palace, where she regaled him with cakes and
+tarts and every other good thing. This was the way she chose of
+making him fond of her; but afterwards, as he grew older, she
+spared no pains in educating and training him as a prince should
+be trained. But unfortunately, in spite of all her care, he grew
+so vain and frivolous that he quitted his peaceful country life in
+disgust, and rushed eagerly after all the foolish gaieties of the
+neighbouring town, where his handsome face and charming manners
+speedily made him popular. The King and Queen deeply regretted
+this alteration in their son, but did not know how to mend
+matters, since the good old Fairy had made him so self-willed.
+
+Just at this time the Fairy of the Beech-Woods received a visit
+from an old friend of hers called Saradine, who rushed into her
+house so breathless with rage that she could hardly speak.
+
+‘Dear, dear! what is the matter?' said the Fairy of the Beech-
+Woods soothingly.
+
+‘The matter!' cried Saradine. ‘You shall soon hear all about it.
+You know that, not content with endowing Celandine, Princess of
+the Summer Islands, with everything she could desire to make her
+charming, I actually took the trouble to bring her up myself; and
+now what does she do but come to me with more coaxings and
+caresses than usual to beg a favour. And what do you suppose this
+favour turns out to be--when I have been cajoled into promising to
+grant it? Nothing more nor less than a request that I will take
+back all my gifts--"since," says my young madam, "if I have the
+good fortune to please you, how am I to know that it is really I,
+myself? And that's how it will be all my life long, whenever I
+meet anybody. You see what a weariness my life will be to me under
+these circumstances, and yet I assure you I am not ungrateful to
+you for all your kindness!" I did all I could,' continued
+Saradine, ‘to make her think better of it, but in vain; so after
+going through the usual ceremony for taking back my gifts, I'm
+come to you for a little peace and quietness. But, after all, I
+have not taken anything of consequence from this provoking
+Celandine. Nature had already made her so pretty, and given her
+such a ready wit of her own, that she will do perfectly well
+without me. However, I thought she deserved a little lesson, so to
+begin with I have whisked her off into the desert, and there left
+her!'
+
+‘What! all alone, and without any means of existence?' cried the
+kind-hearted old Fairy. ‘You had better hand her over to me. I
+don't think so very badly of her after all. I'll just cure her
+vanity by making her love someone better than herself. Really,
+when I come to consider of it, I declare the little minx has shown
+more spirit and originality in the matter than one expects of a
+princess.'
+
+Saradine willingly consented to this arrangement, and the old
+Fairy's first care was to smooth away all the difficulties which
+surrounded the Princess, and lead her by the mossy path overhung
+with trees to the bower of the King and Queen, who still pursued
+their peaceful life in the valley.
+
+They were immensely surprised at her appearance, but her charming
+face, and the deplorably ragged condition to which the thorns and
+briers had reduced her once elegant attire, speedily won their
+compassion; they recognised her as a companion in misfortune, and
+the Queen welcomed her heartily, and begged her to share their
+simple repast. Celandine gracefully accepted their hospitality,
+and soon told them what had happened to her. The King was charmed
+with her spirit, while the Queen thought she had indeed been
+daring thus to go against the Fairy's wishes.
+
+‘Since it has ended in my meeting you,' said the Princess, ‘I
+cannot regret the step I have taken, and if you will let me stay
+with you, I shall be perfectly happy.'
+
+The King and Queen were only too delighted to have this charming
+Princess to supply the place of Prince Featherhead, whom they saw
+but seldom, since the Fairy had provided him with a palace in the
+neighbouring town, where he lived in the greatest luxury, and did
+nothing but amuse himself from morning to night. So Celandine
+stayed, and helped the Queen to keep house, and very soon they
+loved her dearly. When the Fairy of the Beech-Woods came to them,
+they presented the Princess to her, and told her story, little
+thinking that the Fairy knew more about Celandine than they did.
+The old Fairy was equally delighted with her, and often invited
+her to visit her Leafy Palace, which was the most enchanting place
+that could be imagined, and full of treasures. Often she would say
+to the Princess, when showing her some wonderful thing:
+
+‘This will do for a wedding gift some day.' And Celandine could
+not help thinking that it was to her that the Fairy meant to give
+the two blue wax-torches which burned without ever getting
+smaller, or the diamond from which more diamonds were continually
+growing, or the boat that sailed under water, or whatever
+beautiful or wonderful thing they might happen to be looking at.
+It is true that she never said so positively, but she certainly
+allowed the Princess to believe it, because she thought a little
+disappointment would be good for her. But the person she really
+relied upon for curing Celandine of her vanity was Prince
+Featherhead. The old Fairy was not at all pleased with the way he
+had been going on for some time, but her heart was so soft towards
+him that she was unwilling to take him away from the pleasures he
+loved, except by offering him something better, which is not the
+most effectual mode of correction, though it is without doubt the
+most agreeable.
+
+However, she did not even hint to the Princess that Featherhead
+was anything but absolutely perfect, and talked of him so much
+that when at last she announced that he was coming to visit her,
+Celandine made up her mind that this delightful Prince would be
+certain to fall in love with her at once, and was quite pleased at
+the idea. The old Fairy thought so too, but as this was not at all
+what she wished, she took care to throw such an enchantment over
+the Princess that she appeared to Featherhead quite ugly and
+awkward, though to every one else she looked just as usual. So
+when he arrived at the Leafy Palace, more handsome and fascinating
+even than ever she had been led to expect, he hardly so much as
+glanced at the Princess, but bestowed all his attention upon the
+old Fairy, to whom he seemed to have a hundred things to say. The
+Princess was immensely astonished at his indifference, and put on
+a cold and offended air, which, however, he did not seem to
+observe. Then as a last resource she exerted all her wit and
+gaiety to amuse him, but with no better success, for he was of an
+age to be more attracted by beauty than by anything else, and
+though he responded politely enough, it was evident that his
+thoughts were elsewhere. Celandine was deeply mortified, since for
+her part the Prince pleased her very well, and for the first time
+she bitterly regretted the fairy gifts she had been anxious to get
+rid of. Prince Featherhead was almost equally puzzled, for he had
+heard nothing from the King and Queen but the praises of this
+charming Princess, and the fact that they had spoken of her as so
+very beautiful only confirmed his opinion that people who live in
+the country have no taste. He talked to them of his charming
+acquaintances in the town, the beauties he had admired, did
+admire, or thought he was going to admire, until Celandine, who
+heard it all, was ready to cry with vexation. The Fairy too was
+quite shocked at his conceit, and hit upon a plan for curing him
+of it. She sent to him by an unknown messenger a portrait of
+Princess Celandine as she really was, with this inscription: ‘All
+this beauty and sweetness, with a loving heart and a great
+kingdom, might have been yours but for your well-known
+fickleness.'
+
+This message made a great impression upon the Prince, but not so
+much as the portrait. He positively could not tear his eyes away
+from it, and exclaimed aloud that never, never had he seen
+anything so lovely and so graceful. Then he began to think that it
+was too absurd that he, the fascinating Featherhead, should fall
+in love with a portrait; and, to drive away the recollections of
+its haunting eyes, he rushed back to the town; but somehow
+everything seemed changed. The beauties no longer pleased him,
+their witty speeches had ceased to amuse; and indeed, for their
+parts, they found the Prince far less amiable than of yore, and
+were not sorry when he declared that, after all, a country life
+suited him best, and went back to the Leafy Palace. Meanwhile, the
+Princess Celandine had been finding the time pass but slowly with
+the King and Queen, and was only too pleased when Featherhead
+reappeared. She at once noticed the change in him, and was deeply
+curious to find the reason of it. Far from avoiding her, he now
+sought her company and seemed to take pleasure in talking to her,
+and yet the Princess did not for a moment flatter herself with the
+idea that he was in love with her, though it did not take her long
+to decide that he certainly loved someone. But one day the
+Princess, wandering sadly by the river, spied Prince Featherhead
+fast asleep in the shade of a tree, and stole nearer to enjoy the
+delight of gazing at his dear face unobserved. Judge of her
+astonishment when she saw that he was holding in his hand a
+portrait of herself! In vain did she puzzle over the apparent
+contradictoriness of his behaviour. Why did he cherish her
+portrait while he was so fatally indifferent to herself? At last
+she found an opportunity of asking him the name of the Princess
+whose picture he carried about with him always.
+
+‘Alas! how can I tell you?' replied he.
+
+‘Why should you not?' said the Princess timidly. ‘Surely there is
+nothing to prevent you.'
+
+‘Nothing to prevent me!' repeated he, ‘when my utmost efforts have
+failed to discover the lovely original. Should I be so sad if I
+could but find her? But I do not even know her name.'
+
+More surprised than ever, the Princess asked to be allowed to see
+the portrait, and after examining it for a few minutes returned
+it, remarking shyly that at least the original had every cause to
+be satisfied with it.
+
+‘That means that you consider it flattered,' said the Prince
+severely. ‘Really, Celandine, I thought better of you, and should
+have expected you to be above such contemptible jealousy. But all
+women are alike!'
+
+‘Indeed, I meant only that it was a good likeness,' said the
+Princess meekly.
+
+‘Then you know the original,' cried the Prince, throwing himself
+on his knees beside her. ‘Pray tell me at once who it is, and
+don't keep me in suspense!'
+
+‘Oh! don't you see that it is meant for me?' cried Celandine.
+
+The Prince sprang to his feet, hardly able to refrain from telling
+her that she must be blinded by vanity to suppose she resembled
+the lovely portrait even in the slightest degree; and after gazing
+at her for an instant with icy surprise, turned and left her
+without another word, and in a few hours quitted the Leafy Palace
+altogether.
+
+Now the Princess was indeed unhappy, and could no longer bear to
+stay in a place where she had been so cruelly disdained. So,
+without even bidding farewell to the King and Queen, she left the
+valley behind her, and wandered sadly away, not caring whither.
+After walking until she was weary, she saw before her a tiny
+house, and turned her slow steps towards it. The nearer she
+approached the more miserable it appeared, and at length she saw a
+little old woman sitting upon the door-step, who said grimly:
+
+‘Here comes one of these fine beggars who are too idle to do
+anything but run about the country!'
+
+‘Alas! madam,' said Celandine, with tears in her pretty eyes, ‘a
+sad fate forces me to ask you for shelter.'
+
+‘Didn't I tell you what it would be?' growled the old hag. ‘From
+shelter we shall proceed to demand supper, and from supper money
+to take us on our way. Upon my word, if I could be sure of finding
+some one every day whose head was as soft as his heart, I wouldn't
+wish for a more agreeable life myself! But I have worked hard to
+build my house and secure a morsel to eat, and I suppose you think
+that I am to give away everything to the first passer-by who
+chooses to ask for it. Not at all! I wager that a fine lady like
+you has more money than I have. I must search her, and see if it
+is not so,' she added, hobbling towards Celandine with the aid of
+her stick.
+
+‘Alas! madam,' replied the Princess, ‘I only wish I had. I would
+give it to you with all the pleasure in life.'
+
+‘But you are very smartly dressed for the kind of life you lead,'
+continued the old woman.
+
+‘What!' cried the Princess, ‘do you think I am come to beg of
+you?'
+
+‘I don't know about that,' answered she; ‘but at any rate you
+don't seem to have come to bring me anything. But what is it that
+you do want? Shelter? Well, that does not cost much; but after
+that comes supper, and that I can't hear of. Oh dear no! Why, at
+your age one is always ready to eat; and now you have been
+walking, and I suppose you are ravenous?'
+
+‘Indeed no, madam,' answered the poor Princess, ‘I am too sad to
+be hungry.'
+
+‘Oh, well! if you will promise to go on being sad, you may stay
+for the night,' said the old woman mockingly.
+
+Thereupon she made the Princess sit down beside her, and began
+fingering her silken robe, while she muttered ‘Lace on top, lace
+underneath! This must have cost you a pretty penny! It would have
+been better to save enough to feed yourself, and not come begging
+to those who want all they have for themselves. Pray, what may you
+have paid for these fine clothes?'
+
+‘Alas! madam,' answered the Princess, ‘I did not buy them, and I
+know nothing about money.'
+
+‘What do you know, if I may ask?' said the old dame.
+
+‘Not much; but indeed I am very unhappy,' cried Celandine,
+bursting into tears, ‘and if my services are any good to you--‘
+
+‘Services!' interrupted the hag crossly. ‘One has to pay for
+services, and I am not above doing my own work.'
+
+‘Madam, I will serve you for nothing,' said the poor Princess,
+whose spirits were sinking lower and lower. ‘I will do anything
+you please; all I wish is to live quietly in this lonely spot.'
+
+‘Oh! I know you are only trying to take me in,' answered she; ‘and
+if I do let you serve me, is it fitting that you should be so much
+better dressed I am? If I keep you, will you give me your clothes
+and wear some that I will provide you with? It is true that I am
+getting old and may want someone to take care of me some day.'
+
+‘Oh! for pity's sake, do what you please with my clothes,' cried
+poor Celandine miserably.
+
+And the old woman hobbled off with great alacrity, and fetched a
+little bundle containing a wretched dress, such as the Princess
+had never even seen before, and nimbly skipped round, helping her
+to put it on instead of her own rich robe, with many exclamations
+of:
+
+‘Saints!--what a magnificent lining! And the width of it! It will
+make me four dresses at least. Why, child, I wonder you could walk
+under such a weight, and certainly in my house you would not have
+had room to turn round.'
+
+So saying, she folded up the robe, and put it by with great care,
+while she remarked to Celandine:
+
+‘That dress of mine certainly suits you to a marvel; be sure you
+take great care of it.'
+
+When supper-time came she went into the house, declining all the
+Princess's offers of assistance, and shortly afterwards brought
+out a very small dish, saying:
+
+‘Now let us sup.'
+
+Whereupon she handed Celandine a small piece of black bread and
+uncovered the dish, which contained two dried plums.
+
+‘We will have one between us,' continued the old dame; ‘and as you
+are the visitor, you shall have the half which contains the stone;
+but be very careful that you don't swallow it, for I keep them
+against the winter, and you have no idea what a good fire they
+make. Now, you take my advice--which won't cost you anything--and
+remember that it is always more economical to buy fruit with
+stones on this account.'
+
+Celandine, absorbed in her own sad thoughts, did not even hear
+this prudent counsel, and quite forgot to eat her share of the
+plum, which delighted the old woman, who put it by carefully for
+her breakfast, saying:
+
+‘I am very much pleased with you, and if you go on as you have
+begun, we shall do very well, and I can teach you many useful
+things which people don't generally know. For instance, look at my
+house! It is built entirely of the seeds of all the pears I have
+eaten in my life. Now, most people throw them away, and that only
+shows what a number of things are wasted for want of a little
+patience and ingenuity.'
+
+But Celandine did not find it possible to be interested in this
+and similar pieces of advice. And the old woman soon sent her to
+bed, for fear the night air might give her an appetite. She passed
+a sleepless night; but in the morning the old dame remarked:
+
+‘I heard how well you slept. After such a night you cannot want
+any breakfast; so while I do my household tasks you had better
+stay in bed, since the more one sleeps the less one need eat; and
+as it is market-day I will go to town and buy a pennyworth of
+bread for the week's eating.'
+
+And so she chattered on, but poor Celandine did not hear or heed
+her; she wandered out into the desolate country to think over her
+sad fate. However, the good Fairy of the Beech-Woods did not want
+her to be starved, so she sent her an unlooked for relief in the
+shape of a beautiful white cow, which followed her back to the
+tiny house. When the old woman saw it her joy knew no bounds.
+
+‘Now we can have milk and cheese and butter!' cried she. ‘Ah! how
+good milk is! What a pity it is so ruinously expensive!' So they
+made a little shelter of branches for the beautiful creature which
+was quite gentle, and followed Celandine about like a dog when she
+took it out every day to graze. One morning as she sat by a little
+brook, thinking sadly, she suddenly saw a young stranger
+approaching, and got up quickly, intending to avoid him. But
+Prince Featherhead, for it was he, perceiving her at the same
+moment, rushed towards her with every demonstration of joy: for he
+had recognised her, not as the Celandine whom he had slighted, but
+as the lovely Princess whom he had sought vainly for so long. The
+fact was that the Fairy of the Beech-Woods, thinking she had been
+punished enough, had withdrawn the enchantment from her, and
+transferred it to Featherhead, thereby in an instant depriving him
+of the good looks which had done so much towards making him the
+fickle creature he was. Throwing himself down at the Princess's
+feet, he implored her to stay, and at least speak to him, and she
+at last consented, but only because he seemed to wish it so very
+much. After that he came every day in the hope of meeting her
+again, and often expressed his delight at being with her. But one
+day, when he had been begging Celandine to love him, she confided
+to him that it was quite impossible, since her heart was already
+entirely occupied by another.
+
+‘I have,' said she, ‘the unhappiness of loving a Prince who is
+fickle, frivolous, proud, incapable of caring for anyone but
+himself, who has been spoilt by flattery, and, to crown all, who
+does not love me.'
+
+‘But,' cried Prince Featherhead, ‘surely you cannot care for so
+contemptible and worthless a creature as that.'
+
+‘Alas! but I do care,' answered the Princess, weeping.
+
+‘But where can his eyes be,' said the Prince, ‘that your beauty
+makes no impression upon him? As for me, since I have possessed
+your portrait I have wandered over the whole world to find you,
+and, now we have met, I see that you are ten times lovelier than I
+could have imagined, and I would give all I own to win your love.'
+
+‘My portrait?' cried Celandine with sudden interest. ‘Is it
+possible that Prince Featherhead can have parted with it?'
+
+‘He would part with his life sooner, lovely Princess,' answered
+he; ‘I can assure you of that, for I am Prince Featherhead.'
+
+At the same moment the Fairy of the Beech-Woods took away the
+enchantment, and the happy Princess recognised her lover, now
+truly hers, for the trials they had both undergone had so changed
+and improved them that they were capable of a real love for each
+other. You may imagine how perfectly happy they were, and how much
+they had to hear and to tell. But at length it was time to go back
+to the little house, and as they went along Celandine remembered
+for the first time what a ragged old dress she was wearing, and
+what an odd appearance she must present. But the Prince declared
+that it became her vastly, and that he thought it most
+picturesque. When they reached the house the old woman received
+them very crossly.
+
+‘I declare,' said she, ‘that it's perfectly true: wherever there
+is a girl you may be sure that a young man will appear before
+long! But don't imagine that I'm going to have you here--not a bit
+of it, be off with you, my fine fellow!'
+
+Prince Featherhead was inclined to be angry at this uncivil
+reception, but he was really too happy to care much, so he only
+demanded, on Celandine's behalf, that the old dame should give her
+back her own attire, that she might go away suitably dressed.
+
+This request roused her to fury, since she had counted upon the
+Princess's fine robes to clothe her for the rest of her life, so
+that it was some time before the Prince could make himself heard
+to explain that he was willing to pay for them. The sight of a
+handful of gold pieces somewhat mollified her, however, and after
+making them both promise faithfully that on no consideration would
+they ask for the gold back again, she took the Princess into the
+house and grudgingly doled out to her just enough of her gay
+attire to make her presentable, while the rest she pretended to
+have lost. After this they found that they were very hungry, for
+one cannot live on love, any more than on air, and then the old
+woman's lamentations were louder than before. ‘What!' she cried,
+‘feed people who were as happy as all that! Why, it was simply
+ruinous!'
+
+But as the Prince began to look angry, she, with many sighs and
+mutterings, brought out a morsel of bread, a bowl of milk, and six
+plums, with which the lovers were well content: for as long as
+they could look at one another they really did not know what they
+were eating. It seemed as if they would go on for ever with their
+reminiscences, the Prince telling how he had wandered all over the
+world from beauty to beauty, always to be disappointed when he
+found that no one resembled the portrait; the Princess wondering
+how it was he could have been so long with her and yet never have
+recognised her, and over and over again pardoning him for his cold
+and haughty behaviour to her.
+
+‘For,' she said, ‘you see, Featherhead, I love you, and love makes
+everything right! But we cannot stay here,' she added; ‘what are
+we to do?'
+
+The Prince thought they had better find their way to the Fairy of
+the Beech-Woods and put themselves once more under her protection,
+and they had hardly agreed upon this course when two little
+chariots wreathed with jasmine and honeysuckle suddenly appeared,
+and, stepping into them, they were whirled away to the Leafy
+Palace. Just before they lost sight of the little house they heard
+loud cries and lamentations from the miserly old dame, and,
+looking round, perceived that the beautiful cow was vanishing in
+spite of her frantic efforts to hold it fast. And they afterwards
+heard that she spent the rest of her life in trying to put the
+handful of gold the Prince had thrown to her into her money-bag.
+For the Fairy, as a punishment for her avarice, caused it to slip
+out again as fast as she dropped it in.
+
+The Fairy of the Beech-Woods ran to welcome the Prince and
+Princess with open arms, only too delighted to find them so much
+improved that she could, with a clear conscience, begin to spoil
+them again. Very soon the Fairy Saradine also arrived, bringing
+the King and Queen with her. Princess Celandine implored her
+pardon, which she graciously gave; indeed the Princess was so
+charming she could refuse her nothing. She also restored to her
+the Summer Islands, and promised her protection in all things. The
+Fairy of the Beech-Woods then informed the King and Queen that
+their subjects had chased King Bruin from the throne, and were
+waiting to welcome them back again; but they at once abdicated in
+favour of Prince Featherhead, declaring that nothing could induce
+them to forsake their peaceful life, and the Fairies undertook to
+see the Prince and Princess established in their beautiful
+kingdoms. Their marriage took place the next day, and they lived
+happily ever afterwards, for Celandine was never vain and
+Featherhead was never fickle any more.
+
+Le Prince Muguet et la Princesse Zaza.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE THREE LITTLE PIGS
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a pig who lived with her three children
+on a large, comfortable, old-fashioned farmyard. The eldest of the
+little pigs was called Browny, the second Whitey, and the youngest
+and best looking Blacky. Now Browny was a very dirty little pig,
+and I am sorry to say spent most of his time rolling and wallowing
+about in the mud. He was never so happy as on a wet day, when the
+mud in the farmyard got soft, and thick, and slab. Then he would
+steal away from his mother's side, and finding the muddiest place
+in the yard, would roll about in it and thoroughly enjoy himself.
+His mother often found fault with him for this, and would shake
+her head sadly and say: ‘Ah, Browny! some day you will be sorry
+that you did not obey your old mother.' But no words of advice or
+warning could cure Browny of his bad habits.
+
+Whitey was quite a clever little pig, but she was greedy. She was
+always thinking of her food, and looking forward to her dinner;
+and when the farm girl was seen carrying the pails across the
+yard, she would rise up on her hind legs and dance and caper with
+excitement. As soon as the food was poured into the trough she
+jostled Blacky and Browny out of the way in her eagerness to get
+the best and biggest bits for herself. Her mother often scolded
+her for her selfishness, and told her that some day she would
+suffer for being so greedy and grabbing.
+
+Blacky was a good, nice little pig, neither dirty nor greedy. He
+had nice dainty ways (for a pig), and his skin was always as
+smooth and shining as black satin. He was much cleverer than
+Browny and Whitey, and his mother's heart used to swell with pride
+when she heard the farmer's friends say to each other that some
+day the little black fellow would be a prize pig.
+
+Now the time came when the mother pig felt old and feeble and near
+her end. One day she called the three little pigs round her and
+said:
+
+‘My children, I feel that I am growing odd and weak, and that I
+shall not live long. Before I die I should like to build a house
+for each of you, as this dear old sty in which we have lived so
+happily will be given to a new family of pigs, and you will have
+to turn out. Now, Browny, what sort of a house would you like to
+have?'
+
+‘A house of mud,' replied Browny, looking longingly at a wet
+puddle in the corner of the yard.
+
+‘And you, Whitey?' said the mother pig in rather a sad voice, for
+she was disappointed that Browny had made so foolish a choice.
+
+‘A house of cabbage,' answered Whitey, with a mouth full, and
+scarcely raising her snout out of the trough in which she was
+grubbing for some potato-parings.
+
+‘Foolish, foolish child!' said the mother pig, looking quite
+distressed. ‘And you, Blacky?' turning to her youngest son, ‘what
+sort of a house shall I order for you?'
+
+‘A house of brick, please mother, as it will be warm in winter,
+and cool in summer, and safe all the year round.'
+
+‘That is a sensible little pig,' replied his mother, looking
+fondly at him. ‘I will see that the three houses are got ready at
+once. And now one last piece of advice. You have heard me talk of
+our old enemy the fox. When he hears that I am dead, he is sure to
+try and get hold of you, to carry you off to his den. He is very
+sly and will no doubt disguise himself, and pretend to be a
+friend, but you must promise me not to let him enter your houses
+on any pretext whatever.'
+
+And the little pigs readily promised, for they had always had a
+great fear of the fox, of whom they had heard many terrible tales.
+A short time afterwards the old pig died, and the little pigs went
+to live in their own houses.
+
+Browny was quite delighted with his soft mud walls and with the
+clay floor, which soon looked like nothing but a big mud pie. But
+that was what Browny enjoyed, and he was as happy as possible,
+rolling about all day and making himself in such a mess. One day,
+as he was lying half asleep in the mud, he heard a soft knock at
+his door, and a gentle voice said:
+
+‘May I come in, Master Browny? I want to see your beautiful new
+house.'
+
+‘Who are you?' said Browny, starting up in great fright, for
+though the voice sounded gentle, he felt sure it was a feigned
+voice, and he feared it was the fox.
+
+‘I am a friend come to call on you,' answered the voice.
+
+‘No, no,' replied Browny, ‘I don't believe you are a friend. You
+are the wicked fox, against whom our mother warned us. I won't let
+you in.'
+
+‘Oho! is that the way you answer me?' said the fox, speaking very
+roughly in his natural voice. ‘We shall soon see who is master
+here,' and with his paws he set to work and scraped a large hole
+in the soft mud walls. A moment later he had jumped through it,
+and catching Browny by the neck, flung him on his shoulders and
+trotted off with him to his den.
+
+The next day, as Whitey was munching a few leaves of cabbage out
+of the corner of her house, the fox stole up to her door,
+determined to carry her off to join her brother in his den. He
+began speaking to her in the same feigned gentle voice in which he
+had spoken to Browny; but it frightened her very much when he
+said:
+
+‘I am a friend come to visit you, and to have some of your good
+cabbage for my dinner.'
+
+‘Please don't touch it,' cried Whitey in great distress. ‘The
+cabbages are the walls of my house, and if you eat them you will
+make a hole, and the wind and rain will come in and give me a
+cold. Do go away; I am sure you are not a friend, but our wicked
+enemy the fox.' And poor Whitey began to whine and to whimper, and
+to wish that she had not been such a greedy little pig, and had
+chosen a more solid material than cabbages for her house. But it
+was too late now, and in another minute the fox had eaten his way
+through the cabbage walls, and had caught the trembling, shivering
+Whitey, and carried her off to his den.
+
+The next day the fox started off for Blacky's house, because he
+had made up his mind that he would get the three little pigs
+together in his den, and then kill them, and invite all his
+friends to a feast. But when he reached the brick house, he found
+that the door was bolted and barred, so in his sly manner he
+began, ‘Do let me in, dear Blacky. I have brought you a present of
+some eggs that I picked up in a farmyard on my way here.'
+
+‘No, no, Mister Fox,' replied Blacky, ‘I am not going to open my
+door to you. I know your cunning ways. You have carried off poor
+Browny and Whitey, but you are not going to get me.'
+
+At this the fox was so angry that he dashed with all his force
+against the wall, and tried to knock it down. But it was too
+strong and well-built; and though the fox scraped and tore at the
+bricks with his paws he only hurt himself, and at last he had to
+give it up, and limp away with his fore-paws all bleeding and
+sore.
+
+‘Never mind!' he cried angrily as he went off, ‘I'll catch you
+another day, see if I don't, and won't I grind your bones to
+powder when I have got you in my den!' and he snarled fiercely and
+showed his teeth.
+
+Next day Blacky had to go into the neighbouring town to do some
+marketing and to buy a big kettle. As he was walking home with it
+slung over his shoulder, he heard a sound of steps stealthily
+creeping after him. For a moment his heart stood still with fear,
+and then a happy thought came to him. He had just reached the top
+of a hill, and could see his own little house nestling at the foot
+of it among the trees. In a moment he had snatched the lid off the
+kettle and had jumped in himself. Coiling himself round he lay
+quite snug in the bottom of the kettle, while with his fore-leg he
+managed to put the lid on, so that he was entirely hidden. With a
+little kick from the inside he started the kettle off, and down
+the hill it rolled full tilt; and when the fox came up, all that
+he saw was a large black kettle spinning over the ground at a
+great pace. Very much disappointed, he was just going to turn
+away, when he saw the kettle stop close to the little brick house,
+and in a moment later Blacky jumped out of it and escaped with the
+kettle into the house, when he barred and bolted the door, and put
+the shutter up over the window.
+
+‘Oho!' exclaimed the fox to himself, ‘you think you will escape me
+that way, do you? We shall soon see about that, my friend,' and
+very quietly and stealthily he prowled round the house looking for
+some way to climb on to the roof.
+
+In the meantime Blacky had filled the kettle with water, and
+having put it on the fire, sat down quietly waiting for it to
+boil. Just as the kettle was beginning to sing, and steam to come
+out of the spout, he heard a sound like a soft, muffled step,
+patter, patter, patter overhead, and the next moment the fox's
+head and fore-paws were seen coming down the chimney. But Blacky
+very wisely had not put the lid on the kettle, and, with a yelp of
+pain, the fox fell into the boiling water, and before he could
+escape, Blacky had popped the lid on, and the fox was scalded to
+death.
+
+As soon as he was sure that their wicked enemy was really dead,
+and could do them no further harm, Blacky started off to rescue
+Browny and Whitey. As he approached the den he heard piteous
+grunts and squeals from his poor little brother and sister who
+lived in constant terror of the fox killing and eating them. But
+when they saw Blacky appear at the entrance to the den their joy
+knew no bounds. He quickly found a sharp stone and cut the cords
+by which they were tied to a stake in the ground, and then all
+three started off together for Blacky's house, where they lived
+happily ever after; and Browny quite gave up rolling in the mud,
+and Whitey ceased to be greedy, for they never forgot how nearly
+these faults had brought them to an untimely end.
+
+
+
+
+
+HEART OF ICE
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who were foolish
+beyond all telling, but nevertheless they were vastly fond of one
+another. It is true that certain spiteful people were heard to say
+that this was only one proof the more of their exceeding
+foolishness, but of course you will understand that these were not
+their own courtiers, since, after all, they were a King and Queen,
+and up to this time all things had prospered with them. For in
+those days the one thing to be thought of in governing a kingdom
+was to keep well with all the Fairies and Enchanters, and on no
+account to stint them of the cakes, the ells of ribbon, and
+similar trifles which were their due, and, above all things, when
+there was a christening, to remember to invite every single one,
+good, bad, or indifferent, to the ceremony. Now, the foolish Queen
+had one little son who was just going to be christened, and for
+several months she had been hard at work preparing an enormous
+list of the names of those who were to be invited, but she quite
+forgot that it would take nearly as long to read it over as it had
+taken to write it out. So, when the moment of the christening
+arrived the King--to whom the task had been entrusted--had barely
+reached the end of the second page and his tongue was tripping
+with fatigue and haste as he repeated the usual formula: ‘I
+conjure and pray you, Fairy so-and-so'--or ‘Enchanter such-a-one'
+--‘to honour me with a visit, and graciously bestow your gifts upon
+my son.'
+
+To make matters worse, word was brought to him that the Fairies
+asked on the first page had already arrived and were waiting
+impatiently in the Great Hall, and grumbling that nobody was there
+to receive them. Thereupon he gave up the list in despair and
+hurried to greet those whom he had succeeded in asking, imploring
+their goodwill so humbly that most of them were touched, and
+promised that they would do his son no harm. But there happened to
+be among them a Fairy from a far country about whom they knew
+nothing, though her name had been written on the first page of the
+list. This Fairy was annoyed that after having taken the trouble
+to come so quickly, there had been no one to receive her, or help
+her to alight from the great ostrich on which she had travelled
+from her distant home, and now she began to mutter to herself in
+the most alarming way.
+
+‘Oh! prate away,' said she, ‘your son will never be anything to
+boast of. Say what you will, he will be nothing but a Mannikin--‘
+
+No doubt she would have gone on longer in this strain, and given
+the unhappy little Prince half-a-dozen undesirable gifts, if it
+had not been for the good Fairy Genesta, who held the kingdom
+under her special protection, and who luckily hurried in just in
+time to prevent further mischief. When she had by compliments and
+entreaties pacified the unknown Fairy, and persuaded her to say no
+more, she gave the King a hint that now was the time to distribute
+the presents, after which ceremony they all took their departure,
+excepting the Fairy Genesta, who then went to see the Queen, and
+said to her:
+
+‘A nice mass you seem to have made of this business, madam. Why
+did you not condescend to consult me? But foolish people like you
+always think they can do without help or advice, and I observe
+that, in spite of all my goodness to you, you had not even the
+civility to invite me!'
+
+‘Ah! dear madam,' cried the King, throwing himself at her feet;
+‘did I ever have time to get as far as your name? See where I put
+in this mark when I abandoned the hopeless undertaking which I had
+but just begun!'
+
+‘There! there!' said the Fairy, ‘I am not offended. I don't allow
+myself to be put out by trifles like that with people I really am
+fond of. But now about your son: I have saved him from a great
+many disagreeable things, but you must let me take him away and
+take care of him, and you will not see him again until he is all
+covered with fur!'
+
+At these mysterious words the King and Queen burst into tears, for
+they lived in such a hot climate themselves that how or why the
+Prince should come to be covered with fur they could not imagine,
+and thought it must portend some great misfortune to him.
+
+However, Genesta told them not to disquiet themselves.
+
+‘If I left him to you to bring up,' said she, ‘you would be
+certain to make him as foolish as yourselves. I do not even intend
+to let him know that he is your son. As for you, you had better
+give your minds to governing your kingdom properly.' So saying,
+she opened the window, and catching up the little Prince, cradle
+and all, she glided away in the air as if she were skating upon
+ice, leaving the King and Queen in the greatest affliction. They
+consulted everyone who came near them as to what the Fairy could
+possibly have meant by saying that when they saw their son again
+he would be covered with fur. But nobody could offer any solution
+of the mystery, only they all seemed to agree that it must be
+something frightful, and the King and Queen made themselves more
+miserable than ever, and wandered about their palace in a way to
+make anyone pity them. Meantime the Fairy had carried off the
+little Prince to her own castle, and placed him under the care of
+a young peasant woman, whom she bewitched so as to make her think
+that this new baby was one of her own children. So the Prince grew
+up healthy and strong, leading the simple life of a young peasant,
+for the Fairy thought that he could have no better training; only
+as he grew older she kept him more and more with herself, that his
+mind might be cultivated and exercised as well as his body. But
+her care did not cease there: she resolved that he should be tried
+by hardships and disappointments and the knowledge of his
+fellowmen; for indeed she knew the Prince would need every
+advantage that she could give him, since, though he increased in
+years, he did not increase in height, but remained the tiniest of
+Princes. However, in spite of this he was exceedingly active and
+well formed, and altogether so handsome and agreeable that the
+smallness of his stature was of no real consequence. The Prince
+was perfectly aware that he was called by the ridiculous name of
+‘Mannikin,' but he consoled himself by vowing that, happen what
+might, he would make it illustrious.
+
+In order to carry out her plans for his welfare the Fairy now
+began to send Prince Mannikin the most wonderful dreams of
+adventure by sea and land, and of these adventures he himself was
+always the hero. Sometimes he rescued a lovely Princess from some
+terrible danger, again he earned a kingdom by some brave deed,
+until at last he longed to go away and seek his fortune in a far
+country where his humble birth would not prevent his gaining
+honour and riches by his courage, and it was with a heart full of
+ambitious projects that he rode one day into a great city not far
+from the Fairy's castle. As he had set out intending to hunt in
+the surrounding forest he was quite simply dressed, and carried
+only a bow and arrows and a light spear; but even thus arrayed he
+looked graceful and distinguished. As he entered the city he saw
+that the inhabitants were all racing with one accord towards the
+market-place, and he also turned his horse in the same direction,
+curious to know what was going forward. When he reached the spot
+he found that certain foreigners of strange and outlandish
+appearance were about to make a proclamation to the assembled
+citizens, and he hastily pushed his way into the crowd until he
+was near enough to hear the words of the venerable old man who was
+their spokesman:
+
+‘Let the whole world know that he who can reach the summit of the
+Ice Mountain shall receive as his reward, not only the
+incomparable Sabella, fairest of the fair, but also all the realms
+of which she is Queen!' ‘Here,' continued the old man after he had
+made this proclamation--‘here is the list of all those Princes
+who, struck by the beauty of the Princess, have perished in the
+attempt to win her; and here is the list of these who have just
+entered upon the high emprise.'
+
+Prince Mannikin was seized with a violent desire to inscribe his
+name among the others, but the remembrance of his dependent
+position and his lack of wealth held him back. But while he
+hesitated the old man, with many respectful ceremonies, unveiled a
+portrait of the lovely Sabella, which was carried by some of the
+attendants, and after one glance at it the Prince delayed no
+longer, but, rushing forward, demanded permission to add his name
+to the list. When they saw his tiny stature anti simple attire the
+strangers looked at each other doubtfully, not knowing whether to
+accept or refuse him. But the Prince said haughtily:
+
+‘Give me the paper that I may sign it,' and they obeyed. What
+between admiration for the Princess and annoyance at the
+hesitation shown by her ambassadors the Prince was too much
+agitated to choose any other name than the one by which he was
+always known. But when, after all the grand titles of the other
+Princes, he simply wrote ‘Mannikin,' the ambassadors broke into
+shouts of laughter.
+
+‘Miserable wretches!' cried the Prince; ‘but for the presence of
+that lovely portrait I would cut off your heads.'
+
+But he suddenly remembered that, after all, it was a funny name,
+and that he had not yet had time to make it famous; so he was
+calm, and enquired the way to the Princess Sabella's country.
+
+Though his heart did not fail him in the least, still he felt
+there were many difficulties before him, and he resolved to set
+out at once, without even taking leave of the Fairy, for fear she
+might try to stop him. Everybody in the town who knew him made
+great fun of the idea of Mannikin's undertaking such an
+expedition, and it even came to the ears of the foolish King and
+Queen, who laughed over it more than any of the others, without
+having an idea that the presumptuous Mannikin was their only son!
+
+Meantime the Prince was travelling on, though the direction he had
+received for his journey were none of the clearest.
+
+‘Four hundred leagues north of Mount Caucasus you will receive
+your orders and instructions for the conquest of the Ice
+Mountain.'
+
+Fine marching orders, those, for a man starting from a country
+near where Japan is nowadays!
+
+However, he fared eastward, avoiding all towns, lest the people
+should laugh at his name, for, you see, he was not a very
+experienced traveller, and had not yet learned to enjoy a joke
+even if it were against himself. At night he slept in the woods,
+and at first he lived upon wild fruits; but the Fairy, who was
+keeping a benevolent eye upon him, thought that it would never do
+to let him be half-starved in that way, so she took to feeding him
+with all sorts of good things while he was asleep, and the Prince
+wondered very much that when he was awake he never felt hungry!
+True to her plan the Fairy sent him various adventures to prove
+his courage, and he came successfully through them all, only in
+his last fight with a furious monster rather like a tiger he had
+the ill luck to lose his horse. However, nothing daunted, he
+struggled on on foot, and at last reached a seaport. Here he found
+a boat sailing for the coast which he desired to reach, and,
+having just enough money to pay his passage, he went on board and
+they started. But after some days a fearful storm came on, which
+completely wrecked the little ship, and the Prince only saved his
+life by swimming a long, long way to the only land that was in
+sight, and which proved to be a desert island. Here he lived by
+fishing and hunting, always hoping that the good Fairy would
+presently rescue him. One day, as he was looking sadly out to sea,
+he became aware of a curious looking boat which was drifting
+slowly towards the shore, and which presently ran into a little
+creek and there stuck fast in the sand. Prince Mannikin rushed
+down eagerly to examine it, and saw with amazement that the masts
+and spars were all branched, and covered thickly with leaves until
+it looked like a little wood. Thinking from the stillness that
+there could be no one on board, the Prince pushed aside the
+branches and sprang over the side, and found himself surrounded by
+the crew, who lay motionless as dead men and in a most deplorable
+condition. They, too, had become almost like trees, and were
+growing to the deck, or to the masts, or to the sides of the
+vessel, or to whatever they had happened to be touching when the
+enchantment fell upon them. Mannikin was struck with pity for
+their miserable plight, and set to work with might and main to
+release them. With the sharp point of one of his arrows he gently
+detached their hands and feet from the wood which held them fast,
+and carried them on shore, one after another, where he rubbed
+their rigid limbs, and bathed them with infusions of various herbs
+with such success, that, after a few days, they recovered
+perfectly and were as fit to manage a boat as ever. You may be
+sure that the good Fairy Genesta had something to do with this
+marvellous cure, and she also put it into the Prince's head to rub
+the boat itself with the same magic herbs, which cleared it
+entirely, and not before it was time, for, at the rate at which it
+was growing before, it would very soon have become a forest! The
+gratitude of the sailors was extreme, and they willingly promised
+to land the Prince upon any coast he pleased; but, when he
+questioned them about the extraordinary thing that had happened to
+them and to their ship, they could in no way explain it, except
+that they said that, as they were passing along a thickly wooded
+coast, a sudden gust of wind had reached them from the land and
+enveloped them in a dense cloud of dust, after which everything in
+the boat that was not metal had sprouted and blossomed, as the
+Prince had seen, and that they themselves had grown gradually numb
+and heavy, and had finally lost all consciousness. Prince Mannikin
+was deeply interested in this curious story, and collected a
+quantity of the dust from the bottom of the boat, which he
+carefully preserved, thinking that its strange property might one
+day stand him in good stead.
+
+Then they joyfully left the desert island, and after a long and
+prosperous voyage over calm seas they at length came in sight of
+land, and resolved to go on shore, not only to take in a fresh
+stock of water and provisions, but also to find out, if possible,
+where they were and in what direction to proceed.
+
+As they neared the coast they wondered if this could be another
+uninhabited land, for no human beings could be distinguished, and
+yet that something was stirring became evident, for in the dust-
+clouds that moved near the ground small dark forms were dimly
+visible. These appeared to be assembling at the exact spot where
+they were preparing to run ashore, and what was their surprise to
+find they were nothing more nor less than large and beautiful
+spaniels, some mounted as sentries, others grouped in companies
+and regiments, all eagerly watching their disembarkation. When
+they found that Prince Mannikin, instead of saying, ‘Shoot them,'
+as they had feared, said ‘Hi, good dog!' in a thoroughly friendly
+and ingratiating way, they crowded round him with a great wagging
+of tails and giving of paws, and very soon made him understand
+that they wanted him to leave his men with the boat and follow
+them. The Prince was so curious to know more about them that he
+agreed willingly; so, after arranging with the sailors to wait for
+him fifteen days, and then, if he had not come back, to go on
+their way without him, he set out with his new friends. Their way
+lay inland, and Mannikin noticed with great surprise that the
+fields were well cultivated and that the carts and ploughs were
+drawn by horses or oxen, just as they might have been in any other
+country, and when they passed any village the cottages were trim
+and pretty, and an air of prosperity was everywhere. At one of the
+villages a dainty little repast was set before the Prince, and
+while he was eating, a chariot was brought, drawn by two splendid
+horses, which were driven with great skill by a large spaniel. In
+this carriage he continued his journey very comfortably, passing
+many similar equipages upon the road, and being always most
+courteously saluted by the spaniels who occupied them. At last
+they drove rapidly into a large town, which Prince Mannikin had no
+doubt was the capital of the kingdom. News of his approach had
+evidently been received, for all the inhabitants were at their
+doors and windows, and all the little spaniels had climbed upon
+the wall and gates to see him arrive. The Prince was delighted
+with the hearty welcome they gave him, and looked round him with
+the deepest interest. After passing through a few wide streets,
+well paved, and adorned with avenues of fine trees, they drove
+into the courtyard of a grand palace, which was full of spaniels
+who were evidently soldiers. ‘The King's body-guard,' thought the
+Prince to himself as he returned their salutations, and then the
+carriage stopped, and he was shown into the presence of the King,
+who lay upon a rich Persian carpet surrounded by several little
+spaniels, who were occupied in chasing away the flies lest they
+should disturb his Majesty. He was the most beautiful of all
+spaniels, with a look of sadness in his large eyes, which,
+however, quite disappeared as he sprang up to welcome Prince
+Mannikin with every demonstration of delight; after which he made
+a sign to his courtiers, who came one by one to pay their respects
+to the visitor. The Prince thought that he would find himself
+puzzled as to how he should carry on a conversation, but as soon
+as he and the King were once more left alone, a Secretary of State
+was sent for, who wrote from his Majesty's dictation a most polite
+speech, in which he regretted much that they were unable to
+converse, except in writing, the language of dogs being difficult
+to understand. As for the writing, it had remained the same as the
+Prince's own.
+
+Mannikin thereupon wrote a suitable reply, and then begged the
+King to satisfy his curiosity about all the strange things he had
+seen and heard since his landing. This appeared to awaken sad
+recollections in the King's mind, but he informed the Prince that
+he was called King Bayard, and that a Fairy, whose kingdom was
+next his own, had fallen violently in love with him, and had done
+all she could to persuade him to marry her; but that he could not
+do so as he himself was the devoted lover of the Queen of the
+Spice Islands. Finally, the Fairy, furious at the indifference
+with which her love was treated, had reduced him to the state in
+which the Prince found him, leaving him unchanged in mind, but
+deprived of the power of speech; and, not content with wreaking
+her vengeance upon the King alone, she had condemned all his
+subjects to a similar fate, saying:
+
+‘Bark, and run upon four feet, until the time comes when virtue
+shall be rewarded by love and fortune.'
+
+Which, as the poor King remarked, was very much the same thing as
+if she had said, ‘Remain a spaniel for ever and ever.'
+
+Prince Mannikin was quite of the same opinion; nevertheless he
+said what we should all have said in the same circumstances:
+
+‘Your Majesty must have patience.'
+
+He was indeed deeply sorry for poor King Bayard, and said all the
+consoling things he could think of, promising to aid him with all
+his might if there was anything to be done. In short they became
+firm friends, and the King proudly displayed to Mannikin the
+portrait of the Queen of the Spice Islands, and he quite agreed
+that it was worth while to go through anything for the sake of a
+creature so lovely. Prince Mannikin in his turn told his own
+history, and the great undertaking upon which he had set out, and
+King Bayard was able to give him some valuable instructions as to
+which would be the best way for him to proceed, and then they went
+together to the place where the boat had been left. The sailors
+were delighted to see the Prince again, though they had known that
+he was safe, and when they had taken on board all the supplies
+which the King had sent for them, they started once more. The King
+and Prince parted with much regret, and the former insisted that
+Mannikin should take with him one of his own pages, named Mousta,
+who was charged to attend to him everywhere, and serve him
+faithfully, which he promised to do.
+
+The wind being favourable they were soon out of hearing of the
+general howl of regret from the whole army, which had been given
+by order of the King, as a great compliment, and it was not long
+before the land was entirely lost to view. They met with no
+further adventures worth speaking of, and presently found
+themselves within two leagues of the harbour for which they were
+making. The Prince, however, thought it would suit him better to
+land where he was, so as to avoid the town, since he had no money
+left and was very doubtful as to what he should do next. So the
+sailors set him and Mousta on shore, and then went back
+sorrowfully to their ship, while the Prince and his attendant
+walked off in what looked to them the most promising direction.
+They soon reached a lovely green meadow on the border of a wood,
+which seemed to them so pleasant after their long voyage that they
+sat down to rest in the shade and amused themselves by watching
+the gambols and antics of a pretty tiny monkey in the trees close
+by. The Prince presently became so fascinated by it that he sprang
+up and tried to catch it, but it eluded his grasp and kept just
+out of arm's reach, until it had made him promise to follow
+wherever it led him, and then it sprang upon his shoulder and
+whispered in his ear:
+
+‘We have no money, my poor Mannikin, and we are altogether badly
+off, and at a loss to know what to do next.'
+
+‘Yes, indeed,' answered the Prince ruefully, ‘and I have nothing
+to give you, no sugar or biscuits, or anything that you like, my
+pretty one.'
+
+‘Since you are so thoughtful for me, and so patient about your own
+affairs,' said the little monkey, ‘I will show you the way to the
+Golden Rock, only you must leave Mousta to wait for you here.'
+
+Prince Mannikin agreed willingly, and then the little monkey
+sprang from his shoulder to the nearest tree, and began to run
+through the wood from branch to branch, crying, ‘Follow me.'
+
+This the Prince did not find quite so easy, but the little monkey
+waited for him and showed him the easiest places, until presently
+the wood grew thinner and they came out into a little clear grassy
+space at the foot of a mountain, in the midst of which stood a
+single rock, about ten feet high. When they were quite close to it
+the little monkey said:
+
+‘This stone looks pretty hard, but give it a blow with your spear
+and let us see what will happen.'
+
+So the Prince took his spear and gave the rock a vigorous dig,
+which split off several pieces, and showed that, though the
+surface was thinly coated with stone, inside it was one solid mass
+of pure gold.
+
+Thereupon the little monkey said, laughing at his astonishment:
+
+‘I make you a present of what you have broken off; take as much of
+it as you think proper.'
+
+The Prince thanked her gratefully, and picked up one of the
+smallest of the lumps of gold; as he did so the little monkey was
+suddenly transformed into a tall and gracious lady, who said to
+him:
+
+‘If you are always as kind and persevering and easily contented as
+you are now you may hope to accomplish the most difficult tasks;
+go on your way and have no fear that you will be troubled any more
+for lack of gold, for that little piece which you modestly chose
+shall never grow less, use it as much as you will. But that you
+may see the danger you have escaped by your moderation, come with
+me.' So saying she led him back into the wood by a different path,
+and he saw that it was full of men and women; their faces were
+pale and haggard, and they ran hither and thither seeking madly
+upon the ground, or in the air, starting at every sound, pushing
+and trampling upon one another in their frantic eagerness to find
+the way to the Golden Rock.
+
+‘You see how they toil,' said the Fairy; ‘but it is all of no
+avail: they will end by dying of despair, as hundreds have done
+before them.'
+
+As soon as they had got back to the place where they had left
+Mousta the Fairy disappeared, and the Prince and his faithful
+Squire, who had greeted him with every demonstration of joy, took
+the nearest way to the city. Here they stayed several days, while
+the Prince provided himself with horses and attendants, and made
+many enquiries about the Princess Sabella, and the way to her
+kingdom, which was still so far away that he could hear but
+little, and that of the vaguest description, but when he presently
+reached Mount Caucasus it was quite a different matter. Here they
+seemed to talk of nothing but the Princess Sabella, and strangers
+from all parts of the world were travelling towards her father's
+Court.
+
+The Prince heard plenty of assurances as to her beauty and her
+riches, but he also heard of the immense number of his rivals and
+their power. One brought an army at his back, another had vast
+treasures, a third was as handsome and accomplished as it was
+possible to be; while, as to poor Mannikin, he had nothing but his
+determination to succeed, his faithful spaniel, and his ridiculous
+name--which last was hardly likely to help him, but as he could
+not alter it he wisely determined not to think of it any more.
+After journeying for two whole months they came at last to
+Trelintin, the capital of the Princess Sabella's kingdom, and here
+he heard dismal stories about the Ice Mountain, and how none of
+those who had attempted to climb it had ever come back. He heard
+also the story of King Farda-Kinbras, Sabella's father. It
+appeared that he, being a rich and powerful monarch, had married a
+lovely Princess named Birbantine, and they were as happy as the
+day was long--so happy that as they were out sledging one day they
+were foolish enough to defy fate to spoil their happiness.
+
+‘We shall see about that,' grumbled an old hag who sat by the
+wayside blowing her fingers to keep them warm. The King thereupon
+was very angry, and wanted to punish the woman; but the Queen
+prevented him, saying:
+
+‘Alas! sire, do not let us make bad worse; no doubt this is a
+Fairy!'
+
+‘You are right there,' said the old woman, and immediately she
+stood up, and as they gazed at her in horror she grew gigantic and
+terrible, her staff turned to a fiery dragon with outstretched
+wings, her ragged cloak to a golden mantle, and her wooden shoes
+to two bundles of rockets. ‘You are right there, and you will see
+what will come of your fine goings on, and remember the Fairy
+Gorgonzola!' So saying she mounted the dragon and flew off, the
+rockets shooting in all directions and leaving long trails of
+sparks.
+
+In vain did Farda-Kinbras and Birbantine beg her to return, and
+endeavour by their humble apologies to pacify her; she never so
+much as looked at them, and was very soon out of sight, leaving
+them a prey to all kinds of dismal forebodings. Very soon after
+this the Queen had a little daughter, who was the most beautiful
+creature ever seen; all the Fairies of the North were invited to
+her christening, and warned against the malicious Gorgonzola. She
+also was invited, but she neither came to the banquet nor received
+her present; but as soon as all the others were seated at table,
+after bestowing their gifts upon the little Princess, she stole
+into the Palace, disguised as a black cat, and hid herself under
+the cradle until the nurses and the cradle-rockers had all turned
+their backs, and then she sprang out, and in an instant had stolen
+the little Princess's heart and made her escape, only being chased
+by a few dogs and scullions on her way across the courtyard. Once
+outside she mounted her chariot and flew straight away to the
+North Pole, where she shut up her stolen treasure on the summit of
+the Ice Mountain, and surrounded it with so many difficulties that
+she felt quite easy about its remaining there as long as the
+Princess lived, and then she went home, chuckling at her success.
+As to the other Fairies, they went home after the banquet without
+discovering that anything was amiss, and so the King and Queen
+were quite happy. Sabella grew prettier day by day. She learnt
+everything a Princess ought to know without the slightest trouble,
+and yet something always seemed lacking to make her perfectly
+charming. She had an exquisite voice, but whether her songs were
+grave or gay it did not matter, she did not seem to know what they
+meant; and everyone who heard her said:
+
+‘She certainly sings perfectly; but there is no tenderness, no
+heart in her voice.' Poor Sabella! how could there be when her
+heart was far away on the Ice Mountains? And it was just the same
+with all the other things that she did. As time went on, in spite
+of the admiration of the whole Court and the blind fondness of the
+King and Queen, it became more and more evident that something was
+fatally wrong: for those who love no one cannot long be loved; and
+at last the King called a general assembly, and invited the
+Fairies to attend, that they might, if possible, find out what was
+the matter. After explaining their grief as well as he could, he
+ended by begging them to see the Princess for themselves. ‘It is
+certain,' said he, ‘that something is wrong--what it is I don't
+know how to tell you, but in some way your work is imperfect.'
+
+They all assured him that, so far as they knew, everything had
+been done for the Princess, and they had forgotten nothing that
+they could bestow on so good a neighbour as the King had been to
+them. After this they went to see Sabella; but they had no sooner
+entered her presence than they cried out with one accord:
+
+‘Oh! horror!--she has no heart!'
+
+On hearing this frightful announcement, the King and Queen gave a
+cry of despair, and entreated the Fairies to find some remedy for
+such an unheard-of misfortune. Thereupon the eldest Fairy
+consulted her Book of Magic, which she always carried about with
+her, hung to her girdle by a thick silver chain, and there she
+found out at once that it was Gorgonzola who had stolen the
+Princess's heart, and also discovered what the wicked old Fairy
+had done with it.
+
+‘What shall we do? What shall we do?' cried the King and Queen in
+one breath.
+
+‘You must certainly suffer much annoyance from seeing and loving
+Sabella, who is nothing but a beautiful image,' replied the Fairy,
+‘and this must go on for a long time; but I think I see that, in
+the end, she will once more regain her heart. My advice is that
+you shall at once cause her portrait to be sent all over the
+world, and promise her hand and all her possessions to the Prince
+who is successful in reaching her heart. Her beauty alone is
+sufficient to engage all the Princes of the world in the quest.'
+
+This was accordingly done, and Prince Mannikin heard that already
+five hundred Princes had perished in the snow and ice, not to
+mention their squires and pages, and that more continued to arrive
+daily, eager to try their fortune. After some consideration he
+determined to present himself at Court; but his arrival made no
+stir, as his retinue was as inconsiderable as his stature, and the
+splendour of his rivals was great enough to throw even Farda-
+Kinbras himself into the shade. However, he paid his respects to
+the King very gracefully, and asked permission to kiss the hand of
+the Princess in the usual manner; but when he said he was called
+‘Mannikin,' the King could hardly repress a smile, and the Princes
+who stood by openly shouted with laughter.
+
+Turning to the King, Prince Mannikin said with great dignity:
+
+‘Pray laugh if it pleases your Majesty, I am glad that it is in my
+power to afford you any amusement; but I am not a plaything for
+these gentlemen, and I must beg them to dismiss any ideas of that
+kind from their minds at once,' and with that he turned upon the
+one who had laughed the loudest and proudly challenged him to a
+single combat. This Prince, who was called Fadasse, accepted the
+challenge very scornfully, mocking at Mannikin, whom he felt sure
+had no chance against himself; but the meeting was arranged for
+the next day. When Prince Mannikin quitted the King's presence he
+was conducted to the audience hall of the Princess Sabella. The
+sight of so much beauty and magnificence almost took his breath
+away for an instant, but, recovering himself with an effort, he
+said:
+
+‘Lovely Princess, irresistibly drawn by the beauty of your
+portrait, I come from the other end of the world to offer my
+services to you. My devotion knows no bounds, but my absurd name
+has already involved me in a quarrel with one of your courtiers.
+Tomorrow I am to fight this ugly, overgrown Prince, and I beg you
+to honour the combat with your presence, and prove to the world
+that there is nothing in a name, and that you deign to accept
+Mannikin as your knight.'
+
+When it came to this the Princess could not help being amused,
+for, though she had no heart, she was not without humour. However,
+she answered graciously that she accepted with pleasure, which
+encouraged the Prince to entreat further that she would not show
+any favour to his adversary.
+
+‘Alas!' said she, ‘I favour none of these foolish people, who
+weary me with their sentiment and their folly. I do very well as I
+am, and yet from one year's end to another they talk of nothing
+but delivering me from some imaginary affliction. Not a word do I
+understand of all their pratings about love, and who knows what
+dull things besides, which, I declare to you, I cannot even
+remember.'
+
+Mannikin was quick enough to gather from this speech that to amuse
+and interest the Princess would be a far surer way of gaining her
+favour than to add himself to the list of those who continually
+teased her about that mysterious thing called ‘love' which she was
+so incapable of comprehending. So he began to talk of his rivals,
+and found in each of them something to make merry over, in which
+diversion the Princess joined him heartily, and so well did he
+succeed in his attempt to amuse her that before very long she
+declared that of all the people at Court he was the one to whom
+she preferred to talk.
+
+The following day, at the time appointed for the combat, when the
+King, the Queen, and the Princess had taken their places, and the
+whole Court and the whole town were assembled to see the show,
+Prince Fadasse rode into the lists magnificently armed and
+accoutred, followed by twenty-four squires and a hundred men-at-
+arms, each one leading, a splendid horse, while Prince Mannikin
+entered from the other side armed only with his spear and followed
+by the faithful Mousta. The contrast between the two champions was
+so great that there was a shout of laughter from the whole
+assembly; but when at the sounding of a trumpet the combatants
+rushed upon each other, and Mannikin, eluding the blow aimed at
+him, succeeded in thrusting Prince Fadasse from his horse and
+pinning him to the sand with his spear, it changed to a murmur of
+admiration.
+
+So soon as he had him at his mercy, however, Mannikin, turning to
+the Princess, assured her that he had no desire to kill anyone who
+called himself her courtier, and then he bade the furious and
+humiliated Fadasse rise and thank the Princess to whom he owed his
+life. Then, amid the sounding of the trumpets and the shoutings of
+the people, he and Mousta retired gravely from the lists.
+
+The King soon sent for him to congratulate him upon his success,
+and to offer him a lodging in the Palace, which he joyfully
+accepted. While the Princess expressed a wish to have Mousta
+brought to her, and, when the Prince sent for him, she was so
+delighted with his courtly manners and his marvellous intelligence
+that she entreated Mannikin to give him to her for her own. The
+Prince consented with alacrity, not only out of politeness, but
+because he foresaw that to have a faithful friend always near the
+Princess might some day be of great service to him. All these
+events made Prince Mannikin a person of much more consequence at
+the Court. Very soon after, there arrived upon the frontier the
+Ambassador of a very powerful King, who sent to Farda-Kinbras the
+following letter, at the same time demanding permission to enter
+the capital in state to receive the answer:
+
+‘I, Brandatimor, to Farda-Kinbras send greeting. If I had before
+this time seen the portrait of your beautiful daughter Sabella I
+should not have permitted all these adventurers and petty Princes
+to be dancing attendance and getting themselves frozen with the
+absurd idea of meriting her hand. For myself I am not afraid of
+any rivals, and, now I have declared my intention of marrying your
+daughter, no doubt they will at once withdraw their pretensions.
+My Ambassador has orders, therefore, to make arrangements for the
+Princess to come and be married to me without delay--for I attach
+no importance at all to the farrago of nonsense which you have
+caused to be published all over the world about this Ice Mountain.
+If the Princess really has no heart, be assured that I shall not
+concern myself about it, since, if anybody can help her to
+discover one, it is myself. My worthy father-in-law, farewell!'
+
+The reading of this letter embarrassed and displeased Farda-
+Kinbras and Birbantine immensely, while the Princess was furious
+at the insolence of the demand. They all three resolved that its
+contents must be kept a profound secret until they could decide
+what reply should be sent, but Mousta contrived to send word of
+all that had passed to Prince Mannikin. He was naturally alarmed
+and indignant, and, after thinking it over a little, he begged an
+audience of the Princess, and led the conversation so cunningly up
+to the subject that was uppermost in her thoughts, as well as his
+own, that she presently told him all about the matter and asked
+his advice as to what it would be best to do. This was exactly
+what he had not been able to decide for himself; however, he
+replied that he should advise her to gain a little time by
+promising her answer after the grand entry of the Ambassador, and
+this was accordingly done.
+
+The Ambassador did not at all like being put off after that
+fashion, but he was obliged to be content, and only said very
+arrogantly that so soon as his equipages arrived, as he expected
+they would do very shortly, he would give all the people of the
+city, and the stranger Princes with whom it was inundated, an idea
+of the power and the magnificence of his master. Mannikin, in
+despair, resolved that he would for once beg the assistance of the
+kind Fairy Genesta. He often thought of her and always with
+gratitude, but from the moment of his setting out he had
+determined to seek her aid only on the greatest occasions. That
+very night, when he had fallen asleep quite worn out with thinking
+over all the difficulties of the situation, he dreamed that the
+Fairy stood beside him, and said:
+
+‘Mannikin, you have done very well so far; continue to please me
+and you shall always find good friends when you need them most. As
+for this affair with the Ambassador, you can assure Sabella that
+she may look forward tranquilly to his triumphal entry, since it
+will all turn out well for her in the end.'
+
+The Prince tried to throw himself at her feet to thank her, but
+woke to find it was all a dream; nevertheless he took fresh
+courage, and went next day to see the Princess, to whom he gave
+many mysterious assurances that all would yet be well. He even
+went so far as to ask her if she would not be very grateful to
+anyone who would rid her of the insolent Brandatimor. To which she
+replied that her gratitude would know no bounds. Then he wanted to
+know what would be her best wish for the person who was lucky
+enough to accomplish it. To which she said that she would wish
+them to be as insensible to the folly called ‘love' as she was
+herself!
+
+This was indeed a crushing speech to make to such a devoted lover
+as Prince Mannikin, but he concealed the pain it caused him with
+great courage.
+
+And now the Ambassador sent to say that on the very next day he
+would come in state to receive his answer, and from the earliest
+dawn the inhabitants were astir, to secure the best places for the
+grand sight; but the good Fairy Genesta was providing them an
+amount of amusement they were far from expecting, for she so
+enchanted the eyes of all the spectators that when the
+Ambassador's gorgeous procession appeared, the splendid uniforms
+seemed to them miserable rags that a beggar would have been
+ashamed to wear, the prancing horses appeared as wretched
+skeletons hardly able to drag one leg after the other, while their
+trappings, which really sparkled with gold and jewels, looked like
+old sheepskins that would not have been good enough for a plough
+horse. The pages resembled the ugliest sweeps. The trumpets gave
+no more sound than whistles made of onion-stalks, or combs wrapped
+in paper; while the train of fifty carriages looked no better than
+fifty donkey carts. In the last of these sat the Ambassador with
+the haughty and scornful air which he considered becoming in the
+representative of so powerful a monarch: for this was the crowning
+point of the absurdity of the whole procession, that all who took
+part in it wore the expression of vanity and self-satisfaction and
+pride in their own appearance and all their surroundings which
+they believed their splendour amply justified.
+
+The laughter and howls of derision from the whole crowd rose ever
+louder and louder as the extraordinary cortege advanced, and at
+last reached the ears of the King as he waited in the audience
+hall, and before the procession reached the palace he had been
+informed of its nature, and, supposing that it must be intended as
+an insult, he ordered the gates to be closed. You may imagine the
+fury of the Ambassador when, after all his pomp and pride, the
+King absolutely and unaccountably refused to receive him. He raved
+wildly both against King and people, and the cortege retired in
+great confusion, jeered at and pelted with stones and mud by the
+enraged crowd. It is needless to say that he left the country as
+fast as horses could carry him, but not before he had declared
+war, with the most terrible menaces, threatening to devastate the
+country with fire and sword.
+
+Some days after this disastrous embassy King Bayard sent couriers
+to Prince Mannikin with a most friendly letter, offering his
+services in any difficulty, and enquiring with the deepest
+interest how he fared.
+
+Mannikin at once replied, relating all that had happened since
+they parted, not forgetting to mention the event which had just
+involved Farda-Kinbras and Brandatimor in this deadly quarrel, and
+he ended by entreating his faithful friend to despatch a few
+thousands of his veteran spaniels to his assistance.
+
+Neither the King, the Queen, nor the Princess could in the least
+understand the amazing conduct of Brandatimor's Ambassador;
+nevertheless the preparations for the war went forward briskly and
+all the Princes who had not gone on towards the Ice Mountain
+offered their services, at the same time demanding all the best
+appointments in the King's army. Mannikin was one of the first to
+volunteer, but he only asked to go as aide-de-camp to the
+Commander-in chief, who was a gallant soldier and celebrated for
+his victories. As soon as the army could be got together it was
+marched to the frontier, where it met the opposing force headed by
+Brandatimor himself, who was full of fury, determined to avenge
+the insult to his Ambassador and to possess himself of the
+Princess Sabella. All the army of Farda-Kinbras could do, being so
+heavily outnumbered, was to act upon the defensive, and before
+long Mannikin won the esteem of the officers for his ability, and
+of the soldiers for his courage, and care for their welfare, and
+in all the skirmishes which he conducted he had the good fortune
+to vanquish the enemy.
+
+At last Brandatimor engaged the whole army in a terrific conflict,
+and though the troops of Farda-Kinbras fought with desperate
+courage, their general was killed, and they were defeated and
+forced to retreat with immense loss. Mannikin did wonders, and
+half-a-dozen times turned the retreating forces and beat back the
+enemy; and he afterwards collected troops enough to keep them in
+check until, the severe winter setting in, put an end to
+hostilities for a while.
+
+He then returned to the Court, where consternation reigned. The
+King was in despair at the death of his trusty general, and ended
+by imploring Mannikin to take the command of the army, and his
+counsel was followed in all the affairs of the Court. He followed
+up his former plan of amusing the Princess, and on no account
+reminding her of that tedious thing called ‘love,' so that she was
+always glad to see him, and the winter slipped by gaily for both
+of them.
+
+The Prince was all the while secretly making plans for the next
+campaign; he received private intelligence of the arrival of a
+strong reinforcement of Spaniels, to whom he sent orders to post
+themselves along the frontier without attracting attention, and as
+soon as he possibly could he held a consultation with their
+Commander, who was an old and experienced warrior. Following his
+advice, he decided to have a pitched battle as soon as the enemy
+advanced, and this Brandatimor lost not a moment in doing, as he
+was perfectly persuaded that he was now going to make an end of
+the war and utterly vanquish Farda-Kinbras. But no sooner had he
+given the order to charge than the Spaniels, who had mingled with
+his troops unperceived, leaped each upon the horse nearest to him,
+and not only threw the whole squadron into confusion by the terror
+they caused, but, springing at the throats of the riders, unhorsed
+many of them by the suddenness of their attack; then turning the
+horses to the rear, they spread consternation everywhere, and made
+it easy for Prince Mannikin to gain a complete victory. He met
+Brandatimor in single combat, and succeeded in taking him
+prisoner; but he did not live to reach the Court, to which
+Mannikin had sent him: his pride killed him at the thought of
+appearing before Sabella under these altered circumstances. In the
+meantime Prince Fadasse and all the others who had remained behind
+were setting out with all speed for the conquest of the Ice
+Mountain, being afraid that Prince Mannikin might prove as
+successful in that as he seemed to be in everything else, and when
+Mannikin returned he heard of it with great annoyance. True he had
+been serving the Princess, but she only admired and praised him
+for his gallant deeds, and seemed no whit nearer bestowing on him
+the love he so ardently desired, and all the comfort Mousta could
+give him on the subject was that at least she loved no one else,
+and with that he had to content himself. But he determined that,
+come what might, he would delay no longer, but attempt the great
+undertaking for which he had come so far. When he went to take
+leave of the King and Queen they entreated him not to go, as they
+had just heard that Prince Fadasse, and all who accompanied him,
+had perished in the snow; but he persisted in his resolve. As for
+Sabella, she gave him her hand to kiss with precisely the same
+gracious indifference as she had given it to him the first time
+they met. It happened that this farewell took place before the
+whole Court, and so great a favourite had Prince Mannikin become
+that they were all indignant at the coldness with which the
+Princess treated him.
+
+Finally the King said to him:
+
+‘Prince, you have constantly refilled all the gifts which, in my
+gratitude for your invaluable services, I have offered to you, but
+I wish the Princess to present you with her cloak of marten's fur,
+and that I hope you will not reject!' Now this was a splendid fur
+mantle which the Princess was very fond of wearing, not so much
+because she felt cold, as that its richness set off to perfection
+the delicate tints of her complexion and the brilliant gold of her
+hair. However, she took it off, and with graceful politeness
+begged Prince Mannikin to accept it, which you may be sure he was
+charmed to do, and, taking only this and a little bundle of all
+kinds of wood, and accompanied only by two spaniels out of the
+fifty who had stayed with him when the war was ended, he set
+forth, receiving many tokens of love and favour from the people in
+every town he passed through. At the last little village he left
+his horse behind him, to begin his toilful march through the snow,
+which extended, blank and terrible, in every direction as far as
+the eye could see. Here he had appointed to meet the other forty-
+eight spaniels, who received him joyfully, and assured him that,
+happen what might, they would follow and serve him faithfully. And
+so they started, full of heart and hope. At first there was a
+slight track, difficult, but not impossible to follow; but this
+was soon lost, and the Pole Star was their only guide. When the
+time came to call a halt, the Prince, who had after much
+consideration decided on his plan of action, caused a few twigs
+from the faggot he had brought with him to be planted in the snow,
+and then he sprinkled over them a pinch of the magic powder he had
+collected from the enchanted boat. To his great joy they instantly
+began to sprout and grow, and in a marvellously short time the
+camp was surrounded by a perfect grove of trees of all sorts,
+which blossomed and bore ripe fruit, so that all their wants were
+easily supplied, and they were able to make huge fires to warm
+themselves. The Prince then sent out several spaniels to
+reconnoitre, and they had the good luck to discover a horse laden
+with provisions stuck fast in the snow. They at once fetched their
+comrades, and brought the spoil triumphantly into the camp, and,
+as it consisted principally of biscuits, not a spaniel among them
+went supperless to sleep. In this way they journeyed by day and
+encamped safely at night, always remembering to take on a few
+branches to provide them with food and shelter. They passed by the
+way armies of those who had set out upon the perilous enterprise,
+who stood frozen stiffly, without sense or motion; but Prince
+Mannikin strictly forbade that any attempt should be made to thaw
+them. So they went on and on for more than three months, and day
+by day the Ice Mountain, which they had seen for a long time, grew
+clearer, until at last they stood close to it, and shuddered at
+its height and steepness. But by patience and perseverance they
+crept up foot by foot, aided by their fires of magic wood, without
+which they must have perished in the intense cold, until presently
+they stood at the gates of the magnificent Ice Palace which
+crowned the mountain, where, in deadly silence and icy sleep, lay
+the heart of Sabella. Now the difficulty became immense, for if
+they maintained enough heat to keep themselves alive they were in
+danger every moment of melting the blocks of solid ice of which
+the palace was entirely built, and bringing the whole structure
+down upon their heads; but cautiously and quickly they traversed
+courtyards and halls, until they found themselves at the foot of a
+vast throne, where, upon a cushion of snow, lay an enormous and
+brilliantly sparkling diamond, which contained the heart of the
+lovely Princess Sabella. Upon the lowest step of the throne was
+inscribed in icy letters, ‘Whosoever thou art who by courage and
+virtue canst win the heart of Sabella enjoy peacefully the good
+fortune which thou hast richly deserved.'
+
+Prince Mannikin bounded forward, and had just strength left to
+grasp the precious diamond which contained all he coveted in the
+world before he fell insensible upon the snowy cushion. But his
+good spaniels lost no time in rushing to the rescue, and between
+them they bore him hastily from the hall, and not a moment too
+soon, for all around them they heard the clang of the falling
+blocks of ice as the Fairy Palace slowly collapsed under the
+unwonted heat. Not until they reached the foot of the mountain did
+they pause to restore the Prince to consciousness, and then his
+joy to find himself the possessor of Sabella's heart knew no
+bounds.
+
+With all speed they began to retrace their steps, but this time
+the happy Prince could not bear the sight of his defeated and
+disappointed rivals, whose frozen forms lined his triumphant way.
+He gave orders to his spaniels to spare no pains to restore them
+to life, and so successful were they that day by day his train
+increased, so that by the time he got back to the little village
+where he had left his horse he was escorted by five hundred
+sovereign Princes, and knights and squires without number, and he
+was so courteous and unassuming that they all followed him
+willingly, anxious to do him honour. But then he was so happy and
+blissful himself that he found it easy to be at peace with all the
+world. It was not long before he met the faithful Mousta, who was
+coming at the top of his speed hoping to meet the Prince, that he
+might tell him of the sudden and wonderful change that had come
+over the Princess, who had become gentle and thoughtful and had
+talked to him of nothing but Prince Mannikin, of the hardships she
+feared he might be suffering, and of her anxiety for him, and all
+this with a hundred fonder expressions which put the finishing
+stroke to the Prince's delight. Then came a courier bearing the
+congratulations of the King and Queen, who had just heard of his
+successful return, and there was even a graceful compliment from
+Sabella herself. The Prince sent Mousta back to her, and he was
+welcomed with joy, for was he not her lover's present?
+
+At last the travellers reached the capital, and were received with
+regal magnificence. Farda-Kinbras and Birbantine embraced Prince
+Mannikin, declaring that they regarded him as their heir and the
+future husband of the Princess, to which he replied that they did
+him too much honour. And then he was admitted into the presence of
+the Princess, who for the first time in her life blushed as he
+kissed her hand, and could not find a word to say. But the Prince,
+throwing himself on his knees beside her, held out the splendid
+diamond, saying:
+
+‘Madam, this treasure is yours, since none of the dangers and
+difficulties I have gone through have been sufficient to make me
+deserve it.'
+
+‘Ah! Prince,' said she, ‘if I take it, it is only that I may give
+it back to you, since truly it belongs to you already.'
+
+At this moment in came the King and Queen, and interrupted them by
+asking all the questions imaginable, and not infrequently the same
+over and over again. It seems that there is always one thing that
+is sure to be said about an event by everybody, and Prince
+Mannikin found that the question which he was asked by more than a
+thousand people on this particular occasion was:
+
+‘And didn't you find it very cold?'
+
+The King had come to request Prince Mannikin and the Princess to
+follow him to the Council Chamber, which they did, not knowing
+that he meant to present the Prince to all the nobles assembled
+there as his son-in-law and successor. But when Mannikin perceived
+his intention, he begged permission to speak first, and told his
+whole story, even to the fact that he believed himself to be a
+peasant's son. Scarcely had he finished speaking when the sky grew
+black, the thunder growled, and the lightning flashed, and in the
+blaze of light the good Fairy Genesta suddenly appeared. Turning
+to Prince Mannikin, she said:
+
+‘I am satisfied with you, since you have shown not only courage
+but a good heart.' Then she addressed King Farda-Kinbras, and
+informed him of the real history of the Prince, and how she had
+determined to give him the education she knew would be best for a
+man who was to command others. ‘You have already found the
+advantage of having a faithful friend,' she added to the Prince
+‘and now you will have the pleasure of seeing King Bayard and his
+subjects regain their natural forms as a reward for his kindness
+to you.'
+
+Just then arrived a chariot drawn by eagles, which proved to
+contain the foolish King and Queen, who embraced their long-lost
+son with great joy, and were greatly struck with the fact that
+they did indeed find him covered with fur! While they were
+caressing Sabella and wringing her hands (which is a favourite
+form of endearment with foolish people) chariots were seen
+approaching from all points of the compass, containing numbers of
+Fairies.
+
+‘Sire,' said Genesta to Farda-Kinbras, ‘I have taken the liberty
+of appointing your Court as a meeting-place for all the Fairies
+who could spare the time to come; and I hope you can arrange to
+hold the great ball, which we have once in a hundred years, on
+this occasion.'
+
+The King having suitably acknowledged the honour done him, was
+next reconciled to Gorgonzola, and they two presently opened the
+ball together. The Fairy Marsontine restored their natural forms
+to King Bayard and all his subjects, and he appeared once more as
+handsome a king as you could wish to see. One of the Fairies
+immediately despatched her chariot for the Queen of the Spice
+Islands, and their wedding took place at the same time as that of
+Prince Mannikin and the lovely and gracious Sabella. They lived
+happily ever afterwards, and their vast kingdoms were presently
+divided between their children.
+
+The Prince, out of grateful remembrance of the Princess Sabella's
+first gift to him bestowed the right of bearing her name upon the
+most beautiful of the martens, and that is why they are called
+sables to this day.
+
+Comte de Caylus.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE ENCHANTED RING
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a young man named Rosimond, who was
+as good and handsome as his elder brother Bramintho was ugly and
+wicked. Their mother detested her eldest son, and had only eyes
+for the youngest. This excited Bramintho's jealousy, and he
+invented a horrible story in order to ruin his brother. He told
+his father that Rosimond was in the habit of visiting a neighbour
+who was an enemy of the family, and betraying to him all that went
+on in the house, and was plotting with him to poison their father.
+
+The father flew into a rage, and flogged his son till the blood
+came. Then he threw him into prison and kept him for three days
+without food, and after that he turned him out of the house, and
+threatened to kill him if he ever came back. The mother was
+miserable, and did nothing but weep, but she dared not say
+anything.
+
+The youth left his home with tears in his eyes, not knowing where
+to go, and wandered about for many hours till he came to a thick
+wood. Night overtook him at the foot of a great rock, and he fell
+asleep on a bank of moss, lulled by the music of a little brook.
+
+It was dawn when he woke, and he saw before him a beautiful woman
+seated on a grey horse, with trappings of gold, who looked as if
+she were preparing for the hunt.
+
+‘Have you seen a stag and some deerhounds go by?' she asked.
+
+‘No, madam,' he replied.
+
+Then she added, ‘You look unhappy; is there anything the matter?
+Take this ring, which will make you the happiest and most powerful
+of men, provided you never make a bad use of it. If you turn the
+diamond inside, you will become invisible. If you turn it outside,
+you will become visible again. If you place it on your little
+finger, you will take the shape of the King's son, followed by a
+splendid court. If you put it on your fourth finger, you will take
+your own shape.'
+
+Then the young man understood that it was a Fairy who was speaking
+to him, and when she had finished she plunged into the woods. The
+youth was very impatient to try the ring, and returned home
+immediately. He found that the Fairy had spoken the truth, and
+that he could see and hear everything, while he himself was
+unseen. It lay with him to revenge himself, if he chose, on his
+brother, without the slightest danger to himself, and he told no
+one but his mother of all the strange things that had befallen
+him. He afterwards put the enchanted ring on his little finger,
+and appeared as the King's son, followed by a hundred fine horses,
+and a guard of officers all richly dressed.
+
+His father was much surprised to see the King's son in his quiet
+little house, and he felt rather embarrassed, not knowing what was
+the proper way to behave on such a grand occasion. Then Rosimond
+asked him how many sons he had.
+
+‘Two,' replied he.
+
+‘I wish to see them,' said Rosimond. ‘Send for them at once. I
+desire to take them both to Court, in order to make their
+fortunes.'
+
+The father hesitated, then answered: ‘Here is the eldest, whom I
+have the honour to present to your Highness.'
+
+‘But where is the youngest? I wish to see him too,' persisted
+Rosimond.
+
+‘He is not here,' said the father. ‘I had to punish him for a
+fault, and he has run away.'
+
+Then Rosimond replied, ‘You should have shown him what was right,
+but not have punished him. However, let the elder come with me,
+and as for you, follow these two guards, who will escort you to a
+place that I will point out to them.'
+
+Then the two guards led off the father, and the Fairy of whom you
+have heard found him in the forest, and beat him with a golden
+birch rod, and cast him into a cave that was very deep and dark,
+where he lay enchanted. ‘Lie there,' she said, ‘till your son
+comes to take you out again.'
+
+Meanwhile the son went to the King's palace, and arrived just when
+the real prince was absent. He had sailed away to make war on a
+distant island, but the winds had been contrary, and he had been
+shipwrecked on unknown shores, and taken captive by a savage
+people. Rosimond made his appearance at Court in the character of
+the Prince, whom everyone wept for as lost, and told them that he
+had been rescued when at the point of death by some merchants. His
+return was the signal for great public rejoicings, and the King
+was so overcome that he became quite speechless, and did nothing
+but embrace his son. The Queen was even more delighted, and fetes
+were ordered over the whole kingdom.
+
+One day the false Prince said to his real brother, ‘Bramintho, you
+know that I brought you here from your native village in order to
+make your fortune; but I have found out that you are a liar, and
+that by your deceit you have been the cause of all the troubles of
+your brother Rosimond. He is in hiding here, and I desire that you
+shall speak to him, and listen to his reproaches.'
+
+Bramintho trembled at these words, and, flinging himself at the
+Prince's feet, confessed his crime.
+
+‘That is not enough,' said Rosimond. ‘It is to your brother that
+you must confess, and I desire that you shall ask his forgiveness.
+He will be very generous if he grants it, and it will be more than
+you deserve. He is in my ante-room, where you shall see him at
+once. I myself will retire into another apartment, so as to leave
+you alone with him.'
+
+Bramintho entered, as he was told, into the anteroom. Then
+Rosimond changed the ring, and passed into the room by another
+door.
+
+Bramintho was filled with shame as soon as he saw his brother's
+face. He implored his pardon, and promised to atone for all his
+faults. Rosimond embraced him with tears, and at once forgave him,
+adding, ‘I am in great favour with the King. It rests with me to
+have your head cut off, or to condemn you to pass the remainder of
+your life in prison; but I desire to be as good to you as you have
+been wicked to me.' Bramintho, confused and ashamed, listened to
+his words without daring to lift his eyes or to remind Rosimond
+that he was his brother. After this, Rosimond gave out that he was
+going to make a secret voyage, to marry a Princess who lived in a
+neighbouring kingdom; but in reality he only went to see his
+mother, whom he told all that had happened at the Court, giving
+her at the same time some money that she needed, for the King
+allowed him to take exactly what he liked, though he was always
+careful not to abuse this permission. Just then a furious war
+broke out between the King his master and the Sovereign of the
+adjoining country, who was a bad man and one that never kept his
+word. Rosimond went straight to the palace of the wicked King, and
+by means of his ring was able to be present at all the councils,
+and learnt all their schemes, so that he was able to forestall
+them and bring them to naught. He took the command of the army
+which was brought against the wicked King, and defeated him in a
+glorious battle, so that peace was at once concluded on conditions
+that were just to everyone.
+
+Henceforth the King's one idea was to marry the young man to a
+Princess who was the heiress to a neighbouring kingdom, and,
+besides that, was as lovely as the day. But one morning, while
+Rosimond was hunting in the forest where for the first time he had
+seen the Fairy, his benefactress suddenly appeared before him.
+‘Take heed,' she said to him in severe tones, ‘that you do not
+marry anybody who believes you to be a Prince. You must never
+deceive anyone. The real Prince, whom the whole nation thinks you
+are, will have to succeed his father, for that is just and right.
+Go and seek him in some distant island, and I will send winds that
+will swell your sails and bring you to him. Hasten to render this
+service to your master, although it is against your own ambition,
+and prepare, like an honest man, to return to your natural state.
+If you do not do this, you will become wicked and unhappy, and I
+will abandon you to all your former troubles.'
+
+Rosimond took these wise counsels to heart. He gave out that he
+had undertaken a secret mission to a neighbouring state, and
+embarked on board a vessel, the winds carrying him straight to the
+island where the Fairy had told him he would find the real Prince.
+This unfortunate youth had been taken captive by a savage people,
+who had kept him to guard their sheep. Rosimond, becoming
+invisible, went to seek him amongst the pastures, where he kept
+his flock, and, covering him with his mantle, he delivered him out
+of the hands of his cruel masters, and bore him back to the ship.
+Other winds sent by the Fairy swelled the sails, and together the
+two young men entered the King's presence.
+
+Rosimond spoke first and said, ‘You have believed me to be your
+son. I am not he, but I have brought him back to you.' The King,
+filled with astonishment, turned to his real son and asked, ‘Was
+it not you, my son, who conquered my enemies and won such a
+glorious peace? Or is it true that you have been shipwrecked and
+taken captive, and that Rosimond has set you free?'
+
+‘Yes, my father,' replied the Prince. ‘It is he who sought me out
+in my captivity and set me free, and to him I owe the happiness of
+seeing you once more. It was he, not I, who gained the victory.'
+
+The King could hardly believe his ears; but Rosimond, turning the
+ring, appeared before him in the likeness of the Prince, and the
+King gazed distractedly at the two youths who seemed both to be
+his son. Then he offered Rosimond immense rewards for his
+services, which were refused, and the only favour the young man
+would accept was that one of his posts at Court should be
+conferred on his brother Bramintho. For he feared for himself the
+changes of fortune, the envy of mankind and his own weakness. His
+desire was to go back to his mother and his native village, and to
+spend his time in cultivating the land.
+
+One day, when he was wandering through the woods, he met the
+Fairy, who showed him the cavern where his father was imprisoned,
+and told him what words he must use in order to set him free. He
+repeated them joyfully, for he had always longed to bring the old
+man back and to make his last days happy. Rosimond thus became the
+benefactor of all his family, and had the pleasure of doing good
+to those who had wished to do him evil. As for the Court, to whom
+he had rendered such services, all he asked was the freedom to
+live far from its corruption; and, to crown all, fearing that if
+he kept the ring he might be tempted to use it in order to regain
+his lost place in the world, he made up his mind to restore it to
+the Fairy. For many days he sought her up and down the woods and
+at last he found her. ‘I want to give you back,' he said, holding
+out the ring, ‘a gift as dangerous as it is powerful, and which I
+fear to use wrongfully. I shall never feel safe till I have made
+it impossible for me to leave my solitude and to satisfy my
+passions.'
+
+While Rosimond was seeking to give back the ring to the Fairy,
+Bramintho, who had failed to learn any lessons from experience,
+gave way to all his desires, and tried to persuade the Prince,
+lately become King, to ill-treat Rosimond. But the Fairy, who knew
+all about everything, said to Rosimond, when he was imploring her
+to accept the ring:
+
+‘Your wicked brother is doing his best to poison the mind of the
+King towards you, and to ruin you. He deserves to be punished, and
+he must die; and in order that he may destroy himself, I shall
+give the ring to him.'
+
+Rosimond wept at these words, and then asked:
+
+‘What do you mean by giving him the ring as a punishment? He will
+only use it to persecute everyone, and to become master.'
+
+‘The same things,' answered the Fairy, ‘are often a healing
+medicine to one person and a deadly poison to another. Prosperity
+is the source of all evil to a naturally wicked man. If you wish
+to punish a scoundrel, the first thing to do is to give him power.
+You will see that with this rope he will soon hang himself.'
+
+Having said this, she disappeared, and went straight to the
+Palace, where she showed herself to Bramintho under the disguise
+of an old woman covered with rags. She at once addressed him in
+these words:
+
+‘I have taken this ring from the hands of your brother, to whom I
+had lent it, and by its help he covered himself with glory. I now
+give it to you, and be careful what you do with it.'
+
+Bramintho replied with a laugh:
+
+‘I shall certainly not imitate my brother, who was foolish enough
+to bring back the Prince instead of reigning in his place,' and he
+was as good as his word. The only use he made of the ring was to
+find out family secrets and betray them, to commit murders and
+every sort of wickedness, and to gain wealth for himself
+unlawfully. All these crimes, which could be traced to nobody,
+filled the people with astonishment. The King, seeing so many
+affairs, public and private, exposed, was at first as puzzled as
+anyone, till Bramintho's wonderful prosperity and amazing
+insolence made him suspect that the enchanted ring had become his
+property. In order to find out the truth he bribed a stranger just
+arrived at Court, one of a nation with whom the King was always at
+war, and arranged that he was to steal in the night to Bramintho
+and to offer him untold honours and rewards if he would betray the
+State secrets.
+
+Bramintho promised everything, and accepted at once the first
+payment of his crime, boasting that he had a ring which rendered
+him invisible, and that by means of it he could penetrate into the
+most private places. But his triumph was short. Next day he was
+seized by order of the King, and his ring was taken from him. He
+was searched, and on him were found papers which proved his
+crimes; and, though Rosimond himself came back to the Court to
+entreat his pardon, it was refused. So Bramintho was put to death,
+and the ring had been even more fatal to him than it had been
+useful in the hands of his brother.
+
+To console Rosimond for the fate of Bramintho, the King gave him
+back the enchanted ring, as a pearl without price. The unhappy
+Rosimond did not look upon it in the same light, and the first
+thing he did on his return home was to seek the Fairy in the
+woods.
+
+‘Here,' he said, ‘is your ring. My brother's experience has made
+me understand many things that I did not know before. Keep it, it
+has only led to his destruction. Ah! without it he would be alive
+now, and my father and mother would not in their old age be bowed
+to the earth with shame and grief! Perhaps he might have been wise
+and happy if he had never had the chance of gratifying his wishes!
+Oh! how dangerous it is to have more power than the rest of the
+world! Take back your ring, and as ill fortune seems to follow all
+on whom you bestow it, I will implore you, as a favour to myself,
+that you will never give it to anyone who is dear to me.'
+
+Fenelon.
+
+
+
+THE SNUFF-BOX
+
+
+
+As often happens in this world, there was once a young man who
+spent all his time in travelling. One day, as he was walking
+along, he picked up a snuff-box. He opened it, and the snuff-box
+said to him in the Spanish language, ‘What do you want?' He was
+very much frightened, but, luckily, instead of throwing the box
+away, he only shut it tight, and put it in his pocket. Then he
+went on, away, away, away, and as he went he said to himself, ‘If
+it says to me again "What do you want?" I shall know better what
+to say this time.' So he took out the snuff-box and opened it, and
+again it asked ‘What do you want?' ‘My hat full of gold,' answered
+the youth, and immediately it was full.
+
+Our young man was enchanted. Henceforth he should never be in need
+of anything. So on he travelled, away, away, away, through thick
+forests, till at last he came to a beautiful castle. In the castle
+there lived a King. The young man walked round and round the
+castle, not caring who saw him, till the King noticed him, and
+asked what he was doing there. ‘I was just looking at your
+castle.' ‘You would like to have one like it, wouldn't you?' The
+young man did not reply, but when it grew dark he took his snuff-
+box and opened the lid. ‘What do you want?' ‘Build me a castle
+with laths of gold and tiles of diamond, and the furniture all of
+silver and gold.' He had scarcely finished speaking when there
+stood in front of him, exactly opposite the King's palace, a
+castle built precisely as he had ordered. When the King awoke he
+was struck dumb at the sight of the magnificent house shining in
+the rays of the sun. The servants could not do their work for
+stopping to stare at it. Then the King dressed himself, and went
+to see the young man. And he told him plainly that he was a very
+powerful Prince; and that he hoped that they might all live
+together in one house or the other, and that the King would give
+him his daughter to wife. So it all turned out just as the King
+wished. The young man married the Princess, and they lived happily
+in the palace of gold.
+
+But the King's wife was jealous both of the young man and of her
+own daughter. The Princess had told her mother about the snuff-
+box, which gave them everything they wanted, and the Queen bribed
+a servant to steal the snuff-box. They noticed carefully where it
+was put away every night, and one evening, when the whole world
+was asleep, the woman stole it and brought it to her old mistress.
+Oh how happy the Queen was! She opened the lid, and the snuff-box
+said to her ‘What do you want?' And she answered at once ‘I want
+you to take me and my husband and my servants and this beautiful
+house and set us down on the other side of the Red Sea, but my
+daughter and her husband are to stay behind.'
+
+When the young couple woke up, they found themselves back in the
+old castle, without their snuff-box. They hunted for it high and
+low, but quite vainly. The young man felt that no time was to be
+lost, and he mounted his horse and filled his pockets with as much
+gold as he could carry. On he went, away, away, away, but he
+sought the snuff-box in vain all up and down the neighbouring
+countries, and very soon he came to the end of all his money. But
+still he went on, as fast as the strength of his horse would let
+him, begging his way.
+
+Someone told him that he ought to consult the moon, for the moon
+travelled far, and might be able to tell him something. So he went
+away, away, away, and ended, somehow or other, by reaching the
+land of the moon. There he found a little old woman who said to
+him ‘What are you doing here? My son eats all living things he
+sees, and if you are wise, you will go away without coming any
+further.' But the young man told her all his sad tale, and how he
+possessed a wonderful snuff-box, and how it had been stolen from
+him, and how he had nothing left, now that he was parted from his
+wife and was in need of everything. And he said that perhaps her
+son, who travelled so far, might have seen a palace with laths of
+gold and tiles of diamond, and furnished all in silver and gold.
+As he spoke these last words, the moon came in and said he smelt
+mortal flesh and blood. But his mother told him that it was an
+unhappy man who had lost everything, and had come all this way to
+consult him, and bade the young man not to be afraid, but to come
+forward and show himself. So he went boldly up to the moon, and
+asked if by any accident he had seen a palace with the laths of
+gold and the tiles of diamond, and all the furniture of silver and
+gold. Once this house belonged to him, but now it was stolen. And
+the moon said no, but that the sun travelled farther than he did,
+and that the young man had better go and ask him.
+
+So the young man departed, and went away, away, away, as well as
+his horse would take him, begging his living as he rode along,
+and, somehow or other, at last he got to the land of the sun.
+There he found a little old woman, who asked him, ‘What are you
+doing here? Go away. Have you not heard that my son feeds upon
+Christians?' But he said no, and that he would not go, for he was
+so miserable that it was all one to him whether he died or not;
+that he had lost everything, and especially a splendid palace like
+none other in the whole world, for it had laths of gold and tiles
+of diamond, and all the furniture was of silver and gold. And that
+he had sought it far and long, and in all the earth there was no
+man more unhappy. So the old woman's heart melted, and she agreed
+to hide him.
+
+When the Sun arrived, he declared that he smelt Christian flesh,
+and he meant to have it for his dinner. But his mother told him
+such a pitiful story of the miserable wretch who had lost
+everything, and had come from far to ask his help, that at last he
+promised to see him.
+
+So the young man came out from his hiding-place and begged the sun
+to tell him if in the course of his travels he had not seen
+somewhere a palace that had not its like in the whole world, for
+its laths were of gold and its tiles of diamond, and all the
+furniture in silver and gold.
+
+And the sun said no, but that perhaps the wind had seen it, for he
+entered everywhere, and saw things that no one else ever saw, and
+if anyone knew where it was, it was certainly the wind.
+
+Then the poor young man again set forth as well as his horse could
+take him, begging his living as he went, and, somehow or other, he
+ended by reaching the home of the wind. He found there a little
+old woman busily occupied in filling great barrels with water. She
+asked him what had put it into his head to come there, for her son
+ate everything he saw, and that he would shortly arrive quite mad,
+and that the young man had better look out. But he answered that
+he was so unhappy that he had ceased to mind anything, even being
+eaten, and then he told her that he had been robbed of a palace
+that had not its equal in all the world, and of all that was in
+it, and that he had even left his wife, and was wandering over the
+world until he found it. And that it was the sun who had sent him
+to consult the wind. So she hid him under the staircase, and soon
+they heard the south wind arrive, shaking the house to its
+foundations. Thirsty as he was, he did not wait to drink, but he
+told his mother that he smelt the blood of a Christian man, and
+that she had better bring him out at once and make him ready to be
+eaten. But she bade her son eat and drink what was before him, and
+said that the poor young man was much to be pitied, and that the
+sun had granted him his life in order that he might consult the
+wind. Then she brought out the young man, who explained how he was
+seeking for his palace, and that no man had been able to tell him
+where it was, so he had come to the wind. And he added that he had
+been shamefully robbed, and that the laths were of gold and the
+tiles of diamond, and all the furniture in silver and gold, and he
+inquired if the wind had not seen such a palace during his
+wanderings.
+
+And the wind said yes, and that all that day he had been blowing
+backwards and forwards over it without being able to move one
+single tile. ‘Oh, do tell me where it is,' cried the you man. ‘It
+is a long way off,' replied the wind, ‘on the other side of the
+Red Sea.' But our traveller was not discouraged, he had already
+journeyed too far.
+
+So he set forth at once, and, somehow or other, he managed to
+reach that distant land. And he enquired if anyone wanted a
+gardener. He was told that the head gardener at the castle had
+just left, and perhaps he might have a chance of getting the
+place. The young man lost no time, but walked up to the castle and
+asked if they were in want of a gardener; and how happy he was
+when they agreed to take him! Now he passed most of his day in
+gossiping with the servants about the wealth of their masters and
+the wonderful things in the house. He made friends with one of the
+maids, who told him the history of the snuff-box, and he coaxed
+her to let him see it. One evening she managed to get hold of it,
+and the young man watched carefully where she hid it away, in a
+secret place in the bedchamber of her mistress.
+
+The following night, when everyone was fast asleep, he crept in
+and took the snuff-box. Think of his joy as he opened the lid!
+When it asked him, as of yore, ‘What do you want?' he replied:
+‘What do I want? What do I want? Why, I want to go with my palace
+to the old place, and for the King and the Queen and all their
+servants to be drowned in the Red Sea.' He hardly finished
+speaking when he found himself back again with his wife, while all
+the other inhabitants of the palace were lying at the bottom of
+the Red Sea.
+
+Sebillot.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE GOLDEN BLACKBIRD
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there was a great lord who had three sons. He
+fell very ill, sent for doctors of every kind, even bonesetters,
+but they, none of them, could find out what was the matter with
+him, or even give him any relief. At last there came a foreign
+doctor, who declared that the Golden Blackbird alone could cure
+the sick man.
+
+So the old lord despatched his eldest son to look for the
+wonderful bird, and promised him great riches if he managed to
+find it and bring it back.
+
+The young man began his journey, and soon arrived at a place where
+four roads met. He did not know which to choose, and tossed his
+cap in the air, determining that the direction of its fall should
+decide him. After travelling for two or three days, he grew tired
+of walking without knowing where or for how long, and he stopped
+at an inn which was filled with merrymakers and ordered something
+to eat and drink.
+
+‘My faith,' said he, ‘it is sheer folly to waste more time hunting
+for this bird. My father is old, and if he dies I shall inherit
+his goods.'
+
+The old man, after waiting patiently for some time, sent his
+second son to seek the Golden Blackbird. The youth took the same
+direction as his brother, and when he came to the cross roads, he
+too tossed up which road he should take. The cap fell in the same
+place as before, and he walked on till he came to the spot where
+his brother had halted. The latter, who was leaning out of the
+window of the inn, called to him to stay where he was and amuse
+himself.
+
+‘You are right,' replied the youth. ‘Who knows if I should ever
+find the Golden Blackbird, even if I sought the whole world
+through for it. At the worst, if the old man dies, we shall have
+his property.'
+
+He entered the inn and the two brothers made merry and feasted,
+till very soon their money was all spent. They even owed something
+to their landlord, who kept them as hostages till they could pay
+their debts.
+
+The youngest son set forth in his turn, and he arrived at the
+place where his brothers were still prisoners. They called to him
+to stop, and did all they could to prevent his going further.
+
+‘No,' he replied, ‘my father trusted me, and I will go all over
+the world till I find the Golden Blackbird.'
+
+‘Bah,' said his brothers, ‘you will never succeed any better than
+we did. Let him die if he wants to; we will divide the property.'
+
+As he went his way he met a little hare, who stopped to look at
+him, and asked:
+
+‘Where are you going, my friend?'
+
+‘I really don't quite know,' answered he. ‘My father is ill, and
+he cannot be cured unless I bring him back the Golden Blackbird.
+It is a long time since I set out, but no one can tell me where to
+find it.'
+
+‘Ah,' said the hare, ‘you have a long way to go yet. You will have
+to walk at least seven hundred miles before you get to it.'
+
+‘And how am I to travel such a distance?'
+
+‘Mount on my back,' said the little hare, ‘and I will conduct
+you.'
+
+The young man obeyed: at each bound the little hare went seven
+miles, and it was not long before they reached a castle that was
+as large and beautiful as a castle could be.
+
+‘The Golden Blackbird is in a little cabin near by,' said the
+little hare, ‘and you will easily find it. It lives in a little
+cage, with another cage beside it made all of gold. But whatever
+you do, be sure not to put it in the beautiful cage, or everybody
+in the castle will know that you have stolen it.'
+
+The youth found the Golden Blackbird standing on a wooden perch,
+but as stiff and rigid as if he was dead. And beside the beautiful
+cage was the cage of gold.
+
+‘Perhaps he would revive if I were to put him in that lovely
+cage,' thought the youth.
+
+The moment that Golden Bird had touched the bars of the splendid
+cage he awoke, and began to whistle, so that all the servants of
+the castle ran to see what was the matter, saying that he was a
+thief and must be put in prison.
+
+‘No,' he answered, ‘I am not a thief. If I have taken the Golden
+Blackbird, it is only that it may cure my father, who is ill, and
+I have travelled more than seven hundred miles in order to find
+it.'
+
+‘Well,' they replied, ‘we will let you go, and will even give you
+the Golden Bird, if you are able to bring us the Porcelain
+Maiden.'
+
+The youth departed, weeping, and met the little hare, who was
+munching wild thyme.
+
+‘What are you crying for, my friend?' asked the hare.
+
+‘It is because,' he answered, ‘the castle people will not allow me
+to carry off the Golden Blackbird without giving them the
+Porcelain Maiden in exchange.'
+
+‘You have not followed my advice,' said the little hare. ‘And you
+have put the Golden Bird into the fine cage.'
+
+‘Alas! yes!'
+
+‘Don't despair! the Porcelain Maiden is a young girl, beautiful as
+Venus, who dwells two hundred miles from here. Jump on my back and
+I will take you there.'
+
+The little hare, who took seven miles in a stride, was there in no
+time at all, and he stopped on the borders of a lake.
+
+‘The Porcelain Maiden,' said the hare to the youth, ‘will come
+here to bathe with her friends, while I just eat a mouthful of
+thyme to refresh me. When she is in the lake, be sure you hide her
+clothes, which are of dazzling whiteness, and do not give them
+back to her unless she consents to follow you.'
+
+The little hare left him, and almost immediately the Porcelain
+Maiden arrived with her friends. She undressed herself and got
+into the water. Then the young man glided up noiselessly and laid
+hold of her clothes, which he hid under a rock at some distance.
+
+When the Porcelain Maiden was tired of playing in the water she
+came out to dress herself, but, though she hunted for her clothes
+high and low, she could find them nowhere. Her friends helped her
+in the search, but, seeing at last that it was of no use, they
+left her, alone on the bank, weeping bitterly.
+
+‘Why do you cry?' said the young man, approaching her.
+
+‘Alas!' answered she, ‘while I was bathing someone stole my
+clothes, and my friends have abandoned me.'
+
+‘I will find your clothes if you will only come with me.'
+
+And the Porcelain Maiden agreed to follow him, and after having
+given up her clothes, the young man bought a small horse for her,
+which went like the wind. The little hare brought them both back
+to seek for the Golden Blackbird, and when they drew near to the
+castle where it lived the little hero said to the young man:
+
+‘Now, do be a little sharper than you were before, and you will
+manage to carry off both the Golden Blackbird and the Porcelain
+Maiden. Take the golden cage in one hand, and leave the bird in
+the old cage where he is, and bring that away too.'
+
+The little hare then vanished; the youth did as he was bid, and
+the castle servants never noticed that he was carrying off the
+Golden Bird. When he reached the inn where his brothers were
+detained, he delivered them by paying their debt. They set out all
+together, but as the two elder brothers were jealous of the
+success of the youngest, they took the opportunity as they were
+passing by the shores of a lake to throw themselves upon him,
+seize the Golden Bird, and fling him in the water. Then they
+continued their journey, taking with them the Porcelain Maiden, in
+the firm belief that their brother was drowned. But, happily, he
+had snatched in falling at a tuft of rushes and called loudly for
+help. The little hare came running to him, and said ‘Take hold of
+my leg and pull yourself out of the water.'
+
+When he was safe on shore the little hare said to him:
+
+‘Now this is what you have to do: dress yourself like a Breton
+seeking a place as stable-boy, and go and offer your services to
+your father. Once there, you will easily be able to make him
+understand the truth.'
+
+The young man did as the little hare bade him, and he went to his
+father's castle and enquired if they were not in want of a stable-
+boy.
+
+‘Yes,' replied his father, ‘very much indeed. But it is not an
+easy place. There is a little horse in the stable which will not
+let anyone go near it, and it has already kicked to death several
+people who have tried to groom it.'
+
+‘I will undertake to groom it,' said the youth. ‘I never saw the
+horse I was afraid of yet.' The little horse allowed itself to be
+rubbed down without a toss of its head and without a kick.
+
+‘Good gracious!' exclaimed the master; ‘how is it that he lets you
+touch him, when no one else can go near him?'
+
+‘Perhaps he knows me,' answered the stable-boy.
+
+Two or three days later the master said to him: ‘The Porcelain
+Maiden is here: but, though she is as lovely as the dawn, she is
+so wicked that she scratches everyone that approaches her. Try if
+she will accept your services.'
+
+When the youth entered the room where she was, the Golden
+Blackbird broke forth into a joyful song, and the Porcelain Maiden
+sang too, and jumped for joy.
+
+‘Good gracious!' cried the master. ‘The Porcelain Maiden and the
+Golden Blackbird know you too?'
+
+‘Yes,' replied the youth, ‘and the Porcelain Maiden can tell you
+the whole truth, if she only will.'
+
+Then she told all that had happened, and how she had consented to
+follow the young man who had captured the Golden Blackbird.
+
+‘Yes,' added the youth, ‘I delivered my brothers, who were kept
+prisoners in an inn, and, as a reward, they threw me into a lake.
+So I disguised myself and came here, in order to prove the truth
+to you.'
+
+So the old lord embraced his son, and promised that he should
+inherit all his possessions, and he put to death the two elder
+ones, who had deceived him and had tried to slay their own
+brother.
+
+The young man married the Porcelain Maiden, and had a splendid
+wedding-feast.
+
+Sebillot.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE LITTLE SOLDIER
+
+
+
+I
+
+Once upon a time there was a little soldier who had just come back
+from the war. He was a brave little fellow, but he had lost
+neither arms nor legs in battle. Still, the fighting was ended and
+the army disbanded, so he had to return to the village where he
+was born.
+
+Now the soldier's name was really John, but for some reason or
+other his friends always called him the Kinglet; why, no one ever
+knew, but so it was.
+
+As he had no father or mother to welcome him home, he did not
+hurry himself, but went quietly along, his knapsack on his back
+and his sword by his side, when suddenly one evening he was seized
+with a wish to light his pipe. He felt for his match-box to strike
+a light, but to his great disgust he found he had lost it.
+
+He had only gone about a stone's throw after making this discovery
+when he noticed a light shining through the trees. He went towards
+it, and perceived before him an old castle, with the door standing
+open.
+
+The little soldier entered the courtyard, and, peeping through a
+window, saw a large fire blazing at the end of a low hall. He put
+his pipe in his pocket and knocked gently, saying politely:
+
+‘Would you give me a light?'
+
+But he got no answer.
+
+After waiting for a moment John knocked again, this time more
+loudly. There was still no reply.
+
+He raised the latch and entered; the hall was empty.
+
+The little soldier made straight for the fireplace, seized the
+tongs, and was stooping down to look for a nice red hot coal with
+which to light his pipe, when clic! something went, like a spring
+giving way, and in the very midst of the flames an enormous
+serpent reared itself up close to his face.
+
+And what was more strange still, this serpent had the head of a
+woman.
+
+At such an unexpected sight many men would have turned and run for
+their lives; but the little soldier, though he was so small, had a
+true soldier's heart. He only made one step backwards, and grasped
+the hilt of his sword.
+
+‘Don't unsheath it,' said the serpent. ‘I have been waiting for
+you, as it is you who must deliver me.'
+
+‘Who are you?'
+
+‘My name is Ludovine, and I am the daughter of the King of the Low
+Countries. Deliver me, and I will marry you and make you happy for
+ever after.'
+
+Now, some people might not have liked the notion of being made
+happy by a serpent with the head of a woman, but the Kinglet had
+no such fears. And, besides, he felt the fascination of Ludovine's
+eyes, which looked at him as a snake looks at a little bird. They
+were beautiful green eyes, not round like those of a cat, but long
+and almond-shaped, and they shone with a strange light, and the
+golden hair which floated round them seemed all the brighter for
+their lustre. The face had the beauty of an angel, though the body
+was only that of a serpent.
+
+‘What must I do?' asked the Kinglet.
+
+‘Open that door. You will find yourself in a gallery with a room
+at the end just like this. Cross that, and you will see a closet,
+out of which you must take a tunic, and bring it back to me.'
+
+The little soldier boldly prepared to do as he was told. He
+crossed the gallery in safety, but when he reached the room he saw
+by the light of the stars eight hands on a level with his face,
+which threatened to strike him. And, turn his eyes which way he
+would, he could discover no bodies belonging to them.
+
+He lowered his head and rushed forward amidst a storm of blows,
+which he returned with his fists. When he got to the closet, he
+opened it, took down the tunic, and brought it to the first room.
+
+‘Here it is,' he panted, rather out of breath.
+
+‘Clic!' once more the flames parted. Ludovine was a woman down to
+her waist. She took the tunic and put it on.
+
+It was a magnificent tunic of orange velvet, embroidered in
+pearls, but the pearls were not so white as her own neck.
+
+‘That is not all,' she said. ‘Go to the gallery, take the
+staircase which is on the left, and in the second room on the
+first story you will find another closet with my skirt. Bring this
+to me.'
+
+The Kinglet did as he was told, but in entering the room he saw,
+instead of merely hands, eight arms, each holding an enormous
+stick. He instantly unsheathed his sword and cut his way through
+with such vigour that he hardly received a scratch.
+
+He brought back the skirt, which was made of silk as blue as the
+skies of Spain.
+
+‘Here it is,' said John, as the serpent appeared. She was now a
+woman as far as her knees.
+
+‘I only want my shoes and stockings now,' she said. ‘Go and get
+them from the closet which is on the second story.'
+
+The little soldier departed, and found himself in the presence of
+eight goblins armed with hammers, and flames darting from their
+eyes. This time he stopped short at the threshold. ‘My sword is no
+use,' he thought to himself; ‘these wretches will break it like
+glass, and if I can't think of anything else, I am a dead man.' At
+this moment his eyes fell on the door, which was made of oak,
+thick and heavy. He wrenched it off its hinges and held it over
+his head, and then went straight at the goblins, whom he crushed
+beneath it. After that he took the shoes and stockings out of the
+closet and brought them to Ludovine, who, directly she had put
+them on, became a woman all over.
+
+When she was quite dressed in her white silk stockings and little
+blue slippers dotted over with carbuncles, she said to her
+deliverer, ‘Now you must go away, and never come back here,
+whatever happens. Here is a purse with two hundred ducats. Sleep
+to-night at the inn which is at the edge of the wood, and awake
+early in the morning: for at nine o'clock I shall pass the door,
+and shall take you up in my carriage.' ‘Why shouldn't we go now?'
+asked the little soldier. ‘Because the time has not yet come,'
+said the Princess. ‘But first you may drink my health in this
+glass of wine,' and as she spoke she filled a crystal goblet with
+a liquid that looked like melted gold.
+
+John drank, then lit his pipe and went out.
+
+
+II
+
+When he arrived at the inn he ordered supper, but no sooner had he
+sat down to eat it than he felt that he was going sound asleep.
+
+‘I must be more tired than I thought,' he said to himself, and,
+after telling them to be sure to wake him next morning at eight
+o'clock, he went to bed.
+
+All night long he slept like a dead man. At eight o'clock they
+came to wake him, and at half-past, and a quarter of an hour
+later, but it was no use; and at last they decided to leave him in
+peace.
+
+The clocks were striking twelve when John awoke. He sprang out of
+bed, and, scarcely waiting to dress himself, hastened to ask if
+anyone had been to inquire for him.
+
+‘There came a lovely princess,' replied the landlady, ‘in a coach
+of gold. She left you this bouquet, and a message to say that she
+would pass this way to-morrow morning at eight o'clock.'
+
+The little soldier cursed his sleep, but tried to console himself
+by looking at his bouquet, which was of immortelles.
+
+‘It is the flower of remembrance,' thought he, forgetting that it
+is also the flower of the dead.
+
+When the night came, he slept with one eye open, and jumped up
+twenty times an hour. When the birds began to sing he could lie
+still no longer, and climbed out of his window into the branches
+of one of the great lime-trees that stood before the door. There
+he sat, dreamily gazing at his bouquet till he ended by going fast
+asleep.
+
+Once asleep, nothing was able to wake him; neither the brightness
+of the sun, nor the songs of the birds, nor the noise of
+Ludovine's golden coach, nor the cries of the landlady who sought
+him in every place she could think of.
+
+As the clock struck twelve he woke, and his heart sank as he came
+down out of his tree and saw them laying the table for dinner.
+
+‘Did the Princess come?' he asked.
+
+‘Yes, indeed, she did. She left this flower-coloured scarf for
+you; said she would pass by to-morrow at seven o'clock, but it
+would be the last time.'
+
+‘I must have been bewitched,' thought the little soldier. Then he
+took the scarf, which had a strange kind of scent, and tied it
+round his left arm, thinking all the while that the best way to
+keep awake was not to go to bed at all. So he paid his bill, and
+bought a horse with the money that remained, and when the evening
+came he mounted his horse and stood in front of the inn door,
+determined to stay there all night.
+
+Every now and then he stooped to smell the sweet perfume of the
+scarf round his arm; and gradually he smelt it so often that at
+last his head sank on to the horse's neck, and he and his horse
+snored in company.
+
+When the Princess arrived, they shook him, and beat him, and
+screamed at him, but it was all no good. Neither man nor horse
+woke till the coach was seen vanishing away in the distance.
+
+Then John put spurs to his horse, calling with all his might
+‘Stop! stop!' But the coach drove on as before, and though the
+little soldier rode after it for a day and a night, he never got
+one step nearer.
+
+Thus they left many villages and towns behind them, till they came
+to the sea itself. Here John thought that at last the coach must
+stop, but, wonder of wonders! it went straight on, and rolled over
+the water as easily as it had done over the land. John's horse,
+which had carried him so well, sank down from fatigue, and the
+little soldier sat sadly on the shore, watching the coach which
+was fast disappearing on the horizon.
+
+
+III
+
+However, he soon plucked up his spirits again, and walked along
+the beach to try and find a boat in which he could sail after the
+Princess. But no boat was there, and at last, tired and hungry, he
+sat down to rest on the steps of a fisherman's hut.
+
+In the hut was a young girl who was mending a net. She invited
+John to come in, and set before him some wine and fried fish, and
+John ate and drank and felt comforted, and he told his adventures
+to the little fisher-girl. But though she was very pretty, with a
+skin as white as a gull's breast, for which her neighbours gave
+her the name of the Seagull, he did not think about her at all,
+for he was dreaming of the green eyes of the Princess.
+
+When he had finished his tale, she was filled with pity and said:
+
+‘Last week, when I was fishing, my net suddenly grew very heavy,
+and when I drew it in I found a great copper vase, fastened with
+lead. I brought it home and placed it on the fire. When the lead
+had melted a little, I opened the vase with my knife and drew out
+a mantle of red cloth and a purse containing fifty crowns. That is
+the mantle, covering my bed, and I have kept the money for my
+marriage-portion. But take it and go to the nearest seaport, where
+you will find a ship sailing for the Low Countries, and when you
+become King you will bring me back my fifty crowns.'
+
+And the Kinglet answered: ‘When I am King of the Low Countries, I
+will make you lady-in-waiting to the Queen, for you are as good as
+you are beautiful. So farewell,' said he, and as the Seagull went
+back to her fishing he rolled himself in the mantle and threw
+himself down on a heap of dried grass, thinking of the strange
+things that had befallen him, till he suddenly exclaimed:
+
+‘Oh, how I wish I was in the capital of the Low Countries!'
+
+
+IV
+
+In one moment the little soldier found himself standing before a
+splendid palace. He rubbed his eyes and pinched himself, and when
+he was quite sure he was not dreaming he said to a man who was
+smoking his pipe before the door, ‘Where am I?'
+
+‘Where are you? Can't you see? Before the King's palace, of
+course.'
+
+‘What King?'
+
+‘Why the King of the Low Countries!' replied the man, laughing and
+supposing that he was mad.
+
+Was there ever anything so strange? But as John was an honest
+fellow, he was troubled at the thought that the Seagull would
+think he had stolen her mantle and purse. And he began to wonder
+how he could restore them to her the soonest. Then he remembered
+that the mantle had some hidden charm that enabled the bearer to
+transport himself at will from place to place, and in order to
+make sure of this he wished himself in the best inn of the town.
+In an instant he was there.
+
+Enchanted with this discovery, he ordered supper, and as it was
+too late to visit the King that night he went to bed.
+
+The next day, when he got up, he saw that all the houses were
+wreathed with flowers and covered with flags, and all the church
+bells were ringing. The little soldier inquired the meaning of all
+this noise, and was told that the Princess Ludovine, the King's
+beautiful daughter, had been found, and was about to make her
+triumphal entry. ‘That will just suit me,' thought the Kinglet; ‘I
+will stand at the door and see if she knows me.'
+
+He had scarcely time to dress himself when the golden coach of
+Ludovine went by. She had a crown of gold upon her head, and the
+King and Queen sat by her side. By accident her eyes fell upon the
+little soldier, and she grew pale and turned away her head.
+
+‘Didn't she know me?' the little soldier asked himself, ‘or was
+she angry because I missed our meetings?' and he followed the
+crowd till he got to the palace. When the royal party entered he
+told the guards that it was he who had delivered the Princess, and
+wished to speak to the King. But the more he talked the more they
+believed him mad and refused to let him pass.
+
+The little soldier was furious. He felt that he needed his pipe to
+calm him, and he entered a tavern and ordered a pint of beer. ‘It
+is this miserable soldier's helmet,' said he to himself ‘If I had
+only money enough I could look as splendid as the lords of the
+Court; but what is the good of thinking of that when I have only
+the remains of the Seagull's fifty crowns?'
+
+He took out his purse to see what was left, and he found that
+there were still fifty crowns.
+
+‘The Seagull must have miscounted,' thought he, and he paid for
+his beer. Then he counted his money again, and there were still
+fifty crowns. He took away five and counted a third time, but
+there were still fifty. He emptied the purse altogether and then
+shut it; when he opened it the fifty crowns were still there!
+
+Then a plan came into his head, and he determined to go at once to
+the Court tailor and coachbuilder.
+
+He ordered the tailor to make him a mantle and vest of blue velvet
+embroidered with pearls, and the coachbuilder to make him a golden
+coach like the coach of the Princess Ludovine. If the tailor and
+the coachbuilder were quick he promised to pay them double.
+
+A few days later the little soldier was driven through the city in
+his coach drawn by six white horses, and with four lacqueys richly
+dressed standing behind. Inside sat John, clad in blue velvet,
+with a bouquet of immortelles in his hand and a scarf bound round
+his arm. He drove twice round the city, throwing money to the
+right and left, and the third time, as he passed under the palace
+windows, he saw Ludovine lift a corner of the curtain and peep
+out.
+
+
+V
+
+The next day no one talked of anything but the rich lord who had
+distributed money as he drove along. The talk even reached the
+Court, and the Queen, who was very curious, had a great desire to
+see the wonderful Prince.
+
+‘Very well,' said the King; ‘let him be asked to come and play
+cards with me.'
+
+This time the Kinglet was not late for his appointment.
+
+The King sent for the cards and they sat down to play. They had
+six games, and John always lost. The stake was fifty crowns, and
+each time he emptied his purse, which was full the next instant.
+
+The sixth time the King exclaimed, ‘It is amazing!'
+
+The Queen cried, ‘It is astonishing!'
+
+The Princess said, ‘It is bewildering!'
+
+‘Not so bewildering,' replied the little soldier, ‘as your change
+into a serpent.'
+
+‘Hush!' interrupted the King, who did not like the subject.
+
+‘I only spoke of it,' said John, ‘because you see in me the man
+who delivered the Princess from the goblins and whom she promised
+to marry.'
+
+‘Is that true?' asked the King of the Princess.
+
+‘Quite true,' answered Ludovine. ‘But I told my deliverer to be
+ready to go with me when I passed by with my coach. I passed three
+times, but he slept so soundly that no one could wake him.'
+
+‘What is your name?' said the King, ‘and who are you?'
+
+‘My name is John. I am a soldier, and my father is a boatman.'
+
+‘You are not a fit husband for my daughter. Still, if you will
+give us your purse, you shall have her for your wife.'
+
+‘My purse does not belong to me, and I cannot give it away.'
+
+‘But you can lend it to me till our wedding-day,' said the
+Princess with one of those glances the little soldier never could
+resist.
+
+‘And when will that be?'
+
+‘At Easter,' said the monarch.
+
+‘Or in a blue moon!' murmured the Princess; but the Kinglet did
+not hear her and let her take his purse.
+
+Next evening he presented himself at the palace to play picquet
+with the King and to make his court to the Princess. But he was
+told that the King had gone into the country to receive his rents.
+He returned the following day, and had the same answer. Then he
+asked to see the Queen, but she had a headache. When this had
+happened five or six times, he began to understand that they were
+making fun of him.
+
+‘That is not the way for a King to behave,' thought John. ‘Old
+scoundrel!' and then suddenly he remembered his red cloak.
+
+‘Ah, what an idiot I am!' said he. ‘Of course I can get in
+whenever I like with the help of this.'
+
+That evening he was in front of the palace, wrapped in his red
+cloak.
+
+On the first story one window was lighted, and John saw on the
+curtains the shadow of the Princess.
+
+‘I wish myself in the room of the Princess Ludovine,' said he, and
+in a second he was there.
+
+The King's daughter was sitting before a table counting the money
+that she emptied from the inexhaustible purse.
+
+‘Eight hundred and fifty, nine hundred, nine hundred and fifty--‘
+
+‘A thousand,' finished John. ‘Good evening everybody!'
+
+The Princess jumped and gave a little cry. ‘You here! What
+business have you to do it? Leave at once, or I shall call--‘
+
+‘I have come,' said the Kinglet, ‘to remind you of your promise.
+The day after to-morrow is Easter Day, and it is high time to
+think of our marriage.'
+
+Ludovine burst out into a fit of laughter. ‘Our marriage! Have you
+really been foolish enough to believe that the daughter of the
+King of the Low Countries would ever marry the son of a boatman?'
+
+‘Then give me back the purse,' said John.
+
+‘Never,' said the Princess, and put it calmly in her pocket.
+
+‘As you like,' said the little soldier. ‘He laughs best who laughs
+the last;' and he took the Princess in his arms. ‘I wish,' he
+cried, ‘that we were at the ends of the earth;' and in one second
+he was there, still clasping the Princess tightly in his arms.
+
+‘Ouf,' said John, laying her gently at the foot of a tree. ‘I
+never took such a long journey before. What do you say, madam?'
+The Princess understood that it was no time for jesting, and did
+not answer. Besides she was still feeling giddy from her rapid
+flight, and had not yet collected her senses.
+
+
+VI
+
+The King of the Low Countries was not a very scrupulous person,
+and his daughter took after him. This was why she had been changed
+into a serpent. It had been prophesied that she should be
+delivered by a little soldier, and that she must marry him, unless
+he failed to appear at the meeting-place three times running. The
+cunning Princess then laid her plans accordingly.
+
+The wine that she had given to John in the castle of the goblins,
+the bouquet of immortelles, and the scarf, all had the power of
+producing sleep like death. And we know how they had acted on
+John.
+
+However, even in this critical moment, Ludovine did not lose her
+head.
+
+‘I thought you were simply a street vagabond,' said she, in her
+most coaxing voice; ‘and I find you are more powerful than any
+king. Here is your purse. Have you got my scarf and my bouquet?'
+
+‘Here they are,' said the Kinglet, delighted with this change of
+tone, and he drew them from his bosom. Ludovine fastened one in
+his buttonhole and the other round his arm. ‘Now,' she said, ‘you
+are my lord and master, and I will marry you at your good
+pleasure.'
+
+‘You are kinder than I thought,' said John; ‘and you shall never
+be unhappy, for I love you.'
+
+‘Then, my little husband, tell me how you managed to carry me so
+quickly to the ends of the world.'
+
+The little soldier scratched his head. ‘Does she really mean to
+marry me,' he thought to himself, ‘or is she only trying to
+deceive me again?'
+
+But Ludovine repeated, ‘Won't you tell me?' in such a tender voice
+he did not know how to resist her.
+
+‘After all,' he said to himself, ‘what does it matter telling her
+the secret, as long as I don't give her the cloak.'
+
+And he told her the virtue of the red mantle.
+
+‘Oh dear, how tired I am!' sighed Ludovine. ‘Don't you think we
+had better take a nap? And then we can talk over our plans.'
+
+She stretched herself on the grass, and the Kinglet did the same.
+He laid his head on his left arm, round which the scarf was tied,
+and was soon fast asleep.
+
+Ludovine was watching him out of one eye, and no sooner did she
+hear him snore than she unfastened the mantle, drew it gently from
+under him and wrapped it round her, took the purse from his
+pocket, and put it in hers, and said: ‘I wish I was back in my own
+room.' In another moment she was there.
+
+
+VII
+
+Who felt foolish but John, when he awoke, twenty-four hours after,
+and found himself without purse, without mantle, and without
+Princess? He tore his hair, he beat his breast, he trampled on the
+bouquet, and tore the scarf of the traitress to atoms.
+
+Besides this he was very hungry, and he had nothing to eat.
+
+He thought of all the wonderful things his grandmother had told
+him when he was a child, but none of them helped him now. He was
+in despair, when suddenly he looked up and saw that the tree under
+which he had been sleeping was a superb plum, covered with fruit
+as yellow as gold.
+
+‘Here goes for the plums,' he said to himself, ‘all is fair in
+war.'
+
+He climbed the tree and began to eat steadily. But he had hardly
+swallowed two plums when, to his horror, he felt as if something
+was growing on his forehead. He put up his hand and found that he
+had two horns!
+
+He leapt down from the tree and rushed to a stream that flowed
+close by. Alas! there was no escape: two charming little horns,
+that would not have disgraced the head of a goat.
+
+Then his courage failed him.
+
+‘As if it was not enough,' said he, ‘that a woman should trick me,
+but the devil must mix himself up in it and lend me his horns.
+What a pretty figure I should cut if I went back into the world!'
+
+But as he was still hungry, and the mischief was done, he climbed
+boldly up another tree, and plucked two plums of a lovely green
+colour. No sooner had he swallowed two than the horns disappeared.
+The little soldier was enchanted, though greatly surprised, and
+came to the conclusion that it was no good to despair too quickly.
+When he had done eating an idea suddenly occurred to him.
+
+‘Perhaps,' thought he, ‘these pretty little plums may help me to
+recover my purse, my cloak, and my heart from the hands of this
+wicked Princess. She has the eyes of a deer already; let her have
+the horns of one. If I can manage to set her up with a pair, I
+will bet any money that I shall cease to want her for my wife. A
+horned maiden is by no means lovely to look at.' So he plaited a
+basket out of the long willows, and placed in it carefully both
+sorts of plums. Then he walked bravely on for many days, having no
+food but the berries by the wayside, and was in great danger from
+wild beasts and savage men. But he feared nothing, except that his
+plums should decay, and this never happened.
+
+At last he came to a civilised country, and with the sale of some
+jewels that he had about him on the evening of his flight he took
+passage on board a vessel for the Low Countries. So, at the end of
+a year and a day, he arrived at the capital of the kingdom.
+
+
+VIII
+
+The next day he put on a false beard and the dress of a date
+merchant, and, taking a little table, he placed himself before the
+door of the church.
+
+He spread carefully out on a fine white cloth his Mirabelle plums,
+which looked for all the world as if they had been freshly
+gathered, and when he saw the Princess coming out of church he
+began to call out in a feigned voice: ‘Fine plums! lovely plums!'
+
+‘How much are they?' said the Princess.
+
+‘Fifty crowns each.'
+
+‘Fifty crowns! But what is there so very precious about them? Do
+they give one wit, or will they increase one's beauty?'
+
+‘They could not increase what is perfect already, fair Princess,
+but still they might add something.'
+
+Rolling stones gather no moss, but they sometimes gain polish; and
+the months which John had spent in roaming about the world had not
+been wasted. Such a neatly turned compliment flattered Ludovine.
+
+‘What will they add?' she smilingly asked.
+
+‘You will see, fair Princess, when you taste them. It will be a
+surprise for you.'
+
+Ludovine's curiosity was roused. She drew out the purse and shook
+out as many little heaps of fifty crowns as there were plums in
+the basket. The little soldier was seized with a wild desire to
+snatch the purse from her and proclaim her a thief, but he managed
+to control himself.
+
+His plums all sold, he shut up shop, took off his disguise,
+changed his inn, and kept quiet, waiting to see what would happen.
+
+No sooner had she reached her room than the Princess exclaimed,
+‘Now let us see what these fine plums can add to my beauty,' and
+throwing off her hood, she picked up a couple and ate them.
+
+Imagine with what surprise and horror she felt all of a sudden
+that something was growing out of her forehead. She flew to her
+mirror and uttered a piercing cry.
+
+‘Horns! so that was what he promised me! Let someone find the
+plum-seller at once and bring him to me! Let his nose and ears be
+cut off! Let him be flayed alive, or burnt at a slow fire and his
+ashes scattered to the winds! Oh, I shall die of shame and
+despair!'
+
+Her women ran at the sound of her screams, and tried to wrench off
+the horns, but it was of no use, and they only gave her a violent
+headache.
+
+The King then sent round a herald to proclaim that he would give
+the hand of the Princess to anyone who would rid her of her
+strange ornaments. So all the doctors and sorcerers and surgeons
+in the Low Countries and the neighbouring kingdoms thronged to the
+palace, each with a remedy of his own. But it was all no good, and
+the Princess suffered so much from their remedies that the King
+was obliged to send out a second proclamation that anyone who
+undertook to cure the Princess, and who failed to do it, should be
+hanged up to the nearest tree.
+
+But the prize was too great for any proclamation to put a stop to
+the efforts of the crowd of suitors, and that year the orchards of
+the Low Countries all bore a harvest of dead men.
+
+
+IX
+
+The King had given orders that they should seek high and low for
+the plum-seller, but in spite of all their pains, he was nowhere
+to be found.
+
+When the little soldier discovered that their patience was worn
+out, he pressed the juice of the green Queen Claude plums into a
+small phial, bought a doctor's robe, put on a wig and spectacles,
+and presented himself before the King of the Low Countries. He
+gave himself out as a famous physician who had come from distant
+lands, and he promised that he would cure the Princess if only he
+might be left alone with her.
+
+‘Another madman determined to be hanged,' said the King. ‘Very
+well, do as he asks; one should refuse nothing to a man with a
+rope round his neck.'
+
+As soon as the little soldier was in the presence of the Princess
+he poured some drops of the liquid into a glass. The Princess had
+scarcely tasted it, when the tip of the horns disappeared.
+
+‘They would have disappeared completely,' said the pretended
+doctor, ‘if there did not exist something to counteract the
+effect. It is only possible to cure people whose souls are as
+clean as the palm of my hand. Are you sure you have not committed
+some little sin? Examine yourself well.'
+
+Ludovine had no need to think over it long, but she was torn in
+pieces between the shame of a humiliating confession, and the
+desire to be unhorned. At last she made answer with downcast eyes,
+
+‘I have stolen a leather purse from a little soldier.'
+
+‘Give it to me. The remedy will not act till I hold the purse in
+my hands.'
+
+It cost Ludovine a great pang to give up the purse, but she
+remembered that riches would not benefit her if she was still to
+keep the horns.
+
+With a sigh, she handed the purse to the doctor, who poured more
+of the liquid into the glass, and when the Princess had drunk it,
+she found that the horns had diminished by one half.
+
+‘You must really have another little sin on your conscience. Did
+you steal nothing from this soldier but his purse?'
+
+‘I also stole from him his cloak.'
+
+‘Give it me.'
+
+‘Here it is.'
+
+This time Ludovine thought to herself that when once the horns had
+departed, she would call her attendants and take the things from
+the doctor by force.
+
+She was greatly pleased with this idea, when suddenly the
+pretended physician wrapped himself in the cloak, flung away the
+wig and spectacles, and showed to the traitress the face of the
+Little Soldier.
+
+She stood before him dumb with fright.
+
+‘I might,' said John, ‘have left you horned to the end of your
+days, but I am a good fellow and I once loved you, and besides--
+you are too like the devil to have any need of his horns.'
+
+
+X
+
+John had wished himself in the house of the Seagull. Now the
+Seagull was seated at the window, mending her net, and from time
+to time her eyes wandered to the sea as if she was expecting
+someone. At the noise made by the little soldier, she looked up
+and blushed.
+
+‘So it is you!' she said. ‘How did you get here?' And then she
+added in a low voice, ‘And have you married your Princess?'
+
+Then John told her all his adventures, and when he had finished,
+he restored to her the purse and the mantle.
+
+‘What can I do with them?' said she. ‘You have proved to me that
+happiness does not lie in the possession of treasures.'
+
+‘It lies in work and in the love of an honest woman,' replied the
+little soldier, who noticed for the first time what pretty eyes
+she had. ‘Dear Seagull, will you have me for a husband?' and he
+held out his hand.
+
+‘Yes, I will,' answered the fisher maiden, blushing very red, ‘but
+only on condition that we seal up the purse and the mantle in the
+copper vessel and throw them into the sea.'
+
+And this they did.
+
+Charles Deulin.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE MAGIC SWAN
+
+
+
+There were once upon a time three brothers, of whom the eldest was
+called Jacob, the second Frederick, and the youngest Peter. This
+youngest brother was made a regular butt of by the other two, and
+they treated him shamefully. If anything went wrong with their
+affairs, Peter had to bear the blame and put things right for
+them, and he had to endure all this ill-treatment because he was
+weak and delicate and couldn't defend himself against his stronger
+brothers. The poor creature had a most trying life of it in every
+way, and day and night he pondered how he could make it better.
+One day, when he was in the wood gathering sticks and crying
+bitterly, a little old woman came up to him and asked him what was
+the matter; and he told her all his troubles.
+
+‘Come, my good youth,' said the old dame, when he had finished his
+tale of woe, ‘isn't the world wide enough? Why don't you set out
+and try your fortune somewhere else?'
+
+Peter took her words to heart, and left his father's house early
+one morning to try his fortune in the wide world, as the old woman
+had advised him. But he felt very bitterly parting from the home
+where he had been born, and where he had at least passed a short
+but happy childhood, and sitting down on a hill he gazed once more
+fondly on his native place.
+
+Suddenly the little old woman stood before him, and, tapping him
+on the shoulder, said, ‘So far good, my boy; but what do you mean
+to do now?'
+
+Peter was at a loss what to answer, for so far he had always
+thought that fortune would drop into his mouth like a ripe cherry.
+The old woman, who guessed his thoughts, laughed kindly and said,
+‘I'll tell you what you must do, for I've taken a fancy to you,
+and I'm sure you won't forget me when you've made your fortune.'
+
+Peter promised faithfully he wouldn't, and the old woman
+continued:
+
+‘This evening at sunset go to yonder pear-tree which you see
+growing at the cross roads. Underneath it you will find a man
+lying asleep, and a beautiful large swan will be fastened to the
+tree close to him. You must be careful not to waken the man, but
+you must unfasten the swan and take it away with you. You will
+find that everyone will fall in love with its beautiful plumage,
+and you must allow anyone who likes to pull out a feather. But as
+soon as the swan feels as much as a finger on it, it will scream
+out, and then you must say, "Swan, hold fast." Then the hand of
+the person who has touched the bird will be held as in a vice, and
+nothing will set it free, unless you touch it with this little
+stick which I will make you a present of. When you have captured a
+whole lot of people in this way, lead your train straight on with
+you; you will come to a big town where a Princess lives who has
+never been known to laugh. If you can only make her laugh your
+fortune is made; then I beg you won't forget your old friend.'
+
+Peter promised again that he wouldn't, and at sunset he went to
+the tree the old woman had mentioned. The man lay there fast
+asleep, and a large beautiful swan was fastened to the tree beside
+him by a red cord. Peter loosed the bird, and led it away with him
+without disturbing the bird's master.
+
+He walked on with the swan for some time, and came at last to a
+building-yard where some men were busily at work. They were all
+lost in admiration of the bird's beautiful plumage, and one
+forward youth, who was covered with clay from head to foot, called
+out, ‘Oh, if I'd only one of those feathers how happy I should
+be!'
+
+‘Pull one out then,' said Peter kindly, and the youth seized one
+from the bird's tail; instantly the swan screamed, and Peter
+called out, ‘Swan, hold fast,' and do what he could the poor youth
+couldn't get his hand away. The more he howled the more the others
+laughed, till a girl who had been washing clothes in the
+neighbouring stream hurried up to see what was the matter. When
+she saw the poor boy fastened to the swan she felt so sorry for
+him that she stretched out her hand to free him. The bird
+screamed.
+
+‘Swan, hold fast,' called out Peter, and the girl was caught also.
+
+When Peter had gone on for a bit with his captives, they met a
+chimney sweep, who laughed loudly over the extraordinary troop,
+and asked the girl what she was doing.
+
+‘Oh, dearest John,' replied the girl, ‘give me your hand and set
+me free from this cursed young man.'
+
+‘Most certainly I will, if that's all you want,' replied the
+sweep, and gave the girl his hand. The bird screamed.
+
+‘Swan, hold fast,' said Peter, and the black man was added to
+their number.
+
+They soon came to a village where a fair was being held. A
+travelling circus was giving a performance, and the clown was just
+doing his tricks. He opened his eyes wide with amazement when he
+saw the remarkable trio fastened on to the swan's tail.
+
+‘Have you gone raving mad, Blackie?' he asked as well as he could
+for laughing.
+
+‘It's no laughing matter,' the sweep replied. ‘This wench has got
+so tight hold of me that I feel as if I were glued to her. Do set
+me free, like a good clown, and I'll do you a good turn some day.'
+
+Without a moment's hesitation the clown grasped the black
+outstretched hand. The bird screamed.
+
+‘Swan, hold fast,' called out Peter, and the clown became the
+fourth of the party.
+
+Now in the front row of the spectators sat the respected and
+popular Mayor of the village, who was much put out by what he
+considered nothing but a foolish trick. So much annoyed was he
+that he seized the clown by the hand and tried to tear him away,
+in order to hand him over to the police.
+
+Then the bird screamed, and Peter called out, ‘Swan, hold fast,'
+and the dignified Mayor shared the fate of his predecessors.
+
+The Mayoress, a long thin stick of a woman, enraged at the insult
+done to her husband, seized his free arm and tore at it with all
+her might, with the only result that she too was forced to swell
+the procession. After this no one else had any wish to join them.
+
+Soon Peter saw the towers of the capital in front of him. Just
+before entering it, a glittering carriage came out to meet him, in
+which was seated a young lady as beautiful as the day, but with a
+very solemn and serious expression. But no sooner had she
+perceived the motley crowd fastened to the swan's tail than she
+burst into a loud fit of laughter, in which she was joined by all
+her servants and ladies in waiting.
+
+‘The Princess has laughed at last,' they all cried with joy.
+
+She stepped out of her carriage to look more closely at the
+wonderful sight, and laughed again over the capers the poor
+captives cut. She ordered her carriage to be turned round and
+drove slowly back into the town, never taking her eyes off Peter
+and his procession.
+
+When the King heard the news that his daughter had actually
+laughed, he was more than delighted, and had Peter and his
+marvellous train brought before him. He laughed himself when he
+saw them till the tears rolled down his cheeks.
+
+‘My good friend,' he said to Peter, ‘do you know what I promised
+the person who succeeded in making the Princess laugh?'
+
+‘No, I don't,' said Peter.
+
+‘Then I'll tell you,' answered the King; ‘a thousand gold crowns
+or a piece of land. Which will you choose?'
+
+Peter decided in favour of the land. Then he touched the youth,
+the girl, the sweep, the clown, the Mayor, and the Mayoress with
+his little stick, and they were all free again, and ran away home
+as if a fire were burning behind them; and their flight, as you
+may imagine, gave rise to renewed merriment.
+
+Then the Princess felt moved to stroke the swan, at the same time
+admiring its plumage. The bird screamed.
+
+‘Swan, hold fast,' called out Peter, and so he won the Princess
+for his bride. But the swan flew up into the air, and vanished in
+the blue horizon. Peter now received a duchy as a present, and
+became a very great man indeed; but he did not forget the little
+old woman who had been the cause of all his good fortune, and
+appointed her as head housekeeper to him and his royal bride in
+their magnificent castle.
+
+Kletke.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE DIRTY SHEPHERDESS
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King who had two daughters, and he
+loved them with all his heart. When they grew up, he was suddenly
+seized with a wish to know if they, on their part, truly loved
+him, and he made up his mind that he would give his kingdom to
+whichever best proved her devotion.
+
+So he called the elder Princess and said to her, ‘How much do you
+love me?'
+
+‘As the apple of my eye!' answered she.
+
+‘Ah!' exclaimed the King, kissing her tenderly as he spoke, ‘you
+are indeed a good daughter.'
+
+Then he sent for the younger, and asked her how much she loved
+him.
+
+‘I look upon you, my father,' she answered, ‘as I look upon salt
+in my food.'
+
+But the King did not like her words, and ordered her to quit the
+court, and never again to appear before him. The poor Princess
+went sadly up to her room and began to cry, but when she was
+reminded of her father's commands, she dried her eyes, and made a
+bundle of her jewels and her best dresses and hurriedly left the
+castle where she was born.
+
+She walked straight along the road in front of her, without
+knowing very well where she was going or what was to become of
+her, for she had never been shown how to work, and all she had
+learnt consisted of a few household rules, and receipts of dishes
+which her mother had taught her long ago. And as she was afraid
+that no housewife would want to engage a girl with such a pretty
+face, she determined to make herself as ugly as she could.
+
+She therefore took off the dress that she was wearing and put on
+some horrible old rags belonging to a beggar, all torn and covered
+with mud. After that she smeared mud all over her hands and face,
+and shook her hair into a great tangle. Having thus changed her
+appearance, she went about offering herself as a goose-girl or
+shepherdess. But the farmers' wives would have nothing to say to
+such a dirty maiden, and sent her away with a morsel of bread for
+charity's sake.
+
+After walking for a great many days without being able to find any
+work, she came to a large farm where they were in want of a
+shepherdess, and engaged her gladly.
+
+One day when she was keeping her sheep in a lonely tract of land,
+she suddenly felt a wish to dress herself in her robes of
+splendour. She washed herself carefully in the stream, and as she
+always carried her bundle with her, it was easy to shake off her
+rags, and transform herself in a few moments into a great lady.
+
+The King's son, who had lost his way out hunting, perceived this
+lovely damsel a long way off, and wished to look at her closer.
+But as soon as the girl saw what he was at, she fled into the wood
+as swiftly as a bird. The Prince ran after her, but as he was
+running he caught his foot in the root of a tree and fell, and
+when he got up again, she was nowhere to be seen.
+
+When she was quite safe, she put on her rags again, and smeared
+over her face and hands. However the young Prince, who was both
+hot and thirsty, found his way to the farm, to ask for a drink of
+cider, and he inquired the name of the beautiful lady that kept
+the sheep. At this everyone began to laugh, for they said that the
+shepherdess was one of the ugliest and dirtiest creatures under
+the sun.
+
+The Prince thought some witchcraft must be at work, and he
+hastened away before the return of the shepherdess, who became
+that evening the butt of everybody's jests.
+
+But the King's son thought often of the lovely maiden whom he had
+only seen for a moment, though she seemed to him much more
+fascinating than any lady of the Court. At last he dreamed of
+nothing else, and grew thinner day by day till his parents
+inquired what was the matter, promising to do all they could to
+make him as happy as he once was. He dared not tell them the
+truth, lest they should laugh at him, so he only said that he
+should like some bread baked by the kitchen girl in the distant
+farm.
+
+Although the wish appeared rather odd, they hastened to fulfil it,
+and the farmer was told the request of the King's son. The maiden
+showed no surprise at receiving such an order, but merely asked
+for some flour, salt, and water, and also that she might be left
+alone in a little room adjoining the oven, where the kneading-
+trough stood. Before beginning her work she washed herself
+carefully, and even put on her rings; but, while she was baking,
+one of her rings slid into the dough. When she had finished she
+dirtied herself again, and let the lumps of the dough stick to her
+fingers, so that she became as ugly as before.
+
+The loaf, which was a very little one, was brought to the King's
+son, who ate it with pleasure. But in cutting it he found the ring
+of the Princess, and declared to his parents that he would marry
+the girl whom that ring fitted.
+
+So the King made a proclamation through his whole kingdom and
+ladies came from afar to lay claim to the honour. But the ring was
+so tiny that even those who had the smallest hands could only get
+it on their little fingers. In a short time all the maidens of the
+kingdom, including the peasant girls, had tried on the ring, and
+the King was just about to announce that their efforts had been in
+vain, when the Prince observed that he had not yet seen the
+shepherdess.
+
+They sent to fetch her, and she arrived covered with rags, but
+with her hands cleaner than usual, so that she could easily slip
+on the ring. The King's son declared that he would fulfil his
+promise, and when his parents mildly remarked that the girl was
+only a keeper of sheep, and a very ugly one too, the maiden boldly
+said that she was born a princess, and that, if they would only
+give her some water and leave her alone in a room for a few
+minutes, she would show that she could look as well as anyone in
+fine clothes.
+
+They did what she asked, and when she entered in a magnificent
+dress, she looked so beautiful that all saw she must be a princess
+in disguise. The King's son recognized the charming damsel of whom
+he had once caught a glimpse, and, flinging himself at her feet,
+asked if she would marry him. The Princess then told her story,
+and said that it would be necessary to send an ambassador to her
+father to ask his consent and to invite him to the wedding.
+
+The Princess's father, who had never ceased to repent his
+harshness towards his daughter, had sought her through the land,
+but as no one could tell him anything of her, he supposed her
+dead. Therefore it was with great joy he heard that she was living
+and that a king's son asked her in marriage, and he quitted his
+kingdom with his elder daughter so as to be present at the
+ceremony.
+
+By the orders of the bride, they only served her father at the
+wedding breakfast bread without salt, and meat without seasoning.
+Seeing him make faces, and eat very little, his daughter, who sat
+beside him, inquired if his dinner was not to his taste.
+
+‘No,' he replied, ‘the dishes are carefully cooked and sent up,
+but they are all so dreadfully tasteless.'
+
+‘Did not I tell you, my father, that salt was the best thing in
+life? And yet, when I compared you to salt, to show how much I
+loved you, you thought slightingly of me and you chased me from
+your presence.'
+
+The King embraced his daughter, and allowed that he had been wrong
+to misinterpret her words. Then, for the rest of the wedding feast
+they gave him bread made with salt, and dishes with seasoning, and
+he said they were the very best he had ever eaten.
+
+Sebillot.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE ENCHANTED SNAKE
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a poor woman who would have given all
+she possessed for a child, but she hadn't one.
+
+Now it happened one day that her husband went to the wood to
+collect brushwood, and when he had brought it home, he discovered
+a pretty little snake among the twigs.
+
+When Sabatella, for that was the name of the peasant's wife, saw
+the little beast, she sighed deeply and said, ‘Even the snakes
+have their brood; I alone am unfortunate and have no children.' No
+sooner had she said these words than, to her intense surprise, the
+little snake looked up into her face and spoke: ‘Since you have no
+children, be a mother to me instead, and I promise you will never
+repent it, for I will love you as if I were your own son.'
+
+At first Sabatella was frightened to death at hearing a snake
+speak, but plucking up her courage, she replied, ‘If it weren't
+for any other reason than your kindly thought, I would agree to
+what you say, and I will love you and look after you like a
+mother.'
+
+So she gave the snake a little hole in the house for its bed, fed
+it with all the nicest food she could think of, and seemed as if
+she never could show it enough kindness. Day by day it grew bigger
+and fatter, and at last one morning it said to Cola-Mattheo, the
+peasant, whom it always regarded as its father, ‘Dear papa, I am
+now of a suitable age and wish to marry.'
+
+‘I'm quite agreeable,' answered Mattheo, ‘and I'll do my best to
+find another snake like yourself and arrange a match between you.'
+
+‘Why, if you do that,' replied the snake, ‘we shall be no better
+than the vipers and reptiles, and that's not what I want at all.
+No; I'd much prefer to marry the King's daughter; therefore I pray
+you go without further delay, and demand an audience of the King,
+and tell him a snake wishes to marry his daughter.'
+
+Cola-Mattheo, who was rather a simpleton, went as he was desired
+to the King, and having obtained an audience, he said, ‘Your
+Majesty, I have often heard that people lose nothing by asking, so
+I have come to inform you that a snake wants to marry your
+daughter, and I'd be glad to know if you are willing to mate a
+dove with a serpent?'
+
+The King, who saw at once that the man was a fool, said, in order
+to get quit of him, ‘Go home and tell your friend the snake that
+if he can turn this palace into ivory, inlaid with gold and
+silver, before to-morrow at noon, I will let him marry my
+daughter.' And with a hearty laugh he dismissed the peasant.
+
+When Cola-Mattheo brought this answer back to the snake, the
+little creature didn't seem the least put out, but said, ‘To-
+morrow morning, before sunrise, you must go to the wood and gather
+a bunch of green herbs, and then rub the threshold of the palace
+with them, and you'll see what will happen.'
+
+Cola-Mattheo, who was, as I have said before, a great simpleton,
+made no reply; but before sunrise next morning he went to the wood
+and gathered a bunch of St. John's Wort, and rosemary, and
+suchlike herbs, and rubbed them, as he had been told, on the floor
+of the palace. Hardly had he done so than the walls immediately
+turned into ivory, so richly inlaid with gold and silver that they
+dazzled the eyes of all beholders. The King, when he rose and saw
+the miracle that had been performed, was beside himself with
+amazement, and didn't know what in the world he was to do.
+
+But when Cola-Mattheo came next day, and, in the name of the
+snake, demanded the hand of the Princess, the King replied, ‘Don't
+be in such a hurry; if the snake really wants to marry my
+daughter, he must do some more things first, and one of these is
+to turn all the paths and walls of my garden into pure gold before
+noon to-morrow.'
+
+When the snake was told of this new condition, he replied, ‘To-
+morrow morning, early, you must go and collect all the odds and
+ends of rubbish you can find in the streets, and then take them
+and throw them on the paths and walls of the garden, and you'll
+see then if we won't be more than a match for the old King.'
+
+So Cola-Mattheo rose at cock-crow, took a large basket under his
+arm, and carefully collected all the broken fragments of pots and
+pans, and jugs and lamps, and other trash of that sort. No sooner
+had he scattered them over the paths and walls of the King's
+garden than they became one blaze of glittering gold, so that
+everyone's eyes were dazzled with the brilliancy, and everyone's
+soul was filled with wonder. The King, too, was amazed at the
+sight, but still he couldn't make up his mind to part with his
+daughter, so when Cola-Mattheo came to remind him of his promise
+he replied, ‘I have still a third demand to make. If the snake can
+turn all the trees and fruit of my garden into precious stones,
+then I promise him my daughter in marriage.'
+
+When the peasant informed the snake what the King had said, he
+replied, ‘To-morrow morning, early, you must go to the market and
+buy all the fruit you see there, and then sow all the stones and
+seeds in the palace garden, and, if I'm not mistaken, the King
+will be satisfied with the result.'
+
+Cola-Mattheo rose at dawn, and taking a basket on his arm, he went
+to the market, and bought all the pomegranates, apricots,
+cherries, and other fruit he could find there, and sowed the seeds
+and stones in the palace garden. In one moment, the trees were all
+ablaze with rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and every other precious
+stone you can think of.
+
+This time the King felt obliged to keep his promise, and calling
+his daughter to him, he said, ‘My dear Grannonia,' for that was
+the Princess's name, ‘more as a joke than anything else, I
+demanded what seemed to me impossibilities from your bridegroom,
+but now that he has done all I required, I am bound to stick to my
+part of the bargain. Be a good child, and as you love me, do not
+force me to break my word, but give yourself up with as good grace
+as you can to a most unhappy fate.'
+
+‘Do with me what you like, my lord and father, for your will is my
+law,' answered Grannonia.
+
+When the King heard this, he told Cola-Mattheo to bring the snake
+to the palace, and said that he was prepared to receive the
+creature as his son-in-law.
+
+The snake arrived at court in a carriage made of gold and drawn by
+six white elephants; but wherever it appeared on the way, the
+people fled in terror at the sight of the fearful reptile.
+
+When the snake reached the palace, all the courtiers shook and
+trembled with fear down to the very scullion, and the King and
+Queen were in such a state of nervous collapse that they hid
+themselves in a far-away turret. Grannonia alone kept her presence
+of mind, and although both her father and mother implored her to
+fly for her life, she wouldn't move a step, saying, ‘I'm certainly
+not going to fly from the man you have chosen for my husband.'
+
+As soon as the snake saw Grannonia, it wound its tail round her
+and kissed her. Then, leading her into a room, it shut the door,
+and throwing off its skin, it changed into a beautiful young man
+with golden locks, and flashing eyes, who embraced Grannonia
+tenderly, and said all sorts of pretty things to her.
+
+When the King saw the snake shut itself into a room with his
+daughter, he said to his wife, ‘Heaven be merciful to our child,
+for I fear it is all over with her now. This cursed snake has most
+likely swallowed her up.' Then they put their eyes to the keyhole
+to see what had happened.
+
+Their amazement knew no bounds when they saw a beautiful youth
+standing before their daughter with the snake's skin lying on the
+floor beside him. In their excitement they burst open the door,
+and seizing the skin they threw it into the fire. But no sooner
+had they done this than the young man called out, ‘Oh, wretched
+people! what have you done?' and before they had time to look
+round he had changed himself into a dove, and dashing against the
+window he broke a pane of glass, and flew away from their sight.
+
+But Grannonia, who in one and the same moment saw herself merry
+and sad, cheerful and despairing, rich and beggared, complained
+bitterly over this robbery of her happiness, this poisoning of her
+cup of joy, this unlucky stroke of fortune, and laid all the blame
+on her parents, though they assured her that they had meant no
+harm. But the Princess refused to be comforted, and at night, when
+all the inhabitants of the palace were asleep, she stole out by a
+back door, disguised as a peasant woman, determined to seek for
+her lost happiness till she found it. When she got to the
+outskirts of the town, led by the light of the moon, she met a
+fox, who offered to accompany her, an offer which Grannonia gladly
+accepted, saying ‘You are most heartily welcome, for I don't know
+my way at all about the neighbourhood.'
+
+So they went on their way together, and came at last to a wood,
+where, being tired with walking, they paused to rest under the
+shade of a tree, where a spring of water sported with the tender
+grass, refreshing it with its crystal spray.
+
+They laid themselves down on the green carpet and soon fell fast
+asleep, and did not waken again till the sun was high in the
+heavens. They rose up and stood for some time listening to the
+birds singing, because Grannonia delighted in their songs.
+
+When the fox perceived this, he said: ‘If you only understood, as
+I do, what these little birds are saying, your pleasure would be
+even greater.'
+
+Provoked by his words--for we all know that curiosity is as deeply
+inborn in every woman as even the love of talking--Grannonia
+implored the fox to tell her what the birds had said.
+
+At first the wily fox refused to tell her what he had gathered
+from the conversation of the birds, but at last he gave way to her
+entreaties, and told her that they had spoken of the misfortunes
+of a beautiful young Prince, whom a wicked enchantress had turned
+into a snake for the period of seven years. At the end of this
+time he had fallen in love with a charming Princess, but that when
+he had shut himself up into a room with her, and had thrown off
+his snake's skin, her parents had forced their way into the room
+and had burnt the skin, whereupon the Prince, changed into the
+likeness of a dove, had broken a pane of glass in trying to fly
+out of the window, and had wounded himself so badly that the
+doctors despaired of his life.
+
+Grannonia, when she learnt that they were talking of her lover,
+asked at once whose son he was, and if there was any hope of his
+recovery; to which the fox made answer that the birds had said he
+was the son of the King of Vallone Grosso, and that the only thing
+that could cure him was to rub the wounds on his head with the
+blood of the very birds who had told the tale.
+
+Then Grannonia knelt down before the fox, and begged him in her
+sweetest way to catch the birds for her and procure their blood,
+promising at the same time to reward him richly.
+
+‘All right,' said the fox, ‘only don't be in such a hurry; let's
+wait till night, when the little birds have gone to roost, then
+I'll climb up and catch them all for you.'
+
+So they passed the day, talking now of the beauty of the Prince,
+now of the father of the Princess, and then of the misfortune that
+had happened. At last the night arrived, and all the little birds
+were asleep high up on the branches of a big tree. The fox climbed
+up stealthily and caught the little creatures with his paws one
+after the other; and when he had killed them all he put their
+blood into a little bottle which he wore at his side and returned
+with it to Grannonia, who was beside herself with joy at the
+result of the fox's raid. But the fox said, ‘My dear daughter,
+your joy is in vain, because, let me tell you, this blood is of no
+earthly use to you unless you add some of mine to it,' and with
+these words he took to his heels.
+
+Grannonia, who saw her hopes dashed to the ground in this cruel
+way, had recourse to flattery and cunning, weapons which have
+often stood the sex in good stead, and called out after the fox,
+‘Father Fox, you would be quite right to save your skin, if, in
+the first place, I didn't feel I owed so much to you, and if, in
+the second, there weren't other foxes in the world; but as you
+know how grateful I feel to you, and as there are heaps of other
+foxes about, you can trust yourself to me. Don't behave like the
+cow that kicks the pail over after it has filled it with milk, but
+continue your journey with me, and when we get to the capital you
+can sell me to the King as a servant girl.'
+
+It never entered the fox's head that even foxes can be outwitted,
+so after a bit he consented to go with her; but he hadn't gone far
+before the cunning girl seized a stick, and gave him such a blow
+with it on the head, that he dropped down dead on the spot. Then
+Grannonia took some of his blood and poured it into her little
+bottle; and went on her way as fast as she could to Vallone
+Grosso.
+
+When she arrived there she went straight to the Royal palace, and
+let the King be told she had come to cure the young Prince.
+
+The King commanded her to be brought before him at once, and was
+much astonished when he saw that it was a girl who undertook to do
+what all the cleverest doctors of his kingdom had failed in. As an
+attempt hurts no one, he willingly consented that she should do
+what she could.
+
+‘All I ask,' said Grannonia, ‘is that, should I succeed in what
+you desire, you will give me your son in marriage.'
+
+The King, who had given up all hopes of his son's recovery,
+replied: ‘Only restore him to life and health and he shall be
+yours. It is only fair to give her a husband who gives me a son.'
+
+And so they went into the Prince's room. The moment Grannonia had
+rubbed the blood on his wounds the illness left him, and he was as
+sound and well as ever. When the King saw his son thus
+marvellously restored to life and health, he turned to him and
+said: ‘My dear son, I thought of you as dead, and now, to my great
+joy and amazement, you are alive again. I promised this young
+woman that if she should cure you, to bestow your hand and heart
+on her, and seeing that Heaven has been gracious, you must fulfil
+the promise I made her; for gratitude alone forces me to pay this
+debt.'
+
+But the Prince answered: ‘My lord and father, I would that my will
+were as free as my love for you is great. But as I have plighted
+my word to another maiden, you will see yourself, and so will this
+young woman, that I cannot go back from my word, and be faithless
+to her whom I love.'
+
+When Grannonia heard these words, and saw how deeply rooted the
+Prince's love for her was, she felt very happy, and blushing rosy
+red, she said: ‘But should I get the other lady to give up her
+rights, would you then consent to marry me?'
+
+‘Far be it from me,' replied the Prince, ‘to banish the beautiful
+picture of my love from my heart. Whatever she may say, my heart
+and desire will remain the same, and though I were to lose my life
+for it, I couldn't consent to this exchange.'
+
+Grannonia could keep silence no longer, and throwing off her
+peasant's disguise, she discovered herself to the Prince, who was
+nearly beside himself with joy when he recognised his fair lady-
+love. He then told his father at once who she was, and what she
+had done and suffered for his sake.
+
+Then they invited the King and Queen of Starza-Longa to their
+Court, and had a great wedding feast, and proved once more that
+there is no better seasoning for the joys of true love than a few
+pangs of grief.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE BITER BIT
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a man called Simon, who was very
+rich, but at the same time as stingy and miserly as he could be.
+He had a housekeeper called Nina, a clever capable woman, and as
+she did her work carefully and conscientiously, her master had the
+greatest respect for her.
+
+In his young days Simon had been one of the gayest and most active
+youths of the neighbourhood, but as he grew old and stiff he found
+it very difficult to walk, and his faithful servant urged him to
+get a horse so as to save his poor old bones. At last Simon gave
+way to the request and persuasive eloquence of his housekeeper,
+and betook himself one day to the market where he had seen a mule,
+which he thought would just suit him, and which he bought for
+seven gold pieces.
+
+Now it happened that there were three merry rascals hanging about
+the market-place, who much preferred living on other people's
+goods to working for their own living. As soon as they saw that
+Simon had bought a mule, one of them said to his two boon
+companions, ‘My friends, this mule must be ours before we are many
+hours older.'
+
+‘But how shall we manage it,' asked one of them.
+
+‘We must all three station ourselves at different intervals along
+the old man's homeward way, and must each in his turn declare that
+the mule he has bought is a donkey. If we only stick to it you'll
+see the mule will soon be ours.' This proposal quite satisfied the
+others, and they all separated as they had agreed.
+
+Now when Simon came by, the first rogue said to him, ‘God bless
+you, my fine gentleman.'
+
+‘Thanks for your courtesy,' replied Simon.
+
+‘Where have you been?' asked the thief.
+
+‘To the market,' was the reply.
+
+‘And what did you buy there?' continued the rogue.
+
+‘This mule.'
+
+‘Which mule?'
+
+‘The one I'm sitting upon, to be sure,' replied Simon.
+
+‘Are you in earnest, or only joking?'
+
+‘What do you mean?'
+
+‘Because it seems to me you've got hold of a donkey, and not of a
+mule.'
+
+‘A donkey? Rubbish!' screamed Simon, and without another word he
+rode on his way. After a few hundred yards he met the second
+confederate, who addressed him, ‘Good day, dear sir, where are you
+coming from?'
+
+‘From the market,' answered Simon.
+
+‘Did things go pretty cheap?' asked the other.
+
+‘I should just think so,' said Simon.
+
+‘And did you make any good bargain yourself?'
+
+‘I bought this mule on which you see me.'
+
+‘Is it possible that you really bought that beast for a mule?'
+
+‘Why certainly.'
+
+‘But, good heavens, it's nothing but a donkey!'
+
+‘A donkey!' repeated Simon, ‘you don't mean to say so; if a single
+other person tells me that, I'll make him a present of the
+wretched animal.'
+
+With these words he continued his way, and very soon met the third
+knave, who said to him, ‘God bless you, sir; are you by any chance
+coming from the market?'
+
+‘Yes, I am,' replied Simon.
+
+‘And what bargain did you drive there?' asked the cunning fellow.
+
+‘I bought this mule on which I am riding.'
+
+‘A mule! Are you speaking seriously, or do you wish to make a fool
+of me?'
+
+‘I'm speaking in sober earnest,' said Simon; ‘it wouldn't occur to
+me to make a joke of it.'
+
+‘Oh, my poor friend,' cried the rascal, ‘don't you see that is a
+donkey and not a mule? you have been taken in by some wretched
+cheats.'
+
+‘You are the third person in the last two hours who has told me
+the same thing,' said Simon, ‘but I couldn't believe it,' and
+dismounting from the mule he spoke: ‘Keep the animal, I make you a
+present of it.' The rascal took the beast, thanked him kindly, and
+rode on to join his comrades, while Simon continued his journey on
+foot.
+
+As soon as the old man got home, he told his housekeeper that he
+had bought a beast under the belief that it was a mule, but that
+it had turned out to be a donkey--at least, so he had been assured
+by several people he had met on the road, and that in disgust he
+had at last given it away.
+
+‘Oh, you simpleton!' cried Nina; ‘didn't you see that they were
+only playing you a trick? Really, I thought you'd have had more
+gumption than that; they wouldn't have taken me in in that way.'
+
+‘Never mind,' replied Simon, ‘I'll play them one worth two of
+that; for depend upon it they won't be contented with having got
+the donkey out of me, but they'll try by some new dodge to get
+something more, or I'm much mistaken.'
+
+Now there lived in the village not far from Simon's house, a
+peasant who had two goats, so alike in every respect that it was
+impossible to distinguish one from the other. Simon bought them
+both, paid as small a price as he could for them, and leading them
+home with him, he told Nina to prepare a good meal, as he was
+going to invite some friends to dinner. He ordered her to roast
+some veal, and to boil a pair of chickens, and gave her some herbs
+to make a good savoury, and told her to bake the best tart she
+could make. Then he took one of the goats and tied it to a post in
+the courtyard, and gave it some grass to eat; but he bound a cord
+round the neck of the other goat and led it to the market.
+
+Hardly had he arrived there, than the three gentlemen who had got
+his mule perceived him, and coming up to him said: ‘Welcome, Mr.
+Simon, what brings you here; are you on the look out for a
+bargain?'
+
+‘I've come to get some provisions,' he answered, ‘because some
+friends are coming to dine with me today, and it would give me
+much pleasure if you were to honour me with your company also.'
+
+The accomplices willingly accepted this invitation; and after
+Simon had made all his purchases, he tied them on to the goat's
+back, and said to it, in the presence of the three cheats, ‘Go
+home now, and tell Nina to roast the veal, and boil the chickens,
+and tell her to prepare a savoury with herbs, and to bake the best
+tart she can make. Have you followed me? Then go, and Heaven's
+blessing go with you.'
+
+As soon as it felt itself free, the laden goat trotted off as
+quickly as it could, and to this day nobody knows what became of
+it. But Simon, after wandering about the market for some time with
+his three friends and some others he had picked up, returned home
+to his house.
+
+When he and his guests entered the courtyard, they noticed the
+goat tied to the post quietly chewing the cud. They were not a
+little astonished at this, for of course they thought it was the
+same goat that Simon had sent home laden with provisions. As soon
+as they reached the house Mr. Simon said to his housekeeper,
+‘Well, Nina, have you done what I told the goat to tell you to
+do?' The artful woman, who at once understood her master,
+answered, ‘Certainly I have. The veal is roasted, and the chickens
+boiled.'
+
+‘That's all right,' said Simon.
+
+When the three rogues saw the cooked meats, and the tart in the
+oven, and heard Nina's words, they were nearly beside themselves
+with amazement, and began to consult at once how they were to get
+the goat into their own possession. At last, towards the end of
+the meal, having sought in vain for some cunning dodge to get the
+goat away from Mr. Simon, one of them said to him, ‘My worthy
+host, you must sell your goat to us.'
+
+Simon replied that he was most unwilling to part with the
+creature, as no amount of money would make up to him for its loss;
+still, if they were quite set on it, he would let them have the
+goat for fifty gold pieces.
+
+The knaves, who thought they were doing a capital piece of
+business, paid down the fifty gold pieces at once, and left the
+house quite happily, leading the goat with them. When they got
+home they said to their wives, ‘You needn't begin to cook the
+dinner to-morrow till we send the provisions home.'
+
+The following day they went to the market and bought chickens and
+other eatables, and after they had packed them on the back of the
+goat (which they had brought with them), they told it all the
+dishes they wished their wives to prepare. As soon as the goat
+felt itself free, it ran as quickly as it could, and was very soon
+lost to sight, and, as far as I know, was never heard of again.
+
+When the dinner hour approached all three went home and asked
+their wives if the goat had returned with the necessary
+provisions, and had told them what they wished prepared for their
+meal.
+
+‘Oh, you fools and blockheads!' cried their wives, ‘how could you
+ever believe for a moment that a goat would do the work of a
+servant-maid? You have been finely deceived for once in a way. Of
+course, if you are always taking in other people, your turn to be
+taken in comes too, and this time you've been made to look pretty
+foolish.'
+
+When the three comrades saw that Mr. Simon had got the better of
+them, and done them out of fifty gold pieces, they flew into such
+a rage that they made up their minds to kill him, and, seizing
+their weapons for this purpose, went to his house.
+
+But the sly old man, who was terrified for his life that the three
+rogues might do him some harm, was on his guard, and said to his
+housekeeper, ‘Nina, take this bladder, which is filled with blood,
+and hide it under your cloak; then when these thieves come I'll
+lay all the blame on you, and will pretend to be so angry with you
+that I will run at you with my knife, and pierce the bladder with
+it; then you must fall on the ground as if you were dead, and
+leave the rest to me.'
+
+Hardly had Simon said these words when the three rogues appeared
+and fell on him to kill him.
+
+‘My friends,' called out Simon to then, ‘what do you accuse me of?
+I am in no way to blame; perhaps my housekeeper has done you some
+injury of which I know nothing.' And with these words, he turned
+on Nina with his knife, and stuck it right into her, so that he
+pierced the bladder filled with blood. Instantly the housekeeper
+fell down as if she were dead, and the blood streamed all over the
+ground.
+
+Simon then pretended to be seized with remorse at the sight of
+this dreadful catastrophe, and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Unhappy
+wretch that I am! What have I done? Like a madman I have killed
+the woman who is the prop and stay of my old age. How could I ever
+go on living without her?' Then he seized a pipe, and when he had
+blown into it for some time Nina sprang up alive and well.
+
+The rogues were more amazed than ever; they forgot their anger,
+and buying the pipe for two hundred gold pieces, they went
+joyfully home.
+
+Not long after this one of them quarrelled with his wife, and in
+his rage he thrust his knife into her breast so that she fell dead
+on the ground. Then he took Simon's pipe and blew into it with all
+his might, in the hopes of calling his wife back to life. But he
+blew in vain, for the poor soul was as dead as a door-nail.
+
+When one of his comrades heard what had happened, he said, ‘You
+blockhead, you can't have done it properly; just let me have a
+try,' and with these words he seized his wife by the roots of her
+hair, cut her throat with a razor, and then took the pipe and blew
+into it with all his might but he couldn't bring her back to life.
+The same thing happened to the third rogue, so that they were now
+all three without wives.
+
+Full of wrath they ran to Simon's house, and, refusing to listen
+to a word of explanation or excuse, they seized the old man and
+put him into a sack, meaning to drown him in the neighbouring
+river. On their way there, however, a sudden noise threw them into
+such a panic that they dropped the sack with Simon in it and ran
+for their lives.
+
+Soon after this a shepherd happened to pass by with his flock, and
+while he was slowly following the sheep, who paused here and there
+by the wayside to browse on the tender grass, he heard a pitiful
+voice wailing, ‘They insist on my taking her, and I don't want
+her, for I am too old, and I really can't have her.' The shepherd
+was much startled, for he couldn't make out where these words,
+which were repeated more than once, came from, and looked about
+him to the right and left; at last he perceived the sack in which
+Simon was hidden, and going up to it he opened it and discovered
+Simon repeating his dismal complaint. The shepherd asked him why
+he had been left there tied up in a sack.
+
+Simon replied that the king of the country had insisted on giving
+him one of his daughters as a wife, but that he had refused the
+honour because he was too old and too frail. The simple-minded
+shepherd, who believed his story implicitly, asked him, ‘Do you
+think the king of the country would give his daughter to me?'
+
+‘Yes, certainly, I know he would,' answered Simon, ‘if you were
+tied up in this sack instead of me.' Then getting out of the sack,
+he tied the confiding shepherd up in it instead, and at his
+request fastened it securely and drove the sheep on himself.
+
+An hour had scarcely passed when the three rogues returned to the
+place where they had left Simon in the sack, and without opening
+it, one of them seized it and threw it into the river. And so the
+poor shepherd was drowned instead of Mr. Simon!
+
+The three rogues, having wreaked their vengeance, set out, for
+home. On their way they noticed a flock of sheep grazing not far
+from the road. They longed to steal a few of the lambs, and
+approached the flock, and were more than startled to recognise Mr.
+Simon, whom they had drowned in the river, as the shepherd who was
+looking after the sheep. They asked him how he had managed to get
+out of the river, to which he replied:
+
+‘Get along with you--you are no better than silly donkeys without
+any sense; if you had only drowned me in deeper water I would have
+returned with three times as many sheep.'
+
+When the three rogues heard this, they said to him: ‘Oh, dear Mr.
+Simon, do us the favour to tie us up in sacks and throw us into
+the river that we may give up our thieving ways and become the
+owners of flocks.'
+
+‘I am ready,' answered Simon, ‘to do what you please; there's
+nothing in the world I wouldn't do for you.'
+
+So he took three strong sacks and put a man in each of them, and
+fastened them up so tightly that they couldn't get out, and then
+he threw them all into the river; and that was the end of the
+three rogues. But Mr. Simon returned home to his faithful Nina
+rich in flocks and gold, and lived for many a year in health and
+happiness.
+
+Kletke.
+
+
+
+
+
+KING KOJATA (From the Russian)
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a king called Kojata, whose beard was
+so long that it reached below his knees. Three years had passed
+since his marriage, and he lived very happily with his wife, but
+Heaven granted him no heir, which grieved the King greatly. One
+day he set forth from his capital, in order to make a journey
+through his kingdom. He travelled for nearly a year through the
+different parts of his territory, and then, having seen all there
+was to be seen, he set forth on his homeward way. As the day was
+very hot and sultry he commanded his servants to pitch tents in
+the open field, and there await the cool of the evening. Suddenly
+a frightful thirst seized the King, and as he saw no water near,
+he mounted his horse, and rode through the neighbourhood looking
+for a spring. Before long he came to a well filled to the brim
+with water clear as crystal, and on the bosom of which a golden
+jug was floating. King Kojata at once tried to seize the vessel,
+but though he endeavoured to grasp it with his right hand, and
+then with his left, the wretched thing always eluded his efforts
+and refused to let itself be caught. First with one hand, and then
+with two, did the King try to seize it, but like a fish the goblet
+always slipped through his fingers and bobbed to the ground only
+to reappear at some other place, and mock the King.
+
+‘Plague on you!' said King Kojata. ‘I can quench my thirst without
+you,' and bending over the well he lapped up the water so greedily
+that he plunged his face, beard and all, right into the crystal
+mirror. But when he had satisfied his thirst, and wished to raise
+himself up, he couldn't lift his head, because someone held his
+beard fast in the water. ‘Who's there? let me go!' cried King
+Kojata, but there was no answer; only an awful face looked up from
+the bottom of the well with two great green eyes, glowing like
+emeralds, and a wide mouth reaching from ear to ear showing two
+rows of gleaming white teeth, and the King's beard was held, not
+by mortal hands, but by two claws. At last a hoarse voice sounded
+from the depths. ‘Your trouble is all in vain, King Kojata; I will
+only let you go on condition that you give me something you know
+nothing about, and which you will find on your return home.'
+
+The King didn't pause to ponder long, ‘for what,' thought he,
+‘could be in my palace without my knowing about it--the thing is
+absurd;' so he answered quickly:
+
+‘Yes, I promise that you shall have it.'
+
+The voice replied, ‘Very well; but it will go ill with you if you
+fail to keep your promise.' Then the claws relaxed their hold, and
+the face disappeared in the depths. The King drew his chin out of
+the water, and shook himself like a dog; then he mounted his horse
+and rode thoughtfully home with his retinue. When they approached
+the capital, all the people came out to meet them with great joy
+and acclamation, and when the King reached his palace the Queen
+met him on the threshold; beside her stood the Prime Minister,
+holding a little cradle in his hands, in which lay a new-born
+child as beautiful as the day. Then the whole thing dawned on the
+King, and groaning deeply he muttered to himself ‘So this is what
+I did not know about,' and the tears rolled down his cheeks. All
+the courtiers standing round were much amazed at the King's grief,
+but no one dared to ask him the cause of it. He took the child in
+his arms and kissed it tenderly; then laying it in its cradle, he
+determined to control his emotion and began to reign again as
+before.
+
+The secret of the King remained a secret, though his grave,
+careworn expression escaped no one's notice. In the constant dread
+that his child would be taken from him, poor Kojata knew no rest
+night or day. However, time went on and nothing happened. Days and
+months and years passed, and the Prince grew up into a beautiful
+youth, and at last the King himself forgot all about the incident
+that had happened so long ago.
+
+One day the Prince went out hunting, and going in pursuit of a
+wild boar he soon lost the other huntsmen, and found himself quite
+alone in the middle of a dark wood. The trees grew so thick and
+near together that it was almost impossible to see through them,
+only straight in front of him lay a little patch of meadowland.
+Overgrown with thistles and rank weeds, in the centre of which a
+leafy lime tree reared itself. Suddenly a rustling sound was heard
+in the hollow of the tree, and an extraordinary old man with green
+eyes and chin crept out of it.
+
+‘A fine day, Prince Milan,' he said; ‘you've kept me waiting a
+good number of years; it was high time for you to come and pay me
+a visit.'
+
+‘Who are you, in the name of wonder?' demanded the astonished
+Prince.
+
+‘You'll find out soon enough, but in the meantime do as I bid you.
+Greet your father King Kojata from me, and don't forget to remind
+him of his debt; the time has long passed since it was due, but
+now he will have to pay it. Farewell for the present; we shall
+meet again.'
+
+With these words the old man disappeared into the tree, and the
+Prince returned home rather startled, and told his father all that
+he had seen and heard.
+
+The King grew as white as a sheet when he heard the Prince's
+story, and said, ‘Woe is me, my son! The time has come when we
+must part,' and with a heavy heart he told the Prince what had
+happened at the time of his birth.
+
+‘Don't worry or distress yourself, dear father,' answered Prince
+Milan. ‘Things are never as bad as they look. Only give me a horse
+for my journey, and I wager you'll soon see me back again.'
+
+The King gave him a beautiful charger, with golden stirrups, and a
+sword. The Queen hung a little cross round his neck, and after
+much weeping and lamentation the Prince bade them all farewell and
+set forth on his journey.
+
+He rode straight on for two days, and on the third he came to a
+lake as smooth as glass and as clear as crystal. Not a breath of
+wind moved, not a leaf stirred, all was silent as the grave, only
+on the still bosom of the lake thirty ducks, with brilliant
+plumage, swam about in the water. Not far from the shore Prince
+Milan noticed thirty little white garments lying on the grass, and
+dismounting from his horse, he crept down under the high
+bulrushes, took one of the garments and hid himself with it behind
+the bushes which grew round the lake. The ducks swam about all
+over the place, dived down into the depths and rose again and
+glided through the waves. At last, tired of disporting themselves,
+they swam to the shore, and twenty-nine of them put on their
+little white garments and instantly turned into so many beautiful
+maidens. Then they finished dressing and disappeared. Only the
+thirtieth little duck couldn't come to the land; it swam about
+close to the shore, and, giving out a piercing cry, it stretched
+its neck up timidly, gazed wildly around, and then dived under
+again. Prince Milan's heart was so moved with pity for the poor
+little creature that he came out from behind the bulrushes, to see
+if he could be of any help. As soon as the duck perceived him, it
+cried in a human voice, ‘Oh, dear Prince Milan, for the love of
+Heaven give me back my garment, and I will be so grateful to you.'
+The Prince lay the little garment on the bank beside her, and
+stepped back into the bushes. In a few seconds a beautiful girl in
+a white robe stood before him, so fair and sweet and young that no
+pen could describe her. She gave the Prince her hand and spoke.
+
+‘Many thanks, Prince Milan, for your courtesy. I am the daughter
+of a wicked magician, and my name is Hyacinthia. My father has
+thirty young daughters, and is a mighty ruler in the underworld,
+with many castles and great riches. He has been expecting you for
+ages, but you need have no fear if you will only follow my advice.
+As soon as you come into the presence of my father, throw yourself
+at once on the ground and approach him on your knees. Don't mind
+if he stamps furiously with his feet and curses and swears. I'll
+attend to the rest, and in the meantime we had better be off.'
+
+With these words the beautiful Hyacinthia stamped on the ground
+with her little foot, and the earth opened and they both sank down
+into the lower world.
+
+The palace of the Magician was all hewn out of a single carbuncle,
+lighting up the whole surrounding region, and Prince Milan walked
+into it gaily.
+
+The Magician sat on a throne, a sparkling crown on his head; his
+eyes blazed like a green fire, and instead of hands he had claws.
+As soon as Prince Milan entered he flung himself on his knees. The
+Magician stamped loudly with his feet, glared frightfully out of
+his green eyes, and cursed so loudly that the whole underworld
+shook. But the Prince, mindful of the counsel he had been given,
+wasn't the least afraid, and approached the throne still on his
+knees. At last the Magician laughed aloud and said, ‘You rogue,
+you have been well advised to make me laugh; I won't be your enemy
+any more. Welcome to the underworld! All the same, for your delay
+in coming here, we must demand three services from you. For to-day
+you may go, but to-morrow I shall have something more to say to
+you.'
+
+Then two servants led Prince Milan to a beautiful apartment, and
+he lay down fearlessly on the soft bed that had been prepared for
+him, and was soon fast asleep.
+
+Early the next morning the Magician sent for him, and said, ‘Let's
+see now what you've learnt. In the first place you must build me a
+palace to-night, the roof of purest gold, the walls of marble, and
+the windows of crystal; all round you must lay out a beautiful
+garden, with fish-ponds and artistic waterfalls. If you do all
+this, I will reward you richly; but if you don't, you shall lose
+your head.'
+
+‘Oh, you wicked monster!' thought Prince Milan, ‘you might as well
+have put me to death at once.' Sadly he returned to his room, and
+with bent head sat brooding over his cruel fate till evening. When
+it grew dark, a little bee flew by, and knocking at the window, it
+said, ‘Open, and let me in.'
+
+Milan opened the window quickly, and as soon as the bee had
+entered, it changed into the beautiful Hyacinthia.
+
+‘Good evening, Prince Milan. Why are you so sad?'
+
+‘How can I help being sad? Your father threatens me with death,
+and I see myself already without a head.'
+
+‘And what have you made up your mind to do?'
+
+‘There's nothing to be done, and after all I suppose one can only
+die once.'
+
+‘Now, don't be so foolish, my dear Prince; but keep up your
+spirits, for there is no need to despair. Go to bed, and when you
+wake up to-morrow morning the palace will be finished. Then you
+must go all round it, giving a tap here and there on the walls to
+look as if you had just finished it.'
+
+And so it all turned out just as she had said. As soon as it was
+daylight Prince Milan stepped out of his room, and found a palace
+which was quite a work of art down to the very smallest detail.
+The Magician himself was not a little astonished at its beauty,
+and could hardly believe his eyes.
+
+‘Well, you certainly are a splendid workman,' he said to the
+Prince. ‘I see you are very clever with your hands, now I must see
+if you are equally accomplished with your head. I have thirty
+daughters in my house, all beautiful princesses. To-morrow I will
+place the whole thirty in a row. You must walk past them three
+times, and the third time you must show me which is my youngest
+daughter Hyacinthia. If you don't guess rightly, you shall lose
+your head.'
+
+‘This time you've made a mistake,' thought Prince Milan, and going
+to his room he sat down at the window. Just fancy my not
+recognising the beautiful Hyacinthia! Why, that is the easiest
+thing in the world.'
+
+‘Not so easy as you think,' cried the little bee, who was flying
+past. ‘If I weren't to help you, you'd never guess. We are thirty
+sisters so exactly alike that our own father can hardly
+distinguish us apart.'
+
+‘Then what am I to do?' asked Prince Milan.
+
+‘Listen,' answered Hyacinthia. ‘You will recognise me by a tiny
+fly I shall have on my left cheek, but be careful for you might
+easily make a mistake.'
+
+The next day the Magician again commanded Prince Milan to be led
+before him. His daughters were all arranged in a straight row in
+front of him, dressed exactly alike, and with their eyes bent on
+the ground.
+
+‘Now, you genius,' said the Magician, ‘look at these beauties
+three times, and then tell us which is the Princess Hyacinthia.'
+
+Prince Milan went past them and looked at them closely. But they
+were all so precisely alike that they looked like one face
+reflected in thirty mirrors, and the fly was nowhere to be seen;
+the second time he passed them he still saw nothing; but the third
+time he perceived a little fly stealing down one cheek, causing it
+to blush a faint pink. Then the Prince seized the girl's hand and
+cried out, ‘This is the Princess Hyacinthia!'
+
+‘You're right again,' said the Magician in amazement; ‘but I've
+still another task for you to do. Before this candle, which I
+shall light, burns to the socket, you must have made me a pair of
+boots reaching to my knees. If they aren't finished in that time,
+off comes your head.'
+
+The Prince returned to his room in despair; then the Princess
+Hyacinthia came to him once more changed into the likeness of a
+bee, and asked him, ‘Why so sad, Prince Milan?'
+
+‘How can I help being sad? Your father has set me this time an
+impossible task. Before a candle which he has lit burns to the
+socket, I am to make a pair of boots. But what does a prince know
+of shoemaking? If I can't do it, I lose my head.'
+
+‘And what do you mean to do?' asked Hyacinthia.
+
+‘Well, what is there to be done? What he demands I can't and won't
+do, so he must just make an end of me.'
+
+‘Not so, dearest. I love you dearly, and you shall marry me, and
+I'll either save your life or die with you. We must fly now as
+quickly as we can, for there is no other way of escape.'
+
+With these words she breathed on the window, and her breath froze
+on the pane. Then she led Milan out of the room with her, shut the
+door, and threw the key away. Hand in hand, they hurried to the
+spot where they had descended into the lower world, and at last
+reached the banks of the lake. Prince Milan's charger was still
+grazing on the grass which grew near the water. The horse no
+sooner recognized his master, than it neighed loudly with joy, and
+springing towards him, it stood as if rooted to the ground, while
+Prince Milan and Hyacinthia jumped on its back. Then it sped
+onwards like an arrow from a bow.
+
+In the meantime the Magician was waiting impatiently for the
+Prince. Enraged by the delay, he sent his servants to fetch him,
+for the appointed time was past.
+
+The servants came to the door, and finding it locked, they
+knocked; but the frozen breath on the window replied in Prince
+Milan's voice, ‘I am coming directly.' With this answer they
+returned to the Magician. But when the Prince still did not
+appear, after a time he sent his servants a second time to bring
+him. The frozen breath always gave the same answer, but the Prince
+never came. At last the Magician lost all patience, and commanded
+the door to be burst open. But when his servants did so, they
+found the room empty, and the frozen breath laughed aloud. Out of
+his mind with rage, the Magician ordered the Prince to be pursued.
+
+Then a wild chase began. ‘I hear horses' hoofs behind us,' said
+Hyacinthia to the Prince. Milan sprang from the saddle, put his
+ear to the ground and listened. ‘Yes,' he answered, ‘they are
+pursuing us, and are quite close.' ‘Then no time must be lost,'
+said Hyacinthia, and she immediately turned herself into a river,
+Prince Milan into an iron bridge, and the charger into a
+blackbird. Behind the bridge the road branched off into three
+ways.
+
+The Magician's servants hurried after the fresh tracks, but when
+they came to the bridge, they stood, not knowing which road to
+take, as the footprints stopped suddenly, and there were three
+paths for them to choose from. In fear and trembling they returned
+to tell the Magician what had happened. He flew into a dreadful
+rage when he saw them, and screamed out, ‘Oh, you fools! the river
+and bridge were they! Go back and bring them to me at once, or it
+will be the worse for you.'
+
+Then the pursuit began afresh. ‘I hear horses' hoofs,' sighed
+Hyacinthia. The Prince dismounted and put his ear to the ground.
+‘They are hurrying after us, and are already quite near.' In a
+moment the Princess Hyacinthia had changed herself, the Prince,
+and his charger into a thick wood where a thousand paths and roads
+crossed each other. Their pursuers entered the forest, but
+searched in vain for Prince Milan and his bride. At last they
+found themselves back at the same spot they had started from, and
+in despair they returned once more with empty hands to the
+Magician.
+
+‘Then I'll go after the wretches myself,' he shouted. ‘Bring a
+horse at once; they shan't escape me.'
+
+Once more the beautiful Hyacinthia murmured, ‘I hear horses' hoofs
+quite near.' And the Prince answered, ‘They are pursuing us hotly
+and are quite close.'
+
+‘We are lost now, for that is my father himself. But at the first
+church we come to his power ceases; he may chase us no further.
+Hand me your cross.'
+
+Prince Milan loosened from his neck the little gold cross his
+mother had given him, and as soon as Hyacinthia grasped it, she
+had changed herself into a church, Milan into a monk, and the
+horse into a belfry. They had hardly done this when the magician
+and his servants rode up.
+
+‘Did you see no one pass by on horseback, reverend father?' he
+asked the monk.
+
+‘Prince Milan and Princess Hyacinthia have just gone on this
+minute; they stopped for a few minutes in the church to say their
+prayers, and bade me light this wax candle for you, and give you
+their love.'
+
+‘I'd like to wring their necks,' said the magician, and made all
+haste home, where he had every one of his servants beaten to
+within an inch of their lives.
+
+Prince Milan rode on slowly with his bride without fearing any
+further pursuit. The sun was just setting, and its last rays lit
+up a large city they were approaching. Prince Milan was suddenly
+seized with an ardent desire to enter the town.
+
+‘Oh my beloved,' implored Hyacinthia, ‘please don't go; for I am
+frightened and fear some evil.'
+
+‘What are you afraid of?' asked the Prince. ‘We'll only go and
+look at what's to be seen in the town for about an hour, and then
+we'll continue our journey to my father's kingdom.'
+
+‘The town is easy to get into, but more difficult to get out of,'
+sighed Hyacinthia. ‘But let it be as you wish. Go, and I will
+await you here, but I will first change myself into a white
+milestone; only I pray you be very careful. The King and Queen of
+the town will come out to meet you, leading a little child with
+them. Whatever you do, don't kiss the child, or you will forget me
+and all that has happened to us. I will wait for you here for
+three days.'
+
+The Prince hurried to the town, but Hyacinthia remained behind
+disguised as a white milestone on the road. The first day passed,
+and then the second, and at last the third also, but Prince Milan
+did not return, for he had not taken Hyacinthia's advice. The King
+and Queen came out to meet him as she had said, leading with them
+a lovely fair-haired little girl, whose eyes shone like two clear
+stars. The child at once caressed the Prince, who, carried away by
+its beauty, bent down and kissed it on the cheek. From that moment
+his memory became a blank, and he forgot all about the beautiful
+Hyacinthia.
+
+When the Prince did not return, poor Hyacinthia wept bitterly and
+changing herself from a milestone into a little blue field flower,
+she said, ‘I will grow here on the wayside till some passer-by
+tramples me under foot.' And one of her tears remained as a
+dewdrop and sparkled on the little blue flower.
+
+Now it happened shortly after this that an old man passed by, and
+seeing the flower, he was delighted with its beauty. He pulled it
+up carefully by the roots and carried it home. Here he planted it
+in a pot, and watered and tended the little plant carefully. And
+now the most extraordinary thing happened, for from this moment
+everything in the old man's house was changed. When he awoke in
+the morning he always found his room tidied and put into such
+beautiful order that not a speck of dust was to be found anywhere.
+When he came home at midday, he found a table laid out with the
+most dainty food, and he had only to sit down and enjoy himself to
+his heart's content. At first he was so surprised he didn't know
+what to think, but after a time he grew a little uncomfortable,
+and went to an old witch to ask for advice.
+
+The witch said, ‘Get up before the cock crows, and watch carefully
+till you see something move, and then throw this cloth quickly
+over it, and you'll see what will happen.'
+
+All night the old man never closed an eye. When the first ray of
+light entered the room, he noticed that the little blue flower
+began to tremble, and at last it rose out of the pot and flew
+about the room, put everything in order, swept away the dust, and
+lit the fire. In great haste the old man sprang from his bed, and
+covered the flower with the cloth the old witch had given him, and
+in a moment the beautiful Princess Hyacinthia stood before him.
+
+‘What have you done?' she cried. ‘Why have you called me back to
+life? For I have no desire to live since my bridegroom, the
+beautiful Prince Milan, has deserted me.'
+
+‘Prince Milan is just going to be married,' replied the old man.
+‘Everything is being got ready for the feast, and all the invited
+guests are flocking to the palace from all sides.'
+
+The beautiful Hyacinthia cried bitterly when she heard this; then
+she dried her tears, and went into the town dressed as a peasant
+woman. She went straight to the King's kitchen, where the white-
+aproned cooks were running about in great confusion. The Princess
+went up to the head cook, and said, ‘Dear cook, please listen to
+my request, and let me make a wedding-cake for Prince Milan.'
+
+The busy cook was just going to refuse her demand and order her
+out of the kitchen, but the words died on his lips when he turned
+and beheld the beautiful Hyacinthia, and he answered politely,
+‘You have just come in the nick of time, fair maiden. Bake your
+cake, and I myself will lay it before Prince Milan.'
+
+The cake was soon made. The invited guests were already thronging
+round the table, when the head cook entered the room, bearing a
+beautiful wedding cake on a silver dish, and laid it before Prince
+Milan. The guests were all lost in admiration, for the cake was
+quite a work of art. Prince Milan at once proceeded to cut it
+open, when to his surprise two white doves sprang out of it, and
+one of them said to the other: ‘My dear mate, do not fly away and
+leave me, and forget me as Prince Milan forgot his beloved
+Hyacinthia.'
+
+Milan sighed deeply when he heard what the little dove said. Then
+he jumped up suddenly from the table and ran to the door, where he
+found the beautiful Hyacinthia waiting for him. Outside stood his
+faithful charger, pawing the ground. Without pausing for a moment,
+Milan and Hyacinthia mounted him and galloped as fast as they
+could into the country of King Kojata. The King and Queen received
+them with such joy and gladness as had never been heard of before,
+and they all lived happily for the rest of their lives.
+
+
+
+
+
+PRINCE FICKLE AND FAIR HELENA (From the German)
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a beautiful girl called Helena. Her own
+mother had died when she was quite a child, and her stepmother was
+as cruel and unkind to her as she could be. Helena did all she
+could to gain her love, and performed the heavy work given her to
+do cheerfully and well; but her stepmother's heart wasn't in the
+least touched, and the more the poor girl did the more she asked
+her to do.
+
+One day she gave Helena twelve pounds of mixed feathers and bade
+her separate them all before evening, threatening her with heavy
+punishment if she failed to do so.
+
+The poor child sat down to her task with her eyes so full of tears
+that she could hardly see to begin. And when she had made one
+little heap of feathers, she sighed so deeply that they all blew
+apart again. And so it went on, and the poor girl grew more and
+more miserable. She bowed her head in her hands and cried, ‘Is
+there no one under heaven who will take pity on me?'
+
+Suddenly a soft voice replied, ‘Be comforted, my child: I have
+come to help you.'
+
+Terrified to death, Helena looked up and saw a Fairy standing in
+front of her, who asked in the kindest way possible, ‘Why are you
+crying, my dear?'
+
+Helena, who for long had heard no friendly voice, confided her sad
+tale of woe to the Fairy, and told her what the new task she had
+been given to do was, and how she despaired of ever accomplishing
+it.
+
+‘Don't worry yourself about it any more,' said the kind Fairy;
+‘lie down and go to sleep, and I'll see that your work is done all
+right.' So Helena lay down, and when she awoke all the feathers
+were sorted into little bundles; but when she turned to thank the
+good Fairy she had vanished.
+
+In the evening her stepmother returned and was much amazed to find
+Helena sitting quietly with her work all finished before her.
+
+She praised her diligence, but at the same time racked her brain
+as to what harder task she could set her to do.
+
+The next day she told Helena to empty a pond near the house with a
+spoon which was full of holes. Helena set to work at once, but she
+very soon found that what her stepmother had told her to do was an
+impossibility. Full of despair and misery, she was in the act of
+throwing the spoon away, when suddenly the kind Fairy stood before
+her again, and asked her why she was so unhappy?
+
+When Helena told her of her stepmother's new demand she said,
+‘Trust to me and I will do your task for you. Lie down and have a
+sleep in the meantime.'
+
+Helena was comforted and lay down, and before you would have
+believed it possible the Fairy roused her gently and told her the
+pond was empty. Full of joy and gratitude, Helena hurried to her
+stepmother, hoping that now at last her heart would be softened
+towards her. But the wicked woman was furious at the frustration
+of her own evil designs, and only thought of what harder thing she
+could set the girl to do.
+
+Next morning she ordered her to build before evening a beautiful
+castle, and to furnish it all from garret to basement. Helena sat
+down on the rocks which had been pointed out to her as the site of
+the castle, feeling very depressed, but at the same time with the
+lurking hope that the kind Fairy would come once more to her aid.
+
+And so it turned out. The Fairy appeared, promised to build the
+castle, and told Helena to lie down and go to sleep in the
+meantime. At the word of the Fairy the rocks and stones rose and
+built themselves into a beautiful castle, and before sunset it was
+all furnished inside, and left nothing to be desired. You may
+think how grateful Helena was when she awoke and found her task
+all finished.
+
+But her stepmother was anything but pleased, and went through the
+whole castle from top to bottom, to see if she couldn't find some
+fault for which she could punish Helena. At last she went down
+into one of the cellars, but it was so dark that she fell down the
+steep stairs and was killed on the spot.
+
+So Helena was now mistress of the beautiful castle, and lived
+there in peace and happiness. And soon the noise of her beauty
+spread abroad, and many wooers came to try and gain her hand.
+
+Among them came one Prince Fickle by name, who very quickly won
+the love of fair Helena. One day, as they were sitting happily
+together under a lime-tree in front of the castle, Prince Fickle
+broke the sad news to Helena that he must return to his parents to
+get their consent to his marriage. He promised faithfully to come
+back to her as soon as he could and begged her to await his return
+under the lime-tree where they had spent so many happy hours.
+
+Helena kissed him tenderly at parting on his left cheek, and
+begged him not to let anyone else kiss him there while they were
+parted, and she promised to sit and wait for him under the lime-
+tree, for she never doubted that the Prince would be faithful to
+her and would return as quickly as he could.
+
+And so she sat for three days and three nights under the tree
+without moving. But when her lover never returned, she grew very
+unhappy, and determined to set out to look for him. She took as
+many of her jewels as she could carry, and three of her most
+beautiful dresses, one embroidered with stars, one with moons, and
+the third with suns, all of pure gold. Far and wide she wandered
+through the world, but nowhere did she find any trace of her
+bridegroom. At last she gave up the search in despair. She could
+not bear to return to her own castle where she had been so happy
+with her lover, but determined rather to endure her loneliness and
+desolation in a strange land. She took a place as herd-girl with a
+peasant, and buried her jewels and beautiful dresses in a safe and
+hidden spot.
+
+Every day she drove the cattle to pasture, and all the time she
+thought of nothing but her faithless bridegroom. She was very
+devoted to a certain little calf in the herd, and made a great pet
+of it, feeding it out of her own hands. She taught it to kneel
+before her, and then she whispered in its ear:
+
+‘Kneel, little calf, kneel; Be faithful and leal, Not like Prince
+Fickle, Who once on a time Left his fair Helena Under the lime.'
+
+After some years passed in this way, she heard that the daughter
+of the king of the country she was living in was going to marry a
+Prince called ‘Fickle.' Everybody rejoiced at the news except poor
+Helena, to whom it was a fearful blow, for at the bottom of her
+heart she had always believed her lover to be true.
+
+Now it chanced that the way to the capital led right past the
+village where Helena was, and often when she was leading her
+cattle forth to the meadows Prince Fickle rode past her, without
+ever noticing the poor herd-girl, so engrossed was he in thoughts
+of his new bride. Then it occurred to Helena to put his heart to
+the test and to see if it weren't possible to recall herself to
+him. So one day as Prince Fickle rode by she said to her little
+calf:
+
+‘Kneel, little calf, kneel;  Be faithful and leal,  Not like
+Prince Fickle,  Who once on a time  Left his poor Helena  Under
+the lime.'
+
+When Prince Fickle heard her voice it seemed to him to remind him
+of something, but of what he couldn't remember, for he hadn't
+heard the words distinctly, as Helena had only spoken them very
+low and with a shaky voice. Helena herself had been far too moved
+to let her see what impression her words had made on the Prince,
+and when she looked round he was already far away. But she noticed
+how slowly he was riding, and how deeply sunk he was in thought,
+so she didn't quite give herself up as lost.
+
+In honour of the approaching wedding a feast lasting many nights
+was to be given in the capital. Helena placed all her hopes on
+this, and determined to go to the feast and there to seek out her
+bridegroom.
+
+When evening drew near she stole out of the peasant's cottage
+secretly, and, going to her hiding-place, she put on her dress
+embroidered with the gold suns, and all her jewels, and loosed her
+beautiful golden hair, which up to now she had always worn under a
+kerchief, and, adorned thus, she set out for the town.
+
+When she entered the ball-room all eyes were turned on her, and
+everyone marvelled at her beauty, but no one knew who she was.
+Prince Fickle, too, was quite dazzled by the charms of the
+beautiful maiden, and never guessed that she had once been his own
+ladylove. He never left her side all night, and it was with great
+difficulty that Helena escaped from him in the crowd when it was
+time to return home. Prince Fickle searched for her everywhere,
+and longed eagerly for the next night, when the beautiful lady had
+promised to come again.
+
+The following evening the fair Helena started early for the feast.
+
+This time she wore her dress embroidered with silver moons, and in
+her hair she placed a silver crescent. Prince Fickle was enchanted
+to see her again, and she seemed to him even more beautiful than
+she had been the night before. He never left her side, and refused
+to dance with anyone else. He begged her to tell him who she was,
+but this she refused to do. Then he implored her to return again
+next evening, and this she promised him she would.
+
+On the third evening Prince Fickle was so impatient to see his
+fair enchantress again, that he arrived at the feast hours before
+it began, and never took his eyes from the door. At last Helena
+arrived in a dress all covered with gold and silver stars, and
+with a girdle of stars round her waist, and a band of stars in her
+hair. Prince Fickle was more in love with her than ever, and
+begged her once again to tell him her name.
+
+Then Helena kissed him silently on the left cheek, and in one
+moment Prince Fickle recognized his old love. Full of remorse and
+sorrow, he begged for her forgiveness, and Helena, only too
+pleased to have got him back again, did not, you may be sure, keep
+him waiting very long for her pardon, and so they were married and
+returned to Helena's castle, where they are no doubt still sitting
+happily together under the lime-tree.
+
+
+
+
+
+PUDDOCKY (From the German)
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a poor woman who had one little
+daughter called ‘Parsley.' She was so called because she liked
+eating parsley better than any other food, indeed she would hardly
+eat anything else. Her poor mother hadn't enough money always to
+be buying parsley for her, but the child was so beautiful that she
+could refuse her nothing, and so she went every night to the
+garden of an old witch who lived near and stole great branches of
+the coveted vegetable, in order to satisfy her daughter.
+
+This remarkable taste of the fair Parsley soon became known, and
+the theft was discovered. The witch called the girl's mother to
+her, and proposed that she should let her daughter come and live
+with her, and then she could eat as much parsley as she liked. The
+mother was quite pleased with this suggestion, and so the
+beautiful Parsley took up her abode with the old witch.
+
+One day three Princes, whom their father had sent abroad to
+travel, came to the town where Parsley lived and perceived the
+beautiful girl combing and plaiting her long black hair at the
+window. In one moment they all fell hopelessly in love with her,
+and longed ardently to have the girl for their wife; but hardly
+had they with one breath expressed their desire than, mad with
+jealousy, they drew their swords and all three set upon each
+other. The struggle was so violent and the noise so loud that the
+old witch heard it, and said at once ‘Of course Parsley is at the
+bottom of all this.'
+
+And when she had convinced herself that this was so, she stepped
+forward, and, full of wrath over the quarrels and feuds Parsley's
+beauty gave rise to, she cursed the girl and said, ‘I wish you
+were an ugly toad, sitting under a bridge at the other end of the
+world.'
+
+Hardly were the words out of her mouth than Parsley was changed
+into a toad and vanished from their sight. The Princes, now that
+the cause of their dispute was removed, put up their swords,
+kissed each other affectionately, and returned to their father.
+
+The King was growing old and feeble, and wished to yield his
+sceptre and crown in favour of one of his sons, but he couldn't
+make up his mind which of the three he should appoint as his
+successor. He determined that fate should decide for him. So he
+called his three children to him and said, ‘My dear sons, I am
+growing old, and am weary of reigning, but I can't make up my mind
+to which of you three I should yield my crown, for I love you all
+equally. At the same time I would like the best and cleverest of
+you to rule over my people. I have, therefore, determined to set
+you three tasks to do, and the one that performs them best shall
+be my heir. The first thing I shall ask you to do is to bring me a
+piece of linen a hundred yards long, so fine that it will go
+through a gold ring.' The sons bowed low, and, promising to do
+their best, they started on their journey without further delay.
+
+The two elder brothers took many servants and carriages with them,
+but the youngest set out quite alone. In a short time they came to
+three cross roads; two of them were gay and crowded, but the third
+was dark and lonely.
+
+The two elder brothers chose the more frequented ways, but the
+youngest, bidding them farewell, set out on the dreary road.
+
+Wherever linen was to be bought, there the two elder brothers
+hastened. They loaded their carriages with bales of the finest
+linen they could find and then returned home.
+
+The youngest brother, on the other hand, went on his weary way for
+many days, and nowhere did he come across any linen that would
+have done. So he journeyed on, and his spirits sank with every
+step. At last he came to a bridge which stretched over a deep
+river flowing through a flat and marshy land. Before crossing the
+bridge he sat down on the banks of the stream and sighed dismally
+over his sad fate. Suddenly a misshapen toad crawled out of the
+swamp, and, sitting down opposite him, asked: ‘What's the matter
+with you, my dear Prince?'
+
+The Prince answered impatiently, ‘There's not much good my telling
+you, Puddocky, for you couldn't help me if I did.'
+
+‘Don't be too sure of that,' replied the toad; ‘tell me your
+trouble and we'll see.'
+
+Then the Prince became most confidential and told the little
+creature why he had been sent out of his father's kingdom.
+
+‘Prince, I will certainly help you,' said the toad, and, crawling
+back into her swamp, she returned dragging after her a piece of
+linen not bigger than a finger, which she lay before the Prince,
+saying, ‘Take this home, and you'll see it will help you.'
+
+The Prince had no wish to take such an insignificant bundle with
+him; but he didn't like to hurt Puddocky's feelings by refusing
+it, so he took up the little packet, put it in his pocket, and
+bade the little toad farewell. Puddocky watched the Prince till he
+was out of sight and then crept back into the water.
+
+The further the Prince went the more he noticed that the pocket in
+which the little roll of linen lay became heavier, and in
+proportion his heart grew lighter. And so, greatly comforted, he
+returned to the Court of his father, and arrived home just at the
+same time as his brothers with their caravans. The King was
+delighted to see them all again, and at once drew the ring from
+his finger and the trial began. In all the waggon-loads there was
+not one piece of linen the tenth part of which would go through
+the ring, and the two elder brothers, who had at first sneered at
+their youngest brother for returning with no baggage, began to
+feel rather small. But what were their feelings when he drew a
+bale of linen out of his pocket which in fineness, softness, and
+purity of colour was unsurpassable! The threads were hardly
+visible, and it went through the ring without the smallest
+difficulty, at the same time measuring a hundred yards quite
+correctly.
+
+The father embraced his fortunate son, and commanded the rest of
+the linen to be thrown into the water; then, turning to his
+children he said, ‘Now, dear Princes, prepare yourselves for the
+second task. You must bring me back a little dog that will go
+comfortably into a walnut-shell.'
+
+The sons were all in despair over this demand, but as they each
+wished to win the crown, they determined to do their best, and
+after a very few days set out on their travels again.
+
+At the cross roads they separated once more. The youngest went by
+himself along his lonely way, but this time he felt much more
+cheerful. Hardly had he sat down under the bridge and heaved a
+sigh, than Puddocky came out; and, sitting down opposite him,
+asked, ‘What's wrong with you now, dear Prince?'
+
+The Prince, who this time never doubted the little toad's power to
+help him, told her his difficulty at once. ‘Prince, I will help
+you,' said the toad again, and crawled back into her swamp as fast
+as her short little legs would carry her. She returned, dragging a
+hazel nut behind her, which she laid at the Prince's feet and
+said, ‘Take this nut home with you and tell your father to crack
+it very carefully, and you'll see then what will happen.' The
+Prince thanked her heartily and went on his way in the best of
+spirits, while the little puddock crept slowly back into the
+water.
+
+When the Prince got home he found his brothers had just arrived
+with great waggon-loads of little dogs of all sorts. The King had
+a walnut shell ready, and the trial began; but not one of the dogs
+the two eldest sons had brought with them would in the least fit
+into the shell. When they had tried all their little dogs, the
+youngest son handed his father the hazel-nut, with a modest bow,
+and begged him to crack it carefully. Hardly had the old King done
+so than a lovely tiny dog sprang out of the nutshell, and ran
+about on the King's hand, wagging its tail and barking lustily at
+all the other little dogs. The joy of the Court was great. The
+father again embraced his fortunate son, commanded the rest of the
+small dogs to be thrown into the water and drowned, and once more
+addressed his sons. ‘The two most difficult tasks have been
+performed. Now listen to the third and last: whoever brings the
+fairest wife home with him shall be my heir.'
+
+This demand seemed so easy and agreeable and the reward was so
+great, that the Princes lost no time in setting forth on their
+travels. At the cross roads the two elder brothers debated if they
+should go the same way as the youngest, but when they saw how
+dreary and deserted it looked they made up their minds that it
+would be impossible to find what they sought in these wilds, and
+so they stuck to their former paths.
+
+The youngest was very depressed this time and said to himself,
+‘Anything else Puddocky could have helped me in, but this task is
+quite beyond her power. How could she ever find a beautiful wife
+for me? Her swamps are wide and empty, and no human beings dwell
+there; only frogs and toads and other creatures of that sort.'
+However, he sat down as usual under the bridge, and this time he
+sighed from the bottom of his heart.
+
+In a few minutes the toad stood in front of him and asked, ‘What's
+the matter with you now, my dear Prince?'
+
+‘Oh, Puddocky, this time you can't help me, for the task is beyond
+even your power,' replied the Prince.
+
+‘Still,' answered the toad, ‘you may as well tell me your
+difficulty, for who knows but I mayn't be able to help you this
+time also.'
+
+The Prince then told her the task they had been set to do. ‘I'll
+help you right enough, my dear Prince,' said the little toad;
+‘just you go home, and I'll soon follow you.' With these words,
+Puddocky, with a spring quite unlike her usual slow movements,
+jumped into the water and disappeared.
+
+The Prince rose up and went sadly on his way, for he didn't
+believe it possible that the little toad could really help him in
+his present difficulty. He had hardly gone a few steps when he
+heard a sound behind him, and, looking round, he saw a carriage
+made of cardboard, drawn by six big rats, coming towards him. Two
+hedgehogs rode in front as outriders, and on the box sat a fat
+mouse as coachman, and behind stood two little frogs as footmen.
+In the carriage itself sat Puddocky, who kissed her hand to the
+Prince out of the window as she passed by.
+
+Sunk deep in thought over the fickleness of fortune that had
+granted him two of his wishes and now seemed about to deny him the
+last and best, the Prince hardly noticed the absurd equipage, and
+still less did he feel inclined to laugh at its comic appearance.
+
+The carriage drove on in front of him for some time and then
+turned a corner. But what was his joy and surprise when suddenly,
+round the same corner, but coming towards him, there appeared a
+beautiful coach drawn by six splendid horses, with outriders,
+coachmen, footmen and other servants all in the most gorgeous
+liveries, and seated in the carriage was the most beautiful woman
+the Prince had ever seen, and in whom he at once recognised the
+beautiful Parsley, for whom his heart had formerly burned. The
+carriage stopped when it reached him, and the footmen sprang down
+and opened the door for him. He got in and sat down beside the
+beautiful Parsley, and thanked her heartily for her help, and told
+her how much he loved her.
+
+And so he arrived at his father's capital, at the same moment as
+his brothers who had returned with many carriage-loads of
+beautiful women. But when they were all led before the King, the
+whole Court with one consent awarded the prize of beauty to the
+fair Parsley.
+
+The old King was delighted, and embraced his thrice fortunate son
+and his new daughter-in-law tenderly, and appointed them as his
+successors to the throne. But he commanded the other women to be
+thrown into the water and drowned, like the bales of linen and the
+little dogs. The Prince married Puddocky and reigned long and
+happily with her, and if they aren't dead I suppose they are
+living still.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF HOK LEE AND THE DWARFS
+
+
+
+There once lived in a small town in China a man named Hok Lee. He
+was a steady industrious man, who not only worked hard at his
+trade, but did all his own house-work as well, for he had no wife
+to do it for him. ‘What an excellent industrious man is this Hok
+Lee!' said his neighbours; ‘how hard he works: he never leaves his
+house to amuse himself or to take a holiday as others do!'
+
+But Hok Lee was by no means the virtuous person his neighbours
+thought him. True, he worked hard enough by day, but at night,
+when all respectable folk were fast asleep, he used to steal out
+and join a dangerous band of robbers, who broke into rich people's
+houses and carried off all they could lay hands on.
+
+This state of things went on for some time, and, though a thief
+was caught now and then and punished, no suspicion ever fell on
+Hok Lee, he was such a very respectable, hard-working man.
+
+Hok Lee had already amassed a good store of money as his share of
+the proceeds of these robberies when it happened one morning on
+going to market that a neighbour said to him:
+
+‘Why, Hok Lee, what is the matter with your face? One side of it
+is all swelled up.'
+
+True enough, Hok Lee's right cheek was twice the size of his left,
+and it soon began to feel very uncomfortable.
+
+‘I will bind up my face,' said Hok Lee; ‘doubtless the warmth will
+cure the swelling.' But no such thing. Next day it was worse, and
+day by day it grew bigger and bigger till it was nearly as large
+as his head and became very painful.
+
+Hok Lee was at his wits' ends what to do. Not only was his cheek
+unsightly and painful, but his neighbours began to jeer and make
+fun of him, which hurt his feelings very much indeed.
+
+One day, as luck would have it, a travelling doctor came to the
+town. He sold not only all kinds of medicine, but also dealt in
+many strange charms against witches and evil spirits.
+
+Hok Lee determined to consult him, and asked him into his house.
+
+After the doctor had examined him carefully, he spoke thus: ‘This,
+O Hok Lee, is no ordinary swelled face. I strongly suspect you
+have been doing some wrong deed which has called down the anger of
+the spirits on you. None of my drugs will avail to cure you, but,
+if you are willing to pay me handsomely, I can tell you how you
+may be cured.'
+
+Then Hok Lee and the doctor began to bargain together, and it was
+a long time before they could come to terms. However, the doctor
+got the better of it in the end, for he was determined not to part
+with his secret under a certain price, and Hok Lee had no mind to
+carry his huge cheek about with him to the end of his days. So he
+was obliged to part with the greater portion of his ill-gotten
+gains.
+
+When the Doctor had pocketed the money, he told Hok Lee to go on
+the first night of the full moon to a certain wood and there to
+watch by a particular tree. After a time he would see the dwarfs
+and little sprites who live underground come out to dance. When
+they saw him they would be sure to make him dance too. ‘And mind
+you dance your very best,' added the doctor. ‘If you dance well
+and please them they will grant you a petition and you can then
+beg to be cured; but if you dance badly they will most likely do
+you some mischief out of spite.' With that he took leave and
+departed.
+
+Happily the first night of the full moon was near, and at the
+proper time Hok Lee set out for the wood. With a little trouble he
+found the tree the doctor had described, and, feeling nervous, he
+climbed up into it.
+
+He had hardly settled himself on a branch when he saw the little
+dwarfs assembling in the moonlight. They came from all sides, till
+at length there appeared to be hundreds of them. They seemed in
+high glee, and danced and skipped and capered about, whilst Hok
+Lee grew so eager watching them that he crept further and further
+along his branch till at length it gave a loud crack. All the
+dwarfs stood still, and Hok Lee felt as if his heart stood still
+also.
+
+Then one of the dwarfs called out, ‘Someone is up in that tree.
+Come down at once, whoever you are, or we must come and fetch
+you.'
+
+In great terror, Hok Lee proceeded to come down; but he was so
+nervous that he tripped near the ground and came rolling down in
+the most absurd manner. When he had picked himself up, he came
+forward with a low bow, and the dwarf who had first spoken and who
+appeared to be the leader, said, ‘Now, then, who art thou, and
+what brings thee here?'
+
+So Hok Lee told him the sad story of his swelled cheek, and how he
+had been advised to come to the forest and beg the dwarfs to cure
+him.
+
+‘It is well,' replied the dwarf. ‘We will see about that. First,
+however, thou must dance before us. Should thy dancing please us,
+perhaps we may be able to do something; but shouldst thou dance
+badly, we shall assuredly punish thee, so now take warning and
+dance away.'
+
+With that, he and all the other dwarfs sat down in a large ring,
+leaving Hok Lee to dance alone in the middle. He felt half
+frightened to death, and besides was a good deal shaken by his
+fall from the tree and did not feel at all inclined to dance. But
+the dwarfs were not to be trifled with.
+
+‘Begin!' cried their leader, and ‘Begin!' shouted the rest in
+chorus.
+
+So in despair Hok Lee began. First he hopped on one foot and then
+on the other, but he was so stiff and so nervous that he made but
+a poor attempt, and after a time sank down on the ground and vowed
+he could dance no more.
+
+The dwarfs were very angry. They crowded round Hok Lee and abused
+him. ‘Thou to come here to be cured, indeed!' they cried, ‘thou
+hast brought one big cheek with thee, but thou shalt take away
+two.' And with that they ran off and disappeared, leaving Hok Lee
+to find his way home as best he might.
+
+He hobbled away, weary and depressed, and not a little anxious on
+account of the dwarfs' threat.
+
+Nor were his fears unfounded, for when he rose next morning his
+left cheek was swelled up as big as his right, and he could hardly
+see out of his eyes. Hok Lee felt in despair, and his neighbours
+jeered at him more than ever. The doctor, too, had disappeared, so
+there was nothing for it but to try the dwarfs once more.
+
+He waited a month till the first night of the full moon came round
+again, and then he trudged back to the forest, and sat down under
+the tree from which he had fallen. He had not long to wait. Ere
+long the dwarfs came trooping out till all were assembled.
+
+‘I don't feel quite easy,' said one; ‘I feel as if some horrid
+human being were near us.'
+
+When Hok Lee heard this he came forward and bent down to the
+ground before the dwarfs, who came crowding round, and laughed
+heartily at his comical appearance with his two big cheeks.
+
+‘What dost thou want?' they asked; and Hok Lee proceeded to tell
+them of his fresh misfortunes, and begged so hard to be allowed
+one more trial at dancing that the dwarfs consented, for there is
+nothing they love so much as being amused.
+
+Now, Hok Lee knew how much depended on his dancing well, so he
+plucked up a good spirit and began, first quite slowly, and faster
+by degrees, and he danced so well and gracefully, and made such
+new and wonderful steps, that the dwarfs were quite delighted with
+him.
+
+They clapped their tiny hands, and shouted, ‘Well done, Hok Lee,
+well done, go on, dance more, for we are pleased.'
+
+And Hok Lee danced on and on, till he really could dance no more,
+and was obliged to stop.
+
+Then the leader of the dwarfs said, ‘We are well pleased, Hok Lee,
+and as a recompense for thy dancing thy face shall be cured.
+Farewell.'
+
+With these words he and the other dwarfs vanished, and Hok Lee,
+putting his hands to his face, found to his great joy that his
+cheeks were reduced to their natural size. The way home seemed
+short and easy to him, and he went to bed happy, and resolved
+never to go out robbing again.
+
+Next day the whole town was full of the news of Hok's sudden cure.
+His neighbours questioned him, but could get nothing from him,
+except the fact that he had discovered a wonderful cure for all
+kinds of diseases.
+
+After a time a rich neighbour, who had been ill for some years,
+came, and offered to give Hok Lee a large sum of money if he would
+tell him how he might get cured. Hok Lee consented on condition
+that he swore to keep the secret. He did so, and Hok Lee told him
+of the dwarfs and their dances.
+
+The neighbour went off, carefully obeyed Hok Lee's directions, and
+was duly cured by the dwarfs. Then another and another came to Hok
+Lee to beg his secret, and from each he extracted a vow of secrecy
+and a large sum of money. This went on for some years, so that at
+length Hok Lee became a very wealthy man, and ended his days in
+peace and prosperity.
+
+From the Chinese.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF THE THREE BEARS
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there were Three Bears, who lived together in a
+house of their own in a wood. One of them was a Little, Small, Wee
+Bear; and one was a Middle-sized Bear, and the other was a Great,
+Huge Bear. They had each a pot for their porridge, a little pot
+for the Little, Small, Wee Bear; and a middle-sized pot for the
+Middle Bear; and a great pot for the Great, Huge Bear. And they
+had each a chair to sit in; a little chair for the Little, Small,
+Wee Bear; and a middle-sized chair for the Middle Bear; and a
+great chair for the Great, Huge Bear. And they had each a bed to
+sleep in; a little bed for the Little, Small, Wee Bear; and a
+middle-sized bed for the Middle Bear; and a great bed for the
+Great, Huge Bear.
+
+One day, after they had made the porridge for their breakfast, and
+poured it into their porridge-pots, they walked out into the wood
+while the porridge was cooling, that they might not burn their
+mouths by beginning too soon to eat it. And while they were
+walking, a little old woman came to the house. She could not have
+been a good, honest old woman; for, first, she looked in at the
+window, and then she peeped in at the keyhole; and, seeing nobody
+in the house, she lifted the latch. The door was not fastened,
+because the bears were good bears, who did nobody any harm, and
+never suspected that anybody would harm them. So the little old
+woman opened the door and went in; and well pleased she was when
+she saw the porridge on the table. If she had been a good little
+old woman she would have waited till the bears came home, and
+then, perhaps, they would have asked her to breakfast; for they
+were good bears--a little rough or so, as the manner of bears is,
+but for all that very good-natured and hospitable. But she was an
+impudent, bad old woman, and set about helping herself.
+
+So first she tasted the porridge of the Great, Huge Bear, and that
+was too hot for her; and she said a bad word about that. And then
+she tasted the porridge of the Middle Bear; and that was too cold
+for her; and she said a bad word about that too. And then she went
+to the porridge of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and tasted that;
+and that was neither too hot nor too cold, but just right; and she
+liked it so well, that she ate it all up: but the naughty old
+woman said a bad word about the little porridge-pot, because it
+did not hold enough for her.
+
+Then the little old woman sate down in the chair of the Great,
+Huge Bear, and that was too hard for her. And then she sate down
+in the chair of the Middle Bear, and that was too soft for her.
+And then she sate down in the chair of the Little, Small, Wee
+Bear, and that was neither too hard nor too soft, but just right.
+So she seated herself in it, and there she sate till the bottom of
+the chair came out, and down came she, plump upon the ground. And
+the naughty old woman said a wicked word about that too.
+
+Then the little old woman went up stairs into the bed-chamber in
+which the three bears slept. And first she lay down upon the bed
+of the Great, Huge Bear; but that was too high at the head for
+her. And next she lay down upon the bed of the Middle Bear; and
+that was too high at the foot for her. And then she lay down upon
+the bed of the Little, Small, Wee Bear; and that was neither too
+high at the head, nor at the foot, but just right. So she covered
+herself up comfortably, and lay there till she fell fast asleep.
+
+By this time the three bears thought their porridge would be cool
+enough; so they came home to breakfast. Now the little old woman
+had left the spoon of the Great, Huge Bear, standing in his
+porridge.
+
+‘SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY PORRIDGE!'
+
+said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great gruff voice. And when the
+Middle Bear looked at his, he saw that the spoon was standing in
+it too. They were wooden spoons; if they had been silver ones, the
+naughty old woman would have put them in her pocket.
+
+‘Somebody Has Been At My Porridge!'
+
+said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice.
+
+Then the Little, Small, Wee Bear looked at his, and there was the
+spoon in the porridge-pot, but the porridge was all gone.
+
+‘_Somebody has been at my porridge, and has eaten it all up_!'
+
+said the Little, Small Wee Bear, in his little, small wee voice.
+
+Upon this the three bears, seeing that some one had entered their
+house, and eaten up the Little, Small, Wee Bear's breakfast, began
+to look about them. Now the little old woman had not put the hard
+cushion straight when she rose from the chair of the Great, Huge
+Bear.
+
+‘SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR!'
+
+said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice.
+
+And the little old woman had squatted down the soft cushion of the
+Middle Bear.
+
+‘Somebody Has Been Sitting In My Chair!'
+
+said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice.
+
+And you know what the little old woman had done to the third
+chair.
+
+‘_Somebody has been sitting in my chair, and has sate the bottom
+of it out_!'
+
+said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice.
+
+Then the three bears thought it necessary that they should make
+farther search; so they went up stairs into their bed-chamber. Now
+the little old woman had pulled the pillow of the Great, Huge Bear
+out of its place.
+
+‘SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED!'
+
+said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice.
+
+And the little old woman had pulled the bolster of the Middle Bear
+out of its place.
+
+‘Somebody Has Been Lying In My Bed!'
+
+said the Middle Bear in his middle voice.
+
+And when the Little, Small, Wee Bear came to look at his bed,
+there was the bolster in its place, and the pillow in its place
+upon the bolster, and upon the pillow was the little old woman's
+ugly, dirty head,--which was not in its place, for she had no
+business there.
+
+‘_Somebody has been lying in my bed,--and here she is_!'
+
+said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice.
+
+The little old woman had heard in her sleep the great, rough,
+gruff voice of the Great, Huge Bear; but she was so fast asleep
+that it was no more to her than the roaring of wind or the
+rumbling of thunder. And she had heard the middle voice of the
+Middle Bear, but it was only as if she had heard someone speaking
+in a dream. But when she heard the little, small, wee voice of the
+Little, Small, Wee Bear, it was so sharp, and so shrill, that it
+awakened her at once. Up she started; and when she saw the Three
+Bears on one side of the bed, she tumbled herself out at the
+other, and ran to the window. Now the window was open, because the
+bears, like good, tidy bears as they were, always opened their
+bedchamber window when they got up in the morning. Out the little
+old woman jumped; and whether she broke her neck in the fall, or
+ran into the wood and was lost there, or found her way out of the
+wood and was taken up by the constable and sent to the House of
+Correction for a vagrant as she was, I cannot tell. But the Three
+Bears never saw anything more of her.
+
+Southey.
+
+
+
+
+
+PRINCE VIVIEN AND THE PRINCESS PLACIDA
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who loved one
+another dearly. Indeed the Queen, whose name was Santorina, was so
+pretty and so kind-hearted that it would have been a wonder if her
+husband had not been fond of her, while King Gridelin himself was
+a perfect bundle of good qualities, for the Fairy who presided at
+his christening had summoned the shades of all his ancestors, and
+taken something good from each of them to form his character.
+Unfortunately, though, she had given him rather too much kindness
+of heart, which is a thing that generally gets its possessor into
+trouble, but so far all things had prospered with King Gridelin.
+However, it was not to be expected such good fortune could last,
+and before very long the Queen had a lovely little daughter who
+was named Placida. Now the King, who thought that if she resembled
+her mother in face and mind she would need no other gift, never
+troubled to ask any of the Fairies to her christening, and this
+offended them mortally, so that they resolved to punish him
+severely for thus depriving them of their rights. So, to the
+despair of King Gridelin, the Queen first of all became very ill,
+and then disappeared altogether. If it had not been for the little
+Princess there is no saying what would have become of him, he was
+so miserable, but there she was to be brought up, and luckily the
+good Fairy Lolotte, in spite of all that had passed, was willing
+to come and take charge of her, and of her little cousin Prince
+Vivien, who was an orphan and had been placed under the care of
+his uncle, King Gridelin, when he was quite a baby. Although she
+neglected nothing that could possibly have been done for them,
+their characters, as they grew up, plainly proved that education
+only softens down natural defects, but cannot entirely do away
+with them; for Placida, who was perfectly lovely, and with a
+capacity and intelligence which enabled her to learn and
+understand anything that presented itself, was at the same time as
+lazy and indifferent as it is possible for anyone to be, while
+Vivien on the contrary was only too lively, and was for ever
+taking up some new thing and as promptly tiring of it, and flying
+off to something else which held his fickle fancy an equally short
+time. As these two children would possibly inherit the kingdom, it
+was natural that their people should take a great interest in
+them, and it fell out that all the tranquil and peace-loving
+citizens desired that Placida should one day be their Queen, while
+the rash and quarrelsome hoped great things for Vivien. Such a
+division of ideas seemed to promise civil wars and all kinds of
+troubles to the State, and even in the Palace the two parties
+frequently came into collision. As for the children themselves,
+though they were too well brought up to quarrel, still the
+difference in all their tastes and feelings made it impossible for
+them to like one another, so there seemed no chance of their ever
+consenting to be married, which was a pity, since that was the
+only thing that would have satisfied both parties. Prince Vivien
+was fully aware of the feeling in his favour, but being too
+honourable to wish to injure his pretty cousin, and perhaps too
+impatient and volatile to care to think seriously about anything,
+he suddenly took it into his head that he would go off by himself
+in search of adventure. Luckily this idea occurred to him when he
+was on horseback, for he would certainly have set out on foot
+rather than lose an instant. As it was, he simply turned his
+horse's head, without another thought than that of getting out of
+the kingdom as soon as possible. This abrupt departure was a great
+blow to the State, especially as no one had any idea what had
+become of the Prince. Even King Gridelin, who had never cared for
+anything since the disappearance of Queen Santorina, was roused by
+this new loss, and though he could not so much as look at the
+Princess Placida without shedding floods of tears, he resolved to
+see for himself what talents and capabilities she showed. He very
+soon found out that in addition to her natural indolence, she was
+being as much indulged and spoilt day by day as if the Fairy had
+been her grandmother, and was obliged to remonstrate very
+seriously upon the subject. Lolotte took his reproaches meekly,
+and promised faithfully that she would not encourage the Princess
+in her idleness and indifference any more. From this moment poor
+Placida's troubles began! She was actually expected to choose her
+own dresses, to take care of her jewels, and to find her own
+amusements; but rather than take so much trouble she wore the same
+old frock from morning till night, and never appeared in public if
+she could possibly avoid it. However, this was not all, King
+Gridelin insisted that the affairs of the kingdom should be
+explained to her, and that she should attend all the councils and
+give her opinion upon the matter in hand whenever it was asked of
+her, and this made her life such a burden to her that she implored
+Lolotte to take her away from a country where too much was
+required of an unhappy Princess.
+
+The Fairy refused at first with a great show of firmness, but who
+could resist the tears and entreaties of anyone so pretty as
+Placida? It came to this in the end, that she transported the
+Princess just as she was, cosily tucked up upon her favourite
+couch, to her own Grotto, and this new disappearance left all the
+people in despair, and Gridelin went about looking more distracted
+than ever. But now let us return to Prince Vivien, and see what
+his restless spirit has brought him to. Though Placida's kingdom
+was a large one; his horse had carried him gallantly to the limit
+of it, but it could go no further, and the Prince was obliged to
+dismount and continue his journey on foot, though this slow mode
+of progress tired his patience severely.
+
+After what seemed to him a very long time, he found himself all
+alone in a vast forest, so dark and gloomy that he secretly
+shuddered; however, he chose the most promising looking path he
+could find, and marched along it courageously at his best speed,
+but in spite of all his efforts, night fell before he reached the
+edge of the wood.
+
+For some time he stumbled along, keeping to the path as well as he
+could in the darkness, and just as he was almost wearied out he
+saw before him a gleam of light.
+
+This sight revived his drooping spirits, and he made sure that he
+was now close to the shelter and supper he needed so much, but the
+more he walked towards the light the further away it seemed;
+sometimes he even lost sight of it altogether, and you may imagine
+how provoked and impatient he was by the time he finally arrived
+at the miserable cottage from which the light proceeded. He gave a
+loud knock at the door, and an old woman's voice answered from
+within, but as she did not seem to be hurrying herself to open it
+he redoubled his blows, and demanded to be let in imperiously,
+quite forgetting that he was no longer in his own kingdom. But all
+this had no effect upon the old woman, who only noticed all the
+uproar he was making by saying gently:
+
+‘You must have patience.'
+
+He could hear that she really was coming to open the door to him,
+only she was so very long about it. First she chased away her cat,
+lest it should run away when the door was opened, then he heard
+her talking to herself and made out that her lamp wanted trimming,
+that she might see better who it was that knocked, and then that
+it lacked fresh oil, and she must refill it. So what with one
+thing and another she was an immense time trotting to and fro, and
+all the while she now and again bade the Prince have patience.
+When at last he stood within the little hut he saw with despair
+that it was a picture of poverty, and that not a crumb of anything
+eatable was to be seen, and when he explained to the old woman
+that he was dying of hunger and fatigue she only answered
+tranquilly that he must have patience. However, she presently
+showed him a bundle of straw on which he could sleep.
+
+‘But what can I have to eat?' cried Prince Vivien sharply.
+
+‘Wait a little, wait a little,' she replied. ‘If you will only
+have patience I am just going out into the garden to gather some
+peas: we will shell them at our leisure, then I will light a fire
+and cook them, and when they are thoroughly done, we can enjoy
+them peaceably; there is no hurry.'
+
+‘I shall have died of starvation by the time all that is done,'
+said the Prince ruefully.
+
+‘Patience, patience,' said the old woman looking at him with her
+slow gentle smile, ‘I can't be hurried. "All things come at last
+to him who waits;" you must have heard that often.'
+
+Prince Vivien was wild with aggravation, but there was nothing to
+be done.
+
+‘Come then,' said the old woman, ‘you shall hold the lamp to light
+me while I pick the peas.'
+
+The Prince in his haste snatched it up so quickly that it went
+out, and it took him a long time to light it again with two little
+bits of glowing charcoal which he had to dig out from the pile of
+ashes upon the hearth. However, at last the peas were gathered and
+shelled, and the fire lighted, but then they had to be carefully
+counted, since the old woman declared that she would cook fifty-
+four, and no more. In vain did the Prince represent to her that he
+was famished--that fifty-four peas would go no way towards
+satisfying his hunger--that a few peas, more or less, surely could
+not matter. It was quite useless, in the end he had to count out
+the fifty-four, and worse than that, because he dropped one or two
+in his hurry, he had to begin again from the very first, to be
+sure the number was complete. As soon as they were cooked the old
+dame took a pair of scales and a morsel of bread from the
+cupboard, and was just about to divide it when Prince Vivien, who
+really could wait no longer, seized the whole piece and ate it up,
+saying in his turn, ‘Patience.'
+
+‘You mean that for a joke,' said the old woman, as gently as ever,
+‘but that is really my name, and some day you will know more about
+me.'
+
+Then they each ate their twenty-seven peas, and the Prince was
+surprised to find that he wanted nothing more, and he slept as
+sweetly upon his bed of straw as he had ever done in his palace.
+
+In the morning the old woman gave him milk and bread for his
+breakfast, which he ate contentedly, rejoicing that there was
+nothing to be gathered, or counted, or cooked, and when he had
+finished he begged her to tell him who she was.
+
+‘That I will, with pleasure,' she replied. ‘But it will be a long
+story.'
+
+‘Oh! if it's long, I can't listen,' cried the Prince.
+
+‘But,' said she, ‘at your age, you should attend to what old
+people say, and learn to have patience.'
+
+‘But, but,' said the Prince, in his most impatient tone, ‘old
+people should not be so long-winded! Tell me what country I have
+got into, and nothing else.'
+
+‘With all my heart,' said she. ‘You are in the Forest of the Black
+Bird; it is here that he utters his oracles.'
+
+‘An Oracle,' cried the Prince. ‘Oh! I must go and consult him.'
+Thereupon he drew a handful of gold from his pocket, and offered
+it to the old woman, and when she would not take it, he threw it
+down upon the table and was off like a flash of lightning, without
+even staying to ask the way. He took the first path that presented
+itself and followed it at the top of his speed, often losing his
+way, or stumbling over some stone, or running up against a tree,
+and leaving behind him without regret the cottage which had been
+as little to his taste as the character of its possessor. After
+some time he saw in the distance a huge black castle which
+commanded a view of the whole forest. The Prince felt certain that
+this must be the abode of the Oracle, and just as the sun was
+setting he reached its outermost gates. The whole castle was
+surrounded by a deep moat, and the drawbridge and the gates, and
+even the water in the moat, were all of the same sombre hue as the
+walls and towers. Upon the gate hung a huge bell, upon which was
+written in red letters:
+
+‘Mortal, if thou art curious to know thy fate, strike this bell,
+and submit to what shall befall thee.'
+
+The Prince, without the smallest hesitation, snatched up a great
+stone, and hammered vigorously upon the bell, which gave forth a
+deep and terrible sound, the gate flew open, and closed again with
+a thundering clang the moment the Prince had passed through it,
+while from every tower and battlement rose a wheeling, screaming
+crowd of bats which darkened the whole sky with their multitudes.
+Anyone but Prince Vivien would have been terrified by such an
+uncanny sight, but he strode stoutly forward till he reached the
+second gate, which was opened to him by sixty black slaves covered
+from head to foot in long mantles.
+
+He wished to speak to them, but soon discovered that they spoke an
+utterly unknown language, and did not seem to understand a word he
+said. This was a great aggravation to the Prince, who vas not
+accustomed to keep his ideas to himself, and he positively found
+himself wishing for his old friend Patience. However, he had to
+follow his guides in silence, and they led him into a magnificent
+hall; the floor was of ebony, the walls of jet, and all the
+hangings were of black velvet, but the Prince looked round it in
+vain for something to eat, and then made signs that he was hungry.
+In the same manner he was respectfully given to understand that he
+must wait, and after several hours the sixty hooded and shrouded
+figures re-appeared, and conducted him with great ceremony, and
+also very very slowly, to a banqueting hall, where they all placed
+themselves at a long table. The dishes were arranged down the
+centre of it, and with his usual impetuosity the Prince seized the
+one that stood in front of him to draw it nearer, but soon found
+that it was firmly fixed in its place. Then he looked at his
+solemn and lugubrious neighbours, and saw that each one was
+supplied with a long hollow reed through which he slowly sucked up
+his portion, and the Prince was obliged to do the same, though he
+found it a frightfully tedious process. After supper, they
+returned as they had come to the ebony room, where he was
+compelled to look on while his companions played interminable
+games of chess, and not until he was nearly dying of weariness did
+they, slowly and ceremoniously as before, conduct him to his
+sleeping apartment. The hope of consulting the Oracle woke him
+very early the next morning, and his first demand was to be
+allowed to present himself before it, but, without replying, his
+attendants conducted him to a huge marble bath, very shallow at
+one end, and quite deep at the other, and gave him to understand
+that he was to go into it. The Prince, nothing loth, was for
+springing at once into deep water, but he was gently but forcibly
+held back and only allowed to stand where it was about an inch
+deep, and he was nearly wild with impatience when he found that
+this process was to be repeated every day in spite of all he could
+say or do, the water rising higher and higher by inches, so that
+for sixty days he had to live in perpetual silence, ceremoniously
+conducted to and fro, supping all his meals through the long reed,
+and looking on at innumerable games of chess, the game of all
+others which he detested most. But at last the water rose as high
+as his chin, and his bath was complete. And that day the slaves in
+their black robes, and each having a large bat perched upon his
+head, marched in slow procession with the Prince in their midst,
+chanting a melancholy song, to the iron gate that led into a kind
+of Temple. At the sound of their chanting, another band of slaves
+appeared, and took possession of the unhappy Vivien.
+
+They looked to him exactly like the ones he had left, except that
+they moved more slowly still, and each one held a raven upon his
+wrist, and their harsh croakings re-echoed through the dismal
+place. Holding the Prince by the arms, not so much to do him
+honour as to restrain his impatience, they proceeded by slow
+degrees up the steps of the Temple, and when they at last reached
+the top he thought his long waiting must be at an end. But on the
+contrary, after slowly enshrouding him in a long black robe like
+their own, they led him into the Temple itself, where he was
+forced to witness numbers of lengthy rites and ceremonies. By this
+time Vivien's active impatience had subsided into passive
+weariness, his yawns were continual and scandalous, but nobody
+heeded him, he stared hopelessly at the thick black curtain which
+hung down straight in front of him, and could hardly believe his
+eyes when it presently began to slide back, and he saw before him
+the Black Bird. It was of enormous size, and was perched upon a
+thick bar of iron which ran across from one side of the Temple to
+the other. At the sight of it all the slaves fell upon their knees
+and hid their faces, and when it had three times flapped its
+mighty wings it uttered distinctly in Prince Vivien's own language
+the words:
+
+‘Prince, your only chance of happiness depends upon that which is
+most opposed to your own nature.'
+
+Then the curtain fell before it once more, and the Prince, after
+many ceremonies, was presented with a raven which perched upon his
+wrist, and was conducted slowly back to the iron gate. Here the
+raven left him and he was handed over once more to the care of the
+first band of slaves, while a large bat flickered down and settled
+upon his head of its own accord, and so he was taken back to the
+marble bath, and had to go through the whole process again, only
+this time he began in deep water which receded daily inch by inch.
+When this was over the slaves escorted him to the outer gate, and
+took leave of him with every mark of esteem and politeness, to
+which it is to be feared he responded but indifferently, since the
+gate was no sooner opened than he took to his heels, and fled away
+with all his might, his one idea being to put as much space as
+possible between himself and the dreary place into which he had
+ventured so rashly, just to consult a tedious Oracle who after all
+had told him nothing. He actually reflected for about five seconds
+on his folly, and came to the conclusion that it might sometimes
+be advisable to think before one acted.
+
+After wandering about for several days until he was weary and
+hungry, he at last succeeded in finding a way out of the forest,
+and soon came to a wide and rapid river, which he followed, hoping
+to find some means of crossing it, and it happened that as the sun
+rose the next morning he saw something of a dazzling whiteness
+moored out in the middle of the stream. Upon looking more
+attentively at it he found that it was one of the prettiest little
+ships he had ever seen, and the boat that belonged to it was made
+fast to the bank quite close to him. The Prince was immediately
+seized with the most ardent desire to go on board the ship, and
+shouted loudly to attract the notice of her crew, but no one
+answered. So he sprang into the little boat and rowed away without
+finding it at all hard work, for the boat was made all of white
+paper and was as light as a rose leaf. The ship was made of white
+paper too, as the Prince presently discovered when he reached it.
+He found not a soul on board, but there was a very cosy little bed
+in the cabin, and an ample supply of all sorts of good things to
+eat and drink, which he made up his mind to enjoy until something
+new happened. Having been thoroughly well brought up at the court
+of King Gridelin, of course he understood the art of navigation,
+but when once he had started, the current carried the vessel down
+at such a pace that before he knew where he was the Prince found
+himself out at sea, and a wind springing up behind him just at
+this moment soon drove him out of sight of land. By this time he
+was somewhat alarmed, and did his best to put the ship about and
+get back to the river, but wind and tide were too strong for him,
+and he began to think of the number of times, from his childhood
+up, that he had been warned not to meddle with water. But it was
+too late now to do anything but wish vainly that he had stayed on
+shore, and to grow heartily weary of the boat and the sea and
+everything connected with it. These two things, however, he did
+most thoroughly. To put the finishing touch to his misfortunes he
+presently found himself becalmed in mid-ocean, a state of affairs
+which would be considered trying by the most patient of men, so
+you may imagine how it affected Prince Vivien! He even came to
+wishing himself back at the Castle of the Black Bird, for there at
+least he saw some living beings, whereas on board the white-paper
+ship he was absolutely alone, and could not imagine how he was
+ever to get away from his wearisome prison. However, after a very
+long time, he did see land, and his impatience to be on shore was
+so great that he at once flung himself over the ship's side that
+he might reach it sooner by swimming. But this was quite useless,
+for spring as far as he might from the vessel, it was always under
+his feet again before he reached the water, and he had to resign
+himself to his fate, and wait with what patience he could muster
+until the winds and waves carried the ship into a kind of natural
+harbour which ran far into the land. After his long imprisonment
+at sea the Prince was delighted with the sight of the great trees
+which grew down to the very edge of the water, and leaping lightly
+on shore he speedily lost himself in the thick forest. When he had
+wandered a long way he stopped to rest beside a clear spring of
+water, but scarcely had he thrown himself down upon the mossy bank
+when there was a great rustling in the bushes close by, and out
+sprang a pretty little gazelle panting and exhausted, which fell
+at his feet gasping out--
+
+‘Oh! Vivien, save me!'
+
+The Prince in great astonishment leapt to his feet, and had just
+time to draw his sword before he found himself face to face with a
+large green lion which had been hotly pursuing the poor little
+gazelle. Prince Vivien attacked it gallantly and a fierce combat
+ensued, which, however, ended before long in the Prince's dealing
+his adversary a terrific blow which felled him to the earth. As he
+fell the lion whistled loudly three times with such force that the
+forest rang again, and the sound must have been heard for more
+than two leagues round, after which having apparently nothing more
+to do in the world he rolled over on his side and died. The Prince
+without paying any further heed to him or to his whistling
+returned to the pretty gazelle, saying:
+
+‘Well! are you satisfied now? Since you can talk, pray tell me
+instantly what all this is about, and how you happen to know my
+name.'
+
+‘Oh, I must rest for a long time before I can talk,' she replied,
+‘and beside, I very much doubt if you will have leisure to listen,
+for the affair is by no means finished. In fact,' she continued in
+the same languid tone, ‘you had better look behind you now.'
+
+The Prince turned sharply round and to his horror saw a huge Giant
+approaching with mighty strides, crying fiercely--
+
+‘Who has made my lion whistle I should like to know?'
+
+‘I have,' replied Prince Vivien boldly, ‘but I can answer for it
+that he will not do it again!'
+
+At these words the Giant began to howl and lament.
+
+‘Alas, my poor Tiny, my sweet little pet,' he cried, ‘but at least
+I can avenge thy death.'
+
+Thereupon he rushed at the Prince, brandishing an immense serpent
+which was coiled about his wrist. Vivien, without losing his
+coolness, aimed a terrific blow at it with his sword, but no
+sooner did he touch the snake than it changed into a Giant and the
+Giant into a snake, with such rapidity that the Prince felt
+perfectly giddy, and this happened at least half-a-dozen times,
+until at last with a fortunate stroke he cut the serpent in
+halves, and picking up one morsel flung it with all his force at
+the nose of the Giant, who fell insensible on top of the lion, and
+in an instant a thick black cloud rolled up which hid them from
+view, and when it cleared away they had all disappeared.
+
+Then the Prince, without even waiting to sheathe his sword, rushed
+back to the gazelle, crying:
+
+‘Now you have had plenty of time to recover your wits, and you
+have nothing more to fear, so tell me who you are, and what this
+horrible Giant, with his lion and his serpent, have to do with you
+and for pity's sake be quick about it.'
+
+‘I will tell you with pleasure,' she answered, ‘but where is the
+hurry? I want you to come back with me to the Green Castle, but I
+don't want to walk there, it is so far, and walking is so
+fatiguing.'
+
+‘Let us set out at once then,' replied the Prince severely, ‘or
+else really I shall have to leave you where you are. Surely a
+young and active gazelle like you ought to be ashamed of not being
+able to walk a few steps. The further off this castle is the
+faster we ought to walk, but as you don't appear to enjoy that, I
+will promise that we will go gently, and we can talk by the way.'
+
+‘It would be better still if you would carry me,' said she
+sweetly, ‘but as I don't like to see people giving themselves
+trouble, you may carry me, and make that snail carry you.' So
+saying, she pointed languidly with one tiny foot at what the
+Prince had taken for a block of stone, but now he saw that it was
+a huge snail.
+
+‘What! I ride a snail!' cried the Prince; ‘you are laughing at me,
+and beside we should not get there for a year.'
+
+‘Oh! well then don't do it,' replied the gazelle, ‘I am quite
+willing to stay here. The grass is green, and the water clear. But
+if I were you I should take the advice that was given me and ride
+the snail.'
+
+So, though it did not please him at all, the Prince took the
+gazelle in his arms, and mounted upon the back of the snail, which
+glided along very peaceably, entirely declining to be hurried by
+frequent blows from the Prince's heels. In vain did the gazelle
+represent to him that she was enjoying herself very much, and that
+this was the easiest mode of conveyance she had ever discovered.
+Prince Vivien was wild with impatience, and thought that the Green
+Castle would never be reached. However, at last, they did get
+there, and everyone who was in it ran to see the Prince dismount
+from his singular steed.
+
+But what was his surprise, when having at her request set the
+gazelle gently down upon the steps which led up to the castle, he
+saw her suddenly change into a charming Princess, and recognized
+in her his pretty cousin Placida, who greeted him with her usual
+tranquil sweetness. His delight knew no bounds, and he followed
+her eagerly up into the castle, impatient to know what strange
+events had brought her there. But after all he had to wait for the
+Princess's story, for the inhabitants of the Green Lands, hearing
+that the Giant was dead, ran to offer the kingdom to his
+vanquisher, and Prince Vivien had to listen to various
+complimentary harangues, which took a great deal of time, though
+he cut them as short as politeness allowed--if not shorter. But at
+last he was free to rejoin Placida, who at once began the story of
+her adventures.
+
+‘After you had gone away,' said she, ‘they tried to make me learn
+how to govern the kingdom, which wearied me to death, so that I
+begged and prayed Lolotte to take me away with her, and this she
+presently did, but very reluctantly. However, having been
+transported to her grotto upon my favourite couch, I spent several
+delicious days, soothed by the soft green light, which was like a
+beech wood in the spring, and by the murmuring of bees and the
+tinkle of falling water. But alas! Lolotte was forced to go away
+to a general assembly of the Fairies, and she came back in great
+dismay, telling me that her indulgence to me had cost her dear,
+for she had been severely reprimanded and ordered to hand me over
+to the Fairy Mirlifiche, who was already taking charge of you, and
+who had been much commended for her management of you.'
+
+‘Fine management, indeed,' interrupted the Prince, ‘if it is to
+her I owe all the adventures I have met with! But go on with your
+story, my cousin. I can tell you all about my doings afterwards,
+and then you can judge for yourself.'
+
+‘At first I was grieved to see Lolotte cry,' resumed the Princess,
+‘but I soon found that grieving was very troublesome, so I thought
+it better to be calm, and very soon afterwards I saw the Fairy
+Mirlifiche arrive, mounted upon her great unicorn. She stopped
+before the grotto and bade Lolotte bring me out to her, at which
+she cried worse than ever, and kissed me a dozen times, but she
+dared not refuse. I was lifted up on to the unicorn, behind
+Mirlifiche, who said to me--
+
+‘"Hold on tight, little girl, if you don't want to break your
+neck."
+
+‘And, indeed, I had to hold on with all my might, for her horrible
+steed trotted so violently that it positively took my breath away.
+However, at last we stopped at a large farm, and the farmer and
+his wife ran out as soon as they saw the Fairy, and helped us to
+dismount.
+
+‘I knew that they were really a King and Queen, whom the Fairies
+were punishing for their ignorance and idleness. You may imagine
+that I was by this time half dead with fatigue, but Mirlifiche
+insisted upon my feeding her unicorn before I did anything else.
+To accomplish this I had to climb up a long ladder into the
+hayloft, and bring down, one after another, twenty-four handfuls
+of hay. Never, never before, did I have such a wearisome task! It
+makes me shudder to think of it now, and that was not all. In the
+same way I had to carry the twenty-four handfuls of hay to the
+stable, and then it was supper time, and I had to wait upon all
+the others. After that I really thought I should be allowed to go
+peaceably to my little bed, but, oh dear no! First of all I had to
+make it, for it was all in confusion, and then I had to make one
+for the Fairy, and tuck her in, and draw the curtains round her,
+beside rendering her a dozen little services which I was not at
+all accustomed to. Finally, when I was perfectly exhausted by all
+this toil, I was free to go to bed myself, but as I had never
+before undressed myself, and really did not know how to begin, I
+lay down as I was. Unfortunately, the Fairy found this out, and
+just as I was falling into a sweet slumber, she made me get up
+once more, but even then I managed to escape her vigilance, and
+only took off my upper robe. Indeed, I may tell you in confidence,
+that I always find disobedience answer very well. One is often
+scolded, it is true, but then one has been saved some trouble.
+
+‘At the earliest dawn of day Mirlifiche woke me, and made me take
+many journeys to the stable to bring her word how her unicorn had
+slept, and how much hay he had eaten, and then to find out what
+time it was, and if it was a fine day. I was so slow, and did my
+errands so badly, that before she left she called the King and
+Queen and said to them:
+
+‘"I am much more pleased with you this year. Continue to make the
+best of your farm, if you wish to get back to your kingdom, and
+also take care of this little Princess for me, and teach her to be
+useful, that when I come I may find her cured of her faults. If
+she is not--"
+
+‘Here she broke off with a significant look, and mounting my enemy
+the unicorn, speedily disappeared.
+
+‘Then the King and Queen, turning to me, asked me what I could do.
+
+‘"Nothing at all, I assure you," I replied in a tone which really
+ought to have convinced them, but they went on to describe various
+employments, and tried to discover which of them would be most to
+my taste. However, at last I persuaded them that to do nothing
+whatever would be the only thing that would suit me, and that if
+they really wanted to be kind to me, they would let me go to bed
+and to sleep, and not tease me about doing anything. To my great
+joy, they not only permitted this, but actually, when they had
+their own meals, the Queen brought my portion up to me. But early
+the next morning she appeared at my bedside, saying, with an
+apologetic air:
+
+‘"My pretty child, I am afraid you must really make up your mind
+to get up to-day. I know quite well how delightful it is to be
+thoroughly idle, for when my husband and I were King and Queen we
+did nothing at all from morning to night, and I sincerely hope
+that it will not be long before those happy days will come again
+for us. But at present we have not reached them, nor have you, and
+you know from what the Fairy said that perhaps worse things may
+happen to us if she is not obeyed. Make haste, I beg of you, and
+come down to breakfast, for I have put by some delicious cream for
+you."
+
+‘It was really very tiresome, but as there was no help for it I
+went down!
+
+‘But the instant breakfast was over they began again their cuckoo-
+cry of "What will you do?" In vain did I answer--
+
+‘"Nothing at all, if it please you, madam."
+
+‘The Queen at last gave me a spindle and about four pounds of hemp
+upon a distaff, and sent me out to keep the sheep, assuring me
+that there could not be a pleasanter occupation, and that I could
+take my ease as much as I pleased. I was forced to set out, very
+unwillingly, as you may imagine, but I had not walked far before I
+came to a shady bank in what seemed to me a charming place. I
+stretched myself cosily upon the soft grass, and with the bundle
+of hemp for a pillow slept as tranquilly as if there were no such
+things as sheep in the world, while they for their part wandered
+hither and thither at their own sweet will, as if there were no
+such thing as a shepherdess, invading every field, and browsing
+upon every kind of forbidden dainty, until the peasants, alarmed
+by the havoc they were making, raised a clamour, which at last
+reached the ears of the King and Queen, who ran out, and seeing
+the cause of the commotion, hastily collected their flock. And,
+indeed, the sooner the better, since they had to pay for all the
+damage they had done. As for me I lay still and watched them run,
+for I was very comfortable, and there I might be still if they had
+not come up, all panting and breathless, and compelled me to get
+up and follow them; they also reproached me bitterly, but I need
+hardly tell you that they did not again entrust me with the flock.
+
+‘But whatever they found for me to do it was always the same
+thing, I spoilt and mismanaged it all, and was so successful in
+provoking even the most patient people, that one day I ran away
+from the farm, for I was really afraid the Queen would be obliged
+to beat me. When I came to the little river in which the King used
+to fish, I found the boat tied to a tree, and stepping in I
+unfastened it, and floated gently down with the current. The
+gliding of the boat was so soothing that I did not trouble myself
+in the least when the Queen caught sight of me and ran along the
+bank, crying--
+
+‘"My boat, my boat! Husband, come and catch the little Princess
+who is running away with my boat!"
+
+‘The current soon carried me out of hearing of her cries, and I
+dreamed to the song of the ripples and the whisper of the trees,
+until the boat suddenly stopped, and I found it was stuck fast
+beside a fresh green meadow, and that the sun was rising. In the
+distance I saw some little houses which seemed to be built in a
+most singular fashion, but as I was by this time very hungry I set
+out towards them, but before I had walked many steps, I saw that
+the air was full of shining objects which seemed to be fixed, and
+yet I could not see what they hung from.
+
+‘I went nearer, and saw a silken cord hanging down to the ground,
+and pulled it just because it was so close to my hand. Instantly
+the whole meadow resounded to the melodious chiming of a peal of
+silver bells, and they sounded so pretty that I sat down to
+listen, and to watch them as they swung shining in the sunbeams.
+Before they ceased to sound, came a great flight of birds, and
+each one perching upon a bell added its charming song to the
+concert. As they ended, I looked up and saw a tall and stately
+dame advancing towards me, surrounded and followed by a vast flock
+of every kind of bird.
+
+‘"Who are you, little girl," said she, "who dares to come where I
+allow no mortal to live, lest my birds should be disturbed? Still,
+if you are clever at anything," she added, "I might be able to put
+up with your presence."
+
+‘"Madam," I answered, rising, "you may be very sure that I shall
+not do anything to alarm your birds. I only beg you, for pity's
+sake, to give me something to eat."
+
+‘"I will do that," she replied, "before I send you where you
+deserve to go."
+
+‘And thereupon she despatched six jays, who were her pages, to
+fetch me all sorts of biscuits, while some of the other birds
+brought ripe fruits. In fact, I had a delicious breakfast, though
+I do not like to be waited upon so quickly. It is so disagreeable
+to be hurried. I began to think I should like very well to stay in
+this pleasant country, and I said so to the stately lady, but she
+answered with the greatest disdain:
+
+‘"Do you think I would keep you here? _You_! Why what do you
+suppose would be the good of you in this country, where everybody
+is wide-awake and busy? No, no, I have shown you all the
+hospitality you will get from me."
+
+‘With these words she turned and gave a vigorous pull to the
+silken rope which I mentioned before, but instead of a melodious
+chime, there arose a hideous clanging which quite terrified me,
+and in an instant a huge Black Bird appeared, which alighted at
+the Fairy's feet, saying in a frightful voice--
+
+‘"What do you want of me, my sister?"
+
+‘"I wish you to take this little Princess to my cousin, the Giant
+of the Green Castle, at once," she replied, "and beg him from me
+to make her work day and night upon his beautiful tapestry."
+
+‘At these words the great Bird snatched me up, regardless of my
+cries, and flew off at a terrific pace--‘
+
+‘Oh! you are joking, cousin,' interrupted Prince Vivien; ‘you mean
+as slowly as possible. I know that horrible Black Bird, and the
+lengthiness of all his proceedings and surroundings.'
+
+‘Have it your own way,' replied Placida, tranquilly. ‘I cannot
+bear arguing. Perhaps, this was not even the same bird. At any
+rate, he carried me off at a prodigious speed, and set me gently
+down in this very castle of which you are now the master. We
+entered by one of the windows, and when the Bird had handed me
+over to the Giant from whom you have been good enough to deliver
+me, and given the Fairy's message, it departed.
+
+‘Then the Giant turned to me, saying,
+
+‘"So you are an idler! Ah! well, we must teach you to work. You
+won't be the first we have cured of laziness. See how busy all my
+guests are."
+
+‘I looked up as he spoke, and saw that an immense gallery ran all
+round the hall, in which were tapestry frames, spindles, skeins of
+wool, patterns, and all necessary things. Before each frame about
+a dozen people were sitting, hard at work, at which terrible sight
+I fainted away, and as soon as I recovered they began to ask me
+what I could do.
+
+‘It was in vain that I replied as before, and with the strongest
+desire to be taken at my word, "Nothing at all."
+
+‘The Giant only said,
+
+‘"Then you must learn to do something; in this world there is
+enough work for everybody."
+
+‘It appeared that they were working into the tapestry all the
+stories the Fairies liked best, and they began to try and teach me
+to help them, but from the first class, where they tried me to
+begin with, I sank lower and lower, and not even the most simple
+stitches could I learn.
+
+‘In vain they punished me by all the usual methods. In vain the
+Giant showed me his menagerie, which was entirely composed of
+children who would not work! Nothing did me any good, and at last
+I was reduced to drawing water for the dyeing of the wools, and
+even over that I was so slow that this morning the Giant flew into
+a rage and changed me into a gazelle. He was just putting me into
+the menagerie when I happened to catch sight of a dog, and was
+seized with such terror that I fled away at my utmost speed, and
+escaped through the outer court of the castle. The Giant, fearing
+that I should be lost altogether, sent his green lion after me,
+with orders to bring me back, cost what it might, and I should
+certainly have let myself be caught, or eaten up, or anything,
+rather than run any further, if I had not luckily met you by the
+fountain. And oh!' concluded the Princess, ‘how delightful it is
+once more to be able to sit still in peace. I was so tired of
+trying to learn things.'
+
+Prince Vivien said that, for his part, he had been kept a great
+deal too still, and had not found it at all amusing, and then he
+recounted all his adventures with breathless rapidity. How he had
+taken shelter with Dame Patience, and consulted the Oracle, and
+voyaged in the paper ship. Then they went hand in hand to release
+all the prisoners in the castle, and all the Princes and
+Princesses who were in cages in the menagerie, for the instant the
+Green Giant was dead they had resumed their natural forms. As you
+may imagine, they were all very grateful, and Princess Placida
+entreated them never, never to do another stitch of work so long
+as they lived, and they promptly made a great bonfire in the
+courtyard, and solemnly burnt all the embroidery frames and
+spinning wheels. Then the Princess gave them splendid presents, or
+rather sat by while Prince Vivien gave them, and there were great
+rejoicings in the Green Castle, and everyone did his best to
+please the Prince and Princess. But with all their good
+intentions, they often made mistakes, for Vivien and Placida were
+never of one mind about their plans, so it was very confusing, and
+they frequently found themselves obeying the Prince's orders,
+very, very slowly, and rushing off with lightning speed to do
+something that the Princess did not wish to have done at all,
+until, by-and-by, the two cousins took to consulting with, and
+consoling one another in all these little vexations, and at last
+came to be so fond of each other that for Placida's sake Vivien
+became quite patient, and for Vivien's sake Placida made the most
+unheard-of exertions. But now the Fairies who had been watching
+all these proceedings with interest, thought it was time to
+interfere, and ascertain by further trials if this improvement was
+likely to continue, and if they really loved one another. So they
+caused Placida to seem to have a violent fever, and Vivien to
+languish and grow dull, and made each of them very uneasy about
+the other, and then, finding a moment when they were apart, the
+Fairy Mirlifiche suddenly appeared to Placida, and said--
+
+‘I have just seen Prince Vivien, and he seemed to me to be very
+ill.'
+
+‘Alas! yes, madam,' she answered, ‘and if you will but cure him,
+you may take me back to the farm, or bring the Green Giant to life
+again, and you shall see how obedient I will be.'
+
+‘If you really wish him to recover,' said the Fairy, ‘you have
+only to catch the Trotting Mouse and the Chaffinch-on-the-Wing and
+bring them to me. Only remember that time presses!'
+
+She had hardly finished speaking before the Princess was rushing
+headlong out of the castle gate, and the Fairy after watching her
+till she was lost to sight, gave a little chuckle and went in
+search of the Prince, who begged her earnestly to send him back to
+the Black Castle, or to the paper boat if she would but save
+Placida's life. The Fairy shook her head, and looked very grave.
+She quite agreed with him, the Princess was in a bad way--‘But,'
+said she, ‘if you can find the Rosy Mole, and give him to her she
+will recover.' So now it was the Prince's turn to set off in a
+vast hurry, only as soon as he left the Castle he happened to go
+in exactly the opposite direction to the one Placida had taken.
+Now you can imagine these two devoted lovers hunting night and
+day. The Princess in the woods, always running, always listening,
+pursuing hotly after two creatures which seemed to her very hard
+to catch, which she yet never ceased from pursuing. The Prince on
+the other hand wandering continually across the meadows, his eyes
+fixed upon the ground, attentive to every movement among the
+moles. He was forced to walk slowly--slowly upon tip-toe, hardly
+venturing to breathe. Often he stood for hours motionless as a
+statue, and if the desire to succeed could have helped him he
+would soon have possessed the Rosy Mole. But alas! all that he
+caught were black and ordinary, though strange to say he never
+grew impatient, but always seemed ready to begin the tedious hunt
+again. But this changing of character is one of the most ordinary
+miracles which love works. Neither the Prince nor the Princess
+gave a thought to anything but their quest. It never even occurred
+to them to wonder what country they had reached. So you may guess
+how astonished they were one day, when having at last been
+successful after their long and weary chase, they cried aloud at
+the same instant: ‘At last I have saved my beloved,' and then
+recognising each other's voice looked up, and rushed to meet one
+another with the wildest joy. Surprise kept them silent while for
+one delicious moment they gazed into each other's eyes, and just
+then who should come up but King Gridelin, for it was into his
+kingdom they had accidentally strayed. He recognized them in his
+turn and greeted them joyfully, but when they turned afterwards to
+look for the Rosy Mole, the Chaffinch, and the Trotting-Mouse,
+they had vanished, and in their places stood a lovely lady whom
+they did not know, the Black Bird, and the Green Giant. King
+Gridelin had no sooner set eyes upon the lady than with a cry of
+joy he clasped her in his arms, for it was no other than his long-
+lost wife, Santorina, about whose imprisonment in Fairyland you
+may perhaps read some day.
+
+Then the Black Bird and the Green Giant resumed their natural
+form, for they were enchanters, and up flew Lolotte and Mirlifiche
+in their chariots, and then there was a great kissing and
+congratulating, for everybody had regained someone he loved,
+including the enchanters, who loved their natural forms dearly.
+After this they repaired to the Palace, and the wedding of Prince
+Vivien and Princess Placida was held at once with all the
+splendour imaginable.
+
+King Gridelin and Queen Santorina, after all their experiences had
+no further desire to reign, so they retired happily to a peaceful
+place, leaving their kingdom to the Prince and Princess, who were
+beloved by all their subjects, and found their greatest happiness
+all their lives long in making other people happy.
+
+Nonchalante et Papillon
+
+
+
+
+
+LITTLE ONE-EYE, LITTLE TWO-EYES, AND LITTLE THREE-EYES
+
+
+
+There was once a woman who had three daughters, of whom the eldest
+was called Little One-eye, because she had only one eye in the
+middle of her forehead; and the second, Little Two-eyes, because
+she had two eyes like other people; and the youngest, Little
+Three-eyes, because she had three eyes, and _her_ third eye
+was also in the middle of her forehead. But because Little Two-
+eyes did not look any different from other children, her sisters
+and mother could not bear her. They would say to her, ‘You with
+your two eyes are no better than common folk; you don't belong to
+us.' They pushed her here, and threw her wretched clothes there,
+and gave her to eat only what they left, and they were as unkind
+to her as ever they could be.
+
+It happened one day that Little Two-eyes had to go out into the
+fields to take care of the goat, but she was still quite hungry
+because her sisters had given her so little to eat. So she sat
+down in the meadow and began to cry, and she cried so much that
+two little brooks ran out of her eyes. But when she looked up once
+in her grief there stood a woman beside her who asked, ‘Little
+Two-eyes, what are you crying for?' Little Two-eyes answered,
+‘Have I not reason to cry? Because I have two eyes like other
+people, my sisters and my mother cannot bear me; they push me out
+of one corner into another, and give me nothing to eat except what
+they leave. To-day they have given me so little that I am still
+quite hungry.' Then the wise woman said, ‘Little Two-eyes, dry
+your eyes, and I will tell you something so that you need never be
+hungry again. Only say to your goat,
+
+"Little goat, bleat, Little table, appear,"
+
+and a beautifully spread table will stand before you, with the
+most delicious food on it, so that you can eat as much as you
+want. And when you have had enough and don't want the little table
+any more, you have only to say,
+
+"Little goat, bleat, Little table, away,"
+
+and then it will vanish.' Then the wise woman went away.
+
+But Little Two-eyes thought, ‘I must try at once if what she has
+told me is true, for I am more hungry than ever'; and she said,
+
+‘Little goat, bleat, Little table appear,'
+
+and scarcely had she uttered the words, when there stood a little
+table before her covered with a white cloth, on which were
+arranged a plate, with a knife and fork and a silver spoon, and
+the most beautiful dishes, which were smoking hot, as if they had
+just come out of the kitchen. Then Little Two-eyes said the
+shortest grace she knew, and set to work and made a good dinner.
+And when she had had enough, she said, as the wise woman had told
+her,
+
+‘Little goat, bleat, Little table, away,'
+
+and immediately the table and all that was on it disappeared
+again. ‘That is a splendid way of housekeeping,' thought Little
+Two-eyes, and she was quite happy and contented.
+
+In the evening, when she went home with her goat, she found a
+little earthenware dish with the food that her sisters had thrown
+to her, but she did not touch it. The next day she went out again
+with her goat, and left the few scraps which were given her. The
+first and second times her sisters did not notice this, but when
+it happened continually, they remarked it and said, ‘Something is
+the matter with Little Two-eyes, for she always leaves her food
+now, and she used to gobble up all that was given her. She must
+have found other means of getting food.' So in order to get at the
+truth, Little One-eye was told to go out with Little Two-eyes when
+she drove the goat to pasture, and to notice particularly what she
+got there, and whether anyone brought her food and drink.
+
+Now when Little Two-eyes was setting out, Little One-eye came up
+to her and said, ‘I will go into the field with you and see if you
+take good care of the goat, and if you drive him properly to get
+grass.' But Little Two-eyes saw what Little One-eye had in her
+mind, and she drove the goat into the long grass and said, ‘Come,
+Little One-eye, we will sit down here, and I will sing you
+something.'
+
+Little One-eye sat down, and as she was very much tired by the
+long walk to which she was not used, and by the hot day, and as
+Little Two-eyes went on singing.
+
+‘Little One-eye, are you awake? Little One-eye, are you asleep?'
+
+she shut her one eye and fell asleep. When Little Two-eyes saw
+that Little One-eye was asleep and could find out nothing, she
+said,
+
+‘Little goat, bleat, Little table, appear,'
+
+and sat down at her table and ate and drank as much as she wanted.
+Then she said again,
+
+‘Little goat, bleat, Little table, away.'
+
+and in the twinkling of an eye all had vanished.
+
+Little Two-eyes then woke Little One-eye and said, ‘Little One-
+eye, you meant to watch, and, instead, you went to sleep; in the
+meantime the goat might have run far and wide. Come, we will go
+home.' So they went home, and Little Two-eyes again left her
+little dish untouched, and Little One-eye could not tell her
+mother why she would not eat, and said as an excuse, ‘I was so
+sleepy out-of-doors.'
+
+The next day the mother said to Little Three-eyes, ‘This time you
+shall go with Little Two-eyes and watch whether she eats anything
+out in the fields, and whether anyone brings her food and drink,
+for eat and drink she must secretly.' So Little Three-eyes went to
+Little Two-eyes and said, ‘I will go with you and see if you take
+good care of the goat, and if you drive him properly to get
+grass.' But little Two-eyes knew what Little Three-eyes had in her
+mind, and she drove the goat out into the tall grass and said, ‘We
+will sit down here, Little Three-eyes, and I will sing you
+something.' Little Three-eyes sat down; she was tired by the walk
+and the hot day, and Little Two-eyes sang the same little song
+again:
+
+‘Little Three eyes, are you awake?'
+
+but instead of singing as she ought to have done,
+
+‘Little Three-eyes, are you asleep?'
+
+she sang, without thinking,
+
+‘Little _Two-eyes_, are you asleep?'
+
+She went on singing,
+
+‘Little Three-eyes, are you awake? Little _Two-eyes_, are you
+asleep?'
+
+so that the two eyes of Little Three-eyes fell asleep, but the
+third, which was not spoken to in the little rhyme, did not fall
+asleep. Of course Little Three-eyes shut that eye also out of
+cunning, to look as if she were asleep, but it was blinking and
+could see everything quite well.
+
+And when Little Two-eyes thought that Little Three-eyes was sound
+asleep, she said her rhyme,
+
+‘Little goat, bleat, Little table, appear,'
+
+and ate and drank to her heart's content, and then made the table
+go away again, by saying,
+
+‘Little goat, bleat, Little table, away.'
+
+But Little Three-eyes had seen everything. Then Little Two-eyes
+came to her, and woke her and said, ‘Well, Little Three-eyes, have
+you been asleep? You watch well! Come, we will go home.' When they
+reached home, Little Two-eyes did not eat again, and Little Three-
+eyes said to the mother, ‘I know now why that proud thing eats
+nothing. When she says to the goat in the field,
+
+"Little goat, bleat, Little table, appear,"
+
+a table stands before her, spread with the best food, much better
+than we have; and when she has had enough, she says,
+
+"Little goat, bleat, Little table, away,"
+
+and everything disappears again. I saw it all exactly. She made
+two of my eyes go to sleep with a little rhyme, but the one in my
+forehead remained awake, luckily!'
+
+Then the envious mother cried out, ‘Will you fare better than we
+do? you shall not have the chance to do so again!' and she fetched
+a knife, and killed the goat.
+
+When Little Two-eyes saw this, she went out full of grief, and sat
+down in the meadow and wept bitter tears. Then again the wise
+woman stood before her, and said, ‘Little Two-eyes, what are you
+crying for?' ‘Have I not reason to cry?' she answered, ‘the goat,
+which when I said the little rhyme, spread the table so
+beautifully, my mother has killed, and now I must suffer hunger
+and want again.' The wise woman said, ‘Little Two-eyes, I will
+give you a good piece of advice. Ask your sisters to give you the
+heart of the dead goat, and bury it in the earth before the house-
+door; that will bring you good luck.' Then she disappeared, and
+Little Two-eyes went home, and said to her sisters, ‘Dear sisters,
+do give me something of my goat; I ask nothing better than its
+heart.' Then they laughed and said, ‘You can have that if you want
+nothing more.' And Little Two-eyes took the heart and buried it in
+the evening when all was quiet, as the wise woman had told her,
+before the house-door. The next morning when they all awoke and
+came to the house-door, there stood a most wonderful tree, which
+had leaves of silver and fruit of gold growing on it--you never
+saw anything more lovely and gorgeous in your life! But they did
+not know how the tree had grown up in the night; only Little Two-
+eyes knew that it had sprung from the heart of the goat, for it
+was standing just where she had buried it in the ground. Then the
+mother said to Little One-eye, ‘Climb up, my child, and break us
+off the fruit from the tree.' Little One-eye climbed up, but just
+when she was going to take hold of one of the golden apples the
+bough sprang out of her hands; and this happened every time, so
+that she could not break off a single apple, however hard she
+tried. Then the mother said, ‘Little Three-eyes, do you climb up;
+you with your three eyes can see round better than Little One-
+eye.' So Little One-eye slid down, and Little Three-eyes climbed
+up; but she was not any more successful; look round as she might,
+the golden apples bent themselves back. At last the mother got
+impatient and climbed up herself, but she was even less successful
+than Little One-eye and Little Three-eyes in catching hold of the
+fruit, and only grasped at the empty air. Then Little Two-eyes
+said, ‘I will just try once, perhaps I shall succeed better.' The
+sisters called out, ‘You with your two eyes will no doubt
+succeed!' But Little Two-eyes climbed up, and the golden apples
+did not jump away from her, but behaved quite properly, so that
+she could pluck them off, one after the other, and brought a whole
+apron-full down with her. The mother took them from her, and,
+instead of behaving better to poor Little Two-eyes, as they ought
+to have done, they were jealous that she only could reach the
+fruit and behaved still more unkindly to her.
+
+It happened one day that when they were all standing together by
+the tree that a young knight came riding along. ‘Be quick, Little
+Two-eyes,' cried the two sisters, ‘creep under this, so that you
+shall not disgrace us,' and they put over poor Little Two-eyes as
+quickly as possible an empty cask, which was standing close to the
+tree, and they pushed the golden apples which she had broken off
+under with her. When the knight, who was a very handsome young
+man, rode up, he wondered to see the marvellous tree of gold and
+silver, and said to the two sisters, ‘Whose is this beautiful
+tree? Whoever will give me a twig of it shall have whatever she
+wants.' Then Little One-eye and Little Three-eyes answered that
+the tree belonged to them, and that they would certainly break him
+off a twig. They gave themselves a great deal of trouble, but in
+vain; the twigs and fruit bent back every time from their hands.
+Then the knight said, ‘It is very strange that the tree should
+belong to you, and yet that you have not the power to break
+anything from it!' But they would have that the tree was theirs;
+and while they were saying this, Little Two-eyes rolled a couple
+of golden apples from under the cask, so that they lay at the
+knight's feet, for she was angry with Little One-eye and Little
+Three-eyes for not speaking the truth. When the knight saw the
+apples he was astonished, and asked where they came from. Little
+One-eye and Little Three-eyes answered that they had another
+sister, but she could not be seen because she had only two eyes,
+like ordinary people. But the knight demanded to see her, and
+called out, ‘Little Two-eyes, come forth.' Then Little Two-eyes
+came out from under the cask quite happily, and the knight was
+astonished at her great beauty, and said, ‘Little Two-eyes, I am
+sure you can break me off a twig from the tree.' ‘Yes,' answered
+Little Two-eyes, ‘I can, for the tree is mine.' So she climbed up
+and broke off a small branch with its silver leaves and golden
+fruit without any trouble, and gave it to the knight. Then he
+said, ‘Little Two-eyes, what shall I give you for this?' ‘Ah,'
+answered Little Two-eyes, ‘I suffer hunger and thirst, want and
+sorrow, from early morning till late in the evening; if you would
+take me with you, and free me from this, I should be happy!' Then
+the knight lifted Little Two-eyes on his horse, and took her home
+to his father's castle. There he gave her beautiful clothes, and
+food and drink, and because he loved her so much he married her,
+and the wedding was celebrated with great joy.
+
+When the handsome knight carried Little Two-eyes away with him,
+the two sisters envied her good luck at first. ‘But the wonderful
+tree is still with us, after all,' they thought, ‘and although we
+cannot break any fruit from it, everyone will stop and look at it,
+and will come to us and praise it; who knows whether _we_ may
+not reap a harvest from it?' But the next morning the tree had
+flown, and their hopes with it; and when Little Two-eyes looked
+out of her window there it stood underneath, to her great delight.
+Little Two-eyes lived happily for a long time. Once two poor women
+came to the castle to beg alms. Then Little Two-eyes looked at
+then and recognised both her sisters, Little One-eye and Little
+Three-eyes, who had become so poor that they came to beg bread at
+her door. But Little Two-eyes bade them welcome, and was so good
+to them that they both repented from their hearts of having been
+so unkind to their sister.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+JORINDE AND JORINGEL
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a castle in the middle of a thick wood
+where lived an old woman quite alone, for she was an enchantress.
+In the day-time she changed herself into a cat or a night-owl, but
+in the evening she became like an ordinary woman again. She could
+entice animals and birds to come to her, and then she would kill
+and cook them. If any youth came within a hundred paces of the
+castle, he was obliged to stand still, and could not stir from the
+spot till she set him free; but if a pretty girl came within this
+boundary, the old enchantress changed her into a bird, and shut
+her up in a wicker cage, which she put in one of the rooms in the
+castle. She had quite seven thousand of such cages in the castle
+with very rare birds in them.
+
+Now, there was once a maiden called Jorinde, who was more
+beautiful than other maidens. She and a youth named Joringel, who
+was just as good-looking as she was, were betrothed to one
+another. Their greatest delight was to be together, and so that
+they might get a good long talk, they went one evening for a walk
+in the wood. ‘Take care,' said Joringel, ‘not to come too close to
+the castle.' It was a beautiful evening; the sun shone brightly
+between the stems of the trees among the dark green leaves of the
+forest, and the turtle-dove sang clearly on the old maybushes.
+
+Jorinde wept from time to time, and she sat herself down in the
+sunshine and lamented, and Joringel lamented too. They felt as sad
+as if they had been condemned to die; they looked round and got
+quite confused, and did not remember which was their way home.
+Half the sun was still above the mountain and half was behind it
+when Joringel looked through the trees and saw the old wall of the
+castle quite near them. He was terrified and half dead with
+fright. Jorinde sang:
+
+‘My little bird with throat so red Sings sorrow, sorrow, sorrow;
+He sings to the little dove that's dead, Sings sorrow, sor--jug,
+jug, jug.'
+
+Joringel looked up at Jorinde. She had been changed into a
+nightingale, who was singing ‘jug, jug.' A night-owl with glowing
+eyes flew three times round her, and screeched three times ‘tu-
+whit, tu-whit, tu-whoo.' Joringel could not stir; he stood there
+like a stone; he could not weep, or speak, or move hand or foot.
+Now the sun set; the owl flew into a bush, and immediately an old,
+bent woman came out of it; she was yellow-skinned and thin, and
+had large red eyes and a hooked nose, which met her chin. She
+muttered to herself, caught the nightingale, and carried her away
+in her hand. Joringel could say nothing; he could not move from
+the spot, and the nightingale was gone. At last the woman came
+back again, and said in a gruff voice, ‘Good evening, Zachiel;
+when the young moon shines in the basket, you are freed early,
+Zachiel.' Then Joringel was free. He fell on his knees before the
+old woman and implored her to give him back his Jorinde, but she
+said he should never have her again, and then went away. He called
+after her, he wept and lamented, but all in vain. ‘What is to
+become of me!' he thought. Then he went away, and came at last to
+a strange village, where he kept sheep for a long time. He often
+went round the castle while he was there, but never too close. At
+last he dreamt one night that he had found a blood-red flower,
+which had in its centre a beautiful large pearl. He plucked this
+flower and went with it to the castle; and there everything which
+he touched with the flower was freed from the enchantment, and he
+got his Jorinde back again through it. When he awoke in the
+morning he began to seek mountain and valley to find such a
+flower. He sought it for eight days, and on the ninth early in the
+morning he found the blood-red flower. In its centre was a large
+dew-drop, as big as the most lovely pearl. He travelled day and
+night with this flower till he arrived at the castle. When he came
+within a hundred paces of it he did not cease to be able to move,
+but he went on till he reached the gate. He was delighted at his
+success, touched the great gate with the flower, and it sprung
+open. He entered, passed through the courtyard, and then stopped
+to listen for the singing of the birds; at last he heard it. He
+went in and found the hall in which was the enchantress, and with
+her seven thousand birds in their wicker cages. When she saw
+Joringel she was furious, and breathed out poison and gall at him,
+but she could not move a step towards him. He took no notice of
+her, and went and looked over the cages of birds; but there were
+many hundred nightingales, and how was he to find his Jorinde from
+among them? Whilst he was considering, he observed the old witch
+take up a cage secretly and go with it towards the door. Instantly
+he sprang after her, touched the cage with the flower, and the old
+woman as well. Now she could no longer work enchantments, and
+there stood Jorinde before him, with her arms round his neck, and
+more beautiful than ever. Then he turned all the other birds again
+into maidens, and he went home with his Jorinde, and they lived a
+long and happy life.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+ALLERLEIRAUH; OR, THE MANY-FURRED CREATURE
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a King who had a wife with golden hair,
+and she was so beautiful that you couldn't find anyone like her in
+the world. It happened that she fell ill, and when she felt that
+she must soon die, she sent for the King, and said, ‘If you want
+to marry after my death, make no one queen unless she is just as
+beautiful as I am, and has just such golden hair as I have.
+Promise me this.' After the King had promised her this, she closed
+her eyes and died.
+
+For a long time the King was not to be comforted, and he did not
+even think of taking a second wife. At last his councillors said,
+‘The King _must_ marry again, so that we may have a queen.'
+So messengers were sent far and wide to seek for a bride equal to
+the late Queen in beauty. But there was no one in the wide world,
+and if there had been she could not have had such golden hair.
+Then the messengers came home again, not having been able to find
+a queen.
+
+Now, the King had a daughter, who was just as beautiful as her
+dead mother, and had just such golden hair. One day when she had
+grown up, her father looked at her, and saw that she was exactly
+like her mother, so he said to his councillors, ‘I will marry my
+daughter to one of you, and she shall be queen, for she is exactly
+like her dead mother, and when I die her husband shall be king.'
+But when the Princess heard of her father's decision, she was not
+at all pleased, and said to him, ‘Before I do your bidding, I must
+have three dresses; one as golden as the sun, one as silver as the
+moon, and one as shining as the stars. Besides these, I want a
+cloak made of a thousand different kinds of skin; every animal in
+your kingdom must give a bit of his skin to it.' But she thought
+to herself, ‘This will be quite impossible, and I shall not have
+to marry someone I do not care for.' The King, however, was not to
+be turned from his purpose, and he commanded the most skilled
+maidens in his kingdom to weave the three dresses, one as golden
+as the sun, and one as silver as the moon, and one as shining as
+the stars; and he gave orders to all his huntsmen to catch one of
+every kind of beast in the kingdom, and to get a bit of its skin
+to make the cloak of a thousand pieces of fur. At last, when all
+was ready, the King commanded the cloak to be brought to him, and
+he spread it out before the Princess, and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be
+your wedding-day.' When the Princess saw that there was no more
+hope of changing her father's resolution, she determined to flee
+away. In the night, when everyone else was sleeping, she got up
+and took three things from her treasures, a gold ring, a little
+gold spinning-wheel, and a gold reel; she put the sun, moon, and
+star dresses in a nut-shell, drew on the cloak of many skins, and
+made her face and hands black with soot. Then she commended
+herself to God, and went out and travelled the whole night till
+she came to a large forest. And as she was very much tired she sat
+down inside a hollow tree and fell asleep.
+
+The sun rose and she still slept on and on, although it was nearly
+noon. Now, it happened that the king to whom this wood belonged
+was hunting in it. When his dogs came to the tree, they sniffed,
+and ran round and round it, barking. The King said to the
+huntsmen, ‘See what sort of a wild beast is in there.' The
+huntsmen went in, and then came back and said, ‘In the hollow tree
+there lies a wonderful animal that we don't know, and we have
+never seen one like it; its skin is made of a thousand pieces of
+fur; but it is lying down asleep.' The King said, ‘See if you can
+catch it alive, and then fasten it to the cart, and we will take
+it with us.' When the huntsmen seized the maiden, she awoke and
+was frightened, and cried out to them, ‘I am a poor child,
+forsaken by father and mother; take pity on me, and let me go with
+you.' Then they said to her, ‘Many-furred Creature, you can work
+in the kitchen; come with us and sweep the ashes together.' So
+they put her in the cart and they went back to the palace. There
+they showed her a tiny room under the stairs, where no daylight
+came, and said to her, ‘Many-furred Creature, you can live and
+sleep here.' Then she was sent into the kitchen, where she carried
+wood and water, poked the fire, washed vegetables, plucked fowls,
+swept up the ashes, and did all the dirty work.
+
+So the Many-furred Creature lived for a long time in great
+poverty. Ah, beautiful King's daughter, what is going to befall
+you now?
+
+It happened once when a great feast was being held in the palace,
+that she said to the cook, ‘Can I go upstairs for a little bit and
+look on? I will stand outside the doors.' The cook replied, ‘Yes,
+you can go up, but in half-an-hour you must be back here to sweep
+up the ashes.' Then she took her little oil-lamp, and went into
+her little room, drew off her fur cloak, and washed off the soot
+from her face and hands, so that her beauty shone forth, and it
+was as if one sunbeam after another were coming out of a black
+cloud. Then she opened the nut, and took out the dress as golden
+as the sun. And when she had done this, she went up to the feast,
+and everyone stepped out of her way, for nobody knew her, and they
+thought she must be a King's daughter. But the King came towards
+her and gave her his hand, and danced with her, thinking to
+himself, ‘My eyes have never beheld anyone so fair!' When the
+dance was ended, she curtseyed to him, and when the King looked
+round she had disappeared, no one knew whither. The guards who
+were standing before the palace were called and questioned, but no
+one had seen her.
+
+She had run to her little room and had quickly taken off her
+dress, made her face and hands black, put on the fur cloak, and
+was once more the Many-furred Creature. When she came into the
+kitchen and was setting about her work of sweeping the ashes
+together, the cook said to her, ‘Let that wait till to-morrow, and
+just cook the King's soup for me; I want to have a little peep at
+the company upstairs; but be sure that you do not let a hair fall
+into it, otherwise you will get nothing to eat in future!' So the
+cook went away, and the Many-furred Creature cooked the soup for
+the King. She made a bread-soup as well as she possibly could, and
+when it was done, she fetched her gold ring from her little room,
+and laid it in the tureen in which the soup was to be served up.
+
+When the dance was ended, the King had his soup brought to him and
+ate it, and it was so good that he thought he had never tasted
+such soup in his life. But when he came to the bottom of the dish
+he saw a gold ring lying there, and he could not imagine how it
+got in. Then he commanded the cook to be brought before him. The
+cook was terrified when he heard the command, and said to the
+Many-furred Creature, ‘You must have let a hair fall into the
+soup, and if you have you deserve a good beating!' When he came
+before the King, the King asked who had cooked the soup. The cook
+answered, ‘I cooked it.' But the King said, ‘That's not true, for
+it was quite different and much better soup than you have ever
+cooked.' Then the cook said, ‘I must confess; _I_ did not
+cook the soup; the Many-furred Creature did.' ‘Let her be brought
+before me,' said the King. When the Many-furred Creature came, the
+King asked her who she was. ‘I am a poor child without father or
+mother.' Then he asked her, ‘What do you do in my palace?' ‘I am
+of no use except to have boots thrown at my head.' ‘How did you
+get the ring which was in the soup?' he asked. ‘I know nothing at
+all about the ring,' she answered. So the King could find out
+nothing, and was obliged to send her away.
+
+After a time there was another feast, and the Many-furred Creature
+begged the cook as at the last one to let her go and look on. He
+answered, ‘Yes, but come back again in half-an-hour and cook the
+King the bread-soup that he likes so much.' So she ran away to her
+little room, washed herself quickly, took out of the nut the dress
+as silver as the moon and put it on. Then she went upstairs
+looking just like a King's daughter, and the King came towards
+her, delighted to see her again, and as the dance had just begun,
+they danced together. But when the dance was ended, she
+disappeared again so quickly that the King could not see which way
+she went. She ran to her little room and changed herself once more
+into the Many-furred Creature, and went into the kitchen to cook
+the bread-soup. When the cook was upstairs, she fetched the golden
+spinning-wheel and put it in the dish so that the soup was poured
+over it. It was brought to the King, who ate it, and liked it as
+much as the last time. He had the cook sent to him, and again he
+had to confess that the Many-furred Creature had cooked the soup.
+Then the Many-furred Creature came before the King, but she said
+again that she was of no use except to have boots thrown at her
+head, and that she knew nothing at all of the golden spinning-
+wheel.
+
+When the King had a feast for the third time, things did not turn
+out quite the same as at the other two. The cook said, ‘You must
+be a witch, Many-furred Creature, for you always put something in
+the soup, so that it is much better and tastes nicer to the King
+than any that I cook.' But because she begged hard, he let her go
+up for the usual time. Now she put on the dress as shining as the
+stars, and stepped into the hall in it.
+
+The King danced again with the beautiful maiden, and thought she
+had never looked so beautiful. And while he was dancing, he put a
+gold ring on her finger without her seeing it, and he commanded
+that the dance should last longer than usual. When it was finished
+he wanted to keep her hands in his, but she broke from him, and
+sprang so quickly away among the people that she vanished from his
+sight. She ran as fast as she could to her little room under the
+stairs, but because she had stayed too long beyond the half-hour,
+she could not stop to take off the beautiful dress, but only threw
+the fur cloak over it, and in her haste she did not make herself
+quite black with the soot, one finger remaining white. The Many-
+furred Creature now ran into the kitchen, cooked the King's bread-
+soup, and when the cook had gone, she laid the gold reel in the
+dish. When the King found the reel at the bottom, he had the Many-
+furred Creature brought to him, and then he saw the white finger,
+and the ring which he had put on her hand in the dance. Then he
+took her hand and held her tightly, and as she was trying to get
+away, she undid the fur-cloak a little bit and the star-dress
+shone out. The King seized the cloak and tore it off her. Her
+golden hair came down, and she stood there in her full splendour,
+and could not hide herself away any more. And when the soot and
+ashes had been washed from her face, she looked more beautiful
+than anyone in the world. But the King said, ‘You are my dear
+bride, and we will never be separated from one another.' So the
+wedding was celebrated and they lived happily ever after.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE TWELVE HUNTSMEN
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there was a King's son who was engaged to a
+Princess whom he dearly loved. One day as he sat by her side
+feeling very happy, he received news that his father was lying at
+the point of death, and desired to see him before his end. So he
+said to his love: ‘Alas! I must go off and leave you, but take
+this ring and wear it as a remembrance of me, and when I am King I
+will return and fetch you home.'
+
+Then he rode off, and when he reached his father he found him
+mortally ill and very near death.
+
+The King said: ‘Dearest son, I have desired to see you again
+before my end. Promise me, I beg of you, that you will marry
+according to my wishes'; and he then named the daughter of a
+neighbouring King who he was anxious should be his son's wife. The
+Prince was so overwhelmed with grief that he could think of
+nothing but his father, and exclaimed: ‘Yes, yes, dear father,
+whatever you desire shall be done.' Thereupon the King closed his
+eyes and died.
+
+After the Prince had been proclaimed King, and the usual time of
+mourning had elapsed, he felt that he must keep the promise he had
+made to his father, so he sent to ask for the hand of the King's
+daughter, which was granted to him at once.
+
+Now, his first love heard of this, and the thought of her lover's
+desertion grieved her so sadly that she pined away and nearly
+died. Her father said to her: ‘My dearest child, why are you so
+unhappy? If there is anything you wish for, say so, and you shall
+have it.'
+
+His daughter reflected for a moment, and then said: ‘Dear father,
+I wish for eleven girls as nearly as possible of the same height,
+age, and appearance as myself.'
+
+Said the King: ‘If the thing is possible your wish shall be
+fulfilled'; and he had his kingdom searched till he found eleven
+maidens of the same height, size, and appearance as his daughter.
+
+Then the Princess desired twelve complete huntsmen's suits to be
+made, all exactly alike, and the eleven maidens had to dress
+themselves in eleven of the suits, while she herself put on the
+twelfth. After this she took leave of her father, and rode off
+with her girls to the court of her former lover.
+
+Here she enquired whether the King did not want some huntsmen, and
+if he would not take them all into his service. The King saw her
+but did not recognize her, and as he thought them very good-
+looking young people, he said, ‘Yes, he would gladly engage them
+all.' So they became the twelve royal huntsmen.
+
+Now, the King had a most remarkable Lion, for it knew every hidden
+or secret thing.
+
+One evening the Lion said to the King: ‘So you think you have got
+twelve huntsmen, do you?'
+
+‘Yes, certainly,' said the King, ‘they _are_ twelve
+huntsmen.'
+
+‘There you are mistaken,' said the Lion; ‘they are twelve
+maidens.'
+
+‘That cannot possibly be,' replied the King; ‘how do you mean to
+prove that?'
+
+‘Just have a number of peas strewed over the floor of your ante-
+chamber,' said the Lion, ‘and you will soon see. Men have a
+strong, firm tread, so that if they happen to walk over peas not
+one will stir, but girls trip, and slip, and slide, so that the
+peas roll all about.'
+
+The King was pleased with the Lion's advice, and ordered the peas
+to be strewn in his ante-room.
+
+Fortunately one of the King's servants had become very partial to
+the young huntsmen, and hearing of the trial they were to be put
+to, he went to them and said: ‘The Lion wants to persuade the King
+that you are only girls'; and then told them all the plot.
+
+The King's daughter thanked him for the hint, and after he was
+gone she said to her maidens: ‘Now make every effort to tread
+firmly on the peas.'
+
+Next morning, when the King sent for his twelve huntsmen, and they
+passed through the ante-room which was plentifully strewn with
+peas, they trod so firmly and walked with such a steady, strong
+step that not a single pea rolled away or even so much as stirred.
+After they were gone the King said to the Lion: ‘There now--you
+have been telling lies--you see yourself they walk like men.'
+
+‘Because they knew they were being put to the test,' answered the
+Lion; ‘and so they made an effort; but just have a dozen spinning-
+wheels placed in the ante-room. When they pass through you'll see
+how pleased they will be, quite unlike any man.'
+
+The King was pleased with the advice, and desired twelve spinning-
+wheels to be placed in his ante-chamber.
+
+But the good-natured servant went to the huntsmen and told them
+all about this fresh plot. Then, as soon as the King's daughter
+was alone with her maidens, she exclaimed: ‘Now, pray make a great
+effort and don't even _look_ at those spinning-wheels.'
+
+When the King sent for his twelve huntsmen next morning they
+walked through the ante-room without even casting a glance at the
+spinning-wheels.
+
+Then the King said once more to the Lion: ‘You have deceived me
+again; they _are_ men, for they never once looked at the
+spinning-wheels.'
+
+The Lion replied: ‘They knew they were being tried, and they did
+violence to their feelings.' But the King declined to believe in
+the Lion any longer.
+
+So the twelve huntsmen continued to follow the King, and he grew
+daily fonder of them. One day whilst they were all out hunting it
+so happened that news was brought that the King's intended bride
+was on her way and might soon be expected. When the true bride
+heard of this she felt as though a knife had pierced her heart,
+and she fell fainting to the ground. The King, fearing something
+had happened to his dear huntsman, ran up to help, and began
+drawing off his gloves. Then he saw the ring which he had given to
+his first love, and as he gazed into her face he knew her again,
+and his heart was so touched that he kissed her, and as she opened
+her eyes, he cried: ‘I am thine and thou art mine, and no power on
+earth can alter that.'
+
+To the other Princess he despatched a messenger to beg her to
+return to her own kingdom with all speed. ‘For,' said he, ‘I have
+got a wife, and he who finds an old key again does not require a
+new one.'
+
+Thereupon the wedding was celebrated with great pomp, and the Lion
+was restored to the royal favour, for after all he had told the
+truth.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+SPINDLE, SHUTTLE, AND NEEDLE
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a girl who lost her father and mother
+when she was quite a tiny child. Her godmother lived all alone in
+a little cottage at the far end of the village, and there she
+earned her living by spinning, weaving, and sewing. The old woman
+took the little orphan home with her and brought her up in good,
+pious, industrious habits.
+
+When the girl was fifteen years old, her godmother fell ill, and,
+calling the child to her bedside, she said: ‘My dear daughter, I
+feel that my end is near. I leave you my cottage, which will, at
+least, shelter you, and also my spindle, my weaver's shuttle, and
+my needle, with which to earn your bread.'
+
+Then she laid her hands on the girl's head, blessed her, and
+added: ‘Mind and be good, and then all will go well with you.'
+With that she closed her eyes for the last time, and when she was
+carried to her grave the girl walked behind her coffin weeping
+bitterly, and paid her all the last honours.
+
+After this the girl lived all alone in the little cottage. She
+worked hard, spinning, weaving, and sewing, and her old
+godmother's blessing seemed to prosper all she did. The flax
+seemed to spread and increase; and when she wove a carpet or a
+piece of linen, or made a shirt, she was sure to find a customer
+who paid her well, so that not only did she feel no want herself,
+but she was able to help those who did.
+
+Now, it happened that about this time the King's son was making a
+tour through the entire country to look out for a bride. He could
+not marry a poor woman, and he did not wish for a rich one.
+
+‘She shall be my wife,' said he, ‘who is at once the poorest and
+the richest.'
+
+When he reached the village where the girl lived, he inquired who
+was the richest and who the poorest woman in it. The richest was
+named first; the poorest, he was told, was a young girl who lived
+alone in a little cottage at the far end of the village.
+
+The rich girl sat at her door dressed out in all her best clothes,
+and when the King's son came near she got up, went to meet him,
+and made him a low curtsey. He looked well at her, said nothing,
+but rode on further.
+
+When he reached the poor girl's house he did not find her at her
+door, for she was at work in her room. The Prince reined in his
+horse, looked in at the window through which the sun was shining
+brightly, and saw the girl sitting at her wheel busily spinning
+away.
+
+She looked up, and when she saw the King's son gazing in at her,
+she blushed red all over, cast down her eyes and span on. Whether
+the thread was quite as even as usual I really cannot say, but she
+went on spinning till the King's son had ridden off. Then she
+stepped to the window and opened the lattice, saying, ‘The room is
+so hot,' but she looked after him as long as she could see the
+white plumes in his hat.
+
+Then she sat down to her work once more and span on, and as she
+did so an old saying which, she had often heard her godmother
+repeat whilst at work, came into her head, and she began to sing:
+
+‘Spindle, spindle, go and see, If my love will come to me.'
+
+Lo, and behold! the spindle leapt from her hand and rushed out of
+the room, and when she had sufficiently recovered from her
+surprise to look after it she saw it dancing merrily through the
+fields, dragging a long golden thread after it, and soon it was
+lost to sight.
+
+The girl, having lost her spindle, took up the shuttle and,
+seating herself at her loom, began to weave. Meantime the spindle
+danced on and on, and just as it had come to the end of the golden
+thread, it reached the King's son.
+
+‘What do I see?' he cried; ‘this spindle seems to wish to point
+out the way to me.' So he turned his horses head and rode back
+beside the golden thread.
+
+Meantime the girl sat weaving, and sang:
+
+‘Shuttle, weave both web and woof, Bring my love beneath my roof.'
+
+The shuttle instantly escaped from her hand, and with one bound
+was out at the door. On the threshold it began weaving the
+loveliest carpet that was ever seen. Roses and lilies bloomed on
+both sides, and in the centre a thicket seemed to grow with
+rabbits and hares running through it, stags and fawns peeping
+through the branches, whilst on the topmost boughs sat birds of
+brilliant plumage and so life-like one almost expected to hear
+them sing. The shuttle flew from side to side and the carpet
+seemed almost to grow of itself.
+
+As the shuttle had run away the girl sat down to sew. She took her
+needle and sang:
+
+‘Needle, needle, stitch away, Make my chamber bright and gay,'
+
+and the needle promptly slipped from her fingers and flew about
+the room like lightning. You would have thought invisible spirits
+were at work, for in next to no time the table and benches were
+covered with green cloth, the chairs with velvet, and elegant silk
+curtains hung before the windows. The needle had barely put in its
+last stitch when the girl, glancing at the window, spied the white
+plumed hat of the King's son who was being led back by the spindle
+with the golden thread.
+
+He dismounted and walked over the carpet into the house, and when
+he entered the room there stood the girl blushing like any rose.
+‘You are the poorest and yet the richest,' said he: ‘come with me,
+you shall be my bride.'
+
+She said nothing, but she held out her hand. Then he kissed her,
+and led her out, lifted her on his horse and took her to his royal
+palace, where the wedding was celebrated with great rejoicings.
+
+The spindle, the shuttle, and the needle were carefully placed in
+the treasury, and were always held in the very highest honour.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE CRYSTAL COFFIN
+
+
+
+Now let no one say that a poor tailor can't get on in the world,
+and, indeed, even attain to very high honour. Nothing is required
+but to set the right way to work, but of course the really
+important thing is to succeed.
+
+A very bright active young tailor once set off on his travels,
+which led him into a wood, and as he did not know the way he soon
+lost himself. Night came on, and there seemed to be nothing for it
+but to seek out the best resting-place he could find. He could
+have made himself quite comfortable with a bed of soft moss, but
+the fear of wild beasts disturbed his mind, and at last he
+determined to spend the night in a tree.
+
+He sought out a tall oak tree, climbed up to the top, and felt
+devoutly thankful that his big smoothing-iron was in his pocket,
+for the wind in the tree-tops was so high that he might easily
+have been blown away altogether.
+
+After passing some hours of the night, not without considerable
+fear and trembling, he noticed a light shining at a little
+distance, and hoping it might proceed from some house where he
+could find a better shelter than in the top of the tree, he
+cautiously descended and went towards the light. It led him to a
+little hut all woven together of reeds and rushes. He knocked
+bravely at the door, which opened, and by the light which shone
+from within he saw an old gray-haired man dressed in a coat made
+of bright-coloured patches. ‘Who are you, and what do you want?'
+asked the old man roughly.
+
+‘I am a poor tailor,' replied the youth. ‘I have been benighted in
+the forest, and I entreat you to let me take shelter in your hut
+till morning.'
+
+‘Go your way,' said the old man in a sulky tone, ‘I'll have
+nothing to do with tramps. You must just go elsewhere.'
+
+With these words he tried to slip back into his house, but the
+tailor laid hold of his coat-tails, and begged so hard to be
+allowed to stay that the old fellow, who was by no means as cross
+as he appeared, was at length touched by his entreaties, let him
+come in, and after giving him some food, showed him quite a nice
+bed in one corner of the room. The weary tailor required no
+rocking to rest, but slept sound till early morning, when he was
+roused from his slumbers by a tremendous noise. Loud screams and
+shouts pierced the thin walls of the little hut. The tailor, with
+new-born courage, sprang up, threw on his clothes with all speed
+and hurried out. There he saw a huge black bull engaged in a
+terrible fight with a fine large stag. They rushed at each other
+with such fury that the ground seemed to tremble under them and
+the whole air to be filled with their cries. For some time it
+appeared quite uncertain which would be the victor, but at length
+the stag drove his antlers with such force into his opponent's
+body that the bull fell to the ground with a terrific roar, and a
+few more strokes finished him.
+
+The tailor, who had been watching the fight with amazement, was
+still standing motionless when the stag bounded up to him, and
+before he had time to escape forked him up with its great antlers,
+and set off at full gallop over hedges and ditches, hill and dale,
+through wood and water. The tailor could do nothing but hold on
+tight with both hands to the stag's horns and resign himself to
+his fate. He felt as if he were flying along. At length the stag
+paused before a steep rock and gently let the tailor down to the
+ground.
+
+Feeling more dead than alive, he paused for a while to collect his
+scattered senses, but when he seemed somewhat restored the stag
+struck such a blow on a door in the rock that it flew open. Flames
+of fire rushed forth, and such clouds of steam followed that the
+stag had to avert its eyes. The tailor could not think what to do
+or which way to turn to get away from this awful wilderness, and
+to find his way back amongst human beings once more.
+
+As he stood hesitating, a voice from the rock cried to him: ‘Step
+in without fear, no harm shall befall you.'
+
+He still lingered, but some mysterious power seemed to impel him,
+and passing through the door he found himself in a spacious hall,
+whose ceiling, walls, and floor were covered with polished tiles
+carved all over with unknown figures. He gazed about, full of
+wonder, and was just preparing to walk out again when the same
+voice bade him: ‘Tread on the stone in the middle of the hall, and
+good luck will attend you.'
+
+By this time he had grown so courageous that he did not hesitate
+to obey the order, and hardly had he stepped on the stone than it
+began to sink gently with him into the depths below. On reaching
+firm ground he found himself in a hall of much the same size as
+the upper one, but with much more in it to wonder at and admire.
+Round the walls were several niches, in each of which stood glass
+vessels filled with some bright-coloured spirit or bluish smoke.
+On the floor stood two large crystal boxes opposite each other,
+and these attracted his curiosity at once.
+
+Stepping up to one of them, he saw within it what looked like a
+model in miniature of a fine castle surrounded by farms, barns,
+stables, and a number of other buildings. Everything was quite
+tiny, but so beautifully and carefully finished that it might have
+been the work of an accomplished artist. He would have continued
+gazing much longer at this remarkable curiosity had not the voice
+desired him to turn round and look at the crystal coffin which
+stood opposite.
+
+What was his amazement at seeing a girl of surpassing loveliness
+lying in it! She lay as though sleeping, and her long, fair hair
+seemed to wrap her round like some costly mantle. Her eyes were
+closed, but the bright colour in her face, and the movement of a
+ribbon, which rose and fell with her breath, left no doubt as to
+her being alive.
+
+As the tailor stood gazing at her with a beating heart, the maiden
+suddenly opened her eyes, and started with delighted surprise.
+
+‘Great heavens!' she cried, ‘my deliverance approaches! Quick,
+quick, help me out of my prison; only push back the bolt of this
+coffin and I am free.'
+
+The tailor promptly obeyed, when she quickly pushed back the
+crystal lid, stepped out of the coffin and hurried to a corner of
+the hall, when she proceeded to wrap herself in a large cloak.
+Then she sat down on a stone, desired the young man to come near,
+and, giving him an affectionate kiss, she said, ‘My long-hoped-for
+deliverer, kind heaven has led you to me, and has at length put an
+end to all my sufferings. You are my destined husband, and,
+beloved by me, and endowed with every kind of riches and power,
+you shall spend the remainder of your life in peace and happiness.
+Now sit down and hear my story. I am the daughter of a wealthy
+nobleman. My parents died when I was very young, and they left me
+to the care of my eldest brother, by whom I was carefully
+educated. We loved each other so tenderly, and our tastes and
+interests were so much alike that we determined never to marry,
+but to spend our entire lives together. There was no lack of
+society at our home. Friends and neighbours paid us frequent
+visits, and we kept open house for all. Thus it happened that one
+evening a stranger rode up to the castle and asked for
+hospitality, as he could not reach the nearest town that night. We
+granted his request with ready courtesy, and during supper he
+entertained us with most agreeable conversation, mingled with
+amusing anecdotes. My brother took such a fancy to him that he
+pressed him to spend a couple of days with us, which, after a
+little hesitation, the stranger consented to do. We rose late from
+table, and whilst my brother was showing our guest to his room I
+hurried to mine, for I was very tired and longed to get to bed. I
+had hardly dropped off to sleep when I was roused by the sound of
+some soft and charming music. Wondering whence it could come, I
+was about to call to my maid who slept in the room next mine,
+when, to my surprise, I felt as if some heavy weight on my chest
+had taken all power from me, and I lay there unable to utter the
+slightest sound. Meantime, by the light of the night lamp, I saw
+the stranger enter my room, though the double doors had been
+securely locked. He drew near and told me that through the power
+of his magic arts he had caused the soft music to waken me, and
+had made his way through bolts and bars to offer me his hand and
+heart. My repugnance to his magic was so great that I would not
+condescend to give any answer. He waited motionless for some time,
+hoping no doubt for a favourable reply, but as I continued silent
+he angrily declared that he would find means to punish my pride,
+and therewith he left the room in a rage.
+
+‘I spent the night in the greatest agitation, and only fell into a
+doze towards morning. As soon as I awoke I jumped up, and hurried
+to tell my brother all that had happened, but he had left his
+room, and his servant told me that he had gone out at daybreak to
+hunt with the stranger.
+
+‘My mind misgave me. I dressed in all haste, had my palfrey
+saddled, and rode of at full gallop towards the forest, attended
+by one servant only. I pushed on without pausing, and ere long I
+saw the stranger coming towards me, and leading a fine stag. I
+asked him where he had left my brother, and how he had got the
+stag, whose great eyes were overflowing with tears. Instead of
+answering he began to laugh, and I flew into such a rage that I
+drew a pistol and fired at him; but the bullet rebounded from his
+breast and struck my horse in the forehead. I fell to the ground,
+and the stranger muttered some words, which robbed me of my
+senses.
+
+‘When I came to myself I was lying in a crystal coffin in this
+subterranean vault. The Magician appeared again, and told me that
+he had transformed my brother into a stag, had reduced our castle
+and all its defences to miniature and locked them up in a glass
+box, and after turning all our household into different vapours
+had banished them into glass phials. If I would only yield to his
+wishes he could easily open these vessels, and all would then
+resume their former shapes.
+
+‘I would not say a word more than I had done previously, and he
+vanished, leaving me in my prison, where a deep sleep soon fell on
+me. Amongst the many dreams which floated through my brain was a
+cheering one of a young man who was to come and release me, and
+to-day, when I opened my eyes, I recognised you and saw that my
+dream was fulfilled. Now help me to carry out the rest of my
+vision. The first thing is to place the glass box which contains
+my castle on this large stone.'
+
+As soon as this was done the stone gently rose through the air and
+transported them into the upper hall, whence they easily carried
+the box into the outer air. The lady then removed the lid, and it
+was marvellous to watch the castle, houses, and farmyards begin to
+grow and spread themselves till they had regained their proper
+size. Then the young couple returned by means of the movable
+stone, and brought up all the glass vessels filled with smoke. No
+sooner were they uncorked than the blue vapours poured out and
+became transformed to living people, in whom the lady joyfully
+recognised her many servants and attendants.
+
+Her delight was complete when her brother (who had killed the
+Magician under the form of a bull) was seen coming from the forest
+in his proper shape, and that very day, according to her promise,
+she gave her hand in marriage to the happy young tailor.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE THREE SNAKE-LEAVES
+
+
+
+There was once a poor man who could no longer afford to keep his
+only son at home. So the son said to him, ‘Dear father, you are so
+poor that I am only a burden to you; I would rather go out into
+the world and see if I can earn my own living.' The father gave
+him his blessing and took leave of him with much sorrow. About
+this time the King of a very powerful kingdom was carrying on a
+war; the youth therefore took service under him and went on the
+campaign. When they came before the enemy, a battle took place,
+there was some hot fighting, and it rained bullets so thickly that
+his comrades fell around him on all sides. And when their leader
+fell too the rest wished to take to flight; but the youth stepped
+forward and encouraged them and called out, ‘We must not let our
+country be ruined!' Then others followed him, and he pressed on
+and defeated the enemy. When the King heard that he had to thank
+him alone for the victory, he raised him higher than anyone else
+in rank, gave him great treasures and made him the first in the
+kingdom.
+
+The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also
+very capricious. She had made a vow to marry no one who would not
+promise her that if she died first, he would allow himself to be
+buried alive with her. ‘If he loves me truly,' she used to say,
+‘what use would life be to him then?' At the same time she was
+willing to do the same, and if he died first to be buried with
+him. This curious vow had up to this time frightened away all
+suitors, but the young man was so captivated by her beauty, that
+he hesitated at nothing and asked her hand of her father. ‘Do you
+know,' asked the King, ‘what you have to promise?' ‘I shall have
+to go into her grave with her,' he answered, ‘if I outlive her,
+but my love is so great that I do not think of the risk.' So the
+King consented, and the wedding was celebrated with great
+splendour.
+
+Now, they lived for a long time very happily with one another, but
+then it came to pass that the young Queen fell seriously ill, and
+no doctor could save her. And when she lay dead, the young King
+remembered what he had promised, and it made him shudder to think
+of lying in her grave alive, but there was no escape. The King had
+set guards before all the gates, and it was not possible to avoid
+his fate.
+
+When the day arrived on which the corpse was to be laid in the
+royal vault, he was led thither, then the entrance was bolted and
+closed up.
+
+Near the coffin stood a table on which were placed four candles,
+four loaves of bread, and four bottles of wine. As soon as this
+provision came to an end he would have to die. So he sat there
+full of grief and misery, eating every day only a tiny bit of
+bread, and drinking only a mouthful of ovine, and he watched death
+creeping nearer and nearer to him. One day as he was sitting
+staring moodily in front of him, he saw a snake creep out of the
+corner towards the corpse. Thinking it was going to touch it, he
+drew his sword and saying, ‘As long as I am alive you shall not
+harm her,' he cut it in three pieces. After a little time a second
+snake crept out of the corner, but when it saw the first one lying
+dead and in pieces it went back and came again soon, holding three
+green leaves in its mouth. Then it took the three bits of the
+snake and laid them in order, and put one of the leaves on each
+wound. Immediately the pieces joined together, the snake moved
+itself and became alive and then both hurried away. The leaves
+remained lying on the ground, and it suddenly occurred to the
+unfortunate man who had seen everything, that the wonderful power
+of the leaves might also be exercised upon a human being.
+
+So he picked up the leaves and laid one of them on the mouth and
+the other two on the eyes of the dead woman. And scarcely had he
+done this, before the blood began to circulate in her veins, then
+it mounted and brought colour back to her white face. Then she
+drew her breath, opened her eyes, and said, ‘Ah! where am I?' ‘You
+are with me, dear lady,' he answered, and told her all that had
+happened, and how he had brought her to life again. He then gave
+her some wine and bread, and when all her strength had returned
+she got up, and they went to the door and knocked and called so
+loudly that the guards heard them, and told the King. The King
+came himself to open the door, and there he found both happy and
+well, and he rejoiced with them that now all trouble was over. But
+the young King gave the three snake-leaves to a servant, saying to
+him, ‘Keep them carefully for me, and always carry them with you;
+who knows but that they may help us in a time of need!'
+
+It seemed, however, as if a change had come over the young Queen
+after she had been restored to life, and as if all her love for
+her husband had faded from her heart. Some time afterwards, when
+he wanted to take a journey over the sea to his old father, and
+they were on board the ship, she forgot the great love and
+faithfulness he had shown her and how he had saved her from death,
+and fell in love with the captain. And one day when the young King
+was lying asleep, she called the captain to her, and seized the
+head of the sleeping King and made him take his feet, and together
+they threw him into the sea. When they had done this wicked deed,
+she said to him, ‘Now let us go home and say that he died on the
+journey. I will praise you so much to my father that he will marry
+me to you and make you the heir to the throne.' But the faithful
+servant, who had seen everything, let down a little boat into the
+sea, unobserved by them, and rowed after his master while the
+traitors sailed on. He took the drowned man out of the water, and
+with the help of the three snake-leaves which he carried with him,
+placing them on his mouth and eyes, he brought him to life again.
+
+They both rowed as hard as they could night and day, and their
+little boat went so quickly that they reached the old King before
+the other two did. He was much astonished to see them come back
+alone, and asked what had happened to them. When he heard the
+wickedness of his daughter, he said, ‘I cannot believe that she
+has acted so wrongly, but the truth will soon come to light.' He
+made them both go into a secret chamber, and let no one see them.
+
+Soon after this the large ship came in, and the wicked lady
+appeared before her father with a very sad face. He said to her,
+‘Why have you come back alone? Where is your husband?'
+
+‘Ah, dear father,' she replied, ‘I have come home in great grief;
+my husband fell ill on the voyage quite suddenly, and died, and if
+the good captain had not given me help, I should have died too. He
+was at his death-bed and can tell you everything.'
+
+The King said, ‘I will bring the dead to life again,' and he
+opened the door of the room and called them both out. The lady was
+as if thunderstruck when she caught sight of her husband; she fell
+on her knees and begged for mercy. But the King said, ‘You shall
+have no mercy. He was ready to die with you, and restored you to
+life again; but you killed him when he was sleeping, and shall
+receive your deserts.'
+
+So she and her accomplice were put in a ship which was bored
+through with holes, and were drawn out into the sea, where they
+soon perished in the waves.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE RIDDLE
+
+
+
+A King's son once had a great desire to travel through the world,
+so he started off, taking no one with him but one trusty servant.
+One day he came to a great forest, and as evening drew on he could
+find no shelter, and could not think where to spend the night. All
+of a sudden he saw a girl going towards a little house, and as he
+drew nearer he remarked that she was both young and pretty. He
+spoke to her, and said, ‘Dear child, could I and my servant spend
+the night in this house?'
+
+‘Oh yes,' said the girl in a sad tone, ‘you can if you like, but I
+should not advise you to do so. Better not go in.'
+
+‘Why not?' asked the King's son.
+
+The girl sighed and answered, ‘My stepmother deals in black arts,
+and she is not very friendly to strangers.'
+
+The Prince guessed easily that he had fallen on a witch's house,
+but as by this time it was quite dark and he could go no further,
+and as moreover he was not at all afraid, he stepped in.
+
+An old woman sat in an armchair near the fire, and as the
+strangers entered she turned her red eyes on them. ‘Good evening,'
+she muttered, and pretending to be quite friendly. ‘Won't you sit
+down?'
+
+She blew up the fire on which she was cooking something in a
+little pot, and her daughter secretly warned the travellers to be
+very careful not to eat or drink anything, as the old woman's
+brews were apt to be dangerous.
+
+They went to bed, and slept soundly till morning. When they were
+ready to start and the King's son had already mounted his horse
+the old woman said: ‘Wait a minute, I must give you a stirrup
+cup.' Whilst she went to fetch it the King's son rode off, and the
+servant who had waited to tighten his saddle-girths was alone when
+the witch returned.
+
+‘Take that to your master,' she said; but as she spoke the glass
+cracked and the poison spurted over the horse, and it was so
+powerful that the poor creature sank down dead. The servant ran
+after his master and told him what had happened, and then, not
+wishing to lose the saddle as well as the horse, he went back to
+fetch it. When he got to the spot he saw that a raven had perched
+on the carcase and was pecking at it. ‘Who knows whether we shall
+get anything better to eat to-day!' said the servant, and he shot
+the raven and carried it off.
+
+Then they rode on all day through the forest without coming to the
+end. At nightfall they reached an inn, which they entered, and the
+servant gave the landlord the raven to dress for their supper.
+Now, as it happened, this inn was a regular resort of a band of
+murderers, and the old witch too was in the habit of frequenting
+it.
+
+As soon as it was dark twelve murderers arrived, with the full
+intention of killing and robbing the strangers. Before they set to
+work, however, they sat down to table, and the landlord and the
+old witch joined them, and they all ate some broth in which the
+flesh of the raven had been stewed down. They had hardly taken a
+couple of spoonfuls when they all fell down dead, for the poison
+had passed from the horse to the raven and so into the broth. So
+there was no one left belonging to the house but the landlord's
+daughter, who was a good, well-meaning girl, and had taken no part
+in all the evil doings.
+
+She opened all the doors, and showed the strangers the treasures
+the robbers had gathered together; but the Prince bade her keep
+them all for herself, as he wanted none of them, and so he rode
+further with his servant.
+
+After travelling about for some length of time they reached a town
+where lived a lovely but most arrogant Princess. She had given out
+that anyone who asked her a riddle which she found herself unable
+to guess should be her husband, but should she guess it he must
+forfeit his head. She claimed three days in which to think over
+the riddles, but she was so very clever that she invariably
+guessed them in a much shorter time. Nine suitors had already lost
+their lives when the King's son arrived, and, dazzled by her
+beauty, determined to risk his life in hopes of winning her.
+
+So he came before her and propounded his riddle. ‘What is this?'
+he asked. ‘One slew none and yet killed twelve.'
+
+She could not think what it was! She thought, and thought, and
+looked through all her books of riddles and puzzles, but she found
+nothing to help her, and could not guess; in fact, she was at her
+wits' end. As she could think of no way to guess the riddle, she
+ordered her maid to steal at night into the Prince's bedroom and
+to listen, for she thought that he might perhaps talk aloud in his
+dreams and so betray the secret. But the clever servant had taken
+his master's place, and when the maid came he tore off the cloak
+she had wrapped herself in and hunted her off with a whip.
+
+On the second night the Princess sent her lady-in-waiting, hoping
+that she might succeed better, but the servant took away her
+mantle and chased her away also.
+
+On the third night the King's son thought he really might feel
+safe, so he went to bed. But in the middle of the night the
+Princess came herself, all huddled up in a misty grey mantle, and
+sat down near him. When she thought he was fast asleep, she spoke
+to him, hoping he would answer in the midst of his dreams, as many
+people do; but he was wide awake all the time, and heard and
+understood everything very well.
+
+Then she asked: ‘One slew none--what is that?' and he answered: ‘A
+raven which fed on the carcase of a poisoned horse.'
+
+She went on: ‘And yet killed twelve--what is that?' ‘Those are
+twelve murderers who ate the raven and died of it.'
+
+As soon as she knew the riddle she tried to slip away, but he held
+her mantle so tightly that she was obliged to leave it behind.
+
+Next morning the Princess announced that she had guessed the
+riddle, and sent for the twelve judges, before whom she declared
+it. But the young man begged to be heard, too, and said: ‘She came
+by night to question me, otherwise she never could have guessed
+it.'
+
+The judges said: ‘Bring us some proof.' So the servant brought out
+the three cloaks, and when the judges saw the grey one, which the
+Princess was in the habit of wearing, they said: ‘Let it be
+embroidered with gold and silver; it shall be your wedding
+mantle.'
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+JACK MY HEDGEHOG
+
+
+
+There was once a farmer who lived in great comfort. He had both
+lands and money, but, though he was so well off, one thing was
+wanting to complete his happiness; he had no children. Many and
+many a time, when he met other farmers at the nearest market town,
+they would teaze him, asking how it came about that he was
+childless. At length he grew so angry that he exclaimed: ‘I must
+and will have a child of some sort or kind, even should it only be
+a hedgehog!'
+
+Not long after this his wife gave birth to a child, but though the
+lower half of the little creature was a fine boy, from the waist
+upwards it was a hedgehog, so that when his mother first saw him
+she was quite frightened, and said to her husband, ‘There now, you
+have cursed the child yourself.' The farmer said, ‘What's the use
+of making a fuss? I suppose the creature must be christened, but I
+don't see how we are to ask anyone to be sponsor to him, and what
+are we to call him?'
+
+‘There is nothing we can possibly call him but Jack my Hedgehog,'
+replied the wife.
+
+So they took him to be christened, and the parson said: ‘You'll
+never be able to put that child in a decent bed on account of his
+prickles.' Which was true, but they shook down some straw for him
+behind the stove, and there he lay for eight years. His father
+grew very tired of him and often wished him dead, but he did not
+die, but lay on there year after year.
+
+Now one day there was a big fair at the market town to which the
+farmer meant to go, so he asked his wife what he should bring her
+from it. ‘Some meat and a couple of big loaves for the house,'
+said she. Then he asked the maid what she wanted, and she said a
+pair of slippers and some stockings. Lastly he said, ‘Well, Jack
+my Hedgehog, and what shall I bring you?'
+
+‘Daddy,' said he, ‘do bring me a bagpipe.' When the farmer came
+home he gave his wife and the maid the things they had asked for,
+and then he went behind the stove and gave Jack my Hedgehog the
+bagpipes.
+
+When Jack had got his bagpipes he said, ‘Daddy, do go to the
+smithy and have the house cock shod for me; then I'll ride off and
+trouble you no more.' His father, who was delighted at the
+prospect of getting rid of him, had the cock shod, and when it was
+ready Jack my Hedgehog mounted on its back and rode off to the
+forest, followed by all the pigs and asses which he had promised
+to look after.
+
+Having reached the forest he made the cock fly up to the top of a
+very tall tree with him, and there he sat looking after his pigs
+and donkeys, and he sat on and on for several years till he had
+quite a big herd; but all this time his father knew nothing about
+him.
+
+As he sat up in his tree he played away on his pipes and drew the
+loveliest music from them. As he was playing one day a King, who
+had lost his way, happened to pass close by, and hearing the music
+he was much surprised, and sent one of his servants to find out
+where it came from. The man peered about, but he could see nothing
+but a little creature which looked like a cock with a hedgehog
+sitting on it, perched up in a tree. The King desired the servant
+to ask the strange creature why it sat there, and if it knew the
+shortest way to his kingdom.
+
+On this Jack my Hedgehog stepped down from his tree and said he
+would undertake to show the King his way home if the King on his
+part would give him his written promise to let him have whatever
+first met him on his return.
+
+The King thought to himself, ‘That's easy enough to promise. The
+creature won't understand a word about it, so I can just write
+what I choose.'
+
+So he took pen and ink and wrote something, and when he had done
+Jack my Hedgehog pointed out the way and the King got safely home.
+
+Now when the King's daughter saw her father returning in the
+distance she was so delighted that she ran to meet him and threw
+herself into his arms. Then the King remembered Jack my Hedgehog,
+and he told his daughter how he had been obliged to give a written
+promise to bestow whatever he first met when he got home on an
+extraordinary creature which had shown him the way. The creature,
+said he, rode on a cock as though it had been a horse, and it made
+lovely music, but as it certainly could not read he had just
+written that he would _not_ give it anything at all. At this
+the Princess was quite pleased, and said how cleverly her father
+had managed, for that of course nothing would induce her to have
+gone off with Jack my Hedgehog.
+
+Meantime Jack minded his asses and pigs, sat aloft in his tree,
+played his bagpipes, and was always merry and cheery. After a time
+it so happened that another King, having lost his way, passed by
+with his servants and escort, wondering how he could find his way
+home, for the forest was very vast. He too heard the music, and
+told one of his men to find out whence it came. The man came under
+the tree, and looking up to the top there he saw Jack my Hedgehog
+astride on the cock.
+
+The servant asked Jack what he was doing up there. ‘I'm minding my
+pigs and donkeys; but what do you want?' was the reply. Then the
+servant told him they had lost their way, and wanted some one to
+show it them. Down came Jack my Hedgehog with his cock, and told
+the old King he would show him the right way if he would solemnly
+promise to give him the first thing he met in front of his royal
+castle.
+
+The King said ‘Yes,' and gave Jack a written promise to that
+effect.
+
+Then Jack rode on in front pointing out the way, and the King
+reached his own country in safety.
+
+Now he had an only daughter who was extremely beautiful, and who,
+delighted at her father's return, ran to meet him, threw her arms
+round his neck and kissed him heartily. Then she asked where he
+had been wandering so long, and he told her how he had lost his
+way and might never have reached home at all but for a strange
+creature, half-man, half-hedgehog, which rode a cock and sat up in
+a tree making lovely music, and which had shown him the right way.
+He also told her how he had been obliged to pledge his word to
+give the creature the first thing which met him outside his castle
+gate, and he felt very sad at the thought that she had been the
+first thing to meet him.
+
+But the Princess comforted him, and said she should be quite
+willing to go with Jack my Hedgehog whenever he came to fetch her,
+because of the great love she bore to her dear old father.
+
+Jack my Hedgehog continued to herd his pigs, and they increased in
+number till there were so many that the forest seemed full of
+them. So he made up his mind to live there no longer, and sent a
+message to his father telling him to have all the stables and
+outhouses in the village cleared, as he was going to bring such an
+enormous herd that all who would might kill what they chose. His
+father was much vexed at this news, for he thought Jack had died
+long ago. Jack my Hedgehog mounted his cock, and driving his pigs
+before him into the village, he let every one kill as many as they
+chose, and such a hacking and hewing of pork went on as you might
+have heard for miles off.
+
+Then said Jack, ‘Daddy, let the blacksmith shoe my cock once more;
+then I'll ride off, and I promise you I'll never come back again
+as long as I live.' So the father had the cock shod, and rejoiced
+at the idea of getting rid of his son.
+
+Then Jack my Hedgehog set off for the first kingdom, and there the
+King had given strict orders that if anyone should be seen riding
+a cock and carrying a bagpipe he was to be chased away and shot
+at, and on no account to be allowed to enter the palace. So when
+Jack my Hedgehog rode up the guards charged him with their
+bayonets, but he put spurs to his cock, flew up over the gate
+right to the King's windows, let himself down on the sill, and
+called out that if he was not given what had been promised him,
+both the King and his daughter should pay for it with their lives.
+Then the King coaxed and entreated his daughter to go with Jack
+and so save both their lives.
+
+The Princess dressed herself all in white, and her father gave her
+a coach with six horses and servants in gorgeous liveries and
+quantities of money. She stepped into the coach, and Jack my
+Hedgehog with his cock and pipes took his place beside her. They
+both took leave, and the King fully expected never to set eyes on
+them again. But matters turned out very differently from what he
+had expected, for when they had got a certain distance from the
+town Jack tore all the Princess's smart clothes off her, and
+pricked her all over with his bristles, saying: ‘That's what you
+get for treachery. Now go back, I'll have no more to say to you.'
+And with that he hunted her home, and she felt she had been
+disgraced and put to shame till her life's end.
+
+Then Jack my Hedgehog rode on with his cock and bagpipes to the
+country of the second King to whom he had shown the way. Now this
+King had given orders that, in the event of Jack's coming the
+guards were to present arms, the people to cheer, and he was to be
+conducted in triumph to the royal palace.
+
+When the King's daughter saw Jack my Hedgehog, she was a good deal
+startled, for he certainly was very peculiar looking; but after
+all she considered that she had given her word and it couldn't be
+helped. So she made Jack welcome and they were betrothed to each
+other, and at dinner he sat next her at the royal table, and they
+ate and drank together.
+
+When they retired to rest the Princess feared lest Jack should
+kiss her because of his prickles, but he told her not to be
+alarmed as no harm should befall her. Then he begged the old King
+to place a watch of four men just outside his bedroom door, and to
+desire them to make a big fire. When he was about to lie down in
+bed he would creep out of his hedgehog skin, and leave it lying at
+the bedside; then the men must rush in, throw the skin into the
+fire, and stand by till it was entirely burnt up.
+
+And so it was, for when it struck eleven, Jack my Hedgehog went to
+his room, took off his skin and left it at the foot of the bed.
+The men rushed in, quickly seized the skin and threw it on the
+fire, and directly it was all burnt Jack was released from his
+enchantment and lay in his bed a man from head to foot, but quite
+black as though he had been severely scorched.
+
+The King sent off for his physician in ordinary, who washed Jack
+all over with various essences and salves, so that he became white
+and was a remarkably handsome young man. When the King's daughter
+saw him she was greatly pleased, and next day the marriage
+ceremony was performed, and the old King bestowed his kingdom on
+Jack my Hedgehog.
+
+After some years Jack and his wife went to visit his father, but
+the farmer did not recognize him, and declared he had no son; he
+had had one, but that one was born with bristles like a hedgehog,
+and had gone off into the wide world. Then Jack told his story,
+and his old father rejoiced and returned to live with him in his
+kingdom.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE GOLDEN LADS
+
+
+
+A poor man and his wife lived in a little cottage, where they
+supported themselves by catching fish in the nearest river, and
+got on as best they could, living from hand to mouth. One day it
+happened that when the fisherman drew in his net he found in it a
+remarkable fish, for it was entirely of gold. As he was inspecting
+it with some surprise, the fish opened its mouth and said: ‘Listen
+to me, fisher; if you will just throw me back into the water I'll
+turn your poor little cottage into a splendid castle.'
+
+The fisher replied: ‘What good, pray, will a castle be to me if I
+have nothing to eat in it?'
+
+‘Oh,' said the gold fish, ‘I'll take care of that. There will be a
+cupboard in the castle, in which you will find dishes of every
+kind of food you can wish for most.'
+
+‘If that's the case,' said the man, ‘I've no objection to oblige
+you.'
+
+‘Yes,' observed the fish, ‘but there is one condition attached to
+my offer, and that is that you are not to reveal to a soul where
+your good fortune comes from. If you say a word about it, it will
+all vanish.'
+
+The man threw the fish back into the water, and went home. But on
+the spot where his cottage used to stand he found a spacious
+castle. He opened his eyes wide, went in and found his wife
+dressed out in smart clothes, sitting in a splendidly furnished
+drawing-room. She was in high spirits, and cried out: ‘Oh husband!
+how can this all have happened? I am so pleased!'
+
+‘Yes,' said her husband, ‘so am I pleased; but I'm uncommonly
+hungry, and I want something to eat at once.'
+
+Said his wife, ‘I've got nothing, and I don't know where anything
+is in this new house.'
+
+‘Never mind,' replied the man. ‘I see a big cupboard there.
+Suppose you unlock it.'
+
+When the cupboard was opened they found meat, cakes, fruit, and
+wine, all spread out in the most tempting fashions. The wife
+clapped her hands with joy, and cried: ‘Dear heart! what more can
+one wish for?' and they sat down and ate and drank.
+
+When they had finished the wife asked, ‘But husband, where do all
+these riches come from?'
+
+‘Ah!' said he, ‘don't ask me. I dare not tell you. If I reveal the
+secret to anyone, it will be all up with us.'
+
+‘Very well,' she replied, ‘if I'm not to be told, of course I
+don't want to know anything about it.'
+
+But she was not really in earnest, for her curiosity never left
+her a moment's peace by day or night, and she teazed and worried
+her husband to such a pitch, that at length he quite lost patience
+and blurted out that it all came from a wonderful golden fish
+which he had caught and set free again. Hardly were the words well
+out of his mouth, when castle, cupboard, and all vanished, and
+there they were sitting in their poor little fishing hut once
+more.
+
+The man had to betake himself to his former trade, and set to
+fishing again. As luck would have it, he caught the golden fish a
+second time.
+
+‘Now listen,' said the fish, ‘if you'll throw me back into the
+water, I'll give you back the castle and the cupboard with all its
+good things; but now take care, and don't for your life betray
+where you got them, or you'll just lose them again.'
+
+‘I'll be very careful,' promised the fisher, and threw the fish
+back into the water. When he went home he found all their former
+splendour restored, and his wife overjoyed at their good fortune.
+But her curiosity still continued to torment her, and after
+restraining it with a great effort for a couple of days, she began
+questioning her husband again, as to what had happened, and how he
+had managed.
+
+The man kept silence for some time, but at last she irritated him
+so much that he burst out with the secret, and in one moment the
+castle was gone, and they sat once more in their wretched old hut.
+
+‘There!' exclaimed the man, ‘you _would_ have it--now we may
+just go on short commons.'
+
+‘Ah!' said his wife, ‘after all I'd rather not have all the riches
+in the world if I can't know where they come from--I shall not
+have a moment's peace.'
+
+The man took to his fishing again, and one day fate brought the
+gold fish into his net for the third time. ‘Well,' said the fish,
+‘I see that I am evidently destined to fall into your hands. Now
+take me home, and cut me into six pieces. Give two bits to your
+wife to eat, two to your horse, and plant the remaining two in
+your garden, and they will bring you a blessing.'
+
+The man carried the fish home, and did exactly as he had been
+told. After a time, it came to pass that from the two pieces he
+had planted in the garden two golden lilies grew up, and that his
+horse had two golden foals, whilst his wife gave birth to twin
+boys who were all golden.
+
+The children grew up both tall and handsome, and the foals and the
+lilies grew with them.
+
+One day the children came to their father and said, ‘Father, we
+want to mount on golden steeds, and ride forth to see the world.'
+
+Their father answered sadly, ‘How can I bear it if, when you are
+far away, I know nothing about you?' and they said, ‘The golden
+lilies will tell you all about us if you look at them. If they
+seem to droop, you will know we are ill, and if they fall down and
+fade away, it will be a sign we are dead.'
+
+So off they rode, and came to an inn where were a number of people
+who, as soon as they saw the two golden lads, began to laugh and
+jeer at them. When one of them heard this, his heart failed him,
+and he thought he would go no further into the world, so he turned
+back and rode home to his father, but his brother rode on till he
+reached the outskirts of a huge forest. Here he was told, ‘It will
+never do for you to ride through the forest, it is full of
+robbers, and you're sure to come to grief, especially when they
+see that you and your horse are golden. They will certainly fall
+on you and kill you.' However, he was not to be intimidated, but
+said, ‘I must and will ride on.'
+
+So he procured some bears' skins, and covered himself and his
+horse with them, so that not a particle of gold could be seen, and
+then rode bravely on into the heart of the forest.
+
+When he had got some way he heard a rustling through the bushes
+and presently a sound of voices. Someone whispered on one side of
+him: ‘There goes someone,' and was answered from the other side:
+‘Oh, let him pass. He's only a bear-keeper, and as poor as any
+church mouse.' So golden lad rode through the forest and no harm
+befell him.
+
+One day he came to a village, where he saw a girl who struck him
+as being the loveliest creature in the whole world, and as he felt
+a great love for her, he went up to her and said: ‘I love you with
+all my heart; will you be my wife?' And the girl liked him so much
+that she put her hand in his and replied: ‘Yes, I will be your
+wife, and will be true to you as long as I live.'
+
+So they were married, and in the middle of all the festivities and
+rejoicings the bride's father came home and was not a little
+surprised at finding his daughter celebrating her wedding. He
+enquired: ‘And who is the bridegroom?'
+
+Then someone pointed out to him the golden lad, who was still
+wrapped up in the bear's skin, and the father exclaimed angrily:
+‘Never shall a mere bear-keeper have my daughter,' and tried to
+rush at him and kill him. But the bride did all she could to
+pacify him, and begged hard, saying: ‘After all he is my husband,
+and I love him with all my heart,' so that at length he gave in.
+
+However, he could not dismiss the thought from his mind, and next
+morning he rose very early, for he felt he must go and look at his
+daughter's husband and see whether he really was nothing better
+than a mere ragged beggar. So he went to his son-in-law's room,
+and who should he see lying in the bed but a splendid golden man,
+and the rough bearskin thrown on the ground close by. Then he
+slipped quietly away, and thought to himself, ‘How lucky that I
+managed to control my rage! I should certainly have committed a
+great crime.'
+
+Meantime the golden lad dreamt that he was out hunting and was
+giving chase to a noble stag, and when he woke he said to his
+bride: ‘I must go off and hunt.' She felt very anxious, and begged
+he would stay at home, adding: ‘Some mishap might so easily befall
+you,' but he answered, ‘I must and will go.'
+
+So he went off into the forest, and before long a fine stag, such
+as he had seen in his dream, stopped just in front of him. He took
+aim, and was about to fire when the stag bounded away. Then he
+started off in pursuit, making his way through bushes and briars,
+and never stopped all day; but in the evening the stag entirely
+disappeared, and when golden lad came to look about him he found
+himself just opposite a hut in which lived a witch. He knocked at
+the door, which was opened by a little old woman who asked, ‘What
+do you want at this late hour in the midst of this great forest?'
+
+He said, ‘Haven't you seen a stag about here?'
+
+‘Yes,' said she, ‘I know the stag well,' and as she spoke a little
+dog ran out of the house and began barking and snapping at the
+stranger.
+
+‘Be quiet, you little toad,' he cried, ‘or I'll shoot you dead.'
+
+Then the witch flew into a great rage, and screamed out, ‘What!
+you'll kill my dog, will you?' and the next moment he was turned
+to stone and lay there immovable, whilst his bride waited for him
+in vain and thought to herself, ‘Alas! no doubt the evil I feared,
+and which has made my heart so heavy, has befallen him.'
+
+Meantime, the other brother was standing near the golden lilies at
+home, when suddenly one of them bent over and fell to the ground.
+‘Good heavens!' cried he, ‘some great misfortune has befallen my
+brother. I must set off at once; perhaps I may still be in time to
+save him.'
+
+His father entreated him, ‘Stay at home. If I should lose you too,
+what would become of me?'
+
+But his son replied, ‘I must and will go.'
+
+Then he mounted his golden horse, and rode off till he reached the
+forest where his brother lay transformed to stone. The old witch
+came out of her house and called to him, for she would gladly have
+cast her spells on him too, but he took care not to go near her,
+and called out: ‘Restore my brother to life at once, or I'll shoot
+you down on the spot.'
+
+Reluctantly she touched the stone with her finger, and in a moment
+it resumed its human shape. The two golden lads fell into each
+other's arms and kissed each other with joy, and then rode off
+together to the edge of the forest, where they parted, one to
+return to his old father, and the other to his bride.
+
+When the former got home his father said, ‘I knew you had
+delivered your brother, for all of a sudden the golden lily reared
+itself up and burst into blossom.'
+
+Then they all lived happily to their lives' ends, and all things
+went well with them.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE WHITE SNAKE
+
+
+
+Not very long ago there lived a King, the fame of whose wisdom was
+spread far and wide. Nothing appeared to be unknown to him, and it
+really seemed as if tidings of the most secret matters must be
+borne to him by the winds. He had one very peculiar habit. Every
+day, after the dinner table had been cleared, and everyone had
+retired, a confidential servant brought in a dish. It was covered,
+and neither the servant nor anyone else had any idea what was on
+it, for the King never removed the cover or partook of the dish,
+till he was quite alone.
+
+This went on for some time till, one day, the servant who removed
+the dish was so overcome with curiosity, that he could not resist
+carrying it off to his own room. After carefully locking the door,
+he lifted the cover, and there he saw a white snake lying on the
+dish. On seeing it he could not restrain his desire to taste it,
+so he cut off a small piece and put it in his mouth.
+
+Hardly had it touched his tongue than he heard a strange sort of
+whispering of tiny voices outside his window. He stepped to the
+casement to listen, and found that the sound proceeded from the
+sparrows, who were talking together and telling each other all
+they had seen in the fields and woods. The piece of the white
+snake which he had eaten had enabled him to understand the
+language of animals.
+
+Now on this particular day, it so happened that the Queen lost her
+favourite ring, and suspicion fell on the confidential servant who
+had access to all parts of the palace. The King sent for him, and
+threatened him angrily, saying that if he had not found the thief
+by the next day, he should himself be taken up and tried.
+
+It was useless to assert his innocence; he was dismissed without
+ceremony. In his agitation and distress, he went down to the yard
+to think over what he could do in this trouble. Here were a number
+of ducks resting near a little stream, and pluming, themselves
+with their bills, whilst they kept up an animated conversation
+amongst themselves. The servant stood still listening to them.
+They were talking of where they had been waddling about all the
+morning, and of the good food they had found, but one of them
+remarked rather sadly, ‘There's something lying very heavy on my
+stomach, for in my haste I've swallowed a ring, which was lying
+just under the Queen's window.'
+
+No sooner did the servant hear this than he seized the duck by the
+neck, carried it off to the kitchen, and said to the cook,
+‘Suppose you kill this duck; you see she's nice and fat.'
+
+‘Yes, indeed,' said the cook, weighing the duck in his hand, ‘she
+certainly has spared no pains to stuff herself well, and must have
+been waiting for the spit for some time.' So he chopped off her
+head, and when she was opened there was the Queen's ring in her
+stomach.
+
+It was easy enough now for the servant to prove his innocence, and
+the King, feeling he had done him an injustice, and anxious to
+make some amends, desired him to ask any favour he chose, and
+promised to give him the highest post at Court he could wish for.
+
+The servant, however, declined everything, and only begged for a
+horse and some money to enable him to travel, as he was anxious to
+see something of the world.
+
+When his request was granted, he set off on his journey, and in
+the course of it he one day came to a large pond, on the edge of
+which he noticed three fishes which had got entangled in the reeds
+and were gasping for water. Though fish are generally supposed to
+be quite mute, he heard them grieving aloud at the prospect of
+dying in this wretched manner. Having a very kind heart he
+dismounted and soon set the prisoners free, and in the water once
+more. They flapped with joy, and stretching up their heads cried
+to him: ‘We will remember, and reward you for saving us.'
+
+He rode further, and after a while he thought he heard a voice in
+the sand under his feet. He paused to listen, and heard the King
+of the Ants complaining: ‘If only men with their awkward beasts
+would keep clear of us! That stupid horse is crushing my people
+mercilessly to death with his great hoofs.' The servant at once
+turned into a side path, and the Ant-King called after him, ‘We'll
+remember and reward you.'
+
+The road next led through a wood, where he saw a father and a
+mother raven standing by their nest and throwing out their young:
+‘Away with you, you young rascals!' they cried, ‘we can't feed you
+any longer. You are quite big enough to support yourselves now.'
+The poor little birds lay on the ground flapping and beating their
+wings, and shrieked, ‘We poor helpless children, feed ourselves
+indeed! Why, we can't even fly yet; what can we do but die of
+hunger?' Then the kind youth dismounted, drew his sword, and
+killing his horse left it there as food for the young ravens. They
+hopped up, satisfied their hunger, and piped: ‘We'll remember, and
+reward you!'
+
+He was now obliged to trust to his own legs, and after walking a
+long way he reached a big town. Here he found a great crowd and
+much commotion in the streets, and a herald rode about announcing,
+‘The King's daughter seeks a husband, but whoever would woo her
+must first execute a difficult task, and if he does not succeed he
+must be content to forfeit his life.' Many had risked their lives,
+but in vain. When the youth saw the King's daughter, he was so
+dazzled by her beauty, that he forgot all idea of danger, and went
+to the King to announce himself a suitor.
+
+On this he was led out to a large lake, and a gold ring was thrown
+into it before his eyes. The King desired him to dive after it,
+adding, ‘If you return without it you will be thrown back into the
+lake time after time, till you are drowned in its depths.'
+
+Everyone felt sorry for the handsome young fellow and left him
+alone on the shore. There he stood thinking and wondering what he
+could do, when all of a sudden he saw three fishes swimming along,
+and recognised them as the very same whose lives he had saved. The
+middle fish held a mussel in its mouth, which it laid at the young
+man's feet, and when he picked it up and opened it, there was the
+golden ring inside.
+
+Full of delight he brought it to the King's daughter, expecting to
+receive his promised reward. The haughty Princess, however, on
+hearing that he was not her equal by birth despised him, and
+exacted the fulfilment of a second task.
+
+She went into the garden, and with her own hands she strewed ten
+sacks full of millet all over the grass. ‘He must pick all that up
+to-morrow morning before sunrise,' she said; ‘not a grain must be
+lost.'
+
+The youth sat down in the garden and wondered how it would be
+possible for him to accomplish such a task, but he could think of
+no expedient, and sat there sadly expecting to meet his death at
+daybreak.
+
+But when the first rays of the rising sun fell on the garden, he
+saw the ten sacks all completely filled, standing there in a row,
+and not a single grain missing. The Ant-King, with his thousands
+and thousands of followers, had come during the night, and the
+grateful creatures had industriously gathered all the millet
+together and put it in the sacks.
+
+The King's daughter came down to the garden herself, and saw to
+her amazement that her suitor had accomplished the task she had
+given him. But even now she could not bend her proud heart, and
+she said, ‘Though he has executed these two tasks, yet he shall
+not be my husband till he brings me an apple from the tree of
+life.'
+
+The young man did not even know where the tree of life grew, but
+he set off, determined to walk as far as his legs would carry him,
+though he had no hope of ever finding it.
+
+After journeying through three different kingdoms he reached a
+wood one night, and lying down under a tree prepared to go to
+sleep there. Suddenly he heard a sound in the boughs, and a golden
+apple fell right into his hand. At the same moment three ravens
+flew down to him, perched on his knee and said, ‘We are the three
+young ravens whom you saved from starvation. When we grew up and
+heard you were searching for the golden apple, we flew far away
+over the seas to the end of the world, where the tree of life
+grows, and fetched the golden apple for you.'
+
+Full of joy the young man started on his way back and brought the
+golden apple to the lovely Princess, whose objections were now
+entirely silenced. They divided the apple of life and ate it
+together, and her heart grew full of love for him, so they lived
+together to a great age in undisturbed happiness.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF A CLEVER TAILOR
+
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived an exceedingly proud Princess. If any
+suitor for her hand ventured to present himself, she would give
+him some riddle or conundrum to guess, and if he failed to do so,
+he was hunted out of the town with scorn and derision. She gave
+out publicly that all comers were welcome to try their skill, and
+that whoever could solve her riddle should be her husband.
+
+Now it happened that three tailors had met together, and the two
+elder thought, that after having successfully put in so many fine
+and strong stitches with never a wrong one amongst them, they were
+certain to do the right thing here too. The third tailor was a
+lazy young scamp who did not even know his own trade properly, but
+who thought that surely luck would stand by him now, just for
+once, for, if not, what _was_ to become of him?
+
+The two others said to him, ‘You just stay at home, you'll never
+get on much with your small allowance of brains.' But the little
+tailor was not to be daunted, and said he had set his mind on it
+and meant to shift for himself, so off he started as though the
+whole world belonged to him.
+
+The three tailors arrived at Court, where they had themselves duly
+presented to the Princess, and begged she would propound her
+riddles, ‘for,' said they, ‘here were the right men at last, with
+wits so sharp and so fine you might almost thread a needle with
+them.'
+
+Then said the Princess, ‘I have on my head two different kinds of
+hair. Of what colours are they?'
+
+‘If that's all,' said the first tailor, ‘they are most likely
+black and white, like the kind of cloth we call pepper-and-salt.'
+
+‘Wrong,' said the Princess.
+
+‘Then,' said the second tailor, ‘if they are not black and white,
+no doubt they are red and brown, like my father's Sunday coat.'
+
+‘Wrong again,' said the Princess; ‘now let the third speak. I see
+he thinks he knows all about it.'
+
+Then the young tailor stepped boldly to the front and said, ‘The
+Princess has one silver and one golden hair on her head, and those
+are the two colours.'
+
+When the Princess heard this she turned quite pale, and almost
+fainted away with fear, for the little tailor had hit the mark,
+and she had firmly believed that not a soul could guess it. When
+she had recovered herself she said, ‘Don't fancy you have won me
+yet, there is something else you must do first. Below in the
+stable is a bear with whom you must spend the night, and if when I
+get up in the morning I find you still alive you shall marry me.'
+
+She quite expected to rid herself of the tailor in this way, for
+the bear had never left anyone alive who had once come within
+reach of his claws. The tailor, however, had no notion of being
+scared, but said cheerily, ‘Bravely dared is half won.'
+
+When evening came on he was taken to the stable. The bear tried to
+get at him at once and to give him a warm welcome with his great
+paws. ‘Gently, gently,' said the tailor, ‘I'll soon teach you to
+be quiet,' and he coolly drew a handful of walnuts from his pocket
+and began cracking and eating them as though he had not a care or
+anxiety in the world. When the bear saw this he began to long for
+some nuts himself. The tailor dived into his pocket and gave him a
+handful, but they were pebbles, not nuts. The bear thrust them
+into his mouth, but try as he might he could not manage to crack
+them. ‘Dear me,' thought he, ‘what a stupid fool I must be--can't
+even crack a nut,' and he said to the tailor, ‘I say, crack my
+nuts for me, will you?'
+
+‘You're a nice sort of fellow,' said the tailor; ‘the idea of
+having those great jaws and not being able even to crack a
+walnut!' So he took the stone, quickly changed it for a nut, and
+crack! it split open in a moment.
+
+‘Let me try again,' said the bear; ‘when I see the thing done it
+looks so easy I fancy I _must_ be able to manage it myself.'
+
+So the tailor gave him some more pebbles, and the bear bit and
+gnawed away as hard as he could, but I need hardly say that he did
+not succeed in cracking one of them.
+
+Presently the tailor took out a little fiddle and began playing on
+it. When the bear heard the music he could not help dancing, and
+after he had danced some time he was so pleased that he said to
+the tailor, ‘I say, is fiddling difficult?' ‘Mere child's play,'
+replied the tailor; ‘look here! you press the strings with the
+fingers of the left hand, and with the right, you draw the bow
+across them, so--then it goes as easily as possible, up and down,
+tra la la la la--‘
+
+‘Oh,' cried the bear, ‘I do wish I could play like that, then I
+could dance whenever the fancy took me. What do you think? Would
+you give me some lessons?'
+
+‘With all my heart,' said the tailor, ‘if you are sharp about it.
+But just let me look at your paws. Dear me, your nails are
+terribly long; I must really cut them first.' Then he fetched a
+pair of stocks, and the bear laid his paws on them, and the tailor
+screwed them up tight. ‘Now just wait whilst I fetch my scissors,'
+said he, and left the bear growling away to his heart's content,
+whilst he lay down in a corner and fell fast asleep.
+
+When the Princess heard the bear growling so loud that night, she
+made sure he was roaring with delight as he worried the tailor.
+
+Next morning she rose feeling quite cheerful and free from care,
+but when she looked across towards the stables, there stood the
+tailor in front of the door looking as fresh and lively as a fish
+in the water.
+
+After this it was impossible to break the promise she had made so
+publicly, so the King ordered out the state coach to take her and
+the tailor to church to be married.
+
+As they were starting, the two bad-hearted other tailors, who were
+envious of the younger one's happiness, went to the stable and
+unscrewed the bear. Off he tore after the carriage, foaming with
+rage. The Princess heard his puffing and roaring, and growing
+frightened she cried: ‘Oh dear! the bear is after us and will
+certainly catch us up!' The tailor remained quite unmoved. He
+quietly stood on his head, stuck his legs out at the carriage
+window and called out to the bear, ‘Do you see my stocks? If you
+don't go home this minute I'll screw you tight into them.'
+
+When the bear saw and heard this he turned right round and ran off
+as fast as his legs would carry him. The tailor drove on
+unmolested to church, where he and the Princess were married, and
+he lived with her many years as happy and merry as a lark. Whoever
+does not believe this story must pay a dollar.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+THE GOLDEN MERMAID
+
+
+
+A powerful king had, among many other treasures, a wonderful tree
+in his garden, which bore every year beautiful golden apples. But
+the King was never able to enjoy his treasure, for he might watch
+and guard them as he liked, as soon as they began to get ripe they
+were always stolen. At last, in despair, he sent for his three
+sons, and said to the two eldest, ‘Get yourselves ready for a
+journey. Take gold and silver with you, and a large retinue of
+servants, as beseems two noble princes, and go through the world
+till you find out who it is that steals my golden apples, and, if
+possible, bring the thief to me that I may punish him as he
+deserves.' His sons were delighted at this proposal, for they had
+long wished to see something of the world, so they got ready for
+their journey with all haste, bade their father farewell, and left
+the town.
+
+The youngest Prince was much disappointed that he too was not sent
+out on his travels; but his father wouldn't hear of his going, for
+he had always been looked upon as the stupid one of the family,
+and the King was afraid of something happening to him. But the
+Prince begged and implored so long, that at last his father
+consented to let him go, and furnished him with gold and silver as
+he had done his brothers. But he gave him the most wretched horse
+in his stable, because the foolish youth hadn't asked for a
+better. So he too set out on his journey to secure the thief, amid
+the jeers and laughter of the whole court and town.
+
+His path led him first through a wood, and he hadn't gone very far
+when he met a lean-looking wolf who stood still as he approached.
+The Prince asked him if he were hungry, and when the wolf said he
+was, he got down from his horse and said, ‘If you are really as
+you say and look, you may take my horse and eat it.'
+
+The wolf didn't wait to have the offer repeated, but set to work,
+and soon made an end of the poor beast. When the Prince saw how
+different the wolf looked when he had finished his meal, he said
+to him, ‘Now, my friend, since you have eaten up my horse, and I
+have such a long way to go, that, with the best will in the world,
+I couldn't manage it on foot, the least you can do for me is to
+act as my horse and to take me on your back.'
+
+‘Most certainly,' said the wolf, and, letting the Prince mount
+him, he trotted gaily through the wood. After they had gone a
+little way he turned round and asked his rider where he wanted to
+go to, and the Prince proceeded to tell him the whole story of the
+golden apples that had been stolen out of the King's garden, and
+how his other two brothers had set forth with many followers to
+find the thief. When he had finished his story, the wolf, who was
+in reality no wolf but a mighty magician, said he thought he could
+tell him who the thief was, and could help him to secure him.
+‘There lives,' he said, ‘in a neighbouring country, a mighty
+emperor who has a beautiful golden bird in a cage, and this is the
+creature who steals the golden apples, but it flies so fast that
+it is impossible to catch it at its theft. You must slip into the
+Emperor's palace by night and steal the bird with the cage; but be
+very careful not to touch the walls as you go out.'
+
+The following night the Prince stole into the Emperor's palace,
+and found the bird in its cage as the wolf had told him he would.
+He took hold of it carefully, but in spite of all his caution he
+touched the wall in trying to pass by some sleeping watchmen. They
+awoke at once, and, seizing him, beat him and put him into chains.
+Next day he was led before the Emperor, who at once condemned him
+to death and to be thrown into a dark dungeon till the day of his
+execution arrived.
+
+The wolf, who, of course, knew by his magic arts all that had
+happened to the Prince, turned himself at once into a mighty
+monarch with a large train of followers, and proceeded to the
+Court of the Emperor, where he was received with every show of
+honour. The Emperor and he conversed on many subjects, and, among
+other things, the stranger asked his host if he had many slaves.
+The Emperor told him he had more than he knew what to do with, and
+that a new one had been captured that very night for trying to
+steal his magic bird, but that as he had already more than enough
+to feed and support, he was going to have this last captive hanged
+next morning.
+
+‘He must have been a most daring thief,' said the King, ‘to try
+and steal the magic bird, for depend upon it the creature must
+have been well guarded. I would really like to see this bold
+rascal.' ‘By all means,' said the Emperor; and he himself led his
+guest down to the dungeon where the unfortunate Prince was kept
+prisoner. When the Emperor stepped out of the cell with the King,
+the latter turned to him and said, ‘Most mighty Emperor, I have
+been much disappointed. I had thought to find a powerful robber,
+and instead of that I have seen the most miserable creature I can
+imagine. Hanging is far too good for him. If I had to sentence him
+I should make him perform some very difficult task, under pain of
+death. If he did it so much the better for you, and if he didn't,
+matters would just be as they are now and he could still be
+hanged.' ‘Your counsel,' said the Emperor, ‘is excellent, and, as
+it happens, I've got the very thing for him to do. My nearest
+neighbour, who is also a mighty Emperor, possesses a golden horse
+which he guards most carefully. The prisoner shall be told to
+steal this horse and bring it to me.'
+
+The Prince was then let out of his dungeon, and told his life
+would be spared if he succeeded in bringing the golden horse to
+the Emperor. He did not feel very elated at this announcement, for
+he did not know how in the world he was to set about the task, and
+he started on his way weeping bitterly, and wondering what had
+made him leave his father's house and kingdom. But before he had
+gone far his friend the wolf stood before him and said, ‘Dear
+Prince, why are you so cast down? It is true you didn't succeed in
+catching the bird; but don't let that discourage you, for this
+time you will be all the more careful, and will doubtless catch
+the horse.' With these and like words the wolf comforted the
+Prince, and warned him specially not to touch the wall or let the
+horse touch it as he led it out, or he would fail in the same way
+as he had done with the bird.
+
+After a somewhat lengthy journey the Prince and the wolf came to
+the kingdom ruled over by the Emperor who possessed the golden
+horse. One evening late they reached the capital, and the wolf
+advised the Prince to set to work at once, before their presence
+in the city had aroused the watchfulness of the guards. They
+slipped unnoticed into the Emperor's stables and into the very
+place where there were the most guards, for there the wolf rightly
+surmised they would find the horse. When they came to a certain
+inner door the wolf told the Prince to remain outside, while he
+went in. In a short time he returned and said, ‘My dear Prince,
+the horse is most securely watched, but I have bewitched all the
+guards, and if you will only be careful not to touch the wall
+yourself, or let the horse touch it as you go out, there is no
+danger and the game is yours. The Prince, who had made up his mind
+to be more than cautious this time, went cheerfully to work. He
+found all the guards fast asleep, and, slipping into the horse's
+stall, he seized it by the bridle and led it out; but,
+unfortunately, before they had got quite clear of the stables a
+gadfly stung the horse and caused it to switch its tail, whereby
+it touched the wall. In a moment all the guards awoke, seized the
+Prince and beat him mercilessly with their horse-whips, after
+which they bound him with chains, and flung him into a dungeon.
+Next morning they brought him before the Emperor, who treated him
+exactly as the King with the golden bird had done, and commanded
+him to be beheaded on the following day.
+
+When the wolf-magician saw that the Prince had failed this time
+too, he transformed himself again into a mighty king, and
+proceeded with an even more gorgeous retinue than the first time
+to the Court of the Emperor. He was courteously received and
+entertained, and once more after dinner he led the conversation on
+to the subject of slaves, and in the course of it again requested
+to be allowed to see the bold robber who had dared to break into
+the Emperor's stable to steal his most valuable possession. The
+Emperor consented, and all happened exactly as it had done at the
+court of the Emperor with the golden bird; the prisoner's life was
+to be spared only on condition that within three days he should
+obtain possession of the golden mermaid, whom hitherto no mortal
+had ever approached.
+
+Very depressed by his dangerous and difficult task, the Prince
+left his gloomy prison; but, to his great joy, he met his friend
+the wolf before he had gone many miles on his journey. The cunning
+creature pretended he knew nothing of what had happened to the
+Prince, and asked him how he had fared with the horse. The Prince
+told him all about his misadventure, and the condition on which
+the Emperor had promised to spare his life. Then the wolf reminded
+him that he had twice got him out of prison, and that if he would
+only trust in him, and do exactly as he told him, he would
+certainly succeed in this last undertaking. Thereupon they bent
+their steps towards the sea, which stretched out before them, as
+far as their eyes could see, all the waves dancing and glittering
+in the bright sunshine. ‘Now,' continued the wolf, ‘I am going to
+turn myself into a boat full of the most beautiful silken
+merchandise, and you must jump boldly into the boat, and steer
+with my tail in your hand right out into the open sea. You will
+soon come upon the golden mermaid. Whatever you do, don't follow
+her if she calls you, but on the contrary say to her, "The buyer
+comes to the seller, not the seller to the buyer." After which you
+must steer towards the land, and she will follow you, for she
+won't be able to resist the beautiful wares you have on board your
+ship.'
+
+The Prince promised faithfully to do all he had been told,
+whereupon the wolf changed himself into a ship full of most
+exquisite silks, of every shade and colour imaginable. The
+astonished Prince stepped into the boat, and, holding the wolf's
+tail in his hand, he steered boldly out into the open sea, where
+the sun was gilding the blue waves with its golden rays. Soon he
+saw the golden mermaid swimming near the ship, beckoning and
+calling to him to follow her; but, mindful of the wolf's warning,
+he told her in a loud voice that if she wished to buy anything she
+must come to him. With these words he turned his magic ship round
+and steered back towards the land. The mermaid called out to him
+to stand still, but he refused to listen to her and never paused
+till he reached the sand of the shore. Here he stopped and waited
+for the mermaid, who had swum after him. When she drew near the
+boat he saw that she was far more beautiful than any mortal he had
+ever beheld. She swam round the ship for some time, and then swung
+herself gracefully on board, in order to examine the beautiful
+silken stuffs more closely. Then the Prince seized her in his
+arms, and kissing her tenderly on the cheeks and lips, he told her
+she was his for ever; at the same moment the boat turned into a
+wolf again, which so terrified the mermaid that she clung to the
+Prince for protection.
+
+So the golden mermaid was successfully caught, and she soon felt
+quite happy in her new life when she saw she had nothing to fear
+either from the Prince or the wolf--she rode on the back of the
+latter, and the Prince rode behind her. When they reached the
+country ruled over by the Emperor with the golden horse, the
+Prince jumped down, and, helping the mermaid to alight, he led her
+before the Emperor. At the sight of the beautiful mermaid and of
+the grim wolf, who stuck close to the Prince this time, the guards
+all made respectful obeisance, and soon the three stood before his
+Imperial Majesty. When the Emperor heard from the Prince how he
+had gained possession of his fair prize, he at once recognized
+that he had been helped by some magic art, and on the spot gave up
+all claim to the beautiful mermaid. ‘Dear youth,' he said,
+‘forgive me for my shameful conduct to you, and, as a sign that
+you pardon me, accept the golden horse as a present. I acknowledge
+your power to be greater even than I can understand, for you have
+succeeded in gaining possession of the golden mermaid, whom
+hitherto no mortal has ever been able to approach.' Then they all
+sat down to a huge feast, and the Prince had to relate his
+adventures all over again, to the wonder and astonishment of the
+whole company.
+
+But the Prince was wearying now to return to his own kingdom, so
+as soon as the feast was over he took farewell of the Emperor, and
+set out on his homeward way. He lifted the mermaid on to the
+golden horse, and swung himself up behind her--and so they rode on
+merrily, with the wolf trotting behind, till they came to the
+country of the Emperor with the golden bird. The renown of the
+Prince and his adventure had gone before him, and the Emperor sat
+on his throne awaiting the arrival of the Prince and his
+companions. When the three rode into the courtyard of the palace,
+they were surprised and delighted to find everything festively
+illuminated and decorated for their reception. When the Prince and
+the golden mermaid, with the wolf behind them, mounted the steps
+of the palace, the Emperor came forward to meet them, and led them
+to the throne room. At the same moment a servant appeared with the
+golden bird in its golden cage, and the Emperor begged the Prince
+to accept it with his love, and to forgive him the indignity he
+had suffered at his hands. Then the Emperor bent low before the
+beautiful mermaid, and, offering her his arm, he led her into
+dinner, closely followed by the Prince and her friend the wolf;
+the latter seating himself at table, not the least embarrassed
+that no one had invited him to do so.
+
+As soon as the sumptuous meal was over, the Prince and his mermaid
+took leave of the Emperor, and, seating themselves on the golden
+horse, continued their homeward journey. On the way the wolf
+turned to the Prince and said, ‘Dear friends, I must now bid you
+farewell, but I leave you under such happy circumstances that I
+cannot feel our parting to be a sad one.' The Prince was very
+unhappy when he heard these words, and begged the wolf to stay
+with them always; but this the good creature refused to do, though
+he thanked the Prince kindly for his invitation, and called out as
+he disappeared into the thicket, ‘Should any evil befall you, dear
+Prince, at any time, you may rely on my friendship and gratitude.'
+These were the wolf's parting words, and the Prince could not
+restrain his tears when he saw his friend vanishing in the
+distance; but one glance at his beloved mermaid soon cheered him
+up again, and they continued on their journey merrily.
+
+The news of his son's adventures had already reached his father's
+Court, and everyone was more than astonished at the success of the
+once despised Prince. His elder brothers, who had in vain gone in
+pursuit of the thief of the golden apples, were furious over their
+younger brother's good fortune, and plotted and planned how they
+were to kill him. They hid themselves in the wood through which
+the Prince had to pass on his way to the palace, and there fell on
+him, and, having beaten him to death, they carried off the golden
+horse and the golden bird. But nothing they could do would
+persuade the golden mermaid to go with them or move from the spot,
+for ever since she had left the sea, she had so attached herself
+to her Prince that she asked nothing else than to live or die with
+him.
+
+For many weeks the poor mermaid sat and watched over the dead body
+of her lover, weeping salt tears over his loss, when suddenly one
+day their old friend the wolf appeared and said, ‘Cover the
+Prince's body with all the leaves and flowers you can find in the
+wood.' The maiden did as he told her, and then the wolf breathed
+over the flowery grave, and, lo and behold! the Prince lay there
+sleeping as peacefully as a child. ‘Now you may wake him if you
+like,' said the wolf, and the mermaid bent over him and gently
+kissed the wounds his brothers had made on his forehead, and the
+Prince awoke, and you may imagine how delighted he was to find his
+beautiful mermaid beside him, though he felt a little depressed
+when he thought of the loss of the golden bird and the golden
+horse. After a time the wolf, who had likewise fallen on the
+Prince's neck, advised them to continue their journey, and once
+more the Prince and his lovely bride mounted on the faithful
+beast's back.
+
+The King's joy was great when he embraced his youngest son, for he
+had long since despaired of his return. He received the wolf and
+the beautiful golden mermaid most cordially too, and the Prince
+was made to tell his adventures all over from the beginning. The
+poor old father grew very sad when he heard of the shameful
+conduct of his elder sons, and had them called before him. They
+turned as white as death when they saw their brother, whom they
+thought they had murdered, standing beside them alive and well,
+and so startled were they that when the King asked them why they
+had behaved so wickedly to their brother they could think of no
+lie, but confessed at once that they had slain the young Prince in
+order to obtain possession of the golden horse and the golden
+bird. Their father's wrath knew no bounds, and he ordered them
+both to be banished, but he could not do enough to honour his
+youngest son, and his marriage with the beautiful mermaid was
+celebrated with much pomp and magnificence. When the festivities
+were over, the wolf bade them all farewell, and returned once more
+to his life in the woods, much to the regret of the old King and
+the young Prince and his bride.
+
+And so ended the adventures of the Prince with his friend the
+wolf.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE WAR OF THE WOLF AND THE FOX
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a man and his wife who had an old cat
+and an old dog. One day the man, whose name was Simon, said to his
+wife, whose name was Susan, ‘Why should we keep our old cat any
+longer? She never catches any mice now-a-days, and is so useless
+that I have made up my mind to drown her.'
+
+But his wife replied, ‘Don't do that, for I'm sure she could still
+catch mice.'
+
+‘Rubbish,' said Simon. ‘The mice might dance on her and she would
+never catch one. I've quite made up my mind that the next time I
+see her, I shall put her in the water.'
+
+Susan was very unhappy when she heard this, and so was the cat,
+who had been listening to the conversation behind the stove. When
+Simon went off to his work, the poor cat miawed so pitifully, and
+looked up so pathetically into Susan's face, that the woman
+quickly opened the door and said, ‘Fly for your life, my poor
+little beast, and get well away from here before your master
+returns.'
+
+The cat took her advice, and ran as quickly as her poor old legs
+would carry her into the wood, and when Simon came home, his wife
+told him that the cat had vanished.
+
+‘So much the better for her,' said Simon. ‘And now we have got rid
+of her, we must consider what we are to do with the old dog. He is
+quite deaf and blind, and invariably barks when there is no need,
+and makes no sound when there is. I think the best thing I can do
+with him is to hang him.'
+
+But soft-hearted Susan replied, ‘Please don't do so; he's surely
+not so useless as all that.'
+
+‘Don't be foolish,' said her husband. ‘The courtyard might be full
+of thieves and he'd never discover it. No, the first time I see
+him, it's all up with him, I can tell you.'
+
+Susan was very unhappy at his words, and so was the dog, who was
+lying in the corner of the room and had heard everything. As soon
+as Simon had gone to his work, he stood up and howled so
+touchingly that Susan quickly opened the door, and said ‘Fly for
+your life, poor beast, before your master gets home.' And the dog
+ran into the wood with his tail between his legs.
+
+When her husband returned, his wife told him that the dog had
+disappeared.
+
+‘That's lucky for him,' said Simon, but Susan sighed, for she had
+been very fond of the poor creature.
+
+Now it happened that the cat and dog met each other on their
+travels, and though they had not been the best of friends at home,
+they were quite glad to meet among strangers. They sat down under
+a holly tree and both poured forth their woes.
+
+Presently a fox passed by, and seeing the pair sitting together in
+a disconsolate fashion, he asked them why they sat there, and what
+they were grumbling about.
+
+The cat replied, ‘I have caught many a mouse in my day, but now
+that I am old and past work, my master wants to drown me.'
+
+And the dog said, ‘Many a night have I watched and guarded my
+master's house, and now that I am old and deaf, he wants to hang
+me.'
+
+The fox answered, ‘That's the way of the world. But I'll help you
+to get back into your master's favour, only you must first help me
+in my own troubles.'
+
+They promised to do their best, and the fox continued, ‘The wolf
+has declared war against me, and is at this moment marching to
+meet me in company with the bear and the wild boar, and to-morrow
+there will be a fierce battle between us.'
+
+‘All right,' said the dog and the cat, ‘we will stand by you, and
+if we are killed, it is at any rate better to die on the field of
+battle than to perish ignobly at home,' and they shook paws and
+concluded the bargain. The fox sent word to the wolf to meet him
+at a certain place, and the three set forth to encounter him and
+his friends.
+
+The wolf, the bear, and the wild boar arrived on the spot first,
+and when they had waited some time for the fox, the dog, and the
+cat, the bear said, ‘I'll climb up into the oak tree, and look if
+I can see them coming.'
+
+The first time he looked round he said, ‘I can see nothing,' and
+the second time he looked round he said, ‘I can still see
+nothing.' But the third time he said, ‘I see a mighty army in the
+distance, and one of the warriors has the biggest lance you ever
+saw!'
+
+This was the cat, who was marching along with her tail erect.
+
+And so they laughed and jeered, and it was so hot that the bear
+said, ‘The enemy won't be here at this rate for many hours to
+come, so I'll just curl myself up in the fork of the tree and have
+a little sleep.'
+
+And the wolf lay down under the oak, and the wild boar buried
+himself in some straw, so that nothing was seen of him but one
+ear.
+
+And while they were lying there, the fox, the cat and the dog
+arrived. When the cat saw the wild boar's ear, she pounced upon
+it, thinking it was a mouse in the straw.
+
+The wild boar got up in a dreadful fright, gave one loud grunt and
+disappeared into the wood. But the cat was even more startled than
+the boar, and, spitting with terror, she scrambled up into the
+fork of the tree, and as it happened right into the bear's face.
+Now it was the bear's turn to be alarmed, and with a mighty growl
+he jumped down from the oak and fell right on the top of the wolf
+and killed him as dead as a stone.
+
+On their way home from the war the fox caught score of mice, and
+when they reached Simon's cottage he put them all on the stove and
+said to the cat, ‘Now go and fetch one mouse after the other, and
+lay them down before your master.'
+
+‘All right,' said the cat, and did exactly as the fox told her.
+
+When Susan saw this she said to her husband, ‘Just look, here is
+our old cat back again, and see what a lot of mice she has
+caught.'
+
+‘Wonders will never cease,' cried Simon. ‘I certainly never
+thought the old cat would ever catch another mouse.'
+
+But Susan answered, ‘There, you see, I always said our cat was a
+most excellent creature--but you men always think you know best.'
+
+In the meantime the fox said to the dog, ‘Our friend Simon has
+just killed a pig; when it gets a little darker, you must go into
+the courtyard and bark with all your might.'
+
+‘All right,' said the dog, and as soon as it grew dusk he began to
+bark loudly.
+
+Susan, who heard him first, said to her husband, ‘Our dog must
+have come back, for I hear him barking lustily. Do go out and see
+what's the matter; perhaps thieves may be stealing our sausages.'
+
+But Simon answered, ‘The foolish brute is as deaf as a post and is
+always barking at nothing,' and he refused to get up.
+
+The next morning Susan got up early to go to church at the
+neighbouring town, and she thought she would take some sausages to
+her aunt who lived there. But when she went to her larder, she
+found all the sausages gone, and a great hole in the floor. She
+called out to her husband, ‘I was perfectly right. Thieves have
+been here last night, and they have not left a single sausage. Oh!
+if you had only got up when I asked you to!'
+
+Then Simon scratched his head and said, ‘I can't understand it at
+all. I certainly never believed the old dog was so quick at
+hearing.'
+
+But Susan replied, ‘I always told you our old dog was the best dog
+in the world--but as usual you thought you knew so much better.
+Men are the same all the world over.'
+
+And the fox scored a point too, for he had carried away the
+sausages himself!
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE
+
+
+
+There was once a fisherman and his wife who lived together in a
+little hut close to the sea, and the fisherman used to go down
+every day to fish; and he would fish and fish. So he used to sit
+with his rod and gaze into the shining water; and he would gaze
+and gaze.
+
+Now, once the line was pulled deep under the water, and when he
+hauled it up he hauled a large flounder with it. The flounder said
+to him, ‘Listen, fisherman. I pray you to let me go; I am not a
+real flounder, I am an enchanted Prince. What good will it do you
+if you kill me--I shall not taste nice? Put me back into the water
+and let me swim away.'
+
+‘Well,' said the man, ‘you need not make so much noise about it; I
+am sure I had much better let a flounder that can talk swim away.'
+With these words he put him back again into the shining water, and
+the flounder sank to the bottom, leaving a long streak of blood
+behind. Then the fisherman got up, and went home to his wife in
+the hut.
+
+‘Husband,' said his wife, ‘have you caught nothing to-day?'
+
+‘No,' said the man. ‘I caught a flounder who said he was an
+enchanted prince, so I let him swim away again.'
+
+‘Did you wish nothing from him?' said his wife.
+
+‘No,' said the man; ‘what should I have wished from him?'
+
+‘Ah!' said the woman, ‘it's dreadful to have to live all one's
+life in this hut that is so small and dirty; you ought to have
+wished for a cottage. Go now and call him; say to him that we
+choose to have a cottage, and he will certainly give it you.'
+
+‘Alas!' said the man, ‘why should I go down there again?'
+
+‘Why,' said his wife, ‘you caught him, and then let him go again,
+so he is sure to give you what you ask. Go down quickly.'
+
+The man did not like going at all, but as his wife was not to be
+persuaded, he went down to the sea.
+
+When he came there the sea was quite green and yellow, and was no
+longer shining. So he stood on the shore and said:
+
+‘Once a prince, but changed you be  Into a flounder in the sea.
+Come! for my wife, Ilsebel,  Wishes what I dare not tell.'
+
+Then the flounder came swimming up and said, ‘Well, what does she
+want?'
+
+‘Alas!' said the man, ‘my wife says I ought to have kept you and
+wished something from you. She does not want to live any longer in
+the hut; she would like a cottage.'
+
+‘Go home, then,' said the flounder; ‘she has it.'
+
+So the man went home, and there was his wife no longer in the hut,
+but in its place was a beautiful cottage, and his wife was sitting
+in front of the door on a bench. She took him by the hand and said
+to him, ‘Come inside, and see if this is not much better.' They
+went in, and inside the cottage was a tiny hall, and a beautiful
+sitting-room, and a bedroom in which stood a bed, a kitchen and a
+dining-room all furnished with the best of everything, and fitted
+up with every kind of tin and copper utensil. And outside was a
+little yard in which were chickens and ducks, and also a little
+garden with vegetables and fruit trees.
+
+‘See,' said the wife, ‘isn't this nice?'
+
+‘Yes,' answered her husband; ‘here we shall remain and live very
+happily.'
+
+‘We will think about that,' said his wife.
+
+With these words they had their supper and went to bed. All went
+well for a week or a fortnight, then the wife said:
+
+‘Listen, husband; the cottage is much too small, and so is the
+yard and the garden; the flounder might just as well have sent us
+a larger house. I should like to live in a great stone castle. Go
+down to the flounder, and tell him to send us a castle.'
+
+‘Ah, wife!' said the fisherman, ‘the cottage is quite good enough;
+why do we choose to live in a castle?'
+
+‘Why?' said the wife. ‘You go down; the flounder can quite well do
+that.'
+
+‘No, wife,' said the man; ‘the flounder gave us the cottage. I do
+not like to go to him again; he might take it amiss.'
+
+‘Go,' said his wife. ‘He can certainly give it us, and ought to do
+so willingly. Go at once.'
+
+The fisherman's heart was very heavy, and he did not like going.
+He said to himself, ‘It is not right.' Still, he went down.
+
+When he came to the sea, the water was all violet and dark-blue,
+and dull and thick, and no longer green and yellow, but it was
+still smooth.
+
+So he stood there and said:
+
+‘Once a prince, but changed you be  Into a flounder in the sea.
+Come! for my wife, Ilsebel,  Wishes what I dare not tell.'
+
+‘What does she want now?' said the flounder.
+
+‘Ah!' said the fisherman, half-ashamed, ‘she wants to live in a
+great stone castle.'
+
+‘Go home; she is standing before the door,' said the flounder.
+
+The fisherman went home and thought he would find no house. When
+he came near, there stood a great stone palace, and his wife was
+standing on the steps, about to enter. She took him by the hand
+and said, ‘Come inside.'
+
+Then he went with her, and inside the castle was a large hall with
+a marble floor, and there were heaps of servants who threw open
+the great doors, and the walls were covered with beautiful
+tapestry, and in the apartments were gilded chairs and tables, and
+crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and all the rooms were
+beautifully carpeted. The best of food and drink also was set
+before them when they wished to dine. And outside the house was a
+large courtyard with horse and cow stables and a coach-house--all
+fine buildings; and a splendid garden with most beautiful flowers
+and fruit, and in a park quite a league long were deer and roe and
+hares, and everything one could wish for.
+
+‘Now,' said the wife, ‘isn't this beautiful?'
+
+‘Yes, indeed,' said the fisherman. ‘Now we will stay here and live
+in this beautiful castle, and be very happy.'
+
+‘We will consider the matter,' said his wife, and they went to
+bed.
+
+The next morning the wife woke up first at daybreak, and looked
+out of the bed at the beautiful country stretched before her. Her
+husband was still sleeping, so she dug her elbows into his side
+and said:
+
+‘Husband, get up and look out of the window. Could we not become
+the king of all this land? Go down to the flounder and tell him we
+choose to be king.'
+
+‘Ah, wife!' replied her husband, ‘why should we be king? I don't
+want to be king.'
+
+‘Well,' said his wife, ‘if you don't want to be king, I will be
+king. Go down to the flounder; I will be king.'
+
+‘Alas! wife,' said the fisherman, ‘why do you want to be king? I
+can't ask him that.'
+
+‘And why not?' said his wife. ‘Go down at once. I must be king.'
+
+So the fisherman went, though much vexed that his wife wanted to
+be king. ‘It is not right! It is not right,' he thought. He did
+not wish to go, yet he went.
+
+When he came to the sea, the water was a dark-grey colour, and it
+was heaving against the shore. So he stood and said:
+
+‘Once a prince, but changed you be  Into a flounder in the sea.
+Come! for my wife, Ilsebel,  Wishes what I dare not tell.'
+
+‘What does she want now?' asked the flounder.
+
+‘Alas!' said the fisherman, ‘she wants to be king.'
+
+‘Go home; she is that already,' said the flounder.
+
+The fisherman went home, and when he came near the palace he saw
+that it had become much larger, and that it had great towers and
+splendid ornamental carving on it. A sentinel was standing before
+the gate, and there were numbers of soldiers with kettledrums and
+trumpets. And when he went into the palace, he found everything
+was of pure marble and gold, and the curtains of damask with
+tassels of gold. Then the doors of the hall flew open, and there
+stood the whole Court round his wife, who was sitting on a high
+throne of gold and diamonds; she wore a great golden crown, and
+had a sceptre of gold and precious stones in her hand, and by her
+on either side stood six pages in a row, each one a head taller
+than the other. Then he went before her and said:
+
+‘Ah, wife! are you king now?'
+
+‘Yes,' said his wife; ‘now I am king.'
+
+He stood looking at her, and when he had looked for some time, he
+said:
+
+‘Let that be enough, wife, now that you are king! Now we have
+nothing more to wish for.'
+
+‘Nay, husband,' said his wife restlessly, ‘my wishing powers are
+boundless; I cannot restrain them any longer. Go down to the
+flounder; king I am, now I must be emperor.'
+
+‘Alas! wife,' said the fisherman, ‘why do you want to be emperor?'
+
+‘Husband,' said she, ‘go to the flounder; I will be emperor.'
+
+‘Ah, wife,' he said, ‘he cannot make you emperor; I don't like to
+ask him that. There is only one emperor in the kingdom. Indeed and
+indeed he cannot make you emperor.'
+
+‘What!' said his wife. ‘I am king, and you are my husband. Will
+you go at once? Go! If he can make king he can make emperor, and
+emperor I must and will be. Go!'
+
+So he had to go. But as he went, he felt quite frightened, and he
+thought to himself, ‘This can't be right; to be emperor is too
+ambitious; the flounder will be tired out at last.'
+
+Thinking this he came to the shore. The sea was quite black and
+thick, and it was breaking high on the beach; the foam was flying
+about, and the wind was blowing; everything looked bleak. The
+fisherman was chilled with fear. He stood and said:
+
+‘Once a prince, but changed you be  Into a flounder in the sea.
+Come! for my wife, Ilsebel,  Wishes what I dare not tell.'
+
+‘What does she want now?' asked flounder.
+
+‘Alas! flounder,' he said, ‘my wife wants to be emperor.'
+
+‘Go home,' said the flounder; ‘she is that already.'
+
+So the fisherman went home, and when he came there he saw the
+whole castle was made of polished marble, ornamented with
+alabaster statues and gold. Before the gate soldiers were
+marching, blowing trumpets and beating drums. Inside the palace
+were walking barons, counts, and dukes, acting as servants; they
+opened the door, which was of beaten gold. And when he entered, he
+saw his wife upon a throne which was made out of a single block of
+gold, and which was quite six cubits high. She had on a great
+golden crown which was three yards high and set with brilliants
+and sparkling gems. In one hand she held a sceptre, and in the
+other the imperial globe, and on either side of her stood two rows
+of halberdiers, each smaller than the other, from a seven-foot
+giant to the tiniest little dwarf no higher than my little finger.
+Many princes and dukes were standing before her. The fisherman
+went up to her quietly and said:
+
+‘Wife, are you emperor now?'
+
+‘Yes,' she said, ‘I am emperor.'
+
+He stood looking at her magnificence, and when he had watched her
+for some time, said:
+
+‘Ah, wife, let that be enough, now that you are emperor.'
+
+‘Husband,' said she, ‘why are you standing there? I am emperor
+now, and I want to be pope too; go down to the flounder.'
+
+‘Alas! wife,' said the fisherman, ‘what more do you want? You
+cannot be pope; there is only one pope in Christendom, and he
+cannot make you that.'
+
+‘Husband,' she said, ‘I will be pope. Go down quickly; I must be
+pope to-day.'
+
+‘No, wife,' said the fisherman; ‘I can't ask him that. It is not
+right; it is too much. The flounder cannot make you pope.'
+
+‘Husband, what nonsense!' said his wife. ‘If he can make emperor,
+he can make, pope too. Go down this instant; I am emperor and you
+are my husband. Will you be off at once?'
+
+So he was frightened and went out; but he felt quite faint, and
+trembled and shook, and his knees and legs began to give way under
+him. The wind was blowing fiercely across the land, and the clouds
+flying across the sky looked as gloomy as if it were night; the
+leaves were being blown from the trees; the water was foaming and
+seething and dashing upon the shore, and in the distance he saw
+the ships in great distress, dancing and tossing on the waves.
+Still the sky was very blue in the middle, although at the sides
+it was an angry red as in a great storm. So he stood shuddering in
+anxiety, and said:
+
+‘Once a prince, but changed you be  Into a flounder in the sea.
+Come! for my wife, Ilsebel,  Wishes what I dare not tell.'
+
+‘Well, what does she want now?' asked the flounder.
+
+‘Alas!' said the fisherman, ‘she wants to be pope.'
+
+‘Go home, then; she is that already,' said the flounder.
+
+Then he went home, and when he came there he saw, as it were, a
+large church surrounded by palaces. He pushed his way through the
+people. The interior was lit up with thousands and thousands of
+candles, and his wife was dressed in cloth of gold and was sitting
+on a much higher throne, and she wore three great golden crowns.
+Round her were numbers of Church dignitaries, and on either side
+were standing two rows of tapers, the largest of them as tall as a
+steeple, and the smallest as tiny as a Christmas-tree candle. All
+the emperors and kings were on their knees before her, and were
+kissing her foot.
+
+‘Wife,' said the fisherman looking at her, ‘are you pope now?'
+
+‘Yes,' said she; ‘I am pope.'
+
+So he stood staring at her, and it was as if he were looking at
+the bright sun. When he had watched her for some time he said:
+
+‘Ah, wife, let it be enough now that you are pope.'
+
+But she sat as straight as a tree, and did not move or bend the
+least bit. He said again:
+
+‘Wife, be content now that you are pope. You cannot become
+anything more.'
+
+‘We will think about that,' said his wife.
+
+With these words they went to bed. But the woman was not content;
+her greed would not allow her to sleep, and she kept on thinking
+and thinking what she could still become. The fisherman slept well
+and soundly, for he had done a great deal that day, but his wife
+could not sleep at all, and turned from one side to another the
+whole night long, and thought, till she could think no longer,
+what more she could become. Then the sun began to rise, and when
+she saw the red dawn she went to the end of the bed and looked at
+it, and as she was watching the sun rise, out of the window, she
+thought, ‘Ha! could I not make the sun and man rise?'
+
+‘Husband,' said she, poking him in the ribs with her elbows, ‘wake
+up. Go down to the flounder; I will be a god.'
+
+The fisherman was still half asleep, yet he was so frightened that
+he fell out of bed. He thought he had not heard aright, and opened
+his eyes wide and said:
+
+‘What did you say, wife?'
+
+‘Husband,' she said, ‘if I cannot make the sun and man rise when I
+appear I cannot rest. I shall never have a quiet moment till I can
+make the sun and man rise.'
+
+He looked at her in horror, and a shudder ran over him.
+
+‘Go down at once; I will be a god.'
+
+‘Alas! wife,' said the fisherman, falling on his knees before her,
+‘the flounder cannot do that. Emperor and pope he can make you. I
+implore you, be content and remain pope.'
+
+Then she flew into a passion, her hair hung wildly about her face,
+she pushed him with her foot and screamed:
+
+‘I am not contented, and I shall not be contented! Will you go?'
+
+So he hurried on his clothes as fast as possible, and ran away as
+if he were mad.
+
+But the storm was raging so fiercely that he could scarcely stand.
+Houses and trees were being blown down, the mountains were being
+shaken, and pieces of rock were rolling in the sea. The sky was as
+black as ink, it was thundering and lightening, and the sea was
+tossing in great waves as high as church towers and mountains, and
+each had a white crest of foam.
+
+So he shouted, not able to hear his own voice:
+
+‘Once a prince, but changed you be  Into a flounder in the sea.
+Come! for my wife, Ilsebel,  Wishes what I dare not tell.'
+
+‘Well, what does she want now?' asked the flounder.
+
+‘Alas!' said he, ‘she wants to be a god.'
+
+‘Go home, then; she is sitting again in the hut.'
+
+And there they are sitting to this day.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE THREE MUSICIANS
+
+
+
+Once upon a time three musicians left their home and set out on
+their travels. They had all learnt music from the same master, and
+they determined to stick together and to seek their fortune in
+foreign lands. They wandered merrily from place to place and made
+quite a good living, and were much appreciated by everyone who
+heard them play. One evening they came to a village where they
+delighted all the company with their beautiful music. At last they
+ceased playing, and began to eat and drink and listen to the talk
+that was going on around them. They heard all the gossip of the
+place, and many wonderful things were related and discussed. At
+last the conversation fell on a castle in the neighbourhood, about
+which many strange and marvellous things were told. One person
+said that hidden treasure was to be found there; another that the
+richest food was always to be had there, although the castle was
+uninhabited; and a third, that an evil spirit dwelt within the
+walls, so terrible, that anyone who forced his way into the castle
+came out of it more dead than alive.
+
+As soon as the three musicians were alone in their bedroom they
+agreed to go and examine the mysterious castle, and, if possible,
+to find and carry away the hidden treasure. They determined, too,
+to make the attempt separately, one after the other, according to
+age, and they settled that a whole day was to be given to each
+adventurer in which to try his luck.
+
+The fiddler was the first to set out on his adventures, and did so
+in the best of spirits and full of courage. When he reached the
+castle he found the outer gate open, quite as if he were an
+expected guest, but no sooner had he stepped across the entry than
+the heavy door closed behind him with a bang, and was bolted with
+a huge iron bar, exactly as if a sentinel were doing his office
+and keeping watch, but no human being was to be seen anywhere. An
+awful terror overcame the fiddler; but it was hopeless to think of
+turning back or of standing still, and the hopes of finding gold
+and other treasures gave him strength and courage to force his way
+further into the castle. Upstairs and downstairs he wandered,
+through lofty halls, splendid rooms, and lovely little boudoirs,
+everything beautifully arranged, and all kept in the most perfect
+order. But the silence of death reigned everywhere, and no living
+thing, not even a fly, was to be seen. Notwithstanding, the youth
+felt his spirits return to him when he entered the lower regions
+of the castle, for in the kitchen the most tempting and delicious
+food was spread out, the cellars were full of the most costly
+wine, and the store-room crammed with pots of every sort of jam
+you can imagine. A cheerful fire was burning in the kitchen,
+before which a roast was being basted by unseen hands, and all
+kinds of vegetables and other dainty dishes were being prepared in
+like manner. Before the fiddler had time to think, he was ushered
+into a little room by invisible hands, and there a table was
+spread for him with all the delicious food he had seen cooking in
+the kitchen.
+
+The youth first seized his fiddle and played a beautiful air on it
+which echoed through the silent halls, and then he fell to and
+began to eat a hearty meal. Before long, however, the door opened
+and a tiny man stepped into the room, not more than three feet
+high, clothed in a dressing-gown, and with a small wrinkled face,
+and a grey beard which reached down to the silver buckles of his
+shoes. And the little man sat down beside the fiddler and shared
+his meal. When they got to the game course the fiddler handed the
+dwarf a knife and fork, and begged him to help himself first, and
+then to pass the dish on. The little creature nodded, but helped
+himself so clumsily that he dropped the piece of meat he had
+carved on to the floor.
+
+The good-natured fiddler bent down to pick it up, but in the
+twinkling of an eye the little man had jumped on to his back, and
+beat him till he was black and blue all over his head and body. At
+last, when the fiddler was nearly dead, the little wretch left
+off, and shoved the poor fellow out of the iron gate which he had
+entered in such good spirits a few hours before. The fresh air
+revived him a little, and in a short time he was able to stagger
+with aching limbs back to the inn where his companions were
+staying. It was night when he reached the place, and the other two
+musicians were fast asleep. The next morning they were much
+astonished at finding the fiddler in bed beside them, and
+overwhelmed him with questions; but their friend hid his back and
+face, and answered them very shortly, saying, ‘Go there
+yourselves, and see what's to be seen! It is a ticklish matter,
+that I can assure you.'
+
+The second musician, who was a trumpeter, now made his way to the
+castle, and everything happened to him exactly as it had to the
+fiddler. He was just as hospitably entertained at first, and then
+just as cruelly beaten and belaboured, so that next morning he too
+lay in his bed like a wounded hare, assuring his friends that the
+task of getting into the haunted castle was no enviable one.
+Notwithstanding the warning of his companions, the third musician,
+who played the flute, was still determined to try his luck, and,
+full of courage and daring, he set out, resolved, if possible, to
+find and secure the hidden treasure.
+
+Fearlessly he wandered the whole castle, and as he roamed through
+the splendid empty apartments he thought to himself how nice it
+would be to live there always, especially with a full larder and
+cellar at his disposal. A table was spread for him too, and when
+he had wandered about for some time, singing and playing the
+flute, he sat down as his companions had done, prepared to enjoy
+the delicious food that was spread out in front of him. Then the
+little man with the beard entered as before and seated himself
+beside the flute-player, who wasn't the least startled at his
+appearance, but chatted away to him as if he had known him all his
+life. But he didn't find his companion very communicative. At last
+they came to the game, and, as usual, the little man let his piece
+fall on the ground. The flute-player was good-naturedly just going
+to pick it up, when he perceived that the little dwarf was in the
+act of springing on his back. Then he turned round sharply, and,
+seizing the little creature by his beard, he gave him such a
+shaking that he tore his beard out, and the dwarf sank groaning to
+the ground.
+
+But as soon as the youth had the beard in his hands he felt so
+strong that he was fit for anything, and he perceived all sorts of
+things in the castle that he had not noticed before, but, on the
+other hand, all strength seemed to have gone from the little man.
+He whined and sobbed out: ‘Give, oh give me my beard again, and I
+will instruct you in all the magic art that surrounds this castle,
+and will help you to carry off the hidden treasure, which will
+make you rich and happy for ever.'
+
+But the cunning flute-player replied: ‘I will give you back your
+beard, but you must first help me as you have promised to do. Till
+you have done so, I don't let your beard out of my hands.'
+
+Then the old man found himself obliged to fulfil his promise,
+though he had had no intention of doing so, and had only desired
+to get his beard back. He made the youth follow him through dark
+secret passages, underground vaults, and grey rocks till at last
+they came to an open field, which looked as if it belonged to a
+more beautiful world than ours. Then they came to a stream of
+rushing water; but the little man drew out a wand and touched the
+waves, whereupon the waters parted and stood still, and the two
+crossed the river with dry feet. And how beautiful everything on
+the other side was! lovely green paths leading through woods and
+fields covered with flowers, birds with gold and silver feathers
+singing on the trees, lovely butterflies and glittering beetles
+fluttered and crawled about, and dear little beasts hid in the
+bushes and hedges. The sky above them was not blue, but like rays
+of pure gold, and the stars looked twice their usual size, and far
+more brilliant than on our earth.
+
+The youth grew more and more astonished when the little grey man
+led him into a castle far bigger and more splendid than the one
+they had left. Here, too, the deepest silence reigned. They
+wandered all through the castle, and came at last to a room in the
+middle of which stood a bed hung all round with heavy curtains.
+Over the bed hung a bird's cage, and the bird inside it was
+singing beautiful songs into the silent space. The little grey man
+lifted the curtains from the bed and beckoned the youth to
+approach. On the rich silk cushions embroidered with gold a lovely
+maiden lay sleeping. She was as beautiful as an angel, with golden
+hair which fell in curls over her marble shoulders, and a diamond
+crown sparkled on her forehead. But a sleep as of death held her
+in its spell, and no noise seemed able to waken the sleeper.
+
+Then the little man turned to the wondering youth and said: ‘See,
+here is the sleeping child! She is a mighty Princess. This
+splendid castle and this enchanted land are hers, but for hundreds
+of years she has slept this magic sleep, and during all that time
+no human being has been able to find their way here. I alone have
+kept guard over her, and have gone daily to my own castle to get
+food and to beat the greedy gold-seekers who forced their way into
+my dwelling. I have watched over the Princess carefully all these
+years and saw that no stranger came near her, but all my magic
+power lay in my beard, and now that you have taken it away I am
+helpless, and can no longer hold the beautiful Princess in her
+enchanted sleep, but am forced to reveal my treasured secret to
+you. So set to work and do as I tell you. Take the bird which
+hangs over the Princess's head, and which by its song sang her
+into this enchanted sleep--a song which it has had to continue
+ever since; take it and kill it, and cut its little heart out and
+burn it to a powder, and then put it into the Princess's mouth;
+then she will instantly awaken, and will bestow on you her heart
+and hand, her kingdom and castle, and all her treasures.
+
+The little dwarf paused, quite worn out, and the youth did not
+wait long to do his bidding. He did all he was told carefully and
+promptly, and having cut the little bird's heart out he proceeded
+to make it into a powder. No sooner had he placed it in the
+Princess's mouth than she opened her lovely eyes, and, looking up
+into the happy youth's face, she kissed him tenderly, thanked him
+for freeing her from her magic sleep, and promised to be his wife.
+At the same moment a sound as of thunder was heard all over the
+castle, and on all the staircases and in every room sounds were to
+be heard. Then a troop of servants, male and female, flocked into
+the apartment where the happy couple sat, and after wishing the
+Princess and her bridegroom joy, they dispersed all over the
+castle to their different occupations.
+
+But the little grey dwarf began now to demand his beard again from
+the youth, for in his wicked heart he was determined to make an
+end of all their happiness; he knew that if only his beard were
+once more on his chin, he would be able to do what he liked with
+them all. But the clever flute-player was quite a match for the
+little man in cunning, and said: ‘All right, you needn't be
+afraid, you shall get your beard back before we part; but you must
+allow my bride and me to accompany you a bit on your homeward
+way.'
+
+The dwarf could not refuse this request, and so they all went
+together through the beautiful green paths and flowery meadows,
+and came at last to the river which flowed for miles round the
+Princess's land and formed the boundary of her kingdom. There was
+no bridge or ferryboat to be seen anywhere, and it was impossible
+to get over to the other side, for the boldest swimmer would not
+have dared to brave the fierce current and roaring waters. Then
+the youth said to the dwarf: ‘Give me your wand in order that I
+may part the waves.'
+
+And the dwarf was forced to do as he was told because the youth
+still kept his beard from him; but the wicked little creature
+chuckled with joy and thought to himself: ‘The foolish youth will
+hand me my beard as soon as we have crossed the river, and then my
+power will return, and I will seize my wand and prevent them both
+ever returning to their beautiful country.'
+
+But the dwarf's wicked intentions were doomed to disappointment.
+The happy youth struck the water with his wand, and the waves at
+once parted and stood still, and the dwarf went on in front and
+crossed the stream. No sooner had he done so than the waters
+closed behind him, and the youth and his lovely bride stood safe
+on the other side. Then they threw his beard to the old man across
+the river, but they kept his wand, so that the wicked dwarf could
+never again enter their kingdom. So the happy couple returned to
+their castle, and lived there in peace and plenty for ever after.
+But the other two musicians waited in vain for the return of their
+companion; and when he never came they said: ‘Ah, he's gone to
+play the flute,' till the saying passed into a proverb, and was
+always said of anyone who set out to perform a task from which he
+never returned.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE THREE DOGS
+
+
+
+There was once upon a time a shepherd who had two children, a son
+and a daughter. When he was on his death-bed he turned to them and
+said, ‘I have nothing to leave you but three sheep and a small
+house; divide them between you, as you like, but don't quarrel
+over them whatever you do.'
+
+When the shepherd was dead, the brother asked his sister which she
+would like best, the sheep or the little house; and when she had
+chosen the house he said, ‘Then I'll take the sheep and go out to
+seek my fortune in the wide world. I don't see why I shouldn't be
+as lucky as many another who has set out on the same search, and
+it wasn't for nothing that I was born on a Sunday.'
+
+And so he started on his travels, driving his three sheep in front
+of him, and for a long time it seemed as if fortune didn't mean to
+favour him at all. One day he was sitting disconsolately at a
+cross road, when a man suddenly appeared before him with three
+black dogs, each one bigger than the other.
+
+‘Hullo, my fine fellow,' said the man, ‘I see you have three fat
+sheep. I'll tell you what; if you'll give them to me, I'll give
+you my three dogs.'
+
+In spite of his sadness, the youth smiled and replied, ‘What would
+I do with your dogs? My sheep at least feed themselves, but I
+should have to find food for the dogs.'
+
+‘My dogs are not like other dogs,' said the stranger; ‘they will
+feed you instead of you them, and will make your fortune. The
+smallest one is called "Salt," and will bring you food whenever
+you wish; the second is called "Pepper," and will tear anyone to
+pieces who offers to hurt you; and the great big strong one is
+called "Mustard," and is so powerful that it will break iron or
+steel with its teeth.'
+
+The shepherd at last let himself be persuaded, and gave the
+stranger his sheep. In order to test the truth of his statement
+about the dogs, he said at once, ‘Salt, I am hungry,' and before
+the words were out of his mouth the dog had disappeared, and
+returned in a few minutes with a large basket full of the most
+delicious food. Then the youth congratulated himself on the
+bargain he had made, and continued his journey in the best of
+spirits.
+
+One day he met a carriage and pair, all draped in black; even the
+horses were covered with black trappings, and the coachman was
+clothed in crape from top to toe. Inside the carriage sat a
+beautiful girl in a black dress crying bitterly. The horses
+advanced slowly and mournfully, with their heads bent on the
+ground.
+
+‘Coachman, what's the meaning of all this grief?' asked the
+shepherd.
+
+At first the coachman wouldn't say anything, but when the youth
+pressed him he told him that a huge dragon dwelt in the
+neighbourhood, and required yearly the sacrifice of a beautiful
+maiden. This year the lot had fallen on the King's daughter, and
+the whole country was filled with woe and lamentation in
+consequence.
+
+The shepherd felt very sorry for the lovely maiden, and determined
+to follow the carriage. In a little it halted at the foot of a
+high mountain. The girl got out, and walked slowly and sadly to
+meet her terrible fate. The coachman perceived that the shepherd
+wished to follow her, and warned him not to do so if he valued his
+life; but the shepherd wouldn't listen to his advice. When they
+had climbed about half-way up the hill they saw a terrible-looking
+monster with the body of a snake, and with huge wings and claws,
+coming towards them, breathing forth flames of fire, and preparing
+to seize its victim. Then the shepherd called, ‘Pepper, come to
+the rescue,' and the second dog set upon the dragon, and after a
+fierce struggle bit it so sharply in the neck that the monster
+rolled over, and in a few moments breathed its last. Then the dog
+ate up the body, all except its two front teeth, which the
+shepherd picked up and put in his pocket.
+
+The Princess was quite overcome with terror and joy, and fell
+fainting at the feet of her deliverer. When she recovered her
+consciousness she begged the shepherd to return with her to her
+father, who would reward him richly. But the youth answered that
+he wanted to see something of the world, and that he would return
+again in three years, and nothing would make him change this
+resolve. The Princess seated herself once more in her carriage,
+and, bidding each other farewell, she and the shepherd separated,
+she to return home, and he to see the world.
+
+But while the Princess was driving over a bridge the carriage
+suddenly stood still, and the coachman turned round to her and
+said, ‘Your deliverer has gone, and doesn't thank you for your
+gratitude. It would be nice of you to make a poor fellow happy;
+therefore you may tell your father that it was I who slew the
+dragon, and if you refuse to, I will throw you into the river, and
+no one will be any the wiser, for they will think the dragon has
+devoured you.'
+
+The maiden was in a dreadful state when she heard these words; but
+there was nothing for her to do but to swear that she would give
+out the coachman as her deliverer, and not to divulge the secret
+to anyone. So they returned to the capital, and everyone was
+delighted when they saw the Princess had returned unharmed; the
+black flags were taken down from all the palace towers, and gay-
+coloured ones put up in their place, and the King embraced his
+daughter and her supposed rescuer with tears of joy, and, turning
+to the coachman, he said, ‘You have not only saved the life of my
+child, but you have also freed the country from a terrible
+scourge; therefore, it is only fitting that you should be richly
+rewarded. Take, therefore, my daughter for your wife; but as she
+is still so young, do not let the marriage be celebrated for
+another year.'
+
+The coachman thanked the King for his graciousness, and was then
+led away to be richly dressed and instructed in all the arts and
+graces that befitted his new position. But the poor Princess wept
+bitterly, though she did not dare to confide her grief to anyone.
+When the year was over, she begged so hard for another year's
+respite that it was granted to her. But this year passed also, and
+she threw herself at her father's feet, and begged so piteously
+for one more year that the King's heart was melted, and he yielded
+to her request, much to the Princess's joy, for she knew that her
+real deliverer would appear at the end of the third year. And so
+the year passed away like the other two, and the wedding-day was
+fixed, and all the people were prepared to feast and make merry.
+
+But on the wedding-day it happened that a stranger came to the
+town with three black dogs. He asked what the meaning of all the
+feasting and fuss was, and they told him that the King's daughter
+was just going to be married to the man who had slain the terrible
+dragon. The stranger at once denounced the coachman as a liar; but
+no one would listen to him, and he was seized and thrown into a
+cell with iron doors.
+
+While he was lying on his straw pallet, pondering mournfully on
+his fate, he thought he heard the low whining of his dogs outside;
+then an idea dawned on him, and he called out as loudly as he
+could, ‘Mustard, come to my help,' and in a second he saw the paws
+of his biggest dog at the window of his cell, and before he could
+count two the creature had bitten through the iron bars and stood
+beside him. Then they both let themselves out of the prison by the
+window, and the poor youth was free once more, though he felt very
+sad when he thought that another was to enjoy the reward that
+rightfully belonged to him. He felt hungry too, so he called his
+dog ‘Salt,' and asked him to bring home some food. The faithful
+creature trotted off, and soon returned with a table-napkin full
+of the most delicious food, and the napkin itself was embroidered
+with a kingly crown.
+
+The King had just seated himself at the wedding-feast with all his
+Court, when the dog appeared and licked the Princess's hand in an
+appealing manner. With a joyful start she recognised the beast,
+and bound her own table-napkin round his neck. Then she plucked up
+her courage and told her father the whole story. The King at once
+sent a servant to follow the dog, and in a short time the stranger
+was led into the Kings presence. The former coachman grew as white
+as a sheet when he saw the shepherd, and, falling on his knees,
+begged for mercy and pardon. The Princess recognized her deliverer
+at once, and did not need the proof of the two dragon's teeth
+which he drew from his pocket. The coachman was thrown into a dark
+dungeon, and the shepherd took his place at the Princess's side,
+and this time, you may be sure, she did not beg for the wedding to
+be put off.
+
+The young couple lived for some time in great peace and happiness,
+when suddenly one day the former shepherd bethought himself of his
+poor sister and expressed a wish to see her again, and to let her
+share in his good fortune. So they sent a carriage to fetch her,
+and soon she arrived at the court, and found herself once more in
+her brother's arms. Then one of the dogs spoke and said, ‘Our task
+is done; you have no more need of us. We only waited to see that
+you did not forget your sister in your prosperity.' And with these
+words the three dogs became three birds and flew away into the
+heavens.
+
+Grimm.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Green Fairy Book
+by Andrew Lang, Ed.
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREEN FAIRY BOOK ***
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