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diff --git a/old/7gfry10.txt b/old/7gfry10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..51e954f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/7gfry10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13353 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Green Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang, Ed. + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +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: 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 *** + +This file should be named 7gfry10.txt or 7gfry10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 7gfry11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 7gfry10a.txt + +Text scanned by JC Byers. Proofreading by Wendy Crockett. + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +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 *** + +This file should be named 8gfry10.txt or 8gfry10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 8gfry11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 8gfry10a.txt + +Text scanned by JC Byers. Proofreading by Wendy Crockett. + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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