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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/7871-8.txt b/7871-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a908793 --- /dev/null +++ b/7871-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5341 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks, by +William Elliot Griffis + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + +Title: Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks + +Author: William Elliot Griffis + +Posting Date: February 12, 2015 [EBook #7871] +Release Date: April, 2005 +First Posted: May 28, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUTCH FAIRY TALES FOR YOUNG FOLKS *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Tonya Allen and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Flying out of the sky they came bringing cheeses] + + + +DUTCH FAIRY TALES FOR + +YOUNG FOLKS + +By + +WILLIAM ELLIOT GRIFFIS + +_Author of "The Firefly's Lovers," "The Unmannerly Tiger," "Brave +Little Holland," "Bonnie Scotland," etc._ + + + + +CONTENTS + + +THE ENTANGLED MERMAID + +THE BOY WHO WANTED MORE CHEESE + +THE PRINCESS WITH TWENTY PETTICOATS + +THE CAT AND THE CRADLE + +PRINCE SPIN HEAD AND MISS SNOW WHITE + +THE BOAR WITH THE GOLDEN BRISTLES + +THE ICE KING AND HIS WONDERFUL GRANDCHILD + +THE ELVES AND THEIR ANTICS + +THE KABOUTERS AND THE BELLS + +THE WOMAN WITH THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SIX CHILDREN + +THE ONI ON HIS TRAVELS + +THE LEGEND OF THE WOODEN SHOE + +THE CURLY-TAILED LION + +BRABO AND THE GIANT + +THE FARM THAT RAN AWAY AND CAME BACK + +SANTA KLAAS AND BLACK PETE + +THE GOBLINS TURNED TO STONE + +THE MOULDY PENNY + +THE GOLDEN HELMET + +WHEN WHEAT WORKED WOE + +WHY THE STORK LOVES HOLLAND + + + + + +THE ENTANGLED MERMAID + + +Long ago, in Dutch Fairy Land, there lived a young mermaid who was very +proud of her good looks. She was one of a family of mere or lake folks +dwelling not far from the sea. Her home was a great pool of water that +was half salt and half fresh, for it lay around an island near the mouth +of a river. Part of the day, when the sea tides were out, she splashed +and played, dived and swam in the soft water of the inland current. When +the ocean heaved and the salt water rushed in, the mermaid floated and +frolicked and paddled to her heart's content. Her father was a +gray-bearded merryman and very proud of his handsome daughter. He owned +an island near the river mouth, where the young mermaids held their +picnics and parties and received the visits of young merrymen. + +Her mother and two aunts were merwomen. All of these were sober folks +and attended to the business which occupies all well brought up mermaids +and merrymen. This was to keep their pool clean and nice. No frogs, +toads or eels were allowed near, but in the work of daily housecleaning, +the storks and the mermaids were great friends. + +All water-creatures that were not thought to be polite and well behaved +were expected to keep away. Even some silly birds, such as loons and +plovers and all screaming and fighting creatures with wings, were warned +off the premises, because they were not wanted. This family of merry +folks liked to have a nice, quiet time by themselves, without any rude +folks on legs, or with wings or fins from the outside. Indeed they +wished to make their pool a model, for all respectable mermaids and +merrymen, for ten leagues around. It was very funny to see the old daddy +merman, with a switch made of reeds, shooing off the saucy birds, such +as the sandpipers and screeching gulls. For the bullfrogs, too big for +the storks to swallow, and for impudent fishes, he had a whip made of +seaweed. + +Of course, all the mermaids in good society were welcome, but young +mermen were allowed to call only once a month, during the week when the +moon was full. Then the evenings were usually clear, so that when the +party broke up, the mermen could see their way in the moonlight to swim +home safely with their mermaid friends. For, there were sea monsters +that loved to plague the merefolk, and even threatened to eat them up! +The mermaids, dear creatures, had to be escorted home, but they felt +safe, for their mermen brothers and daddies were so fierce that, except +sharks, even the larger fish, such as porpoises and dolphins were afraid +to come near them. + +One day daddy and the mother left to visit some relatives near the +island of Urk. They were to be gone several days. Meanwhile, their +daughter was to have a party, her aunts being the chaperones. + +The mermaids usually held their picnics on an island in the midst of the +pool. Here they would sit and sun themselves. They talked about the +fashions and the prettiest way to dress their hair. Each one had a +pocket mirror, but where they kept these, while swimming, no mortal ever +found out. They made wreaths of bright colored seaweed, orange and +black, blue, gray and red and wore them on their brows like coronets. +Or, they twined them, along with sea berries and bubble blossoms, among +their tresses. Sometimes they made girdles of the strongest and knotted +them around their waists. + +Every once in a while they chose a queen of beauty for their ruler. Then +each of the others pretended to be a princess. Their games and sports +often lasted all day and they were very happy. + +Swimming out in the salt water, the mermaids would go in quest of +pearls, coral, ambergris and other pretty things. These they would bring +to their queen, or with them richly adorn themselves. Thus the Mermaid +Queen and her maidens made a court of beauty that was famed wherever +mermaids and merrymen lived. They often talked about human maids. + +"How funny it must be to wear clothes," said one. + +"Are they cold that they have to keep warm?" It was a little chit of a +mermaid, whose flippers had hardly begun to grow into hands, that asked +this question. + +"How can they swim with petticoats on?" asked another. + +"My brother heard that real men wear wooden shoes! These must bother +them, when on the water, to have their feet floating," said a third, +whose name was Silver Scales. "What a pity they don't have flukes like +us," and then she looked at her own glistening scaly coat in admiration. + +"I can hardly believe it," said a mermaid, that was very proud of her +fine figure and slender waist. "Their girls can't be half as pretty as +we are." + +"Well, I should like to be a real woman for a while, just to try it, and +see how it feels to walk on legs," said another, rather demurely, as if +afraid the other mermaids might not like her remark. + +They didn't. Out sounded a lusty chorus, "No! No! Horrible! What an +idea! Who wouldn't be a mermaid?" + +"Why, I've heard," cried one, "that real women have to work, wash their +husband's clothes, milk cows, dig potatoes, scrub floors and take care +of calves. Who would be a woman? Not I"--and her snub nose--since it +could not turn up--grew wide at the roots. She was sneering at the idea +that a creature in petticoats could ever look lovelier than one in +shining scales. + +"Besides," said she, "think of their big noses, and I'm told, too, that +girls have even to wear hairpins." + +At this--the very thought that any one should have to bind up their +tresses--there was a shock of disgust with some, while others clapped +their hands, partly in envy and partly in glee. + +But the funniest things the mermaids heard of were gloves, and they +laughed heartily over such things as covers for the fingers. Just for +fun, one of the little mermaids used to draw some bag-like seaweed over +her hands, to see how such things looked. + +One day, while sunning themselves in the grass on the island, one of +their number found a bush on which foxgloves grew. Plucking these, she +covered each one of her fingers with a red flower. Then, flopping over +to the other girls, she held up her gloved hands. Half in fright and +half in envy, they heard her story. + +After listening, the party was about to break up, when suddenly a young +merman splashed into view. The tide was running out and the stream low, +so he had had hard work to get through the fresh water of the river and +to the island. His eyes dropped salt water, as if he were crying. He +looked tired, while puffing and blowing, and he could hardly get his +breath. The queen of the mermaids asked him what he meant by coming +among her maids at such an hour and in such condition. + +At this the bashful merman began to blubber. Some of the mergirls put +their hands over their mouths to hide their laughing, while they winked +at each other and their eyes showed how they enjoyed the fun. To have a +merman among them, at that hour, in broad daylight, and crying, was too +much for dignity. + +"Boo-hoo, boo-hoo," and the merman still wept salt water tears, as he +tried to catch his breath. At last, he talked sensibly. He warned the +Queen that a party of horrid men, in wooden shoes, with pickaxes, spades +and pumps, were coming to drain the swamp and pump out the pool. He had +heard that they would make the river a canal and build a dyke that +should keep out the ocean. + +"Alas! alas!" cried one mermaid, wringing her hands. "Where shall we go +when our pool is destroyed? We can't live in the ocean all the time." +Then she wept copiously. The salt water tears fell from her great round +eyes in big drops. + +"Hush!" cried the Queen. "I don't believe the merman's story. He only +tells it to frighten us. It's just like him." + +In fact, the Queen suspected that the merman's story was all a sham and +that he had come among her maids with a set purpose to run off with +Silver Scales. She was one of the prettiest mermaids in the company, but +very young, vain and frivolous. It was no secret that she and the merman +were in love and wanted to get married. + +So the Queen, without even thanking him, dismissed the swimming +messenger. After dinner, the company broke up and the Queen retired to +her cave to take a long nap! She was quite tired after entertaining so +much company. Besides, since daddy and mother were away, and there were +no beaus to entertain, since it was a dark night and no moon shining on +the water, why need she get up early in the morning? + +So the Mermaid Queen slept much longer than ever before. Indeed, it was +not till near sunset the next day that she awoke. Then, taking her comb +and mirror in hand, she started to swim and splash in the pool, in order +to smooth out her tresses and get ready for supper. + +But oh, what a change from the day before! What was the matter? All +around her things looked different. The water had fallen low and the +pool was nearly empty. The river, instead of flowing, was as quiet as a +pond. Horrors! when she swam forward, what should she see but a dyke and +fences! An army of horrid men had come, when she was asleep, and built a +dam. They had fenced round the swamp and were actually beginning to dig +sluices to drain the land. Some were at work, building a windmill to +help in pumping out the water. + +The first thing she knew she had bumped her pretty nose against the dam. +She thought at once of escaping over the logs and into the sea. When she +tried to clamber over the top and get through the fence, her hair got so +entangled between the bars that she had to throw away her comb and +mirror and try to untangle her tresses. The more she tried, the worse +became the tangle. Soon her long hair was all twisted up in the timber. +In vain were her struggles to escape. She was ready to die with fright, +when she saw four horrid men rush up to seize her. She attempted to +waddle away, but her long hair held her to the post and rails. Her +modesty was so dreadfully shocked that she fainted away. + +When she came to herself, she found she was in a big long tub. A crowd +of curious little girls and boys were looking at her, for she was on +show as a great curiosity. They were bound to see her and get their +money's worth in looking, for they had paid a stiver (two cents) +admission to the show. Again, before all these eyes, her modesty was so +shocked that she gave one groan, flopped over and died in the tub. + +Woe to the poor father and mother at Urk! They came back to find their +old home gone. Unable to get into it, they swam out to sea, never +stopping till they reached Spitzbergen. + +What became of the body of the Mermaid Queen? + +Learned men came from Leyden to examine what was now only a specimen, +and to see how mermaids were made up. Then her skin was stuffed, and +glass eyes put in, where her shining orbs had been. After this, her body +was stuffed and mounted in the museum, that is, set up above a glass +case and resting upon iron rods. Artists came to Leyden to make pictures +of her and no fewer than nine noblemen copied her pretty form and +features into their coats of arms. Instead of the Mermaid's Pool is now +a cheese farm of fifty cows, a fine house and barn, and a family of +pink-cheeked, yellow-haired children who walk and play in wooden shoes. + +So this particular mermaid, all because of her entanglement in the +fence, was more famous when stuffed than when living, while all her +young friends and older relatives were forgotten. + + + + +THE BOY WHO WANTED MORE CHEESE + + +Klaas Van Bommel was a Dutch boy, twelve years old, who lived where cows +were plentiful. He was over five feet high, weighed a hundred pounds, +and had rosy cheeks. His appetite was always good and his mother +declared his stomach had no bottom. His hair was of a color half-way +between a carrot and a sweet potato. It was as thick as reeds in a swamp +and was cut level, from under one ear to another. + +Klaas stood in a pair of timber shoes, that made an awful rattle when he +ran fast to catch a rabbit, or scuffed slowly along to school over the +brick road of his village. In summer Klaas was dressed in a rough, blue +linen blouse. In winter he wore woollen breeches as wide as coffee bags. +They were called bell trousers, and in shape were like a couple of +cow-bells turned upwards. These were buttoned on to a thick warm jacket. +Until he was five years old, Klaas was dressed like his sisters. Then, +on his birthday, he had boy's clothes, with two pockets in them, of +which he was proud enough. + +Klaas was a farmer's boy. He had rye bread and fresh milk for breakfast. +At dinner time, beside cheese and bread, he was given a plate heaped +with boiled potatoes. Into these he first plunged a fork and then dipped +each round, white ball into a bowl of hot melted butter. Very quickly +then did potato and butter disappear "down the red lane." At supper, he +had bread and skim milk, left after the cream had been taken off, with a +saucer, to make butter. Twice a week the children enjoyed a bowl of +bonnyclabber or curds, with a little brown sugar sprinkled on the top. +But at every meal there was cheese, usually in thin slices, which the +boy thought not thick enough. When Klaas went to bed he usually fell +asleep as soon as his shock of yellow hair touched the pillow. In summer +time he slept till the birds began to sing, at dawn. In winter, when the +bed felt warm and Jack Frost was lively, he often heard the cows +talking, in their way, before he jumped out of his bag of straw, which +served for a mattress. The Van Bommels were not rich, but everything was +shining clean. + +There was always plenty to eat at the Van Bommels' house. Stacks of rye +bread, a yard long and thicker than a man's arm, stood on end in the +corner of the cool, stone-lined basement. The loaves of dough were put +in the oven once a week. Baking time was a great event at the Van +Bommels' and no men-folks were allowed in the kitchen on that day, +unless they were called in to help. As for the milk-pails and pans, +filled or emptied, scrubbed or set in the sun every day to dry, and the +cheeses, piled up in the pantry, they seemed sometimes enough to feed a +small army. + +But Klaas always wanted more cheese. In other ways, he was a good boy, +obedient at home, always ready to work on the cow-farm, and diligent in +school. But at the table he never had enough. Sometimes his father +laughed and asked him if he had a well, or a cave, under his jacket. + +Klaas had three younger sisters, Trintjé, Anneké and Saartjé; which is +Dutch for Kate, Annie and Sallie. These, their fond mother, who loved +them dearly, called her "orange blossoms"; but when at dinner, Klaas +would keep on, dipping his potatoes into the hot butter, while others +were all through, his mother would laugh and call him her Buttercup. But +always Klaas wanted more cheese. When unusually greedy, she twitted him +as a boy "worse than Butter-and-Eggs"; that is, as troublesome as the +yellow and white plant, called toad-flax, is to the farmer--very +pretty, but nothing but a weed. + +One summer's evening, after a good scolding, which he deserved well, +Klaas moped and, almost crying, went to bed in bad humor. He had teased +each one of his sisters to give him her bit of cheese, and this, added +to his own slice, made his stomach feel as heavy as lead. + +Klaas's bed was up in the garret. When the house was first built, one of +the red tiles of the roof had been taken out and another one, made of +glass, was put in its place. In the morning, this gave the boy light to +put on his clothes. At night, in fair weather, it supplied air to his +room. + +A gentle breeze was blowing from the pine woods on the sandy slope, not +far away. So Klaas climbed up on the stool to sniff the sweet piny +odors. He thought he saw lights dancing under the tree. One beam seemed +to approach his roof hole, and coming nearer played round the chimney. +Then it passed to and fro in front of him. It seemed to whisper in his +ear, as it moved by. It looked very much as if a hundred fire-flies had +united their cold light into one lamp. Then Klaas thought that the +strange beams bore the shape of a lovely girl, but he only laughed at +himself at the idea. Pretty soon, however, he thought the whisper became +a voice. Again, he laughed so heartily, that he forgot his moping and +the scolding his mother had given him. In fact, his eyes twinkled with +delight, when the voice gave this invitation: + +"There's plenty of cheese. Come with us." + +To make sure of it, the sleepy boy now rubbed his eyes and cocked his +ears. Again, the light-bearer spoke to him: "Come." + +Could it be? He had heard old people tell of the ladies of the wood, +that whispered and warned travellers. In fact, he himself had often seen +the "fairies' ring" in the pine woods. To this, the flame-lady was +inviting him. + +Again and again the moving, cold light circled round the red tile roof, +which the moon, then rising and peeping over the chimneys, seemed to +turn into silver plates. As the disc rose higher in the sky, he could +hardly see the moving light, that had looked like a lady; but the voice, +no longer a whisper, as at first, was now even plainer: + +"There's plenty of cheese. Come with us." + +"I'll see what it is, anyhow," said Klaas, as he drew on his thick +woolen stockings and prepared to go down-stairs and out, without waking +a soul. At the door he stepped into his wooden shoes. Just then the cat +purred and rubbed up against his shins. He jumped, for he was scared; +but looking down, for a moment, he saw the two balls of yellow fire in +her head and knew what they were. Then he sped to the pine woods and +towards the fairy ring. + +What an odd sight! At first Klaas thought it was a circle of big +fire-flies. Then he saw clearly that there were dozens of pretty +creatures, hardly as large as dolls, but as lively as crickets. They +were as full of light, as if lamps had wings. Hand in hand, they flitted +and danced around the ring of grass, as if this was fun. + +Hardly had Klaas got over his first surprise, than of a sudden he felt +himself surrounded by the fairies. Some of the strongest among them had +left the main party in the circle and come to him. He felt himself +pulled by their dainty fingers. One of them, the loveliest of all, +whispered in his ear: + +"Come, you must dance with us." + +Then a dozen of the pretty creatures murmured in chorus: + +"Plenty of cheese here. Plenty of cheese here. Come, come!" + +Upon this, the heels of Klaas seemed as light as a feather. In a moment, +with both hands clasped in those of the fairies, he was dancing in high +glee. It was as much fun as if he were at the kermiss, with a row of +boys and girls, hand in hand, swinging along the streets, as Dutch maids +and youth do, during kermiss week. + +Klaas had not time to look hard at the fairies, for he was too full of +the fun. He danced and danced, all night and until the sky in the east +began to turn, first gray and then rosy. Then he tumbled down, tired +out, and fell asleep. His head lay on the inner curve of the fairy ring, +with his feet in the centre. + +Klaas felt very happy, for he had no sense of being tired, and he did +not know he was asleep. He thought his fairy partners, who had danced +with him, were now waiting on him to bring him cheeses. With a golden +knife, they sliced them off and fed him out of their own hands. How good +it tasted! He thought now he could, and would, eat all the cheese he had +longed for all his life. There was no mother to scold him, or daddy to +shake his finger at him. How delightful! + +But by and by, he wanted to stop eating and rest a while. His jaws were +tired. His stomach seemed to be loaded with cannon-balls. He gasped for +breath. + +But the fairies would not let him stop, for Dutch fairies never get +tired. Flying out of the sky--from the north, south, east and west--they +came, bringing cheeses. These they dropped down around him, until the +piles of the round masses threatened first to enclose him as with a +wall, and then to overtop him. There were the red balls from Edam, the +pink and yellow spheres from Gouda, and the gray loaf-shaped ones from +Leyden. Down through the vista of sand, in the pine woods, he looked, +and oh, horrors! There were the tallest and strongest of the fairies +rolling along the huge, round, flat cheeses from Friesland! Any one of +these was as big as a cart wheel, and would feed a regiment. The fairies +trundled the heavy discs along, as if they were playing with hoops. They +shouted hilariously, as, with a pine stick, they beat them forward like +boys at play. Farm cheese, factory cheese, Alkmaar cheese, and, to crown +all, cheese from Limburg--which Klaas never could bear, because of its +strong odor. Soon the cakes and balls were heaped so high around him +that the boy, as he looked up, felt like a frog in a well. He groaned +when he thought the high cheese walls were tottering to fall on him. +Then he screamed, but the fairies thought he was making music. They, not +being human, do not know how a boy feels. + +At last, with a thick slice in one hand and a big hunk in the other, he +could eat no more cheese; though the fairies, led by their queen, +standing on one side, or hovering over his head, still urged him to take +more. + +At this moment, while afraid that he would burst, Klaas saw the pile of +cheeses, as big as a house, topple over. The heavy mass fell inwards +upon him. With a scream of terror, he thought himself crushed as flat as +a Friesland cheese. + +But he wasn't! Waking up and rubbing his eyes, he saw the red sun rising +on the sand-dunes. Birds were singing and the cocks were crowing all +around him, in chorus, as if saluting him. Just then also the village +clock chimed out the hour. He felt his clothes. They were wet with dew. +He sat up to look around. There were no fairies, but in his mouth was a +bunch of grass which he had been chewing lustily. + +Klaas never would tell the story of his night with the fairies, nor has +he yet settled the question whether they left him because the +cheese-house of his dream had fallen, or because daylight had come. + + + + +THE PRINCESS WITH TWENTY PETTICOATS + + +Long, long ago, before ever a blue flax-flower bloomed in Holland, and +when Dutch mothers wore wolf-skin clothes, there was a little princess, +very much beloved by her father, who was a great king, or war chief. She +was very pretty and fond of seeing herself. There were no metal mirrors +in those days, nor any looking glass. So she went into the woods and +before the pools and the deep, quiet watercourses, made reflection of +her own lovely face. Of this pleasure she never seemed weary. + +Yet sometimes this little princess was very naughty. Then her temper was +not nearly so sweet as her face. She would play in the sand and roll +around in the woods among the leaves and bushes until her curls were all +tangled up. When her nurse combed out her hair with a stone comb--for no +other kinds were then known--she would fret and scold and often stamp +her foot. When very angry, she called her nurse or governess an +"aurochs,"--a big beast like a buffalo. At this, the maid put up her +hands to her face. "Me--an aurochs! Horrible!" Then she would feel her +forehead to see if horns were growing there. + +The nurse--they called her "governess," as the years went on--grew tired +of the behavior of the bad young princess. Sometimes she went and told +her mother how naughty her daughter was, even to calling her an aurochs. +Then the little girl only showed her bad temper worse. She rolled among +the leaves all the more and mussed up her ringlets, so that the +governess could hardly comb them out smooth again. + +It seemed useless to punish the perverse little maid by boxing her ears, +pinching her arm, or giving her a good spanking. They even tried to +improve her temper by taking away her dinner, but it did no good. + +Then the governess and mother went together to her father. When they +complained of his daughter to the king, he was much worried. He could +fight strong men with his club and spear, and even giants with his sword +and battle-axe; but how to correct his little daughter, whom he loved as +his own eyes, was too much for him. He had no son and the princess was +his only child, and the hopes of the family all rested on her. The king +wondered how she would govern his people, after he should die, and she +became the queen. Yet he was glad for one thing: that, with all her +naughtiness, she was, like her father, always kind to animals. Her pet +was a little aurochs calf. Some hunters had killed the mother of the +poor little thing in winter time. So the princess kept the creature warm +and it fed out of her hand daily. + +It was in gloom and with a sad face that the king walked in the woods, +thinking how to make a sweet-tempered lady out of his petulant daughter, +who was fast growing up to be a tall, fine-looking woman. + +Now when the king had been himself a little boy, he was very kind to all +living creatures, wild and tame, dumb and with voice--yes, even to the +trees in the forest. When a prince, the boy would never let the axe men +cut down an oak until they first begged pardon of the fairy that lived +in the tree. + +There was one big oak, especially, which was near the mansion of his +father, the king. It was said that the doctors found little babies in +its leafy branches, and brought them to their mothers. The prince-boy +took great care of this tree. He was taught by a wise man to cut off the +dead limbs, keep off the worms, and warn away all people seeking to +break off branches--even for Yule-tide, which came at our Christmas +time. + +Once when some hunters had chased a young she-aurochs, with her two +calves, into the king's park, the prince, though he was then only a boy, +ran out and drove the rough fellows away. Then he sheltered and fed the +aurochs family of three, until they were fresh and fat. After this he +sent a skilled hunter to imitate the sound of an aurochs mother, to call +the aurochs father to the edge of the woods. He then let them all go +free, and was happy to see the dumb brutes frisking together. + +Now that the boy-prince was grown to be a man and had long been king, +and had forgotten all about the incident of his earlier years, he was +one day walking in the forest. + +Suddenly a gentle breeze arose and the leaves of the old oak tree began +first to rustle and then to whisper. Soon the words were clear, and the +spirit in the oak said: + +"I have seen a thousand years pass by, since I was an acorn planted +here. In a few moments I shall die and fall down. Cut my body into +staves. Of these make a wooden petticoat, like a barrel, for your +daughter. When her temper is bad, let her put it on and wear it until +she promises to be good." + +The king was sad at the thought of losing the grand old tree, under +which he had played as a boy and his fathers before him. His countenance +fell. + +"Cheer up, my friend," said the oak, "for something better shall follow. +When I pass away, you will find on this spot a blue flower growing. +Where the forest was shall be fields, on which the sun shines. Then, if +your daughter be good, young women shall spin something prettier than +wooden petticoats. Watch for the blue flower. Moreover," added the voice +of the tree, "that I may not be forgotten, do you take, henceforth, as +your family name Ten Eyck" (which, in Dutch, means "at the oak "). + +At this moment, a huge aurochs rushed into the wood. Its long hair and +shaggy mane were gray with age. The king, thinking the beast would lower +his horns and charge at him, drew his sword to fight the mighty brute +that seemed to weigh well-nigh a ton. + +But the aurochs stopped within ten feet of the king and bellowed; but, +in a minute or two, the bellowing changed to a voice and the king heard +these good words: + +"I die with the oak, for we are brothers, kept under an enchantment for +a thousand years, which is to end in a few moments. Neither a tree nor +an aurochs can forget your kindness to us, when you were a prince. As +soon as our spirits are released, and we both go back to our home in the +moon, saw off my right horn and make of it a comb for use on your +daughter's curls. It will be smoother than stone." + +In a moment a tempest arose, which drove the king for shelter behind +some rocks hard by. After a few minutes, the wind ceased and the sky was +clear. The king looked and there lay the oak, fallen at full length, and +the aurochs lay lifeless beside it. + +Just then, the king's woodmen, who were out--thinking their master +might be hurt--drew near. He ordered them to take out the right horn of +the aurochs and to split up part of the oak for slaves. The next day, +they made a wooden petticoat and a horn comb. They were such novelties +that nearly every woman in the kingdom came to see them. + +After this, the king called himself the Lord of the Land of Ten Eyck, +and ever after this was his family name, which all his descendants bore. +Whenever the princess showed bad temper, she was forced to wear the +wooden petticoat. To have the boys and girls point at her and make fun +of her was severe punishment. + +But a curious thing took place. It was found that every time the maid +combed the hair of the princess she became gentler and more sweet +tempered. She often thanked her governess and said she liked to have her +curls smoothed with the new comb. She even begged her father to let her +own one and have the comb all to herself. It was not long before she +surprised her governess and her parents by combing and curling her own +hair. In truth, such a wonderful change came over the princess that she +did not often have to wear the wooden petticoat, and after a year or +two, not at all. So the gossips nearly forgot all about it. + +One summer's day, as the princess was walking in the open, sunny space, +where the old oak had stood, she saw a blue flower. It seemed as +beautiful as it was strange. She plucked it and put it in her hair. When +she reached home, her old aunt, who had been in southern lands, declared +it to be the flower of the flax. + +During that spring, millions of tiny green blades sprang up where the +forest had been, and when summer came, the plants were half a yard high. +The women learned how to put the stalks in water and rot the coarse, +outer fibre of the flax. Then they took the silk-like strands from the +inside and spun them on their spinning-wheels. Then they wove them into +pretty cloth. + +This, when laid out on the grass, under the sunshine, was bleached +white. The flax thread was made first into linen, and then into lace. + +"Let us name the place Groen-e'-veld" (Green Field), the happy people +cried, when they saw how green the earth was where had been the dark +forest. So the place was ever after called the Green Field. + +Now when the princess saw what pretty clothes the snow white linen made, +she invented a new style of dress. The upper garment, or "rok," that is, +the one above the waist, she called the "boven rok" and the lower one, +beneath the waist, her "beneden rok." In Dutch "boven" means above and +"beneden" means beneath. By and by, when, at the looms, more of the +beautiful white linen was woven, she had a new petticoat made and put it +on. She was so delighted with this one that she wanted more. One after +the other, she belted them around her waist, until she had on twenty +petticoats at a time. Proud she was of her skirts, even though they made +her look like a barrel. When her mother, and maids, and all the women of +Groen-é-veld, young and old, saw the princess set the fashion, they all +followed. It was not always easy for poor girls, who were to be married, +to buy as many as twenty petticoats. But, as it was the fashion, every +bride had to obey the rule. It grew to be the custom to have at least +twenty; for only this number was thought proper. + +So, a new rule, even among the men, grew up. A betrothed young man, or +his female relatives assisting him, was accustomed to make a present of +one or more petticoats to his sweetheart to increase her wardrobe. + +Thus the fashion prevailed and still holds among the women of the coast. +Fat or thin, tall or short, they pile on the petticoats and swing their +skirts proudly as they walk or go to market, sell their fish, cry "fresh +herring" in the streets, or do their knitting at home, or in front of +their houses. In some parts of the country, nothing makes a girl so +happy as to present her with a new petticoat. It is the fashion to have +a figure like a barrel and wear one's clothes so as to look like a small +hogshead. + +By and by, the men built a dam to get plenty of water in winter for the +rotting of the flax stalks. The linen industry made the people rich. In +time, a city sprang up, which they called Rotterdam, or the dam where +they rotted the flax. + +And, because where had been a forest of oaks, with the pool and rivulet, +there was now a silvery stream flowing gently between verdant meadows, +they made the arms and seal of the city green and white, two of the +former and one of the latter; that is, verdure and silver. To this day, +on the arms and flags of the great city, and on the high smoke-stacks of +the mighty steamers that cross the ocean, from land to land, one sees +the wide, white band between the two broad stripes of green. + +[Illustration: ON AND ON THE RAGING FLOOD BORE THEM UNTIL DARK NIGHT CAME +DOWN] + + + + +THE CAT AND THE CRADLE + + +In the early ages, when our far-off ancestors lived in the woods, ate +acorns, slept in caves, and dressed in the skins of wild animals, they +had no horses, cows or cats. Their only pets and helpers were dogs. The +men and the dogs were more like each other than they are now. + +However, they knew about bees. So the women gathered honey and from it +they made mead. Not having any sugar, the children enjoyed tasting honey +more than anything else, and it was the only sweet thing they had. + +By and by, cows were brought into the country and the Dutch soil being +good for grass, the cows had plenty to eat. When these animals +multiplied, the people drank milk and learned to make cheese and butter. +So the Dutch boys and girls grew fat and healthy. + +The oxen were so strong that they could pull logs of wood or draw a +plough. So, little by little, the forests were cut down and grassy +meadows, full of bright colored flowers, took their place. Houses were +built and the people were rich and happy. + +Yet there were still many cruel men and bad people in the land. +Sometimes, too, floods came and drowned the cattle and covered the +fields with sand, or salt water. In such times, food was very scarce. +Thus it happened that not all the babies born could live, or every +little child be fed. The baby girls especially were often left to die, +because war was common and only boys, that grew into strong warriors, +were wanted. + +It grew to be a custom that families would hold a council and decide +whether the baby should be raised or not. But if any one should give the +infant even a tiny drop of milk, or food of any kind, it was allowed to +live and grow up. If no one gave it milk or honey, it died. No matter +how much a mother might love her baby, she was not allowed to put milk +to its lips, if the grandmother or elders forbade it. The young bride, +coming into her husband's home, always had to obey his mother, for she +was now as a daughter and one of the family. All lived together in one +house, and the grandmother ruled all the women and girls that were under +one roof. + +This was the way of the world, when our ancestors were pagans, and not +always as kind to little babies as our own mothers and fathers are now. +Many times was the old grandmother angry, when her son had taken a wife +and a girl was born. If the old woman expected a grandson, who should +grow up and be a fighter, with sword and spear, and it turned out to be +a girl, she was mad as fire. Often the pretty bride, brought into the +house, had a hard time of it, with her husband's mother, if she did not +in time have a baby boy. In those days a "Herman," a "War Man" and +"German" were one and the same word. + +Now when the good missionaries came into Friesland, one of the first of +the families to receive the gospel was one named Altfrid. With his +bride, who also became a Christian, Altfrid helped the missionary to +build a church. By and by, a sweet little baby was born in the family +and the parents were very happy. They loved the little thing sent from +God, as fathers and mothers love their children now. + +But when some one went and told the pagan grandmother that the new baby +was a girl instead of a boy, the old woman flew into a rage and would +have gone at once to get hold of the baby and put it to death. Her +lameness, however, made her move slowly, and she could not find her +crutch; for the midwife, who knew the bad temper of the grandmother, had +purposely hid it. The old woman was angry, because she did not want any +more females in the big house, where she thought there were already too +many mouths to fill. Food was hard to get, and there were not enough war +men to defend the tribe. She meant to get the new baby and throw it to +the wolves. The old grandmother was a pagan and still worshipped the +cruel gods that loved fighting. She hated the new religion, because it +taught gentleness and peace. + +But the midwife, who was a neighbor, feared that the old woman was +malicious and she had hid her crutch. This she did, so that if the baby +was a girl, she could save its life. The midwife was a good woman, who +had been taught that the Great Creator loves little girls as well as +boys. + +So when the midwife heard the grandmother storm and rave, while hunting +for her crutch, she ran first to the honey jar, dipped her forefinger in +it and put some drops of honey on the baby's tongue. Then she passed it +out the window to some women friends, who were waiting outside. She knew +the law, that if a child tasted food, it must be allowed to live. + +The kind women took the baby to their home and fed it carefully. A hole +was drilled in the small end of a cow's horn and the warm milk, fresh +from the cow, was allowed to fall, drop by drop, into the baby's mouth. +In a few days the little one was able to suck its breakfast slowly out +of the horn, while one of the girls held it. So the baby grew bigger +every day. All the time it was carefully hidden. + +The foolish old grandmother was foiled, for she could never find out +where the baby girl was, which all the time was growing strong and +plump. Her father secretly made her a cradle and he and the babe's +mother came often to see their child. Every one called her Honig-je', or +Little Honey. + +Now about this time, cats were brought into the country and the children +made such pets of them that some of the cows seemed to be jealous of the +attentions paid to Pussy and the kittens. These were the days when cows +and people all lived under one long roof. The children learned to tell +the time of day, whether it was morning, noon or night by looking into +the cats' eyes. These seemed to open and shut, very much as if they had +doors. + +The fat pussy, which was brought into the house where Honig-je' was, +seemed to be very fond of the little girl, and the two, the cat and the +child, played much together. It was often said that the cat loved the +baby even more than her own kittens. Every one called the affectionate +animal by the nickname of Dub-belt-je', which means Little Double; +because this puss was twice as loving as most cat mothers are. When her +own furry little babies were very young, she carried them from one place +to another in her mouth. But this way, of holding kittens, she never +tried on the baby. She seemed to know better. Indeed, Dub-belt-je' often +wondered why human babies were born so naked and helpless; for at an age +when her kittens could feed themselves and run about and play with their +tails and with each other, Honig-je' was not yet able to crawl. + +But other dangers were in store for the little girl. One day, when the +men were out hunting, and the women went to the woods to gather nuts and +acorns, a great flood came. The waters washed away the houses, so that +everything floated into the great river, and then down towards the sea. + +What had, what would, become of our baby? So thought the parents of +Honig-je', when they came back to find the houses swept away and no sign +of their little daughter. Dub-belt-je' and her kittens, and all the +cows, were gone too. + +Now it had happened that when the flood came and the house crashed down, +baby was sound asleep. The cat, leaving its kittens, that were now +pretty well grown up, leaped up and on to the top of the cradle and the +two floated off together. Pretty soon they found themselves left alone, +with nothing in sight that was familiar, except one funny thing. That +was a wooden shoe, in which was a fuzzy little yellow chicken hardly +four days old. It had been playing in the shoe, when the floods came +and swept it off from under the very beak of the old hen, that, with all +her other chicks, was speedily drowned. + +On and on, the raging flood bore baby and puss, until dark night came +down. For hours more they drifted until, happily, the cradle was swept +into an eddy in front of a village. There it spun round and round, and +might soon have been borne into the greater flood, which seemed to roar +louder as the waters rose. + +Now a cat can see sometimes in the night, better even than in the day, +for the darker it becomes, the wider open the eyes of puss. In bright +sunshine, at noon, the inside doors of the cat's eyes close to a narrow +slit, while at night these doors open wide. That is the reason why, in +the days before clocks and watches were made, the children could tell +about the time of day by looking at the cat's eyes. Sometimes they named +their pussy Klok'-oog, which means Clock Eye, or Bell Eye, for bell +clocks are older than clocks with a dial, and because in Holland the +bells ring out the hours and quarter hours. + +Puss looked up and saw the church tower looming up in the dark. At once +she began to meouw and caterwaul with all her might. She hoped that some +one in one of the houses near the river bank might catch the sound. But +none seemed to hear or heed. At last, when Puss was nearly dead with +howling, a light appeared at one of the windows. This showed that some +one was up and moving. It was a boy, who was named Dirck, after the +saint Theodoric, who had first, long ago, built a church in the village. +Then Puss opened her mouth and lungs again and set up a regular +cat-scream. This wakened all her other relatives in the village and +every Tom and Kitty made answer, until there was a cat concert of meouws +and caterwauls. + +The boy heard, rushed down-stairs, and, opening the door, listened. The +wind blew out his candle, but the brave lad was guided by the sound +which Pussy made. Reaching the bank, he threw off his wooden klomps, +plunged into the boiling waters, and, seizing the cradle, towed it +ashore. Then he woke up his mother and showed her his prize. The way +that baby laughed and crowed, and patted the horn of milk, and kicked up +its toes in delight over the warm milk, which was brought, was a joy to +see. Near the hearth, in the middle of the floor, Dub-belt-je', the +puss, was given some straw for a bed and, after purring joyfully, was +soon, like the baby, sound asleep. + +Thus the cat warned the boy, and the boy saved the baby, that was very +welcome in a family where there were no girls, but only a boy. When +Honig-je' grew up to be a young woman, she looked as lovely as a +princess and in the church was married to Dirck! It was the month of +April and all the world was waking to flowers, when the wedding +procession came out of the church and the air was sweet with the opening +of the buds. + +Before the next New Year's day arrived, there lay in the same cradle, +and put to sleep over the same rockers, a baby boy. When they brought +him to the font, the good grandmother named him Luid-i-ger. He grew up +to be the great missionary, whose name in Friesland is, even today, +after a thousand years, a household word. He it was who drove out bad +fairies, vile enchanters, wicked spirits and terrible diseases. Best of +all, he banished "eye-bite," which was the name the people gave to +witchcraft. Luid-i-ger, also, made it hard for the naughty elves and +sprites that delude men. + +After this, it was easy for all the good spirits, that live in kind +hearts and noble lives, to multiply and prosper. The wolves were driven +away or killed off and became very few, while the cattle and sheep +multiplied, until everybody could have a woollen coat, and there was a +cow to every person in the land. + +But the people still suffered from the floods, that from time to time +drowned the cattle and human beings, and the ebb tides, that carried +everything out to sea. Then the good missionary taught the men how to +build dykes, that kept out the ocean and made the water of the rivers +stay between the banks. The floods became fewer and fewer and at last +rarely happened. Then Santa Klaas arrived, to keep alive in the hearts +of the people the spirit of love and kindness and good cheer forever. + +At last, when nearly a hundred years had passed away, Honig-je', once +the girl baby, and then the dear old lady, who was kind to everybody and +prepared the way for Santa Klaas, died. Then, also, Dub-belt-je' the +cat, that had nine lives in one, died with her. They buried the old lady +under the church floor and stuffed the pussy that everybody, kittens, +boys, girls and people loved. By and by, when the cat's tail and fur +fell to pieces, and ears tumbled off, and its glass eyes dropped out, a +skilful artist chiselled a statue of Dub-belt-je', which still stands +over the tomb in the church. Every year, on Santa Klaas day, December +sixth, the children put a new collar around its neck and talk about the +cat that saved a baby's life. + + + + +PRINCE SPIN HEAD AND MISS SNOW WHITE + + +Long, long ago, before the Romans came into the land and when the +fairies ruled in the forest, there was a maiden who lived under an oak +tree. When she was a baby they called her Bundlekin. She had four +brothers, who loved their younger sister very dearly and did everything +they could to make her happy. Her fat father was a famous hunter. When +he roamed the woods, no bear, wolf, aurochs, roebuck, deer, or big +animal of any kind, could escape from his arrows, his spear, or his +pit-trap. He taught his sons to be skilful in the chase, but also to be +kind to the dumb creatures when captured. Especially when the mother +beast was killed, the boys were always told to care for the cubs, whelps +and kittens. As for the smaller animals, foxes, hares, weasels, rabbits +and ermine, these were so numerous, that the father left the business of +hunting them to the lads, who had great sport. + +The house under the oak tree was always well provided with meat and +furs. The four brothers brought the little animals, which they took in +the woods, to make presents to their sister. So there was always a +plenty of pets, bear and wolf cubs, wildcats' kittens and baby aurochs +for the girl to play with. Every day, while the animals were so young as +to be fed on milk, she enjoyed frolicking with the four-footed babies. +When they grew bigger, she romped and sported with them, as if she and +they were equal members of the same family. The older brother watched +carefully, so that the little brutes, as they increased in size, should +not bite or claw his sister, for he knew the fierce nature that was in +wild creatures. Yet the maiden had wonderful power over these beasts of +the forest, whether little or big. She was not very much afraid of them +and often made them run, by looking at them hard in the eye. + +While the girl made a pet of the animals, her parents made a pet of her. +The mother prepared the skins of the wolves and bears, until these were +very soft, keeping the fur on, to make rugs for the floor, and winter +coats for her children. The hides of the aurochs sufficed for rougher +use, but from what had once been the clothes of the fawn, the weasel, +the rabbit, and the ermine, garments were made that were smooth enough +to suit a baby's tender flesh. The forest folk wrapped their infants in +swaddling hands made of these dressed pelts. After feeding the darling, +a mother hung her baby up, warmly covered, to a tree branch. The cradle, +which was a furry bag, was made of the same material and swung in the +wind. + +Bundlekin usually fell asleep right after she had had her breakfast. +When she woke up crowing, the squirrels were playing all around her. She +even learned to watch the spiders, spinning their houses of silk, +without being afraid. When Bundlekin grew up, she always called this +curious creature, that could make silk, Spin Head. She jokingly called +it her lover, in remembrance of baby days. + +It was funny to see how deft the mother was with her needles, fashioned +from bone, and her rough thread, which was made of the intestines of the +deer. From her own childhood in the woods, Bundlekin's mother had been +used to this kind of dressmaking. Now, when her daughter had grown, from +babyhood and through her teens, to be a lovely maiden, fair of face and +strong of limb, her sweet, unselfish parent was equal to new tasks. To +the soft leather coats, made from the skins of fawns, martens, and +weasels, she added trimmings of snow white ermine. Caps and mittens, +cloaks for the body, and coverings for the feet, were fashioned to fit +neatly. Fringes, here and there, were put on them, until her girl looked +like a king's daughter. In summer, the skins of birds and their feathers +clothed her lightly, and with many and rich colors, while the forest +flowers decked her hair. + +In winter, in her white forest robes, the maiden, except for her rosy +face and sparkling eyes, seemed as if she might have been born of the +snow, or was a daughter of the northern ice god at Ulrum. And because +she was so lovely, her parents changed her baby name and called her +Dri'-fa, which means Snow White. + +Yet, though no other girl in Gelderland equalled, and none, not even the +princesses, excelled Snow White in beauty of face, form, or raiment, the +maiden was not happy, even though many lovers came to her and offered to +marry her. Some, as proof of their skill as hunters, brought the finest +furs the forest furnished. Others showed their strength or fleetness of +foot. Some bargained with the kabouters, or fairies of the mines, to +bring them shining ore or precious gems which they offered to Snow +White. Others, again, went afar to get strange wonders, amber and +ambergris, from the seashores of the far north to please her. One fine +fellow, who had been in the south and was proud of his travels, told her +of what he had seen in the great cities, and offered her a necklace of +pearls. + +But all was in vain. Every lover went away sorrowful, for Snow White +wearied of them and sent each one home, disappointed. + +Last of all, among the lovers came a strange looking one, named Spin +Head, resembling a spider, promising a secret worth more than furs, +gold, gems, or necklace; but the mother, seeing the ugly creature, drove +it off with hard words. + +So the months and years passed, until her father feared he would not +live to see his daughter a wife. + +But one day, when all in the household were absent, the leaves of the +oak tree rustled loudly. There was no wind, and Snow White, surprised, +strained her ears to find out what this might mean. Soon she could make +out these words: + +"When the spider, that you called Spin Head, comes to make love to you, +listen to him. He is the wisest being in all the forest. He knows the +future. He will tell you a secret. I shall pass away, but what he +teaches you shall live." + +Then the leaves of the oak ceased to rustle and all was quiet and still +again. + +While wondering what this message might mean, down came the real spider +she had named Spin Head. He lowered himself from a tree branch, high +above on a silken thread. The creature sat down on the log beside the +maiden; but she was not in the least startled and did not scream nor run +away. Indeed, she spoke to the spider as an old friend: + +"Well, playmate of my babyhood, what have you to tell me?" + +"I came to offer you my love. You need not marry me yet, but if you will +let me spin a web in your room, I shall live there, and, by and by, +reward you. Let me be in your sight always, and you will not be sorry +for it." + +The maiden had no sooner agreed than a terrible tempest uprooted the oak +and levelled the trees of the forest. In a moment more, a new and very +beautiful house rose up out of the ground. It was as noble to look at as +a palace. Near by was a garden, and one day when she walked in it, out +of it sprang a blue flower, almost under her feet. + +"Choose the best room for your own self," said Spin Head, "and then show +me my corner. After a hundred days, if you treat me kindly, I shall +reveal the secret of that blue flower." + +Dri'-fa, the maiden, chose the sunniest room, and gave Spin Head the +best corner, near the window and close to the ceiling. At once he began +to weave a shining web for his own house. She wondered at such fine +work, which no human weaver could excel, and why she was not able to +spin silk out of her head, nor even with her fingers, like her strange +lover. But the oak had promised that Spin Head would reveal a secret, +and she was curious to know what it was. Like all girls, she was in a +hurry to have the secret. To ease her impatience, Dri'-fa looked on, +while Spin Head was thus busy at making his dwelling place, with shining +threads which he spun out, never ceasing. She was so intent upon +watching him that night came down before she noticed that her room was +not furnished. There was not even a bed to sleep on. + +Spin Head looked at her closely and then spoke with a deep voice, like a +man's: + +"Ah, I know, you want a bed, and pretty things for your room." + +In another moment, soft furs lined the floor, and soon all that Dri'-fa +had possessed in the forest for comfort she had now, and more. Lost in +wonder as she was, in a few minutes she was fast asleep. + +She dreamed she wore a dress of some strange, new, white fabric, such as +her people had never seen before. Instead of being close in texture, +like the skin of an animal, it was as open work, full of thousands of +little holes, yet strongly held together. It was light and gauzy, like a +silvery spider's web on the summer grass before sunrise, when pearly +with dewdrops. + +The hundred days were passing swiftly by, and Spin Head and Snow White +had become fast friends. Each lived in a different world--a world within +a world. She was waiting for the secret he would tell her. She bravely +resolved not to be impatient, but let Spin Head speak first. + +One day, when autumn had come and she was lonely, she sauntered out into +the garden. The chill winds were blowing and the leaves falling, till +they covered the ground like a yellow carpet. One fell into her hand, as +if it bore words of friendly greeting. Yet, though she waited, not one +of the millions of them brought a message to her! Never a word had she +ever heard from her parents and brothers! The blue flower had long ago +fallen away and there was nothing in its place but a hard, rough, black +stalk. Then she said to herself: + +"Is there anything in this ugly stick? How will Spin Head reveal his +secret?" Never had she been so cast down. + +Again the tempest howled. All the winds of heaven seemed to have broken +loose. Many a sturdy oak lay prostrate. The leaves darkened the air, so +that Snow White could see nothing. Then there was a great calm. The maid +cleared her sight, and lo! there, beside her, stood a youth, more +beautiful than any of her brothers, or her lovers, or any man she had +ever seen. He was dressed in fine white clothing, excelling in its +texture any skin of fawn, or animal of the forest. Instead of being +leather, however soft, it seemed woven of a multitude of threads. In his +hand he held the black stalk of what had been the blue flower. + +"I am Spin Head," he said. "The hundred days are over. The spell is +broken and my deliverance from enchantment has come. I bring to you, as +my gift, this ugly stalk, on which the blue flower bloomed." + +Between surprise at the change of Spin Head from a spider to a handsome +youth, and disappointment at such a present offered her, Snow White was +dumb. She could hardly draw her breath. Was that all? + +"Break it open," said Spin Head. + +Splitting the stalk from end to end, the maiden was surprised to find +inside many long silky fibres, almost as fine as the strands in a +spider's web. She pulled them out and her eyes danced with joy. + +"Plant the seed and let the blue flowers blossom by the million," said +the youth. "Then gather the stalks and, from the fibres, weave them +together and make this. The black rod is a sceptre of wealth." + +Then, separating the delicate strands one by one, Spin Head wove them +together. The result was a rich robe, of a snow white fabric, never seen +in the forest. It was linen. + +Snow White clapped her hands with joy. + +"'Tis for your wedding dress, if you will marry me," said Spin Head. + +Snow White's cheeks blushed red, but she looked at him and her eyes said +"yes." + +"Wait," said Spin Head. "I'll make you a bridal veil." + +Once more his fingers wrought wonders. He produced yards of a gauzy, +open work stuff. He made it float in the air first. Then he threw it +over her head. It trailed down her back and covered her rosy face. It +was lace. + +Happily married, they left the forest and travelled into the land where +the blue flax flowers made a new sky on the earth. Soon on the map men +read the names of cities unknown before. At a time when Europe had no +such masses of happy people, joyous in their toil, Courtrai, Tournay, +Ypres, Ghent, and Bruges told what the blue flower of the flax had done +for the country. More than gold, gems, or the wealth of forest or mine, +was the gift of Spin Head to Snow White, for the making of Belgic Land. + + + + +THE BOAR WITH THE GOLDEN BRISTLES + + +Long, long ago, there were brave fighters and skilful hunters in +Holland, but neither men nor women ever dreamed that food was to be got +out of the ground, but only from the trees and bushes, such as berries, +acorns and honey. They thought the crust of the earth was too hard to be +broken up for seed, even if they knew what grain and bread were. They +supposed that what nature provided in the forest was the only food for +men. Besides this, they made their women do all the work and cook the +acorns and brew the honey into mead, while they went out to fish and +hunt and fight. + +So the fairies took pity on the cold, northern people, who lived where +it rained and snowed a great deal. They held a council and agreed that +it was time to send down to the earth an animal, with tusks, to tear up +the ground. Then the people would see the riches of the earth and learn +what soil was. They would be blessed with farms and gardens, barns and +stalls, hay and grain, horses and cattle, wheat and barley, pigs and +clover. + +Now there were powerful fairies, of a certain kind, who lived in a Happy +Land far, far away, who had charge of everything in the air and water. +One of them was named Fro, who became lord of the summer sunshine and +warm showers, that make all things grow. It was in this bright region +that the white elves lived. + +It was a pretty custom in fairy-land that when a fairy baby cut its +first tooth, the mother's friends should make the little one some pretty +present. + +When Nerthus, the mother of the infant Fro, looked into its mouth and +saw the little white thing that had come up through the baby's gums, she +went in great glee and told the glad news to all the other fairies. It +was a great event and she tried to guess what present her wonderful +boy-baby should receive. + +There was one giant-like fairy as strong as a polar bear, who agreed to +get, for little Fro, a creature that could put his nose under the sod +and root up the ground. In this way he would show men what the earth, +just under its surface, contained, without their going into mines and +caverns. + +One day this giant fairy heard two stout dwarfs talking loudly in the +region under the earth. They were boasting as to which could beat the +other at the fire and bellows, for both were blacksmiths. One was the +king of the dwarfs, who made a bet that he could excel the other. So he +set them to work as rivals, while a third dwarf worked the bellows. The +dwarf-king threw some gold in the flames to melt; but, fearing he might +not win the bet, he went away to get other fairies to help him. He told +the bellows dwarf to keep on pumping air on the fire, no matter what +might happen to him. + +So when one giant fairy, in the form of a gadfly, flew at him, and bit +him in the hand, the bellows-blower did not stop for the pain, but kept +on until the fire roared loudly, as to make the cavern echo. Then all +the gold melted and could be transformed. As soon as the dwarf-king came +back, the bellows-blower took up the tongs and drew out of the fire a +boar having golden bristles. + +This fire-born golden boar had the power of travelling through the air +as swiftly as a streak of lightning. It was named Gullin, or Golden, and +was given to the fairy Fro, and he, when grown, used the wonderful +creature as his steed. All the other good fairies and the elves +rejoiced, because men on the earth would now be helped to do great +things. + +Even more wonderful to tell, this fire-born creature became the father +of all the animals that have tusks and that roam in the woods. A tusk is +a big tooth, of which the hardest and sharpest part grows, long and +sharp, outside of the mouth and it stays there, even when the mouth is +shut. + +When Gullin was not occupied, or being ridden by Fro on his errands over +the world, he taught his sons, that is, the wild boars of the forest, +how to root up the ground and make it soft for things to grow in. Then +his master Fro sent the sunbeams and the warm showers to make the +turned-up earth fruitful. + +To do this, the wild boars were given two long tusks, as pointed as +needles and sharp as knives. With one sweep of his head a boar could rip +open a dog or a wolf, a bull or a bear, or furrow the earth like a +ploughshare. + +Now there were several cousins in the Tusk family. The elephant on land, +and the walrus and narwhal in the seas; but none of these could plough +ground, but because the boar's tusks grew out so long and were so sharp, +and hooked at the end, it could tear open the earth's hard crust and +root up the ground. This made a soil fit for tender plants to grow in, +and even the wild flowers sprang up in them. + +All this, when they first noticed it, was very wonderful to human +beings. The children called one to the other to come and see the unusual +sight. The little troughs, made first by the ripping of the boar's +tusks, were widened by rooting with their snouts. These were welcomed by +the birds, for they hopped into the lines thus made, to feed on the +worms. So the birds, supposing that these little gutters in the ground +were made especially for them, made great friends with the boars. They +would even perch near by, or fly to their backs, and ride on them. + +As for the men fathers, when they looked at the clods and the loose +earth thus turned over, they found them to be very soft. So the women +and girls were able to break them up with their sticks. Then the seeds, +dropped by the birds that came flying back every spring time, from +far-away lands, sprouted. It was noticed that new kinds of plants grew +up, which had stalks. In the heads or ears of these were a hundredfold +more seeds. When the children tasted them, they found, to their delight, +that the little grains were good to eat. They swallowed them whole, they +roasted them at the fire, or they pounded them with stones. Then they +baked the meal thus made or made it into mush, eating it with honey. + +For the first time people in the Dutch world had bread. When they added +the honey, brought by the bees, they had sweet cakes with mead. Then, +saving the seeds over, from one summer to another, they in the spring +time planted them in the little trenches made by the animal's tusks. +Then the Dutch words for "boar" and "row" were put together, meaning +boar row, and there issued, in time, our word "furrow." + +The women were the first to become skilful in baking. In the beginning +they used hot stones on which to lay the lump of meal, or flour and +water, or the batter. Then having learned about yeast, which "raised" +the flour, that is, lifted it up, with gas and bubbles, they made real +bread and cakes and baked them in the ovens which the men had made. When +they put a slice of meat between upper and lower layers of bread, they +called it "broodje," that is, little bread; or, sandwich. In time, +instead of one kind of bread, or cake, they had a dozen or twenty +different sorts, besides griddle cakes and waffles. + +Now when the wise men of the mark, or neighborhood, saw that the women +did such wonderful things, they put their heads together and said one to +the other: + +"We are quite ready to confess that fairies, and elves, and even the +kabouters are smarter than we are. Our women, also, are certainly +wonderful; but it will never do to let the boars think that they know +more than we do. They did indeed teach us how to make furrows, and the +birds brought us grain; but we are the greater, for we can hunt and kill +the boars with our spears. + +"Although they can tear up the sod and root in the ground with tusk and +snout, they cannot make cakes, as our women can. So let us see if we +cannot beat both the boars and birds, and even excel our women. We shall +be more like the fairies, if we invent something that will outshine them +all." + +So they thought and planned, and, little by little, they made the +plough. First, with a sharp stick in their hands, the men scratched the +surface of the ground into lines that were not very deep. Then they +nailed plates of iron on those sticks. Next, they fixed this iron-shod +wood in a frame to be pulled forward, and, by and by, they added +handles. Men and women, harnessed together, pulled the plough. Indeed it +was ages before they had oxen to do this heavy work for them. At last +the perfect plough was seen. It had a knife in front to cut the clods, a +coulter, a beam, a mould board and handles, and, after a while, a wheel +to keep it straight. Then they set horses to draw it. + +Fro the fairy was the owner, not only of the boar with the golden +bristles, but also of the lightning-like horse, Sleipnir, that could +ride through fire and water with the speed of light. Fro also owned the +magic ship, which could navigate both land and sea. It was so very +elastic that it could be stretched out to carry a host of warriors over +the seas to war, or fold up like a lady's handkerchief. With this flying +vessel, Fro was able to move about like a cloud and also to change like +them. He could also appear, or disappear, as he pleased, in one place or +another. + +By and by, the wild boars were all hunted to death and disappeared. Yet +in one way, and a glorious one also, their name and fame were kept in +men's memories. Brave knights had the boar's head painted on their +shields and coats of arms. When the faith of the Prince of Peace made +wars less frequent, the temples in honor of Fro were deserted, but the +yule log and the revels, held to celebrate the passing of the Mother +Night, in December, that is, the longest one of the year, were changed +for the Christmas festival. + +Then again, the memory of man's teacher of the plough was still kept +green; for the boar was remembered as the giver, not only of nourishing +meat, but of ideas for men's brains. Baked in the oven, and made +delightful to the appetite, served on the dish, with its own savory +odors; withal, decorated with sprigs of rosemary, the boar's head was +brought in for the great dinner, with the singing of Christmas carols. + + + + +THE ICE KING AND HIS WONDERFUL GRANDCHILD + + +In the far-off ages, all the lands of northern Europe were one, for the +deep seas had not yet separated them. Then our forefathers thought that +fairies were gods. They built temples in their honor, and prayed to +them. Then, in the place where is now the little town of Ulrum in +Friesland was the home of the spirit in the ice, Uller. That is what +Ulrum means, the home of the good fairy Uller. + +Uller was the patron of boys and girls. They liked him, because he +invented skates and sleds and sleighs. He had charge of things in winter +and enjoyed the cold. He delighted also in hunting. Dressed in thick +furs, he loved to roam over the hills and through the forests, seeking +out the wolf, the bear, the deer, and the aurochs. His bow and arrows +were terrible, for they were very big and he was a sure shot. Being the +patron of archery, hunters always sought his favor. The yew tree was +sacred to Uller, because the best bows were made from its wood. No one +could cut down a yew tree without angering Uller. + +Nobody knew who Uller's father was, and if he knew himself, he did not +care to tell any one. He would not bestow many blessings upon mankind; +yet thousands of people used to come to Ulrum every year to invoke his +aid and ask him to send a heavy fall of snow to cover the ground. That +meant good crops of food for the next year. The white snow, lying thick +upon the ground, kept back the frost giants from biting the earth too +hard. Because of deep winter snows, the ground was soft during the next +summer. So the seed sprouted more easily and there was plenty to eat. + +When Uller travelled over the winter snow, to go out on hunting trips, +he strapped snow-shoes on his feet. Because these were shaped like a +warrior's shield, Uller was often called the shield-god. His protection +was especially invoked by men who fought duels with sword or spear, +which were very common in early days; or by soldiers or hunters, who +wished to be very brave, or had engaged in perilous ventures. + +Now when Uller wanted a wife to marry him, he made love to Skadi, +because she was a huntress and liked the things which he liked. So they +never had a quarrel. She was very strong, fond of sports, and of chasing +the wild animals. She wore a short skirt, which allowed freedom of +motion to her limbs. Then she ranged over the hills and valleys with +wonderful swiftness. So rapid were her movements that many people +likened her to the cold mountain stream, that leaps down from the high +peaks and over the rocks, foaming and dashing to the lowlands. They gave +the same name to both this fairy woman and the water, because they were +so much alike. + +Indeed Skadi was very lovely to look at. It was no wonder that many of +the gods, fairies and men fell in love with her. It is even said that +she had had several husbands before marrying Uller. When you look at her +pictures, you will see that she was as pretty as bright winter itself, +when Jack Frost clothes the trees with white and makes the cheeks of the +girls so rosy. She wore armor of shining steel, a silver helmet, short +white skirts and white fur leggings. Her snow-shoes were of the hue of +winter. Besides a glittering spear, she had a bow and sharp arrows. +These were held in a silver quiver slung over her shoulders. Altogether, +she looked like winter alive. She loved to live in the mountains, and +hear the thunders of cataracts, the crash of avalanches, the moaning of +the winds in the pine forests. Even the howling of wolves was music in +her ears. She was afraid of nothing. + +Now from such a father and mother one would expect wonderful children, +yet very much like their parents. It turned out that the offspring of +Uller and Skadi were all daughters. To them--one after another--were +given the names meaning Glacier, Cold, Snow, Drift, Snow Whirl, and Snow +Dust, the oldest being the biggest and hardiest. The others were in +degree softer and more easily influenced by the sun and the wind. They +all looked alike, so that some people called them the Six White Sisters. + +Yet they were all so great and powerful that many considered them +giantesses. It was not possible for men to tame them, for they did very +much as they pleased. No one could stop their doings or drive them away, +except Woden, who was the god of the sun. Yet in winter, even he left +off ruling the world and went away. During that time, that is, during +seven months, Uller took Woden's throne and governed the affairs of the +world. When summer came, Uller went with his wife up to the North Pole; +or they lived in a house, on the top of the Alps. There they could hunt +and roam on their snow-shoes. To these cold places, which the whole +family enjoyed, their daughters went also and all were very happy so far +above the earth. + +Things went on pleasantly in Uller's family so long as his daughters +were young, for then the girls found enough to delight in at their daily +play. But when grown up and their heads began to be filled with notions +about the young giants, who paid visits to them, then the family +troubles began. + +[Illustration: YET ALL THE TIME HE WAS CALLING ON HUMAN BEINGS TO HARNESS +HIM TO WHEELS] + +There was one young giant fairy named Vuur, who came often to see all +six of Uller's daughters, from the youngest to the oldest. Yet no one +could tell which of them he was in love with, or could name the girl he +liked best; no, not even the daughters themselves. His character and his +qualities were not well known, for he put on many disguises and appeared +in many places. It was believed, however, that he had already done a +good deal of mischief and was likely to do more, for he loved +destruction. Yet he often helped the kabouter dwarfs to do great things; +so that showed he was of some use. In fact he was the fire fairy. He +kept on, courting all the six sisters, long after May day came, and he +lengthened his visits until the heat turned the entire half dozen of +them into water. So they became one. + +At this, Uller was so angry at Vuur's having delayed so long before +popping the question, and at his daughters' losing their shapes, that he +made Vuur marry them all and at once, they taking the name of Regen. + +Now when the child of Vuur and Regen was born, it turned out to be, in +body and in character, just what people expected from such a father and +mother. It was named in Dutch, Stoom. It grew fast and soon showed that +it was as powerful as its parents had been; yet it was much worse, when +shut up, than when allowed to go free in the air. Stoom loved to do all +sorts of tricks. In the kitchen, it would make the iron kettle lid flop +up and down with a lively noise. If it were confined in a vessel, +whether of iron or earthenware, when set over the fire, it would blow +the pot or kettle all to pieces, in order to get out. Thinking itself a +great singer, it would make rather a pleasant sound, when its mother let +it come out of a spout. Yet it never obeyed either of its parents. When +they tried to shut up Stoom inside of anything, it always escaped with a +terrible sound. In fact, nothing could long hold it in, without an +explosion. + +Sometimes Stoom would go down into the bowels of the earth and turn on a +stream of water so as to meet the deep fires which are ever burning far +down below us. Then there would come an awful earthquake, because Stoom +wanted to get out, and the earth crust would not let him, but tried to +hold him down. Sometimes Stoom slipped down into a volcano's mouth. Then +the mountain, in order to save itself from being choked, had to spit +Stoom out, and this always made a terrible mess on the ground, and men +called it lava. Or, Stoom might stay down in the crater as a guest, and +quietly come out, occasionally, in jets and puffs. + +Even when Jack Frost was around and froze the pipes in the house, or +turned the water of the pots, pans, kettles and bottles into solid ice, +Stoom behaved very badly. If the frozen kettles, or any other closed +vessel were put over the stove, or near the fire, and the ice melted at +the bottom too fast, Stoom would blow the whole thing up. In this way, +he often put men's lives in danger and made them lose their property. + +No one seemed to know how to handle this mischievous fairy. Not one man +on earth could do anything with him. So they let him have his own way. +Yet all the time, though he was enjoying his own tricks and lively fun, +he was, with his own voice, calling on human beings to use him properly, +and harness him to wheels; for he was willing to be useful to them, and +was all ready to pull or drive, lift or lower, grind or pump, as the +need might be. + +As long as men did not treat him properly and give him the right to get +out into the air, after he had done his work, Stoom would explode, blow +up and destroy everything. He could be made to sing, hiss, squeal, +whistle, and make all kinds of sounds, but, unless the bands that held +him in were strong enough, or if Vuur got too hot, or his mother would +not give him drink enough, when the iron pipes were red with heat, he +would lose his temper and explode. He had no respect for bad or +neglected boilers, or for lazy or careless firemen and engineers. + +Yet properly harnessed and treated well, and fed with the food such as +his mother can give, and roused by his father's persuasion, Stoom is +greater than any giant or fairy that ever was. He can drive a ship, a +locomotive, a submarine, or an aeroplane, as fast as Fro's boar, horse +or ship. Everybody to-day is glad that Stoom is such a good servant and +friend all over the world. + + + + +THE ELVES AND THEIR ANTICS + + +The elves are the little white creatures that live between heaven and +earth. They are not in the clouds, nor down in the caves and mines, like +the kabouters. They are bright and fair, dwelling in the air, and in the +world of light. The direct heat of the sun is usually too much for them, +so they are not often seen during the day, except towards sunset. They +love the silvery moonlight. There used to be many folks, who thought +they had seen the beautiful creatures, full of fun and joy, dancing hand +in hand, in a circle. + +In these old days, long since gone by, there were more people than there +are now, who were sure they had many times enjoyed the sight of the +elves. Some places in Holland show, by their names, where this kind of +fairies used to live. These little creatures, that looked as thin as +gauze, were very lively and mischievous, though they often helped honest +and hard working people in their tasks, as we shall see. But first and +most of all, they were fond of fun. They loved to vex cross people and +to please those who were bonnie and blithe. They hated misers, but they +loved the kind and generous. These little folks usually took their +pleasure in the grassy meadows, among the flowers and butterflies. On +bright nights they played among the moonbeams. + +There were certain times when the elves were busy, in such a way as to +make men and girls think about them. Then their tricks were generally in +the stable, or in the field among the cows. Sometimes, in the kitchen or +dairy, among the dishes or milk-pans, they made an awful mess for the +maids to clean up. They tumbled over the churns, upset the milk jugs, +and played hoops with the round cheeses. In a bedroom they made things +look as if the pigs had run over them. + +When a farmer found his horse's mane twisted into knots, or two cows +with their tails tied together, he said at once, "That's the work of +elves." If the mares did not feel well, or looked untidy, their owners +were sure the elves had taken the animals out and had been riding them +all night. If a cow was sick, or fell down on the grass, it was believed +that the elves had shot an arrow into its body. The inquest, held on +many a dead calf or its mother, was, that it died from an "elf-shot." +They were so sure of this, that even when a stone arrow head--such as +our far-off ancestors used in hunting, when they were cave men--was +picked up off the ground, it was called an "elf bolt," or "elf-arrow." + +Near a certain village named Elf-berg or Elf Hill, because there were so +many of the little people in that neighborhood, there was one very old +elf, named Styf, which means Stiff, because though so old he stood up +straight as a lance. Even more than the young elves, he was famous for +his pranks. Sometimes he was nicknamed Haan-e'-kam or Cock's Comb. He +got this name, because he loved to mock the roosters, when they crowed, +early in the morning. With his red cap on, he did look like a rooster. +Sometimes he fooled the hens, that heard him crowing. Old Styf loved +nothing better than to go to a house where was a party indoors. All the +wooden shoes of the twenty or thirty people within, men and women, girls +and boys, would be left outside the door. All good Dutch folks step out +of their heavy timber shoes, or klomps, before they enter a house. It is +always a curious sight, at a country church, or gathering of people at a +party, to see the klomps, big and little, belonging to baby boys and +girls, and to the big men, who wear a number thirteen shoe of wood. One +wonders how each one of the owners knows his own, but he does. Each pair +is put in its own place, but Old Styf would come and mix them all up +together, and then leave them in a pile. So when the people came out to +go home, they had a terrible time in finding and sorting out their +shoes. Often they scolded each other; or, some innocent boy was blamed +for the mischief. Some did not find out, till the next day, that they +had on one foot their own, and on another foot, their neighbor's shoe. +It usually took a week to get the klomps sorted out, exchanged, and the +proper feet into the right shoes. In this way, which was a special trick +with him, this naughty elf, Styf, spoiled the temper of many people. + +Beside the meadow elves, there were other kinds in Elfin Land; some +living in the woods, some in the sand-dunes, but those called +Staalkaars, or elves of the stall, were Old Styf's particular friends. +These lived in stables and among the cows. The Moss Maidens, that could +do anything with leaves, even turning them into money, helped Styf, for +they too liked mischief. They teased men-folks, and enjoyed nothing +better than misleading the stupid fellows that fuddled their brains with +too much liquor. + +Styf's especially famous trick was played on misers. It was this. When +he heard of any old fellow, who wanted to save the cost of candles, he +would get a kabouter to lead him off in the swamps, where the sooty +elves come out, on dark nights, to dance. Hoping to catch these lights +and use them for candles, the mean fellow would find himself in a swamp, +full of water and chilled to the marrow. Then the kabouters would laugh +loudly. + +Old Styf had the most fun with another stingy fellow, who always scolded +children when he found them spending a penny. If he saw a girl buying +flowers, or a boy giving a copper coin for a waffle, he talked roughly +to them for wasting money. Meeting this miser one day, as he was walking +along the brick road, leading from the village, Styf offered to pay the +old man a thousand guilders, in exchange for four striped tulips, that +grew in his garden. The miser, thinking it real silver, eagerly took the +money and put it away in his iron strong box. The next night, when he +went, as he did three times a week, to count, and feel, and rub, and +gloat, over his cash, there was nothing but leaves in a round form. +These, at his touch, crumbled to pieces. The Moss Maidens laughed +uproariously, when the mean old fellow was mad about it. + +But let no one suppose that the elves, because they were smarter than +stupid human beings, were always in mischief. No, no! They did, indeed, +have far more intelligence than dull grown folks, lazy boys, or careless +girls; but many good things they did. They sewed shoes for poor +cobblers, when they were sick, and made clothes for children, when the +mother was tired. When they were around, the butter came quick in the +churn. + +When the blue flower of the flax bloomed in Holland, the earth, in +spring time, seemed like the sky. Old Styf then saw his opportunity to +do a good thing. Men thought it a great affair to have even coarse linen +tow for clothes. No longer need they hunt the wolf and deer in the +forest, for their garments. By degrees, they learned to make finer +stuff, both linen for clothes and sails for ships, and this fabric they +spread out on the grass until the cloth was well bleached. When taken +up, it was white as the summer clouds that sailed in the blue sky. All +the world admired the product, and soon the word "Holland" was less the +name of a country, than of a dainty fabric, so snow white, that it was +fit to robe a queen. The world wanted more and more of it, and the Dutch +linen weaver grew rich. Yet still there was more to come. + +Now, on one moonlight night in summer, the lady elves, beautiful +creatures, dressed in gauze and film, with wings to fly and with feet +that made no sound, came down into the meadows for their fairy dances. +But when, instead of green grass, they saw a white landscape, they +wondered, Was it winter? + +Surely not, for the air was warm. No one shivered, or was cold. Yet +there were whole acres as white as snow, while all the old fairy rings, +grass and flowers were hidden. + +They found that the meadows had become bleaching grounds, so that the +cows had to go elsewhere to get their dinner, and that this white area +was all linen. However, they quickly got over their surprise, for elves +are very quick to notice things. But now that men had stolen a march on +them, they asked whether, after all, these human beings had more +intelligence than elves. Not one of these fairies but believed that men +and women were the inferiors of elves. + +So, then and there, began a battle of wits. + +"They have spoiled our dancing floor with their new invention; so we +shall have to find another," said the elfin queen, who led the party. + +"They are very proud of their linen, these men are; but, without the +spider to teach them, what could they have done? Even a wild boar can +instruct these human beings. Let us show them, that we, also, can do +even more. I'll get Old Styf to put on his thinking cap. He'll add +something new that will make them prouder yet." + +"But we shall get the glory of it," the elves shouted in chorus. Then +they left off talking and began their dances, floating in the air, until +they looked, from a distance, like a wreath of stars. + +The next day, a procession of lovely elf maidens and mothers waited on +Styf and asked him to devise something that would excel the invention of +linen; which, after all, men had learned from the spider. + +"Yes, and they would not have any grain fields, if they had not learned +from the wild boar," added the elf queen. + +Old Styf answered "yes" at once to their request, and put on his red +thinking cap. Then some of the girl elves giggled, for they saw that he +did, really, look like a cock's comb. "No wonder they called him +Haan-e'-kam," said one elf girl to the other. + +Now Old Styf enjoyed fooling, just for the fun of it, and he taught all +the younger elves that those who did the most work with their hands and +head, would have the most fun when they were old. + +First of all, he went at once to see Fro, the spirit of the golden +sunshine and the warm summer showers, who owned two of the most +wonderful things in the world. One was his sword, which, as soon as it +was drawn out of its sheath, against wicked enemies, fought of its own +accord and won every battle. Fro's chief enemies were the frost giants, +who wilted the flowers and blasted the plants useful to man. Fro was +absent, when Styf came, but his wife promised he would come next day, +which he did. He was happy to meet all the elves and fairies, and they, +in turn, joyfully did whatever he told them. Fro knew all the secrets of +the grain fields, for he could see what was in every kernel of both the +stalks and the ripe ears. He arrived, in a golden chariot, drawn by his +wild boar which served him instead of a horse. Both chariot and boar +drove over the tops of the ears of wheat, and faster than the wind. + +The Boar was named Gullin, or Golden Bristles because of its sunshiny +color and splendor. In this chariot, Fro had specimens of all the +grains, fruits, and vegetables known to man, from which Styf could +choose, for these he was accustomed to scatter over the earth. + +When Styf told him just what he wanted to do, Fro picked out a sheaf of +wheat and whispered a secret in his ear. Then he drove away, in a burst +of golden glory, which dazzled even the elves, that loved the bright +sunshine. These elves were always glad to see the golden chariot coming +or passing by. + +Styf also summoned to his aid the kabouters, and, from these ugly little +fellows, got some useful hints; for they, dwelling in the dark caverns, +know many secrets which men used to name alchemy, and which they now +call chemistry. + +Then Styf fenced himself off from all intruders, on the top of a bright, +sunny hilltop, with his thinking cap on and made experiments for seven +days. No elves, except his servants, were allowed to see him. At the end +of a week, still keeping his secret and having instructed a dozen or so +of the elf girls in his new art, he invited all the elves in the Low +Countries to come to a great exhibition, which he intended to give. + +What a funny show it was! On one long bench, were half a dozen washtubs; +and on a table, near by, were a dozen more washtubs; and on a longer +table not far away were six ironing boards, with smoothing irons. A +stove, made hot with a peat fire, was to heat the irons. Behind the tubs +and tables, stood the twelve elf maidens, all arrayed in shining white +garments and caps, as spotless as snow. One might almost think they were +white elves of the meadow and not kabouters of the mines. The wonder was +that their linen clothes were not only as dainty as stars, but that they +glistened, as if they had laid on the ground during a hoar frost. + +Yet it was still warm summer. Nothing had frozen, or melted, and the +rosy-faced elf-maidens were as dry as an ivory fan. Yet they resembled +the lilies of the garden when pearly with dew-drops. + +When all were gathered together, Old Styf called for some of the +company, who had come from afar, to take off their dusty and +travel-stained linen garments and give them to him. These were passed +over to the trained girls waiting to receive them. In a jiffy, they were +washed, wrung out, rinsed and dried. It was noticed that those +elf-maidens, who were standing at the last tub, were intently expecting +to do something great, while those five elf maids at the table took off +the hot irons from the stove. They touched the bottom of the flat-irons +with a drop of water to see if it rolled off hissing. They kept their +eyes fixed on Styf, who now came forward before all and said, in a loud +voice: + +"Elves and fairies, moss maidens and stall sprites, one and all, behold +our invention, which our great friend Fro and our no less helpful +friends, the kabouters, have helped me to produce. Now watch me prove +its virtues." + +Forthwith he produced before all a glistening substance, partly in +powder, and partly in square lumps, as white as chalk. He easily broke +up a handful under his fingers, and flung it into the fifth tub, which +had hot water in it. After dipping the washed garments in the white +gummy mass, he took them up, wrung them out, dried them with his breath, +and then handed them to the elf ironers. In a few moments, these held +up, before the company, what a few minutes before had been only dusty +and stained clothes. Now, they were white and resplendent. No fuller's +earth could have bleached them thus, nor added so glistening a surface. + +It was starch, a new thing for clothes. The fairies, one and all, +clapped their hands in delight. + +"What shall we name it?" modestly asked Styf of the oldest gnome +present. + +"Hereafter, we shall call you Styf Sterk, Stiff Starch." They all +laughed. + +Very quickly did the Dutch folks, men and women, hear and make use of +the elves' invention. Their linen closets now looked like piles of snow. +All over the Low Countries, women made caps, in new fashions, of lace or +plain linen, with horns and wings, flaps and crimps, with quilling and +with whirligigs. Soon, in every town, one could read the sign "Hier +mangled men" (Here we do ironing). + +In time, kings, queens and nobles made huge ruffs, often so big that +their necks were invisible, and their heads nearly lost from sight, in +rings of quilled linen, or of lace, that stuck out a foot or so. Worldly +people dyed their starch yellow; zealous folk made it blue; but moderate +people kept it snowy white. + +Starch added money and riches to the nation. Kings' treasuries became +fat with money gained by taxes laid on ruffs, and on the cargoes of +starch, which was now imported by the shipload, or made on the spot, in +many countries. So, out of the ancient grain came a new spirit that +worked for sweetness and beauty, cleanliness, and health. From a useful +substance, as old as Egypt, was born a fine art, that added to the sum +of the world's wealth and pleasure. + + + + +THE KABOUTERS AND THE BELLS + + +When the young queen Wilhelmina visited Brabant and Limburg, they amused +her with pageants and plays, in which the little fellows called +kabouters, in Dutch, and kobolds in German, played and showed off their +tricks. Other small folk, named gnomes, took part in the tableaux. The +kabouters are the dark elves, who live in forests and mines. The white +elves live in the open fields and the sunshine. + +The gnomes do the thinking, but the kabouters carry out the work of +mining and gathering the precious stones and minerals. They are short, +thick fellows, very strong and are strenuous in digging out coal and +iron, copper and gold. When they were first made, they were so ugly, +that they had to live where they could not be seen, that is, in the dark +places. The grown imps look like old men with beards, but no one ever +heard of a kabouter that was taller than a yardstick. As for the babies, +they are hardly bigger than a man's thumb. The big boys and girls, in +the kabouter kingdom, are not much over a foot high. + +[Illustration: THE MASTER OF THE CHOIR TRIED AGAIN AND AGAIN] + +What is peculiar about them all is, that they help the good and wise +people to do things better; but they love to plague and punish the dull +folks, that are stupid, or foolish or naughty. In impish glee, they lure +the blockheads, or in Dutch, the "cheese-heads," to do worse. + +A long time ago, there were no church spires or bells in the land of the +Dutch folks, as there are now by the thousands. The good teachers from +the South came into the country and taught the people to have better +manners, finer clothes and more wholesome food. They also persuaded them +to forget their cruel gods and habits of revenge. They told of the +Father in Heaven, who loves us all, as his children, and forgives us +when we repent of our evil doings. + +Now when the chief gnomes and kabouters heard of the newcomers in the +land, they held a meeting and said one to the other: + +"We shall help all the teachers that are good and kind, but we shall +plague and punish the rough fellows among them." + +So word was sent to all little people in the mines and hills, +instructing them how they were to act and what they were to do. + +Some of the new teachers, who were foreigners, and did not know the +customs of the country, were very rude and rough. Every day they hurt +the feelings of the people. With their axes they cut down the sacred +trees. They laughed scornfully at the holy wells and springs of water. +They reviled the people, when they prayed to great Woden, with his black +ravens that told him everything, or to the gentle Freya, with her white +doves, who helped good girls to get kind husbands. They scolded the +children at play, and this made their fathers and mothers feel +miserable. This is the reason why so many people were angry and sullen, +and would not listen to the foreign teachers. + +Worse than this, many troubles came to these outsiders. Their bread was +sour, when they took it out of the oven. So was the milk, in their pans. +Sometimes they found their beds turned upside down. Gravel stones +rattled down into their fireplaces. Their hats and shoes were missing. +In fact, they had a terrible time generally and wanted to go back home. +When the kabouter has a grudge against any one, he knows how to plague +him. + +But the teachers that were wise and gentle had no trouble. They +persuaded the people with kind words, and, just as a baby learns to eat +other food at the table, so the people were weaned away from cruel +customs and foolish beliefs. Many of the land's folk came to listen to +the teachers and helped them gladly to build churches. + +More wonderful than this, were the good things that came to these kind +teachers, they knew not how. Their bread and milk were always sweet and +in plenty. They found their beds made up and their clothes kept clean, +gardens planted with blooming flowers, and much hard work done for them. +When they would build a church in a village, they wondered how it was +that the wood and the nails, the iron necessary to brace the beams, and +the copper and brass for the sacred vessels, came so easily and in +plenty. When, on some nights, they wondered where they would get food to +eat, they found, on waking up in the morning, that there was always +something good ready for them. Thus many houses of worship were built, +and the more numerous were the churches, the more did farms, cows, grain +fields, and happy people multiply. + +Now when the gnomes and kabouters, who like to do work for pleasant +people, heard that the good teachers wanted church bells, to call the +people to worship, they resolved to help the strangers. They would make +not only a bell, or a chime, but, actually a carillon, or concert of +bells to hang up in the air. + +The dark dwarfs did not like to dig metal for swords or spears, or what +would hurt people; but the church bells would guide travellers in the +forest, and quiet the storms, that destroyed houses and upset boats and +killed or drowned people, besides inviting the people to come and pray +and sing. They knew that the good teachers were poor and could not buy +bells in France or Italy. Even if they had money, they could not get +them through the thick forests, or over the stormy seas, for they were +too heavy. + +When all the kabouters were told of this, they came together to work, +night and day, in the mines. With pick and shovel, crowbar and chisel, +and hammer and mallet, they broke up the rocks containing copper and +tin. Then they built great roaring fires, to smelt the ore into ingots. +They would show the teachers that the Dutch kabouters could make bells, +as well as the men in the lands of the South. These dwarfish people are +jealous of men and very proud of what they can do. + +It was the funniest sight to see these short legged fellows, with tiny +coats coming just below their thighs, and little red caps, looking like +a stocking and ending in a tassel, on their heads, and in shoes that had +no laces, but very long points. They flew around as lively as monkeys, +and when the fire was hot they threw off everything and worked much +harder and longer than men do. + +Were they like other fairies? Well, hardly. One must put away all his +usual thoughts, when he thinks of kabouters. No filmy wings on their +backs! No pretty clothes or gauzy garments, or stars, or crowns, or +wands! Instead of these were hammers, pickaxes, and chisels. But how +diligent, useful and lively these little folks, in plain, coarse coats +and with bare legs, were! In place of things light, clean and easy, the +kabouters had furnaces, crucibles and fires of coal and wood. + +Sometimes they were grimy, with smoke and coal dust, and the sweat ran +down their faces and bodies. Yet there was always plenty of water in the +mines, and when hard work was over they washed and looked plain but +tidy. Besides their stores of gold, and silver, and precious stones, +which they kept ready, to give to good people, they had tools with which +to tease or tantalize cruel, mean or lazy folks. + +Now when the kabouter daddies began the roaring fires for the making of +the bells, the little mothers and the small fry in the kabouter world +could not afford to be idle. One and all, they came down from off the +earth, and into the mines they went in a crowd. They left off teasing +milkmaids, tangling skeins of flax, tearing fishermen's nets, tying +knots in cows' tails, tumbling pots, pans and dishes, in the kitchen, or +hiding hats, and throwing stones down the chimneys onto the fireplaces. +They even ceased their fun of mocking children, who were calling the +cows home, by hiding behind the rocks and shouting to them. Instead of +these tricks, they saved their breath to blow the fires into a blast. +Everybody wondered where the "kabs" were, for on the farms and in town +nothing happened and all was as quiet as when a baby is asleep. + +For days and weeks underground, the dwarfs toiled, until their skins, +already dark, became as sooty as the rafters in the houses of our +ancestors. Finally, when all the labor was over, the chief gnomes were +invited down into the mines to inspect the work. + +What a sight! There were at least a hundred bells, of all sizes, like as +in a family; where there are daddy, mother, grown ups, young sons and +daughters, little folk and babies, whether single, twins or triplets. +Big bells, that could scarcely be put inside a hogshead, bells that +would go into a barrel, bells that filled a bushel, and others a peck, +stood in rows. From the middle, and tapering down the row, were scores +more, some of them no larger than cow-bells. Others, at the end, were so +small, that one had to think of pint and gill measures. + +Besides all these, there were stacks of iron rods and bars, bolts, nuts, +screws, and wires and yokes on which to hang the bells. + +One party of the strongest of the kabouters had been busy in the forest, +close to a village, where some men, ordered to do so by a foreign +teacher, had begun to cut down some of the finest and most sacred of the +grand old trees. They had left their tools in the woods; but the "kabs," +at night, seized their axes and before morning, without making any +noise, they had levelled all but the holy trees. Those they spared. +Then, the timber, all cut and squared, ready to hold the bells, was +brought to the mouth of the mine. + +Now in Dutch, the name for bell is "klok." So a wise and gray-bearded +gnome was chosen by the high sounding title of klokken-spieler, or bell +player, to test the bells for a carillon. They were all hung, for +practice, on the big trestles, in a long row. Each one of these frames +was called a "hang," for they were just like those on which fishermen's +nets were laid to dry and be mended. + +So when all were ready, washed, and in their clean clothes, every one of +the kabouter families, daddies, mothers, and young ones, were ranged in +lines and made to sing. The heavy male tenors and baritones, the female +sopranos and contraltos, the trebles of the little folks, and the +squeaks of the very small children, down to the babies' cooing, were all +heard by the gnomes, who were judges. The high and mighty +klokken-spieler, or master of the carillon, chose those voices with best +tone and quality, from which to set in order and regulate the bells. + +It was pitiful to see how mad and jealous some of the kabouters, both +male and female, were, when they were not appointed to the first row, in +which were some of the biggest of the males, and some of the fattest of +the females. Then the line tapered off, to forty or fifty young folks, +including urchins of either sex, down to mere babies, that could hardly +stand. These had bibs on and had to be held up by their fond mothers. +Each one by itself could squeal and squall, coo and crow lustily; but, +at a distance, their voices blended and the noise they made sounded like +a tinkle. + +All being ready, the old gnome bit his tuning fork, hummed a moment, and +then started a tune. Along the line, at a signal from the chief gnome, +they started a tune. + +In the long line, there were, at first, booms and peals, twanging and +clanging, jangling and wrangling, making such a clangor that it sounded +more like an uproar than an opera. The chief gnome was almost +discouraged. + +But neither a gnome nor a kabouter ever gives up. The master of the +choir tried again and again. He scolded one old daddy, for singing too +low. He frowned at a stalwart young fellow, who tried to drown out all +the rest with his bull-like bellow. He shook his finger at a kabouter +girl, that was flirting with a handsome lad near her. He cheered up the +little folks, encouraging them to hold up their voices, until finally he +had all in order. Then they practiced, until the master gnome thought he +had his scale of notation perfect and gave orders to attune the bells. +To the delight of all the gnomes, kabouters and elves, that had been +invited to the concert, the rows of bells, a hundred or more, from +boomers to tinklers, made harmony. Strung one above the other, they +could render merriment, or sadness, in solos, peals, chimes, cascades +and carillons, with sweetness and effect. At the low notes the babies +called out "cow, cow;" but at the high notes, "bird, bird." + +So it happened that, on the very day that the bishop had his great +church built, with a splendid bulb spire on the top, and all nicely +furnished within, but without one bell to ring in it, that the kabouters +planned a great surprise. + +It was night. The bishop was packing his saddle bags, ready to take a +journey, on horseback, to Rheims. At this city, the great caravans from +India and China ended, bringing to the annual fair, rugs, spices, gems, +and things Oriental, and the merchants of Rheims rolled in gold. Here +the bishop would beg the money, or ask for a bell, or chimes. + +Suddenly, in the night, while in his own house, there rang out music in +the air, such as the bishop had never heard in Holland, or in any of the +seventeen provinces of the Netherlands. Not even in the old lands, +France, or Spain, or Italy, where the Christian teachers, builders and +singers, and the music of the bells had long been heard, had such a +flood of sweet sounds ever fallen on human ears. Here, in these northern +regions, rang out, not a solo, nor a peal, nor a chime, nor even a +cascade, from one bell, or from many bells; but, a long programme of +richest music in the air--something which no other country, however rich +or old, possessed. It was a carillon, that is, a continued mass of real +music, in which whole tunes, songs, and elaborate pieces of such length, +mass and harmony, as only a choir of many voices, a band of music, or an +orchestra of many performers could produce. + +To get this grand work of hanging in the spire done in one night, and +before daylight, also, required a whole regiment of fairy toilers, who +must work like bees. For if one ray of sunshine struck any one of the +kabouters, he was at once petrified. The light elves lived in the +sunshine and thrived on it; but for dark elves, like the kabouters, +whose home was underground, sunbeams were as poisoned arrows bringing +sure death; for by these they were turned into stone. Happily the task +was finished before the eastern sky grew gray, or the cocks crowed. +While it was yet dark, the music in the air flooded the earth. The +people in their beds listened with rapture. + +"Laus Deo" (Praise God), devoutly cried the surprised bishop. "It sounds +like a choir of angels. Surely the cherubim and seraphim are here. Now +is fulfilled the promise of the Psalmist: 'The players on instruments +shall be there.'" + +So, from this beginning, so mysterious to the rough, unwise and stupid +teachers, but, by degrees, clearer to the tactful ones, who were kind +and patient, the carillons spread over all the region between the +forests of Ardennes and the island in the North Sea. The Netherlands +became the land of melodious symphonies and of tinkling bells. No town, +however poor, but in time had its carillon. Every quarter of an hour, +the sweet music of hymn or song, made the air vocal, while at the +striking of the hours, the pious bowed their heads and the workmen heard +the call for rest, or they took cheer, because their day's toil was +over. At sunrise, noon, or sunset, the Angelus, and at night the curfew +sounded their calls. + +It grew into a fashion, that, on stated days, great concerts were given, +lasting over an hour, when the grand works of the masters of music were +rendered and famous carillon players came from all over the Netherlands, +to compete for prizes. The Low Countries became a famous school, in +which klokken-spielers (bell players) by scores were trained. Thus no +kingdom, however rich or great, ever equalled the Land of the Carillon, +in making the air sweet with both melody and harmony. + +Nobody ever sees a kabouter nowadays, for in the new world, when the +woods are nearly all cut down, the world made by the steam engine, and +telegraph, and wireless message, the automobile, aeroplane and +submarine, cycle and under-sea boat, the little folks in the mines and +forests are forgotten. The chemists, miners, engineers and learned men +possess the secrets which were once those of the fairies only. Yet the +artists and architects, the clockmakers and bellfounders, who love +beauty, remember what their fathers once thought and believed. That is +the reason why, on many a famous clock, either in front of the dial or +near the pendulum, are figures of the gnomes, who thought, and the +kabouters who wrought, to make the carillons. In Teuton lands, where +their cousins are named kobolds, and in France where they are called +fée, and in England brownies, they have tolling and ringing of bells, +with peals, chimes and cascades of sweet sound; but the Netherlands, +still, above all others on earth, is the home of the carillon. + + + + +THE WOMAN WITH THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SIX CHILDREN + + +Long, long ago, before the oldest stork was young and big deer and +little fawns were very many in the Dutch forests, there was a pond, +famous for its fish, which lay in the very heart of Holland, with woods +near by. Hunters came with their bows and arrows to hunt the stags. Or, +out of the bright waters, boys and men in the sunshine drew out the fish +with shining scales, or lured the trout, with fly-bait, from their +hiding places. In those days the fish-pond was called the Vijver, and +the woods where the deer ran, Rensselaer, or the Deer's Lair. + +So, because the forests of oak, and beech, and alder trees were so fine, +and game on land and in water so plentiful, the lord of the country came +here and built his castle. He made a hedge around his estate, so that +the people called the place the Count's Hedge; or, as we say, The Hague. + +Even to-day, within the beautiful city, the forests, with their grand +old trees, still remain, and the fish-pond, called the Vijver, is there +yet, with its swans. On the little island, the fluffy, downy cygnets are +born and grow to be big birds, with long necks, bent like an arch. In +another part of the town, also, with their trees for nesting, and their +pond for wading, are children of the same storks, whose fathers and +mothers lived there before America was discovered. + +By and by, many people of rank and fortune came to The Hague, for its +society. They built their grand houses at the slope of the hill, not far +away from the Vijver, and in time a city grew up. + +It was a fine sight to see the lords and ladies riding out from the +castle into the country. The cavalcade was very splendid, when they went +hawking. There were pretty women on horseback, and gentlemen in velvet +clothes, with feathers in their hats, and the horses seemed proud to +bear them. The falconers followed on foot, with the hunting birds +perched on a hoop, which the man inside the circle carried round him. +Each falcon had on a little cap or hood, which was fastened over its +head. When this was taken off, it flew high up into the air, on its hunt +for the big and little birds, which it brought down for its masters. +There were also men with dogs, to beat the reeds and bushes, and drive +the smaller birds from shelter. The huntsmen were armed with spears, +lest a wild boar, or bear, should rush out and attack them. It was +always a merry day, when a hawking party, in their fine clothes and gay +trappings, started out. + +There were huts, as well as palaces, and poor people, also, at The +Hague. Among these, was a widow, whose twin babies were left without +anything to eat--for her husband and their father had been killed in the +war. Having no money to buy a cradle, and her babies being too young to +be left alone, she put the pair of little folks on her back and went out +to beg. + +Now there was a fine lady, a Countess, who lived with her husband, the +Count, near the Vijver. She was childless and very jealous of other +women who were mothers and had children playing around them. On this +day, when the beggar woman, with her two babies on her back, came along, +the grand lady was in an unusually bad temper. For all her pretty +clothes, she was not a person of fine manners. Indeed, she often acted +more like a snarling dog, ready to snap at any one who should speak to +her. Although she had cradles and nurses and lovely baby clothes all +ready, there was no baby. This spoiled her disposition, so that her +husband and the servants could hardly live with her. + +One day, after dinner, when there had been everything good to eat and +drink on her table, and plenty of it, the Countess went out to walk in +front of her house. It was the third day of January, but the weather was +mild. The beggar woman, with her two babies on her back and their arms +round her neck, crying with hunger, came trudging along. She went into +the garden and asked the Countess for food or an alms. She expected +surely, at least a slice of bread, a cup of milk, or a small coin. + +But the Countess was rude to her and denied her both food and money. She +even burst into a bad temper, and reviled the woman for having two +children, instead of one. + +"Where did you get those brats? They are not yours. You just brought +them here to play on my feelings and excite my jealousy. Begone!" + +But the poor woman kept her temper. She begged piteously and said: "For +the love of Heaven, feed my babies, even if you will not feed me." + +"No! they are not yours. You're a cheat," said the fine lady, nursing +her rage. + +"Indeed, Madame, they are both my children and born on one day. They +have one father, but he is dead. He was killed in the war, while serving +his grace, your husband." + +"Don't tell me such a story," snapped back the Countess, now in a fury. +"I don't believe that any one, man or woman, could have two children at +once. Away with you," and she seized a stick to drive off the poor +woman. + +Now, it was the turn of the beggar to answer back. Both had lost their +temper, and the two angry women seemed more like she-bears robbed of +their whelps. + +"Heaven punish you, you wicked, cruel, cold-hearted woman," cried the +mother. Her two babies were almost choking her in their eagerness for +food. Yet their cries never moved the rich lady, who had bread and good +things to spare, while their poor parent had not a drop of milk to give +them. The Countess now called her men-servants to drive the beggar away. +This they did, most brutally. They pushed the poor woman outside the +garden gate and closed it behind her. As she turned away, the poor +mother, taking each of her children by its back, one in each hand, held +them up before the grand lady and cried out loudly, so that all heard +her: + +"May you have as many children as there are days in the year." + +Now with all her wrath burning in her breast, what the beggar woman +really meant was this: It was the third of January, and so there were +but three days in the year, so far. She intended to say that, instead of +having to care for two children, the Countess might have the trouble of +rearing three, and all born on the same day. + +But the fine lady, in her mansion, cared nothing for the beggar woman's +words. Why should she? She had her lordly husband, who was a count, and +he owned thousands of acres. Besides, she possessed vast riches. In her +great house, were ten men-servants and thirty-one maid-servants, +together with her rich furniture, and fine clothes and jewels. The lofty +brick church, to which she went on Sundays, was hung with the coats of +arms of her famous ancestors. The stone floor, with its great slabs, was +so grandly carved with the crests and heraldry of her family, that to +walk over these was like climbing a mountain, or tramping across a +ploughed field. Common folks had to be careful, lest they should stumble +over the bosses and knobs of the carved tombs. A long train of her +servants, and tenants on the farms followed her, when she went to +worship. Inside the church, the lord and lady sat, in high seats, on +velvet cushions and under a canopy. + +By the time summer had come, according to the fashion in all good Dutch +families, all sorts of pretty baby clothes were made ready. There were +soft, warm, swaddling bands, tiny socks, and long white linen dresses. A +baptismal blanket, covered with silk, was made for the christening, and +daintily embroidered. Plenty of lace, and pink and blue ribbons--pink +for a girl and blue for a boy--were kept at hand. And, because there +might be twins, a double set of garments was provided, besides baby +bathtubs and all sorts of nice things for the little stranger or +strangers--whether one or two--to come. Even the names were chosen--one +for a boy and the other for a girl. Would it be Wilhelm or Wilhelmina? + +It was real fun to think over the names, but it was hard to choose out +of so many. At last, the Countess crossed off all but forty-six; or the +following; nearly every girl's name ending in _je_, as in our +"Polly," "Sallie." + + _Girls_ _Boys_ + + Magtel Catharyna Gerrit Gysbert + Nelletje Alida Cornelis Jausze + Zelia Annatje Volkert Myndert + Jannetje Christina Kilian Adrian + Zara Katrina Johannes Joachim + Marytje Bethje Petrus Arendt + Willemtje Eva Barent Dirck + Geertruy Dirkje Wessel Nikolaas + Petronella Mayken Hendrik Staats + Margrieta Hilleke Teunis Gozen + Josina Bethy Wouter Willemtje + Japik Evert + +But before the sun set on the expected day, it was neither one boy nor +one girl, nor both; nor were all the forty-six names chosen sufficient; +for the beggar woman's wish had come true, in a way not expected. There +were as many as, and no fewer children than, there were days in the +year; and, since this was leap year, there were three hundred and +sixty-six little folks in the house; so that other names, besides the +forty-six, had to be used. + +Yet none of these wee creatures was bigger than a mouse. Beginning at +daylight, one after another appeared--first a girl and then a boy; so +that after the forty-eighth, the nurse was at her wit's end, to give +them names. It was not possible to keep the little babies apart. The +thirty-one servant maids of the mansion were all called in to help in +sorting out the girls from the boys; but soon it seemed hopeless to try +to pick out Peter from Henry, or Catalina from Annetje. After an hour or +two spent at the task, and others coming along, the women found that it +was useless to try any longer. It was found that little Piet, Jan and +Klaas, Hank, Douw and Japik, among the boys; and Molly, Mayka, Lena, +Elsje, Annatje and Marie were getting all mixed up. So they gave up the +attempt in despair. Besides, the supply of pink and blue ribbons had +given out long before, after the first dozen or so were born. As for +the baby clothes made ready, they were of no use, for all the garments +were too big. In one of the long dresses, tied up like a bag, one might +possibly, with stuffing, have put the whole family of three hundred and +sixty-six brothers and sisters. + +It was not likely such small fry of human beings could live long. So, +the good Bishop Guy, of Utrecht, when he heard that the beggar woman's +curse had come true, in so unexpected a manner, ordered that the babies +should be all baptized at once. The Count, who was strict in his ideas +of both custom and church law, insisted on it too. + +So nothing would do but to carry the tiny infants to church. How to get +them there, was a question. The whole house had been rummaged to provide +things to carry the little folks in: but the supply of trays, and mince +pie dishes, and crocks, was exhausted at the three hundred and sixtieth +baby. So there was left only a Turk's Head, or round glazed earthen +dish, fluted and curved, which looked like the turban of a Turk. Hence +its name. Into this, the last batch of babies, or extra six girls, were +stowed. Curiously enough, number 366 was an inch taller than the others. +To thirty house maids was given a tray, for each was to carry twelve +mannikins, and one the last six, in the Turk's Head. Instead of rich +silk blankets a wooden tray, and no clothes on, must suffice. + +In the Groote Kerk, or Great Church, the Bishop was waiting, with his +assistants, holding brass basins full of holy water, for the +christening. All the town, including the dogs, were out to see what was +going on. Many boys and girls climbed up on the roofs of the one-story +houses, or in the trees to get a better view of the curious +procession--the like of which had never been seen in The Hague before. +Neither has anything like it ever been seen since. + +So the parade began. First went the Count, with his captains and the +trumpeters, blowing their trumpets. These were followed by the +men-servants, all dressed in their best Sunday clothes, who had the +crest and arms of their master, the Count, on their backs and breasts. +Then came on the company of thirty-one maids, each one carrying a tray, +on which were twelve mannikins, or minikins. Twenty of these trays were +round and made of wood, lined with velvet, smooth and soft; but ten were +of earthenware, oblong in shape, like a manger. In these, every year, +were baked the Christmas pies. + +At first, all went on finely, for the outdoor air seemed to put the +babies asleep and there was no crying. But no sooner were they inside +the church, than about two hundred of the brats began wailing and +whimpering. Pretty soon, they set up such a squall that the Count felt +ashamed of his progeny and the Bishop looked very unhappy. + +To make matters worse, one of the maids, although warned of the danger, +stumbled over the helmet of an old crusader, carved in stone, that rose +some six inches or so above the floor. In a moment, she fell and lay +sprawling, spilling out at least a dozen babies. "Heilige Mayke" (Holy +Mary!), she cried, as she rolled over. "Have I killed them?" + +Happily the wee ones were thrown against the long-trained gown of an old +lady walking directly in front of her, so that they were unhurt. They +were easily picked up and laid on the tray again, and once more the line +started. + +Happily the Bishop had been notified that he would not have to call out +the names of all the infants, that is, three hundred and sixty-six; for +this would have kept him at the solemn business all day long. It had +been arranged that, instead of any on the list of the chosen forty-six, +to be so named, all the boys should be called John, and all the girls +Elizabeth; or, in Dutch, Jan and Lisbet, or Lizbethje. Yet even to say +"John" one hundred and eighty times, and "Lisbet" one hundred and +eighty-six times, nearly tired the old gentleman to death, for he was +fat and slow. + +So, after the first six trays full of wee folks had been sprinkled, one +at a time, the Bishop decided to "asperse" them, that is, shake, from a +mop or brush, the holy water, on a tray full of babies at one time. So +he called for the "aspersorium." Then, clipping this in the basin of +holy water, he scattered the drops over the wee folk, until all, even +the six extra girl babies in the Turk's Head, were sprinkled. Probably, +because the Bishop thought a Turk was next door to a heathen, he dropped +more water than usual on these last six, until the young ones squealed +lustily with the cold. It was noted, on the contrary, that the little +folks in the mince pie dishes were gently handled, as if the good man +had visions of Christmas coming and the good things on the table. + +Yet it was evident that such tiny people could not bear what healthy +babies of full size would think nothing of. Whether it was because of +the damp weather, or the cold air in the brick church, or too much +excitement, or because there were not three hundred and sixty-six +nurses, or milk bottles ready, it came to pass that every one of the wee +creatures died when the sun went down. + +Just where they were buried is not told, but, for hundreds of years, +there was, in one of The Hague churches, a monument in honor of these +little folks, who lived but a day. It was graven with portraits in stone +of the Count and Countess and told of their children, as many as the +days of the year. Near by, were hung up the two basins, in which the +holy water, used by the Bishop, in sprinkling the babies, was held. The +year, month and day of the wonderful event were also engraved. Many and +many people from various lands came to visit the tomb. The guide books +spoke of it, and tender women wept, as they thought how three hundred +and sixty-six little cradles, in the Count's castle, would have looked, +had each baby lived. + + + + +THE ONI ON HIS TRAVELS + + +Across the ocean, in Japan, there once lived curious creatures called +Onis. Every Japanese boy and girl has heard of them, though one has not +often been caught. In one museum, visitors could see the hairy leg of a +specimen. Falling out of the air in a storm, the imp had lost his limb. +It had been torn off by being caught in the timber side of a well curb. +The story-teller was earnestly assured by one Japanese lad that his +grandfather had seen it tumble from the clouds. + +Many people are sure that the Onis live in the clouds and occasionally +fall off, during a peal of thunder. Then they escape and hide down in a +well. Or, they get loose in the kitchen, rattle the dishes around, and +make a great racket. They behave like cats, with a dog after them. They +do a great deal of mischief, but not much harm. There are even some old +folks who say that, after all, Onis are only unruly children, that +behave like angels in the morning and act like imps in the afternoon. So +we see that not much is known about the Onis. + +Many things that go wrong are blamed on the Onis. Foolish folks, such as +stupid maid-servants, and dull-witted fellows, that blunder a good deal, +declare that the Onis made them do it. Drunken men, especially, that +stumble into mud-holes at night, say the Onis pushed them in. Naughty +boys that steal cake, and girls that take sugar, often tell fibs to +their parents, charging it on the Onis. + +The Onis love to play jokes on people, but they are not dangerous. There +are plenty of pictures of them in Japan, though they never sat for their +portraits, but this is the way they looked. + +Some Onis have only one eye in their forehead, others two, and, once in +a while, a big fellow has three. There are little, short horns on their +heads, but these are no bigger than those on a baby deer and never grow +long. The hair on their heads gets all snarled up, just like a little +girl's that cries when her tangled tresses are combed out; for the Onis +make use of neither brushes nor looking glasses. As for their faces, +they never wash them, so they look sooty. Their skin is rough, like an +elephant's. On each of their feet are only three toes. Whether an Oni +has a nose, or a snout, is not agreed upon by the learned men who have +studied them. + +No one ever heard of an Oni being higher than a yardstick, but they are +so strong that one of them can easily lift two bushel bags of rice at +once. In Japan, they steal the food offered to the idols. They can live +without air. They like nothing better than to drink both the rice spirit +called saké, and the black liquid called soy, of which only a few drops, +as a sauce on fish, are enough for a man. Of this sauce, the Dutch, as +well as the Japanese, are very fond. + +Above all things else, the most fun for a young Oni is to get into a +crockery shop. Once there, he jumps round among the cups and dishes, +hides in the jars, straddles the shelves and turns somersaults over the +counter. In fact, the Oni is only a jolly little imp. The Japanese +girls, on New Year's eve, throw handfuls of dried beans in every room of +the house and cry, "In, with good luck; and out with you, Onis!" Yet +they laugh merrily all the time. The Onis cannot speak, but they can +chatter like monkeys. They often seem to be talking to each other in +gibberish. + +Now it once happened in Japan that the great Tycoon of the country +wanted to make a present to the Prince of the Dutch. So he sent all over +the land, from the sweet potato fields in the south to the seal and +salmon waters in the north, to get curiosities of all sorts. The +products of Japan, from the warm parts, where grow the indigo and the +sugar cane, to the cold regions, in which are the bear and walrus, were +sent as gifts to go to the Land of Dykes and Windmills. The Japanese had +heard that the Dutch people like cheese, walk in wooden shoes, eat with +forks, instead of chopsticks, and the women wear twenty petticoats +apiece, while the men sport jackets with two gold buttons, and folks +generally do things the other way from that which was common in Japan. + +Now it chanced that while they were packing the things that were piled +up in the palace at Yedo, a young Oni, with his horns only half grown, +crawled into the kitchen, at night, through the big bamboo water pipe +near the pump. Pretty soon he jumped into the storeroom. There, the +precious cups, vases, lacquer boxes, pearl-inlaid pill-holders, writing +desks, jars of tea, and bales of silk, were lying about, ready to be put +into their cases. The yellow wrappings for covering the pretty things of +gold and silver, bronze and wood, and the rice chaff, for the packing of +the porcelain, were all at hand. What a jolly time the Oni did have, in +tumbling them about and rolling over them! Then he leaped like a monkey +from one vase to another. He put on a lady's gay silk kimono and wrapped +himself around with golden embroidery. Then he danced and played the +game of the Ka-gu'-ra, or Lion of Korea, pretending to make love to a +girl-Oni. Such funny capers as he did cut! It would have made a cat +laugh to see him. It was broad daylight, before his pranks were over, +and the Dutch church chimes were playing the hour of seven. + +Suddenly the sound of keys in the lock told him that, in less than a +minute, the door would open. + +Where should he hide? There was no time to be lost. So he seized some +bottles of soy from the kitchen shelf and then jumped into the big +bottom drawer of a ladies' cabinet, and pulled it shut. + +"Namu Amida" (Holy Buddha!), cried the man that opened the door. "Who +has been here? It looks like a rat's picnic." + +However, the workmen soon came and set everything to rights. Then they +packed up the pretty things. They hammered down the box lids and before +night the Japanese curiosities were all stored in the hold of a swift, +Dutch ship, from Nagasaki, bound for Rotterdam. After a long voyage, the +vessel arrived safely in good season, and the boxes were sent on to The +Hague, or capital city. As the presents were for the Prince, they were +taken at once to the pretty palace, called the House in the Wood. There +they were unpacked and set on exhibition for the Prince and Princess to +see the next day. + +When the palace maid came in next morning to clean up the floor and dust +the various articles, her curiosity led her to pull open the drawer of +the ladies' cabinet; when out jumped something hairy. It nearly +frightened the girl out of her wits. It was the Oni, which rushed off +and down stairs, tumbling over a half dozen servants, who were sitting +at their breakfast. All started to run except the brave butler, who +caught up a carving knife and showed fight. Seeing this, the Oni ran +down into the cellar, hoping to find some hole or crevice for escape. +All around, were shelves filled with cheeses, jars of sour-krout, +pickled herring, and stacks of fresh rye bread standing in the corners. +But oh! how they did smell in his Japanese nostrils! Oni, as he was, he +nearly fainted, for no such odors had ever beaten upon his nose, when in +Japan. Even at the risk of being carved into bits, he must go back. So +up into the kitchen again he ran. Happily, the door into the garden +stood wide open. + +Grabbing a fresh bottle of soy from the kitchen shelf, the Oni, with a +hop, skip and jump, reached outdoors. Seeing a pair of klomps, or wooden +shoes, near the steps, the Oni put his pair of three toes into them, to +keep the dogs from scenting its tracks. Then he ran into the fields, +hiding among the cows, until he heard men with pitchforks coming. At +once the Oni leaped upon a cow's back and held on to its horns, while +the poor animal ran for its life into its stall, in the cow stable, +hoping to brush the monster off. + +The dairy farmer's wife was at that moment pulling open her bureau +drawer, to put on a new clean lace cap. Hearing her favorite cow moo and +bellow, she left the drawer open and ran to look through the pane of +glass in the kitchen. Through this, she could peep, at any minute, to +see whether this or that cow, or its calf, was sick or well. + +Meanwhile, at the House in the Wood, the Princess, hearing the maid +scream and the servants in an uproar, rushed out in her embroidered +white nightie, to ask who, and what, and why, and wherefore. All +different and very funny were the answers of maid, butler, cook, valet +and boots. + +The first maid, who had pulled open the drawer and let the Oni get out, +held up broom and duster, as if to take oath. She declared: + +"It was a monkey, or baboon; but he seemed to talk--Russian, I think." + +"No," said the butler. "I heard the creature--a black ram, running on +its hind legs; but its language was German, I'm sure." + +The cook, a fat Dutch woman, told a long story. She declared, on honor, +that it was a black dog like a Chinese pug, that has no hair. However, +she had only seen its back, but she was positive the creature talked +English, for she heard it say "soy." + +The valet honestly avowed that he was too scared to be certain of +anything, but was ready to swear that to his ears the words uttered +seemed to be Swedish. He had once heard sailors from Sweden talking, and +the chatter sounded like their lingo. + +Then there was Boots, the errand boy, who believed that it was the +Devil; but, whatever or whoever it was, he was ready to bet a week's +wages that its lingo was all in French. + +Now when the Princess found that not one of her servants could speak or +understand any language but their own, she scolded them roundly in +Dutch, and wound up by saying, "You're a lot of cheese-heads, all of +you." + +Then she arranged the wonderful things from the Far East, with her own +dainty hands, until the House in the Wood was fragrant with Oriental +odors, and soon it became famous throughout all Europe. Even when her +grandchildren played with the pretty toys from the land of Fuji and +flowers, of silk and tea, cherry blossoms and camphor trees, it was not +only the first but the finest Japanese collection in all Europe. + +Meanwhile, the Oni, in a strange land, got into one trouble after +another. In rushed men with clubs, but as an Oni was well used to seeing +these at home, he was not afraid. He could outrun, outjump, or outclimb +any man, easily. The farmer's vrouw (wife) nearly fainted when the Oni +leaped first into her room and then into her bureau drawer. As he did +so, the bottle of soy, held in his three-fingered paw, hit the wood and +the dark liquid, as black as tar, ran all over the nicely starched +laces, collars and nightcaps. Every bit of her quilled and crimped +hear-gear and neckwear, once as white as snow, was ruined. + +"Donder en Bliksem" (thunder and lightning), cried the vrouw. "There's +my best cap, that cost twenty guilders, utterly ruined." Then she +bravely ran for the broomstick. + +The Oni caught sight of what he thought was a big hole in the wall and +ran into it. Seeing the blue sky above, he began to climb up. Now there +were no chimneys in Japan and he did not know what this was. The soot +nearly blinded and choked him. So he slid down and rushed out, only to +have his head nearly cracked by the farmer's wife, who gave him a whack +of her broomstick. She thought it was a crazy goat that she was +fighting. She first drove the Oni into the cellar and then bolted the +door. + +An hour later, the farmer got a gun and loaded it. Then, with his hired +man he came near, one to pull open the door, and the other to shoot. +What they expected to find was a monster. + +But no! So much experience, even within an hour, of things unknown in +Japan, including chimneys, had been too severe for the poor, lonely, +homesick Oni. There it lay dead on the floor, with its three fingers +held tightly to its snout and closing it. So much cheese, zuur kool +(sour krout), gin (schnapps), advocaat (brandy and eggs), cows' milk, +both sour and fresh, wooden shoes, lace collars and crimped neckwear, +with the various smells, had turned both the Oni's head and his stomach. +The very sight of these strange things being so unusual, gave the Oni +first fright, and then a nervous attack, while the odors, such as had +never tortured his nose before, had finished him. + +The wise men of the village were called together to hold an inquest. +After summoning witnesses, and cross-examining them and studying the +strange creature, their verdict was that it could be nothing less than a +_Hersen Schim_, that is, a spectre of the brain. They meant by this +that there was no such animal. + +However, a man from Delft, who followed the business of a knickerbocker, +or baker of knickers, or clay marles, begged the body of the Oni. He +wanted it to serve as a model for a new gargoyle, or rain spout, for the +roof of churches. Carved in stone, or baked in clay, which turns red and +is called terra cotta, the new style of monster became very popular. The +knickerbocker named it after a new devil, that had been expelled by the +prayers of the saints, and speedily made a fortune, by selling it to +stone cutters and architects. So for one real Oni, that died and was +buried in Dutch soil, there are thousands of imaginary ones, made of +baked clay, or stone, in the Dutch land, where things, more funny than +in fairy-land, constantly take place. + +The dead Japanese Oni serving as a model, which was made into a water +gutter, served more useful purposes, for a thousand years, than ever he +had done, in the land where his relations still live and play their +pranks. + + + + +THE LEGEND OF THE WOODEN SHOE + + +In years long gone, too many for the almanac to tell of, or for clocks +and watches to measure, millions of good fairies came down from the sun +and went into the earth. There, they changed themselves into roots and +leaves, and became trees. There were many kinds of these, as they +covered the earth, but the pine and birch, ash and oak, were the chief +ones that made Holland. The fairies that lived in the trees bore the +name of Moss Maidens, or Tree "Trintjes," which is the Dutch pet name +for Kate, or Katharine. + +The oak was the favorite tree, for people lived then on acorns, which +they ate roasted, boiled or mashed, or made into meal, from which +something like bread was kneaded and baked. With oak bark, men tanned +hides and made leather, and, from its timber, boats and houses. Under +its branches, near the trunk, people laid their sick, hoping for help +from the gods. Beneath the oak boughs, also, warriors took oaths to be +faithful to their lords, women made promises, or wives joined hand in +hand around its girth, hoping to have beautiful children. Up among its +leafy branches the new babies lay, before they were found in the cradle +by the other children. To make a young child grow up to be strong and +healthy, mothers drew them through a split sapling or young tree. Even +more wonderful, as medicine for the country itself, the oak had power to +heal. The new land sometimes suffered from disease called the _val_ +(or fall). When sick with the _val_, the ground sunk. Then people, +houses, churches, barns and cattle all went down, out of sight, and were +lost forever, in a flood of water. + +But the oak, with its mighty roots, held the soil firm. Stories of dead +cities, that had tumbled beneath the waves, and of the famous Forest of +Reeds, covering a hundred villages, which disappeared in one night, were +known only too well. + +Under the birch tree, lovers met to plight their vows, and on its smooth +bark was often cut the figure of two hearts joined in one. In summer, +the forest furnished shade, and in winter warmth from the fire. In the +spring time, the new leaves were a wonder, and in autumn the pigs grew +fat on the mast, or the acorns, that had dropped on the ground. + +So, for thousands of years, when men made their home in the forest, and +wanted nothing else, the trees were sacred. + +But by and by, when cows came into the land and sheep and horses +multiplied, more open ground was needed for pasture, grain fields and +meadows. Fruit trees, bearing apples and pears, peaches and cherries, +were planted, and grass, wheat, rye and barley were grown. Then, instead +of the dark woods, men liked to have their gardens and orchards open to +the sunlight. Still, the people were very rude, and all they had on +their bare feet were rough bits of hard leather, tied on through their +toes; though most of them went barefooted. + +The forests had to be cut down. Men were so busy with the axe, that in a +few years, the Wood Land was gone. Then the new "Holland," with its +people and red roofed houses, with its chimneys and windmills, and dykes +and storks, took the place of the old Holt Land of many trees. + +Now there was a good man, a carpenter and very skilful with his tools, +who so loved the oak that he gave himself, and his children after him, +the name of Eyck, which is pronounced Ike, and is Dutch for oak. When, +before his neighbors and friends, according to the beautiful Dutch +custom, he called his youngest born child, to lay the corner-stone of +his new house, he bestowed upon her, before them all, the name of +Neeltje (or Nellie) Van Eyck. + +The carpenter daddy continued to mourn over the loss of the forests. He +even shed tears, fearing lest, by and by, there should not one oak tree +be left in the country. Moreover, he was frightened at the thought that +the new land, made by pushing back the ocean and building dykes, might +sink down again and go back to the fishes. In such a case, all the +people, the babies and their mothers, men, women, horses and cattle, +would be drowned. The Dutch folks were a little too fast, he thought, in +winning their acres from the sea. + +One day, while sitting on his door-step, brooding sorrowfully, a Moss +Maiden and a Tree Elf appeared, skipping along, hand in hand. They came +up to him and told him that his ancestral oak had a message for him. +Then they laughed and ran away. Van Eyck, which was now the man's full +family name, went into the forest and stood under the grand old oak +tree, which his fathers loved, and which he would allow none to cut +down. + +Looking up, the leaves of the tree rustled, and one big branch seemed to +sweep near him. Then it whispered in his ear: + +"Do not mourn, for your descendants, even many generations hence, shall +see greater things than you have witnessed. I and my fellow oak trees +shall pass away, but the sunshine shall be spread over the land and make +it dry. Then, instead of its falling down, like acorns from the trees, +more and better food shall come up from out of the earth. Where green +fields now spread, and the cities grow where forests were, we shall come +to life again, but in another form. When most needed, we shall furnish +you and your children and children's children, with warmth, comfort, +fire, light, and wealth. Nor need you fear for the land, that it will +fall; for, even while living, we, and all the oak trees that are left, +and all the birch, beech, and pine trees shall stand on our heads for +you. We shall hold up your houses, lest they fall into the ooze and you +shall walk and run over our heads. As truly as when rooted in the soil, +will we do this. Believe what we tell you, and be happy. We shall turn +ourselves upside down for you." + +"I cannot see how all these things can be," said Van Eyck. + +"Fear not, my promise will endure." + +The leaves of the branch rustled for another moment. Then, all was +still, until the Moss Maiden and Trintje, the Tree Elf, again, hand in +hand, as they tripped along merrily, appeared to him. + +"We shall help you and get our friends, the elves, to do the same. Now, +do you take some oak wood and saw off two pieces, each a foot long. See +that they are well dried. Then set them on the kitchen table to-night, +when you go to bed." After saying this, and looking at each other and +laughing, just as girls do, they disappeared. + +Pondering on what all this might mean, Van Eyck went to his wood-shed +and sawed off the oak timber. At night, after his wife had cleared off +the supper table, he laid the foot-long pieces in their place. + +When Van Eyck woke up in the morning, he recalled his dream, and, before +he was dressed, hurried to the kitchen. There, on the table, lay a pair +of neatly made wooden shoes. Not a sign of tools, or shavings could be +seen, but the clean wood and pleasant odor made him glad. When he +glanced again at the wooden shoes, he found them perfectly smooth, both +inside and out. They had heels at the bottom and were nicely pointed at +the toes, and, altogether, were very inviting to the foot. He tried them +on, and found that they fitted him exactly. He tried to walk on the +kitchen floor, which his wife kept scrubbed and polished, and then +sprinkled with clean white sand, with broomstick ripples scored in the +layers, but for Van Eyck it was like walking on ice. After slipping and +balancing himself, as if on a tight rope, and nearly breaking his nose +against the wall, he took off the wooden shoes, and kept them off, while +inside the house. However, when he went outdoors, he found his new shoes +very light, pleasant to the feet and easy to walk in. It was not so much +like trying to skate, as it had been in the kitchen. + +At night, in his dreams, he saw two elves come through the window into +the kitchen. One, a kabouter, dark and ugly, had a box of tools. The +other, a light-faced elf, seemed to be the guide. The kabouter at once +got out his saw, hatchet, auger, long, chisel-like knife, and smoothing +plane. At first, the two elves seemed to be quarrelling, as to who +should be boss. Then they settled down quietly to work. The kabouter +took the wood and shaped it on the outside. Then he hollowed out, from +inside of it, a pair of shoes, which the elf smoothed and polished. Then +one elf put his little feet in them and tried to dance, but he only +slipped on the smooth floor and flattened his nose; but the other fellow +pulled the nose straight again, so it was all right. They waltzed +together upon the wooden shoes, then took them off, jumped out the +window, and ran away. + +When Van Eyck put the wooden shoes on, he found that out in the fields, +in the mud, and on the soft soil, and in sloppy places, this sort of +foot gear was just the thing. They did not sink in the mud and the man's +feet were comfortable, even after hours of labor. They did not "draw" +his feet, and they kept out the water far better than leather possibly +could. + +When the Van Eyck vrouw and the children saw how happy Daddy was, they +each one wanted a pair. Then they asked him what he called them. + +"Klompen," said he, in good Dutch, and klompen, or klomps, they are to +this day. + +"I'll make a fortune out of this," said Van Eyck. "I'll set up a +klomp-winkel (shop for wooden shoes) at once." + +So, going out to the blacksmith's shop, in the village, he had the man +who pounded iron fashion for him on his anvil, a set of tools, exactly +like those used by the kabouter and the elf, which he had seen in his +dream. Then he hung out a sign, marked "Wooden blocks for shoes." He +made klomps for the little folks just out of the nursery, for boys and +girls, for grown men and women, and for all who walked out-of-doors, in +the street or on the fields. + +Soon klomps came to be the fashion in all the country places. It was +good manners, when you went into a house, to take off your wooden shoes +and leave them at the door. Even in the towns and cities, ladies wore +wooden slippers, especially when walking or working in the garden. + +Klomps also set the fashion for soft, warm socks, and stockings made +from sheep's wool. Soon, a thousand needles were clicking, to put a soft +cushion between one's soles and toes and the wood. Women knitted, even +while they walked to market, or gossiped on the streets. The +klomp-winkels, or shops of the shoe carpenters, were seen in every +village. + +When rich beyond his day-dreams, Van Eyck had another joyful night +vision. The next day, he wore a smiling countenance. Everybody, who met +him on the street, saluted him and asked, in a neighborly way: + +"Good-morning, Mynheer Bly-moe-dig (Mr. Cheerful). How do you sail +to-day?" + +That's the way the Dutch talk--not "how do you do," but, in their watery +country, it is this, "How do you sail?" or else, "Hoe gat het u al?" +(How goes it with you, already?) + +Then Van Eyck told his dream. It was this: The Moss Maiden and Trintje, +the wood elf, came to him again at night and danced. They were lively +and happy. + +"What now?" asked the dreamer, smilingly, of his two visitors. + +[Illustration: The kabouter took the wood and shaped it on the inside.] + +He had hardly got the question out of his mouth, when in walked a +kabouter, all smutty with blacksmith work. In one hand, he grasped his +tool box. In the other, he held a curious looking machine. It was a big +lump of iron, set in a frame, with ropes to pull it up and let it fall +down with a thump. + +"What is it?" asked Van Eyck. + +"It's a Hey" (a pile driver), said the kabouter, showing him how to use +it. "When men say to you, on the street, to-morrow, 'How do you sail?' +laugh at them," said the Moss Maiden, herself laughing. + +"Yes, and now you can tell the people how to build cities, with mighty +churches with lofty towers, and with high houses like those in other +lands. Take the trees, trim the branches off, sharpen the tops, turn +them upside down and pound them deep in the ground. Did not the ancient +oak promise that the trees would be turned upside down for you? Did they +not say you could walk on top of them?" + +By this time, Van Eyck had asked so many questions, and kept the elves +so long, that the Moss Maiden peeped anxiously through the window. +Seeing the day breaking, she and Trintje and the kabouter flew away, so +as not to be petrified by the sunrise. + +"I'll make another fortune out of this, also," said the happy man, who, +next morning, was saluted as Mynheer Blyd-schap (Mr. Joyful). + +At once, Van Eyck set up a factory for making pile drivers. Sending men +into the woods, who chose the tall, straight trees, he had their +branches cut off. Then he sharpened the trunks at one end, and these +were driven, by the pile driver, down, far and deep, into the ground. So +a foundation, as good as stone, was made in the soft and spongy soil, +and well built houses uprose by the thousands. Even the lofty walls of +churches stood firm. The spires were unshaken in the storm. + +Old Holland had not fertile soil like France, or vast flocks of sheep, +producing wool, like England, or armies of weavers, as in the Belgic +lands. Yet, soon there rose large cities, with splendid mansions and +town halls. As high towards heaven as the cathedrals and towers in other +lands, which had rock for foundation, her brick churches rose in the +air. On top of the forest trees, driven deep into the sand and clay, +dams and dykes were built, that kept out the ocean. So, instead of the +old two thousand square miles, there were, in the realm, in the course +of years, twelve thousand, rich in green fields and cattle. Then, for +all the boys and girls that travel in this land of quaint customs, +Holland was a delight. + + + + +THE CURLY-TAILED LION + + +Once upon a time, some Dutch hunters went to Africa, hoping to capture a +whole family of lions. In this they succeeded. With a pack of hounds and +plenty of aborigines to poke the jungle with sticks, they drove a big +male lion, with his wife and four whelps, out of the undergrowth into a +circle. In the centre, they had dug a pit and covered it over with +sticks and grass. Into this, the whole lion family tumbled. Then, by +nets and ropes, the big, fierce creatures and the little cubs were +lifted out. They were put in cages and brought to Holland. The baby +lions, no bigger than pug dogs, were as pretty and harmless as kittens. +The sailors delighted to play with them. + +Now lions, even before one was ever seen among the Dutch, enjoyed a +great reputation for strength, courage, dignity and power. It was +believed that they had all the traits of character supposed to belong to +kings, and which boys like to possess. Many fathers had named their sons +Leo, which is Latin for lion. Dutch daddies had their baby boys +christened with the name of Leeuw, which is their word for the king of +beasts. + +Before lions were brought from the hot countries into colder lands, the +bear and wolf were most admired; because, besides possessing plenty of +fur, as well as great claws and terrible teeth, they had great courage. +For these reasons, many royal and common folks had taken the wolf and +bear as namesakes for their hopeful sons. + +But the male lion could make more noise than wolves, for he could roar, +while they could only howl. He had a shaggy mane and a very long tail. +This had a nail at the end, for scratching and combing out his hair, +when tangled up. If he were angry, the mighty brute could stick out his +red tongue, curled like a pump handle, and nearly half a yard long. + +So the lion was called the king of beasts, and the crowned rulers and +knights took him as their emblem. They had pictures of the huge creature +painted on their flags, shields and armor. Sometimes they stuck a gold +or brass lion on their iron war hats, which they called helmets. No +knight was allowed to have more than one lion on his shield, but kings +might have three or four, or even a whole menagerie of meat-eating +creatures. These painted or sculptured lions were in all sorts of +action, running, walking, standing up and looking behind or before. + +Now there was a Dutch artist, who noticed what funny fellows kings were, +and how they liked to have all sorts of beasts and birds of prey, and +sea creatures that devour, on their banners. There were dragons, +two-headed eagles, boars with tusks, serpents with fangs, hawks, +griffins, wyverns, lions, dragons and dragon-lions, besides horses with +wings, mermaids with scaly tails, and even night mares that went flying +through the dark. With such a funny variety of beast, bird, and fish, +some wondered why there were not cows with two tails, cats with two +noses, rams with four horns, and creatures that were half veal and half +mutton. He noticed that kings did not care much for tame, quiet, +peaceable, or useful creatures, such as oxen or horses, doves or sheep; +but only for those brutes that hunt and kill the more defenceless +creatures. + +Since, then, kings of the country must have a lion, the artist resolved +to make a new one. He would have some fun, at any rate. + +So as painter or sculptor select men and women to pose for them in their +study as their heroes and heroines, and just as they picture plump +little boys and girls as cherubs and angels, so the Dutchman would make +of the cubs and the father beast of prey his models for coats of arms. + +Poor lions! They did not know, but they soon found out how tiresome it +was to pose. They must hold their paws up, down, sideways or behind, +according as they were told. They must stand or kneel, for a long time, +in awkward positions. They must stick out their tongues to full length, +walk on their hind legs, twist their necks, to one side or the other, +look forward or backward, and in many tiresome ways do just as they were +ordered. They must also make of their tails every sort of use, whether +to wrap around posts or bundles, to stick out of their cage, or put +between their legs, as they ran away, or to whisk them around, as they +roared; or hoist them up high when rampant. + +In some cases, they were expected, even, to put on spectacles, and +pretend to be reading, to hold in their paws books and scrolls, or town +arms, or shop signs. They must pose, not only as companions of Daniel, +in the lions' den at Babylon, which was proper; but also to sit, as +companion of St. Mark, and even to stand on their legs on the top of a +high column, without falling off. + +In a word, this artist belonged to the college of heralds, and he +introduced the king of beasts into Dutch heraldry. + +So from that day forth, the life of that family of African lions, from +the daddy to the youngest cub, was made a burden. When at home in the +jungle and even in the cage, the father lion's favorite position was +that of lolling on one side, with his paws stretched out, and half +asleep and all day, until he went out, towards dark, to hunt. Now, he +must stand up, nearly all day. Daddy lion had to do most of the posing, +until the poor beast's front legs and paws were weary with standing so +long. Moreover, the hair was all worn off his body at the place where he +had to sit on the hard wooden floor. He must do all this, on penalty of +being punched with a red hot poker, if he refused. A charcoal furnace +and long andirons were kept near by, and these were attended to by a +Dutch boy. Or, it might be that the whole family of lions were not +allowed to have any dinner till Daddy obeyed and did what he was told, +though often with a snarl or a roar. + +First, Leo must rise upon his hind legs and look in front of him. This +posture was not hard, for in his native jungle, he had often thus +obtained a breakfast of venison for his wife and family. But oh, to +stand a half hour on two legs only, when he had four, and would gladly +have used all of them, was hard. Yet this was the position, called "the +lion rampant," which kings liked best. + +But the king's uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, and his wife's +relations generally, every one of them, wanted a lion on his or her +stationery and pocket handkerchiefs, as well as on their shields and +flags. So the old lion was tortured--the hot poker being always in +sight--and he was made to take a great variety of positions. The artist +called out to Leo, just as a driver says to his cart horse, "whoa," "get +up," "golong," etc. When he yelled in this fashion, the lion had to +obey. + +Pretty soon lions in heraldry, on flags, armor, town arms, family crests +and city seals became all the fashion. The whole country went lion-mad. +There were lions carved in stone, wood and iron, and every sort and +kind, possible or impossible. Some of them seemed to be engaged in a +variety of tricks, as if they belonged to a circus, or were having a +holiday. They laughed, giggled, yawned, stuck out their tongues, held +boards for hotels, bundles for the shopkeepers, or barrels for beer +halls, and made excellent shop signs, which the boys and girls enjoyed +looking at. + +Mrs. Leo was not in much demand, for Mr. Leo did not approve of his +wife's appearing in public. She was kept busy in taking care of her +cubs. Daddy Lion had to do multiple work for his family, until the cubs +were grown. Yet long before this time had come, their Dad had died and +been stuffed for a museum. How this first king of beasts in the +Netherlands came to his untimely end was on this wise. + +Not satisfied with posing Leo in every posture, and with all possible +gestures, his master, the artist, wanted him to look "heraldical"; that +is, like some of the mythical beasts that were combinations of any and +all creatures having fins, fur, feathers, or scales, such as the dragon +or griffin. One day, he attempted to make out of a live lion a fanciful +creature of curlicues and curliewurlies. So he strapped the lion down, +and used a curling iron on his mane until he looked like a bearded bull +of Babylon. Then he combed out, and, with curl papers, twisted the long +line of hair, which is seen in front of Leo's stomach. In like manner, +he treated the bunches of hair that grow over the animal's kneepans and +elbows. Last of all, he took a hair brush, and smoothed out the tuft, at +the end of the animal's long tail. Then the artist made a picture of him +in this condition, all curled and rich in ringlets, like a dandy. + +By this time, the father of the lion family looked as if he had come out +fresh from a hairdresser's parlor. Indeed, Mrs. Leo was so struck with +her husband's appearance, that she immediately licked her cubs all over, +until their fur shone, so they should look like their father. Then, +having used her tongue as a comb, to make her own skin smooth and +glossy, she completed the job by using the nail in her tail, to do the +finishing work. Altogether, this was the curliest family of lions ever +seen, and Daddy Leo appeared to be the funniest curly-headed and +curly-bodied lion ever seen. In fact he was all curls, from head to +tail. + +Notwithstanding all his pains, the artist was not yet satisfied with his +job. He wanted a circle of long hair to grow in the middle of the lion's +tail. His curly lion should beat all creation, and in this way he +proceeded. + +His own daughter, being a young lady and having some trouble of the +throat, the doctor had ordered medicine for the girl, charging her not +to spill any drops of the liquid on her face, or clothes. + +But, in giving the dose, either the mother, or the daughter, was +careless. At that very moment the cat ran across the room, after the +mouse, and just as she held the spoon to her mouth, Puss got twisted in +her skirts. So most of the medicine splashed upon her upper lip and then +ran down to her chin, on either side of her mouth. She laughed over the +spill, wiped off the liquid, and thought no more of the matter. + +But a week later, she was astonished. On waking, she looked in the +glass, only to shrink back in horror. On her face had grown both +moustaches and a beard. True, both were rather downy, but still they +were black; and, until the barber came, and shaved off the growth, she +was a bearded woman. Yet, strange to tell, after one or two shaves by +the barber, no more hair grew again on her face, which was smooth again. + +"By Saint Servatus! I'll make a fortune on this," cried the artist, when +he saw his daughter's hairy face. + +So, he sold his secret to a druggist, and this man made an ointment, +giving it a Chinese name, meaning "beard-grower." This wonderful +medicine, as his sign declared, would "force the growth of luxuriant +moustaches and a beard, on the smoothest face of any young man," who +should buy and apply it. + +Soon the whole town rang with the news of the wonderful discovery. The +druggist sold out his stock, in two days, to happy purchasers. Other +young fellows, that wanted to outrival their companions, had to wait a +fortnight for the new medicine to be made. By that time, a full crop of +downy hair had come out on the cheeks and chin and upper lip of many a +youth. Some, who had been trying for years to raise moustaches, in order +duly to impress the girls, to whom they were making love, were now +jubilant. In several cases, a lover was able to cut out his rival and +win the maid he wanted. Several courtings were hastened and became +genuine matches, because a face, long very smooth, and like a desert as +to hair, bore a promising crop. Beard and cheeks had at last met +together. So the new medicine was called a "match-maker." + +The artist rubbed his hands in glee, at the prospect of a fortune. He +argued that if the wonderful ointment made beards for men, it must be +good for lions also. So again, Daddy Lion was coerced by the threat of +the hot poker. Then his tail was seized, and, by means of a rope, tied +to a post on one side of the cage, he was held fast. Then the artist +anointed about six inches of the middle of the smooth tail with the +magic liquid. For fear the lion might lick it off, the poor beast was +held in this tiresome position for a whole week, so that he could not +turn round, and he nearly died of fatigue. + +But it happened to the lion's tail, as it did with the young men's +chins, cheeks and upper lips. A beard did indeed grow, but once shaved +off--and many did shave, thinking to promote greater growth--no more +hair ever appeared again. The ointment forced a downy growth but it +killed the roots of the hair. + +A worse fate befell the lion. A crop of hair, perhaps an inch longer +than common, grew out. But this time, the bad medicine, which had +deceived men, and was unfit for lions, struck in. + +From this cause, added to nervous prostration, old Leo fell dead. As +lion fathers go, he was a good one, and his widow and children mourned +for him. He had never once, however hungry, tried to eat up his cubs, +which was something in his favor. + +Soon after these exploits, the old artist died also. His son, hearing +there was still a demand, among kings, for lions, and those especially +with centre curls in their tails, took the most promising of the whelps +and petted and fed him well. In the seventh year, when his mane and +elbow and knee hair had grown out, this cub was mated to a young lioness +of like promise. When, of this couple, a male whelp was born, it was +found that in due time its knees, elbows, tail-tuft, and the front of +its body were all rich in furry growth. In the middle of its tail, also, +thick ringlets, several inches long, were growing. Evidently, the hair +tonic had done some good. So this one became the father of all the +curly-tailed lions in the Netherlands. Not only was this lion, thus +distinguished for so novel an ornament, copied into heraldry, but it +adorned many city seals and town arms. In time, the lion of the +Netherlands was pictured with a crown on its head, a sword in its right +hand, a bundle of seven arrows--in token of a union of seven +states--and, still later, the new Order of the Netherlands Lion was +founded. The original curly lion, with long hair in the middle of its +tail, boasts of a long line of descendants that are proud of their +ancestor. + + + + +BRABO AND THE GIANT + + +Ages ago, when the giants were numerous on the earth, there lived a big +fellow named Antigonus. That was not what his mother had called him, but +some one told him of a Greek general of that name; so he took this for +his own. He was rough and cruel. His castle was on the Scheldt River, +where the city of Antwerp now stands. Many ships sailed out of France +and Holland, down this stream. They were loaded with timber, flax, iron, +cheese, fish, bread, linen, and other things made in the country. It was +by this trade that many merchants grew rich, and their children had +plenty of toys to play with. The river was very grand, deep, and wide. +The captains of the ships liked to sail on it, because there was no +danger from rocks, and the country through which it flowed was so +pretty. + +So every day, one could see hundreds of white-sailed craft moving +towards the sea, or coming in from the ocean. Boys and girls came down +to stand in their wooden shoes on the banks, to see the vessels moving +to and fro. The incoming ships brought sugar, wine, oranges, lemons, +olives and other good things to eat, and wool to make warm clothes. +Often craftsmen came from the wonderful countries in the south to tell +of the rich cities there, and help to build new and fine houses, and +splendid churches, and town halls. So all the Belgian people were happy. + +But one day, this wicked giant came into the country to stop the ships +and make them pay him money. He reared a strong castle on the river +banks. It had four sides and high walls, and deep down in the earth were +dark, damp dungeons. One had to light a candle to find his way to the +horrid places. + +What was it all for? The people wondered, but they soon found out. The +giant, with a big knotted club, made out of an oak tree, strode through +the town. He cried out to all the people to assemble in the great open +square. + +"From this day forth," he roared, "no ship, whether up or down the +river, shall pass by this place, without my permission. Every captain +must pay me toll, in money or goods. Whoever refuses, shall have both +his hands cut off and thrown into the river. + +"Hear ye all and obey. Any one caught in helping a ship go by without +paying toll, whether it be night, or whether it be day, shall have his +thumbs cut off and be put in the dark dungeon for a month. Again I say, +Obey!" + +With this, the giant swung and twirled his club aloft and then brought +it down on a poor countryman's cart, smashing it into flinders. This was +done to show his strength. + +So every day, when the ships hove in sight, they were hailed from the +giant's castle and made to pay heavy toll. Poor or rich, they had to +hand over their money. If any captain refused, he was brought ashore and +made to kneel before a block and place one hand upon the other. Then the +giant swung his axe and cut off both hands, and flung them into the +river. If a ship master hesitated, because he had no money, he was cast +into a dungeon, until his friends paid his ransom. + +Soon, on account of this, the city got a bad name. The captains from +France kept in, and the ship men from Spain kept out. The merchants +found their trade dwindling, and they grew poorer every day. So some of +them slipped out of the city and tried to get the ships to sail in the +night, and silently pass the giant's castle. + +But the giant's watchers, on the towers, were as wide awake as owls and +greedy as hawks. They pounced on the ship captains, chopped off their +hands and tossed them into the river. The townspeople, who were found on +board, were thrown into the dungeons and had their thumbs cut off. + +So the prosperity of the city was destroyed, for the foreign merchants +were afraid to send their ships into the giant's country. The reputation +of the city grew worse. It was nicknamed by the Germans Hand Werpen, or +Hand Throwing; while the Dutchmen called it Antwerp, which meant the +same thing. The Duke of Brabant, or Lord of the land, came to the big +fellow's fortress and told him to stop. He even shook his fist under the +giant's huge nose, and threatened to attack his castle and burn it. But +Antigonus only snapped his fingers, and laughed at him. He made his +castle still stronger and kept on hailing ships, throwing some of the +crews into dungeons and cutting off the hands of the captains, until the +fish in the river grew fat. + +Now there was a brave young fellow named Brabo, who lived in the +province of Brabant. He was proud of his country and her flag of yellow, +black and red, and was loyal to his lord. He studied the castle well and +saw a window, where he could climb up into the giant's chamber. + +Going to the Duke, Brabo promised if his lord's soldiers would storm the +gates of the giant's castle, that he would seek out and fight the +ruffian. While they battered down the gates, he would climb the walls. +"He's nothing but a 'bulle-wak'" (a bully and a boaster), said Brabo, +"and we ought to call him that, instead of Antigonus." + +The Duke agreed. On a dark night, one thousand of his best men-at-arms +were marched with their banners, but with no drums or trumpets, or +anything that could make a noise and alarm the watchmen. + +Reaching a wood full of big trees near the castle, they waited till +after midnight. All the dogs in the town and country, for five miles +around, were seized and put into barns, so as not to bark and wake the +giant up. They were given plenty to eat, so that they quickly fell +asleep and were perfectly quiet. + +At the given signal, hundreds of men holding ship's masts, or tree +trunks, marched against the gates. They punched and pounded and at last +smashed the iron-bound timbers and rushed in. After overcoming the +garrison, they lighted candles, and unlocking the dungeons, went down +and set the poor half-starved captives free. Some of them pale, haggard +and thin as hop poles, could hardly stand. About the same time, the barn +doors where the dogs had been kept, were thrown open. In full cry, a +regiment of the animals, from puppies to hounds, were at once out, +barking, baying, and yelping, as if they knew what was going on and +wanted to see the fun. + +But where was the giant? None of the captains could find him. Not one of +the prisoners or the garrison could tell where he had hid. + +But Brabo knew that the big fellow, Antigonus, was not at all brave, but +really only a bully and a coward. So the lad was not afraid. Some of his +comrades outside helped him to set up a tall ladder against the wall. +Then, while all the watchers and men-at-arms inside, had gone away to +defend the gates, Brabo climbed into the castle, through a slit in the +thick wall. This had been cut out, like a window, for the bow-and-arrow +men, and was usually occupied by a sentinel. Sword in hand, Brabo made +for the giant's own room. Glaring at the youth, the big fellow seized +his club and brought it down with such force that it went through the +wooden floor. But Brabo dodged the blow and, in a trice, made a sweep +with his sword. Cutting off the giant's head, he threw it out the +window. It had hardly touched the ground, before the dogs arrived. One +of the largest of these ran away with the trophy and the big, hairy +noddle of the bully was never found again. + +But the giant's huge hands! Ah, they were cut off by Brabo, who stood on +the very top of the highest tower, while all below looked up and +cheered. Brabo laid one big hand on top of the other, as the giant used +to do, when he cut off the hands of captains. He took first the right +hand and then the left hand and threw them, one at a time, into the +river. + +A pretty sight now revealed the fact that the people knew what had been +going on and were proud of Brabo's valor. In a moment, every house in +Antwerp showed lighted candles, and the city was illuminated. Issuing +from the gates came a company of maidens. They were dressed in white, +but their leader was robed in yellow, red, and black, the colors of the +Brabant flag. They all sang in chorus the praises of Brabo their hero. + +"Let us now drop the term of disgrace to the city--that of the +Hand-Throwing and give it a new name," said one of the leading men of +Antwerp. + +"No," said the chief ruler, "let us rather keep the name, and, more than +ever, invite all peaceful ships to come again, 'an-'t-werf' (at the +wharf), as of old. Then, let the arms of Antwerp be two red hands above +a castle." + +"Agreed," cried the citizens with a great shout. The Duke of Brabant +approved and gave new privileges to the city, on account of Brabo's +bravery. So, from high to low, all rejoiced to honor their hero, who +was richly rewarded. + +After this, thousands of ships, from many countries, loaded or unloaded +their cargoes on the wharves, or sailed peacefully by. Antwerp excelled +all seaports and became very rich again. Her people loved their native +city so dearly, that they coined the proverb "All the world is a ring, +and Antwerp is the pearl set in it." + +To this day, in the great square, rises the splendid bronze monument of +Brabo the Brave. The headless and handless hulk of the giant Antigonus +lies sprawling, while on his body rests Antwerp castle. Standing over +all, at the top, is Brabo high in air. He holds one of the hands of +Antigonus, which he is about to toss into the Scheldt River. + +No people honor valor more than the Belgians. Themselves are to-day, as +of old, among the bravest. + + + + +THE FARM THAT RAN AWAY AND CAME BACK + + +There was once a Dutchman, who lived in the province called Drenthe. +Because there was a row of little trees on his farm, his name was Ryer +Van Boompjes; that is, Ryer of the Little Trees. After a while, he moved +to the shore of the Zuyder Zee and into Overijssel. Overijssel means +over the Ijssel River. There he bought a new farm, near the village of +Blokzyl. By dyking and pumping, certain wise men had changed ten acres, +of sand and heath, into pasture and land for plowing. They surrounded it +on three sides with canals. The fourth side fronted on the Zuyder Zee. +Then they advertised, in glowing language, the merits of the new land +and Ryer Van Boompjes bought it and paid for his real estate. He was as +proud as a popinjay of his island and he ruled over it like a Czar or a +Kaiser. + +A few years before, Ryer had married a "queezel," as the Dutch call +either a nun, or a maid who is no longer young. At this date, when our +story begins, he had four blooming, but old-fashioned children, with +good appetites. They could eat cabbage and potatoes, rye bread and +cheese, by the half peck, and drink buttermilk by the quart. In +addition, Ryer owned four horses, six cows, two dogs, some roosters and +hens, a flock of geese, two dozen ducks, and a donkey. + +Yet although Ryer was rich, as wealth is reckoned in Drenthe, whence he +had come, he was greedy for more. He skimped the food of his animals. So +much did he do this, that his neighbors declared that they had seen him +put green spectacles on his cows and the donkey. Then he mixed straws +and shavings with the hay to make the animals think they were eating +fresh grass. + +When he ploughed, he drove his horses close to the edge next to the +water, so as to make use of every half inch of land. When sometimes bits +of fen land, from his neighbor's farms, got loose and floated on the +water, Ryer felt he was in luck. He would go out at night, grapple the +boggy stuff and fasten it to his own land. + +After this had happened several times, and Ryer had added a half acre to +his holdings, his greed possessed him like a bad fairy. He began to +steal the land on the other side of the Zuyder Zee. In the course of +time, he became a regular land thief. Whenever he saw, or heard of, a +floating bit of territory, he rowed his boat after it by night. Before +morning, aided by wicked helpers, who shared in the plunder, and were in +his pay, he would have the bog attached to his own farm. + +All this time, he hardly realized that his ill-gotten property, now +increased to twelve acres or more, was itself a very shaky bit of real +estate. In fact, it was not real at all. His wife one day told him so, +for she knew of her mean husband's trickery. + +About this time, heavy rains fell, for many days, and without ceasing, +until all the region was reduced to pulp and the country seemed afloat. +The dykes appeared ready to burst. Thousands feared that the land had an +attack of the disease called val (fall) and that the soil would sink +under the waves as portions of the realm had done before, in days long +gone by. + +Yet none of this impending trouble worried Ryer, whose greed grew by +what it fed upon. In fact, the first day the sun shone again, quickly +drying up parts of his farm, he had two horses harnessed up for work. +Then he drove them so near the edge of the ditch that plough, man, and +horses tumbled, and down they went, into the shiny mess of mud and +water. + +At this moment, also, the water, from below the bottom of the Zuyder +Zee, welled up, in a great wave, like a mushroom, and the whole of +Ryer's soggy estate was on the point of breaking loose and seemed ready +to float away. + +The stingy fellow, as he fell overboard, bumped his head so hard on the +plough beam, that he lay senseless for a half hour. He would certainly +have been drowned, had not Pete, his stout son, who was not far away, +and had seen the tumble, ran to the house, launched a boat and rowed +quickly to the spot, where he had last seen his father. Grabbing his +daddy by the collar, he hauled him, half dead, into the boat. Between +his bump and his fright, and the cold bath, old Ryer was a long time +coming to his wits. With filial piety, Pete kept on rubbing the paternal +hands and restoring the circulation. + +All this, however, took a long time, even an hour or more. When his +father was able to sit up and talk, Pete started to row back to the +little wharf in front of his home. + +But where was it,--the farm, with the house and fields? Whither had they +gone? Ryer was too mystified to get his bearings, but Pete knew the +points of the compass. Yet his father's farm was not there. He looked at +the shore of Overijssel, which he had left. Instead of the old, straight +lines of willow trees, with the church spire beyond, there was a hollow +and empty place. It looked as if a giant, as big as the world itself, +had bitten out a piece of land and swallowed it down. Dumbfounded, +father and son looked, the one at the other, but said nothing, for there +was nothing to say. + +Meanwhile, what had become of the farm and "the Queezel," as the +neighbors still called her--that is, the mother with the children. These +good people soon saw that they were floating off somewhere. The mainland +was every moment receding further into the distance. In fact, the farm +was moving from Overijssel northward, towards Friesland. One by one, the +church spires of the village near by faded from sight. + +But when the wind changed from south to west, they seemed as if on a +ship, with sails set, and to be making due west, for North Holland. The +younger children, so far from being afraid, clapped their hands in glee. +They thought it great fun to ferry across the big water, which they had +so long seen before their eyes. Their stingy father had never owned a +carriage, or allowed the horses to be ridden. He always made his family +walk to church. Whether it were to the sermon, in the morning, or to +hear the catechism expounded by the Domine, in the afternoon, all the +family had to tramp on their wooden shoes there and back. + +As for the floating farm, the cows could not understand it. They mooed +piteously, while the donkey brayed loudly. At night, and day after day, +no one could attend properly to the animals, to see that they were fed +and given water. One always sees a big tub in the middle of a Dutch +pasture field. Neither ducks, nor geese, nor chickens minded it in the +least, but the thirsty cattle and horses, at the end of the first day, +had drunk the tub dry. None of the dumb brutes, even if they had not +been afraid of being drowned, could drink from the Zuyder Zee, for it +was chiefly sea water, that is, salt, or at least brackish. + +Occasionally this errant farm, that had thus broken loose, passed by +fishermen, who wondered at so much land thus adrift. Yet they feared to +hail, and go on board, lest the owners might think them intruding. +Others thought it none of their business, supposing some crazy fellow +was using his farm as a ship, to move his lands, goods and household, +and thus save expense. In some of the villages, the runaway farm was +descried from the tops of the church towers. Then, it furnished a +subject for chat and gossip, during three days, to the women, as they +milked the cows, or knitted stockings. To the men, also, while they +smoked, or drank their coffee, it was a lively topic. + +"There were real people on it and a house and stables," said the sexton +of a church, who declared that he had seen this new sort of a flying +Dutchman. It was the usual sight--"cow, dog, and stork," and then he +quoted the old Dutch proverb. + +At last, after several days, and when Ryer and his son were nearly +finished, with fatigue and fright, in trying to row their boat to catch +up with the runaway farm, they finally reached a village across the +Zuyder Zee, in North Holland, where rye bread and turnips satisfied +their hunger and they had waffles for dessert. Their small change went +quickly, and then the two men were at their wit's end to know what +further to do. + +By this time, out on the floating farm, the mother and children were +wild with fear of starving. All the food for the cattle had been eaten +up, the dog had no meat, the cat no milk, and the stork had run out of +its supply of frogs. There was no sugar or coffee, and neither rye nor +currant-bread, or sliced sausage or wafer-thin cheese for any one; but +only potatoes and some barley grain. Happily, however, in drifting +within sight of the village of Osterbeek, the mother and the children +noticed that the east wind was freshening. Soon they descried the tops +of the church towers of North Holland. The smell of cows and cheese and +of burning peat fires from the chimneys made both animals and human +beings happy, as the wind blew the island westward to the village. + +Curiously enough, this was the very place at which, by hard rowing, Ryer +and Pete had also arrived. Father and son were sitting in the hotel +parlor, with their eyes down on the sandy floor, wondering how they were +to pay for their next sandwich and coffee, for their money was all gone. + +At that moment, a small boy clattered over the bricks in his klomps. He +kicked these off, at the door, and rushed into the room. He had on his +yellow baggy trousers and his hair, of the same color, was cut level +with his ears. Half out of breath, he announced the coming, afloat, of +what looked like a combination of farm and menagerie. A house, a woman, +some girls, a dog, a cat, and a stork were on it and afloat. + +At once, old man Ryer, still stiff from his long, cold bath, hobbled +out, and Pete ran before him. Yes, it was mother, the children and all +the animals! For the first time in his life, the mean old sinner felt +his heart thumping, in grateful emotion, under his woolen jacket, with +its two gold buttons. Something like real religion had finally oozed out +from under his crusted soul. + +A whole convoy of boys, fishermen, farmers, and a fat vrouw or two, +volunteered to go out and tow the runaway farm to the village wharf. +They succeeded in grappling the float and held it fast by ropes tied to +a horse post. + +That night all were happy. The farm was made fast by another rope put +round the town pump. Then the villagers all went to bed. They were happy +in having rescued a runaway farm, and they expected a good "loon" +(reward) from the rich old Ryer, who, in the barroom, had talked big +about his wealth. + +As for the Van Boompjes, in order to save a landlord's bill for beds, +they slept in their house, on board the farm, amid the lowing of their +cattle that called out, in their own way, for more fodder; while the +people in the village wondered at roosters crowing out on the water, and +evidently the barn-yard birds were frightened. + +And so they were; for, before midnight, when all other creatures were +asleep, and not even a mouse was stirring on land, whether hard fast, or +floating, the west wind rose mightily and blew to a terrific gale. + +In a moment, the tow lines, that held the vagrant farm to the village +pump and horse post, snapped. The Van Boompjes estate left the wharf and +was driven, at a furious rate, across the Zuyder Zee. For several hours, +like a ship under full sail, it was pushed westward by the wind. Yet so +soundly did all sleep, man and wife, children and hens, that none +awakened during this strange voyage. Even the roosters, after their +first concert, held in their voices. + +Suddenly, and as straight as if steered by a skilled pilot, the Van +Boompjes farm, now an accomplished traveller, after its many adventures, +shot into its old place. This took place with such violence, that Ryer +Van Boompjes and his wife were both thrown out of bed. The cows were +knocked over in the stable. The dog barked, supposing some one had +kicked him. One old rooster, jostled off his perch, set up a tremendous +crowing, that brought some of the early risers out to rub their eyes and +see what was going on. + +"Hemel en aard, bliksem en regen" (Heaven and earth, lightning and +rain), they cried, "the old farm is back in its place." + +In fact, the Van Boompjes real estate was snugly fitted once more to the +mainland, and again in the niche it had left. It had struck so hard, +that a ridge of raised sod, five inches high, marked the place of +junction. At least twenty fishes and wriggling eels were smashed in the +collision. + +From that day forth the conscience of Van Boompjes returned, and he +actually became an honest man. He sawed off, from time to time, portions +of his big farm, and returned them home, with money paid as interest, to +the owners. He found out all the mynheers, whose bits of land had +drifted off. He sent a tidy sum of gold to the village in North Holland, +where his farm had been moored, for a few hours. With a good conscience, +he went to church and worshipped. His action, at each of the two +collections, which Dutch folks always take up on Sundays, was noticed +and praised as a sure and public sign of the old sinner's true +repentance. When the deacons, with their white gloves on, poked under +his nose their black velvet bags, hung at the end of fishing poles, ten +feet long, this man, who had been for years a skinflint, dropped in a +silver coin each time. + +On the farm, all the animals, from duck to stork, and from dog to ox, +now led happier lives. In the family, all declared that the behavior of +the farm and the wind of the Zuyder Zee had combined to make a new man +and a delightful father of old Van Boompjes. He lived long and happily +and died greatly lamented. + + + + +SANTA KLAAS AND BLACK PETE + + +Who is Santa Klaas? How did he get his name? Where does he live? Did you +ever see him? + +These are questions, often asked of the storyteller, by little folks. + +Before Santa Klaas came into the Netherlands, that is, to Belgium and +Holland, he was called by many names, in the different countries in +which he lived, and where he visited. Some people say he was born in +Myra, many hundred years ago before the Dutch had a dyke or a windmill, +or waffles, or wooden shoes. Others tell us how, in time of famine, the +good saint found the bodies of three little boys, pickled in a tub, at a +market for sale, and to be eaten up. They had been salted down to keep +till sold. The kind gentleman and saint, whose name was Nicholas, +restored these three children to life. It is said that once he lost his +temper, and struck with his fist a gentleman named Arius; but the +story-teller does not believe this, for he thinks it is a fib, made up +long afterward. How could a saint lose his temper so? + +Another story they tell of this same Nicholas was this. There were three +lovely maidens, whose father had lost all his money. They wanted +husbands very badly, but had no money to buy fine clothes to get married +in. He took pity on both their future husbands and themselves. So he +came to the window, and left three bags of gold, one after the other. +Thus these three real girls all got real husbands, just as the novels +tell us of the imaginary ones. They lived happily ever afterward, and +never scolded their husbands. + +By and by, men who were goldsmiths, bankers or pawnbrokers, made a sign +of these three bags of gold, in the shape of balls. Now they hang them +over their shop doors, two above one. This means "two to one, you will +never get it again"--when you put your ring, furs, or clothes, or watch, +or spoons, in pawn. + +It is ridiculous how many stories they do tell of this good man, +Nicholas, who was said to be what they call a bishop, or inspector, who +goes around seeing that things are done properly in the churches. It was +because the Reverend Mr. Nicholas had to travel about a good deal, that +the sailors and travellers built temples and churches in his honor. To +travel, one must have a ship on the sea and a horse on the land, or a +reindeer up in the cold north; though now, it is said, he comes to +Holland in a steamship, and uses an automobile. + +On Santa Klaas eve, each of the Dutch children sets out in the chimney +his wooden shoe. Into it, he puts a whisp of hay, to feed the +traveller's horse. When St. Nicholas first came to Holland, he arrived +in a sailing ship from Spain and rode on a horse. Now he arrives in a +big steamer, made of steel. Perhaps he will come in the future by +aeroplane. To fill all the shoes and stockings, the good saint must have +an animal to ride. Now the fast white horse, named Sleipnir, was ready +for him, and on Sleipnir's back he made his journeys. + +How was Santa Klaas dressed? + +His clothes were those of a bishop. He wore a red coat and his cap, +higher than a turban and called a mitre, was split along two sides and +pointed at the top. In his hands, he held a crozier, which was a staff +borrowed from shepherds, who tended sheep; and with the crozier he +helped the lambs over rough places; but the crozier of Santa Klaas was +tipped with gold. He had white hair and rosy cheeks. For an old man, he +was very active, but his heart and feelings never got to be one day +older than a boy's, for these began when mother love was born and +father's care was first in the world, but it never grows old. + +When Santa Klaas travelled up north to Norway and into the icy cold +regions, where there were sleighs and reindeer, he changed his clothes. +Instead of his red robe, he wears a jacket, much shorter and trimmed +with ermine, white as snow. Taking off his mitre, he wears a cap of fur +also, and has laid aside his crozier. In the snow, wheels are no good, +and runners are the best for swift travel. So, instead of his white +horse and a wagon, he drives in a sleigh, drawn by two stags with large +horns. In every country, he puts into the children's stockings hung up, +or shoes set in the fireplace, something which they like. In Greenland, +for example, he gives the little folks seal blubber, and fish hooks. So +his presents are not the same in every country. However, for naughty +boys and girls everywhere, instead of filling shoes and stockings, he +may leave a switch, or pass them by empty. + +When Santa Klaas travels, he always brings back good things. Now when he +first came to New Netherland in America, what did he find to take back +to Holland? + +Well, it was here, on our continent, that he found corn, potatoes, +pumpkins, maple sugar, and something to put in pipes to smoke; besides +strange birds and animals, such as turkeys and raccoons, in addition to +many new flowers. What may be called a weed, like the mullein, for +example, is considered very pretty in Europe, where they did not have +such things. There it is called the American Velvet Plant, or the King's +Candlestick. + +But, better than all, Santa Klaas found a negro boy, Pete, who became +one of the most faithful of his helpers. At Utrecht, in Holland, the +students of the University give, every year, a pageant representing +Santa Klaas on his white horse, with Black Pete, who is always on hand +and very busy. Black Pete's father brought peanuts from Africa to +America, and sometimes Santa Klaas drops a bagful of these, as a great +curiosity, into the shoes of the Dutch young folks. + +Santa Klaas was kept very busy visiting the homes and the public schools +in New Netherland; for in these schools all the children, girls as well +as boys, and not boys only, received a free education. In later visits +he heard of Captain Kidd and his fellow pirates, who wore striped shirts +and red caps, and had pigtails of hair, tied in eel skins, and hanging +down their backs. These fellows wore earrings and stuck pistols in their +belts and daggers at their sides. Instead of getting their gold +honestly, and giving it to the poor, or making presents to the children, +the pirates robbed ships. Then, as 'twas said, they buried their +treasure. Lunatics and boys that read too many novels, have ever since +been digging in the land to find Captain Kidd's gold. + +Santa Klaas does not like such people. Moreover, he was just as good to +the poor slaves, as to white children. So the colored people loved the +good saint also. Their pickaninnies always hung up their stockings on +the evening of December sixth. + +Santa Klaas filled the souls of the people in New Netherland so full of +his own spirit, that now children all over the United States, and those +of Americans living in other countries, hang up their stockings and look +for a visit from him. + +In Holland, Black Pete was very loyal and true to his master, carrying +not only the boxes and bundles of presents for the good children, but +also the switches for bad boys and girls. Between the piles of pretty +things to surprise good children, on one side, and the boxes of birch +and rattan, the straps and hard hair-brush backs for naughty youngsters, +Pete holds the horn of plenty. In this are dolls, boats, trumpets, +drums, balls, toy houses, flags, the animals in Noah's Ark, building +blocks, toy castles and battleships, story and picture books, little +locomotives, cars, trains, automobiles, aeroplanes, rocking horses, +windmills, besides cookies, candies, marbles, tops, fans, lace, and more +nice things than one can count. + +Pete also takes care of the horse of Santa Klaas, named Sleipnir, which +goes so fast that, in our day, the torpedo and submarine U-boats are +named after him. This wonderful animal used to have eight feet, for +swiftness. That was when Woden rode him, but, in course of time, four of +his legs dropped off, so that the horse of Santa Klaas looks less like a +centipede and more like other horses. Whenever Santa Klaas walks, Pete +has to go on foot also, even though the chests full of presents for the +children are very heavy and Pete has to carry them. + +Santa Klaas cares nothing about rich girls or poor girls, for all the +kinds of boys he knows about or thinks of are good boys and bad boys. A +youngster caught stealing jam out of the closet, or cookies from the +kitchen, or girls lifting lumps of sugar out of the sugar bowl, or +eating too much fudge, or that are mean, stingy, selfish, or have bad +tempers, are considered naughty and more worthy of the switch than of +presents. So are the boys who attend Sunday School for a few weeks +before Christmas, and then do not come any more till next December. +These Santa Klaas turns over to Pete, to be well thrashed. + +[Illustration: Santa Klaas and Black Pete.] + +In Holland, Pete still keeps on the old dress of the time of New +Netherland. He wears a short jacket, with wide striped trousers, in +several bright colors, shoes strapped on his feet, a red cap and a ruff +around his neck. Sometimes he catches bad boys, to put them in a bag for +a half hour, to scare them; or, he shuts them up in a dark closet, or +sends them to bed without any supper. Or, instead of allowing them +eleven buckwheat cakes at breakfast, he makes them stop at five. When +Santa Klaas leaves Holland to go back to Spain, or elsewhere, Pete takes +care of the nag Sleipnir, and hides himself until Santa Klaas comes +again next year. + +The story-teller knows where Santa Klaas lives, but he won't tell. + + + + +THE GOBLINS TURNED TO STONE + + +When the cow came to Holland, the Dutch folks had more and better things +to eat. Fields of wheat and rye took the place of forests. Instead of +acorns and the meat of wild game, they now enjoyed milk and bread. The +youngsters made pets of the calves and all the family lived under one +roof. The cows had a happy time of it, because they were kept so clean, +fed well, milked regularly, and cared for in winter. + +By and by the Dutch learned to make cheese and began to eat it every +day. They liked it, whether it was raw, cooked, toasted, sliced, or in +chunks, or served with other good things. Even the foxes and wild +creatures were very fond of the smell and taste of toasted cheese. They +came at night close to the houses, often stealing the cheese out of the +pantry. When a fox would not, or could not, be caught in a trap by any +other bait, a bit of cooked cheese would allure him so that he was +caught and his fur made use of. + +When the people could not get meat, or fish, they had toasted bread and +cheese, which in Dutch is "geroostered brod met kaas." Then they +laughed, and named the new dish after whatever they pretended it was. It +was just the same, as when they called goodies, made out of flour and +sugar, "nuts," "fingers," "calves" and "lambs." Even grown folks love to +play and pretend things like children. + +Soon, it became the fashion to have cheese parties. Men and women would +sit around the fire, by the hour, nibbling the toast that had melted +cheese poured over it. But after they had gone to bed, some of them +dreamed. + +Now some dreams may be pleasant, but cheese-dreams were not usually of +this sort. The dreamer thought that a big she-horse had climbed upon the +bed and sat down upon his stomach. Once there, the beast grinned +hideously, snored, and pressed its hoofs down on the sleeper's breast, +so that he could not breathe or speak. The feeling was a horrible one; +but, just when the dreamer expected to choke, he seemed to jump off some +high place, and come down somewhere, very far off. Then the animal ran +away and the terrible dream was over. + +This was called a nightmare, or in Dutch a "nacht merrie." "Nacht" means +night, and "merrie" a filly or a mare. In the dream, it was not a small +or a young horse, but always a big mare that squatted down on a man's +stomach. + +In those days, instead of seeking for the trouble inside, or asking +whether there was any connection between nightmares and too hearty +eating of cheese, the Dutch fathers laid it all on the goblins. + +The goblins, or sooty elves, that used to live in Holland, were ugly, +short fellows, very smart, quick in action and able to travel far in a +second. They were first cousins to the kabouters. They had big heads, +green eyes and split feet, like cows. They were so ugly, that they were +ordered to live under ground and never come out during the day. If they +did, they would be turned to stone. + +The goblins had a bad reputation for mischief. They liked to have fun +with human beings. They would listen to the conversation of people and +then mock them by repeating the last word. That is the reason why echoes +were called "week klank," or dwarf's talk. + +Because these goblins were short, they envied men their greater stature +and wanted to grow to the height of human beings. As they were not able +of themselves to do this, they often sneaked into a house and snatched a +child out of the cradle. In place of the stolen baby, one of their own +wizened children was laid. That was the reason why many a poor little +baby, that grew puny and thin, was called a "wiseel-kind," or +changeling. When the sick baby could not get well, and medicine or care +seemed to do no good, the mother thought that the goblins had taken away +her own child. + +It was only the female goblins that would change themselves into night +mares and sit on the body of the dreamer. They usually came in through a +hole or a crack; but if that person in the house could plug up the hole, +or stop the crack, he could conquer the female goblin, and do what he +pleased with her. If a man wanted to, he could make her his wife. So +long as the hole was kept stopped up, by which the goblin entered, she +made a good wife. If this crack was left open, or if the plug dropped +out of the hole, the she-goblin was off and could never be found again. + +The ruler of the goblins lived beneath the earth, as the king of the +underworld. His palace was made of gold and glittered with gems. He had +riches more than men could count. All the goblins and kabouters, who +worked in the mines and at the forges and anvils, making swords, spears, +bells, or jewels, obeyed him. + +The most wonderful things about these dwarfs was the way in which they +made themselves invisible, so that men were able to see neither the +night mares nor the male goblins, while at their mischief. This was a +little red cap which every goblin possessed, and which he was careful +never to lose. The red cap acted like a snuffer on a candle, to put it +out, and while under it, no goblin could be seen by mortal eyes. + +Now it happened that one night, as a dear old lady lay dying on her bed, +a middle-sized goblin, with his red cap on, came in through a crack into +the room, and stood at the foot of her bed. Just for mischief and to +frighten her by making himself visible, he took off his red cap. + +When the old lady saw the imp, she cried out loudly: + +"Go way, go way. Don't you know I belong to my Lord?" + +But the goblin dwarf only laughed at her, with his green eyes. + +Calling her daughter Alida, the old lady whispered in her ear: + +"Bring me my wooden shoes." + +Rising up in her bed, the old lady hurled the heavy klomps, one after +the other, at the goblin's head. At this, he started to get out through +the crack, and away, but before his body was half out, Alida snatched +his red cap away. Then she stuck a needle in his cloven foot that made +him howl with pain. Alida looked at the crack through which he escaped +and found it quite sooty. + +Twirling the little red cap around on her forefinger, a brilliant +thought struck her. She went and told the men her plan, and they agreed +to it. This was to gather hundreds of farmers and townfolk, boys and men +together, on the next moonlight night, and round up all the goblins in +Drenthe. By pulling off their caps, and holding them till the sun rose, +when they would be petrified, the whole brood could be exterminated. + +So, knowing that the goblin would come the next night, to steal back his +red cap, she left a note outside the crack, telling him to bring several +hundred goblins to the great moor, or veldt. There, at a certain hour +near midnight, he would find the red cap on a bush. With his companions, +he could celebrate the return of the cap. In exchange for this, she +asked the goblin to bring her a gold necklace. + +The moonlight night came round and hundreds of the men of Drenthe +gathered together. They were armed with horseshoes, and with witch-hazel +and other plants, which are like poison to the sooty elves. They had +also bits of parchment covered with runes, a strange kind of writing, +and various charms which are supposed to be harmful to goblins. It was +agreed to move together in a circle towards the centre, where the lady +Alida was to hang the red cap upon a bush. Then, with a rush, the men +were to snatch off all the goblins' caps, pulling and grabbing, whether +they could see, or even feel anything, or not. + +The placing of the red cap upon the bush in the centre, by the lady +Alida, was the signal. + +So, when the great round-up narrowed to a small space, the men began to +grab, snatch and pull. Putting their hands out in the air, at the height +of about a yard from the ground, they hustled and pushed hard. In a few +minutes, hundreds of red caps were in their hands, and as many goblins +became visible. They were, indeed, an ugly host. + +Yet hundreds of other goblins escaped, with their caps on, and were +still invisible. As they broke away in groups, however, they were seen, +for in each bunch was one or more visible fellow, because he was +capless. So the men divided into squads, to chase the imps a long +distance, even to many distant places. It was a most curious night +battle. Here could be seen groups of men in a tussle with the goblins, +many more of which, but by no means all, were made capless and visible. + +[Illustration: AT THE FIRST LEVEL RAY THE GOBLINS WERE ALL TURNED TO STONE] + +The racket kept up till the sky in the east was gray. Had all the +goblins run away, it would have been well with them. Hundreds of them +did, but the others were so anxious to help their fellows, or to get +back their own caps, fearing the disgrace of returning head bare to +their king, and getting a good scolding, that the sun suddenly rose on +them, before they knew it was day. + +At the first level ray, the goblins were all turned to stone. + +The treeless, desolate land, which, a moment before, was full of +struggling goblins and men, became as quiet as the blue sky above. +Nothing but some rounded rocks or stones, in groups, marked the spot +where the bloodless battle of imps and men had been fought. + +There, these stones, big and little, lie to this day. Among the +buckwheat, and the potato blossoms of the summer, under the shadows and +clouds, and whispering breezes of autumn, or covered with the snows of +winter, they are seen on desolate heaths. Over some of them, oak trees, +centuries old, have grown. Others are near, or among, the farmers' grain +fields, or, not far from houses and barn-yards. The cows wander among +them, knowing nothing of their past. And the goblins come no more. + + + + +THE MOULDY PENNY + + +"Gold makes a woman penny-white," said the Dutch, in the days when +fairies were plentiful and often in their thoughts. What did the proverb +mean? Who ever saw a white penny? + +Well, that was long ago, when pennies were white, because they were then +made of silver. Each one was worth a denary, which was a coin worth +about a shilling, or a quarter of a dollar. + +As the Dutch had pounds, shillings and pence, before the English had +them, we see what _d_ in the signs Ł s. d. means, that is, a +denary, or a white penny, made of silver. + +In the old days, before the Dutch had houses with glass windows or +clothes of cloth or linen, or hats or shoes, cows and horses, or butter +and cheese, they knew nothing of money and they cared less. Almost +everything, even the land, was owned in common by all. Their wants were +few. Whenever they needed anything from other countries they swapped or +bartered. In this way they traded salt for furs, or fish for iron. But +when they met with, or had to fight, another tribe that was stronger or +richer, or knew more than they did, they required other things, which +the forests and waters could not furnish. So, by and by, pedlars and +merchants came up from the south. They brought new and strange articles, +such as mirrors, jewelry, clothes, and pretty things, which the girls +and women wanted and had begged their daddies and husbands to get for +them. For the men, they brought iron tools and better weapons, improved +traps, to catch wild beasts, and wagons, with wheels that had spokes. +When regular trade began, it became necessary to have money of some +kind. + +Then coins of gold, silver, and copper were seen in the towns and +villages, and even in the woods and on the heaths of Holland. Yet there +was a good deal that was strange and mysterious about these round, +shining bits of metal, called money. + +"Money. What is money?" asked many a proud warrior disdainfully. + +Then the wise men explained to the fighting men, that money was named +after Juno Moneta, a goddess in Rome. She told men that no one would +ever want for money who was honest and just. Then, by and by, the mint +was in her temple and money was coined there. Then, later, in Holland, +the word meant money, but many people, who wanted to get rich quickly, +worshipped her. In time, however, the word "gold" meant money in +general. + +When a great ruler, named Charlemagne, conquered or made treaties with +our ancestors, he allowed them to have mints and to coin money. Then, +again, it seemed wonderful how the pedlars and the goldsmiths and the +men called Lombards--strange long-bearded men from the south, who came +among the Dutch--grew rich faster than the work people. They seemed to +amass gold simply by handling money. + +When a man who knew what a silver penny would do, made a present of one +to his wife, her face lighted up with joy. So in time, the word "penny +white," meant the smiling face of a happy woman. Yet it was also noticed +that the more people had, the more they wanted. The girls and boys +quickly found that money would buy what the pedlars brought. In the +towns, shops sprang up, in which were many curious things, which tempted +people to buy. + +Some tried to spend their money and keep it too--to eat their cake and +have it also--but they soon found that they could not do this. There +were still many foolish, as well as wise people, in the land, even +during the new time of money. A few saved their coins and were happy in +giving some to the poor and needy. Many fathers had what was called a +"sparpot," or home savings bank, and taught their children the right use +of money. It began to be the custom for people to have family names, so +that a girl was not merely the daughter of so-and-so, nor a boy the son +of a certain father. In the selection of names, those which had the word +"penny" in them proved to be very popular. To keep a coin in the little +home bank, without spending it, long enough for it to gather mould, +which it did easily in the damp climate of Holland, that is, to darken +and get a crust on it, was considered a great virtue in the owner. This +showed that the owner had a strong mind and power of self-control. So +the name "Schimmelpennig," or "mouldy penny," became honorable, because +such people were wise and often kind and good. They did not waste their +money, but made good use of it. + +On the other hand, were some mean and stingy folks, who liked to hear +the coins jingle. Instead of wisely spending their cash, or trading with +it, they hoarded their coins; that is, they hid them away in a stocking, +or a purse, or in a jar, or a cracked cooking pot, that couldn't be +used. Often they put it away somewhere in the chimney, behind a loose +brick. Then, at night, when no one was looking, these miserly folks +counted, rubbed, jingled, and gloated over the shining coins and never +helped anybody. So there grew up three sorts of people, called the +thrifty, the spendthrifts, and the misers. These last were the meanest +and most disliked of all. Others, again, hid their money away, so as to +have some, when sick, or old, and they talked about it. No one found +fault with these, though some laughed and said "a penny in the savings +jar makes more noise than when it is full of gold." Even when folks got +married they were exhorted by the minister to save money, "so as to have +something to give to the poor." + +Now when the fairies, that work down underground, heard that the Dutch +had learned the use of money, and had even built a mint to stamp the +metal, they held a feast to talk over what they should do to help or +harm. In any event, they wanted to have some fun with the mortals above +ground. + +That has always been the way with kabouters. They are in for fun, first, +last, and always. So, with punches and hammers, they made counterfeit +money. Then, in league with the elves, they began also to delude misers +and make them believe that much money makes men happy. + +A long time after the mint had been built, two kabouters met to talk +over their adventures. + +"It is wonderful what fools these creatures called men are," said the +first one. "There's old Vrek. He has been hoarding coins for the last +fifty years. Now, he has a pile of gold in guilders and stivers, but +there's hardly anything of his old self left. His soul is as small as a +shrimp. I whispered to him not to let out his money in trade, but to +keep it shut up. His strong box is full to bursting, but what went into +the chest has oozed out of the man. He died, last night, and hardly +anybody considers him worth burying. Some one on the street to-day asked +what Vrek had left behind. The answer was 'Nothing--he took it all with +him, for he had so little to take.'" + +"That's jolly," said the older kabouter, who was a wicked looking +fellow. "I'll get some fun out of this. To shrivel up souls will be my +business henceforth. There's nothing like this newfangled business of +getting money, that will do it so surely." + +So this ugly old imp went "snooping" around, as the Dutch say, about +people who sneak and dodge in and out of places, to which they ought not +to go, and in houses where they should not be found. This imp's purpose +was to make men crazy on the subject of making money, when they tried, +as many of them did, to get rich quickly in mean ways. Sorry to tell, +the imp found a good many promising specimens to work upon, at his +business of making some wise men foolish. He taught them to take out of +their souls what they hoarded away. To such fellows, when they became +misers, he gave the name of "Schim," which means a shadow. It was +believed by some people that such shrivelled up wretches had no bowels. + +Soon after this, a great meeting of kabouters was held, in the dark +realms below ground. Each one told what he had been doing on the earth. +After the little imps had reported, the chief kabouter, when his turn +came, cried out: + +"I shall tell of three brothers, and what each one did with the first +silver penny he earned." + +"Go on," they all cried. + +"I've caught one schim young. He married a wife only last year, but he +won't give her one gulden a year to dress on. He skimps the table, pares +the cheese till the rind is as thin as paper, and makes her live on skim +milk and barley. Besides this, he won't help the poor with a stiver. I +saw him put away a bright and shining silver penny, fresh from the mint. +He hid coin and pocketbook in the bricks of a chimney. So I climbed down +from the roof, seized both and ran away. I smeared the purse with wax +and hid it in the thick rib of a boat, by the wharf. There the penny +will gather mould enough. Ha! Ha! Ha!" + +At this, the little imps broke out into a titter that sounded like the +cackle of a hen trying to tell she had laid an egg. + +"Good for you! Serves the old schim right," said a good kabouter, who +loved to help human beings. "Now, I'll tell you about his brother, who +has a wife and baby. He feeds and clothes them well, and takes good care +of his old mother. + +"Almost every week he helps some poor little boy, or girl, that has no +mother or father. I heard him say he wished he could take care of poor +orphans. So, when he was asleep, at night, I whispered in his ear and +made him dream. + +"'Put away your coin where it won't get mouldy and show that a penny +that keeps moving is not like a rolling stone that gathers no moss. +Deliver it to the goldsmiths for interest and leave it in your will to +increase, until it becomes a great sum. Then, long after you are dead, +the money you have saved and left for the poor _weesies_ (orphans) +will build a house for them. It will furnish food and beds and pay for +nurses that will care for them, and good women who will be like mothers. +Other folks, seeing what you have done, will build orphan houses. Then +we shall have a Wees House (orphan asylum) in every town. No child, +without a father or mother, in all Holland, will have to cry for milk or +bread. Don't let your penny mould.' + +"The third brother, named Spill-penny, woke up on the same morning, with +a headache. He remembered that he had spent his silver penny at the gin +house, buying drinks for a lot of worthless fellows like himself. He and +his wife, with little to eat, had to wear ragged clothes, and the baby +had not one toy to play with. When his wife gently chided him, he ran +out of the house in bad humor. Going to the tap room, he ordered a drink +of what we call 'Dutch courage,' that is, a glass of gin, and drank it +down. Then what do you think he did?" + +"Tell us," cried the imps uproariously. + +"He went into a clothing house, bought a suit of clothes, and had it +'charged.'" + +"That's it. I've known others like him," said an old imp. + +"Now it was kermiss day in the village, and all that afternoon and +evening this spendthrift was roystering with his fellow 'zuip zaks' +(boon companions). With them, it was 'always drunk, always dry.' Near +midnight, being too full of gin, he stumbled in the gutter, struck his +head on the curb, and fell down senseless. + +"Her husband not coming home that night, the distracted wife went out +early in the morning. She found several men lying asleep on the +sidewalks or in the gutters. She turned each one over, just as she did +buckwheat cakes on the griddle, to see if this man or that was hers. At +last she discovered her worthless husband, but no shaking or pulling +could awake him. He was dead. + +"Now there was a covetous undertaker in town, who carted away the +corpse, and then told the widow that she must spend much money on the +funeral, in order to have her husband buried properly; or else, the +tongues of the neighbors would wag. So the poor woman had to sell her +cow, the only thing she had, and was left poorer than ever. That was the +end of Spill-penny." + +"A jolly story," cried the kabouters in chorus. "Served him right. Now +tell us about Vrek the miser. Go on." + +"Well, the saying 'Much coin, much care,' is hardly true of him, for I +and my trusty helpers ran away with all he had. With his first silver +penny he began to hoard his money. He has been hunting for years for +that penny, but has not found it. It will be rather mouldy, should he +find it, but that he never will." + +"Why not?" asked a young imp. + +"For a good reason. He would not pay his boatmen their wages. So they +struck, and refused to work. When he tried to sail his own boat, it +toppled over and sunk, and Vrek was drowned. His wife was saved the +expenses of a funeral, for his carcass was never found, and the covetous +undertaker lost a job." + +"What of the third one?" they asked. + +"Oh, Mynheer Eerlyk, you mean? No harm can come to him. Everybody loves +him and he cares for the orphans. There will be no mouldy penny in his +house." + +Then the meeting broke up. The good kabouters were happy. The bad ones, +the imps, were sorry to miss what they hoped would be a jolly story. + +When a thousand years passed away and the age of newspapers and copper +pennies had come, there were no descendants of the two brothers +Spill-penny and Schim; but of Mynheer Eerlyk there were as many as the +years that had flown since he made a will. In this document, he ordered +that his money, in guilders of gold and pennies of silver, should remain +at compound interest for four hundred years. In time, the ever +increasing sum passed from the goldsmiths to the bankers, and kept on +growing enormously. At last this large fortune was spent in building +hundreds of homes for orphans. + +According to his wish, each girl in the asylum dressed in clothes that +were of the colors on the city arms. In Amsterdam, for example, each +orphan child's frock is half red and half black, with white aprons, and +the linen and lace caps are very neat and becoming to their rosy faces. +In Friesland, where golden hair and apple blossom cheeks are so often +seen with the white lace and linen, some one has called the orphan girls +"Apples of gold in pictures of silver." Among the many glories of the +Netherlands is her care for the aged and the orphans. + +One of the thirty generations of the Eerlyks read one day in the +newspaper: + +"Last week, while digging a very deep canal, some workman struck his +pickaxe against timbers that were black with age, and nearly as hard as +stone. These, on being brought up, showed that they were the ribs of an +ancient boat. Learned men say that there was once a river here, which +long since dried up. All the pieces of the boat were recovered, and, +under the skilful hands of our ship carpenters, have been put together +and the whole vessel is now set up and on view in our museum." + +"We'll go down to-morrow on our way home from school, and see the +curiosity," cried one of the Eerlyk boys, clapping his hands. + +"Wait," said his father, "there's more in the story. + +"To-day, the janitor of the museum, while examining a wide crack in one +of the ribs, which was covered with wax, picked this substance away. He +poked his finger in the crack, and finding something soft, pulled it +out. It was a rough leather purse, inside of which was a coin, mouldy +with age and dark as the wood. Even after cleaning it with acid, it was +hard to read what was stamped on it; but, strange to say, the face of +the coin had left its impression on the leather, which had been covered +with wax. From this, though the metal of the coin was black, and the +mould thick on the coin, what they saw showed that it was a silver penny +of the age of Charlemagne, or the ninth century." + +"Charlemagne is French, father, but we call him Karel de Groot, or +Charles the Great." + +"Yes, my son. Don't you hear Karel's Klok (the curfew) sounding? 'Tis +time for little folks to go to bed." + + + + +THE GOLDEN HELMET + + +For centuries, more than can be counted on the fingers of both hands, +the maidens and mothers of Friesland have worn a helmet of gold covering +the crown and back of their heads, and with golden rosettes at each ear. +It marks the Frisian girl or woman. She is thus known by this head-dress +as belonging to a glorious country, that has never been conquered and is +proudly called Free Frisia. It is a relic of the age of gold, when this +precious metal was used in a thousand forms, not seen to-day. + +Of how and why the golden helmet is worn, this is the story: + +In days gone by, when forests covered the land and bears and wolves were +plentiful, there were no churches in Friesland. The people were pagans +and all worshipped Woden, whom the Frisians called Fos-i-te'. Certain +trees were sacred to him. When a baby was ill, or grown people had a +disease, which medicine could not help, they laid the sick one at the +foot of the holy tree, hoping for health soon to come. But, should the +patient die under the tree, then the sorrowful friends were made glad, +if the leaves of the tree fell upon the corpse. It was death to any +person who touched the sacred tree with an axe, or made kindling wood, +even of its branches. + +Now among the wild people of the north, who ate acorns and were clothed +in the skins of animals, there came, from the Christian lands of the +south, a singer with his harp. Invited to the royal court, he sang sweet +songs. To these the king's daughter listened with delight, until the +tears, first of sorrow and then of joy, rolled down her lovely cheeks. + +This maiden was the pride of her father, because of her sweet temper and +willing spirit, while all the people boasted of her beauty. Her eyes +were of the color of a sky without clouds. No spring flower could equal +the pink and rose in her cheeks. Her lips were like the red coral, which +the ship men brought from distant shores. Her long tresses rivalled gold +in their glory. And, because her father worshipped Fos-i-té', the god of +justice, and his daughter was always so fair to all her playmates, he, +in his pride of her, gave her the name Fos-te-dí'-na, that is, the +darling of Fos-i-té', or the Lady of Justice. + +[Illustration: WHICH WAS THE MORE GLORIOUS, HER LONG TRESSES OR THE +SHINING CROWN ABOVE.] + +The singer from the south sang a new song, and when he played upon his +harp his music was apt to be soft and low; sometimes sad, even, and +often appealing. It was so much finer, and oh! so different, from what +the glee men and harpers in the king's court usually rendered for the +listening warriors. Instead of being about fighting and battle, or the +hunting of wolves and bears, of stags and the aurochs, it was of healing +the sick and helping the weak. In place of battles and the exploits of +war lords, in fighting and killing Danes, the harper's whole story was +of other things and about gentle people. He sang neither of war, nor of +the chase, nor of fighting gods, nor of the storm maidens, that carry up +to the sky, and into the hall of Woden, the souls of the slain on the +battlefield. + +The singer sang of the loving Father in Heaven, who sent his dear Son to +earth to live and die, that men might be saved. He made music with voice +and instrument about love, and hope, and kindness to the sick and poor, +of charity to widows and to orphans, and about the delights of doing +good. He closed by telling the story of the crown of thorns, how wicked +men nailed this good prophet to a cross, and how, when tender-hearted +women wept, the Holy Teacher told them not to weep for him, but for +themselves and their children. This mighty lord of noble thoughts and +words lived what he taught. He showed greatness in the hour of death, by +first remembering his mother, and then by forgiving his enemies. + +"What! forgive an enemy? Forgive even the Danes? What horrible doctrine +do we hear!" cried the men of war. "Let us kill this singer from the +south." And they beat their swords on their metal shields, till the +clangor was deafening. The great hall rang with echoes of the din, as if +for battle. The Druids, or pagan priests, even more angry, applauded the +action of the fighting men. + +But Fos-te-dí-na rushed forward to shield the harper, and her long +golden hair covered him. + +"No!" said the king to his warriors. "This man is my guest. I invited +him and he shall be safe here." + +Sullen and bitter in their hearts, both priests and war men left the +hall, breathing out revenge and feeling bound to kill the singer. Soon +all were quiet in slumber, for the hour was late. + +Why were the pagan followers of the king so angry with the singer? + +The answer to this question is a story in itself. + +Only three days before, a party of Christian Danes had been taken +prisoners in the forest. They had come, peaceably and without arms, into +the country; for they wanted to tell the Frisians about the new +religion, which they had themselves received. In the cold night air, +they had, unwittingly, cut off some of the dead branches of a tree +sacred to the god Fos-i-té to kindle a fire. + +A spy, who had closely watched them, ran and told his chief. Now, the +Christian Danes were prisoners and would be given to the hungry wolves +to be torn to pieces. That was the law concerning sacrilege against the +trees of the gods. + +Some of the Frisians had been to Rome, the Eternal City, and had there +learned, from the cruel Romans, how to build great enclosures, not of +stone but of wood. Here, on holidays, they gave their prisoners of war +to the wild beasts, for the amusement of thousands of the people. The +Frisians could get no lions or tigers, for these fierce brutes live in +hot countries; but they sent hundreds of hunters into the woods for many +miles around. These bold fellows drove the deer, bears, wolves, and the +aurochs within an ever narrowing circle towards the pits. Into these, +dug deep in the ground and covered with branches and leaves, the animals +fell down and were hauled out with ropes. The deer were kept for their +meat, but the bears and wolves were shut up, in pens, facing the great +enclosure. When maddened with hunger, these ravenous beasts of prey were +to be let loose on the Christian Danes. Several aurochs, made furious by +being goaded with pointed sticks, or pricked by spears, were to rush out +and trample the poor victims to death. + +The heart of the beautiful Fos-te-dí-na, who had heard the songs of the +singer of faith in the one God and love for his creatures, was deeply +touched. She resolved to set the captives free. Being a king's daughter, +she was brave as a man. So, at midnight, calling a trusty maid-servant, +she, with a horn lantern, went out secretly to the prison pen. She +unbolted the door, and, in the name of their God and hers, she bade the +prisoners return to their native land. + +How the wolves in their pen did roar, when, on the night breeze, they +sniffed the presence of a newcomer! They hoped for food, but got none. + +The next morning, when the crowd assembled, but found that they were to +be cheated of their bloody sport, they raged and howled. Coming to the +king, they demanded his daughter's punishment. The pagan priests +declared that the gods had been insulted, and that their anger would +fall on the whole tribe, because of the injury done to their sacred +tree. The hunters swore they would invade the Danes' land and burn all +their churches. + +Fos-te-dí-na was summoned before the council of the priests, who were to +decide on the punishment due her. Being a king's daughter, they could +not put her to death by throwing her to the wolves. + +Even as the white-bearded high priest spoke, the beautiful girl heard +the fierce creatures howling, until her blood curdled, but she was brave +and would not recant. + +In vain they threatened the maiden, and invoked the wrath of the gods +upon her. Bravely she declared that she would suffer, as her Lord did, +rather than deny him. + +"So be it," cried the high priest. "Your own words are your sentence. +You shall wear a crown of thorns." + +Fos-te-di'-na was dismissed. Then the old men sat long, in brooding over +what should be done. They feared the gods, but were afraid, also, to +provoke their ruler to wrath. They finally decided that the maiden's +life should be spared, but that for a whole day, from sunrise to sunset, +she should stand in the market-place, with a crown of sharp thorns +pressed down hard upon her head. The crowd should be allowed to revile +her for being a Christian and none be punished; but no vile language was +to be allowed, or stones or sticks were to be thrown at her. + +Fos-te-di'-na refused to beg for mercy and bravely faced the ordeal. She +dressed herself in white garments, made from the does and fawns--free +creatures of the forest--and unbound her golden tresses. Then she walked +with a firm step to the centre of the market-place. + +"Bring the thorn-crown for the blasphemer of Fos-i-té," cried the high +priest. + +This given to him, the king's daughter kneeled, and the angry old man, +his eyes blazing like fire, pressed the sharp thorns slowly, down and +hard, upon the maiden's brow. Quickly the red blood trickled down over +her golden hair and face. Then in long, narrow lines of red, the drops +fell, until the crimson stains were seen over the back, front, and sides +of her white garments. + +But without wincing, the brave girl stood up, and all day long, while +the crowd howled, in honor of their gods, and rough fellows jeered at +her, Fos-te-dí-na was silent and patient, like her Great Example. +Inwardly, she prayed the Father of all to pardon and forgive. There were +not a few who pitied the bleeding maiden wearing the cruel crown, that +drew the blood that stained her shining hair and once white clothing. + +Years passed by and a great change came over land and people. The very +scars on Fos-te-dí-na's forehead softened the hearts of the people. +Thousands of them heard the words of the good missionaries. Churches +arose, on which was seen the shining cross. Idols were abolished and the +trees, once sacred to the old gods, were cut down. Meadows, rich with +cows, smiled where wolves had roamed. The changes, even in ten years, +were like those in a fairy tale. Best of all, a Christian prince from +the south, grandson of Charlemagne, fell in love with Fos-te-dí-na, now +queen of the country. He sought her hand, and won her heart, and the +date for the marriage was fixed. It was a great day for Free Frisia. The +wedding was to be in a new church, built on the very spot where +Fos-te-dí-na had stood, in pain and sorrow, when the crown of thorns was +pressed upon her brow. + +On that morning, a bevy of pretty maidens, all dressed in white, came in +procession to the palace. One of them bore in her hands a golden crown, +with plates coming down over the forehead and temples. It was made in +such a way that, like a helmet, it completely covered and concealed the +scars of the sovereign lady. So Fos-te-dí-na was married, with the +golden helmet on her head. "But which," asked some, "was the more +glorious, her long tresses, floating down her back, or the shining crown +above it?" Few could be sure in making answer. + +Instead of a choir singing hymns, the harper, who had once played in the +king's hall, now an older man, had been summoned, with his harp, to sing +in solo. In joyous spirits, he rendered into the sweet Frisian tongue, +two tributes in song to the crowned and glorified Lord of all. + +One praised the young guest at the wedding at Cana, Friend of man, who +turned water into wine; the other, "The Great Captain of our Salvation," +who, in full manly strength, suffered, thorn-crowned, for us all. + +Then the solemn silence, that followed the song, was broken by the +bride's coming out of the church. Though by herself alone, without +adornment, Fos-te-dí-na was a vision of beauty. Her head-covering looked +so pretty, and the golden helmet was so becoming, that other maidens, +also, when betrothed, wished to wear it. It became the fashion-for +Christian brides, on their wedding days, to put on this glorified crown +of thorns. + +All the jewelers approved of the new bridal head-dress, and in time this +golden ornament was worn in Friesland every day. Thus it has come to +pass that the Frisian helmet, which is the glorified crown of thorns, +is, in one form or another, worn even in our day. When Fos-te-dí-na's +first child, a boy, was born, the happy parents named him William, which +is only another word for Gild Helm. Out from this northern region, and +into all the seventeen provinces of the Netherlands, the custom spread. +In one way or another, one can discern, in the headdresses or costumes +of the Dutch and Flemish women, the relics of ancient history. + +When Her Majesty, the Dutch Queen, visits the Frisians, in the old land +of the north, which her fathers held so dear, she, out of compliment to +Free Frisia, wears the ancient costume, surmounted by the golden helm. +Those who know the origin of the name Wilhelmina read in it the true +meaning, which is, + +"The Sovereign Lady of the Golden Helm." + + + + +WHEN WHEAT WORKED WOE + + +Many a day has the story-teller wandered along the dykes, which overlook +the Zuyder Zee. Once there were fertile fields, and scores of towns, +where water now covers all. Then fleets of ships sailed on the bosom of +Lake Flevo, and in the river which ran into the sea. Bright and +beautiful cities dotted the shores, and church bells chimed merrily for +the bridal, or tolled in sympathy for the sorrowing. Many were the +festal days, because of the wealth, which the ships brought from lands +near and far. + +But to-day the waters roll over the spot and "The Dead Cities of the +Zuyder Zee" are a proverb. Yet all are not dead, in one and the same +sense. Some lie far down under the waves, their very names forgotten, +because of the ocean's flood, which in one night, centuries ago, rushed +in to destroy. Others languished, because wealth came no longer in the +ships, and the seaports dried up. And one, because of a foolish woman, +instead of holding thousands of homes and people, is to-day only a +village nestling behind the dykes. It holds a few hundred people and +only a fragment of land remains of its once great area. + +In the distant ages of ice and gravel, when the long and high glaciers +of Norway poked their cold noses into Friesland, Stavoren held the +shrine of Stavo, the storm-god. The people were very poor, but many +pilgrims came to worship at Stavo's altars. After the new religion came +into the land, wealth increased, because the ships traded with the warm +lands in the south. A great city sprang up, to which the counts of +Holland granted a charter, with privileges second to none. It was +written that Stavoren should have "the same freedom which a free city +enjoys from this side of the mountains (the Alps) to the sea." + +Then there came an age of gold in Stavoren. People were so rich, that +the bolts and hinges and the keys and locks of their doors were made of +this precious yellow metal. In some of the houses, the parlor floor was +paved with ducats from Spain. + +Now in this city lived a married couple, whose wealth came from the +ships. The man, a merchant, was a simple hearted and honest fellow, who +worked hard and was easily pleased. + +But his wife was discontented, always peevish and never satisfied with +anything. Even her neighbors grew tired of her whining and complaints. +They declared that on her tombstone should be carved these words: + +"_She wanted something else_" + +Now on every voyage, made by the many ships he owned, the merchant +charged his captains to bring home something rare and fine, as a present +to his wife. Some pretty carving or picture, a roll of silk for a dress, +a lace collar, a bit of splendid tapestry, a shining jewel; or, it may +be, a singing bird, a strange animal for a pet, a barrel of fruit, or a +box of sweetmeats was sure to be brought. With such gifts, whether large +or small, the husband hoped to please his wife. + +But in this good purpose, he could never succeed. So he began to think +that it was his own fault. Being only a man, he could not tell what a +woman wanted. So he resolved to try his own wits and tastes, to see if +he could meet his wife's desires. + +One day, when one of his best captains was about to sail on a voyage to +the northeast, to Dantzig, which is almost as far as Russia, he inquired +of his bad-tempered vrouw what he should bring her. + +"I want the best thing in the world," said she. "Now this time, do bring +it to me." + +The merchant was now very happy. He told the captain to seek out and +bring back what he himself might think was the best thing on earth; but +to make sure, he must buy a cargo of wheat. + +The skipper went on board, hoisted anchor and set sail. Using his man's +wits, he also decided that wheat, which makes bread, was the very thing +to be desired. In talking to his mates and sailors, they agreed with +him. Thus, all the men, in this matter, were of one mind, and the +captain dreamed only of jolly times when on shore. On other voyages, +when he had hunted around for curiosities to please the wife of the +boss, he had many and anxious thoughts; but now, he was care-free. + +In Dantzig, all the ship's men had a good time, for the captain made +"goed koop" (a fine bargain). Then the vessel, richly loaded with grain, +turned its prow homeward. Arriving at Stavoren, the skipper reported to +the merchant, to tell him of much money made, of a sound cargo obtained, +of safe arrival, and, above all, plenty of what would please his wife; +for what on earth could be more valuable than wheat, which makes bread, +the staff of life? + +At lunch time, when the merchant came home, his wife wanted to know what +made him look so joyful. Had he made "goed koop" that day? + +Usually, at meal time, this quiet man hardly spoke two words an hour. To +tell the truth, he sometimes irritated his wife because of his silence, +but to-day he was voluble. + +The man of wealth answered, "I have a joyful surprise for you. I cannot +tell you now. You must come with me and see." + +After lunch, he took his wife on board the ship, giving a wink of his +eye to the skipper, who nodded to the sailors, and then the stout +fellows opened the hatches. There, loaded to the very deck, was the +precious grain. The merchant looked up, expecting to see and hear his +wife clap her hands with joy. + +But the greedy woman turned her back on him, and flew into a rage. + +"Throw it all overboard, into the water," she screamed. "You wretch, you +have deceived me." + +The husband tried to calm her and explain that it was his thought to get +wheat, as the world's best gift, hoping thus to please her. + +At that moment, some hungry beggars standing on the wharf, heard the +lady's loud voice, and falling on their knees cried to her: + +"Please, madame, give us some of this wheat; we are starving." + +"Yes, lady, and there are many poor in Stavoren, in spite of all its +gold," said the captain. "Why not divide this wheat among the needy, if +you are greatly disappointed? You will win praise for yourself. In the +name of God, forgive my boldness, and do as I ask. Then, on the next +voyage, I shall sail as far as China and will get you anything you ask!" + +But the angry woman would listen to no one. She stayed on the ship, +urging on the sailors, with their shovels, until every kernel was cast +overboard. + +"Never again will I try to please you," said her husband. "The hungry +will curse you, and you may yet suffer for food, because of this wilful +waste, which will make woful want. Even you will suffer." + +She listened at first in silence, and then put her fingers in her ears +to hear no more. Proud of her riches, with her voice in a high key, she +shouted, "I ever want? What folly to say so! I am too rich." Then, to +show her contempt for such words, she slipped off a ring from her finger +and threw it into the waters of the harbor. Her husband almost died of +grief and shame, when he saw that it was her wedding ring, which she had +cast overboard. + +"Hear you all! When that ring comes back to me, I shall be hungry and +not before," said she, loud enough to be heard on ship, wharf, and +street. Gathering up her skirts, she stepped upon the gangway, tripping +to the shore, and past the poor people, who looked at her in mingled +hate and fear. Then haughtily, she strode to her costly mansion. + +Now to celebrate the expected new triumph and to show off her wealth and +luxury, with the numerous curiosities brought her from many lands, the +proud lady had already invited a score of guests. When they were all +seated, the first course of soup was served in silver dishes, which +every one admired. As the fish was about to be brought in, to be eaten +off golden plates, the butler begged the lady's permission to bring in +first, from the chief cook, something rare and wonderful, that he had +found in the mouth of the fish, which was waiting, already garnished, on +the big dish. Not dreaming what it might be, the hostess clapped her +hands in glee, saying to those at the table: + +"Perhaps now, at last, I shall get what I have long waited for--the best +thing in the world." + +"We shall all hope so," the guests responded in chorus. + +But when the chief cook came into the banquet hall, and, bowing low, +held before his mistress a golden salver, with a finger ring on it, the +proud lady turned pale. + +It was the very ring which, in her anger, she had tossed overboard the +day before. To add to her shame, she saw from the look of horror on +their faces, that the guests had recognized the fact that it was her +wedding token. + +This was only the beginning of troubles. That night, her husband died of +grief and vexation. The next day, the warehouses, stored with valuable +merchandise of all sorts, were burned to the ground. + +Before her husband had been decently buried, a great tempest blew down +from the north, and news came that four of his ships had been wrecked. +Their sailors hardly escaped with their lives, and both they and their +families in Stavoren were now clamoring for bread. + +Even when she put on her weeds of grief, these did not protect the widow +from her late husband's creditors. She had to sell her house and all +that was in it, to satisfy them and pay her debts. She had even to pawn +her ring to the Lombards, the goldsmiths of the town, to buy money for +bread. + +Now that she was poor, none of the former rich folks, who had come to +her grand dinners, would look at her. She had even to beg her bread on +the streets; for who wanted to help the woman who wasted wheat? She was +glad to go to the cow stalls, and eat what the cattle left. Before the +year ended, she was found dead in a stable, in rags and starvation. Thus +her miserable life ended. Without a funeral, but borne on a bier, by two +men, she was buried at the expense of the city, in the potter's field. + +But even this was not the end of the fruits of her wickedness, for the +evil she did lived after her. It was found that, from some mysterious +cause, a sand bar was forming in the river. This prevented the ships +from coming up to the docks. With its trade stopped, the city grew +poorer every day. What was the matter? + +By and by, at low tide, some fishermen saw a green field under the +surface of the harbor. It was not a garden of seaweed, for instead of +leaves whirling with the tide, there were stalks that stood up high. The +wheat had sprouted and taken root. In another month the tops of these +stalks were visible above the water. But in such soil as sand, the wheat +had reverted to its wild state. It was good for nothing, but only did +harm. + +For, while producing no grain for food, it held together the sand, which +rolled down the river and had come all the way from the Alps to the +ocean. Of old, this went out to sea and kept the harbor scoured clean, +so that the ships came clear up to the wharves. Then, on many a morning, +a wealthy merchant, whose house was close to the docks, looked out of +his window to find the prows, of his richly laden ships, poked almost +into his bedroom, and he liked it. Venturesome boys even climbed from +their cots down the bowsprits, on to the deck of their fathers' vessels. +Of such sons, the fathers were proud, knowing that they would make brave +sailors and navigate spice ships from the Indies. It was because of her +brave mariners, that Stavoren had gained her glory and greatness, being +famed in all the land. + +But now, within so short a time, the city's renown and wealth had faded +like a dream. By degrees, the population diminished, commerce became a +memory, and ships a curiosity. The people, that were left, had to eat +rye and barley bread, instead of wheat. Floods ruined the farmers and +washed away large parts of the town, so that dykes had to be built to +save what was left. + +More terrible than all, the ocean waves rolled in and wiped out cities, +towns, and farms, sinking churches, convents, monasteries, warehouses, +wharves, and docks, in one common ruin, hidden far down below. + +To this day the worthless wheat patch, that spoiled Stavoren, is called +"Vrouwen Zand," or the Lady's Sand. Instead of being the staff of life, +as Nature intended, the wheat, because of a power of evil greater than +that of a thousand wicked fairies, became the menace of death to ruin a +rich city. + +No wonder the Dutch have a proverb, which might be thus translated: + + "Peevishness perverts wheat into weeds + But a sweet temper turns a field into gold." + + + + +WHY THE STORK LOVES HOLLAND + + +Above all countries in Europe, this bird, wise in the head and long in +the legs, loves Holland. Flying all the way from Africa, the stork is at +home among dykes and windmills. + +Storks are seen by the thousands in Holland and Friesland. Sometimes +they strut in the streets, not in the least frightened or disturbed. +They make their nests among the tiles and chimneys, on the red roofs of +the houses, and they rear their young even on the church towers. + +If a man sets an old cart wheel flat on a tree-top, the storks accept +this, as an invitation to come and stay. At once they proceed, first of +all, to arrange their toilet, after their long flight. They do this, +even before they build their nest. You can see them, by the hour, +preening their feathers and combing their plumage, with their long +bills. Then, as solemnly as a boss mason, they set about gathering +sticks and hay for their house. They never seem to be in a hurry. + +A stork lays on a bit of wood, and then goes at his toilet again, +looking around to see that other folks are busy. Year after year, a pair +of storks will use the same nest, rebuilding, or repairing it, each +spring time. The stork is a steady citizen and does not like to change. +Once treated well in one place, by the landlord, Mr. and Mrs. Stork keep +the same apartments and watch over the family cradle inside the house, +to see that it is always occupied by a baby. The return of the stork is, +in Holland, a household celebration. + +Out in the fields, Mr. Stork is happy indeed, for Holland is the +paradise of frogs; so the gentleman of the red legs finds plenty to eat. +He takes his time for going to dinner, and rarely rushes for quick +lunch. After business hours in the morning, he lays his long beak among +his thick breast feathers, until it is quite hidden. Then, perched up in +the air on one long leg, like a stilt, he takes a nap, often for hours. + +With the other leg crossed, he seems to be resting on the figure four +(4). + +Towards evening he shakes out his wings, flaps them once or twice, and +takes a walk, but he is never in haste. Beginning his hunt, he soon has +enough frogs, mice, grubs, worms or insects to make a good meal. It is +because this bird feels so much at home, in town and country, making +part of the landscape, that we so associate together Holland and the +stork, as we usually do. + +The Dutch proverb pictures the scene, which is so common. "In the same +field, the cow eats grass; the grayhound hunts the hare; and the stork +helps himself to the frogs." Indeed, if it were not for the stork, +Holland would, like old Egypt, in the time of Moses, be overrun with +frogs. + +The Dutch call the stork by the sweet name "Ooijevaar," or the +treasure-bringer. Every spring time, the boys and girls, fathers and +mothers, shout welcome to the white bird from Egypt. + +"What do you bring me?" is their question or thought. + +If the bird deserts its old home on their roof, the family is in grief, +thinking it has lost its luck; but if Daddy Stork, with Mrs. Stork's +approval, chooses a new place for their nest, there is more rejoicing in +that house, than if money had been found. "Where there are nestlings on +the roof, there will be babies in the house," is what the Dutch say; for +both are welcome. + +To tell why the stork loves Holland, we must go back to the Africa of a +million years ago. Then, we shall ask the Dutch fairies how they +succeeded in making the new land, in the west, so popular in the stork +world. For what reason did the wise birds emigrate to the cold country a +thousand miles away? They were so regular and punctual, that a great +prophet wrote: + +"Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times." + +Ages ago, there were camels and caravans in Africa, but there was no +Holland, for the land was still under the waves. In India, also, the +stork was an old bird, that waded in the pools and kept the frogs from +croaking in terms of the multiplication table. Sometimes the stork +population increased too fast and some went hungry for food; for, the +proverb tells us that a stork "died while waiting for the ocean to dry, +hoping to get a supply of dried fish." + +When on the coast of the North Sea, the Land of a Million Islands was +made, the frog emigrants were there first. They poured in so fast, that +it seemed a question as to who should own the country-frogs or men. Some +were very big, as if ambitious to be bulls. They croaked so loud, that +they drowned out the fairy music, and made the night hideous with their +noises. The snakes spoiled the country for the little birds, while the +toads seemed to think that the salt ocean had been kept out, and the +land made, especially for them. + +The Dutch fairies were disgusted at the way these reptiles behaved, for +they could not enjoy themselves, as in the old days. If they went to +dance in the meadow, on moonlight nights, they always found a big +bullfrog sitting in their ring, mocking them with its bellowing. So when +they heard about the storks in Africa, and what hearty appetites they +had, for the various wrigglers, crawlers, jumpers and splashers in the +waters, they resolved to invite them, in a body, to Holland. + +The Dutch fairies knew nothing of the habits of the bird and scarcely +imagined how such a creature might look, but they heard many pleasant +things about the stork's good character. The wise bird had an excellent +reputation, not only for being kind to its young, but also for attending +to the wants of its parents, when they were old. It was even said that +in some countries the stork was the symbol for filial piety. + +So the fairies of all the Netherlands despatched a delegation to Egypt +and a congress of storks was called to consider this invitation to go +west. Messengers were at once sent to all the red-legged birds, among +the bulrushes of the Nile, or that lived on the roofs of the temples, or +that perched on the pyramids, or dwelt on the top of old columns, or +that stood in rows along the eaves of the town houses. The town birds +gained their living by acting as street cleaners, but the river birds +made their meals chiefly on fish, frogs, and mice. + +The invitation was discussed in stork meeting, and it was unanimously +accepted; except by some old grannies and grandpops that feared in the +strange land they would not be well fed. On a second motion, it was +agreed that only the strongest birds should attempt the flight. Those +afraid, or too weak to go, must stay behind and attend to the old folks. +Such a rattle of mandibles was never heard in Egypt before, as when this +stork meeting adjourned. + +Now when storks travel, they go in flocks. Thousands of them left Egypt +together. High in the air, with their broad wings spread and their long +legs stretched out behind them, they covered Europe in a few hours. Then +they scattered all over the marshy lands of the new country. It was +agreed that each pair was to find its own home. When the cold autumn +should come, they were to assemble again for flight to Egypt. + +It was a new sight for the fairies, the frogs and the men, to look over +the landscape and see these snow white strangers. They were so pretty to +look at, while promenading over the meadows, wading in the ponds and +ditches, or standing silently by the river banks. Soon, however, these +foreign birds were very unpopular in bullfrog land, and as for the +snakes, they thought that Holland would be ruined by these hungry +strangers. On the other hand, it was good news, in fairy-land, that all +fairies could dance safely on their meadow rings, for the bullfrogs were +now afraid to venture in the grass, lest they should be gobbled up, for +the frogs could not hide from the storks. The new birds could poke their +big bills so far into the mud-holes, that no frog, or snake, big or +little, was safe. The stork's red legs were so long, and the birds could +wade in such deep water, that hundreds of frogs were soon eaten up, and +there were many widows and orphans in the ponds and puddles. + +When the fairies got more acquainted with their new guests, and saw how +they behaved, they nearly died of laughing. They were not surprised at +their diet, or eating habits, but they soon discovered that the storks +were not song birds. Instead of having voices, they seemed to talk to +each other by clattering their long jaws, or snapping their mandibles +together. Their snowy plumage--all being white but their wing +feathers--was admired, was envied, and their long bright colored legs +were a wonder. At first the fairies thought their guests wore red +stockings and they thought how heavy must be the laundry work on wash +days; for in Holland, everything must be clean. + +Of all creatures on earth, as the fairies thought, the funniest was seen +when Mr. Stork was in love. To attract and please his lady love, he made +the most grotesque gestures. He would leap up from the ground and move +with a hop, skip, and jump. Then he spread out his wings, as if to hug +his beloved. Then he danced around her, as if he were filled with wine. +All the time he made the best music he knew how, by clattering his +mandibles together. He intended this performance for a sort of love +ditty, or serenade. The whole program was more amusing than anything +that an ape, goat, or donkey could get up. How the fairies did laugh! + +Yet the fairies were very grateful to the storks for ridding their +meadows of so much vermin. How these delicate looking, snow white and +graceful creatures could put so many snails, snakes, tadpoles, and toads +into their stomachs and turn them into snow white feathers, wonderful +wings and long legs, as red as a rose, was a mystery to them. It seemed +more wonderful than anything which they could do, but as fairies have no +stomachs and do not eat, this whole matter of digestion was a mystery to +them. + +Besides the terror and gloom in the frog world, every reptile winced and +squirmed, when he heard of this new enemy. All crawlers, creepers, and +jumpers had so long imagined that the land was theirs and had been made +solely for their benefit! Nor did they know how to conquer the storks. +The frog daddies could do nothing, and the frog mothers were every +moment afraid to let either the tadpoles or froggies go out of their +sight. They worried lest they should see their babies caught up in a +pair of long, bony jaws, as sharp as scissors, there to wriggle and +crow, until their darlings disappeared within the monster. + +One anecdote of the many that were long told in the old Dutch frog ponds +was this: showing into what clangers curiosity may lead youngsters. We +put it in quotation marks to show that it was told as a true story, and +not printed in a book, or made up. + +"A tadpole often teased its froggy mother to let it go and see a red +pole, of which it had heard from a traveller. Mrs. Frog would not at +first let her son go, but promised that as soon as the tadpole lost his +tail, and his flippers had turned into fore legs, and his hind quarters +had properly sprouted, so that he could hop out of danger, he might then +venture on his travels. She warned him, however, not to go too near to +that curious red pole, of which he had heard. Nobody as yet found out +just what this red thing, standing in the water, was; but danger was +suspected by old heads, and all little froggies were warned to be +careful and keep away. In reality, the red stick was the leg of a stork, +sound asleep, for it was taking its usual afternoon nap. The frogs on +the bank, and those in the pool that held their noses above water, to +get their breath, had never before seen anything like this red stilt, or +its cross pole; for no bird of this sort had ever before flown into +their neighborhood. They never suspected that it was a stork, with its +legs shaped like the figure four (4). Indeed, they knew nothing of its +long bill, that could open and shut like a trap, catching a frog or +snake, and swallowing it in a moment. + +"Unfortunately for this uneducated young frog, that had never travelled +from home, it now went too near the red pole, and, to show how brave it +was, rubbed its nose against the queer thing. Suddenly the horrible +creature, that had only been asleep, woke up and snapped its jaws. In a +moment, a wriggling froggy disappeared from sight into the stomach of a +monster, that had two red legs, instead of one. At the sight of such +gluttony, there was an awful splash, for a whole row of frogs had jumped +from the bank into the pool. After this, it was evident that Holland was +not to belong entirely to the frogs." + +As for the human beings, they were so happy over the war with the vermin +and the victory of the storks, that they made this bird their pride and +joy. They heaped honors upon the stork as the savior of their country. +They placed boxes on the roofs of their houses for these birds to nest +in. All the old cart wheels in the land were hunted up. They sawed off +the willow trees a few feet above the ground, and set the wheels in +flat, which the storks used as their parlors and dressing rooms. + +As for the knights, they placed the figure of the stork on their +shields, banners, and coats of arms, while citizens made this bird +prominent on their city seals. The capital of the country, The Hague, +was dedicated to this bird, and, for all time, a pond was dug within the +city limits, where storks were fed and cared for at the public expense. +Even to-day, many a good story, illustrating the tender affection of The +Hague storks for their young, is told and enjoyed as an example to Dutch +mothers to be the best in the world. + +Out in the country at large, in any of the eleven provinces, whenever +they drained a swamp, or pumped out a pond to make a village, it was not +looked upon as a part of Holland, unless there were storks. Even in the +new wild places they planted stakes on the pumped out dry land, called +polders. On the top of these sticks were laid as invitations for the +stork families to come and live with the people. Along the roads they +stuck posts for storks' nests. It became a custom with farmers, when the +storks came back, to kill the fatted calf, or lamb, and leave the refuse +meat out in the fields for a feast to these bird visitors. A score of +Dutch proverbs exist, all of them complimentary to the bird that loves +babies and cradles. + +Last of all, the Dutch children, even in the reign of Queen Wilhelmina, +made letter carriers of their friends the treasure-bringers. Tying tiny +slips of paper to their red legs, they sent messages, in autumn, to the +boys and girls in the old land of the sphinx and pyramids, of Moses, and +the children of Israel. In the spring time, the children's return +messages were received in the country which bids eternal welcome to the +bird named the Bringer of Blessings. + +This is why the storks love Holland. + + +HET EINDE + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks, by +William Elliot Griffis + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUTCH FAIRY TALES FOR YOUNG FOLKS *** + +***** This file should be named 7871-8.txt or 7871-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/7/8/7/7871/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Tonya Allen and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + +Title: Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks + +Author: William Elliot Griffis + +Posting Date: February 12, 2015 [EBook #7871] +Release Date: April, 2005 +First Posted: May 28, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUTCH FAIRY TALES FOR YOUNG FOLKS *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Tonya Allen and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/0006.png"><img src="images/0006th.png" alt="Flying out of the sky they came bringing cheeses"></a> +</p> + + +<h1>DUTCH FAIRY TALES FOR</h1> + +<h1>YOUNG FOLKS</h1> + +<h3>By</h3> + +<h2>WILLIAM ELLIOT GRIFFIS</h2> + +<h3> +<i>Author of "The Firefly's Lovers," "The Unmannerly Tiger," "Brave +Little Holland," "Bonnie Scotland," etc.</i> +</h3> + +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#i">THE ENTANGLED MERMAID</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#ii">THE BOY WHO WANTED MORE CHEESE</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#iii">THE PRINCESS WITH TWENTY PETTICOATS</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#iv">THE CAT AND THE CRADLE</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#v">PRINCE SPIN HEAD AND MISS SNOW WHITE</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#vi">THE BOAR WITH THE GOLDEN BRISTLES</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#vii">THE ICE KING AND HIS WONDERFUL GRANDCHILD</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#viii">THE ELVES AND THEIR ANTICS</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#ix">THE KABOUTERS AND THE BELLS</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#x">THE WOMAN WITH THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SIX CHILDREN</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#xi">THE ONI ON HIS TRAVELS</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#xii">THE LEGEND OF THE WOODEN SHOE</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#xiii">THE CURLY-TAILED LION</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#xiv">BRABO AND THE GIANT</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#xv">THE FARM THAT RAN AWAY AND CAME BACK</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#xvi">SANTA KLAAS AND BLACK PETE</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#xvii">THE GOBLINS TURNED TO STONE</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#xviii">THE MOULDY PENNY</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#xix">THE GOLDEN HELMET</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#xx">WHEN WHEAT WORKED WOE</a> +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="#xxi">WHY THE STORK LOVES HOLLAND</a> +</p> + + +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<h2><a name="i">THE ENTANGLED MERMAID</a></h2> + +<p> +Long ago, in Dutch Fairy Land, there lived a young mermaid who was very +proud of her good looks. She was one of a family of mere or lake folks +dwelling not far from the sea. Her home was a great pool of water that +was half salt and half fresh, for it lay around an island near the mouth +of a river. Part of the day, when the sea tides were out, she splashed +and played, dived and swam in the soft water of the inland current. When +the ocean heaved and the salt water rushed in, the mermaid floated and +frolicked and paddled to her heart's content. Her father was a +gray-bearded merryman and very proud of his handsome daughter. He owned +an island near the river mouth, where the young mermaids held their +picnics and parties and received the visits of young merrymen. +</p> + +<p> +Her mother and two aunts were merwomen. All of these were sober folks +and attended to the business which occupies all well brought up mermaids +and merrymen. This was to keep their pool clean and nice. No frogs, +toads or eels were allowed near, but in the work of daily housecleaning, +the storks and the mermaids were great friends. +</p> + +<p> +All water-creatures that were not thought to be polite and well behaved +were expected to keep away. Even some silly birds, such as loons and +plovers and all screaming and fighting creatures with wings, were warned +off the premises, because they were not wanted. This family of merry +folks liked to have a nice, quiet time by themselves, without any rude +folks on legs, or with wings or fins from the outside. Indeed they +wished to make their pool a model, for all respectable mermaids and +merrymen, for ten leagues around. It was very funny to see the old daddy +merman, with a switch made of reeds, shooing off the saucy birds, such +as the sandpipers and screeching gulls. For the bullfrogs, too big for +the storks to swallow, and for impudent fishes, he had a whip made of +seaweed. +</p> + +<p> +Of course, all the mermaids in good society were welcome, but young +mermen were allowed to call only once a month, during the week when the +moon was full. Then the evenings were usually clear, so that when the +party broke up, the mermen could see their way in the moonlight to swim +home safely with their mermaid friends. For, there were sea monsters +that loved to plague the merefolk, and even threatened to eat them up! +The mermaids, dear creatures, had to be escorted home, but they felt +safe, for their mermen brothers and daddies were so fierce that, except +sharks, even the larger fish, such as porpoises and dolphins were afraid +to come near them. +</p> + +<p> +One day daddy and the mother left to visit some relatives near the +island of Urk. They were to be gone several days. Meanwhile, their +daughter was to have a party, her aunts being the chaperones. +</p> + +<p> +The mermaids usually held their picnics on an island in the midst of the +pool. Here they would sit and sun themselves. They talked about the +fashions and the prettiest way to dress their hair. Each one had a +pocket mirror, but where they kept these, while swimming, no mortal ever +found out. They made wreaths of bright colored seaweed, orange and +black, blue, gray and red and wore them on their brows like coronets. +Or, they twined them, along with sea berries and bubble blossoms, among +their tresses. Sometimes they made girdles of the strongest and knotted +them around their waists. +</p> + +<p> +Every once in a while they chose a queen of beauty for their ruler. Then +each of the others pretended to be a princess. Their games and sports +often lasted all day and they were very happy. +</p> + +<p> +Swimming out in the salt water, the mermaids would go in quest of +pearls, coral, ambergris and other pretty things. These they would bring +to their queen, or with them richly adorn themselves. Thus the Mermaid +Queen and her maidens made a court of beauty that was famed wherever +mermaids and merrymen lived. They often talked about human maids. +</p> + +<p> +"How funny it must be to wear clothes," said one. +</p> + +<p> +"Are they cold that they have to keep warm?" It was a little chit of a +mermaid, whose flippers had hardly begun to grow into hands, that asked +this question. +</p> + +<p> +"How can they swim with petticoats on?" asked another. +</p> + +<p> +"My brother heard that real men wear wooden shoes! These must bother +them, when on the water, to have their feet floating," said a third, +whose name was Silver Scales. "What a pity they don't have flukes like +us," and then she looked at her own glistening scaly coat in admiration. +</p> + +<p> +"I can hardly believe it," said a mermaid, that was very proud of her +fine figure and slender waist. "Their girls can't be half as pretty as +we are." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I should like to be a real woman for a while, just to try it, and +see how it feels to walk on legs," said another, rather demurely, as if +afraid the other mermaids might not like her remark. +</p> + +<p> +They didn't. Out sounded a lusty chorus, "No! No! Horrible! What an +idea! Who wouldn't be a mermaid?" +</p> + +<p> +"Why, I've heard," cried one, "that real women have to work, wash their +husband's clothes, milk cows, dig potatoes, scrub floors and take care +of calves. Who would be a woman? Not I"--and her snub nose--since it +could not turn up--grew wide at the roots. She was sneering at the idea +that a creature in petticoats could ever look lovelier than one in +shining scales. +</p> + +<p> +"Besides," said she, "think of their big noses, and I'm told, too, that +girls have even to wear hairpins." +</p> + +<p> +At this--the very thought that any one should have to bind up their +tresses--there was a shock of disgust with some, while others clapped +their hands, partly in envy and partly in glee. +</p> + +<p> +But the funniest things the mermaids heard of were gloves, and they +laughed heartily over such things as covers for the fingers. Just for +fun, one of the little mermaids used to draw some bag-like seaweed over +her hands, to see how such things looked. +</p> + +<p> +One day, while sunning themselves in the grass on the island, one of +their number found a bush on which foxgloves grew. Plucking these, she +covered each one of her fingers with a red flower. Then, flopping over +to the other girls, she held up her gloved hands. Half in fright and +half in envy, they heard her story. +</p> + +<p> +After listening, the party was about to break up, when suddenly a young +merman splashed into view. The tide was running out and the stream low, +so he had had hard work to get through the fresh water of the river and +to the island. His eyes dropped salt water, as if he were crying. He +looked tired, while puffing and blowing, and he could hardly get his +breath. The queen of the mermaids asked him what he meant by coming +among her maids at such an hour and in such condition. + +At this the bashful merman began to blubber. Some of the mergirls put +their hands over their mouths to hide their laughing, while they winked +at each other and their eyes showed how they enjoyed the fun. To have a +merman among them, at that hour, in broad daylight, and crying, was too +much for dignity. +</p> + +<p> +"Boo-hoo, boo-hoo," and the merman still wept salt water tears, as he +tried to catch his breath. At last, he talked sensibly. He warned the +Queen that a party of horrid men, in wooden shoes, with pickaxes, spades +and pumps, were coming to drain the swamp and pump out the pool. He had +heard that they would make the river a canal and build a dyke that +should keep out the ocean. +</p> + +<p> +"Alas! alas!" cried one mermaid, wringing her hands. "Where shall we go +when our pool is destroyed? We can't live in the ocean all the time." +Then she wept copiously. The salt water tears fell from her great round +eyes in big drops. +</p> + +<p> +"Hush!" cried the Queen. "I don't believe the merman's story. He only +tells it to frighten us. It's just like him." +</p> + +<p> +In fact, the Queen suspected that the merman's story was all a sham and +that he had come among her maids with a set purpose to run off with +Silver Scales. She was one of the prettiest mermaids in the company, but +very young, vain and frivolous. It was no secret that she and the merman +were in love and wanted to get married. +</p> + +<p> +So the Queen, without even thanking him, dismissed the swimming +messenger. After dinner, the company broke up and the Queen retired to +her cave to take a long nap! She was quite tired after entertaining so +much company. Besides, since daddy and mother were away, and there were +no beaus to entertain, since it was a dark night and no moon shining on +the water, why need she get up early in the morning? +</p> + +<p> +So the Mermaid Queen slept much longer than ever before. Indeed, it was +not till near sunset the next day that she awoke. Then, taking her comb +and mirror in hand, she started to swim and splash in the pool, in order +to smooth out her tresses and get ready for supper. +</p> + +<p> +But oh, what a change from the day before! What was the matter? All +around her things looked different. The water had fallen low and the +pool was nearly empty. The river, instead of flowing, was as quiet as a +pond. Horrors! when she swam forward, what should she see but a dyke and +fences! An army of horrid men had come, when she was asleep, and built a +dam. They had fenced round the swamp and were actually beginning to dig +sluices to drain the land. Some were at work, building a windmill to +help in pumping out the water. +</p> + +<p> +The first thing she knew she had bumped her pretty nose against the dam. +She thought at once of escaping over the logs and into the sea. When she +tried to clamber over the top and get through the fence, her hair got so +entangled between the bars that she had to throw away her comb and +mirror and try to untangle her tresses. The more she tried, the worse +became the tangle. Soon her long hair was all twisted up in the timber. +In vain were her struggles to escape. She was ready to die with fright, +when she saw four horrid men rush up to seize her. She attempted to +waddle away, but her long hair held her to the post and rails. Her +modesty was so dreadfully shocked that she fainted away. +</p> + +<p> +When she came to herself, she found she was in a big long tub. A crowd +of curious little girls and boys were looking at her, for she was on +show as a great curiosity. They were bound to see her and get their +money's worth in looking, for they had paid a stiver (two cents) +admission to the show. Again, before all these eyes, her modesty was so +shocked that she gave one groan, flopped over and died in the tub. +</p> + +<p> +Woe to the poor father and mother at Urk! They came back to find their +old home gone. Unable to get into it, they swam out to sea, never +stopping till they reached Spitzbergen. +</p> + +<p> +What became of the body of the Mermaid Queen? +</p> + +<p> +Learned men came from Leyden to examine what was now only a specimen, +and to see how mermaids were made up. Then her skin was stuffed, and +glass eyes put in, where her shining orbs had been. After this, her body +was stuffed and mounted in the museum, that is, set up above a glass +case and resting upon iron rods. Artists came to Leyden to make pictures +of her and no fewer than nine noblemen copied her pretty form and +features into their coats of arms. Instead of the Mermaid's Pool is now +a cheese farm of fifty cows, a fine house and barn, and a family of +pink-cheeked, yellow-haired children who walk and play in wooden shoes. +</p> + +<p> +So this particular mermaid, all because of her entanglement in the +fence, was more famous when stuffed than when living, while all her +young friends and older relatives were forgotten. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="ii">THE BOY WHO WANTED MORE CHEESE</a></h2> + +<p> +Klaas Van Bommel was a Dutch boy, twelve years old, who lived where cows +were plentiful. He was over five feet high, weighed a hundred pounds, +and had rosy cheeks. His appetite was always good and his mother +declared his stomach had no bottom. His hair was of a color half-way +between a carrot and a sweet potato. It was as thick as reeds in a swamp +and was cut level, from under one ear to another. +</p> + +<p> +Klaas stood in a pair of timber shoes, that made an awful rattle when he +ran fast to catch a rabbit, or scuffed slowly along to school over the +brick road of his village. In summer Klaas was dressed in a rough, blue +linen blouse. In winter he wore woollen breeches as wide as coffee bags. +They were called bell trousers, and in shape were like a couple of +cow-bells turned upwards. These were buttoned on to a thick warm jacket. +Until he was five years old, Klaas was dressed like his sisters. Then, +on his birthday, he had boy's clothes, with two pockets in them, of +which he was proud enough. +</p> + +<p> +Klaas was a farmer's boy. He had rye bread and fresh milk for breakfast. +At dinner time, beside cheese and bread, he was given a plate heaped +with boiled potatoes. Into these he first plunged a fork and then dipped +each round, white ball into a bowl of hot melted butter. Very quickly +then did potato and butter disappear "down the red lane." At supper, he +had bread and skim milk, left after the cream had been taken off, with a +saucer, to make butter. Twice a week the children enjoyed a bowl of +bonnyclabber or curds, with a little brown sugar sprinkled on the top. +But at every meal there was cheese, usually in thin slices, which the +boy thought not thick enough. When Klaas went to bed he usually fell +asleep as soon as his shock of yellow hair touched the pillow. In summer +time he slept till the birds began to sing, at dawn. In winter, when the +bed felt warm and Jack Frost was lively, he often heard the cows +talking, in their way, before he jumped out of his bag of straw, which +served for a mattress. The Van Bommels were not rich, but everything was +shining clean. +</p> + +<p> +There was always plenty to eat at the Van Bommels' house. Stacks of rye +bread, a yard long and thicker than a man's arm, stood on end in the +corner of the cool, stone-lined basement. The loaves of dough were put +in the oven once a week. Baking time was a great event at the Van +Bommels' and no men-folks were allowed in the kitchen on that day, +unless they were called in to help. As for the milk-pails and pans, +filled or emptied, scrubbed or set in the sun every day to dry, and the +cheeses, piled up in the pantry, they seemed sometimes enough to feed a +small army. +</p> + +<p> +But Klaas always wanted more cheese. In other ways, he was a good boy, +obedient at home, always ready to work on the cow-farm, and diligent in +school. But at the table he never had enough. Sometimes his father +laughed and asked him if he had a well, or a cave, under his jacket. +</p> + +<p> +Klaas had three younger sisters, Trintjé, Anneké and Saartjé; which is +Dutch for Kate, Annie and Sallie. These, their fond mother, who loved +them dearly, called her "orange blossoms"; but when at dinner, Klaas +would keep on, dipping his potatoes into the hot butter, while others +were all through, his mother would laugh and call him her Buttercup. But +always Klaas wanted more cheese. When unusually greedy, she twitted him +as a boy "worse than Butter-and-Eggs"; that is, as troublesome as the +yellow and white plant, called toad-flax, is to the farmer--very +pretty, but nothing but a weed. +</p> + +<p> +One summer's evening, after a good scolding, which he deserved well, +Klaas moped and, almost crying, went to bed in bad humor. He had teased +each one of his sisters to give him her bit of cheese, and this, added +to his own slice, made his stomach feel as heavy as lead. +</p> + +<p> +Klaas's bed was up in the garret. When the house was first built, one of +the red tiles of the roof had been taken out and another one, made of +glass, was put in its place. In the morning, this gave the boy light to +put on his clothes. At night, in fair weather, it supplied air to his +room. +</p> + +<p> +A gentle breeze was blowing from the pine woods on the sandy slope, not +far away. So Klaas climbed up on the stool to sniff the sweet piny +odors. He thought he saw lights dancing under the tree. One beam seemed +to approach his roof hole, and coming nearer played round the chimney. +Then it passed to and fro in front of him. It seemed to whisper in his +ear, as it moved by. It looked very much as if a hundred fire-flies had +united their cold light into one lamp. Then Klaas thought that the +strange beams bore the shape of a lovely girl, but he only laughed at +himself at the idea. Pretty soon, however, he thought the whisper became +a voice. Again, he laughed so heartily, that he forgot his moping and +the scolding his mother had given him. In fact, his eyes twinkled with +delight, when the voice gave this invitation: +</p> + +<p> +"There's plenty of cheese. Come with us." +</p> + +<p> +To make sure of it, the sleepy boy now rubbed his eyes and cocked his +ears. Again, the light-bearer spoke to him: "Come." +</p> + +<p> +Could it be? He had heard old people tell of the ladies of the wood, +that whispered and warned travellers. In fact, he himself had often seen +the "fairies' ring" in the pine woods. To this, the flame-lady was +inviting him. +</p> + +<p> +Again and again the moving, cold light circled round the red tile roof, +which the moon, then rising and peeping over the chimneys, seemed to +turn into silver plates. As the disc rose higher in the sky, he could +hardly see the moving light, that had looked like a lady; but the voice, +no longer a whisper, as at first, was now even plainer: +</p> + +<p> +"There's plenty of cheese. Come with us." +</p> + +<p> +"I'll see what it is, anyhow," said Klaas, as he drew on his thick +woolen stockings and prepared to go down-stairs and out, without waking +a soul. At the door he stepped into his wooden shoes. Just then the cat +purred and rubbed up against his shins. He jumped, for he was scared; +but looking down, for a moment, he saw the two balls of yellow fire in +her head and knew what they were. Then he sped to the pine woods and +towards the fairy ring. +</p> + +<p> +What an odd sight! At first Klaas thought it was a circle of big +fire-flies. Then he saw clearly that there were dozens of pretty +creatures, hardly as large as dolls, but as lively as crickets. They +were as full of light, as if lamps had wings. Hand in hand, they flitted +and danced around the ring of grass, as if this was fun. +</p> + +<p> +Hardly had Klaas got over his first surprise, than of a sudden he felt +himself surrounded by the fairies. Some of the strongest among them had +left the main party in the circle and come to him. He felt himself +pulled by their dainty fingers. One of them, the loveliest of all, +whispered in his ear: +</p> + +<p> +"Come, you must dance with us." +</p> + +<p> +Then a dozen of the pretty creatures murmured in chorus: +</p> + +<p> +"Plenty of cheese here. Plenty of cheese here. Come, come!" +</p> + +<p> +Upon this, the heels of Klaas seemed as light as a feather. In a moment, +with both hands clasped in those of the fairies, he was dancing in high +glee. It was as much fun as if he were at the kermiss, with a row of +boys and girls, hand in hand, swinging along the streets, as Dutch maids +and youth do, during kermiss week. +</p> + +<p> +Klaas had not time to look hard at the fairies, for he was too full of +the fun. He danced and danced, all night and until the sky in the east +began to turn, first gray and then rosy. Then he tumbled down, tired +out, and fell asleep. His head lay on the inner curve of the fairy ring, +with his feet in the centre. +</p> + +<p> +Klaas felt very happy, for he had no sense of being tired, and he did +not know he was asleep. He thought his fairy partners, who had danced +with him, were now waiting on him to bring him cheeses. With a golden +knife, they sliced them off and fed him out of their own hands. How good +it tasted! He thought now he could, and would, eat all the cheese he had +longed for all his life. There was no mother to scold him, or daddy to +shake his finger at him. How delightful! +</p> + +<p> +But by and by, he wanted to stop eating and rest a while. His jaws were +tired. His stomach seemed to be loaded with cannon-balls. He gasped for +breath. +</p> + +<p> +But the fairies would not let him stop, for Dutch fairies never get +tired. Flying out of the sky--from the north, south, east and west--they +came, bringing cheeses. These they dropped down around him, until the +piles of the round masses threatened first to enclose him as with a +wall, and then to overtop him. There were the red balls from Edam, the +pink and yellow spheres from Gouda, and the gray loaf-shaped ones from +Leyden. Down through the vista of sand, in the pine woods, he looked, +and oh, horrors! There were the tallest and strongest of the fairies +rolling along the huge, round, flat cheeses from Friesland! Any one of +these was as big as a cart wheel, and would feed a regiment. The fairies +trundled the heavy discs along, as if they were playing with hoops. They +shouted hilariously, as, with a pine stick, they beat them forward like +boys at play. Farm cheese, factory cheese, Alkmaar cheese, and, to crown +all, cheese from Limburg--which Klaas never could bear, because of its +strong odor. Soon the cakes and balls were heaped so high around him +that the boy, as he looked up, felt like a frog in a well. He groaned +when he thought the high cheese walls were tottering to fall on him. +Then he screamed, but the fairies thought he was making music. They, not +being human, do not know how a boy feels. +</p> + +<p> +At last, with a thick slice in one hand and a big hunk in the other, he +could eat no more cheese; though the fairies, led by their queen, +standing on one side, or hovering over his head, still urged him to take +more. +</p> + +<p> +At this moment, while afraid that he would burst, Klaas saw the pile of +cheeses, as big as a house, topple over. The heavy mass fell inwards +upon him. With a scream of terror, he thought himself crushed as flat as +a Friesland cheese. +</p> + +<p> +But he wasn't! Waking up and rubbing his eyes, he saw the red sun rising +on the sand-dunes. Birds were singing and the cocks were crowing all +around him, in chorus, as if saluting him. Just then also the village +clock chimed out the hour. He felt his clothes. They were wet with dew. +He sat up to look around. There were no fairies, but in his mouth was a +bunch of grass which he had been chewing lustily. +</p> + +<p> +Klaas never would tell the story of his night with the fairies, nor has +he yet settled the question whether they left him because the +cheese-house of his dream had fallen, or because daylight had come. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="iii">THE PRINCESS WITH TWENTY PETTICOATS</a></h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago, before ever a blue flax-flower bloomed in Holland, and +when Dutch mothers wore wolf-skin clothes, there was a little princess, +very much beloved by her father, who was a great king, or war chief. She +was very pretty and fond of seeing herself. There were no metal mirrors +in those days, nor any looking glass. So she went into the woods and +before the pools and the deep, quiet watercourses, made reflection of +her own lovely face. Of this pleasure she never seemed weary. +</p> + +<p> +Yet sometimes this little princess was very naughty. Then her temper was +not nearly so sweet as her face. She would play in the sand and roll +around in the woods among the leaves and bushes until her curls were all +tangled up. When her nurse combed out her hair with a stone comb--for no +other kinds were then known--she would fret and scold and often stamp +her foot. When very angry, she called her nurse or governess an +"aurochs,"--a big beast like a buffalo. At this, the maid put up her +hands to her face. "Me--an aurochs! Horrible!" Then she would feel her +forehead to see if horns were growing there. +</p> + +<p> +The nurse--they called her "governess," as the years went on--grew tired +of the behavior of the bad young princess. Sometimes she went and told +her mother how naughty her daughter was, even to calling her an aurochs. +Then the little girl only showed her bad temper worse. She rolled among +the leaves all the more and mussed up her ringlets, so that the +governess could hardly comb them out smooth again. +</p> + +<p> +It seemed useless to punish the perverse little maid by boxing her ears, +pinching her arm, or giving her a good spanking. They even tried to +improve her temper by taking away her dinner, but it did no good. +</p> + +<p> +Then the governess and mother went together to her father. When they +complained of his daughter to the king, he was much worried. He could +fight strong men with his club and spear, and even giants with his sword +and battle-axe; but how to correct his little daughter, whom he loved as +his own eyes, was too much for him. He had no son and the princess was +his only child, and the hopes of the family all rested on her. The king +wondered how she would govern his people, after he should die, and she +became the queen. Yet he was glad for one thing: that, with all her +naughtiness, she was, like her father, always kind to animals. Her pet +was a little aurochs calf. Some hunters had killed the mother of the +poor little thing in winter time. So the princess kept the creature warm +and it fed out of her hand daily. +</p> + +<p> +It was in gloom and with a sad face that the king walked in the woods, +thinking how to make a sweet-tempered lady out of his petulant daughter, +who was fast growing up to be a tall, fine-looking woman. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the king had been himself a little boy, he was very kind to all +living creatures, wild and tame, dumb and with voice--yes, even to the +trees in the forest. When a prince, the boy would never let the axe men +cut down an oak until they first begged pardon of the fairy that lived +in the tree. +</p> + +<p> +There was one big oak, especially, which was near the mansion of his +father, the king. It was said that the doctors found little babies in +its leafy branches, and brought them to their mothers. The prince-boy +took great care of this tree. He was taught by a wise man to cut off the +dead limbs, keep off the worms, and warn away all people seeking to +break off branches--even for Yule-tide, which came at our Christmas +time. +</p> + +<p> +Once when some hunters had chased a young she-aurochs, with her two +calves, into the king's park, the prince, though he was then only a boy, +ran out and drove the rough fellows away. Then he sheltered and fed the +aurochs family of three, until they were fresh and fat. After this he +sent a skilled hunter to imitate the sound of an aurochs mother, to call +the aurochs father to the edge of the woods. He then let them all go +free, and was happy to see the dumb brutes frisking together. +</p> + +<p> +Now that the boy-prince was grown to be a man and had long been king, +and had forgotten all about the incident of his earlier years, he was +one day walking in the forest. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly a gentle breeze arose and the leaves of the old oak tree began +first to rustle and then to whisper. Soon the words were clear, and the +spirit in the oak said: +</p> + +<p> +"I have seen a thousand years pass by, since I was an acorn planted +here. In a few moments I shall die and fall down. Cut my body into +staves. Of these make a wooden petticoat, like a barrel, for your +daughter. When her temper is bad, let her put it on and wear it until +she promises to be good." +</p> + +<p> +The king was sad at the thought of losing the grand old tree, under +which he had played as a boy and his fathers before him. His countenance +fell. +</p> + +<p> +"Cheer up, my friend," said the oak, "for something better shall follow. +When I pass away, you will find on this spot a blue flower growing. +Where the forest was shall be fields, on which the sun shines. Then, if +your daughter be good, young women shall spin something prettier than +wooden petticoats. Watch for the blue flower. Moreover," added the voice +of the tree, "that I may not be forgotten, do you take, henceforth, as +your family name Ten Eyck" (which, in Dutch, means "at the oak "). +</p> + +<p> +At this moment, a huge aurochs rushed into the wood. Its long hair and +shaggy mane were gray with age. The king, thinking the beast would lower +his horns and charge at him, drew his sword to fight the mighty brute +that seemed to weigh well-nigh a ton. +</p> + +<p> +But the aurochs stopped within ten feet of the king and bellowed; but, +in a minute or two, the bellowing changed to a voice and the king heard +these good words: +</p> + +<p> +"I die with the oak, for we are brothers, kept under an enchantment for +a thousand years, which is to end in a few moments. Neither a tree nor +an aurochs can forget your kindness to us, when you were a prince. As +soon as our spirits are released, and we both go back to our home in the +moon, saw off my right horn and make of it a comb for use on your +daughter's curls. It will be smoother than stone." +</p> + +<p> +In a moment a tempest arose, which drove the king for shelter behind +some rocks hard by. After a few minutes, the wind ceased and the sky was +clear. The king looked and there lay the oak, fallen at full length, and +the aurochs lay lifeless beside it. +</p> + +<p> +Just then, the king's woodmen, who were out--thinking their master +might be hurt--drew near. He ordered them to take out the right horn of +the aurochs and to split up part of the oak for slaves. The next day, +they made a wooden petticoat and a horn comb. They were such novelties +that nearly every woman in the kingdom came to see them. +</p> + +<p> +After this, the king called himself the Lord of the Land of Ten Eyck, +and ever after this was his family name, which all his descendants bore. +Whenever the princess showed bad temper, she was forced to wear the +wooden petticoat. To have the boys and girls point at her and make fun +of her was severe punishment. +</p> + +<p> +But a curious thing took place. It was found that every time the maid +combed the hair of the princess she became gentler and more sweet +tempered. She often thanked her governess and said she liked to have her +curls smoothed with the new comb. She even begged her father to let her +own one and have the comb all to herself. It was not long before she +surprised her governess and her parents by combing and curling her own +hair. In truth, such a wonderful change came over the princess that she +did not often have to wear the wooden petticoat, and after a year or +two, not at all. So the gossips nearly forgot all about it. +</p> + +<p> +One summer's day, as the princess was walking in the open, sunny space, +where the old oak had stood, she saw a blue flower. It seemed as +beautiful as it was strange. She plucked it and put it in her hair. When +she reached home, her old aunt, who had been in southern lands, declared +it to be the flower of the flax. +</p> + +<p> +During that spring, millions of tiny green blades sprang up where the +forest had been, and when summer came, the plants were half a yard high. +The women learned how to put the stalks in water and rot the coarse, +outer fibre of the flax. Then they took the silk-like strands from the +inside and spun them on their spinning-wheels. Then they wove them into +pretty cloth. +</p> + +<p> +This, when laid out on the grass, under the sunshine, was bleached +white. The flax thread was made first into linen, and then into lace. +</p> + +<p> +"Let us name the place Groen-e'-veld" (Green Field), the happy people +cried, when they saw how green the earth was where had been the dark +forest. So the place was ever after called the Green Field. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the princess saw what pretty clothes the snow white linen made, +she invented a new style of dress. The upper garment, or "rok," that is, +the one above the waist, she called the "boven rok" and the lower one, +beneath the waist, her "beneden rok." In Dutch "boven" means above and +"beneden" means beneath. By and by, when, at the looms, more of the +beautiful white linen was woven, she had a new petticoat made and put it +on. She was so delighted with this one that she wanted more. One after +the other, she belted them around her waist, until she had on twenty +petticoats at a time. Proud she was of her skirts, even though they made +her look like a barrel. When her mother, and maids, and all the women of +Groen-é-veld, young and old, saw the princess set the fashion, they all +followed. It was not always easy for poor girls, who were to be married, +to buy as many as twenty petticoats. But, as it was the fashion, every +bride had to obey the rule. It grew to be the custom to have at least +twenty; for only this number was thought proper. +</p> + +<p> +So, a new rule, even among the men, grew up. A betrothed young man, or +his female relatives assisting him, was accustomed to make a present of +one or more petticoats to his sweetheart to increase her wardrobe. +</p> + +<p> +Thus the fashion prevailed and still holds among the women of the coast. +Fat or thin, tall or short, they pile on the petticoats and swing their +skirts proudly as they walk or go to market, sell their fish, cry "fresh +herring" in the streets, or do their knitting at home, or in front of +their houses. In some parts of the country, nothing makes a girl so +happy as to present her with a new petticoat. It is the fashion to have +a figure like a barrel and wear one's clothes so as to look like a small +hogshead. +</p> + +<p> +By and by, the men built a dam to get plenty of water in winter for the +rotting of the flax stalks. The linen industry made the people rich. In +time, a city sprang up, which they called Rotterdam, or the dam where +they rotted the flax. +</p> + +<p> +And, because where had been a forest of oaks, with the pool and rivulet, +there was now a silvery stream flowing gently between verdant meadows, +they made the arms and seal of the city green and white, two of the +former and one of the latter; that is, verdure and silver. To this day, +on the arms and flags of the great city, and on the high smoke-stacks of +the mighty steamers that cross the ocean, from land to land, one sees +the wide, white band between the two broad stripes of green. +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/0039.png"><img src="images/0039th.png" alt="ON AND ON THE RAGING FLOOD BORE THEM UNTIL DARK NIGHT CAME DOWN"></a> +</p> + + +<h2><a name="iv">THE CAT AND THE CRADLE</a></h2> + +<p> +In the early ages, when our far-off ancestors lived in the woods, ate +acorns, slept in caves, and dressed in the skins of wild animals, they +had no horses, cows or cats. Their only pets and helpers were dogs. The +men and the dogs were more like each other than they are now. +</p> + +<p> +However, they knew about bees. So the women gathered honey and from it +they made mead. Not having any sugar, the children enjoyed tasting honey +more than anything else, and it was the only sweet thing they had. +</p> + +<p> +By and by, cows were brought into the country and the Dutch soil being +good for grass, the cows had plenty to eat. When these animals +multiplied, the people drank milk and learned to make cheese and butter. +So the Dutch boys and girls grew fat and healthy. +</p> + +<p> +The oxen were so strong that they could pull logs of wood or draw a +plough. So, little by little, the forests were cut down and grassy +meadows, full of bright colored flowers, took their place. Houses were +built and the people were rich and happy. +</p> + +<p> +Yet there were still many cruel men and bad people in the land. +Sometimes, too, floods came and drowned the cattle and covered the +fields with sand, or salt water. In such times, food was very scarce. +Thus it happened that not all the babies born could live, or every +little child be fed. The baby girls especially were often left to die, +because war was common and only boys, that grew into strong warriors, +were wanted. +</p> + +<p> +It grew to be a custom that families would hold a council and decide +whether the baby should be raised or not. But if any one should give the +infant even a tiny drop of milk, or food of any kind, it was allowed to +live and grow up. If no one gave it milk or honey, it died. No matter +how much a mother might love her baby, she was not allowed to put milk +to its lips, if the grandmother or elders forbade it. The young bride, +coming into her husband's home, always had to obey his mother, for she +was now as a daughter and one of the family. All lived together in one +house, and the grandmother ruled all the women and girls that were under +one roof. +</p> + +<p> +This was the way of the world, when our ancestors were pagans, and not +always as kind to little babies as our own mothers and fathers are now. +Many times was the old grandmother angry, when her son had taken a wife +and a girl was born. If the old woman expected a grandson, who should +grow up and be a fighter, with sword and spear, and it turned out to be +a girl, she was mad as fire. Often the pretty bride, brought into the +house, had a hard time of it, with her husband's mother, if she did not +in time have a baby boy. In those days a "Herman," a "War Man" and +"German" were one and the same word. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the good missionaries came into Friesland, one of the first of +the families to receive the gospel was one named Altfrid. With his +bride, who also became a Christian, Altfrid helped the missionary to +build a church. By and by, a sweet little baby was born in the family +and the parents were very happy. They loved the little thing sent from +God, as fathers and mothers love their children now. +</p> + +<p> +But when some one went and told the pagan grandmother that the new baby +was a girl instead of a boy, the old woman flew into a rage and would +have gone at once to get hold of the baby and put it to death. Her +lameness, however, made her move slowly, and she could not find her +crutch; for the midwife, who knew the bad temper of the grandmother, had +purposely hid it. The old woman was angry, because she did not want any +more females in the big house, where she thought there were already too +many mouths to fill. Food was hard to get, and there were not enough war +men to defend the tribe. She meant to get the new baby and throw it to +the wolves. The old grandmother was a pagan and still worshipped the +cruel gods that loved fighting. She hated the new religion, because it +taught gentleness and peace. +</p> + +<p> +But the midwife, who was a neighbor, feared that the old woman was +malicious and she had hid her crutch. This she did, so that if the baby +was a girl, she could save its life. The midwife was a good woman, who +had been taught that the Great Creator loves little girls as well as +boys. +</p> + +<p> +So when the midwife heard the grandmother storm and rave, while hunting +for her crutch, she ran first to the honey jar, dipped her forefinger in +it and put some drops of honey on the baby's tongue. Then she passed it +out the window to some women friends, who were waiting outside. She knew +the law, that if a child tasted food, it must be allowed to live. +</p> + +<p> +The kind women took the baby to their home and fed it carefully. A hole +was drilled in the small end of a cow's horn and the warm milk, fresh +from the cow, was allowed to fall, drop by drop, into the baby's mouth. +In a few days the little one was able to suck its breakfast slowly out +of the horn, while one of the girls held it. So the baby grew bigger +every day. All the time it was carefully hidden. +</p> + +<p> +The foolish old grandmother was foiled, for she could never find out +where the baby girl was, which all the time was growing strong and +plump. Her father secretly made her a cradle and he and the babe's +mother came often to see their child. Every one called her Honig-je', or +Little Honey. +</p> + +<p> +Now about this time, cats were brought into the country and the children +made such pets of them that some of the cows seemed to be jealous of the +attentions paid to Pussy and the kittens. These were the days when cows +and people all lived under one long roof. The children learned to tell +the time of day, whether it was morning, noon or night by looking into +the cats' eyes. These seemed to open and shut, very much as if they had +doors. +</p> + +<p> +The fat pussy, which was brought into the house where Honig-je' was, +seemed to be very fond of the little girl, and the two, the cat and the +child, played much together. It was often said that the cat loved the +baby even more than her own kittens. Every one called the affectionate +animal by the nickname of Dub-belt-je', which means Little Double; +because this puss was twice as loving as most cat mothers are. When her +own furry little babies were very young, she carried them from one place +to another in her mouth. But this way, of holding kittens, she never +tried on the baby. She seemed to know better. Indeed, Dub-belt-je' often +wondered why human babies were born so naked and helpless; for at an age +when her kittens could feed themselves and run about and play with their +tails and with each other, Honig-je' was not yet able to crawl. +</p> + +<p> +But other dangers were in store for the little girl. One day, when the +men were out hunting, and the women went to the woods to gather nuts and +acorns, a great flood came. The waters washed away the houses, so that +everything floated into the great river, and then down towards the sea. +</p> + +<p> +What had, what would, become of our baby? So thought the parents of +Honig-je', when they came back to find the houses swept away and no sign +of their little daughter. Dub-belt-je' and her kittens, and all the +cows, were gone too. +</p> + +<p> +Now it had happened that when the flood came and the house crashed down, +baby was sound asleep. The cat, leaving its kittens, that were now +pretty well grown up, leaped up and on to the top of the cradle and the +two floated off together. Pretty soon they found themselves left alone, +with nothing in sight that was familiar, except one funny thing. That +was a wooden shoe, in which was a fuzzy little yellow chicken hardly +four days old. It had been playing in the shoe, when the floods came +and swept it off from under the very beak of the old hen, that, with all +her other chicks, was speedily drowned. +</p> + +<p> +On and on, the raging flood bore baby and puss, until dark night came +down. For hours more they drifted until, happily, the cradle was swept +into an eddy in front of a village. There it spun round and round, and +might soon have been borne into the greater flood, which seemed to roar +louder as the waters rose. +</p> + +<p> +Now a cat can see sometimes in the night, better even than in the day, +for the darker it becomes, the wider open the eyes of puss. In bright +sunshine, at noon, the inside doors of the cat's eyes close to a narrow +slit, while at night these doors open wide. That is the reason why, in +the days before clocks and watches were made, the children could tell +about the time of day by looking at the cat's eyes. Sometimes they named +their pussy Klok'-oog, which means Clock Eye, or Bell Eye, for bell +clocks are older than clocks with a dial, and because in Holland the +bells ring out the hours and quarter hours. +</p> + +<p> +Puss looked up and saw the church tower looming up in the dark. At once +she began to meouw and caterwaul with all her might. She hoped that some +one in one of the houses near the river bank might catch the sound. But +none seemed to hear or heed. At last, when Puss was nearly dead with +howling, a light appeared at one of the windows. This showed that some +one was up and moving. It was a boy, who was named Dirck, after the +saint Theodoric, who had first, long ago, built a church in the village. +Then Puss opened her mouth and lungs again and set up a regular +cat-scream. This wakened all her other relatives in the village and +every Tom and Kitty made answer, until there was a cat concert of meouws +and caterwauls. +</p> + +<p> +The boy heard, rushed down-stairs, and, opening the door, listened. The +wind blew out his candle, but the brave lad was guided by the sound +which Pussy made. Reaching the bank, he threw off his wooden klomps, +plunged into the boiling waters, and, seizing the cradle, towed it +ashore. Then he woke up his mother and showed her his prize. The way +that baby laughed and crowed, and patted the horn of milk, and kicked up +its toes in delight over the warm milk, which was brought, was a joy to +see. Near the hearth, in the middle of the floor, Dub-belt-je', the +puss, was given some straw for a bed and, after purring joyfully, was +soon, like the baby, sound asleep. +</p> + +<p> +Thus the cat warned the boy, and the boy saved the baby, that was very +welcome in a family where there were no girls, but only a boy. When +Honig-je' grew up to be a young woman, she looked as lovely as a +princess and in the church was married to Dirck! It was the month of +April and all the world was waking to flowers, when the wedding +procession came out of the church and the air was sweet with the opening +of the buds. +</p> + +<p> +Before the next New Year's day arrived, there lay in the same cradle, +and put to sleep over the same rockers, a baby boy. When they brought +him to the font, the good grandmother named him Luid-i-ger. He grew up +to be the great missionary, whose name in Friesland is, even today, +after a thousand years, a household word. He it was who drove out bad +fairies, vile enchanters, wicked spirits and terrible diseases. Best of +all, he banished "eye-bite," which was the name the people gave to +witchcraft. Luid-i-ger, also, made it hard for the naughty elves and +sprites that delude men. +</p> + +<p> +After this, it was easy for all the good spirits, that live in kind +hearts and noble lives, to multiply and prosper. The wolves were driven +away or killed off and became very few, while the cattle and sheep +multiplied, until everybody could have a woollen coat, and there was a +cow to every person in the land. +</p> + +<p> +But the people still suffered from the floods, that from time to time +drowned the cattle and human beings, and the ebb tides, that carried +everything out to sea. Then the good missionary taught the men how to +build dykes, that kept out the ocean and made the water of the rivers +stay between the banks. The floods became fewer and fewer and at last +rarely happened. Then Santa Klaas arrived, to keep alive in the hearts +of the people the spirit of love and kindness and good cheer forever. +</p> + +<p> +At last, when nearly a hundred years had passed away, Honig-je', once +the girl baby, and then the dear old lady, who was kind to everybody and +prepared the way for Santa Klaas, died. Then, also, Dub-belt-je' the +cat, that had nine lives in one, died with her. They buried the old lady +under the church floor and stuffed the pussy that everybody, kittens, +boys, girls and people loved. By and by, when the cat's tail and fur +fell to pieces, and ears tumbled off, and its glass eyes dropped out, a +skilful artist chiselled a statue of Dub-belt-je', which still stands +over the tomb in the church. Every year, on Santa Klaas day, December +sixth, the children put a new collar around its neck and talk about the +cat that saved a baby's life. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="v">PRINCE SPIN HEAD AND MISS SNOW WHITE</a></h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago, before the Romans came into the land and when the +fairies ruled in the forest, there was a maiden who lived under an oak +tree. When she was a baby they called her Bundlekin. She had four +brothers, who loved their younger sister very dearly and did everything +they could to make her happy. Her fat father was a famous hunter. When +he roamed the woods, no bear, wolf, aurochs, roebuck, deer, or big +animal of any kind, could escape from his arrows, his spear, or his +pit-trap. He taught his sons to be skilful in the chase, but also to be +kind to the dumb creatures when captured. Especially when the mother +beast was killed, the boys were always told to care for the cubs, whelps +and kittens. As for the smaller animals, foxes, hares, weasels, rabbits +and ermine, these were so numerous, that the father left the business of +hunting them to the lads, who had great sport. +</p> + +<p> +The house under the oak tree was always well provided with meat and +furs. The four brothers brought the little animals, which they took in +the woods, to make presents to their sister. So there was always a +plenty of pets, bear and wolf cubs, wildcats' kittens and baby aurochs +for the girl to play with. Every day, while the animals were so young as +to be fed on milk, she enjoyed frolicking with the four-footed babies. +When they grew bigger, she romped and sported with them, as if she and +they were equal members of the same family. The older brother watched +carefully, so that the little brutes, as they increased in size, should +not bite or claw his sister, for he knew the fierce nature that was in +wild creatures. Yet the maiden had wonderful power over these beasts of +the forest, whether little or big. She was not very much afraid of them +and often made them run, by looking at them hard in the eye. +</p> + +<p> +While the girl made a pet of the animals, her parents made a pet of her. +The mother prepared the skins of the wolves and bears, until these were +very soft, keeping the fur on, to make rugs for the floor, and winter +coats for her children. The hides of the aurochs sufficed for rougher +use, but from what had once been the clothes of the fawn, the weasel, +the rabbit, and the ermine, garments were made that were smooth enough +to suit a baby's tender flesh. The forest folk wrapped their infants in +swaddling hands made of these dressed pelts. After feeding the darling, +a mother hung her baby up, warmly covered, to a tree branch. The cradle, +which was a furry bag, was made of the same material and swung in the +wind. +</p> + +<p> +Bundlekin usually fell asleep right after she had had her breakfast. +When she woke up crowing, the squirrels were playing all around her. She +even learned to watch the spiders, spinning their houses of silk, +without being afraid. When Bundlekin grew up, she always called this +curious creature, that could make silk, Spin Head. She jokingly called +it her lover, in remembrance of baby days. + +It was funny to see how deft the mother was with her needles, fashioned +from bone, and her rough thread, which was made of the intestines of the +deer. From her own childhood in the woods, Bundlekin's mother had been +used to this kind of dressmaking. Now, when her daughter had grown, from +babyhood and through her teens, to be a lovely maiden, fair of face and +strong of limb, her sweet, unselfish parent was equal to new tasks. To +the soft leather coats, made from the skins of fawns, martens, and +weasels, she added trimmings of snow white ermine. Caps and mittens, +cloaks for the body, and coverings for the feet, were fashioned to fit +neatly. Fringes, here and there, were put on them, until her girl looked +like a king's daughter. In summer, the skins of birds and their feathers +clothed her lightly, and with many and rich colors, while the forest +flowers decked her hair. +</p> + +<p> +In winter, in her white forest robes, the maiden, except for her rosy +face and sparkling eyes, seemed as if she might have been born of the +snow, or was a daughter of the northern ice god at Ulrum. And because +she was so lovely, her parents changed her baby name and called her +Dri'-fa, which means Snow White. +</p> + +<p> +Yet, though no other girl in Gelderland equalled, and none, not even the +princesses, excelled Snow White in beauty of face, form, or raiment, the +maiden was not happy, even though many lovers came to her and offered to +marry her. Some, as proof of their skill as hunters, brought the finest +furs the forest furnished. Others showed their strength or fleetness of +foot. Some bargained with the kabouters, or fairies of the mines, to +bring them shining ore or precious gems which they offered to Snow +White. Others, again, went afar to get strange wonders, amber and +ambergris, from the seashores of the far north to please her. One fine +fellow, who had been in the south and was proud of his travels, told her +of what he had seen in the great cities, and offered her a necklace of +pearls. +</p> + +<p> +But all was in vain. Every lover went away sorrowful, for Snow White +wearied of them and sent each one home, disappointed. +</p> + +<p> +Last of all, among the lovers came a strange looking one, named Spin +Head, resembling a spider, promising a secret worth more than furs, +gold, gems, or necklace; but the mother, seeing the ugly creature, drove +it off with hard words. +</p> + +<p> +So the months and years passed, until her father feared he would not +live to see his daughter a wife. +</p> + +<p> +But one day, when all in the household were absent, the leaves of the +oak tree rustled loudly. There was no wind, and Snow White, surprised, +strained her ears to find out what this might mean. Soon she could make +out these words: +</p> + +<p> +"When the spider, that you called Spin Head, comes to make love to you, +listen to him. He is the wisest being in all the forest. He knows the +future. He will tell you a secret. I shall pass away, but what he +teaches you shall live." +</p> + +<p> +Then the leaves of the oak ceased to rustle and all was quiet and still +again. +</p> + +<p> +While wondering what this message might mean, down came the real spider +she had named Spin Head. He lowered himself from a tree branch, high +above on a silken thread. The creature sat down on the log beside the +maiden; but she was not in the least startled and did not scream nor run +away. Indeed, she spoke to the spider as an old friend: +</p> + +<p> +"Well, playmate of my babyhood, what have you to tell me?" +</p> + +<p> +"I came to offer you my love. You need not marry me yet, but if you will +let me spin a web in your room, I shall live there, and, by and by, +reward you. Let me be in your sight always, and you will not be sorry +for it." +</p> + +<p> +The maiden had no sooner agreed than a terrible tempest uprooted the oak +and levelled the trees of the forest. In a moment more, a new and very +beautiful house rose up out of the ground. It was as noble to look at as +a palace. Near by was a garden, and one day when she walked in it, out +of it sprang a blue flower, almost under her feet. +</p> + +<p> +"Choose the best room for your own self," said Spin Head, "and then show +me my corner. After a hundred days, if you treat me kindly, I shall +reveal the secret of that blue flower." +</p> + +<p> +Dri'-fa, the maiden, chose the sunniest room, and gave Spin Head the +best corner, near the window and close to the ceiling. At once he began +to weave a shining web for his own house. She wondered at such fine +work, which no human weaver could excel, and why she was not able to +spin silk out of her head, nor even with her fingers, like her strange +lover. But the oak had promised that Spin Head would reveal a secret, +and she was curious to know what it was. Like all girls, she was in a +hurry to have the secret. To ease her impatience, Dri'-fa looked on, +while Spin Head was thus busy at making his dwelling place, with shining +threads which he spun out, never ceasing. She was so intent upon +watching him that night came down before she noticed that her room was +not furnished. There was not even a bed to sleep on. +</p> + +<p> +Spin Head looked at her closely and then spoke with a deep voice, like a +man's: +</p> + +<p> +"Ah, I know, you want a bed, and pretty things for your room." +</p> + +<p> +In another moment, soft furs lined the floor, and soon all that Dri'-fa +had possessed in the forest for comfort she had now, and more. Lost in +wonder as she was, in a few minutes she was fast asleep. +</p> + +<p> +She dreamed she wore a dress of some strange, new, white fabric, such as +her people had never seen before. Instead of being close in texture, +like the skin of an animal, it was as open work, full of thousands of +little holes, yet strongly held together. It was light and gauzy, like a +silvery spider's web on the summer grass before sunrise, when pearly +with dewdrops. +</p> + +<p> +The hundred days were passing swiftly by, and Spin Head and Snow White +had become fast friends. Each lived in a different world--a world within +a world. She was waiting for the secret he would tell her. She bravely +resolved not to be impatient, but let Spin Head speak first. +</p> + +<p> +One day, when autumn had come and she was lonely, she sauntered out into +the garden. The chill winds were blowing and the leaves falling, till +they covered the ground like a yellow carpet. One fell into her hand, as +if it bore words of friendly greeting. Yet, though she waited, not one +of the millions of them brought a message to her! Never a word had she +ever heard from her parents and brothers! The blue flower had long ago +fallen away and there was nothing in its place but a hard, rough, black +stalk. Then she said to herself: +</p> + +<p> +"Is there anything in this ugly stick? How will Spin Head reveal his +secret?" Never had she been so cast down. +</p> + +<p> +Again the tempest howled. All the winds of heaven seemed to have broken +loose. Many a sturdy oak lay prostrate. The leaves darkened the air, so +that Snow White could see nothing. Then there was a great calm. The maid +cleared her sight, and lo! there, beside her, stood a youth, more +beautiful than any of her brothers, or her lovers, or any man she had +ever seen. He was dressed in fine white clothing, excelling in its +texture any skin of fawn, or animal of the forest. Instead of being +leather, however soft, it seemed woven of a multitude of threads. In his +hand he held the black stalk of what had been the blue flower. +</p> + +<p> +"I am Spin Head," he said. "The hundred days are over. The spell is +broken and my deliverance from enchantment has come. I bring to you, as +my gift, this ugly stalk, on which the blue flower bloomed." +</p> + +<p> +Between surprise at the change of Spin Head from a spider to a handsome +youth, and disappointment at such a present offered her, Snow White was +dumb. She could hardly draw her breath. Was that all? +</p> + +<p> +"Break it open," said Spin Head. +</p> + +<p> +Splitting the stalk from end to end, the maiden was surprised to find +inside many long silky fibres, almost as fine as the strands in a +spider's web. She pulled them out and her eyes danced with joy. +</p> + +<p> +"Plant the seed and let the blue flowers blossom by the million," said +the youth. "Then gather the stalks and, from the fibres, weave them +together and make this. The black rod is a sceptre of wealth." +</p> + +<p> +Then, separating the delicate strands one by one, Spin Head wove them +together. The result was a rich robe, of a snow white fabric, never seen +in the forest. It was linen. +</p> + +<p> +Snow White clapped her hands with joy. +</p> + +<p> +"'Tis for your wedding dress, if you will marry me," said Spin Head. +</p> + +<p> +Snow White's cheeks blushed red, but she looked at him and her eyes said +"yes." +</p> + +<p> +"Wait," said Spin Head. "I'll make you a bridal veil." +</p> + +<p> +Once more his fingers wrought wonders. He produced yards of a gauzy, +open work stuff. He made it float in the air first. Then he threw it +over her head. It trailed down her back and covered her rosy face. It +was lace. +</p> + +<p> +Happily married, they left the forest and travelled into the land where +the blue flax flowers made a new sky on the earth. Soon on the map men +read the names of cities unknown before. At a time when Europe had no +such masses of happy people, joyous in their toil, Courtrai, Tournay, +Ypres, Ghent, and Bruges told what the blue flower of the flax had done +for the country. More than gold, gems, or the wealth of forest or mine, +was the gift of Spin Head to Snow White, for the making of Belgic Land. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="vi">THE BOAR WITH THE GOLDEN BRISTLES</a></h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago, there were brave fighters and skilful hunters in +Holland, but neither men nor women ever dreamed that food was to be got +out of the ground, but only from the trees and bushes, such as berries, +acorns and honey. They thought the crust of the earth was too hard to be +broken up for seed, even if they knew what grain and bread were. They +supposed that what nature provided in the forest was the only food for +men. Besides this, they made their women do all the work and cook the +acorns and brew the honey into mead, while they went out to fish and +hunt and fight. +</p> + +<p> +So the fairies took pity on the cold, northern people, who lived where +it rained and snowed a great deal. They held a council and agreed that +it was time to send down to the earth an animal, with tusks, to tear up +the ground. Then the people would see the riches of the earth and learn +what soil was. They would be blessed with farms and gardens, barns and +stalls, hay and grain, horses and cattle, wheat and barley, pigs and +clover. +</p> + +<p> +Now there were powerful fairies, of a certain kind, who lived in a Happy +Land far, far away, who had charge of everything in the air and water. +One of them was named Fro, who became lord of the summer sunshine and +warm showers, that make all things grow. It was in this bright region +that the white elves lived. +</p> + +<p> +It was a pretty custom in fairy-land that when a fairy baby cut its +first tooth, the mother's friends should make the little one some pretty +present. +</p> + +<p> +When Nerthus, the mother of the infant Fro, looked into its mouth and +saw the little white thing that had come up through the baby's gums, she +went in great glee and told the glad news to all the other fairies. It +was a great event and she tried to guess what present her wonderful +boy-baby should receive. +</p> + +<p> +There was one giant-like fairy as strong as a polar bear, who agreed to +get, for little Fro, a creature that could put his nose under the sod +and root up the ground. In this way he would show men what the earth, +just under its surface, contained, without their going into mines and +caverns. +</p> + +<p> +One day this giant fairy heard two stout dwarfs talking loudly in the +region under the earth. They were boasting as to which could beat the +other at the fire and bellows, for both were blacksmiths. One was the +king of the dwarfs, who made a bet that he could excel the other. So he +set them to work as rivals, while a third dwarf worked the bellows. The +dwarf-king threw some gold in the flames to melt; but, fearing he might +not win the bet, he went away to get other fairies to help him. He told +the bellows dwarf to keep on pumping air on the fire, no matter what +might happen to him. +</p> + +<p> +So when one giant fairy, in the form of a gadfly, flew at him, and bit +him in the hand, the bellows-blower did not stop for the pain, but kept +on until the fire roared loudly, as to make the cavern echo. Then all +the gold melted and could be transformed. As soon as the dwarf-king came +back, the bellows-blower took up the tongs and drew out of the fire a +boar having golden bristles. +</p> + +<p> +This fire-born golden boar had the power of travelling through the air +as swiftly as a streak of lightning. It was named Gullin, or Golden, and +was given to the fairy Fro, and he, when grown, used the wonderful +creature as his steed. All the other good fairies and the elves +rejoiced, because men on the earth would now be helped to do great +things. +</p> + +<p> +Even more wonderful to tell, this fire-born creature became the father +of all the animals that have tusks and that roam in the woods. A tusk is +a big tooth, of which the hardest and sharpest part grows, long and +sharp, outside of the mouth and it stays there, even when the mouth is +shut. +</p> + +<p> +When Gullin was not occupied, or being ridden by Fro on his errands over +the world, he taught his sons, that is, the wild boars of the forest, +how to root up the ground and make it soft for things to grow in. Then +his master Fro sent the sunbeams and the warm showers to make the +turned-up earth fruitful. +</p> + +<p> +To do this, the wild boars were given two long tusks, as pointed as +needles and sharp as knives. With one sweep of his head a boar could rip +open a dog or a wolf, a bull or a bear, or furrow the earth like a +ploughshare. +</p> + +<p> +Now there were several cousins in the Tusk family. The elephant on land, +and the walrus and narwhal in the seas; but none of these could plough +ground, but because the boar's tusks grew out so long and were so sharp, +and hooked at the end, it could tear open the earth's hard crust and +root up the ground. This made a soil fit for tender plants to grow in, +and even the wild flowers sprang up in them. +</p> + +<p> +All this, when they first noticed it, was very wonderful to human +beings. The children called one to the other to come and see the unusual +sight. The little troughs, made first by the ripping of the boar's +tusks, were widened by rooting with their snouts. These were welcomed by +the birds, for they hopped into the lines thus made, to feed on the +worms. So the birds, supposing that these little gutters in the ground +were made especially for them, made great friends with the boars. They +would even perch near by, or fly to their backs, and ride on them. +</p> + +<p> +As for the men fathers, when they looked at the clods and the loose +earth thus turned over, they found them to be very soft. So the women +and girls were able to break them up with their sticks. Then the seeds, +dropped by the birds that came flying back every spring time, from +far-away lands, sprouted. It was noticed that new kinds of plants grew +up, which had stalks. In the heads or ears of these were a hundredfold +more seeds. When the children tasted them, they found, to their delight, +that the little grains were good to eat. They swallowed them whole, they +roasted them at the fire, or they pounded them with stones. Then they +baked the meal thus made or made it into mush, eating it with honey. +</p> + +<p> +For the first time people in the Dutch world had bread. When they added +the honey, brought by the bees, they had sweet cakes with mead. Then, +saving the seeds over, from one summer to another, they in the spring +time planted them in the little trenches made by the animal's tusks. +Then the Dutch words for "boar" and "row" were put together, meaning +boar row, and there issued, in time, our word "furrow." +</p> + +<p> +The women were the first to become skilful in baking. In the beginning +they used hot stones on which to lay the lump of meal, or flour and +water, or the batter. Then having learned about yeast, which "raised" +the flour, that is, lifted it up, with gas and bubbles, they made real +bread and cakes and baked them in the ovens which the men had made. When +they put a slice of meat between upper and lower layers of bread, they +called it "broodje," that is, little bread; or, sandwich. In time, +instead of one kind of bread, or cake, they had a dozen or twenty +different sorts, besides griddle cakes and waffles. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the wise men of the mark, or neighborhood, saw that the women +did such wonderful things, they put their heads together and said one to +the other: +</p> + +<p> +"We are quite ready to confess that fairies, and elves, and even the +kabouters are smarter than we are. Our women, also, are certainly +wonderful; but it will never do to let the boars think that they know +more than we do. They did indeed teach us how to make furrows, and the +birds brought us grain; but we are the greater, for we can hunt and kill +the boars with our spears. +</p> + +<p> +"Although they can tear up the sod and root in the ground with tusk and +snout, they cannot make cakes, as our women can. So let us see if we +cannot beat both the boars and birds, and even excel our women. We shall +be more like the fairies, if we invent something that will outshine them +all." +</p> + +<p> +So they thought and planned, and, little by little, they made the +plough. First, with a sharp stick in their hands, the men scratched the +surface of the ground into lines that were not very deep. Then they +nailed plates of iron on those sticks. Next, they fixed this iron-shod +wood in a frame to be pulled forward, and, by and by, they added +handles. Men and women, harnessed together, pulled the plough. Indeed it +was ages before they had oxen to do this heavy work for them. At last +the perfect plough was seen. It had a knife in front to cut the clods, a +coulter, a beam, a mould board and handles, and, after a while, a wheel +to keep it straight. Then they set horses to draw it. +</p> + +<p> +Fro the fairy was the owner, not only of the boar with the golden +bristles, but also of the lightning-like horse, Sleipnir, that could +ride through fire and water with the speed of light. Fro also owned the +magic ship, which could navigate both land and sea. It was so very +elastic that it could be stretched out to carry a host of warriors over +the seas to war, or fold up like a lady's handkerchief. With this flying +vessel, Fro was able to move about like a cloud and also to change like +them. He could also appear, or disappear, as he pleased, in one place or +another. +</p> + +<p> +By and by, the wild boars were all hunted to death and disappeared. Yet +in one way, and a glorious one also, their name and fame were kept in +men's memories. Brave knights had the boar's head painted on their +shields and coats of arms. When the faith of the Prince of Peace made +wars less frequent, the temples in honor of Fro were deserted, but the +yule log and the revels, held to celebrate the passing of the Mother +Night, in December, that is, the longest one of the year, were changed +for the Christmas festival. +</p> + +<p> +Then again, the memory of man's teacher of the plough was still kept +green; for the boar was remembered as the giver, not only of nourishing +meat, but of ideas for men's brains. Baked in the oven, and made +delightful to the appetite, served on the dish, with its own savory +odors; withal, decorated with sprigs of rosemary, the boar's head was +brought in for the great dinner, with the singing of Christmas carols. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="vii">THE ICE KING AND HIS WONDERFUL GRANDCHILD</a></h2> + +<p> +In the far-off ages, all the lands of northern Europe were one, for the +deep seas had not yet separated them. Then our forefathers thought that +fairies were gods. They built temples in their honor, and prayed to +them. Then, in the place where is now the little town of Ulrum in +Friesland was the home of the spirit in the ice, Uller. That is what +Ulrum means, the home of the good fairy Uller. +</p> + +<p> +Uller was the patron of boys and girls. They liked him, because he +invented skates and sleds and sleighs. He had charge of things in winter +and enjoyed the cold. He delighted also in hunting. Dressed in thick +furs, he loved to roam over the hills and through the forests, seeking +out the wolf, the bear, the deer, and the aurochs. His bow and arrows +were terrible, for they were very big and he was a sure shot. Being the +patron of archery, hunters always sought his favor. The yew tree was +sacred to Uller, because the best bows were made from its wood. No one +could cut down a yew tree without angering Uller. +</p> + +<p> +Nobody knew who Uller's father was, and if he knew himself, he did not +care to tell any one. He would not bestow many blessings upon mankind; +yet thousands of people used to come to Ulrum every year to invoke his +aid and ask him to send a heavy fall of snow to cover the ground. That +meant good crops of food for the next year. The white snow, lying thick +upon the ground, kept back the frost giants from biting the earth too +hard. Because of deep winter snows, the ground was soft during the next +summer. So the seed sprouted more easily and there was plenty to eat. +</p> + +<p> +When Uller travelled over the winter snow, to go out on hunting trips, +he strapped snow-shoes on his feet. Because these were shaped like a +warrior's shield, Uller was often called the shield-god. His protection +was especially invoked by men who fought duels with sword or spear, +which were very common in early days; or by soldiers or hunters, who +wished to be very brave, or had engaged in perilous ventures. +</p> + +<p> +Now when Uller wanted a wife to marry him, he made love to Skadi, +because she was a huntress and liked the things which he liked. So they +never had a quarrel. She was very strong, fond of sports, and of chasing +the wild animals. She wore a short skirt, which allowed freedom of +motion to her limbs. Then she ranged over the hills and valleys with +wonderful swiftness. So rapid were her movements that many people +likened her to the cold mountain stream, that leaps down from the high +peaks and over the rocks, foaming and dashing to the lowlands. They gave +the same name to both this fairy woman and the water, because they were +so much alike. +</p> + +<p> +Indeed Skadi was very lovely to look at. It was no wonder that many of +the gods, fairies and men fell in love with her. It is even said that +she had had several husbands before marrying Uller. When you look at her +pictures, you will see that she was as pretty as bright winter itself, +when Jack Frost clothes the trees with white and makes the cheeks of the +girls so rosy. She wore armor of shining steel, a silver helmet, short +white skirts and white fur leggings. Her snow-shoes were of the hue of +winter. Besides a glittering spear, she had a bow and sharp arrows. +These were held in a silver quiver slung over her shoulders. Altogether, +she looked like winter alive. She loved to live in the mountains, and +hear the thunders of cataracts, the crash of avalanches, the moaning of +the winds in the pine forests. Even the howling of wolves was music in +her ears. She was afraid of nothing. +</p> + +<p> +Now from such a father and mother one would expect wonderful children, +yet very much like their parents. It turned out that the offspring of +Uller and Skadi were all daughters. To them--one after another--were +given the names meaning Glacier, Cold, Snow, Drift, Snow Whirl, and Snow +Dust, the oldest being the biggest and hardiest. The others were in +degree softer and more easily influenced by the sun and the wind. They +all looked alike, so that some people called them the Six White Sisters. +</p> + +<p> +Yet they were all so great and powerful that many considered them +giantesses. It was not possible for men to tame them, for they did very +much as they pleased. No one could stop their doings or drive them away, +except Woden, who was the god of the sun. Yet in winter, even he left +off ruling the world and went away. During that time, that is, during +seven months, Uller took Woden's throne and governed the affairs of the +world. When summer came, Uller went with his wife up to the North Pole; +or they lived in a house, on the top of the Alps. There they could hunt +and roam on their snow-shoes. To these cold places, which the whole +family enjoyed, their daughters went also and all were very happy so far +above the earth. +</p> + +<p> +Things went on pleasantly in Uller's family so long as his daughters +were young, for then the girls found enough to delight in at their daily +play. But when grown up and their heads began to be filled with notions +about the young giants, who paid visits to them, then the family +troubles began. +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/0073.png"><img src="images/0073th.png" alt="YET ALL THE TIME HE WAS CALLING ON HUMAN BEINGS TO HARNESS HIM TO WHEELS"></a> +</p> + +<p> +There was one young giant fairy named Vuur, who came often to see all +six of Uller's daughters, from the youngest to the oldest. Yet no one +could tell which of them he was in love with, or could name the girl he +liked best; no, not even the daughters themselves. His character and his +qualities were not well known, for he put on many disguises and appeared +in many places. It was believed, however, that he had already done a +good deal of mischief and was likely to do more, for he loved +destruction. Yet he often helped the kabouter dwarfs to do great things; +so that showed he was of some use. In fact he was the fire fairy. He +kept on, courting all the six sisters, long after May day came, and he +lengthened his visits until the heat turned the entire half dozen of +them into water. So they became one. +</p> + +<p> +At this, Uller was so angry at Vuur's having delayed so long before +popping the question, and at his daughters' losing their shapes, that he +made Vuur marry them all and at once, they taking the name of Regen. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the child of Vuur and Regen was born, it turned out to be, in +body and in character, just what people expected from such a father and +mother. It was named in Dutch, Stoom. It grew fast and soon showed that +it was as powerful as its parents had been; yet it was much worse, when +shut up, than when allowed to go free in the air. Stoom loved to do all +sorts of tricks. In the kitchen, it would make the iron kettle lid flop +up and down with a lively noise. If it were confined in a vessel, +whether of iron or earthenware, when set over the fire, it would blow +the pot or kettle all to pieces, in order to get out. Thinking itself a +great singer, it would make rather a pleasant sound, when its mother let +it come out of a spout. Yet it never obeyed either of its parents. When +they tried to shut up Stoom inside of anything, it always escaped with a +terrible sound. In fact, nothing could long hold it in, without an +explosion. +</p> + +<p> +Sometimes Stoom would go down into the bowels of the earth and turn on a +stream of water so as to meet the deep fires which are ever burning far +down below us. Then there would come an awful earthquake, because Stoom +wanted to get out, and the earth crust would not let him, but tried to +hold him down. Sometimes Stoom slipped down into a volcano's mouth. Then +the mountain, in order to save itself from being choked, had to spit +Stoom out, and this always made a terrible mess on the ground, and men +called it lava. Or, Stoom might stay down in the crater as a guest, and +quietly come out, occasionally, in jets and puffs. +</p> + +<p> +Even when Jack Frost was around and froze the pipes in the house, or +turned the water of the pots, pans, kettles and bottles into solid ice, +Stoom behaved very badly. If the frozen kettles, or any other closed +vessel were put over the stove, or near the fire, and the ice melted at +the bottom too fast, Stoom would blow the whole thing up. In this way, +he often put men's lives in danger and made them lose their property. +</p> + +<p> +No one seemed to know how to handle this mischievous fairy. Not one man +on earth could do anything with him. So they let him have his own way. +Yet all the time, though he was enjoying his own tricks and lively fun, +he was, with his own voice, calling on human beings to use him properly, +and harness him to wheels; for he was willing to be useful to them, and +was all ready to pull or drive, lift or lower, grind or pump, as the +need might be. +</p> + +<p> +As long as men did not treat him properly and give him the right to get +out into the air, after he had done his work, Stoom would explode, blow +up and destroy everything. He could be made to sing, hiss, squeal, +whistle, and make all kinds of sounds, but, unless the bands that held +him in were strong enough, or if Vuur got too hot, or his mother would +not give him drink enough, when the iron pipes were red with heat, he +would lose his temper and explode. He had no respect for bad or +neglected boilers, or for lazy or careless firemen and engineers. +</p> + +<p> +Yet properly harnessed and treated well, and fed with the food such as +his mother can give, and roused by his father's persuasion, Stoom is +greater than any giant or fairy that ever was. He can drive a ship, a +locomotive, a submarine, or an aeroplane, as fast as Fro's boar, horse +or ship. Everybody to-day is glad that Stoom is such a good servant and +friend all over the world. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="viii">THE ELVES AND THEIR ANTICS</a></h2> + +<p> +The elves are the little white creatures that live between heaven and +earth. They are not in the clouds, nor down in the caves and mines, like +the kabouters. They are bright and fair, dwelling in the air, and in the +world of light. The direct heat of the sun is usually too much for them, +so they are not often seen during the day, except towards sunset. They +love the silvery moonlight. There used to be many folks, who thought +they had seen the beautiful creatures, full of fun and joy, dancing hand +in hand, in a circle. +</p> + +<p> +In these old days, long since gone by, there were more people than there +are now, who were sure they had many times enjoyed the sight of the +elves. Some places in Holland show, by their names, where this kind of +fairies used to live. These little creatures, that looked as thin as +gauze, were very lively and mischievous, though they often helped honest +and hard working people in their tasks, as we shall see. But first and +most of all, they were fond of fun. They loved to vex cross people and +to please those who were bonnie and blithe. They hated misers, but they +loved the kind and generous. These little folks usually took their +pleasure in the grassy meadows, among the flowers and butterflies. On +bright nights they played among the moonbeams. +</p> + +<p> +There were certain times when the elves were busy, in such a way as to +make men and girls think about them. Then their tricks were generally in +the stable, or in the field among the cows. Sometimes, in the kitchen or +dairy, among the dishes or milk-pans, they made an awful mess for the +maids to clean up. They tumbled over the churns, upset the milk jugs, +and played hoops with the round cheeses. In a bedroom they made things +look as if the pigs had run over them. +</p> + +<p> +When a farmer found his horse's mane twisted into knots, or two cows +with their tails tied together, he said at once, "That's the work of +elves." If the mares did not feel well, or looked untidy, their owners +were sure the elves had taken the animals out and had been riding them +all night. If a cow was sick, or fell down on the grass, it was believed +that the elves had shot an arrow into its body. The inquest, held on +many a dead calf or its mother, was, that it died from an "elf-shot." +They were so sure of this, that even when a stone arrow head--such as +our far-off ancestors used in hunting, when they were cave men--was +picked up off the ground, it was called an "elf bolt," or "elf-arrow." +</p> + +<p> +Near a certain village named Elf-berg or Elf Hill, because there were so +many of the little people in that neighborhood, there was one very old +elf, named Styf, which means Stiff, because though so old he stood up +straight as a lance. Even more than the young elves, he was famous for +his pranks. Sometimes he was nicknamed Haan-e'-kam or Cock's Comb. He +got this name, because he loved to mock the roosters, when they crowed, +early in the morning. With his red cap on, he did look like a rooster. +Sometimes he fooled the hens, that heard him crowing. Old Styf loved +nothing better than to go to a house where was a party indoors. All the +wooden shoes of the twenty or thirty people within, men and women, girls +and boys, would be left outside the door. All good Dutch folks step out +of their heavy timber shoes, or klomps, before they enter a house. It is +always a curious sight, at a country church, or gathering of people at a +party, to see the klomps, big and little, belonging to baby boys and +girls, and to the big men, who wear a number thirteen shoe of wood. One +wonders how each one of the owners knows his own, but he does. Each pair +is put in its own place, but Old Styf would come and mix them all up +together, and then leave them in a pile. So when the people came out to +go home, they had a terrible time in finding and sorting out their +shoes. Often they scolded each other; or, some innocent boy was blamed +for the mischief. Some did not find out, till the next day, that they +had on one foot their own, and on another foot, their neighbor's shoe. +It usually took a week to get the klomps sorted out, exchanged, and the +proper feet into the right shoes. In this way, which was a special trick +with him, this naughty elf, Styf, spoiled the temper of many people. +</p> + +<p> +Beside the meadow elves, there were other kinds in Elfin Land; some +living in the woods, some in the sand-dunes, but those called +Staalkaars, or elves of the stall, were Old Styf's particular friends. +These lived in stables and among the cows. The Moss Maidens, that could +do anything with leaves, even turning them into money, helped Styf, for +they too liked mischief. They teased men-folks, and enjoyed nothing +better than misleading the stupid fellows that fuddled their brains with +too much liquor. +</p> + +<p> +Styf's especially famous trick was played on misers. It was this. When +he heard of any old fellow, who wanted to save the cost of candles, he +would get a kabouter to lead him off in the swamps, where the sooty +elves come out, on dark nights, to dance. Hoping to catch these lights +and use them for candles, the mean fellow would find himself in a swamp, +full of water and chilled to the marrow. Then the kabouters would laugh +loudly. +</p> + +<p> +Old Styf had the most fun with another stingy fellow, who always scolded +children when he found them spending a penny. If he saw a girl buying +flowers, or a boy giving a copper coin for a waffle, he talked roughly +to them for wasting money. Meeting this miser one day, as he was walking +along the brick road, leading from the village, Styf offered to pay the +old man a thousand guilders, in exchange for four striped tulips, that +grew in his garden. The miser, thinking it real silver, eagerly took the +money and put it away in his iron strong box. The next night, when he +went, as he did three times a week, to count, and feel, and rub, and +gloat, over his cash, there was nothing but leaves in a round form. +These, at his touch, crumbled to pieces. The Moss Maidens laughed +uproariously, when the mean old fellow was mad about it. +</p> + +<p> +But let no one suppose that the elves, because they were smarter than +stupid human beings, were always in mischief. No, no! They did, indeed, +have far more intelligence than dull grown folks, lazy boys, or careless +girls; but many good things they did. They sewed shoes for poor +cobblers, when they were sick, and made clothes for children, when the +mother was tired. When they were around, the butter came quick in the +churn. +</p> + +<p> +When the blue flower of the flax bloomed in Holland, the earth, in +spring time, seemed like the sky. Old Styf then saw his opportunity to +do a good thing. Men thought it a great affair to have even coarse linen +tow for clothes. No longer need they hunt the wolf and deer in the +forest, for their garments. By degrees, they learned to make finer +stuff, both linen for clothes and sails for ships, and this fabric they +spread out on the grass until the cloth was well bleached. When taken +up, it was white as the summer clouds that sailed in the blue sky. All +the world admired the product, and soon the word "Holland" was less the +name of a country, than of a dainty fabric, so snow white, that it was +fit to robe a queen. The world wanted more and more of it, and the Dutch +linen weaver grew rich. Yet still there was more to come. +</p> + +<p> +Now, on one moonlight night in summer, the lady elves, beautiful +creatures, dressed in gauze and film, with wings to fly and with feet +that made no sound, came down into the meadows for their fairy dances. +But when, instead of green grass, they saw a white landscape, they +wondered, Was it winter? +</p> + +<p> +Surely not, for the air was warm. No one shivered, or was cold. Yet +there were whole acres as white as snow, while all the old fairy rings, +grass and flowers were hidden. +</p> + +<p> +They found that the meadows had become bleaching grounds, so that the +cows had to go elsewhere to get their dinner, and that this white area +was all linen. However, they quickly got over their surprise, for elves +are very quick to notice things. But now that men had stolen a march on +them, they asked whether, after all, these human beings had more +intelligence than elves. Not one of these fairies but believed that men +and women were the inferiors of elves. +</p> + +<p> +So, then and there, began a battle of wits. +</p> + +<p> +"They have spoiled our dancing floor with their new invention; so we +shall have to find another," said the elfin queen, who led the party. +</p> + +<p> +"They are very proud of their linen, these men are; but, without the +spider to teach them, what could they have done? Even a wild boar can +instruct these human beings. Let us show them, that we, also, can do +even more. I'll get Old Styf to put on his thinking cap. He'll add +something new that will make them prouder yet." +</p> + +<p> +"But we shall get the glory of it," the elves shouted in chorus. Then +they left off talking and began their dances, floating in the air, until +they looked, from a distance, like a wreath of stars. +</p> + +<p> +The next day, a procession of lovely elf maidens and mothers waited on +Styf and asked him to devise something that would excel the invention of +linen; which, after all, men had learned from the spider. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, and they would not have any grain fields, if they had not learned +from the wild boar," added the elf queen. +</p> + +<p> +Old Styf answered "yes" at once to their request, and put on his red +thinking cap. Then some of the girl elves giggled, for they saw that he +did, really, look like a cock's comb. "No wonder they called him +Haan-e'-kam," said one elf girl to the other. +</p> + +<p> +Now Old Styf enjoyed fooling, just for the fun of it, and he taught all +the younger elves that those who did the most work with their hands and +head, would have the most fun when they were old. +</p> + +<p> +First of all, he went at once to see Fro, the spirit of the golden +sunshine and the warm summer showers, who owned two of the most +wonderful things in the world. One was his sword, which, as soon as it +was drawn out of its sheath, against wicked enemies, fought of its own +accord and won every battle. Fro's chief enemies were the frost giants, +who wilted the flowers and blasted the plants useful to man. Fro was +absent, when Styf came, but his wife promised he would come next day, +which he did. He was happy to meet all the elves and fairies, and they, +in turn, joyfully did whatever he told them. Fro knew all the secrets of +the grain fields, for he could see what was in every kernel of both the +stalks and the ripe ears. He arrived, in a golden chariot, drawn by his +wild boar which served him instead of a horse. Both chariot and boar +drove over the tops of the ears of wheat, and faster than the wind. +</p> + +<p> +The Boar was named Gullin, or Golden Bristles because of its sunshiny +color and splendor. In this chariot, Fro had specimens of all the +grains, fruits, and vegetables known to man, from which Styf could +choose, for these he was accustomed to scatter over the earth. +</p> + +<p> +When Styf told him just what he wanted to do, Fro picked out a sheaf of +wheat and whispered a secret in his ear. Then he drove away, in a burst +of golden glory, which dazzled even the elves, that loved the bright +sunshine. These elves were always glad to see the golden chariot coming +or passing by. +</p> + +<p> +Styf also summoned to his aid the kabouters, and, from these ugly little +fellows, got some useful hints; for they, dwelling in the dark caverns, +know many secrets which men used to name alchemy, and which they now +call chemistry. +</p> + +<p> +Then Styf fenced himself off from all intruders, on the top of a bright, +sunny hilltop, with his thinking cap on and made experiments for seven +days. No elves, except his servants, were allowed to see him. At the end +of a week, still keeping his secret and having instructed a dozen or so +of the elf girls in his new art, he invited all the elves in the Low +Countries to come to a great exhibition, which he intended to give. +</p> + +<p> +What a funny show it was! On one long bench, were half a dozen washtubs; +and on a table, near by, were a dozen more washtubs; and on a longer +table not far away were six ironing boards, with smoothing irons. A +stove, made hot with a peat fire, was to heat the irons. Behind the tubs +and tables, stood the twelve elf maidens, all arrayed in shining white +garments and caps, as spotless as snow. One might almost think they were +white elves of the meadow and not kabouters of the mines. The wonder was +that their linen clothes were not only as dainty as stars, but that they +glistened, as if they had laid on the ground during a hoar frost. +</p> + +<p> +Yet it was still warm summer. Nothing had frozen, or melted, and the +rosy-faced elf-maidens were as dry as an ivory fan. Yet they resembled +the lilies of the garden when pearly with dew-drops. +</p> + +<p> +When all were gathered together, Old Styf called for some of the +company, who had come from afar, to take off their dusty and +travel-stained linen garments and give them to him. These were passed +over to the trained girls waiting to receive them. In a jiffy, they were +washed, wrung out, rinsed and dried. It was noticed that those +elf-maidens, who were standing at the last tub, were intently expecting +to do something great, while those five elf maids at the table took off +the hot irons from the stove. They touched the bottom of the flat-irons +with a drop of water to see if it rolled off hissing. They kept their +eyes fixed on Styf, who now came forward before all and said, in a loud +voice: +</p> + +<p> +"Elves and fairies, moss maidens and stall sprites, one and all, behold +our invention, which our great friend Fro and our no less helpful +friends, the kabouters, have helped me to produce. Now watch me prove +its virtues." +</p> + +<p> +Forthwith he produced before all a glistening substance, partly in +powder, and partly in square lumps, as white as chalk. He easily broke +up a handful under his fingers, and flung it into the fifth tub, which +had hot water in it. After dipping the washed garments in the white +gummy mass, he took them up, wrung them out, dried them with his breath, +and then handed them to the elf ironers. In a few moments, these held +up, before the company, what a few minutes before had been only dusty +and stained clothes. Now, they were white and resplendent. No fuller's +earth could have bleached them thus, nor added so glistening a surface. +</p> + +<p> +It was starch, a new thing for clothes. The fairies, one and all, +clapped their hands in delight. +</p> + +<p> +"What shall we name it?" modestly asked Styf of the oldest gnome +present. +</p> + +<p> +"Hereafter, we shall call you Styf Sterk, Stiff Starch." They all +laughed. +</p> + +<p> +Very quickly did the Dutch folks, men and women, hear and make use of +the elves' invention. Their linen closets now looked like piles of snow. +All over the Low Countries, women made caps, in new fashions, of lace or +plain linen, with horns and wings, flaps and crimps, with quilling and +with whirligigs. Soon, in every town, one could read the sign "Hier +mangled men" (Here we do ironing). +</p> + +<p> +In time, kings, queens and nobles made huge ruffs, often so big that +their necks were invisible, and their heads nearly lost from sight, in +rings of quilled linen, or of lace, that stuck out a foot or so. Worldly +people dyed their starch yellow; zealous folk made it blue; but moderate +people kept it snowy white. +</p> + +<p> +Starch added money and riches to the nation. Kings' treasuries became +fat with money gained by taxes laid on ruffs, and on the cargoes of +starch, which was now imported by the shipload, or made on the spot, in +many countries. So, out of the ancient grain came a new spirit that +worked for sweetness and beauty, cleanliness, and health. From a useful +substance, as old as Egypt, was born a fine art, that added to the sum +of the world's wealth and pleasure. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="ix">THE KABOUTERS AND THE BELLS</a></h2> + +<p> +When the young queen Wilhelmina visited Brabant and Limburg, they amused +her with pageants and plays, in which the little fellows called +kabouters, in Dutch, and kobolds in German, played and showed off their +tricks. Other small folk, named gnomes, took part in the tableaux. The +kabouters are the dark elves, who live in forests and mines. The white +elves live in the open fields and the sunshine. +</p> + +<p> +The gnomes do the thinking, but the kabouters carry out the work of +mining and gathering the precious stones and minerals. They are short, +thick fellows, very strong and are strenuous in digging out coal and +iron, copper and gold. When they were first made, they were so ugly, +that they had to live where they could not be seen, that is, in the dark +places. The grown imps look like old men with beards, but no one ever +heard of a kabouter that was taller than a yardstick. As for the babies, +they are hardly bigger than a man's thumb. The big boys and girls, in +the kabouter kingdom, are not much over a foot high. +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/0093.png"><img src="images/0093th.png" alt="THE MASTER OF THE CHOIR TRIED AGAIN AND AGAIN"></a> +</p> + +<p> +What is peculiar about them all is, that they help the good and wise +people to do things better; but they love to plague and punish the dull +folks, that are stupid, or foolish or naughty. In impish glee, they lure +the blockheads, or in Dutch, the "cheese-heads," to do worse. +</p> + +<p> +A long time ago, there were no church spires or bells in the land of the +Dutch folks, as there are now by the thousands. The good teachers from +the South came into the country and taught the people to have better +manners, finer clothes and more wholesome food. They also persuaded them +to forget their cruel gods and habits of revenge. They told of the +Father in Heaven, who loves us all, as his children, and forgives us +when we repent of our evil doings. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the chief gnomes and kabouters heard of the newcomers in the +land, they held a meeting and said one to the other: +</p> + +<p> +"We shall help all the teachers that are good and kind, but we shall +plague and punish the rough fellows among them." +</p> + +<p> +So word was sent to all little people in the mines and hills, +instructing them how they were to act and what they were to do. +</p> + +<p> +Some of the new teachers, who were foreigners, and did not know the +customs of the country, were very rude and rough. Every day they hurt +the feelings of the people. With their axes they cut down the sacred +trees. They laughed scornfully at the holy wells and springs of water. +They reviled the people, when they prayed to great Woden, with his black +ravens that told him everything, or to the gentle Freya, with her white +doves, who helped good girls to get kind husbands. They scolded the +children at play, and this made their fathers and mothers feel +miserable. This is the reason why so many people were angry and sullen, +and would not listen to the foreign teachers. +</p> + +<p> +Worse than this, many troubles came to these outsiders. Their bread was +sour, when they took it out of the oven. So was the milk, in their pans. +Sometimes they found their beds turned upside down. Gravel stones +rattled down into their fireplaces. Their hats and shoes were missing. +In fact, they had a terrible time generally and wanted to go back home. +When the kabouter has a grudge against any one, he knows how to plague +him. +</p> + +<p> +But the teachers that were wise and gentle had no trouble. They +persuaded the people with kind words, and, just as a baby learns to eat +other food at the table, so the people were weaned away from cruel +customs and foolish beliefs. Many of the land's folk came to listen to +the teachers and helped them gladly to build churches. +</p> + +<p> +More wonderful than this, were the good things that came to these kind +teachers, they knew not how. Their bread and milk were always sweet and +in plenty. They found their beds made up and their clothes kept clean, +gardens planted with blooming flowers, and much hard work done for them. +When they would build a church in a village, they wondered how it was +that the wood and the nails, the iron necessary to brace the beams, and +the copper and brass for the sacred vessels, came so easily and in +plenty. When, on some nights, they wondered where they would get food to +eat, they found, on waking up in the morning, that there was always +something good ready for them. Thus many houses of worship were built, +and the more numerous were the churches, the more did farms, cows, grain +fields, and happy people multiply. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the gnomes and kabouters, who like to do work for pleasant +people, heard that the good teachers wanted church bells, to call the +people to worship, they resolved to help the strangers. They would make +not only a bell, or a chime, but, actually a carillon, or concert of +bells to hang up in the air. +</p> + +<p> +The dark dwarfs did not like to dig metal for swords or spears, or what +would hurt people; but the church bells would guide travellers in the +forest, and quiet the storms, that destroyed houses and upset boats and +killed or drowned people, besides inviting the people to come and pray +and sing. They knew that the good teachers were poor and could not buy +bells in France or Italy. Even if they had money, they could not get +them through the thick forests, or over the stormy seas, for they were +too heavy. +</p> + +<p> +When all the kabouters were told of this, they came together to work, +night and day, in the mines. With pick and shovel, crowbar and chisel, +and hammer and mallet, they broke up the rocks containing copper and +tin. Then they built great roaring fires, to smelt the ore into ingots. +They would show the teachers that the Dutch kabouters could make bells, +as well as the men in the lands of the South. These dwarfish people are +jealous of men and very proud of what they can do. +</p> + +<p> +It was the funniest sight to see these short legged fellows, with tiny +coats coming just below their thighs, and little red caps, looking like +a stocking and ending in a tassel, on their heads, and in shoes that had +no laces, but very long points. They flew around as lively as monkeys, +and when the fire was hot they threw off everything and worked much +harder and longer than men do. +</p> + +<p> +Were they like other fairies? Well, hardly. One must put away all his +usual thoughts, when he thinks of kabouters. No filmy wings on their +backs! No pretty clothes or gauzy garments, or stars, or crowns, or +wands! Instead of these were hammers, pickaxes, and chisels. But how +diligent, useful and lively these little folks, in plain, coarse coats +and with bare legs, were! In place of things light, clean and easy, the +kabouters had furnaces, crucibles and fires of coal and wood. +</p> + +<p> +Sometimes they were grimy, with smoke and coal dust, and the sweat ran +down their faces and bodies. Yet there was always plenty of water in the +mines, and when hard work was over they washed and looked plain but +tidy. Besides their stores of gold, and silver, and precious stones, +which they kept ready, to give to good people, they had tools with which +to tease or tantalize cruel, mean or lazy folks. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the kabouter daddies began the roaring fires for the making of +the bells, the little mothers and the small fry in the kabouter world +could not afford to be idle. One and all, they came down from off the +earth, and into the mines they went in a crowd. They left off teasing +milkmaids, tangling skeins of flax, tearing fishermen's nets, tying +knots in cows' tails, tumbling pots, pans and dishes, in the kitchen, or +hiding hats, and throwing stones down the chimneys onto the fireplaces. +They even ceased their fun of mocking children, who were calling the +cows home, by hiding behind the rocks and shouting to them. Instead of +these tricks, they saved their breath to blow the fires into a blast. +Everybody wondered where the "kabs" were, for on the farms and in town +nothing happened and all was as quiet as when a baby is asleep. +</p> + +<p> +For days and weeks underground, the dwarfs toiled, until their skins, +already dark, became as sooty as the rafters in the houses of our +ancestors. Finally, when all the labor was over, the chief gnomes were +invited down into the mines to inspect the work. +</p> + +<p> +What a sight! There were at least a hundred bells, of all sizes, like as +in a family; where there are daddy, mother, grown ups, young sons and +daughters, little folk and babies, whether single, twins or triplets. +Big bells, that could scarcely be put inside a hogshead, bells that +would go into a barrel, bells that filled a bushel, and others a peck, +stood in rows. From the middle, and tapering down the row, were scores +more, some of them no larger than cow-bells. Others, at the end, were so +small, that one had to think of pint and gill measures. +</p> + +<p> +Besides all these, there were stacks of iron rods and bars, bolts, nuts, +screws, and wires and yokes on which to hang the bells. +</p> + +<p> +One party of the strongest of the kabouters had been busy in the forest, +close to a village, where some men, ordered to do so by a foreign +teacher, had begun to cut down some of the finest and most sacred of the +grand old trees. They had left their tools in the woods; but the "kabs," +at night, seized their axes and before morning, without making any +noise, they had levelled all but the holy trees. Those they spared. +Then, the timber, all cut and squared, ready to hold the bells, was +brought to the mouth of the mine. +</p> + +<p> +Now in Dutch, the name for bell is "klok." So a wise and gray-bearded +gnome was chosen by the high sounding title of klokken-spieler, or bell +player, to test the bells for a carillon. They were all hung, for +practice, on the big trestles, in a long row. Each one of these frames +was called a "hang," for they were just like those on which fishermen's +nets were laid to dry and be mended. +</p> + +<p> +So when all were ready, washed, and in their clean clothes, every one of +the kabouter families, daddies, mothers, and young ones, were ranged in +lines and made to sing. The heavy male tenors and baritones, the female +sopranos and contraltos, the trebles of the little folks, and the +squeaks of the very small children, down to the babies' cooing, were all +heard by the gnomes, who were judges. The high and mighty +klokken-spieler, or master of the carillon, chose those voices with best +tone and quality, from which to set in order and regulate the bells. +</p> + +<p> +It was pitiful to see how mad and jealous some of the kabouters, both +male and female, were, when they were not appointed to the first row, in +which were some of the biggest of the males, and some of the fattest of +the females. Then the line tapered off, to forty or fifty young folks, +including urchins of either sex, down to mere babies, that could hardly +stand. These had bibs on and had to be held up by their fond mothers. +Each one by itself could squeal and squall, coo and crow lustily; but, +at a distance, their voices blended and the noise they made sounded like +a tinkle. +</p> + +<p> +All being ready, the old gnome bit his tuning fork, hummed a moment, and +then started a tune. Along the line, at a signal from the chief gnome, +they started a tune. +</p> + +<p> +In the long line, there were, at first, booms and peals, twanging and +clanging, jangling and wrangling, making such a clangor that it sounded +more like an uproar than an opera. The chief gnome was almost +discouraged. +</p> + +<p> +But neither a gnome nor a kabouter ever gives up. The master of the +choir tried again and again. He scolded one old daddy, for singing too +low. He frowned at a stalwart young fellow, who tried to drown out all +the rest with his bull-like bellow. He shook his finger at a kabouter +girl, that was flirting with a handsome lad near her. He cheered up the +little folks, encouraging them to hold up their voices, until finally he +had all in order. Then they practiced, until the master gnome thought he +had his scale of notation perfect and gave orders to attune the bells. +To the delight of all the gnomes, kabouters and elves, that had been +invited to the concert, the rows of bells, a hundred or more, from +boomers to tinklers, made harmony. Strung one above the other, they +could render merriment, or sadness, in solos, peals, chimes, cascades +and carillons, with sweetness and effect. At the low notes the babies +called out "cow, cow;" but at the high notes, "bird, bird." +</p> + +<p> +So it happened that, on the very day that the bishop had his great +church built, with a splendid bulb spire on the top, and all nicely +furnished within, but without one bell to ring in it, that the kabouters +planned a great surprise. +</p> + +<p> +It was night. The bishop was packing his saddle bags, ready to take a +journey, on horseback, to Rheims. At this city, the great caravans from +India and China ended, bringing to the annual fair, rugs, spices, gems, +and things Oriental, and the merchants of Rheims rolled in gold. Here +the bishop would beg the money, or ask for a bell, or chimes. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly, in the night, while in his own house, there rang out music in +the air, such as the bishop had never heard in Holland, or in any of the +seventeen provinces of the Netherlands. Not even in the old lands, +France, or Spain, or Italy, where the Christian teachers, builders and +singers, and the music of the bells had long been heard, had such a +flood of sweet sounds ever fallen on human ears. Here, in these northern +regions, rang out, not a solo, nor a peal, nor a chime, nor even a +cascade, from one bell, or from many bells; but, a long programme of +richest music in the air--something which no other country, however rich +or old, possessed. It was a carillon, that is, a continued mass of real +music, in which whole tunes, songs, and elaborate pieces of such length, +mass and harmony, as only a choir of many voices, a band of music, or an +orchestra of many performers could produce. +</p> + +<p> +To get this grand work of hanging in the spire done in one night, and +before daylight, also, required a whole regiment of fairy toilers, who +must work like bees. For if one ray of sunshine struck any one of the +kabouters, he was at once petrified. The light elves lived in the +sunshine and thrived on it; but for dark elves, like the kabouters, +whose home was underground, sunbeams were as poisoned arrows bringing +sure death; for by these they were turned into stone. Happily the task +was finished before the eastern sky grew gray, or the cocks crowed. +While it was yet dark, the music in the air flooded the earth. The +people in their beds listened with rapture. +</p> + +<p> +"Laus Deo" (Praise God), devoutly cried the surprised bishop. "It sounds +like a choir of angels. Surely the cherubim and seraphim are here. Now +is fulfilled the promise of the Psalmist: 'The players on instruments +shall be there.'" +</p> + +<p> +So, from this beginning, so mysterious to the rough, unwise and stupid +teachers, but, by degrees, clearer to the tactful ones, who were kind +and patient, the carillons spread over all the region between the +forests of Ardennes and the island in the North Sea. The Netherlands +became the land of melodious symphonies and of tinkling bells. No town, +however poor, but in time had its carillon. Every quarter of an hour, +the sweet music of hymn or song, made the air vocal, while at the +striking of the hours, the pious bowed their heads and the workmen heard +the call for rest, or they took cheer, because their day's toil was +over. At sunrise, noon, or sunset, the Angelus, and at night the curfew +sounded their calls. +</p> + +<p> +It grew into a fashion, that, on stated days, great concerts were given, +lasting over an hour, when the grand works of the masters of music were +rendered and famous carillon players came from all over the Netherlands, +to compete for prizes. The Low Countries became a famous school, in +which klokken-spielers (bell players) by scores were trained. Thus no +kingdom, however rich or great, ever equalled the Land of the Carillon, +in making the air sweet with both melody and harmony. +</p> + +<p> +Nobody ever sees a kabouter nowadays, for in the new world, when the +woods are nearly all cut down, the world made by the steam engine, and +telegraph, and wireless message, the automobile, aeroplane and +submarine, cycle and under-sea boat, the little folks in the mines and +forests are forgotten. The chemists, miners, engineers and learned men +possess the secrets which were once those of the fairies only. Yet the +artists and architects, the clockmakers and bellfounders, who love +beauty, remember what their fathers once thought and believed. That is +the reason why, on many a famous clock, either in front of the dial or +near the pendulum, are figures of the gnomes, who thought, and the +kabouters who wrought, to make the carillons. In Teuton lands, where +their cousins are named kobolds, and in France where they are called +fée, and in England brownies, they have tolling and ringing of bells, +with peals, chimes and cascades of sweet sound; but the Netherlands, +still, above all others on earth, is the home of the carillon. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="x">THE WOMAN WITH THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SIX CHILDREN</a></h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago, before the oldest stork was young and big deer and +little fawns were very many in the Dutch forests, there was a pond, +famous for its fish, which lay in the very heart of Holland, with woods +near by. Hunters came with their bows and arrows to hunt the stags. Or, +out of the bright waters, boys and men in the sunshine drew out the fish +with shining scales, or lured the trout, with fly-bait, from their +hiding places. In those days the fish-pond was called the Vijver, and +the woods where the deer ran, Rensselaer, or the Deer's Lair. +</p> + +<p> +So, because the forests of oak, and beech, and alder trees were so fine, +and game on land and in water so plentiful, the lord of the country came +here and built his castle. He made a hedge around his estate, so that +the people called the place the Count's Hedge; or, as we say, The Hague. + +Even to-day, within the beautiful city, the forests, with their grand +old trees, still remain, and the fish-pond, called the Vijver, is there +yet, with its swans. On the little island, the fluffy, downy cygnets are +born and grow to be big birds, with long necks, bent like an arch. In +another part of the town, also, with their trees for nesting, and their +pond for wading, are children of the same storks, whose fathers and +mothers lived there before America was discovered. +</p> + +<p> +By and by, many people of rank and fortune came to The Hague, for its +society. They built their grand houses at the slope of the hill, not far +away from the Vijver, and in time a city grew up. +</p> + +<p> +It was a fine sight to see the lords and ladies riding out from the +castle into the country. The cavalcade was very splendid, when they went +hawking. There were pretty women on horseback, and gentlemen in velvet +clothes, with feathers in their hats, and the horses seemed proud to +bear them. The falconers followed on foot, with the hunting birds +perched on a hoop, which the man inside the circle carried round him. +Each falcon had on a little cap or hood, which was fastened over its +head. When this was taken off, it flew high up into the air, on its hunt +for the big and little birds, which it brought down for its masters. +There were also men with dogs, to beat the reeds and bushes, and drive +the smaller birds from shelter. The huntsmen were armed with spears, +lest a wild boar, or bear, should rush out and attack them. It was +always a merry day, when a hawking party, in their fine clothes and gay +trappings, started out. +</p> + +<p> +There were huts, as well as palaces, and poor people, also, at The +Hague. Among these, was a widow, whose twin babies were left without +anything to eat--for her husband and their father had been killed in the +war. Having no money to buy a cradle, and her babies being too young to +be left alone, she put the pair of little folks on her back and went out +to beg. +</p> + +<p> +Now there was a fine lady, a Countess, who lived with her husband, the +Count, near the Vijver. She was childless and very jealous of other +women who were mothers and had children playing around them. On this +day, when the beggar woman, with her two babies on her back, came along, +the grand lady was in an unusually bad temper. For all her pretty +clothes, she was not a person of fine manners. Indeed, she often acted +more like a snarling dog, ready to snap at any one who should speak to +her. Although she had cradles and nurses and lovely baby clothes all +ready, there was no baby. This spoiled her disposition, so that her +husband and the servants could hardly live with her. +</p> + +<p> +One day, after dinner, when there had been everything good to eat and +drink on her table, and plenty of it, the Countess went out to walk in +front of her house. It was the third day of January, but the weather was +mild. The beggar woman, with her two babies on her back and their arms +round her neck, crying with hunger, came trudging along. She went into +the garden and asked the Countess for food or an alms. She expected +surely, at least a slice of bread, a cup of milk, or a small coin. +</p> + +<p> +But the Countess was rude to her and denied her both food and money. She +even burst into a bad temper, and reviled the woman for having two +children, instead of one. +</p> + +<p> +"Where did you get those brats? They are not yours. You just brought +them here to play on my feelings and excite my jealousy. Begone!" +</p> + +<p> +But the poor woman kept her temper. She begged piteously and said: "For +the love of Heaven, feed my babies, even if you will not feed me." +</p> + +<p> +"No! they are not yours. You're a cheat," said the fine lady, nursing +her rage. +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed, Madame, they are both my children and born on one day. They +have one father, but he is dead. He was killed in the war, while serving +his grace, your husband." +</p> + +<p> +"Don't tell me such a story," snapped back the Countess, now in a fury. +"I don't believe that any one, man or woman, could have two children at +once. Away with you," and she seized a stick to drive off the poor +woman. +</p> + +<p> +Now, it was the turn of the beggar to answer back. Both had lost their +temper, and the two angry women seemed more like she-bears robbed of +their whelps. +</p> + +<p> +"Heaven punish you, you wicked, cruel, cold-hearted woman," cried the +mother. Her two babies were almost choking her in their eagerness for +food. Yet their cries never moved the rich lady, who had bread and good +things to spare, while their poor parent had not a drop of milk to give +them. The Countess now called her men-servants to drive the beggar away. +This they did, most brutally. They pushed the poor woman outside the +garden gate and closed it behind her. As she turned away, the poor +mother, taking each of her children by its back, one in each hand, held +them up before the grand lady and cried out loudly, so that all heard +her: +</p> + +<p> +"May you have as many children as there are days in the year." +</p> + +<p> +Now with all her wrath burning in her breast, what the beggar woman +really meant was this: It was the third of January, and so there were +but three days in the year, so far. She intended to say that, instead of +having to care for two children, the Countess might have the trouble of +rearing three, and all born on the same day. +</p> + +<p> +But the fine lady, in her mansion, cared nothing for the beggar woman's +words. Why should she? She had her lordly husband, who was a count, and +he owned thousands of acres. Besides, she possessed vast riches. In her +great house, were ten men-servants and thirty-one maid-servants, +together with her rich furniture, and fine clothes and jewels. The lofty +brick church, to which she went on Sundays, was hung with the coats of +arms of her famous ancestors. The stone floor, with its great slabs, was +so grandly carved with the crests and heraldry of her family, that to +walk over these was like climbing a mountain, or tramping across a +ploughed field. Common folks had to be careful, lest they should stumble +over the bosses and knobs of the carved tombs. A long train of her +servants, and tenants on the farms followed her, when she went to +worship. Inside the church, the lord and lady sat, in high seats, on +velvet cushions and under a canopy. +</p> + +<p> +By the time summer had come, according to the fashion in all good Dutch +families, all sorts of pretty baby clothes were made ready. There were +soft, warm, swaddling bands, tiny socks, and long white linen dresses. A +baptismal blanket, covered with silk, was made for the christening, and +daintily embroidered. Plenty of lace, and pink and blue ribbons--pink +for a girl and blue for a boy--were kept at hand. And, because there +might be twins, a double set of garments was provided, besides baby +bathtubs and all sorts of nice things for the little stranger or +strangers--whether one or two--to come. Even the names were chosen--one +for a boy and the other for a girl. Would it be Wilhelm or Wilhelmina? +</p> + +<p> +It was real fun to think over the names, but it was hard to choose out +of so many. At last, the Countess crossed off all but forty-six; or the +following; nearly every girl's name ending in <i>je</i>, as in our +"Polly," "Sallie." +</p> + +<table summary="tales" width="90%" align="center"> +<tr><td width="50%" align="center"><i>Girls</i></td><td width="50%" align="center"><i>Boys</i></td></tr></table> + +<br> + +<table summary="tales2" width="90%" align="center"> +<tr><td width="25%">Magtel</td><td width="25%">Catharyna</td><td width="25%"> Gerrit</td><td width="25%">Gysbert</td></tr> + +<tr><td width="25%">Nelletje</td><td width="25%">Alida</td><td width="25%">Cornelis</td><td width="25%">Jausze</td></tr> + +<tr><td width="25%">Zelia</td><td width="25%">Annatje</td><td width="25%">Volkert</td><td width="25%">Myndert</td></tr> + +<tr><td width="25%">Jannetje</td><td width="25%">Christina</td><td width="25%">Kilian</td><td width="25%">Adrian</td></tr> + +<tr><td width="25%">Zara</td><td width="25%">Katrina</td><td width="25%">Johannes</td><td width="25%">Joachim</td></tr> + +<tr><td width="25%">Marytje</td><td width="25%">Bethje</td><td width="25%">Petrus</td><td width="25%">Arendt</td></tr> + +<tr><td width="25%">Willemtje</td><td width="25%">Eva</td><td width="25%">Barent</td><td width="25%">Dirck</td></tr> +<tr><td width="25%">Geertruy</td><td width="25%">Dirkje</td><td width="25%">Wessel</td><td width="25%">Nikolaas</td></tr> +<tr><td width="25%">Petronella</td><td width="25%">Mayken</td><td width="25%">Hendrik</td><td width="25%">Staats</td></tr> +<tr><td width="25%">Margrieta</td><td width="25%">Hilleke</td><td width="25%">Teunis</td><td width="25%">Gozen</td></tr> +<tr><td width="25%">Josina</td><td width="25%">Bethy</td><td width="25%">Wouter</td><td width="25%">Willemtje</td></tr> +<tr><td width="25%"> </td><td width="25%">Japik</td><td width="25%">Evert</td><td width="25%"> </td></tr> +</table> + +<p> +But before the sun set on the expected day, it was neither one boy nor +one girl, nor both; nor were all the forty-six names chosen sufficient; +for the beggar woman's wish had come true, in a way not expected. There +were as many as, and no fewer children than, there were days in the +year; and, since this was leap year, there were three hundred and +sixty-six little folks in the house; so that other names, besides the +forty-six, had to be used. +</p> + +<p> +Yet none of these wee creatures was bigger than a mouse. Beginning at +daylight, one after another appeared--first a girl and then a boy; so +that after the forty-eighth, the nurse was at her wit's end, to give +them names. It was not possible to keep the little babies apart. The +thirty-one servant maids of the mansion were all called in to help in +sorting out the girls from the boys; but soon it seemed hopeless to try +to pick out Peter from Henry, or Catalina from Annetje. After an hour or +two spent at the task, and others coming along, the women found that it +was useless to try any longer. It was found that little Piet, Jan and +Klaas, Hank, Douw and Japik, among the boys; and Molly, Mayka, Lena, +Elsje, Annatje and Marie were getting all mixed up. So they gave up the +attempt in despair. Besides, the supply of pink and blue ribbons had +given out long before, after the first dozen or so were born. As for +the baby clothes made ready, they were of no use, for all the garments +were too big. In one of the long dresses, tied up like a bag, one might +possibly, with stuffing, have put the whole family of three hundred and +sixty-six brothers and sisters. +</p> + +<p> +It was not likely such small fry of human beings could live long. So, +the good Bishop Guy, of Utrecht, when he heard that the beggar woman's +curse had come true, in so unexpected a manner, ordered that the babies +should be all baptized at once. The Count, who was strict in his ideas +of both custom and church law, insisted on it too. +</p> + +<p> +So nothing would do but to carry the tiny infants to church. How to get +them there, was a question. The whole house had been rummaged to provide +things to carry the little folks in: but the supply of trays, and mince +pie dishes, and crocks, was exhausted at the three hundred and sixtieth +baby. So there was left only a Turk's Head, or round glazed earthen +dish, fluted and curved, which looked like the turban of a Turk. Hence +its name. Into this, the last batch of babies, or extra six girls, were +stowed. Curiously enough, number 366 was an inch taller than the others. +To thirty house maids was given a tray, for each was to carry twelve +mannikins, and one the last six, in the Turk's Head. Instead of rich +silk blankets a wooden tray, and no clothes on, must suffice. +</p> + +<p> +In the Groote Kerk, or Great Church, the Bishop was waiting, with his +assistants, holding brass basins full of holy water, for the +christening. All the town, including the dogs, were out to see what was +going on. Many boys and girls climbed up on the roofs of the one-story +houses, or in the trees to get a better view of the curious +procession--the like of which had never been seen in The Hague before. +Neither has anything like it ever been seen since. +</p> + +<p> +So the parade began. First went the Count, with his captains and the +trumpeters, blowing their trumpets. These were followed by the +men-servants, all dressed in their best Sunday clothes, who had the +crest and arms of their master, the Count, on their backs and breasts. +Then came on the company of thirty-one maids, each one carrying a tray, +on which were twelve mannikins, or minikins. Twenty of these trays were +round and made of wood, lined with velvet, smooth and soft; but ten were +of earthenware, oblong in shape, like a manger. In these, every year, +were baked the Christmas pies. +</p> + +<p> +At first, all went on finely, for the outdoor air seemed to put the +babies asleep and there was no crying. But no sooner were they inside +the church, than about two hundred of the brats began wailing and +whimpering. Pretty soon, they set up such a squall that the Count felt +ashamed of his progeny and the Bishop looked very unhappy. +</p> + +<p> +To make matters worse, one of the maids, although warned of the danger, +stumbled over the helmet of an old crusader, carved in stone, that rose +some six inches or so above the floor. In a moment, she fell and lay +sprawling, spilling out at least a dozen babies. "Heilige Mayke" (Holy +Mary!), she cried, as she rolled over. "Have I killed them?" +</p> + +<p> +Happily the wee ones were thrown against the long-trained gown of an old +lady walking directly in front of her, so that they were unhurt. They +were easily picked up and laid on the tray again, and once more the line +started. +</p> + +<p> +Happily the Bishop had been notified that he would not have to call out +the names of all the infants, that is, three hundred and sixty-six; for +this would have kept him at the solemn business all day long. It had +been arranged that, instead of any on the list of the chosen forty-six, +to be so named, all the boys should be called John, and all the girls +Elizabeth; or, in Dutch, Jan and Lisbet, or Lizbethje. Yet even to say +"John" one hundred and eighty times, and "Lisbet" one hundred and +eighty-six times, nearly tired the old gentleman to death, for he was +fat and slow. +</p> + +<p> +So, after the first six trays full of wee folks had been sprinkled, one +at a time, the Bishop decided to "asperse" them, that is, shake, from a +mop or brush, the holy water, on a tray full of babies at one time. So +he called for the "aspersorium." Then, clipping this in the basin of +holy water, he scattered the drops over the wee folk, until all, even +the six extra girl babies in the Turk's Head, were sprinkled. Probably, +because the Bishop thought a Turk was next door to a heathen, he dropped +more water than usual on these last six, until the young ones squealed +lustily with the cold. It was noted, on the contrary, that the little +folks in the mince pie dishes were gently handled, as if the good man +had visions of Christmas coming and the good things on the table. +</p> + +<p> +Yet it was evident that such tiny people could not bear what healthy +babies of full size would think nothing of. Whether it was because of +the damp weather, or the cold air in the brick church, or too much +excitement, or because there were not three hundred and sixty-six +nurses, or milk bottles ready, it came to pass that every one of the wee +creatures died when the sun went down. +</p> + +<p> +Just where they were buried is not told, but, for hundreds of years, +there was, in one of The Hague churches, a monument in honor of these +little folks, who lived but a day. It was graven with portraits in stone +of the Count and Countess and told of their children, as many as the +days of the year. Near by, were hung up the two basins, in which the +holy water, used by the Bishop, in sprinkling the babies, was held. The +year, month and day of the wonderful event were also engraved. Many and +many people from various lands came to visit the tomb. The guide books +spoke of it, and tender women wept, as they thought how three hundred +and sixty-six little cradles, in the Count's castle, would have looked, +had each baby lived. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="xi">THE ONI ON HIS TRAVELS</a></h2> + +<p> +Across the ocean, in Japan, there once lived curious creatures called +Onis. Every Japanese boy and girl has heard of them, though one has not +often been caught. In one museum, visitors could see the hairy leg of a +specimen. Falling out of the air in a storm, the imp had lost his limb. +It had been torn off by being caught in the timber side of a well curb. +The story-teller was earnestly assured by one Japanese lad that his +grandfather had seen it tumble from the clouds. +</p> + +<p> +Many people are sure that the Onis live in the clouds and occasionally +fall off, during a peal of thunder. Then they escape and hide down in a +well. Or, they get loose in the kitchen, rattle the dishes around, and +make a great racket. They behave like cats, with a dog after them. They +do a great deal of mischief, but not much harm. There are even some old +folks who say that, after all, Onis are only unruly children, that +behave like angels in the morning and act like imps in the afternoon. So +we see that not much is known about the Onis. +</p> + +<p> +Many things that go wrong are blamed on the Onis. Foolish folks, such as +stupid maid-servants, and dull-witted fellows, that blunder a good deal, +declare that the Onis made them do it. Drunken men, especially, that +stumble into mud-holes at night, say the Onis pushed them in. Naughty +boys that steal cake, and girls that take sugar, often tell fibs to +their parents, charging it on the Onis. +</p> + +<p> +The Onis love to play jokes on people, but they are not dangerous. There +are plenty of pictures of them in Japan, though they never sat for their +portraits, but this is the way they looked. +</p> + +<p> +Some Onis have only one eye in their forehead, others two, and, once in +a while, a big fellow has three. There are little, short horns on their +heads, but these are no bigger than those on a baby deer and never grow +long. The hair on their heads gets all snarled up, just like a little +girl's that cries when her tangled tresses are combed out; for the Onis +make use of neither brushes nor looking glasses. As for their faces, +they never wash them, so they look sooty. Their skin is rough, like an +elephant's. On each of their feet are only three toes. Whether an Oni +has a nose, or a snout, is not agreed upon by the learned men who have +studied them. +</p> + +<p> +No one ever heard of an Oni being higher than a yardstick, but they are +so strong that one of them can easily lift two bushel bags of rice at +once. In Japan, they steal the food offered to the idols. They can live +without air. They like nothing better than to drink both the rice spirit +called saké, and the black liquid called soy, of which only a few drops, +as a sauce on fish, are enough for a man. Of this sauce, the Dutch, as +well as the Japanese, are very fond. +</p> + +<p> +Above all things else, the most fun for a young Oni is to get into a +crockery shop. Once there, he jumps round among the cups and dishes, +hides in the jars, straddles the shelves and turns somersaults over the +counter. In fact, the Oni is only a jolly little imp. The Japanese +girls, on New Year's eve, throw handfuls of dried beans in every room of +the house and cry, "In, with good luck; and out with you, Onis!" Yet +they laugh merrily all the time. The Onis cannot speak, but they can +chatter like monkeys. They often seem to be talking to each other in +gibberish. +</p> + +<p> +Now it once happened in Japan that the great Tycoon of the country +wanted to make a present to the Prince of the Dutch. So he sent all over +the land, from the sweet potato fields in the south to the seal and +salmon waters in the north, to get curiosities of all sorts. The +products of Japan, from the warm parts, where grow the indigo and the +sugar cane, to the cold regions, in which are the bear and walrus, were +sent as gifts to go to the Land of Dykes and Windmills. The Japanese had +heard that the Dutch people like cheese, walk in wooden shoes, eat with +forks, instead of chopsticks, and the women wear twenty petticoats +apiece, while the men sport jackets with two gold buttons, and folks +generally do things the other way from that which was common in Japan. +</p> + +<p> +Now it chanced that while they were packing the things that were piled +up in the palace at Yedo, a young Oni, with his horns only half grown, +crawled into the kitchen, at night, through the big bamboo water pipe +near the pump. Pretty soon he jumped into the storeroom. There, the +precious cups, vases, lacquer boxes, pearl-inlaid pill-holders, writing +desks, jars of tea, and bales of silk, were lying about, ready to be put +into their cases. The yellow wrappings for covering the pretty things of +gold and silver, bronze and wood, and the rice chaff, for the packing of +the porcelain, were all at hand. What a jolly time the Oni did have, in +tumbling them about and rolling over them! Then he leaped like a monkey +from one vase to another. He put on a lady's gay silk kimono and wrapped +himself around with golden embroidery. Then he danced and played the +game of the Ka-gu'-ra, or Lion of Korea, pretending to make love to a +girl-Oni. Such funny capers as he did cut! It would have made a cat +laugh to see him. It was broad daylight, before his pranks were over, +and the Dutch church chimes were playing the hour of seven. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly the sound of keys in the lock told him that, in less than a +minute, the door would open. +</p> + +<p> +Where should he hide? There was no time to be lost. So he seized some +bottles of soy from the kitchen shelf and then jumped into the big +bottom drawer of a ladies' cabinet, and pulled it shut. +</p> + +<p> +"Namu Amida" (Holy Buddha!), cried the man that opened the door. "Who +has been here? It looks like a rat's picnic." +</p> + +<p> +However, the workmen soon came and set everything to rights. Then they +packed up the pretty things. They hammered down the box lids and before +night the Japanese curiosities were all stored in the hold of a swift, +Dutch ship, from Nagasaki, bound for Rotterdam. After a long voyage, the +vessel arrived safely in good season, and the boxes were sent on to The +Hague, or capital city. As the presents were for the Prince, they were +taken at once to the pretty palace, called the House in the Wood. There +they were unpacked and set on exhibition for the Prince and Princess to +see the next day. +</p> + +<p> +When the palace maid came in next morning to clean up the floor and dust +the various articles, her curiosity led her to pull open the drawer of +the ladies' cabinet; when out jumped something hairy. It nearly +frightened the girl out of her wits. It was the Oni, which rushed off +and down stairs, tumbling over a half dozen servants, who were sitting +at their breakfast. All started to run except the brave butler, who +caught up a carving knife and showed fight. Seeing this, the Oni ran +down into the cellar, hoping to find some hole or crevice for escape. +All around, were shelves filled with cheeses, jars of sour-krout, +pickled herring, and stacks of fresh rye bread standing in the corners. +But oh! how they did smell in his Japanese nostrils! Oni, as he was, he +nearly fainted, for no such odors had ever beaten upon his nose, when in +Japan. Even at the risk of being carved into bits, he must go back. So +up into the kitchen again he ran. Happily, the door into the garden +stood wide open. +</p> + +<p> +Grabbing a fresh bottle of soy from the kitchen shelf, the Oni, with a +hop, skip and jump, reached outdoors. Seeing a pair of klomps, or wooden +shoes, near the steps, the Oni put his pair of three toes into them, to +keep the dogs from scenting its tracks. Then he ran into the fields, +hiding among the cows, until he heard men with pitchforks coming. At +once the Oni leaped upon a cow's back and held on to its horns, while +the poor animal ran for its life into its stall, in the cow stable, +hoping to brush the monster off. +</p> + +<p> +The dairy farmer's wife was at that moment pulling open her bureau +drawer, to put on a new clean lace cap. Hearing her favorite cow moo and +bellow, she left the drawer open and ran to look through the pane of +glass in the kitchen. Through this, she could peep, at any minute, to +see whether this or that cow, or its calf, was sick or well. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, at the House in the Wood, the Princess, hearing the maid +scream and the servants in an uproar, rushed out in her embroidered +white nightie, to ask who, and what, and why, and wherefore. All +different and very funny were the answers of maid, butler, cook, valet +and boots. +</p> + +<p> +The first maid, who had pulled open the drawer and let the Oni get out, +held up broom and duster, as if to take oath. She declared: +</p> + +<p> +"It was a monkey, or baboon; but he seemed to talk--Russian, I think." +</p> + +<p> +"No," said the butler. "I heard the creature--a black ram, running on +its hind legs; but its language was German, I'm sure." +</p> + +<p> +The cook, a fat Dutch woman, told a long story. She declared, on honor, +that it was a black dog like a Chinese pug, that has no hair. However, +she had only seen its back, but she was positive the creature talked +English, for she heard it say "soy." +</p> + +<p> +The valet honestly avowed that he was too scared to be certain of +anything, but was ready to swear that to his ears the words uttered +seemed to be Swedish. He had once heard sailors from Sweden talking, and +the chatter sounded like their lingo. +</p> + +<p> +Then there was Boots, the errand boy, who believed that it was the +Devil; but, whatever or whoever it was, he was ready to bet a week's +wages that its lingo was all in French. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the Princess found that not one of her servants could speak or +understand any language but their own, she scolded them roundly in +Dutch, and wound up by saying, "You're a lot of cheese-heads, all of +you." +</p> + +<p> +Then she arranged the wonderful things from the Far East, with her own +dainty hands, until the House in the Wood was fragrant with Oriental +odors, and soon it became famous throughout all Europe. Even when her +grandchildren played with the pretty toys from the land of Fuji and +flowers, of silk and tea, cherry blossoms and camphor trees, it was not +only the first but the finest Japanese collection in all Europe. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, the Oni, in a strange land, got into one trouble after +another. In rushed men with clubs, but as an Oni was well used to seeing +these at home, he was not afraid. He could outrun, outjump, or outclimb +any man, easily. The farmer's vrouw (wife) nearly fainted when the Oni +leaped first into her room and then into her bureau drawer. As he did +so, the bottle of soy, held in his three-fingered paw, hit the wood and +the dark liquid, as black as tar, ran all over the nicely starched +laces, collars and nightcaps. Every bit of her quilled and crimped +hear-gear and neckwear, once as white as snow, was ruined. +</p> + +<p> +"Donder en Bliksem" (thunder and lightning), cried the vrouw. "There's +my best cap, that cost twenty guilders, utterly ruined." Then she +bravely ran for the broomstick. +</p> + +<p> +The Oni caught sight of what he thought was a big hole in the wall and +ran into it. Seeing the blue sky above, he began to climb up. Now there +were no chimneys in Japan and he did not know what this was. The soot +nearly blinded and choked him. So he slid down and rushed out, only to +have his head nearly cracked by the farmer's wife, who gave him a whack +of her broomstick. She thought it was a crazy goat that she was +fighting. She first drove the Oni into the cellar and then bolted the +door. +</p> + +<p> +An hour later, the farmer got a gun and loaded it. Then, with his hired +man he came near, one to pull open the door, and the other to shoot. +What they expected to find was a monster. +</p> + +<p> +But no! So much experience, even within an hour, of things unknown in +Japan, including chimneys, had been too severe for the poor, lonely, +homesick Oni. There it lay dead on the floor, with its three fingers +held tightly to its snout and closing it. So much cheese, zuur kool +(sour krout), gin (schnapps), advocaat (brandy and eggs), cows' milk, +both sour and fresh, wooden shoes, lace collars and crimped neckwear, +with the various smells, had turned both the Oni's head and his stomach. +The very sight of these strange things being so unusual, gave the Oni +first fright, and then a nervous attack, while the odors, such as had +never tortured his nose before, had finished him. +</p> + +<p> +The wise men of the village were called together to hold an inquest. +After summoning witnesses, and cross-examining them and studying the +strange creature, their verdict was that it could be nothing less than a +<i>Hersen Schim</i>, that is, a spectre of the brain. They meant by this +that there was no such animal. +</p> + +<p> +However, a man from Delft, who followed the business of a knickerbocker, +or baker of knickers, or clay marles, begged the body of the Oni. He +wanted it to serve as a model for a new gargoyle, or rain spout, for the +roof of churches. Carved in stone, or baked in clay, which turns red and +is called terra cotta, the new style of monster became very popular. The +knickerbocker named it after a new devil, that had been expelled by the +prayers of the saints, and speedily made a fortune, by selling it to +stone cutters and architects. So for one real Oni, that died and was +buried in Dutch soil, there are thousands of imaginary ones, made of +baked clay, or stone, in the Dutch land, where things, more funny than +in fairy-land, constantly take place. +</p> + +<p> +The dead Japanese Oni serving as a model, which was made into a water +gutter, served more useful purposes, for a thousand years, than ever he +had done, in the land where his relations still live and play their +pranks. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="xii">THE LEGEND OF THE WOODEN SHOE</a></h2> + +<p> +In years long gone, too many for the almanac to tell of, or for clocks +and watches to measure, millions of good fairies came down from the sun +and went into the earth. There, they changed themselves into roots and +leaves, and became trees. There were many kinds of these, as they +covered the earth, but the pine and birch, ash and oak, were the chief +ones that made Holland. The fairies that lived in the trees bore the +name of Moss Maidens, or Tree "Trintjes," which is the Dutch pet name +for Kate, or Katharine. +</p> + +<p> +The oak was the favorite tree, for people lived then on acorns, which +they ate roasted, boiled or mashed, or made into meal, from which +something like bread was kneaded and baked. With oak bark, men tanned +hides and made leather, and, from its timber, boats and houses. Under +its branches, near the trunk, people laid their sick, hoping for help +from the gods. Beneath the oak boughs, also, warriors took oaths to be +faithful to their lords, women made promises, or wives joined hand in +hand around its girth, hoping to have beautiful children. Up among its +leafy branches the new babies lay, before they were found in the cradle +by the other children. To make a young child grow up to be strong and +healthy, mothers drew them through a split sapling or young tree. Even +more wonderful, as medicine for the country itself, the oak had power to +heal. The new land sometimes suffered from disease called the <i>val</i> +(or fall). When sick with the <i>val</i>, the ground sunk. Then people, +houses, churches, barns and cattle all went down, out of sight, and were +lost forever, in a flood of water. +</p> + +<p> +But the oak, with its mighty roots, held the soil firm. Stories of dead +cities, that had tumbled beneath the waves, and of the famous Forest of +Reeds, covering a hundred villages, which disappeared in one night, were +known only too well. +</p> + +<p> +Under the birch tree, lovers met to plight their vows, and on its smooth +bark was often cut the figure of two hearts joined in one. In summer, +the forest furnished shade, and in winter warmth from the fire. In the +spring time, the new leaves were a wonder, and in autumn the pigs grew +fat on the mast, or the acorns, that had dropped on the ground. +</p> + +<p> +So, for thousands of years, when men made their home in the forest, and +wanted nothing else, the trees were sacred. +</p> + +<p> +But by and by, when cows came into the land and sheep and horses +multiplied, more open ground was needed for pasture, grain fields and +meadows. Fruit trees, bearing apples and pears, peaches and cherries, +were planted, and grass, wheat, rye and barley were grown. Then, instead +of the dark woods, men liked to have their gardens and orchards open to +the sunlight. Still, the people were very rude, and all they had on +their bare feet were rough bits of hard leather, tied on through their +toes; though most of them went barefooted. +</p> + +<p> +The forests had to be cut down. Men were so busy with the axe, that in a +few years, the Wood Land was gone. Then the new "Holland," with its +people and red roofed houses, with its chimneys and windmills, and dykes +and storks, took the place of the old Holt Land of many trees. +</p> + +<p> +Now there was a good man, a carpenter and very skilful with his tools, +who so loved the oak that he gave himself, and his children after him, +the name of Eyck, which is pronounced Ike, and is Dutch for oak. When, +before his neighbors and friends, according to the beautiful Dutch +custom, he called his youngest born child, to lay the corner-stone of +his new house, he bestowed upon her, before them all, the name of +Neeltje (or Nellie) Van Eyck. +</p> + +<p> +The carpenter daddy continued to mourn over the loss of the forests. He +even shed tears, fearing lest, by and by, there should not one oak tree +be left in the country. Moreover, he was frightened at the thought that +the new land, made by pushing back the ocean and building dykes, might +sink down again and go back to the fishes. In such a case, all the +people, the babies and their mothers, men, women, horses and cattle, +would be drowned. The Dutch folks were a little too fast, he thought, in +winning their acres from the sea. +</p> + +<p> +One day, while sitting on his door-step, brooding sorrowfully, a Moss +Maiden and a Tree Elf appeared, skipping along, hand in hand. They came +up to him and told him that his ancestral oak had a message for him. +Then they laughed and ran away. Van Eyck, which was now the man's full +family name, went into the forest and stood under the grand old oak +tree, which his fathers loved, and which he would allow none to cut +down. +</p> + +<p> +Looking up, the leaves of the tree rustled, and one big branch seemed to +sweep near him. Then it whispered in his ear: +</p> + +<p> +"Do not mourn, for your descendants, even many generations hence, shall +see greater things than you have witnessed. I and my fellow oak trees +shall pass away, but the sunshine shall be spread over the land and make +it dry. Then, instead of its falling down, like acorns from the trees, +more and better food shall come up from out of the earth. Where green +fields now spread, and the cities grow where forests were, we shall come +to life again, but in another form. When most needed, we shall furnish +you and your children and children's children, with warmth, comfort, +fire, light, and wealth. Nor need you fear for the land, that it will +fall; for, even while living, we, and all the oak trees that are left, +and all the birch, beech, and pine trees shall stand on our heads for +you. We shall hold up your houses, lest they fall into the ooze and you +shall walk and run over our heads. As truly as when rooted in the soil, +will we do this. Believe what we tell you, and be happy. We shall turn +ourselves upside down for you." +</p> + +<p> +"I cannot see how all these things can be," said Van Eyck. +</p> + +<p> +"Fear not, my promise will endure." +</p> + +<p> +The leaves of the branch rustled for another moment. Then, all was +still, until the Moss Maiden and Trintje, the Tree Elf, again, hand in +hand, as they tripped along merrily, appeared to him. + +"We shall help you and get our friends, the elves, to do the same. Now, +do you take some oak wood and saw off two pieces, each a foot long. See +that they are well dried. Then set them on the kitchen table to-night, +when you go to bed." After saying this, and looking at each other and +laughing, just as girls do, they disappeared. +</p> + +<p> +Pondering on what all this might mean, Van Eyck went to his wood-shed +and sawed off the oak timber. At night, after his wife had cleared off +the supper table, he laid the foot-long pieces in their place. +</p> + +<p> +When Van Eyck woke up in the morning, he recalled his dream, and, before +he was dressed, hurried to the kitchen. There, on the table, lay a pair +of neatly made wooden shoes. Not a sign of tools, or shavings could be +seen, but the clean wood and pleasant odor made him glad. When he +glanced again at the wooden shoes, he found them perfectly smooth, both +inside and out. They had heels at the bottom and were nicely pointed at +the toes, and, altogether, were very inviting to the foot. He tried them +on, and found that they fitted him exactly. He tried to walk on the +kitchen floor, which his wife kept scrubbed and polished, and then +sprinkled with clean white sand, with broomstick ripples scored in the +layers, but for Van Eyck it was like walking on ice. After slipping and +balancing himself, as if on a tight rope, and nearly breaking his nose +against the wall, he took off the wooden shoes, and kept them off, while +inside the house. However, when he went outdoors, he found his new shoes +very light, pleasant to the feet and easy to walk in. It was not so much +like trying to skate, as it had been in the kitchen. +</p> + +<p> +At night, in his dreams, he saw two elves come through the window into +the kitchen. One, a kabouter, dark and ugly, had a box of tools. The +other, a light-faced elf, seemed to be the guide. The kabouter at once +got out his saw, hatchet, auger, long, chisel-like knife, and smoothing +plane. At first, the two elves seemed to be quarrelling, as to who +should be boss. Then they settled down quietly to work. The kabouter +took the wood and shaped it on the outside. Then he hollowed out, from +inside of it, a pair of shoes, which the elf smoothed and polished. Then +one elf put his little feet in them and tried to dance, but he only +slipped on the smooth floor and flattened his nose; but the other fellow +pulled the nose straight again, so it was all right. They waltzed +together upon the wooden shoes, then took them off, jumped out the +window, and ran away. +</p> + +<p> +When Van Eyck put the wooden shoes on, he found that out in the fields, +in the mud, and on the soft soil, and in sloppy places, this sort of +foot gear was just the thing. They did not sink in the mud and the man's +feet were comfortable, even after hours of labor. They did not "draw" +his feet, and they kept out the water far better than leather possibly +could. +</p> + +<p> +When the Van Eyck vrouw and the children saw how happy Daddy was, they +each one wanted a pair. Then they asked him what he called them. +</p> + +<p> +"Klompen," said he, in good Dutch, and klompen, or klomps, they are to +this day. +</p> + +<p> +"I'll make a fortune out of this," said Van Eyck. "I'll set up a +klomp-winkel (shop for wooden shoes) at once." +</p> + +<p> +So, going out to the blacksmith's shop, in the village, he had the man +who pounded iron fashion for him on his anvil, a set of tools, exactly +like those used by the kabouter and the elf, which he had seen in his +dream. Then he hung out a sign, marked "Wooden blocks for shoes." He +made klomps for the little folks just out of the nursery, for boys and +girls, for grown men and women, and for all who walked out-of-doors, in +the street or on the fields. +</p> + +<p> +Soon klomps came to be the fashion in all the country places. It was +good manners, when you went into a house, to take off your wooden shoes +and leave them at the door. Even in the towns and cities, ladies wore +wooden slippers, especially when walking or working in the garden. +</p> + +<p> +Klomps also set the fashion for soft, warm socks, and stockings made +from sheep's wool. Soon, a thousand needles were clicking, to put a soft +cushion between one's soles and toes and the wood. Women knitted, even +while they walked to market, or gossiped on the streets. The +klomp-winkels, or shops of the shoe carpenters, were seen in every +village. +</p> + +<p> +When rich beyond his day-dreams, Van Eyck had another joyful night +vision. The next day, he wore a smiling countenance. Everybody, who met +him on the street, saluted him and asked, in a neighborly way: +</p> + +<p> +"Good-morning, Mynheer Bly-moe-dig (Mr. Cheerful). How do you sail +to-day?" +</p> + +<p> +That's the way the Dutch talk--not "how do you do," but, in their watery +country, it is this, "How do you sail?" or else, "Hoe gat het u al?" +(How goes it with you, already?) +</p> + +<p> +Then Van Eyck told his dream. It was this: The Moss Maiden and Trintje, +the wood elf, came to him again at night and danced. They were lively +and happy. +</p> + +<p> +"What now?" asked the dreamer, smilingly, of his two visitors. +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/0141.png"><img src="images/0141th.png" alt="The kabouter took the wood and shaped it on the inside."></a> +</p> + +<p> +He had hardly got the question out of his mouth, when in walked a +kabouter, all smutty with blacksmith work. In one hand, he grasped his +tool box. In the other, he held a curious looking machine. It was a big +lump of iron, set in a frame, with ropes to pull it up and let it fall +down with a thump. +</p> + +<p> +"What is it?" asked Van Eyck. +</p> + +<p> +"It's a Hey" (a pile driver), said the kabouter, showing him how to use +it. "When men say to you, on the street, to-morrow, 'How do you sail?' +laugh at them," said the Moss Maiden, herself laughing. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, and now you can tell the people how to build cities, with mighty +churches with lofty towers, and with high houses like those in other +lands. Take the trees, trim the branches off, sharpen the tops, turn +them upside down and pound them deep in the ground. Did not the ancient +oak promise that the trees would be turned upside down for you? Did they +not say you could walk on top of them?" +</p> + +<p> +By this time, Van Eyck had asked so many questions, and kept the elves +so long, that the Moss Maiden peeped anxiously through the window. +Seeing the day breaking, she and Trintje and the kabouter flew away, so +as not to be petrified by the sunrise. +</p> + +<p> +"I'll make another fortune out of this, also," said the happy man, who, +next morning, was saluted as Mynheer Blyd-schap (Mr. Joyful). +</p> + +<p> +At once, Van Eyck set up a factory for making pile drivers. Sending men +into the woods, who chose the tall, straight trees, he had their +branches cut off. Then he sharpened the trunks at one end, and these +were driven, by the pile driver, down, far and deep, into the ground. So +a foundation, as good as stone, was made in the soft and spongy soil, +and well built houses uprose by the thousands. Even the lofty walls of +churches stood firm. The spires were unshaken in the storm. +</p> + +<p> +Old Holland had not fertile soil like France, or vast flocks of sheep, +producing wool, like England, or armies of weavers, as in the Belgic +lands. Yet, soon there rose large cities, with splendid mansions and +town halls. As high towards heaven as the cathedrals and towers in other +lands, which had rock for foundation, her brick churches rose in the +air. On top of the forest trees, driven deep into the sand and clay, +dams and dykes were built, that kept out the ocean. So, instead of the +old two thousand square miles, there were, in the realm, in the course +of years, twelve thousand, rich in green fields and cattle. Then, for +all the boys and girls that travel in this land of quaint customs, +Holland was a delight. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="xiii">THE CURLY-TAILED LION</a></h2> + +<p> +Once upon a time, some Dutch hunters went to Africa, hoping to capture a +whole family of lions. In this they succeeded. With a pack of hounds and +plenty of aborigines to poke the jungle with sticks, they drove a big +male lion, with his wife and four whelps, out of the undergrowth into a +circle. In the centre, they had dug a pit and covered it over with +sticks and grass. Into this, the whole lion family tumbled. Then, by +nets and ropes, the big, fierce creatures and the little cubs were +lifted out. They were put in cages and brought to Holland. The baby +lions, no bigger than pug dogs, were as pretty and harmless as kittens. +The sailors delighted to play with them. +</p> + +<p> +Now lions, even before one was ever seen among the Dutch, enjoyed a +great reputation for strength, courage, dignity and power. It was +believed that they had all the traits of character supposed to belong to +kings, and which boys like to possess. Many fathers had named their sons +Leo, which is Latin for lion. Dutch daddies had their baby boys +christened with the name of Leeuw, which is their word for the king of +beasts. +</p> + +<p> +Before lions were brought from the hot countries into colder lands, the +bear and wolf were most admired; because, besides possessing plenty of +fur, as well as great claws and terrible teeth, they had great courage. +For these reasons, many royal and common folks had taken the wolf and +bear as namesakes for their hopeful sons. +</p> + +<p> +But the male lion could make more noise than wolves, for he could roar, +while they could only howl. He had a shaggy mane and a very long tail. +This had a nail at the end, for scratching and combing out his hair, +when tangled up. If he were angry, the mighty brute could stick out his +red tongue, curled like a pump handle, and nearly half a yard long. +</p> + +<p> +So the lion was called the king of beasts, and the crowned rulers and +knights took him as their emblem. They had pictures of the huge creature +painted on their flags, shields and armor. Sometimes they stuck a gold +or brass lion on their iron war hats, which they called helmets. No +knight was allowed to have more than one lion on his shield, but kings +might have three or four, or even a whole menagerie of meat-eating +creatures. These painted or sculptured lions were in all sorts of +action, running, walking, standing up and looking behind or before. +</p> + +<p> +Now there was a Dutch artist, who noticed what funny fellows kings were, +and how they liked to have all sorts of beasts and birds of prey, and +sea creatures that devour, on their banners. There were dragons, +two-headed eagles, boars with tusks, serpents with fangs, hawks, +griffins, wyverns, lions, dragons and dragon-lions, besides horses with +wings, mermaids with scaly tails, and even night mares that went flying +through the dark. With such a funny variety of beast, bird, and fish, +some wondered why there were not cows with two tails, cats with two +noses, rams with four horns, and creatures that were half veal and half +mutton. He noticed that kings did not care much for tame, quiet, +peaceable, or useful creatures, such as oxen or horses, doves or sheep; +but only for those brutes that hunt and kill the more defenceless +creatures. +</p> + +<p> +Since, then, kings of the country must have a lion, the artist resolved +to make a new one. He would have some fun, at any rate. +</p> + +<p> +So as painter or sculptor select men and women to pose for them in their +study as their heroes and heroines, and just as they picture plump +little boys and girls as cherubs and angels, so the Dutchman would make +of the cubs and the father beast of prey his models for coats of arms. +</p> + +<p> +Poor lions! They did not know, but they soon found out how tiresome it +was to pose. They must hold their paws up, down, sideways or behind, +according as they were told. They must stand or kneel, for a long time, +in awkward positions. They must stick out their tongues to full length, +walk on their hind legs, twist their necks, to one side or the other, +look forward or backward, and in many tiresome ways do just as they were +ordered. They must also make of their tails every sort of use, whether +to wrap around posts or bundles, to stick out of their cage, or put +between their legs, as they ran away, or to whisk them around, as they +roared; or hoist them up high when rampant. +</p> + +<p> +In some cases, they were expected, even, to put on spectacles, and +pretend to be reading, to hold in their paws books and scrolls, or town +arms, or shop signs. They must pose, not only as companions of Daniel, +in the lions' den at Babylon, which was proper; but also to sit, as +companion of St. Mark, and even to stand on their legs on the top of a +high column, without falling off. +</p> + +<p> +In a word, this artist belonged to the college of heralds, and he +introduced the king of beasts into Dutch heraldry. +</p> + +<p> +So from that day forth, the life of that family of African lions, from +the daddy to the youngest cub, was made a burden. When at home in the +jungle and even in the cage, the father lion's favorite position was +that of lolling on one side, with his paws stretched out, and half +asleep and all day, until he went out, towards dark, to hunt. Now, he +must stand up, nearly all day. Daddy lion had to do most of the posing, +until the poor beast's front legs and paws were weary with standing so +long. Moreover, the hair was all worn off his body at the place where he +had to sit on the hard wooden floor. He must do all this, on penalty of +being punched with a red hot poker, if he refused. A charcoal furnace +and long andirons were kept near by, and these were attended to by a +Dutch boy. Or, it might be that the whole family of lions were not +allowed to have any dinner till Daddy obeyed and did what he was told, +though often with a snarl or a roar. +</p> + +<p> +First, Leo must rise upon his hind legs and look in front of him. This +posture was not hard, for in his native jungle, he had often thus +obtained a breakfast of venison for his wife and family. But oh, to +stand a half hour on two legs only, when he had four, and would gladly +have used all of them, was hard. Yet this was the position, called "the +lion rampant," which kings liked best. +</p> + +<p> +But the king's uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, and his wife's +relations generally, every one of them, wanted a lion on his or her +stationery and pocket handkerchiefs, as well as on their shields and +flags. So the old lion was tortured--the hot poker being always in +sight--and he was made to take a great variety of positions. The artist +called out to Leo, just as a driver says to his cart horse, "whoa," "get +up," "golong," etc. When he yelled in this fashion, the lion had to +obey. +</p> + +<p> +Pretty soon lions in heraldry, on flags, armor, town arms, family crests +and city seals became all the fashion. The whole country went lion-mad. +There were lions carved in stone, wood and iron, and every sort and +kind, possible or impossible. Some of them seemed to be engaged in a +variety of tricks, as if they belonged to a circus, or were having a +holiday. They laughed, giggled, yawned, stuck out their tongues, held +boards for hotels, bundles for the shopkeepers, or barrels for beer +halls, and made excellent shop signs, which the boys and girls enjoyed +looking at. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Leo was not in much demand, for Mr. Leo did not approve of his +wife's appearing in public. She was kept busy in taking care of her +cubs. Daddy Lion had to do multiple work for his family, until the cubs +were grown. Yet long before this time had come, their Dad had died and +been stuffed for a museum. How this first king of beasts in the +Netherlands came to his untimely end was on this wise. +</p> + +<p> +Not satisfied with posing Leo in every posture, and with all possible +gestures, his master, the artist, wanted him to look "heraldical"; that +is, like some of the mythical beasts that were combinations of any and +all creatures having fins, fur, feathers, or scales, such as the dragon +or griffin. One day, he attempted to make out of a live lion a fanciful +creature of curlicues and curliewurlies. So he strapped the lion down, +and used a curling iron on his mane until he looked like a bearded bull +of Babylon. Then he combed out, and, with curl papers, twisted the long +line of hair, which is seen in front of Leo's stomach. In like manner, +he treated the bunches of hair that grow over the animal's kneepans and +elbows. Last of all, he took a hair brush, and smoothed out the tuft, at +the end of the animal's long tail. Then the artist made a picture of him +in this condition, all curled and rich in ringlets, like a dandy. +</p> + +<p> +By this time, the father of the lion family looked as if he had come out +fresh from a hairdresser's parlor. Indeed, Mrs. Leo was so struck with +her husband's appearance, that she immediately licked her cubs all over, +until their fur shone, so they should look like their father. Then, +having used her tongue as a comb, to make her own skin smooth and +glossy, she completed the job by using the nail in her tail, to do the +finishing work. Altogether, this was the curliest family of lions ever +seen, and Daddy Leo appeared to be the funniest curly-headed and +curly-bodied lion ever seen. In fact he was all curls, from head to +tail. +</p> + +<p> +Notwithstanding all his pains, the artist was not yet satisfied with his +job. He wanted a circle of long hair to grow in the middle of the lion's +tail. His curly lion should beat all creation, and in this way he +proceeded. +</p> + +<p> +His own daughter, being a young lady and having some trouble of the +throat, the doctor had ordered medicine for the girl, charging her not +to spill any drops of the liquid on her face, or clothes. +</p> + +<p> +But, in giving the dose, either the mother, or the daughter, was +careless. At that very moment the cat ran across the room, after the +mouse, and just as she held the spoon to her mouth, Puss got twisted in +her skirts. So most of the medicine splashed upon her upper lip and then +ran down to her chin, on either side of her mouth. She laughed over the +spill, wiped off the liquid, and thought no more of the matter. +</p> + +<p> +But a week later, she was astonished. On waking, she looked in the +glass, only to shrink back in horror. On her face had grown both +moustaches and a beard. True, both were rather downy, but still they +were black; and, until the barber came, and shaved off the growth, she +was a bearded woman. Yet, strange to tell, after one or two shaves by +the barber, no more hair grew again on her face, which was smooth again. +</p> + +<p> +"By Saint Servatus! I'll make a fortune on this," cried the artist, when +he saw his daughter's hairy face. +</p> + +<p> +So, he sold his secret to a druggist, and this man made an ointment, +giving it a Chinese name, meaning "beard-grower." This wonderful +medicine, as his sign declared, would "force the growth of luxuriant +moustaches and a beard, on the smoothest face of any young man," who +should buy and apply it. +</p> + +<p> +Soon the whole town rang with the news of the wonderful discovery. The +druggist sold out his stock, in two days, to happy purchasers. Other +young fellows, that wanted to outrival their companions, had to wait a +fortnight for the new medicine to be made. By that time, a full crop of +downy hair had come out on the cheeks and chin and upper lip of many a +youth. Some, who had been trying for years to raise moustaches, in order +duly to impress the girls, to whom they were making love, were now +jubilant. In several cases, a lover was able to cut out his rival and +win the maid he wanted. Several courtings were hastened and became +genuine matches, because a face, long very smooth, and like a desert as +to hair, bore a promising crop. Beard and cheeks had at last met +together. So the new medicine was called a "match-maker." +</p> + +<p> +The artist rubbed his hands in glee, at the prospect of a fortune. He +argued that if the wonderful ointment made beards for men, it must be +good for lions also. So again, Daddy Lion was coerced by the threat of +the hot poker. Then his tail was seized, and, by means of a rope, tied +to a post on one side of the cage, he was held fast. Then the artist +anointed about six inches of the middle of the smooth tail with the +magic liquid. For fear the lion might lick it off, the poor beast was +held in this tiresome position for a whole week, so that he could not +turn round, and he nearly died of fatigue. +</p> + +<p> +But it happened to the lion's tail, as it did with the young men's +chins, cheeks and upper lips. A beard did indeed grow, but once shaved +off--and many did shave, thinking to promote greater growth--no more +hair ever appeared again. The ointment forced a downy growth but it +killed the roots of the hair. +</p> + +<p> +A worse fate befell the lion. A crop of hair, perhaps an inch longer +than common, grew out. But this time, the bad medicine, which had +deceived men, and was unfit for lions, struck in. +</p> + +<p> +From this cause, added to nervous prostration, old Leo fell dead. As +lion fathers go, he was a good one, and his widow and children mourned +for him. He had never once, however hungry, tried to eat up his cubs, +which was something in his favor. +</p> + +<p> +Soon after these exploits, the old artist died also. His son, hearing +there was still a demand, among kings, for lions, and those especially +with centre curls in their tails, took the most promising of the whelps +and petted and fed him well. In the seventh year, when his mane and +elbow and knee hair had grown out, this cub was mated to a young lioness +of like promise. When, of this couple, a male whelp was born, it was +found that in due time its knees, elbows, tail-tuft, and the front of +its body were all rich in furry growth. In the middle of its tail, also, +thick ringlets, several inches long, were growing. Evidently, the hair +tonic had done some good. So this one became the father of all the +curly-tailed lions in the Netherlands. Not only was this lion, thus +distinguished for so novel an ornament, copied into heraldry, but it +adorned many city seals and town arms. In time, the lion of the +Netherlands was pictured with a crown on its head, a sword in its right +hand, a bundle of seven arrows--in token of a union of seven +states--and, still later, the new Order of the Netherlands Lion was +founded. The original curly lion, with long hair in the middle of its +tail, boasts of a long line of descendants that are proud of their +ancestor. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="xiv">BRABO AND THE GIANT</a></h2> + +<p> +Ages ago, when the giants were numerous on the earth, there lived a big +fellow named Antigonus. That was not what his mother had called him, but +some one told him of a Greek general of that name; so he took this for +his own. He was rough and cruel. His castle was on the Scheldt River, +where the city of Antwerp now stands. Many ships sailed out of France +and Holland, down this stream. They were loaded with timber, flax, iron, +cheese, fish, bread, linen, and other things made in the country. It was +by this trade that many merchants grew rich, and their children had +plenty of toys to play with. The river was very grand, deep, and wide. +The captains of the ships liked to sail on it, because there was no +danger from rocks, and the country through which it flowed was so +pretty. +</p> + +<p> +So every day, one could see hundreds of white-sailed craft moving +towards the sea, or coming in from the ocean. Boys and girls came down +to stand in their wooden shoes on the banks, to see the vessels moving +to and fro. The incoming ships brought sugar, wine, oranges, lemons, +olives and other good things to eat, and wool to make warm clothes. +Often craftsmen came from the wonderful countries in the south to tell +of the rich cities there, and help to build new and fine houses, and +splendid churches, and town halls. So all the Belgian people were happy. +</p> + +<p> +But one day, this wicked giant came into the country to stop the ships +and make them pay him money. He reared a strong castle on the river +banks. It had four sides and high walls, and deep down in the earth were +dark, damp dungeons. One had to light a candle to find his way to the +horrid places. +</p> + +<p> +What was it all for? The people wondered, but they soon found out. The +giant, with a big knotted club, made out of an oak tree, strode through +the town. He cried out to all the people to assemble in the great open +square. +</p> + +<p> +"From this day forth," he roared, "no ship, whether up or down the +river, shall pass by this place, without my permission. Every captain +must pay me toll, in money or goods. Whoever refuses, shall have both +his hands cut off and thrown into the river. +</p> + +<p> +"Hear ye all and obey. Any one caught in helping a ship go by without +paying toll, whether it be night, or whether it be day, shall have his +thumbs cut off and be put in the dark dungeon for a month. Again I say, +Obey!" +</p> + +<p> +With this, the giant swung and twirled his club aloft and then brought +it down on a poor countryman's cart, smashing it into flinders. This was +done to show his strength. +</p> + +<p> +So every day, when the ships hove in sight, they were hailed from the +giant's castle and made to pay heavy toll. Poor or rich, they had to +hand over their money. If any captain refused, he was brought ashore and +made to kneel before a block and place one hand upon the other. Then the +giant swung his axe and cut off both hands, and flung them into the +river. If a ship master hesitated, because he had no money, he was cast +into a dungeon, until his friends paid his ransom. +</p> + +<p> +Soon, on account of this, the city got a bad name. The captains from +France kept in, and the ship men from Spain kept out. The merchants +found their trade dwindling, and they grew poorer every day. So some of +them slipped out of the city and tried to get the ships to sail in the +night, and silently pass the giant's castle. +</p> + +<p> +But the giant's watchers, on the towers, were as wide awake as owls and +greedy as hawks. They pounced on the ship captains, chopped off their +hands and tossed them into the river. The townspeople, who were found on +board, were thrown into the dungeons and had their thumbs cut off. +</p> + +<p> +So the prosperity of the city was destroyed, for the foreign merchants +were afraid to send their ships into the giant's country. The reputation +of the city grew worse. It was nicknamed by the Germans Hand Werpen, or +Hand Throwing; while the Dutchmen called it Antwerp, which meant the +same thing. The Duke of Brabant, or Lord of the land, came to the big +fellow's fortress and told him to stop. He even shook his fist under the +giant's huge nose, and threatened to attack his castle and burn it. But +Antigonus only snapped his fingers, and laughed at him. He made his +castle still stronger and kept on hailing ships, throwing some of the +crews into dungeons and cutting off the hands of the captains, until the +fish in the river grew fat. +</p> + +<p> +Now there was a brave young fellow named Brabo, who lived in the +province of Brabant. He was proud of his country and her flag of yellow, +black and red, and was loyal to his lord. He studied the castle well and +saw a window, where he could climb up into the giant's chamber. +</p> + +<p> +Going to the Duke, Brabo promised if his lord's soldiers would storm the +gates of the giant's castle, that he would seek out and fight the +ruffian. While they battered down the gates, he would climb the walls. +"He's nothing but a 'bulle-wak'" (a bully and a boaster), said Brabo, +"and we ought to call him that, instead of Antigonus." +</p> + +<p> +The Duke agreed. On a dark night, one thousand of his best men-at-arms +were marched with their banners, but with no drums or trumpets, or +anything that could make a noise and alarm the watchmen. +</p> + +<p> +Reaching a wood full of big trees near the castle, they waited till +after midnight. All the dogs in the town and country, for five miles +around, were seized and put into barns, so as not to bark and wake the +giant up. They were given plenty to eat, so that they quickly fell +asleep and were perfectly quiet. +</p> + +<p> +At the given signal, hundreds of men holding ship's masts, or tree +trunks, marched against the gates. They punched and pounded and at last +smashed the iron-bound timbers and rushed in. After overcoming the +garrison, they lighted candles, and unlocking the dungeons, went down +and set the poor half-starved captives free. Some of them pale, haggard +and thin as hop poles, could hardly stand. About the same time, the barn +doors where the dogs had been kept, were thrown open. In full cry, a +regiment of the animals, from puppies to hounds, were at once out, +barking, baying, and yelping, as if they knew what was going on and +wanted to see the fun. +</p> + +<p> +But where was the giant? None of the captains could find him. Not one of +the prisoners or the garrison could tell where he had hid. +</p> + +<p> +But Brabo knew that the big fellow, Antigonus, was not at all brave, but +really only a bully and a coward. So the lad was not afraid. Some of his +comrades outside helped him to set up a tall ladder against the wall. +Then, while all the watchers and men-at-arms inside, had gone away to +defend the gates, Brabo climbed into the castle, through a slit in the +thick wall. This had been cut out, like a window, for the bow-and-arrow +men, and was usually occupied by a sentinel. Sword in hand, Brabo made +for the giant's own room. Glaring at the youth, the big fellow seized +his club and brought it down with such force that it went through the +wooden floor. But Brabo dodged the blow and, in a trice, made a sweep +with his sword. Cutting off the giant's head, he threw it out the +window. It had hardly touched the ground, before the dogs arrived. One +of the largest of these ran away with the trophy and the big, hairy +noddle of the bully was never found again. +</p> + +<p> +But the giant's huge hands! Ah, they were cut off by Brabo, who stood on +the very top of the highest tower, while all below looked up and +cheered. Brabo laid one big hand on top of the other, as the giant used +to do, when he cut off the hands of captains. He took first the right +hand and then the left hand and threw them, one at a time, into the +river. +</p> + +<p> +A pretty sight now revealed the fact that the people knew what had been +going on and were proud of Brabo's valor. In a moment, every house in +Antwerp showed lighted candles, and the city was illuminated. Issuing +from the gates came a company of maidens. They were dressed in white, +but their leader was robed in yellow, red, and black, the colors of the +Brabant flag. They all sang in chorus the praises of Brabo their hero. +</p> + +<p> +"Let us now drop the term of disgrace to the city--that of the +Hand-Throwing and give it a new name," said one of the leading men of +Antwerp. +</p> + +<p> +"No," said the chief ruler, "let us rather keep the name, and, more than +ever, invite all peaceful ships to come again, 'an-'t-werf' (at the +wharf), as of old. Then, let the arms of Antwerp be two red hands above +a castle." +</p> + +<p> +"Agreed," cried the citizens with a great shout. The Duke of Brabant +approved and gave new privileges to the city, on account of Brabo's +bravery. So, from high to low, all rejoiced to honor their hero, who +was richly rewarded. +</p> + +<p> +After this, thousands of ships, from many countries, loaded or unloaded +their cargoes on the wharves, or sailed peacefully by. Antwerp excelled +all seaports and became very rich again. Her people loved their native +city so dearly, that they coined the proverb "All the world is a ring, +and Antwerp is the pearl set in it." +</p> + +<p> +To this day, in the great square, rises the splendid bronze monument of +Brabo the Brave. The headless and handless hulk of the giant Antigonus +lies sprawling, while on his body rests Antwerp castle. Standing over +all, at the top, is Brabo high in air. He holds one of the hands of +Antigonus, which he is about to toss into the Scheldt River. +</p> + +<p> +No people honor valor more than the Belgians. Themselves are to-day, as +of old, among the bravest. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="xv">THE FARM THAT RAN AWAY AND CAME BACK</a></h2> + +<p> +There was once a Dutchman, who lived in the province called Drenthe. +Because there was a row of little trees on his farm, his name was Ryer +Van Boompjes; that is, Ryer of the Little Trees. After a while, he moved +to the shore of the Zuyder Zee and into Overijssel. Overijssel means +over the Ijssel River. There he bought a new farm, near the village of +Blokzyl. By dyking and pumping, certain wise men had changed ten acres, +of sand and heath, into pasture and land for plowing. They surrounded it +on three sides with canals. The fourth side fronted on the Zuyder Zee. +Then they advertised, in glowing language, the merits of the new land +and Ryer Van Boompjes bought it and paid for his real estate. He was as +proud as a popinjay of his island and he ruled over it like a Czar or a +Kaiser. +</p> + +<p> +A few years before, Ryer had married a "queezel," as the Dutch call +either a nun, or a maid who is no longer young. At this date, when our +story begins, he had four blooming, but old-fashioned children, with +good appetites. They could eat cabbage and potatoes, rye bread and +cheese, by the half peck, and drink buttermilk by the quart. In +addition, Ryer owned four horses, six cows, two dogs, some roosters and +hens, a flock of geese, two dozen ducks, and a donkey. +</p> + +<p> +Yet although Ryer was rich, as wealth is reckoned in Drenthe, whence he +had come, he was greedy for more. He skimped the food of his animals. So +much did he do this, that his neighbors declared that they had seen him +put green spectacles on his cows and the donkey. Then he mixed straws +and shavings with the hay to make the animals think they were eating +fresh grass. +</p> + +<p> +When he ploughed, he drove his horses close to the edge next to the +water, so as to make use of every half inch of land. When sometimes bits +of fen land, from his neighbor's farms, got loose and floated on the +water, Ryer felt he was in luck. He would go out at night, grapple the +boggy stuff and fasten it to his own land. +</p> + +<p> +After this had happened several times, and Ryer had added a half acre to +his holdings, his greed possessed him like a bad fairy. He began to +steal the land on the other side of the Zuyder Zee. In the course of +time, he became a regular land thief. Whenever he saw, or heard of, a +floating bit of territory, he rowed his boat after it by night. Before +morning, aided by wicked helpers, who shared in the plunder, and were in +his pay, he would have the bog attached to his own farm. +</p> + +<p> +All this time, he hardly realized that his ill-gotten property, now +increased to twelve acres or more, was itself a very shaky bit of real +estate. In fact, it was not real at all. His wife one day told him so, +for she knew of her mean husband's trickery. +</p> + +<p> +About this time, heavy rains fell, for many days, and without ceasing, +until all the region was reduced to pulp and the country seemed afloat. +The dykes appeared ready to burst. Thousands feared that the land had an +attack of the disease called val (fall) and that the soil would sink +under the waves as portions of the realm had done before, in days long +gone by. +</p> + +<p> +Yet none of this impending trouble worried Ryer, whose greed grew by +what it fed upon. In fact, the first day the sun shone again, quickly +drying up parts of his farm, he had two horses harnessed up for work. +Then he drove them so near the edge of the ditch that plough, man, and +horses tumbled, and down they went, into the shiny mess of mud and +water. +</p> + +<p> +At this moment, also, the water, from below the bottom of the Zuyder +Zee, welled up, in a great wave, like a mushroom, and the whole of +Ryer's soggy estate was on the point of breaking loose and seemed ready +to float away. +</p> + +<p> +The stingy fellow, as he fell overboard, bumped his head so hard on the +plough beam, that he lay senseless for a half hour. He would certainly +have been drowned, had not Pete, his stout son, who was not far away, +and had seen the tumble, ran to the house, launched a boat and rowed +quickly to the spot, where he had last seen his father. Grabbing his +daddy by the collar, he hauled him, half dead, into the boat. Between +his bump and his fright, and the cold bath, old Ryer was a long time +coming to his wits. With filial piety, Pete kept on rubbing the paternal +hands and restoring the circulation. + +All this, however, took a long time, even an hour or more. When his +father was able to sit up and talk, Pete started to row back to the +little wharf in front of his home. +</p> + +<p> +But where was it,--the farm, with the house and fields? Whither had they +gone? Ryer was too mystified to get his bearings, but Pete knew the +points of the compass. Yet his father's farm was not there. He looked at +the shore of Overijssel, which he had left. Instead of the old, straight +lines of willow trees, with the church spire beyond, there was a hollow +and empty place. It looked as if a giant, as big as the world itself, +had bitten out a piece of land and swallowed it down. Dumbfounded, +father and son looked, the one at the other, but said nothing, for there +was nothing to say. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, what had become of the farm and "the Queezel," as the +neighbors still called her--that is, the mother with the children. These +good people soon saw that they were floating off somewhere. The mainland +was every moment receding further into the distance. In fact, the farm +was moving from Overijssel northward, towards Friesland. One by one, the +church spires of the village near by faded from sight. +</p> + +<p> +But when the wind changed from south to west, they seemed as if on a +ship, with sails set, and to be making due west, for North Holland. The +younger children, so far from being afraid, clapped their hands in glee. +They thought it great fun to ferry across the big water, which they had +so long seen before their eyes. Their stingy father had never owned a +carriage, or allowed the horses to be ridden. He always made his family +walk to church. Whether it were to the sermon, in the morning, or to +hear the catechism expounded by the Domine, in the afternoon, all the +family had to tramp on their wooden shoes there and back. +</p> + +<p> +As for the floating farm, the cows could not understand it. They mooed +piteously, while the donkey brayed loudly. At night, and day after day, +no one could attend properly to the animals, to see that they were fed +and given water. One always sees a big tub in the middle of a Dutch +pasture field. Neither ducks, nor geese, nor chickens minded it in the +least, but the thirsty cattle and horses, at the end of the first day, +had drunk the tub dry. None of the dumb brutes, even if they had not +been afraid of being drowned, could drink from the Zuyder Zee, for it +was chiefly sea water, that is, salt, or at least brackish. +</p> + +<p> +Occasionally this errant farm, that had thus broken loose, passed by +fishermen, who wondered at so much land thus adrift. Yet they feared to +hail, and go on board, lest the owners might think them intruding. +Others thought it none of their business, supposing some crazy fellow +was using his farm as a ship, to move his lands, goods and household, +and thus save expense. In some of the villages, the runaway farm was +descried from the tops of the church towers. Then, it furnished a +subject for chat and gossip, during three days, to the women, as they +milked the cows, or knitted stockings. To the men, also, while they +smoked, or drank their coffee, it was a lively topic. +</p> + +<p> +"There were real people on it and a house and stables," said the sexton +of a church, who declared that he had seen this new sort of a flying +Dutchman. It was the usual sight--"cow, dog, and stork," and then he +quoted the old Dutch proverb. +</p> + +<p> +At last, after several days, and when Ryer and his son were nearly +finished, with fatigue and fright, in trying to row their boat to catch +up with the runaway farm, they finally reached a village across the +Zuyder Zee, in North Holland, where rye bread and turnips satisfied +their hunger and they had waffles for dessert. Their small change went +quickly, and then the two men were at their wit's end to know what +further to do. +</p> + +<p> +By this time, out on the floating farm, the mother and children were +wild with fear of starving. All the food for the cattle had been eaten +up, the dog had no meat, the cat no milk, and the stork had run out of +its supply of frogs. There was no sugar or coffee, and neither rye nor +currant-bread, or sliced sausage or wafer-thin cheese for any one; but +only potatoes and some barley grain. Happily, however, in drifting +within sight of the village of Osterbeek, the mother and the children +noticed that the east wind was freshening. Soon they descried the tops +of the church towers of North Holland. The smell of cows and cheese and +of burning peat fires from the chimneys made both animals and human +beings happy, as the wind blew the island westward to the village. +</p> + +<p> +Curiously enough, this was the very place at which, by hard rowing, Ryer +and Pete had also arrived. Father and son were sitting in the hotel +parlor, with their eyes down on the sandy floor, wondering how they were +to pay for their next sandwich and coffee, for their money was all gone. +</p> + +<p> +At that moment, a small boy clattered over the bricks in his klomps. He +kicked these off, at the door, and rushed into the room. He had on his +yellow baggy trousers and his hair, of the same color, was cut level +with his ears. Half out of breath, he announced the coming, afloat, of +what looked like a combination of farm and menagerie. A house, a woman, +some girls, a dog, a cat, and a stork were on it and afloat. +</p> + +<p> +At once, old man Ryer, still stiff from his long, cold bath, hobbled +out, and Pete ran before him. Yes, it was mother, the children and all +the animals! For the first time in his life, the mean old sinner felt +his heart thumping, in grateful emotion, under his woolen jacket, with +its two gold buttons. Something like real religion had finally oozed out +from under his crusted soul. +</p> + +<p> +A whole convoy of boys, fishermen, farmers, and a fat vrouw or two, +volunteered to go out and tow the runaway farm to the village wharf. +They succeeded in grappling the float and held it fast by ropes tied to +a horse post. +</p> + +<p> +That night all were happy. The farm was made fast by another rope put +round the town pump. Then the villagers all went to bed. They were happy +in having rescued a runaway farm, and they expected a good "loon" +(reward) from the rich old Ryer, who, in the barroom, had talked big +about his wealth. +</p> + +<p> +As for the Van Boompjes, in order to save a landlord's bill for beds, +they slept in their house, on board the farm, amid the lowing of their +cattle that called out, in their own way, for more fodder; while the +people in the village wondered at roosters crowing out on the water, and +evidently the barn-yard birds were frightened. +</p> + +<p> +And so they were; for, before midnight, when all other creatures were +asleep, and not even a mouse was stirring on land, whether hard fast, or +floating, the west wind rose mightily and blew to a terrific gale. +</p> + +<p> +In a moment, the tow lines, that held the vagrant farm to the village +pump and horse post, snapped. The Van Boompjes estate left the wharf and +was driven, at a furious rate, across the Zuyder Zee. For several hours, +like a ship under full sail, it was pushed westward by the wind. Yet so +soundly did all sleep, man and wife, children and hens, that none +awakened during this strange voyage. Even the roosters, after their +first concert, held in their voices. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly, and as straight as if steered by a skilled pilot, the Van +Boompjes farm, now an accomplished traveller, after its many adventures, +shot into its old place. This took place with such violence, that Ryer +Van Boompjes and his wife were both thrown out of bed. The cows were +knocked over in the stable. The dog barked, supposing some one had +kicked him. One old rooster, jostled off his perch, set up a tremendous +crowing, that brought some of the early risers out to rub their eyes and +see what was going on. +</p> + +<p> +"Hemel en aard, bliksem en regen" (Heaven and earth, lightning and +rain), they cried, "the old farm is back in its place." +</p> + +<p> +In fact, the Van Boompjes real estate was snugly fitted once more to the +mainland, and again in the niche it had left. It had struck so hard, +that a ridge of raised sod, five inches high, marked the place of +junction. At least twenty fishes and wriggling eels were smashed in the +collision. +</p> + +<p> +From that day forth the conscience of Van Boompjes returned, and he +actually became an honest man. He sawed off, from time to time, portions +of his big farm, and returned them home, with money paid as interest, to +the owners. He found out all the mynheers, whose bits of land had +drifted off. He sent a tidy sum of gold to the village in North Holland, +where his farm had been moored, for a few hours. With a good conscience, +he went to church and worshipped. His action, at each of the two +collections, which Dutch folks always take up on Sundays, was noticed +and praised as a sure and public sign of the old sinner's true +repentance. When the deacons, with their white gloves on, poked under +his nose their black velvet bags, hung at the end of fishing poles, ten +feet long, this man, who had been for years a skinflint, dropped in a +silver coin each time. +</p> + +<p> +On the farm, all the animals, from duck to stork, and from dog to ox, +now led happier lives. In the family, all declared that the behavior of +the farm and the wind of the Zuyder Zee had combined to make a new man +and a delightful father of old Van Boompjes. He lived long and happily +and died greatly lamented. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="xvi">SANTA KLAAS AND BLACK PETE</a></h2> + +<p> +Who is Santa Klaas? How did he get his name? Where does he live? Did you +ever see him? +</p> + +<p> +These are questions, often asked of the storyteller, by little folks. +</p> + +<p> +Before Santa Klaas came into the Netherlands, that is, to Belgium and +Holland, he was called by many names, in the different countries in +which he lived, and where he visited. Some people say he was born in +Myra, many hundred years ago before the Dutch had a dyke or a windmill, +or waffles, or wooden shoes. Others tell us how, in time of famine, the +good saint found the bodies of three little boys, pickled in a tub, at a +market for sale, and to be eaten up. They had been salted down to keep +till sold. The kind gentleman and saint, whose name was Nicholas, +restored these three children to life. It is said that once he lost his +temper, and struck with his fist a gentleman named Arius; but the +story-teller does not believe this, for he thinks it is a fib, made up +long afterward. How could a saint lose his temper so? +</p> + +<p> +Another story they tell of this same Nicholas was this. There were three +lovely maidens, whose father had lost all his money. They wanted +husbands very badly, but had no money to buy fine clothes to get married +in. He took pity on both their future husbands and themselves. So he +came to the window, and left three bags of gold, one after the other. +Thus these three real girls all got real husbands, just as the novels +tell us of the imaginary ones. They lived happily ever afterward, and +never scolded their husbands. +</p> + +<p> +By and by, men who were goldsmiths, bankers or pawnbrokers, made a sign +of these three bags of gold, in the shape of balls. Now they hang them +over their shop doors, two above one. This means "two to one, you will +never get it again"--when you put your ring, furs, or clothes, or watch, +or spoons, in pawn. +</p> + +<p> +It is ridiculous how many stories they do tell of this good man, +Nicholas, who was said to be what they call a bishop, or inspector, who +goes around seeing that things are done properly in the churches. It was +because the Reverend Mr. Nicholas had to travel about a good deal, that +the sailors and travellers built temples and churches in his honor. To +travel, one must have a ship on the sea and a horse on the land, or a +reindeer up in the cold north; though now, it is said, he comes to +Holland in a steamship, and uses an automobile. +</p> + +<p> +On Santa Klaas eve, each of the Dutch children sets out in the chimney +his wooden shoe. Into it, he puts a whisp of hay, to feed the +traveller's horse. When St. Nicholas first came to Holland, he arrived +in a sailing ship from Spain and rode on a horse. Now he arrives in a +big steamer, made of steel. Perhaps he will come in the future by +aeroplane. To fill all the shoes and stockings, the good saint must have +an animal to ride. Now the fast white horse, named Sleipnir, was ready +for him, and on Sleipnir's back he made his journeys. +</p> + +<p> +How was Santa Klaas dressed? +</p> + +<p> +His clothes were those of a bishop. He wore a red coat and his cap, +higher than a turban and called a mitre, was split along two sides and +pointed at the top. In his hands, he held a crozier, which was a staff +borrowed from shepherds, who tended sheep; and with the crozier he +helped the lambs over rough places; but the crozier of Santa Klaas was +tipped with gold. He had white hair and rosy cheeks. For an old man, he +was very active, but his heart and feelings never got to be one day +older than a boy's, for these began when mother love was born and +father's care was first in the world, but it never grows old. +</p> + +<p> +When Santa Klaas travelled up north to Norway and into the icy cold +regions, where there were sleighs and reindeer, he changed his clothes. +Instead of his red robe, he wears a jacket, much shorter and trimmed +with ermine, white as snow. Taking off his mitre, he wears a cap of fur +also, and has laid aside his crozier. In the snow, wheels are no good, +and runners are the best for swift travel. So, instead of his white +horse and a wagon, he drives in a sleigh, drawn by two stags with large +horns. In every country, he puts into the children's stockings hung up, +or shoes set in the fireplace, something which they like. In Greenland, +for example, he gives the little folks seal blubber, and fish hooks. So +his presents are not the same in every country. However, for naughty +boys and girls everywhere, instead of filling shoes and stockings, he +may leave a switch, or pass them by empty. +</p> + +<p> +When Santa Klaas travels, he always brings back good things. Now when he +first came to New Netherland in America, what did he find to take back +to Holland? +</p> + +<p> +Well, it was here, on our continent, that he found corn, potatoes, +pumpkins, maple sugar, and something to put in pipes to smoke; besides +strange birds and animals, such as turkeys and raccoons, in addition to +many new flowers. What may be called a weed, like the mullein, for +example, is considered very pretty in Europe, where they did not have +such things. There it is called the American Velvet Plant, or the King's +Candlestick. +</p> + +<p> +But, better than all, Santa Klaas found a negro boy, Pete, who became +one of the most faithful of his helpers. At Utrecht, in Holland, the +students of the University give, every year, a pageant representing +Santa Klaas on his white horse, with Black Pete, who is always on hand +and very busy. Black Pete's father brought peanuts from Africa to +America, and sometimes Santa Klaas drops a bagful of these, as a great +curiosity, into the shoes of the Dutch young folks. +</p> + +<p> +Santa Klaas was kept very busy visiting the homes and the public schools +in New Netherland; for in these schools all the children, girls as well +as boys, and not boys only, received a free education. In later visits +he heard of Captain Kidd and his fellow pirates, who wore striped shirts +and red caps, and had pigtails of hair, tied in eel skins, and hanging +down their backs. These fellows wore earrings and stuck pistols in their +belts and daggers at their sides. Instead of getting their gold +honestly, and giving it to the poor, or making presents to the children, +the pirates robbed ships. Then, as 'twas said, they buried their +treasure. Lunatics and boys that read too many novels, have ever since +been digging in the land to find Captain Kidd's gold. +</p> + +<p> +Santa Klaas does not like such people. Moreover, he was just as good to +the poor slaves, as to white children. So the colored people loved the +good saint also. Their pickaninnies always hung up their stockings on +the evening of December sixth. +</p> + +<p> +Santa Klaas filled the souls of the people in New Netherland so full of +his own spirit, that now children all over the United States, and those +of Americans living in other countries, hang up their stockings and look +for a visit from him. +</p> + +<p> +In Holland, Black Pete was very loyal and true to his master, carrying +not only the boxes and bundles of presents for the good children, but +also the switches for bad boys and girls. Between the piles of pretty +things to surprise good children, on one side, and the boxes of birch +and rattan, the straps and hard hair-brush backs for naughty youngsters, +Pete holds the horn of plenty. In this are dolls, boats, trumpets, +drums, balls, toy houses, flags, the animals in Noah's Ark, building +blocks, toy castles and battleships, story and picture books, little +locomotives, cars, trains, automobiles, aeroplanes, rocking horses, +windmills, besides cookies, candies, marbles, tops, fans, lace, and more +nice things than one can count. +</p> + +<p> +Pete also takes care of the horse of Santa Klaas, named Sleipnir, which +goes so fast that, in our day, the torpedo and submarine U-boats are +named after him. This wonderful animal used to have eight feet, for +swiftness. That was when Woden rode him, but, in course of time, four of +his legs dropped off, so that the horse of Santa Klaas looks less like a +centipede and more like other horses. Whenever Santa Klaas walks, Pete +has to go on foot also, even though the chests full of presents for the +children are very heavy and Pete has to carry them. +</p> + +<p> +Santa Klaas cares nothing about rich girls or poor girls, for all the +kinds of boys he knows about or thinks of are good boys and bad boys. A +youngster caught stealing jam out of the closet, or cookies from the +kitchen, or girls lifting lumps of sugar out of the sugar bowl, or +eating too much fudge, or that are mean, stingy, selfish, or have bad +tempers, are considered naughty and more worthy of the switch than of +presents. So are the boys who attend Sunday School for a few weeks +before Christmas, and then do not come any more till next December. +These Santa Klaas turns over to Pete, to be well thrashed. +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/0183.png"><img src="images/0183th.png" alt="Santa Klaas and Black Pete."></a> +</p> + +<p> +In Holland, Pete still keeps on the old dress of the time of New +Netherland. He wears a short jacket, with wide striped trousers, in +several bright colors, shoes strapped on his feet, a red cap and a ruff +around his neck. Sometimes he catches bad boys, to put them in a bag for +a half hour, to scare them; or, he shuts them up in a dark closet, or +sends them to bed without any supper. Or, instead of allowing them +eleven buckwheat cakes at breakfast, he makes them stop at five. When +Santa Klaas leaves Holland to go back to Spain, or elsewhere, Pete takes +care of the nag Sleipnir, and hides himself until Santa Klaas comes +again next year. +</p> + +<p> +The story-teller knows where Santa Klaas lives, but he won't tell. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="xvii">THE GOBLINS TURNED TO STONE</a></h2> + +<p> +When the cow came to Holland, the Dutch folks had more and better things +to eat. Fields of wheat and rye took the place of forests. Instead of +acorns and the meat of wild game, they now enjoyed milk and bread. The +youngsters made pets of the calves and all the family lived under one +roof. The cows had a happy time of it, because they were kept so clean, +fed well, milked regularly, and cared for in winter. +</p> + +<p> +By and by the Dutch learned to make cheese and began to eat it every +day. They liked it, whether it was raw, cooked, toasted, sliced, or in +chunks, or served with other good things. Even the foxes and wild +creatures were very fond of the smell and taste of toasted cheese. They +came at night close to the houses, often stealing the cheese out of the +pantry. When a fox would not, or could not, be caught in a trap by any +other bait, a bit of cooked cheese would allure him so that he was +caught and his fur made use of. +</p> + +<p> +When the people could not get meat, or fish, they had toasted bread and +cheese, which in Dutch is "geroostered brod met kaas." Then they +laughed, and named the new dish after whatever they pretended it was. It +was just the same, as when they called goodies, made out of flour and +sugar, "nuts," "fingers," "calves" and "lambs." Even grown folks love to +play and pretend things like children. +</p> + +<p> +Soon, it became the fashion to have cheese parties. Men and women would +sit around the fire, by the hour, nibbling the toast that had melted +cheese poured over it. But after they had gone to bed, some of them +dreamed. +</p> + +<p> +Now some dreams may be pleasant, but cheese-dreams were not usually of +this sort. The dreamer thought that a big she-horse had climbed upon the +bed and sat down upon his stomach. Once there, the beast grinned +hideously, snored, and pressed its hoofs down on the sleeper's breast, +so that he could not breathe or speak. The feeling was a horrible one; +but, just when the dreamer expected to choke, he seemed to jump off some +high place, and come down somewhere, very far off. Then the animal ran +away and the terrible dream was over. +</p> + +<p> +This was called a nightmare, or in Dutch a "nacht merrie." "Nacht" means +night, and "merrie" a filly or a mare. In the dream, it was not a small +or a young horse, but always a big mare that squatted down on a man's +stomach. +</p> + +<p> +In those days, instead of seeking for the trouble inside, or asking +whether there was any connection between nightmares and too hearty +eating of cheese, the Dutch fathers laid it all on the goblins. +</p> + +<p> +The goblins, or sooty elves, that used to live in Holland, were ugly, +short fellows, very smart, quick in action and able to travel far in a +second. They were first cousins to the kabouters. They had big heads, +green eyes and split feet, like cows. They were so ugly, that they were +ordered to live under ground and never come out during the day. If they +did, they would be turned to stone. +</p> + +<p> +The goblins had a bad reputation for mischief. They liked to have fun +with human beings. They would listen to the conversation of people and +then mock them by repeating the last word. That is the reason why echoes +were called "week klank," or dwarf's talk. +</p> + +<p> +Because these goblins were short, they envied men their greater stature +and wanted to grow to the height of human beings. As they were not able +of themselves to do this, they often sneaked into a house and snatched a +child out of the cradle. In place of the stolen baby, one of their own +wizened children was laid. That was the reason why many a poor little +baby, that grew puny and thin, was called a "wiseel-kind," or +changeling. When the sick baby could not get well, and medicine or care +seemed to do no good, the mother thought that the goblins had taken away +her own child. +</p> + +<p> +It was only the female goblins that would change themselves into night +mares and sit on the body of the dreamer. They usually came in through a +hole or a crack; but if that person in the house could plug up the hole, +or stop the crack, he could conquer the female goblin, and do what he +pleased with her. If a man wanted to, he could make her his wife. So +long as the hole was kept stopped up, by which the goblin entered, she +made a good wife. If this crack was left open, or if the plug dropped +out of the hole, the she-goblin was off and could never be found again. +</p> + +<p> +The ruler of the goblins lived beneath the earth, as the king of the +underworld. His palace was made of gold and glittered with gems. He had +riches more than men could count. All the goblins and kabouters, who +worked in the mines and at the forges and anvils, making swords, spears, +bells, or jewels, obeyed him. +</p> + +<p> +The most wonderful things about these dwarfs was the way in which they +made themselves invisible, so that men were able to see neither the +night mares nor the male goblins, while at their mischief. This was a +little red cap which every goblin possessed, and which he was careful +never to lose. The red cap acted like a snuffer on a candle, to put it +out, and while under it, no goblin could be seen by mortal eyes. +</p> + +<p> +Now it happened that one night, as a dear old lady lay dying on her bed, +a middle-sized goblin, with his red cap on, came in through a crack into +the room, and stood at the foot of her bed. Just for mischief and to +frighten her by making himself visible, he took off his red cap. +</p> + +<p> +When the old lady saw the imp, she cried out loudly: +</p> + +<p> +"Go way, go way. Don't you know I belong to my Lord?" +</p> + +<p> +But the goblin dwarf only laughed at her, with his green eyes. +</p> + +<p> +Calling her daughter Alida, the old lady whispered in her ear: +</p> + +<p> +"Bring me my wooden shoes." +</p> + +<p> +Rising up in her bed, the old lady hurled the heavy klomps, one after +the other, at the goblin's head. At this, he started to get out through +the crack, and away, but before his body was half out, Alida snatched +his red cap away. Then she stuck a needle in his cloven foot that made +him howl with pain. Alida looked at the crack through which he escaped +and found it quite sooty. +</p> + +<p> +Twirling the little red cap around on her forefinger, a brilliant +thought struck her. She went and told the men her plan, and they agreed +to it. This was to gather hundreds of farmers and townfolk, boys and men +together, on the next moonlight night, and round up all the goblins in +Drenthe. By pulling off their caps, and holding them till the sun rose, +when they would be petrified, the whole brood could be exterminated. +</p> + +<p> +So, knowing that the goblin would come the next night, to steal back his +red cap, she left a note outside the crack, telling him to bring several +hundred goblins to the great moor, or veldt. There, at a certain hour +near midnight, he would find the red cap on a bush. With his companions, +he could celebrate the return of the cap. In exchange for this, she +asked the goblin to bring her a gold necklace. +</p> + +<p> +The moonlight night came round and hundreds of the men of Drenthe +gathered together. They were armed with horseshoes, and with witch-hazel +and other plants, which are like poison to the sooty elves. They had +also bits of parchment covered with runes, a strange kind of writing, +and various charms which are supposed to be harmful to goblins. It was +agreed to move together in a circle towards the centre, where the lady +Alida was to hang the red cap upon a bush. Then, with a rush, the men +were to snatch off all the goblins' caps, pulling and grabbing, whether +they could see, or even feel anything, or not. +</p> + +<p> +The placing of the red cap upon the bush in the centre, by the lady +Alida, was the signal. +</p> + +<p> +So, when the great round-up narrowed to a small space, the men began to +grab, snatch and pull. Putting their hands out in the air, at the height +of about a yard from the ground, they hustled and pushed hard. In a few +minutes, hundreds of red caps were in their hands, and as many goblins +became visible. They were, indeed, an ugly host. +</p> + +<p> +Yet hundreds of other goblins escaped, with their caps on, and were +still invisible. As they broke away in groups, however, they were seen, +for in each bunch was one or more visible fellow, because he was +capless. So the men divided into squads, to chase the imps a long +distance, even to many distant places. It was a most curious night +battle. Here could be seen groups of men in a tussle with the goblins, +many more of which, but by no means all, were made capless and visible. +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/0193.png"><img src="images/0193th.png" alt="AT THE FIRST LEVEL RAY THE GOBLINS WERE ALL TURNED TO STONE"></a> +</p> + +<p> +The racket kept up till the sky in the east was gray. Had all the +goblins run away, it would have been well with them. Hundreds of them +did, but the others were so anxious to help their fellows, or to get +back their own caps, fearing the disgrace of returning head bare to +their king, and getting a good scolding, that the sun suddenly rose on +them, before they knew it was day. +</p> + +<p> +At the first level ray, the goblins were all turned to stone. +</p> + +<p> +The treeless, desolate land, which, a moment before, was full of +struggling goblins and men, became as quiet as the blue sky above. +Nothing but some rounded rocks or stones, in groups, marked the spot +where the bloodless battle of imps and men had been fought. +</p> + +<p> +There, these stones, big and little, lie to this day. Among the +buckwheat, and the potato blossoms of the summer, under the shadows and +clouds, and whispering breezes of autumn, or covered with the snows of +winter, they are seen on desolate heaths. Over some of them, oak trees, +centuries old, have grown. Others are near, or among, the farmers' grain +fields, or, not far from houses and barn-yards. The cows wander among +them, knowing nothing of their past. And the goblins come no more. +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="xviii">THE MOULDY PENNY</a></h2> + +<p> +"Gold makes a woman penny-white," said the Dutch, in the days when +fairies were plentiful and often in their thoughts. What did the proverb +mean? Who ever saw a white penny? +</p> + +<p> +Well, that was long ago, when pennies were white, because they were then +made of silver. Each one was worth a denary, which was a coin worth +about a shilling, or a quarter of a dollar. +</p> + +<p> +As the Dutch had pounds, shillings and pence, before the English had +them, we see what <i>d</i> in the signs Ł s. d. means, that is, a +denary, or a white penny, made of silver. +</p> + +<p> +In the old days, before the Dutch had houses with glass windows or +clothes of cloth or linen, or hats or shoes, cows and horses, or butter +and cheese, they knew nothing of money and they cared less. Almost +everything, even the land, was owned in common by all. Their wants were +few. Whenever they needed anything from other countries they swapped or +bartered. In this way they traded salt for furs, or fish for iron. But +when they met with, or had to fight, another tribe that was stronger or +richer, or knew more than they did, they required other things, which +the forests and waters could not furnish. So, by and by, pedlars and +merchants came up from the south. They brought new and strange articles, +such as mirrors, jewelry, clothes, and pretty things, which the girls +and women wanted and had begged their daddies and husbands to get for +them. For the men, they brought iron tools and better weapons, improved +traps, to catch wild beasts, and wagons, with wheels that had spokes. +When regular trade began, it became necessary to have money of some +kind. +</p> + +<p> +Then coins of gold, silver, and copper were seen in the towns and +villages, and even in the woods and on the heaths of Holland. Yet there +was a good deal that was strange and mysterious about these round, +shining bits of metal, called money. +</p> + +<p> +"Money. What is money?" asked many a proud warrior disdainfully. +</p> + +<p> +Then the wise men explained to the fighting men, that money was named +after Juno Moneta, a goddess in Rome. She told men that no one would +ever want for money who was honest and just. Then, by and by, the mint +was in her temple and money was coined there. Then, later, in Holland, +the word meant money, but many people, who wanted to get rich quickly, +worshipped her. In time, however, the word "gold" meant money in +general. +</p> + +<p> +When a great ruler, named Charlemagne, conquered or made treaties with +our ancestors, he allowed them to have mints and to coin money. Then, +again, it seemed wonderful how the pedlars and the goldsmiths and the +men called Lombards--strange long-bearded men from the south, who came +among the Dutch--grew rich faster than the work people. They seemed to +amass gold simply by handling money. +</p> + +<p> +When a man who knew what a silver penny would do, made a present of one +to his wife, her face lighted up with joy. So in time, the word "penny +white," meant the smiling face of a happy woman. Yet it was also noticed +that the more people had, the more they wanted. The girls and boys +quickly found that money would buy what the pedlars brought. In the +towns, shops sprang up, in which were many curious things, which tempted +people to buy. +</p> + +<p> +Some tried to spend their money and keep it too--to eat their cake and +have it also--but they soon found that they could not do this. There +were still many foolish, as well as wise people, in the land, even +during the new time of money. A few saved their coins and were happy in +giving some to the poor and needy. Many fathers had what was called a +"sparpot," or home savings bank, and taught their children the right use +of money. It began to be the custom for people to have family names, so +that a girl was not merely the daughter of so-and-so, nor a boy the son +of a certain father. In the selection of names, those which had the word +"penny" in them proved to be very popular. To keep a coin in the little +home bank, without spending it, long enough for it to gather mould, +which it did easily in the damp climate of Holland, that is, to darken +and get a crust on it, was considered a great virtue in the owner. This +showed that the owner had a strong mind and power of self-control. So +the name "Schimmelpennig," or "mouldy penny," became honorable, because +such people were wise and often kind and good. They did not waste their +money, but made good use of it. +</p> + +<p> +On the other hand, were some mean and stingy folks, who liked to hear +the coins jingle. Instead of wisely spending their cash, or trading with +it, they hoarded their coins; that is, they hid them away in a stocking, +or a purse, or in a jar, or a cracked cooking pot, that couldn't be +used. Often they put it away somewhere in the chimney, behind a loose +brick. Then, at night, when no one was looking, these miserly folks +counted, rubbed, jingled, and gloated over the shining coins and never +helped anybody. So there grew up three sorts of people, called the +thrifty, the spendthrifts, and the misers. These last were the meanest +and most disliked of all. Others, again, hid their money away, so as to +have some, when sick, or old, and they talked about it. No one found +fault with these, though some laughed and said "a penny in the savings +jar makes more noise than when it is full of gold." Even when folks got +married they were exhorted by the minister to save money, "so as to have +something to give to the poor." +</p> + +<p> +Now when the fairies, that work down underground, heard that the Dutch +had learned the use of money, and had even built a mint to stamp the +metal, they held a feast to talk over what they should do to help or +harm. In any event, they wanted to have some fun with the mortals above +ground. +</p> + +<p> +That has always been the way with kabouters. They are in for fun, first, +last, and always. So, with punches and hammers, they made counterfeit +money. Then, in league with the elves, they began also to delude misers +and make them believe that much money makes men happy. +</p> + +<p> +A long time after the mint had been built, two kabouters met to talk +over their adventures. +</p> + +<p> +"It is wonderful what fools these creatures called men are," said the +first one. "There's old Vrek. He has been hoarding coins for the last +fifty years. Now, he has a pile of gold in guilders and stivers, but +there's hardly anything of his old self left. His soul is as small as a +shrimp. I whispered to him not to let out his money in trade, but to +keep it shut up. His strong box is full to bursting, but what went into +the chest has oozed out of the man. He died, last night, and hardly +anybody considers him worth burying. Some one on the street to-day asked +what Vrek had left behind. The answer was 'Nothing--he took it all with +him, for he had so little to take.'" +</p> + +<p> +"That's jolly," said the older kabouter, who was a wicked looking +fellow. "I'll get some fun out of this. To shrivel up souls will be my +business henceforth. There's nothing like this newfangled business of +getting money, that will do it so surely." +</p> + +<p> +So this ugly old imp went "snooping" around, as the Dutch say, about +people who sneak and dodge in and out of places, to which they ought not +to go, and in houses where they should not be found. This imp's purpose +was to make men crazy on the subject of making money, when they tried, +as many of them did, to get rich quickly in mean ways. Sorry to tell, +the imp found a good many promising specimens to work upon, at his +business of making some wise men foolish. He taught them to take out of +their souls what they hoarded away. To such fellows, when they became +misers, he gave the name of "Schim," which means a shadow. It was +believed by some people that such shrivelled up wretches had no bowels. +</p> + +<p> +Soon after this, a great meeting of kabouters was held, in the dark +realms below ground. Each one told what he had been doing on the earth. +After the little imps had reported, the chief kabouter, when his turn +came, cried out: +</p> + +<p> +"I shall tell of three brothers, and what each one did with the first +silver penny he earned." +</p> + +<p> +"Go on," they all cried. +</p> + +<p> +"I've caught one schim young. He married a wife only last year, but he +won't give her one gulden a year to dress on. He skimps the table, pares +the cheese till the rind is as thin as paper, and makes her live on skim +milk and barley. Besides this, he won't help the poor with a stiver. I +saw him put away a bright and shining silver penny, fresh from the mint. +He hid coin and pocketbook in the bricks of a chimney. So I climbed down +from the roof, seized both and ran away. I smeared the purse with wax +and hid it in the thick rib of a boat, by the wharf. There the penny +will gather mould enough. Ha! Ha! Ha!" +</p> + +<p> +At this, the little imps broke out into a titter that sounded like the +cackle of a hen trying to tell she had laid an egg. +</p> + +<p> +"Good for you! Serves the old schim right," said a good kabouter, who +loved to help human beings. "Now, I'll tell you about his brother, who +has a wife and baby. He feeds and clothes them well, and takes good care +of his old mother. +</p> + +<p> +"Almost every week he helps some poor little boy, or girl, that has no +mother or father. I heard him say he wished he could take care of poor +orphans. So, when he was asleep, at night, I whispered in his ear and +made him dream. +</p> + +<p> +"'Put away your coin where it won't get mouldy and show that a penny +that keeps moving is not like a rolling stone that gathers no moss. +Deliver it to the goldsmiths for interest and leave it in your will to +increase, until it becomes a great sum. Then, long after you are dead, +the money you have saved and left for the poor <i>weesies</i> (orphans) +will build a house for them. It will furnish food and beds and pay for +nurses that will care for them, and good women who will be like mothers. +Other folks, seeing what you have done, will build orphan houses. Then +we shall have a Wees House (orphan asylum) in every town. No child, +without a father or mother, in all Holland, will have to cry for milk or +bread. Don't let your penny mould.' +</p> + +<p> +"The third brother, named Spill-penny, woke up on the same morning, with +a headache. He remembered that he had spent his silver penny at the gin +house, buying drinks for a lot of worthless fellows like himself. He and +his wife, with little to eat, had to wear ragged clothes, and the baby +had not one toy to play with. When his wife gently chided him, he ran +out of the house in bad humor. Going to the tap room, he ordered a drink +of what we call 'Dutch courage,' that is, a glass of gin, and drank it +down. Then what do you think he did?" +</p> + +<p> +"Tell us," cried the imps uproariously. +</p> + +<p> +"He went into a clothing house, bought a suit of clothes, and had it +'charged.'" +</p> + +<p> +"That's it. I've known others like him," said an old imp. +</p> + +<p> +"Now it was kermiss day in the village, and all that afternoon and +evening this spendthrift was roystering with his fellow 'zuip zaks' +(boon companions). With them, it was 'always drunk, always dry.' Near +midnight, being too full of gin, he stumbled in the gutter, struck his +head on the curb, and fell down senseless. +</p> + +<p> +"Her husband not coming home that night, the distracted wife went out +early in the morning. She found several men lying asleep on the +sidewalks or in the gutters. She turned each one over, just as she did +buckwheat cakes on the griddle, to see if this man or that was hers. At +last she discovered her worthless husband, but no shaking or pulling +could awake him. He was dead. +</p> + +<p> +"Now there was a covetous undertaker in town, who carted away the +corpse, and then told the widow that she must spend much money on the +funeral, in order to have her husband buried properly; or else, the +tongues of the neighbors would wag. So the poor woman had to sell her +cow, the only thing she had, and was left poorer than ever. That was the +end of Spill-penny." +</p> + +<p> +"A jolly story," cried the kabouters in chorus. "Served him right. Now +tell us about Vrek the miser. Go on." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, the saying 'Much coin, much care,' is hardly true of him, for I +and my trusty helpers ran away with all he had. With his first silver +penny he began to hoard his money. He has been hunting for years for +that penny, but has not found it. It will be rather mouldy, should he +find it, but that he never will." +</p> + +<p> +"Why not?" asked a young imp. +</p> + +<p> +"For a good reason. He would not pay his boatmen their wages. So they +struck, and refused to work. When he tried to sail his own boat, it +toppled over and sunk, and Vrek was drowned. His wife was saved the +expenses of a funeral, for his carcass was never found, and the covetous +undertaker lost a job." +</p> + +<p> +"What of the third one?" they asked. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, Mynheer Eerlyk, you mean? No harm can come to him. Everybody loves +him and he cares for the orphans. There will be no mouldy penny in his +house." +</p> + +<p> +Then the meeting broke up. The good kabouters were happy. The bad ones, +the imps, were sorry to miss what they hoped would be a jolly story. +</p> + +<p> +When a thousand years passed away and the age of newspapers and copper +pennies had come, there were no descendants of the two brothers +Spill-penny and Schim; but of Mynheer Eerlyk there were as many as the +years that had flown since he made a will. In this document, he ordered +that his money, in guilders of gold and pennies of silver, should remain +at compound interest for four hundred years. In time, the ever +increasing sum passed from the goldsmiths to the bankers, and kept on +growing enormously. At last this large fortune was spent in building +hundreds of homes for orphans. +</p> + +<p> +According to his wish, each girl in the asylum dressed in clothes that +were of the colors on the city arms. In Amsterdam, for example, each +orphan child's frock is half red and half black, with white aprons, and +the linen and lace caps are very neat and becoming to their rosy faces. +In Friesland, where golden hair and apple blossom cheeks are so often +seen with the white lace and linen, some one has called the orphan girls +"Apples of gold in pictures of silver." Among the many glories of the +Netherlands is her care for the aged and the orphans. +</p> + +<p> +One of the thirty generations of the Eerlyks read one day in the +newspaper: +</p> + +<p> +"Last week, while digging a very deep canal, some workman struck his +pickaxe against timbers that were black with age, and nearly as hard as +stone. These, on being brought up, showed that they were the ribs of an +ancient boat. Learned men say that there was once a river here, which +long since dried up. All the pieces of the boat were recovered, and, +under the skilful hands of our ship carpenters, have been put together +and the whole vessel is now set up and on view in our museum." +</p> + +<p> +"We'll go down to-morrow on our way home from school, and see the +curiosity," cried one of the Eerlyk boys, clapping his hands. +</p> + +<p> +"Wait," said his father, "there's more in the story. +</p> + +<p> +"To-day, the janitor of the museum, while examining a wide crack in one +of the ribs, which was covered with wax, picked this substance away. He +poked his finger in the crack, and finding something soft, pulled it +out. It was a rough leather purse, inside of which was a coin, mouldy +with age and dark as the wood. Even after cleaning it with acid, it was +hard to read what was stamped on it; but, strange to say, the face of +the coin had left its impression on the leather, which had been covered +with wax. From this, though the metal of the coin was black, and the +mould thick on the coin, what they saw showed that it was a silver penny +of the age of Charlemagne, or the ninth century." +</p> + +<p> +"Charlemagne is French, father, but we call him Karel de Groot, or +Charles the Great." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, my son. Don't you hear Karel's Klok (the curfew) sounding? 'Tis +time for little folks to go to bed." +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="xix">THE GOLDEN HELMET</a></h2> + +<p> +For centuries, more than can be counted on the fingers of both hands, +the maidens and mothers of Friesland have worn a helmet of gold covering +the crown and back of their heads, and with golden rosettes at each ear. +It marks the Frisian girl or woman. She is thus known by this head-dress +as belonging to a glorious country, that has never been conquered and is +proudly called Free Frisia. It is a relic of the age of gold, when this +precious metal was used in a thousand forms, not seen to-day. +</p> + +<p> +Of how and why the golden helmet is worn, this is the story: +</p> + +<p> +In days gone by, when forests covered the land and bears and wolves were +plentiful, there were no churches in Friesland. The people were pagans +and all worshipped Woden, whom the Frisians called Fos-i-te'. Certain +trees were sacred to him. When a baby was ill, or grown people had a +disease, which medicine could not help, they laid the sick one at the +foot of the holy tree, hoping for health soon to come. But, should the +patient die under the tree, then the sorrowful friends were made glad, +if the leaves of the tree fell upon the corpse. It was death to any +person who touched the sacred tree with an axe, or made kindling wood, +even of its branches. +</p> + +<p> +Now among the wild people of the north, who ate acorns and were clothed +in the skins of animals, there came, from the Christian lands of the +south, a singer with his harp. Invited to the royal court, he sang sweet +songs. To these the king's daughter listened with delight, until the +tears, first of sorrow and then of joy, rolled down her lovely cheeks. +</p> + +<p> +This maiden was the pride of her father, because of her sweet temper and +willing spirit, while all the people boasted of her beauty. Her eyes +were of the color of a sky without clouds. No spring flower could equal +the pink and rose in her cheeks. Her lips were like the red coral, which +the ship men brought from distant shores. Her long tresses rivalled gold +in their glory. And, because her father worshipped Fos-i-té', the god of +justice, and his daughter was always so fair to all her playmates, he, +in his pride of her, gave her the name Fos-te-dí'-na, that is, the +darling of Fos-i-té', or the Lady of Justice. +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/0211.png"><img src="images/0211th.png" alt="WHICH WAS THE MORE GLORIOUS, HER LONG TRESSES OR THE +SHINING CROWN ABOVE."></a> +</p> + +<p> +The singer from the south sang a new song, and when he played upon his +harp his music was apt to be soft and low; sometimes sad, even, and +often appealing. It was so much finer, and oh! so different, from what +the glee men and harpers in the king's court usually rendered for the +listening warriors. Instead of being about fighting and battle, or the +hunting of wolves and bears, of stags and the aurochs, it was of healing +the sick and helping the weak. In place of battles and the exploits of +war lords, in fighting and killing Danes, the harper's whole story was +of other things and about gentle people. He sang neither of war, nor of +the chase, nor of fighting gods, nor of the storm maidens, that carry up +to the sky, and into the hall of Woden, the souls of the slain on the +battlefield. + +The singer sang of the loving Father in Heaven, who sent his dear Son to +earth to live and die, that men might be saved. He made music with voice +and instrument about love, and hope, and kindness to the sick and poor, +of charity to widows and to orphans, and about the delights of doing +good. He closed by telling the story of the crown of thorns, how wicked +men nailed this good prophet to a cross, and how, when tender-hearted +women wept, the Holy Teacher told them not to weep for him, but for +themselves and their children. This mighty lord of noble thoughts and +words lived what he taught. He showed greatness in the hour of death, by +first remembering his mother, and then by forgiving his enemies. +</p> + +<p> +"What! forgive an enemy? Forgive even the Danes? What horrible doctrine +do we hear!" cried the men of war. "Let us kill this singer from the +south." And they beat their swords on their metal shields, till the +clangor was deafening. The great hall rang with echoes of the din, as if +for battle. The Druids, or pagan priests, even more angry, applauded the +action of the fighting men. +</p> + +<p> +But Fos-te-dí-na rushed forward to shield the harper, and her long +golden hair covered him. +</p> + +<p> +"No!" said the king to his warriors. "This man is my guest. I invited +him and he shall be safe here." +</p> + +<p> +Sullen and bitter in their hearts, both priests and war men left the +hall, breathing out revenge and feeling bound to kill the singer. Soon +all were quiet in slumber, for the hour was late. +</p> + +<p> +Why were the pagan followers of the king so angry with the singer? +</p> + +<p> +The answer to this question is a story in itself. +</p> + +<p> +Only three days before, a party of Christian Danes had been taken +prisoners in the forest. They had come, peaceably and without arms, into +the country; for they wanted to tell the Frisians about the new +religion, which they had themselves received. In the cold night air, +they had, unwittingly, cut off some of the dead branches of a tree +sacred to the god Fos-i-té to kindle a fire. +</p> + +<p> +A spy, who had closely watched them, ran and told his chief. Now, the +Christian Danes were prisoners and would be given to the hungry wolves +to be torn to pieces. That was the law concerning sacrilege against the +trees of the gods. +</p> + +<p> +Some of the Frisians had been to Rome, the Eternal City, and had there +learned, from the cruel Romans, how to build great enclosures, not of +stone but of wood. Here, on holidays, they gave their prisoners of war +to the wild beasts, for the amusement of thousands of the people. The +Frisians could get no lions or tigers, for these fierce brutes live in +hot countries; but they sent hundreds of hunters into the woods for many +miles around. These bold fellows drove the deer, bears, wolves, and the +aurochs within an ever narrowing circle towards the pits. Into these, +dug deep in the ground and covered with branches and leaves, the animals +fell down and were hauled out with ropes. The deer were kept for their +meat, but the bears and wolves were shut up, in pens, facing the great +enclosure. When maddened with hunger, these ravenous beasts of prey were +to be let loose on the Christian Danes. Several aurochs, made furious by +being goaded with pointed sticks, or pricked by spears, were to rush out +and trample the poor victims to death. +</p> + +<p> +The heart of the beautiful Fos-te-dí-na, who had heard the songs of the +singer of faith in the one God and love for his creatures, was deeply +touched. She resolved to set the captives free. Being a king's daughter, +she was brave as a man. So, at midnight, calling a trusty maid-servant, +she, with a horn lantern, went out secretly to the prison pen. She +unbolted the door, and, in the name of their God and hers, she bade the +prisoners return to their native land. +</p> + +<p> +How the wolves in their pen did roar, when, on the night breeze, they +sniffed the presence of a newcomer! They hoped for food, but got none. +</p> + +<p> +The next morning, when the crowd assembled, but found that they were to +be cheated of their bloody sport, they raged and howled. Coming to the +king, they demanded his daughter's punishment. The pagan priests +declared that the gods had been insulted, and that their anger would +fall on the whole tribe, because of the injury done to their sacred +tree. The hunters swore they would invade the Danes' land and burn all +their churches. +</p> + +<p> +Fos-te-dí-na was summoned before the council of the priests, who were to +decide on the punishment due her. Being a king's daughter, they could +not put her to death by throwing her to the wolves. +</p> + +<p> +Even as the white-bearded high priest spoke, the beautiful girl heard +the fierce creatures howling, until her blood curdled, but she was brave +and would not recant. +</p> + +<p> +In vain they threatened the maiden, and invoked the wrath of the gods +upon her. Bravely she declared that she would suffer, as her Lord did, +rather than deny him. +</p> + +<p> +"So be it," cried the high priest. "Your own words are your sentence. +You shall wear a crown of thorns." +</p> + +<p> +Fos-te-di'-na was dismissed. Then the old men sat long, in brooding over +what should be done. They feared the gods, but were afraid, also, to +provoke their ruler to wrath. They finally decided that the maiden's +life should be spared, but that for a whole day, from sunrise to sunset, +she should stand in the market-place, with a crown of sharp thorns +pressed down hard upon her head. The crowd should be allowed to revile +her for being a Christian and none be punished; but no vile language was +to be allowed, or stones or sticks were to be thrown at her. +</p> + +<p> +Fos-te-di'-na refused to beg for mercy and bravely faced the ordeal. She +dressed herself in white garments, made from the does and fawns--free +creatures of the forest--and unbound her golden tresses. Then she walked +with a firm step to the centre of the market-place. +</p> + +<p> +"Bring the thorn-crown for the blasphemer of Fos-i-té," cried the high +priest. +</p> + +<p> +This given to him, the king's daughter kneeled, and the angry old man, +his eyes blazing like fire, pressed the sharp thorns slowly, down and +hard, upon the maiden's brow. Quickly the red blood trickled down over +her golden hair and face. Then in long, narrow lines of red, the drops +fell, until the crimson stains were seen over the back, front, and sides +of her white garments. +</p> + +<p> +But without wincing, the brave girl stood up, and all day long, while +the crowd howled, in honor of their gods, and rough fellows jeered at +her, Fos-te-dí-na was silent and patient, like her Great Example. +Inwardly, she prayed the Father of all to pardon and forgive. There were +not a few who pitied the bleeding maiden wearing the cruel crown, that +drew the blood that stained her shining hair and once white clothing. +</p> + +<p> +Years passed by and a great change came over land and people. The very +scars on Fos-te-dí-na's forehead softened the hearts of the people. +Thousands of them heard the words of the good missionaries. Churches +arose, on which was seen the shining cross. Idols were abolished and the +trees, once sacred to the old gods, were cut down. Meadows, rich with +cows, smiled where wolves had roamed. The changes, even in ten years, +were like those in a fairy tale. Best of all, a Christian prince from +the south, grandson of Charlemagne, fell in love with Fos-te-dí-na, now +queen of the country. He sought her hand, and won her heart, and the +date for the marriage was fixed. It was a great day for Free Frisia. The +wedding was to be in a new church, built on the very spot where +Fos-te-dí-na had stood, in pain and sorrow, when the crown of thorns was +pressed upon her brow. +</p> + +<p> +On that morning, a bevy of pretty maidens, all dressed in white, came in +procession to the palace. One of them bore in her hands a golden crown, +with plates coming down over the forehead and temples. It was made in +such a way that, like a helmet, it completely covered and concealed the +scars of the sovereign lady. So Fos-te-dí-na was married, with the +golden helmet on her head. "But which," asked some, "was the more +glorious, her long tresses, floating down her back, or the shining crown +above it?" Few could be sure in making answer. +</p> + +<p> +Instead of a choir singing hymns, the harper, who had once played in the +king's hall, now an older man, had been summoned, with his harp, to sing +in solo. In joyous spirits, he rendered into the sweet Frisian tongue, +two tributes in song to the crowned and glorified Lord of all. +</p> + +<p> +One praised the young guest at the wedding at Cana, Friend of man, who +turned water into wine; the other, "The Great Captain of our Salvation," +who, in full manly strength, suffered, thorn-crowned, for us all. +</p> + +<p> +Then the solemn silence, that followed the song, was broken by the +bride's coming out of the church. Though by herself alone, without +adornment, Fos-te-dí-na was a vision of beauty. Her head-covering looked +so pretty, and the golden helmet was so becoming, that other maidens, +also, when betrothed, wished to wear it. It became the fashion-for +Christian brides, on their wedding days, to put on this glorified crown +of thorns. +</p> + +<p> +All the jewelers approved of the new bridal head-dress, and in time this +golden ornament was worn in Friesland every day. Thus it has come to +pass that the Frisian helmet, which is the glorified crown of thorns, +is, in one form or another, worn even in our day. When Fos-te-dí-na's +first child, a boy, was born, the happy parents named him William, which +is only another word for Gild Helm. Out from this northern region, and +into all the seventeen provinces of the Netherlands, the custom spread. +In one way or another, one can discern, in the headdresses or costumes +of the Dutch and Flemish women, the relics of ancient history. +</p> + +<p> +When Her Majesty, the Dutch Queen, visits the Frisians, in the old land +of the north, which her fathers held so dear, she, out of compliment to +Free Frisia, wears the ancient costume, surmounted by the golden helm. +Those who know the origin of the name Wilhelmina read in it the true +meaning, which is, +</p> + +<p> +"The Sovereign Lady of the Golden Helm." +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="xx">WHEN WHEAT WORKED WOE</a></h2> + +<p> +Many a day has the story-teller wandered along the dykes, which overlook +the Zuyder Zee. Once there were fertile fields, and scores of towns, +where water now covers all. Then fleets of ships sailed on the bosom of +Lake Flevo, and in the river which ran into the sea. Bright and +beautiful cities dotted the shores, and church bells chimed merrily for +the bridal, or tolled in sympathy for the sorrowing. Many were the +festal days, because of the wealth, which the ships brought from lands +near and far. +</p> + +<p> +But to-day the waters roll over the spot and "The Dead Cities of the +Zuyder Zee" are a proverb. Yet all are not dead, in one and the same +sense. Some lie far down under the waves, their very names forgotten, +because of the ocean's flood, which in one night, centuries ago, rushed +in to destroy. Others languished, because wealth came no longer in the +ships, and the seaports dried up. And one, because of a foolish woman, +instead of holding thousands of homes and people, is to-day only a +village nestling behind the dykes. It holds a few hundred people and +only a fragment of land remains of its once great area. +</p> + +<p> +In the distant ages of ice and gravel, when the long and high glaciers +of Norway poked their cold noses into Friesland, Stavoren held the +shrine of Stavo, the storm-god. The people were very poor, but many +pilgrims came to worship at Stavo's altars. After the new religion came +into the land, wealth increased, because the ships traded with the warm +lands in the south. A great city sprang up, to which the counts of +Holland granted a charter, with privileges second to none. It was +written that Stavoren should have "the same freedom which a free city +enjoys from this side of the mountains (the Alps) to the sea." +</p> + +<p> +Then there came an age of gold in Stavoren. People were so rich, that +the bolts and hinges and the keys and locks of their doors were made of +this precious yellow metal. In some of the houses, the parlor floor was +paved with ducats from Spain. +</p> + +<p> +Now in this city lived a married couple, whose wealth came from the +ships. The man, a merchant, was a simple hearted and honest fellow, who +worked hard and was easily pleased. +</p> + +<p> +But his wife was discontented, always peevish and never satisfied with +anything. Even her neighbors grew tired of her whining and complaints. +They declared that on her tombstone should be carved these words: +</p> + +<p> +"<i>She wanted something else</i>" +</p> + +<p> +Now on every voyage, made by the many ships he owned, the merchant +charged his captains to bring home something rare and fine, as a present +to his wife. Some pretty carving or picture, a roll of silk for a dress, +a lace collar, a bit of splendid tapestry, a shining jewel; or, it may +be, a singing bird, a strange animal for a pet, a barrel of fruit, or a +box of sweetmeats was sure to be brought. With such gifts, whether large +or small, the husband hoped to please his wife. +</p> + +<p> +But in this good purpose, he could never succeed. So he began to think +that it was his own fault. Being only a man, he could not tell what a +woman wanted. So he resolved to try his own wits and tastes, to see if +he could meet his wife's desires. +</p> + +<p> +One day, when one of his best captains was about to sail on a voyage to +the northeast, to Dantzig, which is almost as far as Russia, he inquired +of his bad-tempered vrouw what he should bring her. +</p> + +<p> +"I want the best thing in the world," said she. "Now this time, do bring +it to me." +</p> + +<p> +The merchant was now very happy. He told the captain to seek out and +bring back what he himself might think was the best thing on earth; but +to make sure, he must buy a cargo of wheat. +</p> + +<p> +The skipper went on board, hoisted anchor and set sail. Using his man's +wits, he also decided that wheat, which makes bread, was the very thing +to be desired. In talking to his mates and sailors, they agreed with +him. Thus, all the men, in this matter, were of one mind, and the +captain dreamed only of jolly times when on shore. On other voyages, +when he had hunted around for curiosities to please the wife of the +boss, he had many and anxious thoughts; but now, he was care-free. +</p> + +<p> +In Dantzig, all the ship's men had a good time, for the captain made +"goed koop" (a fine bargain). Then the vessel, richly loaded with grain, +turned its prow homeward. Arriving at Stavoren, the skipper reported to +the merchant, to tell him of much money made, of a sound cargo obtained, +of safe arrival, and, above all, plenty of what would please his wife; +for what on earth could be more valuable than wheat, which makes bread, +the staff of life? +</p> + +<p> +At lunch time, when the merchant came home, his wife wanted to know what +made him look so joyful. Had he made "goed koop" that day? +</p> + +<p> +Usually, at meal time, this quiet man hardly spoke two words an hour. To +tell the truth, he sometimes irritated his wife because of his silence, +but to-day he was voluble. +</p> + +<p> +The man of wealth answered, "I have a joyful surprise for you. I cannot +tell you now. You must come with me and see." +</p> + +<p> +After lunch, he took his wife on board the ship, giving a wink of his +eye to the skipper, who nodded to the sailors, and then the stout +fellows opened the hatches. There, loaded to the very deck, was the +precious grain. The merchant looked up, expecting to see and hear his +wife clap her hands with joy. +</p> + +<p> +But the greedy woman turned her back on him, and flew into a rage. +</p> + +<p> +"Throw it all overboard, into the water," she screamed. "You wretch, you +have deceived me." +</p> + +<p> +The husband tried to calm her and explain that it was his thought to get +wheat, as the world's best gift, hoping thus to please her. +</p> + +<p> +At that moment, some hungry beggars standing on the wharf, heard the +lady's loud voice, and falling on their knees cried to her: +</p> + +<p> +"Please, madame, give us some of this wheat; we are starving." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, lady, and there are many poor in Stavoren, in spite of all its +gold," said the captain. "Why not divide this wheat among the needy, if +you are greatly disappointed? You will win praise for yourself. In the +name of God, forgive my boldness, and do as I ask. Then, on the next +voyage, I shall sail as far as China and will get you anything you ask!" +</p> + +<p> +But the angry woman would listen to no one. She stayed on the ship, +urging on the sailors, with their shovels, until every kernel was cast +overboard. +</p> + +<p> +"Never again will I try to please you," said her husband. "The hungry +will curse you, and you may yet suffer for food, because of this wilful +waste, which will make woful want. Even you will suffer." +</p> + +<p> +She listened at first in silence, and then put her fingers in her ears +to hear no more. Proud of her riches, with her voice in a high key, she +shouted, "I ever want? What folly to say so! I am too rich." Then, to +show her contempt for such words, she slipped off a ring from her finger +and threw it into the waters of the harbor. Her husband almost died of +grief and shame, when he saw that it was her wedding ring, which she had +cast overboard. +</p> + +<p> +"Hear you all! When that ring comes back to me, I shall be hungry and +not before," said she, loud enough to be heard on ship, wharf, and +street. Gathering up her skirts, she stepped upon the gangway, tripping +to the shore, and past the poor people, who looked at her in mingled +hate and fear. Then haughtily, she strode to her costly mansion. +</p> + +<p> +Now to celebrate the expected new triumph and to show off her wealth and +luxury, with the numerous curiosities brought her from many lands, the +proud lady had already invited a score of guests. When they were all +seated, the first course of soup was served in silver dishes, which +every one admired. As the fish was about to be brought in, to be eaten +off golden plates, the butler begged the lady's permission to bring in +first, from the chief cook, something rare and wonderful, that he had +found in the mouth of the fish, which was waiting, already garnished, on +the big dish. Not dreaming what it might be, the hostess clapped her +hands in glee, saying to those at the table: +</p> + +<p> +"Perhaps now, at last, I shall get what I have long waited for--the best +thing in the world." +</p> + +<p> +"We shall all hope so," the guests responded in chorus. +</p> + +<p> +But when the chief cook came into the banquet hall, and, bowing low, +held before his mistress a golden salver, with a finger ring on it, the +proud lady turned pale. +</p> + +<p> +It was the very ring which, in her anger, she had tossed overboard the +day before. To add to her shame, she saw from the look of horror on +their faces, that the guests had recognized the fact that it was her +wedding token. +</p> + +<p> +This was only the beginning of troubles. That night, her husband died of +grief and vexation. The next day, the warehouses, stored with valuable +merchandise of all sorts, were burned to the ground. +</p> + +<p> +Before her husband had been decently buried, a great tempest blew down +from the north, and news came that four of his ships had been wrecked. +Their sailors hardly escaped with their lives, and both they and their +families in Stavoren were now clamoring for bread. +</p> + +<p> +Even when she put on her weeds of grief, these did not protect the widow +from her late husband's creditors. She had to sell her house and all +that was in it, to satisfy them and pay her debts. She had even to pawn +her ring to the Lombards, the goldsmiths of the town, to buy money for +bread. +</p> + +<p> +Now that she was poor, none of the former rich folks, who had come to +her grand dinners, would look at her. She had even to beg her bread on +the streets; for who wanted to help the woman who wasted wheat? She was +glad to go to the cow stalls, and eat what the cattle left. Before the +year ended, she was found dead in a stable, in rags and starvation. Thus +her miserable life ended. Without a funeral, but borne on a bier, by two +men, she was buried at the expense of the city, in the potter's field. +</p> + +<p> +But even this was not the end of the fruits of her wickedness, for the +evil she did lived after her. It was found that, from some mysterious +cause, a sand bar was forming in the river. This prevented the ships +from coming up to the docks. With its trade stopped, the city grew +poorer every day. What was the matter? +</p> + +<p> +By and by, at low tide, some fishermen saw a green field under the +surface of the harbor. It was not a garden of seaweed, for instead of +leaves whirling with the tide, there were stalks that stood up high. The +wheat had sprouted and taken root. In another month the tops of these +stalks were visible above the water. But in such soil as sand, the wheat +had reverted to its wild state. It was good for nothing, but only did +harm. +</p> + +<p> +For, while producing no grain for food, it held together the sand, which +rolled down the river and had come all the way from the Alps to the +ocean. Of old, this went out to sea and kept the harbor scoured clean, +so that the ships came clear up to the wharves. Then, on many a morning, +a wealthy merchant, whose house was close to the docks, looked out of +his window to find the prows, of his richly laden ships, poked almost +into his bedroom, and he liked it. Venturesome boys even climbed from +their cots down the bowsprits, on to the deck of their fathers' vessels. +Of such sons, the fathers were proud, knowing that they would make brave +sailors and navigate spice ships from the Indies. It was because of her +brave mariners, that Stavoren had gained her glory and greatness, being +famed in all the land. +</p> + +<p> +But now, within so short a time, the city's renown and wealth had faded +like a dream. By degrees, the population diminished, commerce became a +memory, and ships a curiosity. The people, that were left, had to eat +rye and barley bread, instead of wheat. Floods ruined the farmers and +washed away large parts of the town, so that dykes had to be built to +save what was left. +</p> + +<p> +More terrible than all, the ocean waves rolled in and wiped out cities, +towns, and farms, sinking churches, convents, monasteries, warehouses, +wharves, and docks, in one common ruin, hidden far down below. +</p> + +<p> +To this day the worthless wheat patch, that spoiled Stavoren, is called +"Vrouwen Zand," or the Lady's Sand. Instead of being the staff of life, +as Nature intended, the wheat, because of a power of evil greater than +that of a thousand wicked fairies, became the menace of death to ruin a +rich city. +</p> + +<p> +No wonder the Dutch have a proverb, which might be thus translated: +</p> + +<p class="ind"> + "Peevishness perverts wheat into weeds<br> + But a sweet temper turns a field into gold." +<br> +<br> +<br> +</p> + +<h2><a name="xxi">WHY THE STORK LOVES HOLLAND</a></h2> + +<p> +Above all countries in Europe, this bird, wise in the head and long in +the legs, loves Holland. Flying all the way from Africa, the stork is at +home among dykes and windmills. +</p> + +<p> +Storks are seen by the thousands in Holland and Friesland. Sometimes +they strut in the streets, not in the least frightened or disturbed. +They make their nests among the tiles and chimneys, on the red roofs of +the houses, and they rear their young even on the church towers. +</p> + +<p> +If a man sets an old cart wheel flat on a tree-top, the storks accept +this, as an invitation to come and stay. At once they proceed, first of +all, to arrange their toilet, after their long flight. They do this, +even before they build their nest. You can see them, by the hour, +preening their feathers and combing their plumage, with their long +bills. Then, as solemnly as a boss mason, they set about gathering +sticks and hay for their house. They never seem to be in a hurry. +</p> + +<p> +A stork lays on a bit of wood, and then goes at his toilet again, +looking around to see that other folks are busy. Year after year, a pair +of storks will use the same nest, rebuilding, or repairing it, each +spring time. The stork is a steady citizen and does not like to change. +Once treated well in one place, by the landlord, Mr. and Mrs. Stork keep +the same apartments and watch over the family cradle inside the house, +to see that it is always occupied by a baby. The return of the stork is, +in Holland, a household celebration. +</p> + +<p> +Out in the fields, Mr. Stork is happy indeed, for Holland is the +paradise of frogs; so the gentleman of the red legs finds plenty to eat. +He takes his time for going to dinner, and rarely rushes for quick +lunch. After business hours in the morning, he lays his long beak among +his thick breast feathers, until it is quite hidden. Then, perched up in +the air on one long leg, like a stilt, he takes a nap, often for hours. +</p> + +<p> +With the other leg crossed, he seems to be resting on the figure four +(4). +</p> + +<p> +Towards evening he shakes out his wings, flaps them once or twice, and +takes a walk, but he is never in haste. Beginning his hunt, he soon has +enough frogs, mice, grubs, worms or insects to make a good meal. It is +because this bird feels so much at home, in town and country, making +part of the landscape, that we so associate together Holland and the +stork, as we usually do. +</p> + +<p> +The Dutch proverb pictures the scene, which is so common. "In the same +field, the cow eats grass; the grayhound hunts the hare; and the stork +helps himself to the frogs." Indeed, if it were not for the stork, +Holland would, like old Egypt, in the time of Moses, be overrun with +frogs. +</p> + +<p> +The Dutch call the stork by the sweet name "Ooijevaar," or the +treasure-bringer. Every spring time, the boys and girls, fathers and +mothers, shout welcome to the white bird from Egypt. +</p> + +<p> +"What do you bring me?" is their question or thought. +</p> + +<p> +If the bird deserts its old home on their roof, the family is in grief, +thinking it has lost its luck; but if Daddy Stork, with Mrs. Stork's +approval, chooses a new place for their nest, there is more rejoicing in +that house, than if money had been found. "Where there are nestlings on +the roof, there will be babies in the house," is what the Dutch say; for +both are welcome. +</p> + +<p> +To tell why the stork loves Holland, we must go back to the Africa of a +million years ago. Then, we shall ask the Dutch fairies how they +succeeded in making the new land, in the west, so popular in the stork +world. For what reason did the wise birds emigrate to the cold country a +thousand miles away? They were so regular and punctual, that a great +prophet wrote: +</p> + +<p> +"Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times." +</p> + +<p> +Ages ago, there were camels and caravans in Africa, but there was no +Holland, for the land was still under the waves. In India, also, the +stork was an old bird, that waded in the pools and kept the frogs from +croaking in terms of the multiplication table. Sometimes the stork +population increased too fast and some went hungry for food; for, the +proverb tells us that a stork "died while waiting for the ocean to dry, +hoping to get a supply of dried fish." +</p> + +<p> +When on the coast of the North Sea, the Land of a Million Islands was +made, the frog emigrants were there first. They poured in so fast, that +it seemed a question as to who should own the country-frogs or men. Some +were very big, as if ambitious to be bulls. They croaked so loud, that +they drowned out the fairy music, and made the night hideous with their +noises. The snakes spoiled the country for the little birds, while the +toads seemed to think that the salt ocean had been kept out, and the +land made, especially for them. +</p> + +<p> +The Dutch fairies were disgusted at the way these reptiles behaved, for +they could not enjoy themselves, as in the old days. If they went to +dance in the meadow, on moonlight nights, they always found a big +bullfrog sitting in their ring, mocking them with its bellowing. So when +they heard about the storks in Africa, and what hearty appetites they +had, for the various wrigglers, crawlers, jumpers and splashers in the +waters, they resolved to invite them, in a body, to Holland. +</p> + +<p> +The Dutch fairies knew nothing of the habits of the bird and scarcely +imagined how such a creature might look, but they heard many pleasant +things about the stork's good character. The wise bird had an excellent +reputation, not only for being kind to its young, but also for attending +to the wants of its parents, when they were old. It was even said that +in some countries the stork was the symbol for filial piety. +</p> + +<p> +So the fairies of all the Netherlands despatched a delegation to Egypt +and a congress of storks was called to consider this invitation to go +west. Messengers were at once sent to all the red-legged birds, among +the bulrushes of the Nile, or that lived on the roofs of the temples, or +that perched on the pyramids, or dwelt on the top of old columns, or +that stood in rows along the eaves of the town houses. The town birds +gained their living by acting as street cleaners, but the river birds +made their meals chiefly on fish, frogs, and mice. +</p> + +<p> +The invitation was discussed in stork meeting, and it was unanimously +accepted; except by some old grannies and grandpops that feared in the +strange land they would not be well fed. On a second motion, it was +agreed that only the strongest birds should attempt the flight. Those +afraid, or too weak to go, must stay behind and attend to the old folks. +Such a rattle of mandibles was never heard in Egypt before, as when this +stork meeting adjourned. +</p> + +<p> +Now when storks travel, they go in flocks. Thousands of them left Egypt +together. High in the air, with their broad wings spread and their long +legs stretched out behind them, they covered Europe in a few hours. Then +they scattered all over the marshy lands of the new country. It was +agreed that each pair was to find its own home. When the cold autumn +should come, they were to assemble again for flight to Egypt. +</p> + +<p> +It was a new sight for the fairies, the frogs and the men, to look over +the landscape and see these snow white strangers. They were so pretty to +look at, while promenading over the meadows, wading in the ponds and +ditches, or standing silently by the river banks. Soon, however, these +foreign birds were very unpopular in bullfrog land, and as for the +snakes, they thought that Holland would be ruined by these hungry +strangers. On the other hand, it was good news, in fairy-land, that all +fairies could dance safely on their meadow rings, for the bullfrogs were +now afraid to venture in the grass, lest they should be gobbled up, for +the frogs could not hide from the storks. The new birds could poke their +big bills so far into the mud-holes, that no frog, or snake, big or +little, was safe. The stork's red legs were so long, and the birds could +wade in such deep water, that hundreds of frogs were soon eaten up, and +there were many widows and orphans in the ponds and puddles. +</p> + +<p> +When the fairies got more acquainted with their new guests, and saw how +they behaved, they nearly died of laughing. They were not surprised at +their diet, or eating habits, but they soon discovered that the storks +were not song birds. Instead of having voices, they seemed to talk to +each other by clattering their long jaws, or snapping their mandibles +together. Their snowy plumage--all being white but their wing +feathers--was admired, was envied, and their long bright colored legs +were a wonder. At first the fairies thought their guests wore red +stockings and they thought how heavy must be the laundry work on wash +days; for in Holland, everything must be clean. +</p> + +<p> +Of all creatures on earth, as the fairies thought, the funniest was seen +when Mr. Stork was in love. To attract and please his lady love, he made +the most grotesque gestures. He would leap up from the ground and move +with a hop, skip, and jump. Then he spread out his wings, as if to hug +his beloved. Then he danced around her, as if he were filled with wine. +All the time he made the best music he knew how, by clattering his +mandibles together. He intended this performance for a sort of love +ditty, or serenade. The whole program was more amusing than anything +that an ape, goat, or donkey could get up. How the fairies did laugh! +</p> + +<p> +Yet the fairies were very grateful to the storks for ridding their +meadows of so much vermin. How these delicate looking, snow white and +graceful creatures could put so many snails, snakes, tadpoles, and toads +into their stomachs and turn them into snow white feathers, wonderful +wings and long legs, as red as a rose, was a mystery to them. It seemed +more wonderful than anything which they could do, but as fairies have no +stomachs and do not eat, this whole matter of digestion was a mystery to +them. +</p> + +<p> +Besides the terror and gloom in the frog world, every reptile winced and +squirmed, when he heard of this new enemy. All crawlers, creepers, and +jumpers had so long imagined that the land was theirs and had been made +solely for their benefit! Nor did they know how to conquer the storks. +The frog daddies could do nothing, and the frog mothers were every +moment afraid to let either the tadpoles or froggies go out of their +sight. They worried lest they should see their babies caught up in a +pair of long, bony jaws, as sharp as scissors, there to wriggle and +crow, until their darlings disappeared within the monster. +</p> + +<p> +One anecdote of the many that were long told in the old Dutch frog ponds +was this: showing into what clangers curiosity may lead youngsters. We +put it in quotation marks to show that it was told as a true story, and +not printed in a book, or made up. +</p> + +<p> +"A tadpole often teased its froggy mother to let it go and see a red +pole, of which it had heard from a traveller. Mrs. Frog would not at +first let her son go, but promised that as soon as the tadpole lost his +tail, and his flippers had turned into fore legs, and his hind quarters +had properly sprouted, so that he could hop out of danger, he might then +venture on his travels. She warned him, however, not to go too near to +that curious red pole, of which he had heard. Nobody as yet found out +just what this red thing, standing in the water, was; but danger was +suspected by old heads, and all little froggies were warned to be +careful and keep away. In reality, the red stick was the leg of a stork, +sound asleep, for it was taking its usual afternoon nap. The frogs on +the bank, and those in the pool that held their noses above water, to +get their breath, had never before seen anything like this red stilt, or +its cross pole; for no bird of this sort had ever before flown into +their neighborhood. They never suspected that it was a stork, with its +legs shaped like the figure four (4). Indeed, they knew nothing of its +long bill, that could open and shut like a trap, catching a frog or +snake, and swallowing it in a moment. +</p> + +<p> +"Unfortunately for this uneducated young frog, that had never travelled +from home, it now went too near the red pole, and, to show how brave it +was, rubbed its nose against the queer thing. Suddenly the horrible +creature, that had only been asleep, woke up and snapped its jaws. In a +moment, a wriggling froggy disappeared from sight into the stomach of a +monster, that had two red legs, instead of one. At the sight of such +gluttony, there was an awful splash, for a whole row of frogs had jumped +from the bank into the pool. After this, it was evident that Holland was +not to belong entirely to the frogs." +</p> + +<p> +As for the human beings, they were so happy over the war with the vermin +and the victory of the storks, that they made this bird their pride and +joy. They heaped honors upon the stork as the savior of their country. +They placed boxes on the roofs of their houses for these birds to nest +in. All the old cart wheels in the land were hunted up. They sawed off +the willow trees a few feet above the ground, and set the wheels in +flat, which the storks used as their parlors and dressing rooms. +</p> + +<p> +As for the knights, they placed the figure of the stork on their +shields, banners, and coats of arms, while citizens made this bird +prominent on their city seals. The capital of the country, The Hague, +was dedicated to this bird, and, for all time, a pond was dug within the +city limits, where storks were fed and cared for at the public expense. +Even to-day, many a good story, illustrating the tender affection of The +Hague storks for their young, is told and enjoyed as an example to Dutch +mothers to be the best in the world. +</p> + +<p> +Out in the country at large, in any of the eleven provinces, whenever +they drained a swamp, or pumped out a pond to make a village, it was not +looked upon as a part of Holland, unless there were storks. Even in the +new wild places they planted stakes on the pumped out dry land, called +polders. On the top of these sticks were laid as invitations for the +stork families to come and live with the people. Along the roads they +stuck posts for storks' nests. It became a custom with farmers, when the +storks came back, to kill the fatted calf, or lamb, and leave the refuse +meat out in the fields for a feast to these bird visitors. A score of +Dutch proverbs exist, all of them complimentary to the bird that loves +babies and cradles. +</p> + +<p> +Last of all, the Dutch children, even in the reign of Queen Wilhelmina, +made letter carriers of their friends the treasure-bringers. Tying tiny +slips of paper to their red legs, they sent messages, in autumn, to the +boys and girls in the old land of the sphinx and pyramids, of Moses, and +the children of Israel. In the spring time, the children's return +messages were received in the country which bids eternal welcome to the +bird named the Bringer of Blessings. +</p> + +<p> +This is why the storks love Holland. +</p> + +<p class="ctr"> +<b>HET EINDE</b> +</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks, by +William Elliot Griffis + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUTCH FAIRY TALES FOR YOUNG FOLKS *** + +***** This file should be named 7871-h.htm or 7871-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/7/8/7/7871/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Tonya Allen and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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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: Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks + +Author: William Elliot Griffis + +Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7871] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 28, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUTCH FAIRY TALES FOR YOUNG FOLKS *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Tonya Allen +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + +[Illustration: Flying out of the sky they came bringing cheeses] + + + +DUTCH FAIRY TALES FOR + +YOUNG FOLKS + +By + +WILLIAM ELLIOT GRIFFIS + +_Author of "The Firefly's Lovers," "The Unmannerly Tiger," "Brave +Little Holland," "Bonnie Scotland," etc._ + + + + +CONTENTS + + +THE ENTANGLED MERMAID + +THE BOY WHO WANTED MORE CHEESE + +THE PRINCESS WITH TWENTY PETTICOATS + +THE CAT AND THE CRADLE + +PRINCE SPIN HEAD AND MISS SNOW WHITE + +THE BOAR WITH THE GOLDEN BRISTLES + +THE ICE KING AND HIS WONDERFUL GRANDCHILD + +THE ELVES AND THEIR ANTICS + +THE KABOUTERS AND THE BELLS + +THE WOMAN WITH THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SIX CHILDREN + +THE ONI ON HIS TRAVELS + +THE LEGEND OF THE WOODEN SHOE + +THE CURLY-TAILED LION + +BRABO AND THE GIANT + +THE FARM THAT RAN AWAY AND CAME BACK + +SANTA KLAAS AND BLACK PETE + +THE GOBLINS TURNED TO STONE + +THE MOULDY PENNY + +THE GOLDEN HELMET + +WHEN WHEAT WORKED WOE + +WHY THE STORK LOVES HOLLAND + + + + + +THE ENTANGLED MERMAID + + +Long ago, in Dutch Fairy Land, there lived a young mermaid who was very +proud of her good looks. She was one of a family of mere or lake folks +dwelling not far from the sea. Her home was a great pool of water that +was half salt and half fresh, for it lay around an island near the mouth +of a river. Part of the day, when the sea tides were out, she splashed +and played, dived and swam in the soft water of the inland current. When +the ocean heaved and the salt water rushed in, the mermaid floated and +frolicked and paddled to her heart's content. Her father was a +gray-bearded merryman and very proud of his handsome daughter. He owned +an island near the river mouth, where the young mermaids held their +picnics and parties and received the visits of young merrymen. + +Her mother and two aunts were merwomen. All of these were sober folks +and attended to the business which occupies all well brought up mermaids +and merrymen. This was to keep their pool clean and nice. No frogs, +toads or eels were allowed near, but in the work of daily housecleaning, +the storks and the mermaids were great friends. + +All water-creatures that were not thought to be polite and well behaved +were expected to keep away. Even some silly birds, such as loons and +plovers and all screaming and fighting creatures with wings, were warned +off the premises, because they were not wanted. This family of merry +folks liked to have a nice, quiet time by themselves, without any rude +folks on legs, or with wings or fins from the outside. Indeed they +wished to make their pool a model, for all respectable mermaids and +merrymen, for ten leagues around. It was very funny to see the old daddy +merman, with a switch made of reeds, shooing off the saucy birds, such +as the sandpipers and screeching gulls. For the bullfrogs, too big for +the storks to swallow, and for impudent fishes, he had a whip made of +seaweed. + +Of course, all the mermaids in good society were welcome, but young +mermen were allowed to call only once a month, during the week when the +moon was full. Then the evenings were usually clear, so that when the +party broke up, the mermen could see their way in the moonlight to swim +home safely with their mermaid friends. For, there were sea monsters +that loved to plague the merefolk, and even threatened to eat them up! +The mermaids, dear creatures, had to be escorted home, but they felt +safe, for their mermen brothers and daddies were so fierce that, except +sharks, even the larger fish, such as porpoises and dolphins were afraid +to come near them. + +One day daddy and the mother left to visit some relatives near the +island of Urk. They were to be gone several days. Meanwhile, their +daughter was to have a party, her aunts being the chaperones. + +The mermaids usually held their picnics on an island in the midst of the +pool. Here they would sit and sun themselves. They talked about the +fashions and the prettiest way to dress their hair. Each one had a +pocket mirror, but where they kept these, while swimming, no mortal ever +found out. They made wreaths of bright colored seaweed, orange and +black, blue, gray and red and wore them on their brows like coronets. +Or, they twined them, along with sea berries and bubble blossoms, among +their tresses. Sometimes they made girdles of the strongest and knotted +them around their waists. + +Every once in a while they chose a queen of beauty for their ruler. Then +each of the others pretended to be a princess. Their games and sports +often lasted all day and they were very happy. + +Swimming out in the salt water, the mermaids would go in quest of +pearls, coral, ambergris and other pretty things. These they would bring +to their queen, or with them richly adorn themselves. Thus the Mermaid +Queen and her maidens made a court of beauty that was famed wherever +mermaids and merrymen lived. They often talked about human maids. + +"How funny it must be to wear clothes," said one. + +"Are they cold that they have to keep warm?" It was a little chit of a +mermaid, whose flippers had hardly begun to grow into hands, that asked +this question. + +"How can they swim with petticoats on?" asked another. + +"My brother heard that real men wear wooden shoes! These must bother +them, when on the water, to have their feet floating," said a third, +whose name was Silver Scales. "What a pity they don't have flukes like +us," and then she looked at her own glistening scaly coat in admiration. + +"I can hardly believe it," said a mermaid, that was very proud of her +fine figure and slender waist. "Their girls can't be half as pretty as +we are." + +"Well, I should like to be a real woman for a while, just to try it, and +see how it feels to walk on legs," said another, rather demurely, as if +afraid the other mermaids might not like her remark. + +They didn't. Out sounded a lusty chorus, "No! No! Horrible! What an +idea! Who wouldn't be a mermaid?" + +"Why, I've heard," cried one, "that real women have to work, wash their +husband's clothes, milk cows, dig potatoes, scrub floors and take care +of calves. Who would be a woman? Not I"--and her snub nose--since it +could not turn up--grew wide at the roots. She was sneering at the idea +that a creature in petticoats could ever look lovelier than one in +shining scales. + +"Besides," said she, "think of their big noses, and I'm told, too, that +girls have even to wear hairpins." + +At this--the very thought that any one should have to bind up their +tresses--there was a shock of disgust with some, while others clapped +their hands, partly in envy and partly in glee. + +But the funniest things the mermaids heard of were gloves, and they +laughed heartily over such things as covers for the fingers. Just for +fun, one of the little mermaids used to draw some bag-like seaweed over +her hands, to see how such things looked. + +One day, while sunning themselves in the grass on the island, one of +their number found a bush on which foxgloves grew. Plucking these, she +covered each one of her fingers with a red flower. Then, flopping over +to the other girls, she held up her gloved hands. Half in fright and +half in envy, they heard her story. + +After listening, the party was about to break up, when suddenly a young +merman splashed into view. The tide was running out and the stream low, +so he had had hard work to get through the fresh water of the river and +to the island. His eyes dropped salt water, as if he were crying. He +looked tired, while puffing and blowing, and he could hardly get his +breath. The queen of the mermaids asked him what he meant by coming +among her maids at such an hour and in such condition. + +At this the bashful merman began to blubber. Some of the mergirls put +their hands over their mouths to hide their laughing, while they winked +at each other and their eyes showed how they enjoyed the fun. To have a +merman among them, at that hour, in broad daylight, and crying, was too +much for dignity. + +"Boo-hoo, boo-hoo," and the merman still wept salt water tears, as he +tried to catch his breath. At last, he talked sensibly. He warned the +Queen that a party of horrid men, in wooden shoes, with pickaxes, spades +and pumps, were coming to drain the swamp and pump out the pool. He had +heard that they would make the river a canal and build a dyke that +should keep out the ocean. + +"Alas! alas!" cried one mermaid, wringing her hands. "Where shall we go +when our pool is destroyed? We can't live in the ocean all the time." +Then she wept copiously. The salt water tears fell from her great round +eyes in big drops. + +"Hush!" cried the Queen. "I don't believe the merman's story. He only +tells it to frighten us. It's just like him." + +In fact, the Queen suspected that the merman's story was all a sham and +that he had come among her maids with a set purpose to run off with +Silver Scales. She was one of the prettiest mermaids in the company, but +very young, vain and frivolous. It was no secret that she and the merman +were in love and wanted to get married. + +So the Queen, without even thanking him, dismissed the swimming +messenger. After dinner, the company broke up and the Queen retired to +her cave to take a long nap! She was quite tired after entertaining so +much company. Besides, since daddy and mother were away, and there were +no beaus to entertain, since it was a dark night and no moon shining on +the water, why need she get up early in the morning? + +So the Mermaid Queen slept much longer than ever before. Indeed, it was +not till near sunset the next day that she awoke. Then, taking her comb +and mirror in hand, she started to swim and splash in the pool, in order +to smooth out her tresses and get ready for supper. + +But oh, what a change from the day before! What was the matter? All +around her things looked different. The water had fallen low and the +pool was nearly empty. The river, instead of flowing, was as quiet as a +pond. Horrors! when she swam forward, what should she see but a dyke and +fences! An army of horrid men had come, when she was asleep, and built a +dam. They had fenced round the swamp and were actually beginning to dig +sluices to drain the land. Some were at work, building a windmill to +help in pumping out the water. + +The first thing she knew she had bumped her pretty nose against the dam. +She thought at once of escaping over the logs and into the sea. When she +tried to clamber over the top and get through the fence, her hair got so +entangled between the bars that she had to throw away her comb and +mirror and try to untangle her tresses. The more she tried, the worse +became the tangle. Soon her long hair was all twisted up in the timber. +In vain were her struggles to escape. She was ready to die with fright, +when she saw four horrid men rush up to seize her. She attempted to +waddle away, but her long hair held her to the post and rails. Her +modesty was so dreadfully shocked that she fainted away. + +When she came to herself, she found she was in a big long tub. A crowd +of curious little girls and boys were looking at her, for she was on +show as a great curiosity. They were bound to see her and get their +money's worth in looking, for they had paid a stiver (two cents) +admission to the show. Again, before all these eyes, her modesty was so +shocked that she gave one groan, flopped over and died in the tub. + +Woe to the poor father and mother at Urk! They came back to find their +old home gone. Unable to get into it, they swam out to sea, never +stopping till they reached Spitzbergen. + +What became of the body of the Mermaid Queen? + +Learned men came from Leyden to examine what was now only a specimen, +and to see how mermaids were made up. Then her skin was stuffed, and +glass eyes put in, where her shining orbs had been. After this, her body +was stuffed and mounted in the museum, that is, set up above a glass +case and resting upon iron rods. Artists came to Leyden to make pictures +of her and no fewer than nine noblemen copied her pretty form and +features into their coats of arms. Instead of the Mermaid's Pool is now +a cheese farm of fifty cows, a fine house and barn, and a family of +pink-cheeked, yellow-haired children who walk and play in wooden shoes. + +So this particular mermaid, all because of her entanglement in the +fence, was more famous when stuffed than when living, while all her +young friends and older relatives were forgotten. + + + + +THE BOY WHO WANTED MORE CHEESE + + +Klaas Van Bommel was a Dutch boy, twelve years old, who lived where cows +were plentiful. He was over five feet high, weighed a hundred pounds, +and had rosy cheeks. His appetite was always good and his mother +declared his stomach had no bottom. His hair was of a color half-way +between a carrot and a sweet potato. It was as thick as reeds in a swamp +and was cut level, from under one ear to another. + +Klaas stood in a pair of timber shoes, that made an awful rattle when he +ran fast to catch a rabbit, or scuffed slowly along to school over the +brick road of his village. In summer Klaas was dressed in a rough, blue +linen blouse. In winter he wore woollen breeches as wide as coffee bags. +They were called bell trousers, and in shape were like a couple of +cow-bells turned upwards. These were buttoned on to a thick warm jacket. +Until he was five years old, Klaas was dressed like his sisters. Then, +on his birthday, he had boy's clothes, with two pockets in them, of +which he was proud enough. + +Klaas was a farmer's boy. He had rye bread and fresh milk for breakfast. +At dinner time, beside cheese and bread, he was given a plate heaped +with boiled potatoes. Into these he first plunged a fork and then dipped +each round, white ball into a bowl of hot melted butter. Very quickly +then did potato and butter disappear "down the red lane." At supper, he +had bread and skim milk, left after the cream had been taken off, with a +saucer, to make butter. Twice a week the children enjoyed a bowl of +bonnyclabber or curds, with a little brown sugar sprinkled on the top. +But at every meal there was cheese, usually in thin slices, which the +boy thought not thick enough. When Klaas went to bed he usually fell +asleep as soon as his shock of yellow hair touched the pillow. In summer +time he slept till the birds began to sing, at dawn. In winter, when the +bed felt warm and Jack Frost was lively, he often heard the cows +talking, in their way, before he jumped out of his bag of straw, which +served for a mattress. The Van Bommels were not rich, but everything was +shining clean. + +There was always plenty to eat at the Van Bommels' house. Stacks of rye +bread, a yard long and thicker than a man's arm, stood on end in the +corner of the cool, stone-lined basement. The loaves of dough were put +in the oven once a week. Baking time was a great event at the Van +Bommels' and no men-folks were allowed in the kitchen on that day, +unless they were called in to help. As for the milk-pails and pans, +filled or emptied, scrubbed or set in the sun every day to dry, and the +cheeses, piled up in the pantry, they seemed sometimes enough to feed a +small army. + +But Klaas always wanted more cheese. In other ways, he was a good boy, +obedient at home, always ready to work on the cow-farm, and diligent in +school. But at the table he never had enough. Sometimes his father +laughed and asked him if he had a well, or a cave, under his jacket. + +Klaas had three younger sisters, Trintje, Anneke and Saartje; which is +Dutch for Kate, Annie and Sallie. These, their fond mother, who loved +them dearly, called her "orange blossoms"; but when at dinner, Klaas +would keep on, dipping his potatoes into the hot butter, while others +were all through, his mother would laugh and call him her Buttercup. But +always Klaas wanted more cheese. When unusually greedy, she twitted him +as a boy "worse than Butter-and-Eggs"; that is, as troublesome as the +yellow and white plant, called toad-flax, is to the farmer--very +pretty, but nothing but a weed. + +One summer's evening, after a good scolding, which he deserved well, +Klaas moped and, almost crying, went to bed in bad humor. He had teased +each one of his sisters to give him her bit of cheese, and this, added +to his own slice, made his stomach feel as heavy as lead. + +Klaas's bed was up in the garret. When the house was first built, one of +the red tiles of the roof had been taken out and another one, made of +glass, was put in its place. In the morning, this gave the boy light to +put on his clothes. At night, in fair weather, it supplied air to his +room. + +A gentle breeze was blowing from the pine woods on the sandy slope, not +far away. So Klaas climbed up on the stool to sniff the sweet piny +odors. He thought he saw lights dancing under the tree. One beam seemed +to approach his roof hole, and coming nearer played round the chimney. +Then it passed to and fro in front of him. It seemed to whisper in his +ear, as it moved by. It looked very much as if a hundred fire-flies had +united their cold light into one lamp. Then Klaas thought that the +strange beams bore the shape of a lovely girl, but he only laughed at +himself at the idea. Pretty soon, however, he thought the whisper became +a voice. Again, he laughed so heartily, that he forgot his moping and +the scolding his mother had given him. In fact, his eyes twinkled with +delight, when the voice gave this invitation: + +"There's plenty of cheese. Come with us." + +To make sure of it, the sleepy boy now rubbed his eyes and cocked his +ears. Again, the light-bearer spoke to him: "Come." + +Could it be? He had heard old people tell of the ladies of the wood, +that whispered and warned travellers. In fact, he himself had often seen +the "fairies' ring" in the pine woods. To this, the flame-lady was +inviting him. + +Again and again the moving, cold light circled round the red tile roof, +which the moon, then rising and peeping over the chimneys, seemed to +turn into silver plates. As the disc rose higher in the sky, he could +hardly see the moving light, that had looked like a lady; but the voice, +no longer a whisper, as at first, was now even plainer: + +"There's plenty of cheese. Come with us." + +"I'll see what it is, anyhow," said Klaas, as he drew on his thick +woolen stockings and prepared to go down-stairs and out, without waking +a soul. At the door he stepped into his wooden shoes. Just then the cat +purred and rubbed up against his shins. He jumped, for he was scared; +but looking down, for a moment, he saw the two balls of yellow fire in +her head and knew what they were. Then he sped to the pine woods and +towards the fairy ring. + +What an odd sight! At first Klaas thought it was a circle of big +fire-flies. Then he saw clearly that there were dozens of pretty +creatures, hardly as large as dolls, but as lively as crickets. They +were as full of light, as if lamps had wings. Hand in hand, they flitted +and danced around the ring of grass, as if this was fun. + +Hardly had Klaas got over his first surprise, than of a sudden he felt +himself surrounded by the fairies. Some of the strongest among them had +left the main party in the circle and come to him. He felt himself +pulled by their dainty fingers. One of them, the loveliest of all, +whispered in his ear: + +"Come, you must dance with us." + +Then a dozen of the pretty creatures murmured in chorus: + +"Plenty of cheese here. Plenty of cheese here. Come, come!" + +Upon this, the heels of Klaas seemed as light as a feather. In a moment, +with both hands clasped in those of the fairies, he was dancing in high +glee. It was as much fun as if he were at the kermiss, with a row of +boys and girls, hand in hand, swinging along the streets, as Dutch maids +and youth do, during kermiss week. + +Klaas had not time to look hard at the fairies, for he was too full of +the fun. He danced and danced, all night and until the sky in the east +began to turn, first gray and then rosy. Then he tumbled down, tired +out, and fell asleep. His head lay on the inner curve of the fairy ring, +with his feet in the centre. + +Klaas felt very happy, for he had no sense of being tired, and he did +not know he was asleep. He thought his fairy partners, who had danced +with him, were now waiting on him to bring him cheeses. With a golden +knife, they sliced them off and fed him out of their own hands. How good +it tasted! He thought now he could, and would, eat all the cheese he had +longed for all his life. There was no mother to scold him, or daddy to +shake his finger at him. How delightful! + +But by and by, he wanted to stop eating and rest a while. His jaws were +tired. His stomach seemed to be loaded with cannon-balls. He gasped for +breath. + +But the fairies would not let him stop, for Dutch fairies never get +tired. Flying out of the sky--from the north, south, east and west--they +came, bringing cheeses. These they dropped down around him, until the +piles of the round masses threatened first to enclose him as with a +wall, and then to overtop him. There were the red balls from Edam, the +pink and yellow spheres from Gouda, and the gray loaf-shaped ones from +Leyden. Down through the vista of sand, in the pine woods, he looked, +and oh, horrors! There were the tallest and strongest of the fairies +rolling along the huge, round, flat cheeses from Friesland! Any one of +these was as big as a cart wheel, and would feed a regiment. The fairies +trundled the heavy discs along, as if they were playing with hoops. They +shouted hilariously, as, with a pine stick, they beat them forward like +boys at play. Farm cheese, factory cheese, Alkmaar cheese, and, to crown +all, cheese from Limburg--which Klaas never could bear, because of its +strong odor. Soon the cakes and balls were heaped so high around him +that the boy, as he looked up, felt like a frog in a well. He groaned +when he thought the high cheese walls were tottering to fall on him. +Then he screamed, but the fairies thought he was making music. They, not +being human, do not know how a boy feels. + +At last, with a thick slice in one hand and a big hunk in the other, he +could eat no more cheese; though the fairies, led by their queen, +standing on one side, or hovering over his head, still urged him to take +more. + +At this moment, while afraid that he would burst, Klaas saw the pile of +cheeses, as big as a house, topple over. The heavy mass fell inwards +upon him. With a scream of terror, he thought himself crushed as flat as +a Friesland cheese. + +But he wasn't! Waking up and rubbing his eyes, he saw the red sun rising +on the sand-dunes. Birds were singing and the cocks were crowing all +around him, in chorus, as if saluting him. Just then also the village +clock chimed out the hour. He felt his clothes. They were wet with dew. +He sat up to look around. There were no fairies, but in his mouth was a +bunch of grass which he had been chewing lustily. + +Klaas never would tell the story of his night with the fairies, nor has +he yet settled the question whether they left him because the +cheese-house of his dream had fallen, or because daylight had come. + + + + +THE PRINCESS WITH TWENTY PETTICOATS + + +Long, long ago, before ever a blue flax-flower bloomed in Holland, and +when Dutch mothers wore wolf-skin clothes, there was a little princess, +very much beloved by her father, who was a great king, or war chief. She +was very pretty and fond of seeing herself. There were no metal mirrors +in those days, nor any looking glass. So she went into the woods and +before the pools and the deep, quiet watercourses, made reflection of +her own lovely face. Of this pleasure she never seemed weary. + +Yet sometimes this little princess was very naughty. Then her temper was +not nearly so sweet as her face. She would play in the sand and roll +around in the woods among the leaves and bushes until her curls were all +tangled up. When her nurse combed out her hair with a stone comb--for no +other kinds were then known--she would fret and scold and often stamp +her foot. When very angry, she called her nurse or governess an +"aurochs,"--a big beast like a buffalo. At this, the maid put up her +hands to her face. "Me--an aurochs! Horrible!" Then she would feel her +forehead to see if horns were growing there. + +The nurse--they called her "governess," as the years went on--grew tired +of the behavior of the bad young princess. Sometimes she went and told +her mother how naughty her daughter was, even to calling her an aurochs. +Then the little girl only showed her bad temper worse. She rolled among +the leaves all the more and mussed up her ringlets, so that the +governess could hardly comb them out smooth again. + +It seemed useless to punish the perverse little maid by boxing her ears, +pinching her arm, or giving her a good spanking. They even tried to +improve her temper by taking away her dinner, but it did no good. + +Then the governess and mother went together to her father. When they +complained of his daughter to the king, he was much worried. He could +fight strong men with his club and spear, and even giants with his sword +and battle-axe; but how to correct his little daughter, whom he loved as +his own eyes, was too much for him. He had no son and the princess was +his only child, and the hopes of the family all rested on her. The king +wondered how she would govern his people, after he should die, and she +became the queen. Yet he was glad for one thing: that, with all her +naughtiness, she was, like her father, always kind to animals. Her pet +was a little aurochs calf. Some hunters had killed the mother of the +poor little thing in winter time. So the princess kept the creature warm +and it fed out of her hand daily. + +It was in gloom and with a sad face that the king walked in the woods, +thinking how to make a sweet-tempered lady out of his petulant daughter, +who was fast growing up to be a tall, fine-looking woman. + +Now when the king had been himself a little boy, he was very kind to all +living creatures, wild and tame, dumb and with voice--yes, even to the +trees in the forest. When a prince, the boy would never let the axe men +cut down an oak until they first begged pardon of the fairy that lived +in the tree. + +There was one big oak, especially, which was near the mansion of his +father, the king. It was said that the doctors found little babies in +its leafy branches, and brought them to their mothers. The prince-boy +took great care of this tree. He was taught by a wise man to cut off the +dead limbs, keep off the worms, and warn away all people seeking to +break off branches--even for Yule-tide, which came at our Christmas +time. + +Once when some hunters had chased a young she-aurochs, with her two +calves, into the king's park, the prince, though he was then only a boy, +ran out and drove the rough fellows away. Then he sheltered and fed the +aurochs family of three, until they were fresh and fat. After this he +sent a skilled hunter to imitate the sound of an aurochs mother, to call +the aurochs father to the edge of the woods. He then let them all go +free, and was happy to see the dumb brutes frisking together. + +Now that the boy-prince was grown to be a man and had long been king, +and had forgotten all about the incident of his earlier years, he was +one day walking in the forest. + +Suddenly a gentle breeze arose and the leaves of the old oak tree began +first to rustle and then to whisper. Soon the words were clear, and the +spirit in the oak said: + +"I have seen a thousand years pass by, since I was an acorn planted +here. In a few moments I shall die and fall down. Cut my body into +staves. Of these make a wooden petticoat, like a barrel, for your +daughter. When her temper is bad, let her put it on and wear it until +she promises to be good." + +The king was sad at the thought of losing the grand old tree, under +which he had played as a boy and his fathers before him. His countenance +fell. + +"Cheer up, my friend," said the oak, "for something better shall follow. +When I pass away, you will find on this spot a blue flower growing. +Where the forest was shall be fields, on which the sun shines. Then, if +your daughter be good, young women shall spin something prettier than +wooden petticoats. Watch for the blue flower. Moreover," added the voice +of the tree, "that I may not be forgotten, do you take, henceforth, as +your family name Ten Eyck" (which, in Dutch, means "at the oak "). + +At this moment, a huge aurochs rushed into the wood. Its long hair and +shaggy mane were gray with age. The king, thinking the beast would lower +his horns and charge at him, drew his sword to fight the mighty brute +that seemed to weigh well-nigh a ton. + +But the aurochs stopped within ten feet of the king and bellowed; but, +in a minute or two, the bellowing changed to a voice and the king heard +these good words: + +"I die with the oak, for we are brothers, kept under an enchantment for +a thousand years, which is to end in a few moments. Neither a tree nor +an aurochs can forget your kindness to us, when you were a prince. As +soon as our spirits are released, and we both go back to our home in the +moon, saw off my right horn and make of it a comb for use on your +daughter's curls. It will be smoother than stone." + +In a moment a tempest arose, which drove the king for shelter behind +some rocks hard by. After a few minutes, the wind ceased and the sky was +clear. The king looked and there lay the oak, fallen at full length, and +the aurochs lay lifeless beside it. + +Just then, the king's woodmen, who were out--thinking their master +might be hurt--drew near. He ordered them to take out the right horn of +the aurochs and to split up part of the oak for slaves. The next day, +they made a wooden petticoat and a horn comb. They were such novelties +that nearly every woman in the kingdom came to see them. + +After this, the king called himself the Lord of the Land of Ten Eyck, +and ever after this was his family name, which all his descendants bore. +Whenever the princess showed bad temper, she was forced to wear the +wooden petticoat. To have the boys and girls point at her and make fun +of her was severe punishment. + +But a curious thing took place. It was found that every time the maid +combed the hair of the princess she became gentler and more sweet +tempered. She often thanked her governess and said she liked to have her +curls smoothed with the new comb. She even begged her father to let her +own one and have the comb all to herself. It was not long before she +surprised her governess and her parents by combing and curling her own +hair. In truth, such a wonderful change came over the princess that she +did not often have to wear the wooden petticoat, and after a year or +two, not at all. So the gossips nearly forgot all about it. + +One summer's day, as the princess was walking in the open, sunny space, +where the old oak had stood, she saw a blue flower. It seemed as +beautiful as it was strange. She plucked it and put it in her hair. When +she reached home, her old aunt, who had been in southern lands, declared +it to be the flower of the flax. + +During that spring, millions of tiny green blades sprang up where the +forest had been, and when summer came, the plants were half a yard high. +The women learned how to put the stalks in water and rot the coarse, +outer fibre of the flax. Then they took the silk-like strands from the +inside and spun them on their spinning-wheels. Then they wove them into +pretty cloth. + +This, when laid out on the grass, under the sunshine, was bleached +white. The flax thread was made first into linen, and then into lace. + +"Let us name the place Groen-e'-veld" (Green Field), the happy people +cried, when they saw how green the earth was where had been the dark +forest. So the place was ever after called the Green Field. + +Now when the princess saw what pretty clothes the snow white linen made, +she invented a new style of dress. The upper garment, or "rok," that is, +the one above the waist, she called the "boven rok" and the lower one, +beneath the waist, her "beneden rok." In Dutch "boven" means above and +"beneden" means beneath. By and by, when, at the looms, more of the +beautiful white linen was woven, she had a new petticoat made and put it +on. She was so delighted with this one that she wanted more. One after +the other, she belted them around her waist, until she had on twenty +petticoats at a time. Proud she was of her skirts, even though they made +her look like a barrel. When her mother, and maids, and all the women of +Groen-e-veld, young and old, saw the princess set the fashion, they all +followed. It was not always easy for poor girls, who were to be married, +to buy as many as twenty petticoats. But, as it was the fashion, every +bride had to obey the rule. It grew to be the custom to have at least +twenty; for only this number was thought proper. + +So, a new rule, even among the men, grew up. A betrothed young man, or +his female relatives assisting him, was accustomed to make a present of +one or more petticoats to his sweetheart to increase her wardrobe. + +Thus the fashion prevailed and still holds among the women of the coast. +Fat or thin, tall or short, they pile on the petticoats and swing their +skirts proudly as they walk or go to market, sell their fish, cry "fresh +herring" in the streets, or do their knitting at home, or in front of +their houses. In some parts of the country, nothing makes a girl so +happy as to present her with a new petticoat. It is the fashion to have +a figure like a barrel and wear one's clothes so as to look like a small +hogshead. + +By and by, the men built a dam to get plenty of water in winter for the +rotting of the flax stalks. The linen industry made the people rich. In +time, a city sprang up, which they called Rotterdam, or the dam where +they rotted the flax. + +And, because where had been a forest of oaks, with the pool and rivulet, +there was now a silvery stream flowing gently between verdant meadows, +they made the arms and seal of the city green and white, two of the +former and one of the latter; that is, verdure and silver. To this day, +on the arms and flags of the great city, and on the high smoke-stacks of +the mighty steamers that cross the ocean, from land to land, one sees +the wide, white band between the two broad stripes of green. + +[Illustration: ON AND ON THE RAGING FLOOD BORE THEM UNTIL DARK NIGHT CAME +DOWN] + + + + +THE CAT AND THE CRADLE + + +In the early ages, when our far-off ancestors lived in the woods, ate +acorns, slept in caves, and dressed in the skins of wild animals, they +had no horses, cows or cats. Their only pets and helpers were dogs. The +men and the dogs were more like each other than they are now. + +However, they knew about bees. So the women gathered honey and from it +they made mead. Not having any sugar, the children enjoyed tasting honey +more than anything else, and it was the only sweet thing they had. + +By and by, cows were brought into the country and the Dutch soil being +good for grass, the cows had plenty to eat. When these animals +multiplied, the people drank milk and learned to make cheese and butter. +So the Dutch boys and girls grew fat and healthy. + +The oxen were so strong that they could pull logs of wood or draw a +plough. So, little by little, the forests were cut down and grassy +meadows, full of bright colored flowers, took their place. Houses were +built and the people were rich and happy. + +Yet there were still many cruel men and bad people in the land. +Sometimes, too, floods came and drowned the cattle and covered the +fields with sand, or salt water. In such times, food was very scarce. +Thus it happened that not all the babies born could live, or every +little child be fed. The baby girls especially were often left to die, +because war was common and only boys, that grew into strong warriors, +were wanted. + +It grew to be a custom that families would hold a council and decide +whether the baby should be raised or not. But if any one should give the +infant even a tiny drop of milk, or food of any kind, it was allowed to +live and grow up. If no one gave it milk or honey, it died. No matter +how much a mother might love her baby, she was not allowed to put milk +to its lips, if the grandmother or elders forbade it. The young bride, +coming into her husband's home, always had to obey his mother, for she +was now as a daughter and one of the family. All lived together in one +house, and the grandmother ruled all the women and girls that were under +one roof. + +This was the way of the world, when our ancestors were pagans, and not +always as kind to little babies as our own mothers and fathers are now. +Many times was the old grandmother angry, when her son had taken a wife +and a girl was born. If the old woman expected a grandson, who should +grow up and be a fighter, with sword and spear, and it turned out to be +a girl, she was mad as fire. Often the pretty bride, brought into the +house, had a hard time of it, with her husband's mother, if she did not +in time have a baby boy. In those days a "Herman," a "War Man" and +"German" were one and the same word. + +Now when the good missionaries came into Friesland, one of the first of +the families to receive the gospel was one named Altfrid. With his +bride, who also became a Christian, Altfrid helped the missionary to +build a church. By and by, a sweet little baby was born in the family +and the parents were very happy. They loved the little thing sent from +God, as fathers and mothers love their children now. + +But when some one went and told the pagan grandmother that the new baby +was a girl instead of a boy, the old woman flew into a rage and would +have gone at once to get hold of the baby and put it to death. Her +lameness, however, made her move slowly, and she could not find her +crutch; for the midwife, who knew the bad temper of the grandmother, had +purposely hid it. The old woman was angry, because she did not want any +more females in the big house, where she thought there were already too +many mouths to fill. Food was hard to get, and there were not enough war +men to defend the tribe. She meant to get the new baby and throw it to +the wolves. The old grandmother was a pagan and still worshipped the +cruel gods that loved fighting. She hated the new religion, because it +taught gentleness and peace. + +But the midwife, who was a neighbor, feared that the old woman was +malicious and she had hid her crutch. This she did, so that if the baby +was a girl, she could save its life. The midwife was a good woman, who +had been taught that the Great Creator loves little girls as well as +boys. + +So when the midwife heard the grandmother storm and rave, while hunting +for her crutch, she ran first to the honey jar, dipped her forefinger in +it and put some drops of honey on the baby's tongue. Then she passed it +out the window to some women friends, who were waiting outside. She knew +the law, that if a child tasted food, it must be allowed to live. + +The kind women took the baby to their home and fed it carefully. A hole +was drilled in the small end of a cow's horn and the warm milk, fresh +from the cow, was allowed to fall, drop by drop, into the baby's mouth. +In a few days the little one was able to suck its breakfast slowly out +of the horn, while one of the girls held it. So the baby grew bigger +every day. All the time it was carefully hidden. + +The foolish old grandmother was foiled, for she could never find out +where the baby girl was, which all the time was growing strong and +plump. Her father secretly made her a cradle and he and the babe's +mother came often to see their child. Every one called her Honig-je', or +Little Honey. + +Now about this time, cats were brought into the country and the children +made such pets of them that some of the cows seemed to be jealous of the +attentions paid to Pussy and the kittens. These were the days when cows +and people all lived under one long roof. The children learned to tell +the time of day, whether it was morning, noon or night by looking into +the cats' eyes. These seemed to open and shut, very much as if they had +doors. + +The fat pussy, which was brought into the house where Honig-je' was, +seemed to be very fond of the little girl, and the two, the cat and the +child, played much together. It was often said that the cat loved the +baby even more than her own kittens. Every one called the affectionate +animal by the nickname of Dub-belt-je', which means Little Double; +because this puss was twice as loving as most cat mothers are. When her +own furry little babies were very young, she carried them from one place +to another in her mouth. But this way, of holding kittens, she never +tried on the baby. She seemed to know better. Indeed, Dub-belt-je' often +wondered why human babies were born so naked and helpless; for at an age +when her kittens could feed themselves and run about and play with their +tails and with each other, Honig-je' was not yet able to crawl. + +But other dangers were in store for the little girl. One day, when the +men were out hunting, and the women went to the woods to gather nuts and +acorns, a great flood came. The waters washed away the houses, so that +everything floated into the great river, and then down towards the sea. + +What had, what would, become of our baby? So thought the parents of +Honig-je', when they came back to find the houses swept away and no sign +of their little daughter. Dub-belt-je' and her kittens, and all the +cows, were gone too. + +Now it had happened that when the flood came and the house crashed down, +baby was sound asleep. The cat, leaving its kittens, that were now +pretty well grown up, leaped up and on to the top of the cradle and the +two floated off together. Pretty soon they found themselves left alone, +with nothing in sight that was familiar, except one funny thing. That +was a wooden shoe, in which was a fuzzy little yellow chicken hardly +four days old. It had been playing in the shoe, when the floods came +and swept it off from under the very beak of the old hen, that, with all +her other chicks, was speedily drowned. + +On and on, the raging flood bore baby and puss, until dark night came +down. For hours more they drifted until, happily, the cradle was swept +into an eddy in front of a village. There it spun round and round, and +might soon have been borne into the greater flood, which seemed to roar +louder as the waters rose. + +Now a cat can see sometimes in the night, better even than in the day, +for the darker it becomes, the wider open the eyes of puss. In bright +sunshine, at noon, the inside doors of the cat's eyes close to a narrow +slit, while at night these doors open wide. That is the reason why, in +the days before clocks and watches were made, the children could tell +about the time of day by looking at the cat's eyes. Sometimes they named +their pussy Klok'-oog, which means Clock Eye, or Bell Eye, for bell +clocks are older than clocks with a dial, and because in Holland the +bells ring out the hours and quarter hours. + +Puss looked up and saw the church tower looming up in the dark. At once +she began to meouw and caterwaul with all her might. She hoped that some +one in one of the houses near the river bank might catch the sound. But +none seemed to hear or heed. At last, when Puss was nearly dead with +howling, a light appeared at one of the windows. This showed that some +one was up and moving. It was a boy, who was named Dirck, after the +saint Theodoric, who had first, long ago, built a church in the village. +Then Puss opened her mouth and lungs again and set up a regular +cat-scream. This wakened all her other relatives in the village and +every Tom and Kitty made answer, until there was a cat concert of meouws +and caterwauls. + +The boy heard, rushed down-stairs, and, opening the door, listened. The +wind blew out his candle, but the brave lad was guided by the sound +which Pussy made. Reaching the bank, he threw off his wooden klomps, +plunged into the boiling waters, and, seizing the cradle, towed it +ashore. Then he woke up his mother and showed her his prize. The way +that baby laughed and crowed, and patted the horn of milk, and kicked up +its toes in delight over the warm milk, which was brought, was a joy to +see. Near the hearth, in the middle of the floor, Dub-belt-je', the +puss, was given some straw for a bed and, after purring joyfully, was +soon, like the baby, sound asleep. + +Thus the cat warned the boy, and the boy saved the baby, that was very +welcome in a family where there were no girls, but only a boy. When +Honig-je' grew up to be a young woman, she looked as lovely as a +princess and in the church was married to Dirck! It was the month of +April and all the world was waking to flowers, when the wedding +procession came out of the church and the air was sweet with the opening +of the buds. + +Before the next New Year's day arrived, there lay in the same cradle, +and put to sleep over the same rockers, a baby boy. When they brought +him to the font, the good grandmother named him Luid-i-ger. He grew up +to be the great missionary, whose name in Friesland is, even today, +after a thousand years, a household word. He it was who drove out bad +fairies, vile enchanters, wicked spirits and terrible diseases. Best of +all, he banished "eye-bite," which was the name the people gave to +witchcraft. Luid-i-ger, also, made it hard for the naughty elves and +sprites that delude men. + +After this, it was easy for all the good spirits, that live in kind +hearts and noble lives, to multiply and prosper. The wolves were driven +away or killed off and became very few, while the cattle and sheep +multiplied, until everybody could have a woollen coat, and there was a +cow to every person in the land. + +But the people still suffered from the floods, that from time to time +drowned the cattle and human beings, and the ebb tides, that carried +everything out to sea. Then the good missionary taught the men how to +build dykes, that kept out the ocean and made the water of the rivers +stay between the banks. The floods became fewer and fewer and at last +rarely happened. Then Santa Klaas arrived, to keep alive in the hearts +of the people the spirit of love and kindness and good cheer forever. + +At last, when nearly a hundred years had passed away, Honig-je', once +the girl baby, and then the dear old lady, who was kind to everybody and +prepared the way for Santa Klaas, died. Then, also, Dub-belt-je' the +cat, that had nine lives in one, died with her. They buried the old lady +under the church floor and stuffed the pussy that everybody, kittens, +boys, girls and people loved. By and by, when the cat's tail and fur +fell to pieces, and ears tumbled off, and its glass eyes dropped out, a +skilful artist chiselled a statue of Dub-belt-je', which still stands +over the tomb in the church. Every year, on Santa Klaas day, December +sixth, the children put a new collar around its neck and talk about the +cat that saved a baby's life. + + + + +PRINCE SPIN HEAD AND MISS SNOW WHITE + + +Long, long ago, before the Romans came into the land and when the +fairies ruled in the forest, there was a maiden who lived under an oak +tree. When she was a baby they called her Bundlekin. She had four +brothers, who loved their younger sister very dearly and did everything +they could to make her happy. Her fat father was a famous hunter. When +he roamed the woods, no bear, wolf, aurochs, roebuck, deer, or big +animal of any kind, could escape from his arrows, his spear, or his +pit-trap. He taught his sons to be skilful in the chase, but also to be +kind to the dumb creatures when captured. Especially when the mother +beast was killed, the boys were always told to care for the cubs, whelps +and kittens. As for the smaller animals, foxes, hares, weasels, rabbits +and ermine, these were so numerous, that the father left the business of +hunting them to the lads, who had great sport. + +The house under the oak tree was always well provided with meat and +furs. The four brothers brought the little animals, which they took in +the woods, to make presents to their sister. So there was always a +plenty of pets, bear and wolf cubs, wildcats' kittens and baby aurochs +for the girl to play with. Every day, while the animals were so young as +to be fed on milk, she enjoyed frolicking with the four-footed babies. +When they grew bigger, she romped and sported with them, as if she and +they were equal members of the same family. The older brother watched +carefully, so that the little brutes, as they increased in size, should +not bite or claw his sister, for he knew the fierce nature that was in +wild creatures. Yet the maiden had wonderful power over these beasts of +the forest, whether little or big. She was not very much afraid of them +and often made them run, by looking at them hard in the eye. + +While the girl made a pet of the animals, her parents made a pet of her. +The mother prepared the skins of the wolves and bears, until these were +very soft, keeping the fur on, to make rugs for the floor, and winter +coats for her children. The hides of the aurochs sufficed for rougher +use, but from what had once been the clothes of the fawn, the weasel, +the rabbit, and the ermine, garments were made that were smooth enough +to suit a baby's tender flesh. The forest folk wrapped their infants in +swaddling hands made of these dressed pelts. After feeding the darling, +a mother hung her baby up, warmly covered, to a tree branch. The cradle, +which was a furry bag, was made of the same material and swung in the +wind. + +Bundlekin usually fell asleep right after she had had her breakfast. +When she woke up crowing, the squirrels were playing all around her. She +even learned to watch the spiders, spinning their houses of silk, +without being afraid. When Bundlekin grew up, she always called this +curious creature, that could make silk, Spin Head. She jokingly called +it her lover, in remembrance of baby days. + +It was funny to see how deft the mother was with her needles, fashioned +from bone, and her rough thread, which was made of the intestines of the +deer. From her own childhood in the woods, Bundlekin's mother had been +used to this kind of dressmaking. Now, when her daughter had grown, from +babyhood and through her teens, to be a lovely maiden, fair of face and +strong of limb, her sweet, unselfish parent was equal to new tasks. To +the soft leather coats, made from the skins of fawns, martens, and +weasels, she added trimmings of snow white ermine. Caps and mittens, +cloaks for the body, and coverings for the feet, were fashioned to fit +neatly. Fringes, here and there, were put on them, until her girl looked +like a king's daughter. In summer, the skins of birds and their feathers +clothed her lightly, and with many and rich colors, while the forest +flowers decked her hair. + +In winter, in her white forest robes, the maiden, except for her rosy +face and sparkling eyes, seemed as if she might have been born of the +snow, or was a daughter of the northern ice god at Ulrum. And because +she was so lovely, her parents changed her baby name and called her +Dri'-fa, which means Snow White. + +Yet, though no other girl in Gelderland equalled, and none, not even the +princesses, excelled Snow White in beauty of face, form, or raiment, the +maiden was not happy, even though many lovers came to her and offered to +marry her. Some, as proof of their skill as hunters, brought the finest +furs the forest furnished. Others showed their strength or fleetness of +foot. Some bargained with the kabouters, or fairies of the mines, to +bring them shining ore or precious gems which they offered to Snow +White. Others, again, went afar to get strange wonders, amber and +ambergris, from the seashores of the far north to please her. One fine +fellow, who had been in the south and was proud of his travels, told her +of what he had seen in the great cities, and offered her a necklace of +pearls. + +But all was in vain. Every lover went away sorrowful, for Snow White +wearied of them and sent each one home, disappointed. + +Last of all, among the lovers came a strange looking one, named Spin +Head, resembling a spider, promising a secret worth more than furs, +gold, gems, or necklace; but the mother, seeing the ugly creature, drove +it off with hard words. + +So the months and years passed, until her father feared he would not +live to see his daughter a wife. + +But one day, when all in the household were absent, the leaves of the +oak tree rustled loudly. There was no wind, and Snow White, surprised, +strained her ears to find out what this might mean. Soon she could make +out these words: + +"When the spider, that you called Spin Head, comes to make love to you, +listen to him. He is the wisest being in all the forest. He knows the +future. He will tell you a secret. I shall pass away, but what he +teaches you shall live." + +Then the leaves of the oak ceased to rustle and all was quiet and still +again. + +While wondering what this message might mean, down came the real spider +she had named Spin Head. He lowered himself from a tree branch, high +above on a silken thread. The creature sat down on the log beside the +maiden; but she was not in the least startled and did not scream nor run +away. Indeed, she spoke to the spider as an old friend: + +"Well, playmate of my babyhood, what have you to tell me?" + +"I came to offer you my love. You need not marry me yet, but if you will +let me spin a web in your room, I shall live there, and, by and by, +reward you. Let me be in your sight always, and you will not be sorry +for it." + +The maiden had no sooner agreed than a terrible tempest uprooted the oak +and levelled the trees of the forest. In a moment more, a new and very +beautiful house rose up out of the ground. It was as noble to look at as +a palace. Near by was a garden, and one day when she walked in it, out +of it sprang a blue flower, almost under her feet. + +"Choose the best room for your own self," said Spin Head, "and then show +me my corner. After a hundred days, if you treat me kindly, I shall +reveal the secret of that blue flower." + +Dri'-fa, the maiden, chose the sunniest room, and gave Spin Head the +best corner, near the window and close to the ceiling. At once he began +to weave a shining web for his own house. She wondered at such fine +work, which no human weaver could excel, and why she was not able to +spin silk out of her head, nor even with her fingers, like her strange +lover. But the oak had promised that Spin Head would reveal a secret, +and she was curious to know what it was. Like all girls, she was in a +hurry to have the secret. To ease her impatience, Dri'-fa looked on, +while Spin Head was thus busy at making his dwelling place, with shining +threads which he spun out, never ceasing. She was so intent upon +watching him that night came down before she noticed that her room was +not furnished. There was not even a bed to sleep on. + +Spin Head looked at her closely and then spoke with a deep voice, like a +man's: + +"Ah, I know, you want a bed, and pretty things for your room." + +In another moment, soft furs lined the floor, and soon all that Dri'-fa +had possessed in the forest for comfort she had now, and more. Lost in +wonder as she was, in a few minutes she was fast asleep. + +She dreamed she wore a dress of some strange, new, white fabric, such as +her people had never seen before. Instead of being close in texture, +like the skin of an animal, it was as open work, full of thousands of +little holes, yet strongly held together. It was light and gauzy, like a +silvery spider's web on the summer grass before sunrise, when pearly +with dewdrops. + +The hundred days were passing swiftly by, and Spin Head and Snow White +had become fast friends. Each lived in a different world--a world within +a world. She was waiting for the secret he would tell her. She bravely +resolved not to be impatient, but let Spin Head speak first. + +One day, when autumn had come and she was lonely, she sauntered out into +the garden. The chill winds were blowing and the leaves falling, till +they covered the ground like a yellow carpet. One fell into her hand, as +if it bore words of friendly greeting. Yet, though she waited, not one +of the millions of them brought a message to her! Never a word had she +ever heard from her parents and brothers! The blue flower had long ago +fallen away and there was nothing in its place but a hard, rough, black +stalk. Then she said to herself: + +"Is there anything in this ugly stick? How will Spin Head reveal his +secret?" Never had she been so cast down. + +Again the tempest howled. All the winds of heaven seemed to have broken +loose. Many a sturdy oak lay prostrate. The leaves darkened the air, so +that Snow White could see nothing. Then there was a great calm. The maid +cleared her sight, and lo! there, beside her, stood a youth, more +beautiful than any of her brothers, or her lovers, or any man she had +ever seen. He was dressed in fine white clothing, excelling in its +texture any skin of fawn, or animal of the forest. Instead of being +leather, however soft, it seemed woven of a multitude of threads. In his +hand he held the black stalk of what had been the blue flower. + +"I am Spin Head," he said. "The hundred days are over. The spell is +broken and my deliverance from enchantment has come. I bring to you, as +my gift, this ugly stalk, on which the blue flower bloomed." + +Between surprise at the change of Spin Head from a spider to a handsome +youth, and disappointment at such a present offered her, Snow White was +dumb. She could hardly draw her breath. Was that all? + +"Break it open," said Spin Head. + +Splitting the stalk from end to end, the maiden was surprised to find +inside many long silky fibres, almost as fine as the strands in a +spider's web. She pulled them out and her eyes danced with joy. + +"Plant the seed and let the blue flowers blossom by the million," said +the youth. "Then gather the stalks and, from the fibres, weave them +together and make this. The black rod is a sceptre of wealth." + +Then, separating the delicate strands one by one, Spin Head wove them +together. The result was a rich robe, of a snow white fabric, never seen +in the forest. It was linen. + +Snow White clapped her hands with joy. + +"'Tis for your wedding dress, if you will marry me," said Spin Head. + +Snow White's cheeks blushed red, but she looked at him and her eyes said +"yes." + +"Wait," said Spin Head. "I'll make you a bridal veil." + +Once more his fingers wrought wonders. He produced yards of a gauzy, +open work stuff. He made it float in the air first. Then he threw it +over her head. It trailed down her back and covered her rosy face. It +was lace. + +Happily married, they left the forest and travelled into the land where +the blue flax flowers made a new sky on the earth. Soon on the map men +read the names of cities unknown before. At a time when Europe had no +such masses of happy people, joyous in their toil, Courtrai, Tournay, +Ypres, Ghent, and Bruges told what the blue flower of the flax had done +for the country. More than gold, gems, or the wealth of forest or mine, +was the gift of Spin Head to Snow White, for the making of Belgic Land. + + + + +THE BOAR WITH THE GOLDEN BRISTLES + + +Long, long ago, there were brave fighters and skilful hunters in +Holland, but neither men nor women ever dreamed that food was to be got +out of the ground, but only from the trees and bushes, such as berries, +acorns and honey. They thought the crust of the earth was too hard to be +broken up for seed, even if they knew what grain and bread were. They +supposed that what nature provided in the forest was the only food for +men. Besides this, they made their women do all the work and cook the +acorns and brew the honey into mead, while they went out to fish and +hunt and fight. + +So the fairies took pity on the cold, northern people, who lived where +it rained and snowed a great deal. They held a council and agreed that +it was time to send down to the earth an animal, with tusks, to tear up +the ground. Then the people would see the riches of the earth and learn +what soil was. They would be blessed with farms and gardens, barns and +stalls, hay and grain, horses and cattle, wheat and barley, pigs and +clover. + +Now there were powerful fairies, of a certain kind, who lived in a Happy +Land far, far away, who had charge of everything in the air and water. +One of them was named Fro, who became lord of the summer sunshine and +warm showers, that make all things grow. It was in this bright region +that the white elves lived. + +It was a pretty custom in fairy-land that when a fairy baby cut its +first tooth, the mother's friends should make the little one some pretty +present. + +When Nerthus, the mother of the infant Fro, looked into its mouth and +saw the little white thing that had come up through the baby's gums, she +went in great glee and told the glad news to all the other fairies. It +was a great event and she tried to guess what present her wonderful +boy-baby should receive. + +There was one giant-like fairy as strong as a polar bear, who agreed to +get, for little Fro, a creature that could put his nose under the sod +and root up the ground. In this way he would show men what the earth, +just under its surface, contained, without their going into mines and +caverns. + +One day this giant fairy heard two stout dwarfs talking loudly in the +region under the earth. They were boasting as to which could beat the +other at the fire and bellows, for both were blacksmiths. One was the +king of the dwarfs, who made a bet that he could excel the other. So he +set them to work as rivals, while a third dwarf worked the bellows. The +dwarf-king threw some gold in the flames to melt; but, fearing he might +not win the bet, he went away to get other fairies to help him. He told +the bellows dwarf to keep on pumping air on the fire, no matter what +might happen to him. + +So when one giant fairy, in the form of a gadfly, flew at him, and bit +him in the hand, the bellows-blower did not stop for the pain, but kept +on until the fire roared loudly, as to make the cavern echo. Then all +the gold melted and could be transformed. As soon as the dwarf-king came +back, the bellows-blower took up the tongs and drew out of the fire a +boar having golden bristles. + +This fire-born golden boar had the power of travelling through the air +as swiftly as a streak of lightning. It was named Gullin, or Golden, and +was given to the fairy Fro, and he, when grown, used the wonderful +creature as his steed. All the other good fairies and the elves +rejoiced, because men on the earth would now be helped to do great +things. + +Even more wonderful to tell, this fire-born creature became the father +of all the animals that have tusks and that roam in the woods. A tusk is +a big tooth, of which the hardest and sharpest part grows, long and +sharp, outside of the mouth and it stays there, even when the mouth is +shut. + +When Gullin was not occupied, or being ridden by Fro on his errands over +the world, he taught his sons, that is, the wild boars of the forest, +how to root up the ground and make it soft for things to grow in. Then +his master Fro sent the sunbeams and the warm showers to make the +turned-up earth fruitful. + +To do this, the wild boars were given two long tusks, as pointed as +needles and sharp as knives. With one sweep of his head a boar could rip +open a dog or a wolf, a bull or a bear, or furrow the earth like a +ploughshare. + +Now there were several cousins in the Tusk family. The elephant on land, +and the walrus and narwhal in the seas; but none of these could plough +ground, but because the boar's tusks grew out so long and were so sharp, +and hooked at the end, it could tear open the earth's hard crust and +root up the ground. This made a soil fit for tender plants to grow in, +and even the wild flowers sprang up in them. + +All this, when they first noticed it, was very wonderful to human +beings. The children called one to the other to come and see the unusual +sight. The little troughs, made first by the ripping of the boar's +tusks, were widened by rooting with their snouts. These were welcomed by +the birds, for they hopped into the lines thus made, to feed on the +worms. So the birds, supposing that these little gutters in the ground +were made especially for them, made great friends with the boars. They +would even perch near by, or fly to their backs, and ride on them. + +As for the men fathers, when they looked at the clods and the loose +earth thus turned over, they found them to be very soft. So the women +and girls were able to break them up with their sticks. Then the seeds, +dropped by the birds that came flying back every spring time, from +far-away lands, sprouted. It was noticed that new kinds of plants grew +up, which had stalks. In the heads or ears of these were a hundredfold +more seeds. When the children tasted them, they found, to their delight, +that the little grains were good to eat. They swallowed them whole, they +roasted them at the fire, or they pounded them with stones. Then they +baked the meal thus made or made it into mush, eating it with honey. + +For the first time people in the Dutch world had bread. When they added +the honey, brought by the bees, they had sweet cakes with mead. Then, +saving the seeds over, from one summer to another, they in the spring +time planted them in the little trenches made by the animal's tusks. +Then the Dutch words for "boar" and "row" were put together, meaning +boar row, and there issued, in time, our word "furrow." + +The women were the first to become skilful in baking. In the beginning +they used hot stones on which to lay the lump of meal, or flour and +water, or the batter. Then having learned about yeast, which "raised" +the flour, that is, lifted it up, with gas and bubbles, they made real +bread and cakes and baked them in the ovens which the men had made. When +they put a slice of meat between upper and lower layers of bread, they +called it "broodje," that is, little bread; or, sandwich. In time, +instead of one kind of bread, or cake, they had a dozen or twenty +different sorts, besides griddle cakes and waffles. + +Now when the wise men of the mark, or neighborhood, saw that the women +did such wonderful things, they put their heads together and said one to +the other: + +"We are quite ready to confess that fairies, and elves, and even the +kabouters are smarter than we are. Our women, also, are certainly +wonderful; but it will never do to let the boars think that they know +more than we do. They did indeed teach us how to make furrows, and the +birds brought us grain; but we are the greater, for we can hunt and kill +the boars with our spears. + +"Although they can tear up the sod and root in the ground with tusk and +snout, they cannot make cakes, as our women can. So let us see if we +cannot beat both the boars and birds, and even excel our women. We shall +be more like the fairies, if we invent something that will outshine them +all." + +So they thought and planned, and, little by little, they made the +plough. First, with a sharp stick in their hands, the men scratched the +surface of the ground into lines that were not very deep. Then they +nailed plates of iron on those sticks. Next, they fixed this iron-shod +wood in a frame to be pulled forward, and, by and by, they added +handles. Men and women, harnessed together, pulled the plough. Indeed it +was ages before they had oxen to do this heavy work for them. At last +the perfect plough was seen. It had a knife in front to cut the clods, a +coulter, a beam, a mould board and handles, and, after a while, a wheel +to keep it straight. Then they set horses to draw it. + +Fro the fairy was the owner, not only of the boar with the golden +bristles, but also of the lightning-like horse, Sleipnir, that could +ride through fire and water with the speed of light. Fro also owned the +magic ship, which could navigate both land and sea. It was so very +elastic that it could be stretched out to carry a host of warriors over +the seas to war, or fold up like a lady's handkerchief. With this flying +vessel, Fro was able to move about like a cloud and also to change like +them. He could also appear, or disappear, as he pleased, in one place or +another. + +By and by, the wild boars were all hunted to death and disappeared. Yet +in one way, and a glorious one also, their name and fame were kept in +men's memories. Brave knights had the boar's head painted on their +shields and coats of arms. When the faith of the Prince of Peace made +wars less frequent, the temples in honor of Fro were deserted, but the +yule log and the revels, held to celebrate the passing of the Mother +Night, in December, that is, the longest one of the year, were changed +for the Christmas festival. + +Then again, the memory of man's teacher of the plough was still kept +green; for the boar was remembered as the giver, not only of nourishing +meat, but of ideas for men's brains. Baked in the oven, and made +delightful to the appetite, served on the dish, with its own savory +odors; withal, decorated with sprigs of rosemary, the boar's head was +brought in for the great dinner, with the singing of Christmas carols. + + + + +THE ICE KING AND HIS WONDERFUL GRANDCHILD + + +In the far-off ages, all the lands of northern Europe were one, for the +deep seas had not yet separated them. Then our forefathers thought that +fairies were gods. They built temples in their honor, and prayed to +them. Then, in the place where is now the little town of Ulrum in +Friesland was the home of the spirit in the ice, Uller. That is what +Ulrum means, the home of the good fairy Uller. + +Uller was the patron of boys and girls. They liked him, because he +invented skates and sleds and sleighs. He had charge of things in winter +and enjoyed the cold. He delighted also in hunting. Dressed in thick +furs, he loved to roam over the hills and through the forests, seeking +out the wolf, the bear, the deer, and the aurochs. His bow and arrows +were terrible, for they were very big and he was a sure shot. Being the +patron of archery, hunters always sought his favor. The yew tree was +sacred to Uller, because the best bows were made from its wood. No one +could cut down a yew tree without angering Uller. + +Nobody knew who Uller's father was, and if he knew himself, he did not +care to tell any one. He would not bestow many blessings upon mankind; +yet thousands of people used to come to Ulrum every year to invoke his +aid and ask him to send a heavy fall of snow to cover the ground. That +meant good crops of food for the next year. The white snow, lying thick +upon the ground, kept back the frost giants from biting the earth too +hard. Because of deep winter snows, the ground was soft during the next +summer. So the seed sprouted more easily and there was plenty to eat. + +When Uller travelled over the winter snow, to go out on hunting trips, +he strapped snow-shoes on his feet. Because these were shaped like a +warrior's shield, Uller was often called the shield-god. His protection +was especially invoked by men who fought duels with sword or spear, +which were very common in early days; or by soldiers or hunters, who +wished to be very brave, or had engaged in perilous ventures. + +Now when Uller wanted a wife to marry him, he made love to Skadi, +because she was a huntress and liked the things which he liked. So they +never had a quarrel. She was very strong, fond of sports, and of chasing +the wild animals. She wore a short skirt, which allowed freedom of +motion to her limbs. Then she ranged over the hills and valleys with +wonderful swiftness. So rapid were her movements that many people +likened her to the cold mountain stream, that leaps down from the high +peaks and over the rocks, foaming and dashing to the lowlands. They gave +the same name to both this fairy woman and the water, because they were +so much alike. + +Indeed Skadi was very lovely to look at. It was no wonder that many of +the gods, fairies and men fell in love with her. It is even said that +she had had several husbands before marrying Uller. When you look at her +pictures, you will see that she was as pretty as bright winter itself, +when Jack Frost clothes the trees with white and makes the cheeks of the +girls so rosy. She wore armor of shining steel, a silver helmet, short +white skirts and white fur leggings. Her snow-shoes were of the hue of +winter. Besides a glittering spear, she had a bow and sharp arrows. +These were held in a silver quiver slung over her shoulders. Altogether, +she looked like winter alive. She loved to live in the mountains, and +hear the thunders of cataracts, the crash of avalanches, the moaning of +the winds in the pine forests. Even the howling of wolves was music in +her ears. She was afraid of nothing. + +Now from such a father and mother one would expect wonderful children, +yet very much like their parents. It turned out that the offspring of +Uller and Skadi were all daughters. To them--one after another--were +given the names meaning Glacier, Cold, Snow, Drift, Snow Whirl, and Snow +Dust, the oldest being the biggest and hardiest. The others were in +degree softer and more easily influenced by the sun and the wind. They +all looked alike, so that some people called them the Six White Sisters. + +Yet they were all so great and powerful that many considered them +giantesses. It was not possible for men to tame them, for they did very +much as they pleased. No one could stop their doings or drive them away, +except Woden, who was the god of the sun. Yet in winter, even he left +off ruling the world and went away. During that time, that is, during +seven months, Uller took Woden's throne and governed the affairs of the +world. When summer came, Uller went with his wife up to the North Pole; +or they lived in a house, on the top of the Alps. There they could hunt +and roam on their snow-shoes. To these cold places, which the whole +family enjoyed, their daughters went also and all were very happy so far +above the earth. + +Things went on pleasantly in Uller's family so long as his daughters +were young, for then the girls found enough to delight in at their daily +play. But when grown up and their heads began to be filled with notions +about the young giants, who paid visits to them, then the family +troubles began. + +[Illustration: YET ALL THE TIME HE WAS CALLING ON HUMAN BEINGS TO HARNESS +HIM TO WHEELS] + +There was one young giant fairy named Vuur, who came often to see all +six of Uller's daughters, from the youngest to the oldest. Yet no one +could tell which of them he was in love with, or could name the girl he +liked best; no, not even the daughters themselves. His character and his +qualities were not well known, for he put on many disguises and appeared +in many places. It was believed, however, that he had already done a +good deal of mischief and was likely to do more, for he loved +destruction. Yet he often helped the kabouter dwarfs to do great things; +so that showed he was of some use. In fact he was the fire fairy. He +kept on, courting all the six sisters, long after May day came, and he +lengthened his visits until the heat turned the entire half dozen of +them into water. So they became one. + +At this, Uller was so angry at Vuur's having delayed so long before +popping the question, and at his daughters' losing their shapes, that he +made Vuur marry them all and at once, they taking the name of Regen. + +Now when the child of Vuur and Regen was born, it turned out to be, in +body and in character, just what people expected from such a father and +mother. It was named in Dutch, Stoom. It grew fast and soon showed that +it was as powerful as its parents had been; yet it was much worse, when +shut up, than when allowed to go free in the air. Stoom loved to do all +sorts of tricks. In the kitchen, it would make the iron kettle lid flop +up and down with a lively noise. If it were confined in a vessel, +whether of iron or earthenware, when set over the fire, it would blow +the pot or kettle all to pieces, in order to get out. Thinking itself a +great singer, it would make rather a pleasant sound, when its mother let +it come out of a spout. Yet it never obeyed either of its parents. When +they tried to shut up Stoom inside of anything, it always escaped with a +terrible sound. In fact, nothing could long hold it in, without an +explosion. + +Sometimes Stoom would go down into the bowels of the earth and turn on a +stream of water so as to meet the deep fires which are ever burning far +down below us. Then there would come an awful earthquake, because Stoom +wanted to get out, and the earth crust would not let him, but tried to +hold him down. Sometimes Stoom slipped down into a volcano's mouth. Then +the mountain, in order to save itself from being choked, had to spit +Stoom out, and this always made a terrible mess on the ground, and men +called it lava. Or, Stoom might stay down in the crater as a guest, and +quietly come out, occasionally, in jets and puffs. + +Even when Jack Frost was around and froze the pipes in the house, or +turned the water of the pots, pans, kettles and bottles into solid ice, +Stoom behaved very badly. If the frozen kettles, or any other closed +vessel were put over the stove, or near the fire, and the ice melted at +the bottom too fast, Stoom would blow the whole thing up. In this way, +he often put men's lives in danger and made them lose their property. + +No one seemed to know how to handle this mischievous fairy. Not one man +on earth could do anything with him. So they let him have his own way. +Yet all the time, though he was enjoying his own tricks and lively fun, +he was, with his own voice, calling on human beings to use him properly, +and harness him to wheels; for he was willing to be useful to them, and +was all ready to pull or drive, lift or lower, grind or pump, as the +need might be. + +As long as men did not treat him properly and give him the right to get +out into the air, after he had done his work, Stoom would explode, blow +up and destroy everything. He could be made to sing, hiss, squeal, +whistle, and make all kinds of sounds, but, unless the bands that held +him in were strong enough, or if Vuur got too hot, or his mother would +not give him drink enough, when the iron pipes were red with heat, he +would lose his temper and explode. He had no respect for bad or +neglected boilers, or for lazy or careless firemen and engineers. + +Yet properly harnessed and treated well, and fed with the food such as +his mother can give, and roused by his father's persuasion, Stoom is +greater than any giant or fairy that ever was. He can drive a ship, a +locomotive, a submarine, or an aeroplane, as fast as Fro's boar, horse +or ship. Everybody to-day is glad that Stoom is such a good servant and +friend all over the world. + + + + +THE ELVES AND THEIR ANTICS + + +The elves are the little white creatures that live between heaven and +earth. They are not in the clouds, nor down in the caves and mines, like +the kabouters. They are bright and fair, dwelling in the air, and in the +world of light. The direct heat of the sun is usually too much for them, +so they are not often seen during the day, except towards sunset. They +love the silvery moonlight. There used to be many folks, who thought +they had seen the beautiful creatures, full of fun and joy, dancing hand +in hand, in a circle. + +In these old days, long since gone by, there were more people than there +are now, who were sure they had many times enjoyed the sight of the +elves. Some places in Holland show, by their names, where this kind of +fairies used to live. These little creatures, that looked as thin as +gauze, were very lively and mischievous, though they often helped honest +and hard working people in their tasks, as we shall see. But first and +most of all, they were fond of fun. They loved to vex cross people and +to please those who were bonnie and blithe. They hated misers, but they +loved the kind and generous. These little folks usually took their +pleasure in the grassy meadows, among the flowers and butterflies. On +bright nights they played among the moonbeams. + +There were certain times when the elves were busy, in such a way as to +make men and girls think about them. Then their tricks were generally in +the stable, or in the field among the cows. Sometimes, in the kitchen or +dairy, among the dishes or milk-pans, they made an awful mess for the +maids to clean up. They tumbled over the churns, upset the milk jugs, +and played hoops with the round cheeses. In a bedroom they made things +look as if the pigs had run over them. + +When a farmer found his horse's mane twisted into knots, or two cows +with their tails tied together, he said at once, "That's the work of +elves." If the mares did not feel well, or looked untidy, their owners +were sure the elves had taken the animals out and had been riding them +all night. If a cow was sick, or fell down on the grass, it was believed +that the elves had shot an arrow into its body. The inquest, held on +many a dead calf or its mother, was, that it died from an "elf-shot." +They were so sure of this, that even when a stone arrow head--such as +our far-off ancestors used in hunting, when they were cave men--was +picked up off the ground, it was called an "elf bolt," or "elf-arrow." + +Near a certain village named Elf-berg or Elf Hill, because there were so +many of the little people in that neighborhood, there was one very old +elf, named Styf, which means Stiff, because though so old he stood up +straight as a lance. Even more than the young elves, he was famous for +his pranks. Sometimes he was nicknamed Haan-e'-kam or Cock's Comb. He +got this name, because he loved to mock the roosters, when they crowed, +early in the morning. With his red cap on, he did look like a rooster. +Sometimes he fooled the hens, that heard him crowing. Old Styf loved +nothing better than to go to a house where was a party indoors. All the +wooden shoes of the twenty or thirty people within, men and women, girls +and boys, would be left outside the door. All good Dutch folks step out +of their heavy timber shoes, or klomps, before they enter a house. It is +always a curious sight, at a country church, or gathering of people at a +party, to see the klomps, big and little, belonging to baby boys and +girls, and to the big men, who wear a number thirteen shoe of wood. One +wonders how each one of the owners knows his own, but he does. Each pair +is put in its own place, but Old Styf would come and mix them all up +together, and then leave them in a pile. So when the people came out to +go home, they had a terrible time in finding and sorting out their +shoes. Often they scolded each other; or, some innocent boy was blamed +for the mischief. Some did not find out, till the next day, that they +had on one foot their own, and on another foot, their neighbor's shoe. +It usually took a week to get the klomps sorted out, exchanged, and the +proper feet into the right shoes. In this way, which was a special trick +with him, this naughty elf, Styf, spoiled the temper of many people. + +Beside the meadow elves, there were other kinds in Elfin Land; some +living in the woods, some in the sand-dunes, but those called +Staalkaars, or elves of the stall, were Old Styf's particular friends. +These lived in stables and among the cows. The Moss Maidens, that could +do anything with leaves, even turning them into money, helped Styf, for +they too liked mischief. They teased men-folks, and enjoyed nothing +better than misleading the stupid fellows that fuddled their brains with +too much liquor. + +Styf's especially famous trick was played on misers. It was this. When +he heard of any old fellow, who wanted to save the cost of candles, he +would get a kabouter to lead him off in the swamps, where the sooty +elves come out, on dark nights, to dance. Hoping to catch these lights +and use them for candles, the mean fellow would find himself in a swamp, +full of water and chilled to the marrow. Then the kabouters would laugh +loudly. + +Old Styf had the most fun with another stingy fellow, who always scolded +children when he found them spending a penny. If he saw a girl buying +flowers, or a boy giving a copper coin for a waffle, he talked roughly +to them for wasting money. Meeting this miser one day, as he was walking +along the brick road, leading from the village, Styf offered to pay the +old man a thousand guilders, in exchange for four striped tulips, that +grew in his garden. The miser, thinking it real silver, eagerly took the +money and put it away in his iron strong box. The next night, when he +went, as he did three times a week, to count, and feel, and rub, and +gloat, over his cash, there was nothing but leaves in a round form. +These, at his touch, crumbled to pieces. The Moss Maidens laughed +uproariously, when the mean old fellow was mad about it. + +But let no one suppose that the elves, because they were smarter than +stupid human beings, were always in mischief. No, no! They did, indeed, +have far more intelligence than dull grown folks, lazy boys, or careless +girls; but many good things they did. They sewed shoes for poor +cobblers, when they were sick, and made clothes for children, when the +mother was tired. When they were around, the butter came quick in the +churn. + +When the blue flower of the flax bloomed in Holland, the earth, in +spring time, seemed like the sky. Old Styf then saw his opportunity to +do a good thing. Men thought it a great affair to have even coarse linen +tow for clothes. No longer need they hunt the wolf and deer in the +forest, for their garments. By degrees, they learned to make finer +stuff, both linen for clothes and sails for ships, and this fabric they +spread out on the grass until the cloth was well bleached. When taken +up, it was white as the summer clouds that sailed in the blue sky. All +the world admired the product, and soon the word "Holland" was less the +name of a country, than of a dainty fabric, so snow white, that it was +fit to robe a queen. The world wanted more and more of it, and the Dutch +linen weaver grew rich. Yet still there was more to come. + +Now, on one moonlight night in summer, the lady elves, beautiful +creatures, dressed in gauze and film, with wings to fly and with feet +that made no sound, came down into the meadows for their fairy dances. +But when, instead of green grass, they saw a white landscape, they +wondered, Was it winter? + +Surely not, for the air was warm. No one shivered, or was cold. Yet +there were whole acres as white as snow, while all the old fairy rings, +grass and flowers were hidden. + +They found that the meadows had become bleaching grounds, so that the +cows had to go elsewhere to get their dinner, and that this white area +was all linen. However, they quickly got over their surprise, for elves +are very quick to notice things. But now that men had stolen a march on +them, they asked whether, after all, these human beings had more +intelligence than elves. Not one of these fairies but believed that men +and women were the inferiors of elves. + +So, then and there, began a battle of wits. + +"They have spoiled our dancing floor with their new invention; so we +shall have to find another," said the elfin queen, who led the party. + +"They are very proud of their linen, these men are; but, without the +spider to teach them, what could they have done? Even a wild boar can +instruct these human beings. Let us show them, that we, also, can do +even more. I'll get Old Styf to put on his thinking cap. He'll add +something new that will make them prouder yet." + +"But we shall get the glory of it," the elves shouted in chorus. Then +they left off talking and began their dances, floating in the air, until +they looked, from a distance, like a wreath of stars. + +The next day, a procession of lovely elf maidens and mothers waited on +Styf and asked him to devise something that would excel the invention of +linen; which, after all, men had learned from the spider. + +"Yes, and they would not have any grain fields, if they had not learned +from the wild boar," added the elf queen. + +Old Styf answered "yes" at once to their request, and put on his red +thinking cap. Then some of the girl elves giggled, for they saw that he +did, really, look like a cock's comb. "No wonder they called him +Haan-e'-kam," said one elf girl to the other. + +Now Old Styf enjoyed fooling, just for the fun of it, and he taught all +the younger elves that those who did the most work with their hands and +head, would have the most fun when they were old. + +First of all, he went at once to see Fro, the spirit of the golden +sunshine and the warm summer showers, who owned two of the most +wonderful things in the world. One was his sword, which, as soon as it +was drawn out of its sheath, against wicked enemies, fought of its own +accord and won every battle. Fro's chief enemies were the frost giants, +who wilted the flowers and blasted the plants useful to man. Fro was +absent, when Styf came, but his wife promised he would come next day, +which he did. He was happy to meet all the elves and fairies, and they, +in turn, joyfully did whatever he told them. Fro knew all the secrets of +the grain fields, for he could see what was in every kernel of both the +stalks and the ripe ears. He arrived, in a golden chariot, drawn by his +wild boar which served him instead of a horse. Both chariot and boar +drove over the tops of the ears of wheat, and faster than the wind. + +The Boar was named Gullin, or Golden Bristles because of its sunshiny +color and splendor. In this chariot, Fro had specimens of all the +grains, fruits, and vegetables known to man, from which Styf could +choose, for these he was accustomed to scatter over the earth. + +When Styf told him just what he wanted to do, Fro picked out a sheaf of +wheat and whispered a secret in his ear. Then he drove away, in a burst +of golden glory, which dazzled even the elves, that loved the bright +sunshine. These elves were always glad to see the golden chariot coming +or passing by. + +Styf also summoned to his aid the kabouters, and, from these ugly little +fellows, got some useful hints; for they, dwelling in the dark caverns, +know many secrets which men used to name alchemy, and which they now +call chemistry. + +Then Styf fenced himself off from all intruders, on the top of a bright, +sunny hilltop, with his thinking cap on and made experiments for seven +days. No elves, except his servants, were allowed to see him. At the end +of a week, still keeping his secret and having instructed a dozen or so +of the elf girls in his new art, he invited all the elves in the Low +Countries to come to a great exhibition, which he intended to give. + +What a funny show it was! On one long bench, were half a dozen washtubs; +and on a table, near by, were a dozen more washtubs; and on a longer +table not far away were six ironing boards, with smoothing irons. A +stove, made hot with a peat fire, was to heat the irons. Behind the tubs +and tables, stood the twelve elf maidens, all arrayed in shining white +garments and caps, as spotless as snow. One might almost think they were +white elves of the meadow and not kabouters of the mines. The wonder was +that their linen clothes were not only as dainty as stars, but that they +glistened, as if they had laid on the ground during a hoar frost. + +Yet it was still warm summer. Nothing had frozen, or melted, and the +rosy-faced elf-maidens were as dry as an ivory fan. Yet they resembled +the lilies of the garden when pearly with dew-drops. + +When all were gathered together, Old Styf called for some of the +company, who had come from afar, to take off their dusty and +travel-stained linen garments and give them to him. These were passed +over to the trained girls waiting to receive them. In a jiffy, they were +washed, wrung out, rinsed and dried. It was noticed that those +elf-maidens, who were standing at the last tub, were intently expecting +to do something great, while those five elf maids at the table took off +the hot irons from the stove. They touched the bottom of the flat-irons +with a drop of water to see if it rolled off hissing. They kept their +eyes fixed on Styf, who now came forward before all and said, in a loud +voice: + +"Elves and fairies, moss maidens and stall sprites, one and all, behold +our invention, which our great friend Fro and our no less helpful +friends, the kabouters, have helped me to produce. Now watch me prove +its virtues." + +Forthwith he produced before all a glistening substance, partly in +powder, and partly in square lumps, as white as chalk. He easily broke +up a handful under his fingers, and flung it into the fifth tub, which +had hot water in it. After dipping the washed garments in the white +gummy mass, he took them up, wrung them out, dried them with his breath, +and then handed them to the elf ironers. In a few moments, these held +up, before the company, what a few minutes before had been only dusty +and stained clothes. Now, they were white and resplendent. No fuller's +earth could have bleached them thus, nor added so glistening a surface. + +It was starch, a new thing for clothes. The fairies, one and all, +clapped their hands in delight. + +"What shall we name it?" modestly asked Styf of the oldest gnome +present. + +"Hereafter, we shall call you Styf Sterk, Stiff Starch." They all +laughed. + +Very quickly did the Dutch folks, men and women, hear and make use of +the elves' invention. Their linen closets now looked like piles of snow. +All over the Low Countries, women made caps, in new fashions, of lace or +plain linen, with horns and wings, flaps and crimps, with quilling and +with whirligigs. Soon, in every town, one could read the sign "Hier +mangled men" (Here we do ironing). + +In time, kings, queens and nobles made huge ruffs, often so big that +their necks were invisible, and their heads nearly lost from sight, in +rings of quilled linen, or of lace, that stuck out a foot or so. Worldly +people dyed their starch yellow; zealous folk made it blue; but moderate +people kept it snowy white. + +Starch added money and riches to the nation. Kings' treasuries became +fat with money gained by taxes laid on ruffs, and on the cargoes of +starch, which was now imported by the shipload, or made on the spot, in +many countries. So, out of the ancient grain came a new spirit that +worked for sweetness and beauty, cleanliness, and health. From a useful +substance, as old as Egypt, was born a fine art, that added to the sum +of the world's wealth and pleasure. + + + + +THE KABOUTERS AND THE BELLS + + +When the young queen Wilhelmina visited Brabant and Limburg, they amused +her with pageants and plays, in which the little fellows called +kabouters, in Dutch, and kobolds in German, played and showed off their +tricks. Other small folk, named gnomes, took part in the tableaux. The +kabouters are the dark elves, who live in forests and mines. The white +elves live in the open fields and the sunshine. + +The gnomes do the thinking, but the kabouters carry out the work of +mining and gathering the precious stones and minerals. They are short, +thick fellows, very strong and are strenuous in digging out coal and +iron, copper and gold. When they were first made, they were so ugly, +that they had to live where they could not be seen, that is, in the dark +places. The grown imps look like old men with beards, but no one ever +heard of a kabouter that was taller than a yardstick. As for the babies, +they are hardly bigger than a man's thumb. The big boys and girls, in +the kabouter kingdom, are not much over a foot high. + +[Illustration: THE MASTER OF THE CHOIR TRIED AGAIN AND AGAIN] + +What is peculiar about them all is, that they help the good and wise +people to do things better; but they love to plague and punish the dull +folks, that are stupid, or foolish or naughty. In impish glee, they lure +the blockheads, or in Dutch, the "cheese-heads," to do worse. + +A long time ago, there were no church spires or bells in the land of the +Dutch folks, as there are now by the thousands. The good teachers from +the South came into the country and taught the people to have better +manners, finer clothes and more wholesome food. They also persuaded them +to forget their cruel gods and habits of revenge. They told of the +Father in Heaven, who loves us all, as his children, and forgives us +when we repent of our evil doings. + +Now when the chief gnomes and kabouters heard of the newcomers in the +land, they held a meeting and said one to the other: + +"We shall help all the teachers that are good and kind, but we shall +plague and punish the rough fellows among them." + +So word was sent to all little people in the mines and hills, +instructing them how they were to act and what they were to do. + +Some of the new teachers, who were foreigners, and did not know the +customs of the country, were very rude and rough. Every day they hurt +the feelings of the people. With their axes they cut down the sacred +trees. They laughed scornfully at the holy wells and springs of water. +They reviled the people, when they prayed to great Woden, with his black +ravens that told him everything, or to the gentle Freya, with her white +doves, who helped good girls to get kind husbands. They scolded the +children at play, and this made their fathers and mothers feel +miserable. This is the reason why so many people were angry and sullen, +and would not listen to the foreign teachers. + +Worse than this, many troubles came to these outsiders. Their bread was +sour, when they took it out of the oven. So was the milk, in their pans. +Sometimes they found their beds turned upside down. Gravel stones +rattled down into their fireplaces. Their hats and shoes were missing. +In fact, they had a terrible time generally and wanted to go back home. +When the kabouter has a grudge against any one, he knows how to plague +him. + +But the teachers that were wise and gentle had no trouble. They +persuaded the people with kind words, and, just as a baby learns to eat +other food at the table, so the people were weaned away from cruel +customs and foolish beliefs. Many of the land's folk came to listen to +the teachers and helped them gladly to build churches. + +More wonderful than this, were the good things that came to these kind +teachers, they knew not how. Their bread and milk were always sweet and +in plenty. They found their beds made up and their clothes kept clean, +gardens planted with blooming flowers, and much hard work done for them. +When they would build a church in a village, they wondered how it was +that the wood and the nails, the iron necessary to brace the beams, and +the copper and brass for the sacred vessels, came so easily and in +plenty. When, on some nights, they wondered where they would get food to +eat, they found, on waking up in the morning, that there was always +something good ready for them. Thus many houses of worship were built, +and the more numerous were the churches, the more did farms, cows, grain +fields, and happy people multiply. + +Now when the gnomes and kabouters, who like to do work for pleasant +people, heard that the good teachers wanted church bells, to call the +people to worship, they resolved to help the strangers. They would make +not only a bell, or a chime, but, actually a carillon, or concert of +bells to hang up in the air. + +The dark dwarfs did not like to dig metal for swords or spears, or what +would hurt people; but the church bells would guide travellers in the +forest, and quiet the storms, that destroyed houses and upset boats and +killed or drowned people, besides inviting the people to come and pray +and sing. They knew that the good teachers were poor and could not buy +bells in France or Italy. Even if they had money, they could not get +them through the thick forests, or over the stormy seas, for they were +too heavy. + +When all the kabouters were told of this, they came together to work, +night and day, in the mines. With pick and shovel, crowbar and chisel, +and hammer and mallet, they broke up the rocks containing copper and +tin. Then they built great roaring fires, to smelt the ore into ingots. +They would show the teachers that the Dutch kabouters could make bells, +as well as the men in the lands of the South. These dwarfish people are +jealous of men and very proud of what they can do. + +It was the funniest sight to see these short legged fellows, with tiny +coats coming just below their thighs, and little red caps, looking like +a stocking and ending in a tassel, on their heads, and in shoes that had +no laces, but very long points. They flew around as lively as monkeys, +and when the fire was hot they threw off everything and worked much +harder and longer than men do. + +Were they like other fairies? Well, hardly. One must put away all his +usual thoughts, when he thinks of kabouters. No filmy wings on their +backs! No pretty clothes or gauzy garments, or stars, or crowns, or +wands! Instead of these were hammers, pickaxes, and chisels. But how +diligent, useful and lively these little folks, in plain, coarse coats +and with bare legs, were! In place of things light, clean and easy, the +kabouters had furnaces, crucibles and fires of coal and wood. + +Sometimes they were grimy, with smoke and coal dust, and the sweat ran +down their faces and bodies. Yet there was always plenty of water in the +mines, and when hard work was over they washed and looked plain but +tidy. Besides their stores of gold, and silver, and precious stones, +which they kept ready, to give to good people, they had tools with which +to tease or tantalize cruel, mean or lazy folks. + +Now when the kabouter daddies began the roaring fires for the making of +the bells, the little mothers and the small fry in the kabouter world +could not afford to be idle. One and all, they came down from off the +earth, and into the mines they went in a crowd. They left off teasing +milkmaids, tangling skeins of flax, tearing fishermen's nets, tying +knots in cows' tails, tumbling pots, pans and dishes, in the kitchen, or +hiding hats, and throwing stones down the chimneys onto the fireplaces. +They even ceased their fun of mocking children, who were calling the +cows home, by hiding behind the rocks and shouting to them. Instead of +these tricks, they saved their breath to blow the fires into a blast. +Everybody wondered where the "kabs" were, for on the farms and in town +nothing happened and all was as quiet as when a baby is asleep. + +For days and weeks underground, the dwarfs toiled, until their skins, +already dark, became as sooty as the rafters in the houses of our +ancestors. Finally, when all the labor was over, the chief gnomes were +invited down into the mines to inspect the work. + +What a sight! There were at least a hundred bells, of all sizes, like as +in a family; where there are daddy, mother, grown ups, young sons and +daughters, little folk and babies, whether single, twins or triplets. +Big bells, that could scarcely be put inside a hogshead, bells that +would go into a barrel, bells that filled a bushel, and others a peck, +stood in rows. From the middle, and tapering down the row, were scores +more, some of them no larger than cow-bells. Others, at the end, were so +small, that one had to think of pint and gill measures. + +Besides all these, there were stacks of iron rods and bars, bolts, nuts, +screws, and wires and yokes on which to hang the bells. + +One party of the strongest of the kabouters had been busy in the forest, +close to a village, where some men, ordered to do so by a foreign +teacher, had begun to cut down some of the finest and most sacred of the +grand old trees. They had left their tools in the woods; but the "kabs," +at night, seized their axes and before morning, without making any +noise, they had levelled all but the holy trees. Those they spared. +Then, the timber, all cut and squared, ready to hold the bells, was +brought to the mouth of the mine. + +Now in Dutch, the name for bell is "klok." So a wise and gray-bearded +gnome was chosen by the high sounding title of klokken-spieler, or bell +player, to test the bells for a carillon. They were all hung, for +practice, on the big trestles, in a long row. Each one of these frames +was called a "hang," for they were just like those on which fishermen's +nets were laid to dry and be mended. + +So when all were ready, washed, and in their clean clothes, every one of +the kabouter families, daddies, mothers, and young ones, were ranged in +lines and made to sing. The heavy male tenors and baritones, the female +sopranos and contraltos, the trebles of the little folks, and the +squeaks of the very small children, down to the babies' cooing, were all +heard by the gnomes, who were judges. The high and mighty +klokken-spieler, or master of the carillon, chose those voices with best +tone and quality, from which to set in order and regulate the bells. + +It was pitiful to see how mad and jealous some of the kabouters, both +male and female, were, when they were not appointed to the first row, in +which were some of the biggest of the males, and some of the fattest of +the females. Then the line tapered off, to forty or fifty young folks, +including urchins of either sex, down to mere babies, that could hardly +stand. These had bibs on and had to be held up by their fond mothers. +Each one by itself could squeal and squall, coo and crow lustily; but, +at a distance, their voices blended and the noise they made sounded like +a tinkle. + +All being ready, the old gnome bit his tuning fork, hummed a moment, and +then started a tune. Along the line, at a signal from the chief gnome, +they started a tune. + +In the long line, there were, at first, booms and peals, twanging and +clanging, jangling and wrangling, making such a clangor that it sounded +more like an uproar than an opera. The chief gnome was almost +discouraged. + +But neither a gnome nor a kabouter ever gives up. The master of the +choir tried again and again. He scolded one old daddy, for singing too +low. He frowned at a stalwart young fellow, who tried to drown out all +the rest with his bull-like bellow. He shook his finger at a kabouter +girl, that was flirting with a handsome lad near her. He cheered up the +little folks, encouraging them to hold up their voices, until finally he +had all in order. Then they practiced, until the master gnome thought he +had his scale of notation perfect and gave orders to attune the bells. +To the delight of all the gnomes, kabouters and elves, that had been +invited to the concert, the rows of bells, a hundred or more, from +boomers to tinklers, made harmony. Strung one above the other, they +could render merriment, or sadness, in solos, peals, chimes, cascades +and carillons, with sweetness and effect. At the low notes the babies +called out "cow, cow;" but at the high notes, "bird, bird." + +So it happened that, on the very day that the bishop had his great +church built, with a splendid bulb spire on the top, and all nicely +furnished within, but without one bell to ring in it, that the kabouters +planned a great surprise. + +It was night. The bishop was packing his saddle bags, ready to take a +journey, on horseback, to Rheims. At this city, the great caravans from +India and China ended, bringing to the annual fair, rugs, spices, gems, +and things Oriental, and the merchants of Rheims rolled in gold. Here +the bishop would beg the money, or ask for a bell, or chimes. + +Suddenly, in the night, while in his own house, there rang out music in +the air, such as the bishop had never heard in Holland, or in any of the +seventeen provinces of the Netherlands. Not even in the old lands, +France, or Spain, or Italy, where the Christian teachers, builders and +singers, and the music of the bells had long been heard, had such a +flood of sweet sounds ever fallen on human ears. Here, in these northern +regions, rang out, not a solo, nor a peal, nor a chime, nor even a +cascade, from one bell, or from many bells; but, a long programme of +richest music in the air--something which no other country, however rich +or old, possessed. It was a carillon, that is, a continued mass of real +music, in which whole tunes, songs, and elaborate pieces of such length, +mass and harmony, as only a choir of many voices, a band of music, or an +orchestra of many performers could produce. + +To get this grand work of hanging in the spire done in one night, and +before daylight, also, required a whole regiment of fairy toilers, who +must work like bees. For if one ray of sunshine struck any one of the +kabouters, he was at once petrified. The light elves lived in the +sunshine and thrived on it; but for dark elves, like the kabouters, +whose home was underground, sunbeams were as poisoned arrows bringing +sure death; for by these they were turned into stone. Happily the task +was finished before the eastern sky grew gray, or the cocks crowed. +While it was yet dark, the music in the air flooded the earth. The +people in their beds listened with rapture. + +"Laus Deo" (Praise God), devoutly cried the surprised bishop. "It sounds +like a choir of angels. Surely the cherubim and seraphim are here. Now +is fulfilled the promise of the Psalmist: 'The players on instruments +shall be there.'" + +So, from this beginning, so mysterious to the rough, unwise and stupid +teachers, but, by degrees, clearer to the tactful ones, who were kind +and patient, the carillons spread over all the region between the +forests of Ardennes and the island in the North Sea. The Netherlands +became the land of melodious symphonies and of tinkling bells. No town, +however poor, but in time had its carillon. Every quarter of an hour, +the sweet music of hymn or song, made the air vocal, while at the +striking of the hours, the pious bowed their heads and the workmen heard +the call for rest, or they took cheer, because their day's toil was +over. At sunrise, noon, or sunset, the Angelus, and at night the curfew +sounded their calls. + +It grew into a fashion, that, on stated days, great concerts were given, +lasting over an hour, when the grand works of the masters of music were +rendered and famous carillon players came from all over the Netherlands, +to compete for prizes. The Low Countries became a famous school, in +which klokken-spielers (bell players) by scores were trained. Thus no +kingdom, however rich or great, ever equalled the Land of the Carillon, +in making the air sweet with both melody and harmony. + +Nobody ever sees a kabouter nowadays, for in the new world, when the +woods are nearly all cut down, the world made by the steam engine, and +telegraph, and wireless message, the automobile, aeroplane and +submarine, cycle and under-sea boat, the little folks in the mines and +forests are forgotten. The chemists, miners, engineers and learned men +possess the secrets which were once those of the fairies only. Yet the +artists and architects, the clockmakers and bellfounders, who love +beauty, remember what their fathers once thought and believed. That is +the reason why, on many a famous clock, either in front of the dial or +near the pendulum, are figures of the gnomes, who thought, and the +kabouters who wrought, to make the carillons. In Teuton lands, where +their cousins are named kobolds, and in France where they are called +fee, and in England brownies, they have tolling and ringing of bells, +with peals, chimes and cascades of sweet sound; but the Netherlands, +still, above all others on earth, is the home of the carillon. + + + + +THE WOMAN WITH THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SIX CHILDREN + + +Long, long ago, before the oldest stork was young and big deer and +little fawns were very many in the Dutch forests, there was a pond, +famous for its fish, which lay in the very heart of Holland, with woods +near by. Hunters came with their bows and arrows to hunt the stags. Or, +out of the bright waters, boys and men in the sunshine drew out the fish +with shining scales, or lured the trout, with fly-bait, from their +hiding places. In those days the fish-pond was called the Vijver, and +the woods where the deer ran, Rensselaer, or the Deer's Lair. + +So, because the forests of oak, and beech, and alder trees were so fine, +and game on land and in water so plentiful, the lord of the country came +here and built his castle. He made a hedge around his estate, so that +the people called the place the Count's Hedge; or, as we say, The Hague. + +Even to-day, within the beautiful city, the forests, with their grand +old trees, still remain, and the fish-pond, called the Vijver, is there +yet, with its swans. On the little island, the fluffy, downy cygnets are +born and grow to be big birds, with long necks, bent like an arch. In +another part of the town, also, with their trees for nesting, and their +pond for wading, are children of the same storks, whose fathers and +mothers lived there before America was discovered. + +By and by, many people of rank and fortune came to The Hague, for its +society. They built their grand houses at the slope of the hill, not far +away from the Vijver, and in time a city grew up. + +It was a fine sight to see the lords and ladies riding out from the +castle into the country. The cavalcade was very splendid, when they went +hawking. There were pretty women on horseback, and gentlemen in velvet +clothes, with feathers in their hats, and the horses seemed proud to +bear them. The falconers followed on foot, with the hunting birds +perched on a hoop, which the man inside the circle carried round him. +Each falcon had on a little cap or hood, which was fastened over its +head. When this was taken off, it flew high up into the air, on its hunt +for the big and little birds, which it brought down for its masters. +There were also men with dogs, to beat the reeds and bushes, and drive +the smaller birds from shelter. The huntsmen were armed with spears, +lest a wild boar, or bear, should rush out and attack them. It was +always a merry day, when a hawking party, in their fine clothes and gay +trappings, started out. + +There were huts, as well as palaces, and poor people, also, at The +Hague. Among these, was a widow, whose twin babies were left without +anything to eat--for her husband and their father had been killed in the +war. Having no money to buy a cradle, and her babies being too young to +be left alone, she put the pair of little folks on her back and went out +to beg. + +Now there was a fine lady, a Countess, who lived with her husband, the +Count, near the Vijver. She was childless and very jealous of other +women who were mothers and had children playing around them. On this +day, when the beggar woman, with her two babies on her back, came along, +the grand lady was in an unusually bad temper. For all her pretty +clothes, she was not a person of fine manners. Indeed, she often acted +more like a snarling dog, ready to snap at any one who should speak to +her. Although she had cradles and nurses and lovely baby clothes all +ready, there was no baby. This spoiled her disposition, so that her +husband and the servants could hardly live with her. + +One day, after dinner, when there had been everything good to eat and +drink on her table, and plenty of it, the Countess went out to walk in +front of her house. It was the third day of January, but the weather was +mild. The beggar woman, with her two babies on her back and their arms +round her neck, crying with hunger, came trudging along. She went into +the garden and asked the Countess for food or an alms. She expected +surely, at least a slice of bread, a cup of milk, or a small coin. + +But the Countess was rude to her and denied her both food and money. She +even burst into a bad temper, and reviled the woman for having two +children, instead of one. + +"Where did you get those brats? They are not yours. You just brought +them here to play on my feelings and excite my jealousy. Begone!" + +But the poor woman kept her temper. She begged piteously and said: "For +the love of Heaven, feed my babies, even if you will not feed me." + +"No! they are not yours. You're a cheat," said the fine lady, nursing +her rage. + +"Indeed, Madame, they are both my children and born on one day. They +have one father, but he is dead. He was killed in the war, while serving +his grace, your husband." + +"Don't tell me such a story," snapped back the Countess, now in a fury. +"I don't believe that any one, man or woman, could have two children at +once. Away with you," and she seized a stick to drive off the poor +woman. + +Now, it was the turn of the beggar to answer back. Both had lost their +temper, and the two angry women seemed more like she-bears robbed of +their whelps. + +"Heaven punish you, you wicked, cruel, cold-hearted woman," cried the +mother. Her two babies were almost choking her in their eagerness for +food. Yet their cries never moved the rich lady, who had bread and good +things to spare, while their poor parent had not a drop of milk to give +them. The Countess now called her men-servants to drive the beggar away. +This they did, most brutally. They pushed the poor woman outside the +garden gate and closed it behind her. As she turned away, the poor +mother, taking each of her children by its back, one in each hand, held +them up before the grand lady and cried out loudly, so that all heard +her: + +"May you have as many children as there are days in the year." + +Now with all her wrath burning in her breast, what the beggar woman +really meant was this: It was the third of January, and so there were +but three days in the year, so far. She intended to say that, instead of +having to care for two children, the Countess might have the trouble of +rearing three, and all born on the same day. + +But the fine lady, in her mansion, cared nothing for the beggar woman's +words. Why should she? She had her lordly husband, who was a count, and +he owned thousands of acres. Besides, she possessed vast riches. In her +great house, were ten men-servants and thirty-one maid-servants, +together with her rich furniture, and fine clothes and jewels. The lofty +brick church, to which she went on Sundays, was hung with the coats of +arms of her famous ancestors. The stone floor, with its great slabs, was +so grandly carved with the crests and heraldry of her family, that to +walk over these was like climbing a mountain, or tramping across a +ploughed field. Common folks had to be careful, lest they should stumble +over the bosses and knobs of the carved tombs. A long train of her +servants, and tenants on the farms followed her, when she went to +worship. Inside the church, the lord and lady sat, in high seats, on +velvet cushions and under a canopy. + +By the time summer had come, according to the fashion in all good Dutch +families, all sorts of pretty baby clothes were made ready. There were +soft, warm, swaddling bands, tiny socks, and long white linen dresses. A +baptismal blanket, covered with silk, was made for the christening, and +daintily embroidered. Plenty of lace, and pink and blue ribbons--pink +for a girl and blue for a boy--were kept at hand. And, because there +might be twins, a double set of garments was provided, besides baby +bathtubs and all sorts of nice things for the little stranger or +strangers--whether one or two--to come. Even the names were chosen--one +for a boy and the other for a girl. Would it be Wilhelm or Wilhelmina? + +It was real fun to think over the names, but it was hard to choose out +of so many. At last, the Countess crossed off all but forty-six; or the +following; nearly every girl's name ending in _je_, as in our +"Polly," "Sallie." + + _Girls_ _Boys_ + + Magtel Catharyna Gerrit Gysbert + Nelletje Alida Cornelis Jausze + Zelia Annatje Volkert Myndert + Jannetje Christina Kilian Adrian + Zara Katrina Johannes Joachim + Marytje Bethje Petrus Arendt + Willemtje Eva Barent Dirck + Geertruy Dirkje Wessel Nikolaas + Petronella Mayken Hendrik Staats + Margrieta Hilleke Teunis Gozen + Josina Bethy Wouter Willemtje + Japik Evert + +But before the sun set on the expected day, it was neither one boy nor +one girl, nor both; nor were all the forty-six names chosen sufficient; +for the beggar woman's wish had come true, in a way not expected. There +were as many as, and no fewer children than, there were days in the +year; and, since this was leap year, there were three hundred and +sixty-six little folks in the house; so that other names, besides the +forty-six, had to be used. + +Yet none of these wee creatures was bigger than a mouse. Beginning at +daylight, one after another appeared--first a girl and then a boy; so +that after the forty-eighth, the nurse was at her wit's end, to give +them names. It was not possible to keep the little babies apart. The +thirty-one servant maids of the mansion were all called in to help in +sorting out the girls from the boys; but soon it seemed hopeless to try +to pick out Peter from Henry, or Catalina from Annetje. After an hour or +two spent at the task, and others coming along, the women found that it +was useless to try any longer. It was found that little Piet, Jan and +Klaas, Hank, Douw and Japik, among the boys; and Molly, Mayka, Lena, +Elsje, Annatje and Marie were getting all mixed up. So they gave up the +attempt in despair. Besides, the supply of pink and blue ribbons had +given out long before, after the first dozen or so were born. As for +the, baby clothes made ready, they were of no use, for all the garments +were too big. In one of the long dresses, tied up like a bag, one might +possibly, with stuffing, have put the whole family of three hundred and +sixty-six brothers and sisters. + +It was not likely such small fry of human beings could live long. So, +the good Bishop Guy, of Utrecht, when he heard that the beggar woman's +curse had come true, in so unexpected a manner, ordered that the babies +should be all baptized at once. The Count, who was strict in his ideas +of both custom and church law, insisted on it too. + +So nothing would do but to carry the tiny infants to church. How to get +them there, was a question. The whole house had been rummaged to provide +things to carry the little folks in: but the supply of trays, and mince +pie dishes, and crocks, was exhausted at the three hundred and sixtieth +baby. So there was left only a Turk's Head, or round glazed earthen +dish, fluted and curved, which looked like the turban of a Turk. Hence +its name. Into this, the last batch of babies, or extra six girls, were +stowed. Curiously enough, number 366 was an inch taller than the others. +To thirty house maids was given a tray, for each was to carry twelve +mannikins, and one the last six, in the Turk's Head. Instead of rich +silk blankets a wooden tray, and no clothes on, must suffice. + +In the Groote Kerk, or Great Church, the Bishop was waiting, with his +assistants, holding brass basins full of holy water, for the +christening. All the town, including the dogs, were out to see what was +going on. Many boys and girls climbed up on the roofs of the one-story +houses, or in the trees to get a better view of the curious +procession--the like of which had never been seen in The Hague before. +Neither has anything like it ever been seen since. + +So the parade began. First went the Count, with his captains and the +trumpeters, blowing their trumpets. These were followed by the +men-servants, all dressed in their best Sunday clothes, who had the +crest and arms of their master, the Count, on their backs and breasts. +Then came on the company of thirty-one maids, each one carrying a tray, +on which were twelve mannikins, or minikins. Twenty of these trays were +round and made of wood, lined with velvet, smooth and soft; but ten were +of earthenware, oblong in shape, like a manger. In these, every year, +were baked the Christmas pies. + +At first, all went on finely, for the outdoor air seemed to put the +babies asleep and there was no crying. But no sooner were they inside +the church, than about two hundred of the brats began wailing and +whimpering. Pretty soon, they set up such a squall that the Count felt +ashamed of his progeny and the Bishop looked very unhappy. + +To make matters worse, one of the maids, although warned of the danger, +stumbled over the helmet of an old crusader, carved in stone, that rose +some six inches or so above the floor. In a moment, she fell and lay +sprawling, spilling out at least a dozen babies. "Heilige Mayke" (Holy +Mary!), she cried, as she rolled over. "Have I killed them?" + +Happily the wee ones were thrown against the long-trained gown of an old +lady walking directly in front of her, so that they were unhurt. They +were easily picked up and laid on the tray again, and once more the line +started. + +Happily the Bishop had been notified that he would not have to call out +the names of all the infants, that is, three hundred and sixty-six; for +this would have kept him at the solemn business all day long. It had +been arranged that, instead of any on the list of the chosen forty-six, +to be so named, all the boys should be called John, and all the girls +Elizabeth; or, in Dutch, Jan and Lisbet, or Lizbethje. Yet even to say +"John" one hundred and eighty times, and "Lisbet" one hundred and +eighty-six times, nearly tired the old gentleman to death, for he was +fat and slow. + +So, after the first six trays full of wee folks had been sprinkled, one +at a time, the Bishop decided to "asperse" them, that is, shake, from a +mop or brush, the holy water, on a tray full of babies at one time. So +he called for the "aspersorium." Then, clipping this in the basin of +holy water, he scattered the drops over the wee folk, until all, even +the six extra girl babies in the Turk's Head, were sprinkled. Probably, +because the Bishop thought a Turk was next door to a heathen, he dropped +more water than usual on these last six, until the young ones squealed +lustily with the cold. It was noted, on the contrary, that the little +folks in the mince pie dishes were gently handled, as if the good man +had visions of Christmas coming and the good things on the table. + +Yet it was evident that such tiny people could not bear what healthy +babies of full size would think nothing of. Whether it was because of +the damp weather, or the cold air in the brick church, or too much +excitement, or because there were not three hundred and sixty-six +nurses, or milk bottles ready, it came to pass that every one of the wee +creatures died when the sun went down. + +Just where they were buried is not told, but, for hundreds of years, +there was, in one of The Hague churches, a monument in honor of these +little folks, who lived but a day. It was graven with portraits in stone +of the Count and Countess and told of their children, as many as the +days of the year. Near by, were hung up the two basins, in which the +holy water, used by the Bishop, in sprinkling the babies, was held. The +year, month and day of the wonderful event were also engraved. Many and +many people from various lands came to visit the tomb. The guide books +spoke of it, and tender women wept, as they thought how three hundred +and sixty-six little cradles, in the Count's castle, would have looked, +had each baby lived. + + + + +THE ONI ON HIS TRAVELS + + +Across the ocean, in Japan, there once lived curious creatures called +Onis. Every Japanese boy and girl has heard of them, though one has not +often been caught. In one museum, visitors could see the hairy leg of a +specimen. Falling out of the air in a storm, the imp had lost his limb. +It had been torn off by being caught in the timber side of a well curb. +The story-teller was earnestly assured by one Japanese lad that his +grandfather had seen it tumble from the clouds. + +Many people are sure that the Onis live in the clouds and occasionally +fall off, during a peal of thunder. Then they escape and hide down in a +well. Or, they get loose in the kitchen, rattle the dishes around, and +make a great racket. They behave like cats, with a dog after them. They +do a great deal of mischief, but not much harm. There are even some old +folks who say that, after all, Onis are only unruly children, that +behave like angels in the morning and act like imps in the afternoon. So +we see that not much is known about the Onis. + +Many things that go wrong are blamed on the Onis. Foolish folks, such as +stupid maid-servants, and dull-witted fellows, that blunder a good deal, +declare that the Onis made them do it. Drunken men, especially, that +stumble into mud-holes at night, say the Onis pushed them in. Naughty +boys that steal cake, and girls that take sugar, often tell fibs to +their parents, charging it on the Onis. + +The Onis love to play jokes on people, but they are not dangerous. There +are plenty of pictures of them in Japan, though they never sat for their +portraits, but this is the way they looked. + +Some Onis have only one eye in their forehead, others two, and, once in +a while, a big fellow has three. There are little, short horns on their +heads, but these are no bigger than those on a baby deer and never grow +long. The hair on their heads gets all snarled up, just like a little +girl's that cries when her tangled tresses are combed out; for the Onis +make use of neither brushes nor looking glasses. As for their faces, +they never wash them, so they look sooty. Their skin is rough, like an +elephant's. On each of their feet are only three toes. Whether an Oni +has a nose, or a snout, is not agreed upon by the learned men who have +studied them. + +No one ever heard of an Oni being higher than a yardstick, but they are +so strong that one of them can easily lift two bushel bags of rice at +once. In Japan, they steal the food offered to the idols. They can live +without air. They like nothing better than to drink both the rice spirit +called sake, and the black liquid called soy, of which only a few drops, +as a sauce on fish, are enough for a man. Of this sauce, the Dutch, as +well as the Japanese, are very fond. + +Above all things else, the most fun for a young Oni is to get into a +crockery shop. Once there, he jumps round among the cups and dishes, +hides in the jars, straddles the shelves and turns somersaults over the +counter. In fact, the Oni is only a jolly little imp. The Japanese +girls, on New Year's eve, throw handfuls of dried beans in every room of +the house and cry, "In, with good luck; and out with you, Onis!" Yet +they laugh merrily all the time. The Onis cannot speak, but they can +chatter like monkeys. They often seem to be talking to each other in +gibberish. + +Now it once happened in Japan that the great Tycoon of the country +wanted to make a present to the Prince of the Dutch. So he sent all over +the land, from the sweet potato fields in the south to the seal and +salmon waters in the north, to get curiosities of all sorts. The +products of Japan, from the warm parts, where grow the indigo and the +sugar cane, to the cold regions, in which are the bear and walrus, were +sent as gifts to go to the Land of Dykes and Windmills. The Japanese had +heard that the Dutch people like cheese, walk in wooden shoes, eat with +forks, instead of chopsticks, and the women wear twenty petticoats +apiece, while the men sport jackets with two gold buttons, and folks +generally do things the other way from that which was common in Japan. + +Now it chanced that while they were packing the things that were piled +up in the palace at Yedo, a young Oni, with his horns only half grown, +crawled into the kitchen, at night, through the big bamboo water pipe +near the pump. Pretty soon he jumped into the storeroom. There, the +precious cups, vases, lacquer boxes, pearl-inlaid pill-holders, writing +desks, jars of tea, and bales of silk, were lying about, ready to be put +into their cases. The yellow wrappings for covering the pretty things of +gold and silver, bronze and wood, and the rice chaff, for the packing of +the porcelain, were all at hand. What a jolly time the Oni did have, in +tumbling them about and rolling over them! Then he leaped like a monkey +from one vase to another. He put on a lady's gay silk kimono and wrapped +himself around with golden embroidery. Then he danced and played the +game of the Ka-gu'-ra, or Lion of Korea, pretending to make love to a +girl-Oni. Such funny capers as he did cut! It would have made a cat +laugh to see him. It was broad daylight, before his pranks were over, +and the Dutch church chimes were playing the hour of seven. + +Suddenly the sound of keys in the lock told him that, in less than a +minute, the door would open. + +Where should he hide? There was no time to be lost. So he seized some +bottles of soy from the kitchen shelf and then jumped into the big +bottom drawer of a ladies' cabinet, and pulled it shut. + +"Namu Amida" (Holy Buddha!), cried the man that opened the door. "Who +has been here? It looks like a rat's picnic." + +However, the workmen soon came and set everything to rights. Then they +packed up the pretty things. They hammered down the box lids and before +night the Japanese curiosities were all stored in the hold of a swift, +Dutch ship, from Nagasaki, bound for Rotterdam. After a long voyage, the +vessel arrived safely in good season, and the boxes were sent on to The +Hague, or capital city. As the presents were for the Prince, they were +taken at once to the pretty palace, called the House in the Wood. There +they were unpacked and set on exhibition for the Prince and Princess to +see the next day. + +When the palace maid came in next morning to clean up the floor and dust +the various articles, her curiosity led her to pull open the drawer of +the ladies' cabinet; when out jumped something hairy. It nearly +frightened the girl out of her wits. It was the Oni, which rushed off +and down stairs, tumbling over a half dozen servants, who were sitting +at their breakfast. All started to run except the brave butler, who +caught up a carving knife and showed fight. Seeing this, the Oni ran +down into the cellar, hoping to find some hole or crevice for escape. +All around, were shelves filled with cheeses, jars of sour-krout, +pickled herring, and stacks of fresh rye bread standing in the corners. +But oh! how they did smell in his Japanese nostrils! Oni, as he was, he +nearly fainted, for no such odors had ever beaten upon his nose, when in +Japan. Even at the risk of being carved into bits, he must go back. So +up into the kitchen again he ran. Happily, the door into the garden +stood wide open. + +Grabbing a fresh bottle of soy from the kitchen shelf, the Oni, with a +hop, skip and jump, reached outdoors. Seeing a pair of klomps, or wooden +shoes, near the steps, the Oni put his pair of three toes into them, to +keep the dogs from scenting its tracks. Then he ran into the fields, +hiding among the cows, until he heard men with pitchforks coming. At +once the Oni leaped upon a cow's back and held on to its horns, while +the poor animal ran for its life into its stall, in the cow stable, +hoping to brush the monster off. + +The dairy farmer's wife was at that moment pulling open her bureau +drawer, to put on a new clean lace cap. Hearing her favorite cow moo and +bellow, she left the drawer open and ran to look through the pane of +glass in the kitchen. Through this, she could peep, at any minute, to +see whether this or that cow, or its calf, was sick or well. + +Meanwhile, at the House in the Wood, the Princess, hearing the maid +scream and the servants in an uproar, rushed out in her embroidered +white nightie, to ask who, and what, and why, and wherefore. All +different and very funny were the answers of maid, butler, cook, valet +and boots. + +The first maid, who had pulled open the drawer and let the Oni get out, +held up broom and duster, as if to take oath. She declared: + +"It was a monkey, or baboon; but he seemed to talk--Russian, I think." + +"No," said the butler. "I heard the creature--a black ram, running on +its hind legs; but its language was German, I'm sure." + +The cook, a fat Dutch woman, told a long story. She declared, on honor, +that it was a black dog like a Chinese pug, that has no hair. However, +she had only seen its back, but she was positive the creature talked +English, for she heard it say "soy." + +The valet honestly avowed that he was too scared to be certain of +anything, but was ready to swear that to his ears the words uttered +seemed to be Swedish. He had once heard sailors from Sweden talking, and +the chatter sounded like their lingo. + +Then there was Boots, the errand boy, who believed that it was the +Devil; but, whatever or whoever it was, he was ready to bet a week's +wages that its lingo was all in French. + +Now when the Princess found that not one of her servants could speak or +understand any language but their own, she scolded them roundly in +Dutch, and wound up by saying, "You're a lot of cheese-heads, all of +you." + +Then she arranged the wonderful things from the Far East, with her own +dainty hands, until the House in the Wood was fragrant with Oriental +odors, and soon it became famous throughout all Europe. Even when her +grandchildren played with the pretty toys from the land of Fuji and +flowers, of silk and tea, cherry blossoms and camphor trees, it was not +only the first but the finest Japanese collection in all Europe. + +Meanwhile, the Oni, in a strange land, got into one trouble after +another. In rushed men with clubs, but as an Oni was well used to seeing +these at home, he was not afraid. He could outrun, outjump, or outclimb +any man, easily. The farmer's vrouw (wife) nearly fainted when the Oni +leaped first into her room and then into her bureau drawer. As he did +so, the bottle of soy, held in his three-fingered paw, hit the wood and +the dark liquid, as black as tar, ran all over the nicely starched +laces, collars and nightcaps. Every bit of her quilled and crimped +hear-gear and neckwear, once as white as snow, was ruined. + +"Donder en Bliksem" (thunder and lightning), cried the vrouw. "There's +my best cap, that cost twenty guilders, utterly ruined." Then she +bravely ran for the broomstick. + +The Oni caught sight of what he thought was a big hole in the wall and +ran into it. Seeing the blue sky above, he began to climb up. Now there +were no chimneys in Japan and he did not know what this was. The soot +nearly blinded and choked him. So he slid down and rushed out, only to +have his head nearly cracked by the farmer's wife, who gave him a whack +of her broomstick. She thought it was a crazy goat that she was +fighting. She first drove the Oni into the cellar and then bolted the +door. + +An hour later, the farmer got a gun and loaded it. Then, with his hired +man he came near, one to pull open the door, and the other to shoot. +What they expected to find was a monster. + +But no! So much experience, even within an hour, of things unknown in +Japan, including chimneys, had been too severe for the poor, lonely, +homesick Oni. There it lay dead on the floor, with its three fingers +held tightly to its snout and closing it. So much cheese, zuur kool +(sour krout), gin (schnapps), advocaat (brandy and eggs), cows' milk, +both sour and fresh, wooden shoes, lace collars and crimped neckwear, +with the various smells, had turned both the Oni's head and his stomach. +The very sight of these strange things being so unusual, gave the Oni +first fright, and then a nervous attack, while the odors, such as had +never tortured his nose before, had finished him. + +The wise men of the village were called together to hold an inquest. +After summoning witnesses, and cross-examining them and studying the +strange creature, their verdict was that it could be nothing less than a +_Hersen Schim_, that is, a spectre of the brain. They meant by this +that there was no such animal. + +However, a man from Delft, who followed the business of a knickerbocker, +or baker of knickers, or clay marles, begged the body of the Oni. He +wanted it to serve as a model for a new gargoyle, or rain spout, for the +roof of churches. Carved in stone, or baked in clay, which turns red and +is called terra cotta, the new style of monster became very popular. The +knickerbocker named it after a new devil, that had been expelled by the +prayers of the saints, and speedily made a fortune, by selling it to +stone cutters and architects. So for one real Oni, that died and was +buried in Dutch soil, there are thousands of imaginary ones, made of +baked clay, or stone, in the Dutch land, where things, more funny than +in fairy-land, constantly take place. + +The dead Japanese Oni serving as a model, which was made into a water +gutter, served more useful purposes, for a thousand years, than ever he +had done, in the land where his relations still live and play their +pranks. + + + + +THE LEGEND OF THE WOODEN SHOE + + +In years long gone, too many for the almanac to tell of, or for clocks +and watches to measure, millions of good fairies came down from the sun +and went into the earth. There, they changed themselves into roots and +leaves, and became trees. There were many kinds of these, as they +covered the earth, but the pine and birch, ash and oak, were the chief +ones that made Holland. The fairies that lived in the trees bore the +name of Moss Maidens, or Tree "Trintjes," which is the Dutch pet name +for Kate, or Katharine. + +The oak was the favorite tree, for people lived then on acorns, which +they ate roasted, boiled or mashed, or made into meal, from which +something like bread was kneaded and baked. With oak bark, men tanned +hides and made leather, and, from its timber, boats and houses. Under +its branches, near the trunk, people laid their sick, hoping for help +from the gods. Beneath the oak boughs, also, warriors took oaths to be +faithful to their lords, women made promises, or wives joined hand in +hand around its girth, hoping to have beautiful children. Up among its +leafy branches the new babies lay, before they were found in the cradle +by the other children. To make a young child grow up to be strong and +healthy, mothers drew them through a split sapling or young tree. Even +more wonderful, as medicine for the country itself, the oak had power to +heal. The new land sometimes suffered from disease called the _val_ +(or fall). When sick with the _val_, the ground sunk. Then people, +houses, churches, barns and cattle all went down, out of sight, and were +lost forever, in a flood of water. + +But the oak, with its mighty roots, held the soil firm. Stories of dead +cities, that had tumbled beneath the waves, and of the famous Forest of +Reeds, covering a hundred villages, which disappeared in one night, were +known only too well. + +Under the birch tree, lovers met to plight their vows, and on its smooth +bark was often cut the figure of two hearts joined in one. In summer, +the forest furnished shade, and in winter warmth from the fire. In the +spring time, the new leaves were a wonder, and in autumn the pigs grew +fat on the mast, or the acorns, that had dropped on the ground. + +So, for thousands of years, when men made their home in the forest, and +wanted nothing else, the trees were sacred. + +But by and by, when cows came into the land and sheep and horses +multiplied, more open ground was needed for pasture, grain fields and +meadows. Fruit trees, bearing apples and pears, peaches and cherries, +were planted, and grass, wheat, rye and barley were grown. Then, instead +of the dark woods, men liked to have their gardens and orchards open to +the sunlight. Still, the people were very rude, and all they had on +their bare feet were rough bits of hard leather, tied on through their +toes; though most of them went barefooted. + +The forests had to be cut down. Men were so busy with the axe, that in a +few years, the Wood Land was gone. Then the new "Holland," with its +people and red roofed houses, with its chimneys and windmills, and dykes +and storks, took the place of the old Holt Land of many trees. + +Now there was a good man, a carpenter and very skilful with his tools, +who so loved the oak that he gave himself, and his children after him, +the name of Eyck, which is pronounced Ike, and is Dutch for oak. When, +before his neighbors and friends, according to the beautiful Dutch +custom, he called his youngest born child, to lay the corner-stone of +his new house, he bestowed upon her, before them all, the name of +Neeltje (or Nellie) Van Eyck. + +The carpenter daddy continued to mourn over the loss of the forests. He +even shed tears, fearing lest, by and by, there should not one oak tree +be left in the country. Moreover, he was frightened at the thought that +the new land, made by pushing back the ocean and building dykes, might +sink down again and go back to the fishes. In such a case, all the +people, the babies and their mothers, men, women, horses and cattle, +would be drowned. The Dutch folks were a little too fast, he thought, in +winning their acres from the sea. + +One day, while sitting on his door-step, brooding sorrowfully, a Moss +Maiden and a Tree Elf appeared, skipping along, hand in hand. They came +up to him and told him that his ancestral oak had a message for him. +Then they laughed and ran away. Van Eyck, which was now the man's full +family name, went into the forest and stood under the grand old oak +tree, which his fathers loved, and which he would allow none to cut +down. + +Looking up, the leaves of the tree rustled, and one big branch seemed to +sweep near him. Then it whispered in his ear: + +"Do not mourn, for your descendants, even many generations hence, shall +see greater things than you have witnessed. I and my fellow oak trees +shall pass away, but the sunshine shall be spread over the land and make +it dry. Then, instead of its falling down, like acorns from the trees, +more and better food shall come up from out of the earth. Where green +fields now spread, and the cities grow where forests were, we shall come +to life again, but in another form. When most needed, we shall furnish +you and your children and children's children, with warmth, comfort, +fire, light, and wealth. Nor need you fear for the land, that it will +fall; for, even while living, we, and all the oak trees that are left, +and all the birch, beech, and pine trees shall stand on our heads for +you. We shall hold up your houses, lest they fall into the ooze and you +shall walk and run over our heads. As truly as when rooted in the soil, +will we do this. Believe what we tell you, and be happy. We shall turn +ourselves upside down for you." + +"I cannot see how all these things can be," said Van Eyck. + +"Fear not, my promise will endure." + +The leaves of the branch rustled for another moment. Then, all was +still, until the Moss Maiden and Trintje, the Tree Elf, again, hand in +hand, as they tripped along merrily, appeared to him. + +"We shall help you and get our friends, the elves, to do the same. Now, +do you take some oak wood and saw off two pieces, each a foot long. See +that they are well dried. Then set them on the kitchen table to-night, +when you go to bed." After saying this, and looking at each other and +laughing, just as girls do, they disappeared. + +Pondering on what all this might mean, Van Eyck went to his wood-shed +and sawed off the oak timber. At night, after his wife had cleared off +the supper table, he laid the foot-long pieces in their place. + +When Van Eyck woke up in the morning, he recalled his dream, and, before +he was dressed, hurried to the kitchen. There, on the table, lay a pair +of neatly made wooden shoes. Not a sign of tools, or shavings could be +seen, but the clean wood and pleasant odor made him glad. When he +glanced again at the wooden shoes, he found them perfectly smooth, both +inside and out. They had heels at the bottom and were nicely pointed at +the toes, and, altogether, were very inviting to the foot. He tried them +on, and found that they fitted him exactly. He tried to walk on the +kitchen floor, which his wife kept scrubbed and polished, and then +sprinkled with clean white sand, with broomstick ripples scored in the +layers, but for Van Eyck it was like walking on ice. After slipping and +balancing himself, as if on a tight rope, and nearly breaking his nose +against the wall, he took off the wooden shoes, and kept them off, while +inside the house. However, when he went outdoors, he found his new shoes +very light, pleasant to the feet and easy to walk in. It was not so much +like trying to skate, as it had been in the kitchen. + +At night, in his dreams, he saw two elves come through the window into +the kitchen. One, a kabouter, dark and ugly, had a box of tools. The +other, a light-faced elf, seemed to be the guide. The kabouter at once +got out his saw, hatchet, auger, long, chisel-like knife, and smoothing +plane. At first, the two elves seemed to be quarrelling, as to who +should be boss. Then they settled down quietly to work. The kabouter +took the wood and shaped it on the outside. Then he hollowed out, from +inside of it, a pair of shoes, which the elf smoothed and polished. Then +one elf put his little feet in them and tried to dance, but he only +slipped on the smooth floor and flattened his nose; but the other fellow +pulled the nose straight again, so it was all right. They waltzed +together upon the wooden shoes, then took them off, jumped out the +window, and ran away. + +When Van Eyck put the wooden shoes on, he found that out in the fields, +in the mud, and on the soft soil, and in sloppy places, this sort of +foot gear was just the thing. They did not sink in the mud and the man's +feet were comfortable, even after hours of labor. They did not "draw" +his feet, and they kept out the water far better than leather possibly +could. + +When the Van Eyck vrouw and the children saw how happy Daddy was, they +each one wanted a pair. Then they asked him what he called them. + +"Klompen," said he, in good Dutch, and klompen, or klomps, they are to +this day. + +"I'll make a fortune out of this," said Van Eyck. "I'll set up a +klomp-winkel (shop for wooden shoes) at once." + +So, going out to the blacksmith's shop, in the village, he had the man +who pounded iron fashion for him on his anvil, a set of tools, exactly +like those used by the kabouter and the elf, which he had seen in his +dream. Then he hung out a sign, marked "Wooden blocks for shoes." He +made klomps for the little folks just out of the nursery, for boys and +girls, for grown men and women, and for all who walked out-of-doors, in +the street or on the fields. + +Soon klomps came to be the fashion in all the country places. It was +good manners, when you went into a house, to take off your wooden shoes +and leave them at the door. Even in the towns and cities, ladies wore +wooden slippers, especially when walking or working in the garden. + +Klomps also set the fashion for soft, warm socks, and stockings made +from sheep's wool. Soon, a thousand needles were clicking, to put a soft +cushion between one's soles and toes and the wood. Women knitted, even +while they walked to market, or gossiped on the streets. The +klomp-winkels, or shops of the shoe carpenters, were seen in every +village. + +When rich beyond his day-dreams, Van Eyck had another joyful night +vision. The next day, he wore a smiling countenance. Everybody, who met +him on the street, saluted him and asked, in a neighborly way: + +"Good-morning, Mynheer Bly-moe-dig (Mr. Cheerful). How do you sail +to-day?" + +That's the way the Dutch talk--not "how do you do," but, in their watery +country, it is this, "How do you sail?" or else, "Hoe gat het u al?" +(How goes it with you, already?) + +Then Van Eyck told his dream. It was this: The Moss Maiden and Trintje, +the wood elf, came to him again at night and danced. They were lively +and happy. + +"What now?" asked the dreamer, smilingly, of his two visitors. + +[Illustration: The kabouter took the wood and shaped it on the inside.] + +He had hardly got the question out of his mouth, when in walked a +kabouter, all smutty with blacksmith work. In one hand, he grasped his +tool box. In the other, he held a curious looking machine. It was a big +lump of iron, set in a frame, with ropes to pull it up and let it fall +down with a thump. + +"What is it?" asked Van Eyck. + +"It's a Hey" (a pile driver), said the kabouter, showing him how to use +it. "When men say to you, on the street, to-morrow, 'How do you sail?' +laugh at them," said the Moss Maiden, herself laughing. + +"Yes, and now you can tell the people how to build cities, with mighty +churches with lofty towers, and with high houses like those in other +lands. Take the trees, trim the branches off, sharpen the tops, turn +them upside down and pound them deep in the ground. Did not the ancient +oak promise that the trees would be turned upside down for you? Did they +not say you could walk on top of them?" + +By this time, Van Eyck had asked so many questions, and kept the elves +so long, that the Moss Maiden peeped anxiously through the window. +Seeing the day breaking, she and Trintje and the kabouter flew away, so +as not to be petrified by the sunrise. + +"I'll make another fortune out of this, also," said the happy man, who, +next morning, was saluted as Mynheer Blyd-schap (Mr. Joyful). + +At once, Van Eyck set up a factory for making pile drivers. Sending men +into the woods, who chose the tall, straight trees, he had their +branches cut off. Then he sharpened the trunks at one end, and these +were driven, by the pile driver, down, far and deep, into the ground. So +a foundation, as good as stone, was made in the soft and spongy soil, +and well built houses uprose by the thousands. Even the lofty walls of +churches stood firm. The spires were unshaken in the storm. + +Old Holland had not fertile soil like France, or vast flocks of sheep, +producing wool, like England, or armies of weavers, as in the Belgic +lands. Yet, soon there rose large cities, with splendid mansions and +town halls. As high towards heaven as the cathedrals and towers in other +lands, which had rock for foundation, her brick churches rose in the +air. On top of the forest trees, driven deep into the sand and clay, +dams and dykes were built, that kept out the ocean. So, instead of the +old two thousand square miles, there were, in the realm, in the course +of years, twelve thousand, rich in green fields and cattle. Then, for +all the boys and girls that travel in this land of quaint customs, +Holland was a delight. + + + + +THE CURLY-TAILED LION + + +Once upon a time, some Dutch hunters went to Africa, hoping to capture a +whole family of lions. In this they succeeded. With a pack of hounds and +plenty of aborigines to poke the jungle with sticks, they drove a big +male lion, with his wife and four whelps, out of the undergrowth into a +circle. In the centre, they had dug a pit and covered it over with +sticks and grass. Into this, the whole lion family tumbled. Then, by +nets and ropes, the big, fierce creatures and the little cubs were +lifted out. They were put in cages and brought to Holland. The baby +lions, no bigger than pug dogs, were as pretty and harmless as kittens. +The sailors delighted to play with them. + +Now lions, even before one was ever seen among the Dutch, enjoyed a +great reputation for strength, courage, dignity and power. It was +believed that they had all the traits of character supposed to belong to +kings, and which boys like to possess. Many fathers had named their sons +Leo, which is Latin for lion. Dutch daddies had their baby boys +christened with the name of Leeuw, which is their word for the king of +beasts. + +Before lions were brought from the hot countries into colder lands, the +bear and wolf were most admired; because, besides possessing plenty of +fur, as well as great claws and terrible teeth, they had great courage. +For these reasons, many royal and common folks had taken the wolf and +bear as namesakes for their hopeful sons. + +But the male lion could make more noise than wolves, for he could roar, +while they could only howl. He had a shaggy mane and a very long tail. +This had a nail at the end, for scratching and combing out his hair, +when tangled up. If he were angry, the mighty brute could stick out his +red tongue, curled like a pump handle, and nearly half a yard long. + +So the lion was called the king of beasts, and the crowned rulers and +knights took him as their emblem. They had pictures of the huge creature +painted on their flags, shields and armor. Sometimes they stuck a gold +or brass lion on their iron war hats, which they called helmets. No +knight was allowed to have more than one lion on his shield, but kings +might have three or four, or even a whole menagerie of meat-eating +creatures. These painted or sculptured lions were in all sorts of +action, running, walking, standing up and looking behind or before. + +Now there was a Dutch artist, who noticed what funny fellows kings were, +and how they liked to have all sorts of beasts and birds of prey, and +sea creatures that devour, on their banners. There were dragons, +two-headed eagles, boars with tusks, serpents with fangs, hawks, +griffins, wyverns, lions, dragons and dragon-lions, besides horses with +wings, mermaids with scaly tails, and even night mares that went flying +through the dark. With such a funny variety of beast, bird, and fish, +some wondered why there were not cows with two tails, cats with two +noses, rams with four horns, and creatures that were half veal and half +mutton. He noticed that kings did not care much for tame, quiet, +peaceable, or useful creatures, such as oxen or horses, doves or sheep; +but only for those brutes that hunt and kill the more defenceless +creatures. + +Since, then, kings of the country must have a lion, the artist resolved +to make a new one. He would have some fun, at any rate. + +So as painter or sculptor select men and women to pose for them in their +study as their heroes and heroines, and just as they picture plump +little boys and girls as cherubs and angels, so the Dutchman would make +of the cubs and the father beast of prey his models for coats of arms. + +Poor lions! They did not know, but they soon found out how tiresome it +was to pose. They must hold their paws up, down, sideways or behind, +according as they were told. They must stand or kneel, for a long time, +in awkward positions. They must stick out their tongues to full length, +walk on their hind legs, twist their necks, to one side or the other, +look forward or backward, and in many tiresome ways do just as they were +ordered. They must also make of their tails every sort of use, whether +to wrap around posts or bundles, to stick out of their cage, or put +between their legs, as they ran away, or to whisk them around, as they +roared; or hoist them up high when rampant. + +In some cases, they were expected, even, to put on spectacles, and +pretend to be reading, to hold in their paws books and scrolls, or town +arms, or shop signs. They must pose, not only as companions of Daniel, +in the lions' den at Babylon, which was proper; but also to sit, as +companion of St. Mark, and even to stand on their legs on the top of a +high column, without falling off. + +In a word, this artist belonged to the college of heralds, and he +introduced the king of beasts into Dutch heraldry. + +So from that day forth, the life of that family of African lions, from +the daddy to the youngest cub, was made a burden. When at home in the +jungle and even in the cage, the father lion's favorite position was +that of lolling on one side, with his paws stretched out, and half +asleep and all day, until he went out, towards dark, to hunt. Now, he +must stand up, nearly all day. Daddy lion had to do most of the posing, +until the poor beast's front legs and paws were weary with standing so +long. Moreover, the hair was all worn off his body at the place where he +had to sit on the hard wooden floor. He must do all this, on penalty of +being punched with a red hot poker, if he refused. A charcoal furnace +and long andirons were kept near by, and these were attended to by a +Dutch boy. Or, it might be that the whole family of lions were not +allowed to have any dinner till Daddy obeyed and did what he was told, +though often with a snarl or a roar. + +First, Leo must rise upon his hind legs and look in front of him. This +posture was not hard, for in his native jungle, he had often thus +obtained a breakfast of venison for his wife and family. But oh, to +stand a half hour on two legs only, when he had four, and would gladly +have used all of them, was hard. Yet this was the position, called "the +lion rampant," which kings liked best. + +But the king's uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, and his wife's +relations generally, every one of them, wanted a lion on his or her +stationery and pocket handkerchiefs, as well as on their shields and +flags. So the old lion was tortured--the hot poker being always in +sight--and he was made to take a great variety of positions. The artist +called out to Leo, just as a driver says to his cart horse, "whoa," "get +up," "golong," etc. When he yelled in this fashion, the lion had to +obey. + +Pretty soon lions in heraldry, on flags, armor, town arms, family crests +and city seals became all the fashion. The whole country went lion-mad. +There were lions carved in stone, wood and iron, and every sort and +kind, possible or impossible. Some of them seemed to be engaged in a +variety of tricks, as if they belonged to a circus, or were having a +holiday. They laughed, giggled, yawned, stuck out their tongues, held +boards for hotels, bundles for the shopkeepers, or barrels for beer +halls, and made excellent shop signs, which the boys and girls enjoyed +looking at. + +Mrs. Leo was not in much demand, for Mr. Leo did not approve of his +wife's appearing in public. She was kept busy in taking care of her +cubs. Daddy Lion had to do multiple work for his family, until the cubs +were grown. Yet long before this time had come, their Dad had died and +been stuffed for a museum. How this first king of beasts in the +Netherlands came to his untimely end was on this wise. + +Not satisfied with posing Leo in every posture, and with all possible +gestures, his master, the artist, wanted him to look "heraldical"; that +is, like some of the mythical beasts that were combinations of any and +all creatures having fins, fur, feathers, or scales, such as the dragon +or griffin. One day, he attempted to make out of a live lion a fanciful +creature of curlicues and curliewurlies. So he strapped the lion down, +and used a curling iron on his mane until he looked like a bearded bull +of Babylon. Then he combed out, and, with curl papers, twisted the long +line of hair, which is seen in front of Leo's stomach. In like manner, +he treated the bunches of hair that grow over the animal's kneepans and +elbows. Last of all, he took a hair brush, and smoothed out the tuft, at +the end of the animal's long tail. Then the artist made a picture of him +in this condition, all curled and rich in ringlets, like a dandy. + +By this time, the father of the lion family looked as if he had come out +fresh from a hairdresser's parlor. Indeed, Mrs. Leo was so struck with +her husband's appearance, that she immediately licked her cubs all over, +until their fur shone, so they should look like their father. Then, +having used her tongue as a comb, to make her own skin smooth and +glossy, she completed the job by using the nail in her tail, to do the +finishing work. Altogether, this was the curliest family of lions ever +seen, and Daddy Leo appeared to be the funniest curly-headed and +curly-bodied lion ever seen. In fact he was all curls, from head to +tail. + +Notwithstanding all his pains, the artist was not yet satisfied with his +job. He wanted a circle of long hair to grow in the middle of the lion's +tail. His curly lion should beat all creation, and in this way he +proceeded. + +His own daughter, being a young lady and having some trouble of the +throat, the doctor had ordered medicine for the girl, charging her not +to spill any drops of the liquid on her face, or clothes. + +But, in giving the dose, either the mother, or the daughter, was +careless. At that very moment the cat ran across the room, after the +mouse, and just as she held the spoon to her mouth, Puss got twisted in +her skirts. So most of the medicine splashed upon her upper lip and then +ran down to her chin, on either side of her mouth. She laughed over the +spill, wiped off the liquid, and thought no more of the matter. + +But a week later, she was astonished. On waking, she looked in the +glass, only to shrink back in horror. On her face had grown both +moustaches and a beard. True, both were rather downy, but still they +were black; and, until the barber came, and shaved off the growth, she +was a bearded woman. Yet, strange to tell, after one or two shaves by +the barber, no more hair grew again on her face, which was smooth again. + +"By Saint Servatus! I'll make a fortune on this," cried the artist, when +he saw his daughter's hairy face. + +So, he sold his secret to a druggist, and this man made an ointment, +giving it a Chinese name, meaning "beard-grower." This wonderful +medicine, as his sign declared, would "force the growth of luxuriant +moustaches and a beard, on the smoothest face of any young man," who +should buy and apply it. + +Soon the whole town rang with the news of the wonderful discovery. The +druggist sold out his stock, in two days, to happy purchasers. Other +young fellows, that wanted to outrival their companions, had to wait a +fortnight for the new medicine to be made. By that time, a full crop of +downy hair had come out on the cheeks and chin and upper lip of many a +youth. Some, who had been trying for years to raise moustaches, in order +duly to impress the girls, to whom they were making love, were now +jubilant. In several cases, a lover was able to cut out his rival and +win the maid he wanted. Several courtings were hastened and became +genuine matches, because a face, long very smooth, and like a desert as +to hair, bore a promising crop. Beard and cheeks had at last met +together. So the new medicine was called a "match-maker." + +The artist rubbed his hands in glee, at the prospect of a fortune. He +argued that if the wonderful ointment made beards for men, it must be +good for lions also. So again, Daddy Lion was coerced by the threat of +the hot poker. Then his tail was seized, and, by means of a rope, tied +to a post on one side of the cage, he was held fast. Then the artist +anointed about six inches of the middle of the smooth tail with the +magic liquid. For fear the lion might lick it off, the poor beast was +held in this tiresome position for a whole week, so that he could not +turn round, and he nearly died of fatigue. + +But it happened to the lion's tail, as it did with the young men's +chins, cheeks and upper lips. A beard did indeed grow, but once shaved +off--and many did shave, thinking to promote greater growth--no more +hair ever appeared again. The ointment forced a downy growth but it +killed the roots of the hair. + +A worse fate befell the lion. A crop of hair, perhaps an inch longer +than common, grew out. But this time, the bad medicine, which had +deceived men, and was unfit for lions, struck in. + +From this cause, added to nervous prostration, old Leo fell dead. As +lion fathers go, he was a good one, and his widow and children mourned +for him. He had never once, however hungry, tried to eat up his cubs, +which was something in his favor. + +Soon after these exploits, the old artist died also. His son, hearing +there was still a demand, among kings, for lions, and those especially +with centre curls in their tails, took the most promising of the whelps +and petted and fed him well. In the seventh year, when his mane and +elbow and knee hair had grown out, this cub was mated to a young lioness +of like promise. When, of this couple, a male whelp was born, it was +found that in due time its knees, elbows, tail-tuft, and the front of +its body were all rich in furry growth. In the middle of its tail, also, +thick ringlets, several inches long, were growing. Evidently, the hair +tonic had done some good. So this one became the father of all the +curly-tailed lions in the Netherlands. Not only was this lion, thus +distinguished for so novel an ornament, copied into heraldry, but it +adorned many city seals and town arms. In time, the lion of the +Netherlands was pictured with a crown on its head, a sword in its right +hand, a bundle of seven arrows--in token of a union of seven +states--and, still later, the new Order of the Netherlands Lion was +founded. The original curly lion, with long hair in the middle of its +tail, boasts of a long line of descendants that are proud of their +ancestor. + + + + +BRABO AND THE GIANT + + +Ages ago, when the giants were numerous on the earth, there lived a big +fellow named Antigonus. That was not what his mother had called him, but +some one told him of a Greek general of that name; so he took this for +his own. He was rough and cruel. His castle was on the Scheldt River, +where the city of Antwerp now stands. Many ships sailed out of France +and Holland, down this stream. They were loaded with timber, flax, iron, +cheese, fish, bread, linen, and other things made in the country. It was +by this trade that many merchants grew rich, and their children had +plenty of toys to play with. The river was very grand, deep, and wide. +The captains of the ships liked to sail on it, because there was no +danger from rocks, and the country through which it flowed was so +pretty. + +So every day, one could see hundreds of white-sailed craft moving +towards the sea, or coming in from the ocean. Boys and girls came down +to stand in their wooden shoes on the banks, to see the vessels moving +to and fro. The incoming ships brought sugar, wine, oranges, lemons, +olives and other good things to eat, and wool to make warm clothes. +Often craftsmen came from the wonderful countries in the south to tell +of the rich cities there, and help to build new and fine houses, and +splendid churches, and town halls. So all the Belgian people were happy. + +But one day, this wicked giant came into the country to stop the ships +and make them pay him money. He reared a strong castle on the river +banks. It had four sides and high walls, and deep down in the earth were +dark, damp dungeons. One had to light a candle to find his way to the +horrid places. + +What was it all for? The people wondered, but they soon found out. The +giant, with a big knotted club, made out of an oak tree, strode through +the town. He cried out to all the people to assemble in the great open +square. + +"From this day forth," he roared, "no ship, whether up or down the +river, shall pass by this place, without my permission. Every captain +must pay me toll, in money or goods. Whoever refuses, shall have both +his hands cut off and thrown into the river. + +"Hear ye all and obey. Any one caught in helping a ship go by without +paying toll, whether it be night, or whether it be day, shall have his +thumbs cut off and be put in the dark dungeon for a month. Again I say, +Obey!" + +With this, the giant swung and twirled his club aloft and then brought +it down on a poor countryman's cart, smashing it into flinders. This was +done to show his strength. + +So every day, when the ships hove in sight, they were hailed from the +giant's castle and made to pay heavy toll. Poor or rich, they had to +hand over their money. If any captain refused, he was brought ashore and +made to kneel before a block and place one hand upon the other. Then the +giant swung his axe and cut off both hands, and flung them into the +river. If a ship master hesitated, because he had no money, he was cast +into a dungeon, until his friends paid his ransom. + +Soon, on account of this, the city got a bad name. The captains from +France kept in, and the ship men from Spain kept out. The merchants +found their trade dwindling, and they grew poorer every day. So some of +them slipped out of the city and tried to get the ships to sail in the +night, and silently pass the giant's castle. + +But the giant's watchers, on the towers, were as wide awake as owls and +greedy as hawks. They pounced on the ship captains, chopped off their +hands and tossed them into the river. The townspeople, who were found on +board, were thrown into the dungeons and had their thumbs cut off. + +So the prosperity of the city was destroyed, for the foreign merchants +were afraid to send their ships into the giant's country. The reputation +of the city grew worse. It was nicknamed by the Germans Hand Werpen, or +Hand Throwing; while the Dutchmen called it Antwerp, which meant the +same thing. The Duke of Brabant, or Lord of the land, came to the big +fellow's fortress and told him to stop. He even shook his fist under the +giant's huge nose, and threatened to attack his castle and burn it. But +Antigonus only snapped his fingers, and laughed at him. He made his +castle still stronger and kept on hailing ships, throwing some of the +crews into dungeons and cutting off the hands of the captains, until the +fish in the river grew fat. + +Now there was a brave young fellow named Brabo, who lived in the +province of Brabant. He was proud of his country and her flag of yellow, +black and red, and was loyal to his lord. He studied the castle well and +saw a window, where he could climb up into the giant's chamber. + +Going to the Duke, Brabo promised if his lord's soldiers would storm the +gates of the giant's castle, that he would seek out and fight the +ruffian. While they battered down the gates, he would climb the walls. +"He's nothing but a 'bulle-wak'" (a bully and a boaster), said Brabo, +"and we ought to call him that, instead of Antigonus." + +The Duke agreed. On a dark night, one thousand of his best men-at-arms +were marched with their banners, but with no drums or trumpets, or +anything that could make a noise and alarm the watchmen. + +Reaching a wood full of big trees near the castle, they waited till +after midnight. All the dogs in the town and country, for five miles +around, were seized and put into barns, so as not to bark and wake the +giant up. They were given plenty to eat, so that they quickly fell +asleep and were perfectly quiet. + +At the given signal, hundreds of men holding ship's masts, or tree +trunks, marched against the gates. They punched and pounded and at last +smashed the iron-bound timbers and rushed in. After overcoming the +garrison, they lighted candles, and unlocking the dungeons, went down +and set the poor half-starved captives free. Some of them pale, haggard +and thin as hop poles, could hardly stand. About the same time, the barn +doors where the dogs had been kept, were thrown open. In full cry, a +regiment of the animals, from puppies to hounds, were at once out, +barking, baying, and yelping, as if they knew what was going on and +wanted to see the fun. + +But where was the giant? None of the captains could find him. Not one of +the prisoners or the garrison could tell where he had hid. + +But Brabo knew that the big fellow, Antigonus, was not at all brave, but +really only a bully and a coward. So the lad was not afraid. Some of his +comrades outside helped him to set up a tall ladder against the wall. +Then, while all the watchers and men-at-arms inside, had gone away to +defend the gates, Brabo climbed into the castle, through a slit in the +thick wall. This had been cut out, like a window, for the bow-and-arrow +men, and was usually occupied by a sentinel. Sword in hand, Brabo made +for the giant's own room. Glaring at the youth, the big fellow seized +his club and brought it down with such force that it went through the +wooden floor. But Brabo dodged the blow and, in a trice, made a sweep +with his sword. Cutting off the giant's head, he threw it out the +window. It had hardly touched the ground, before the dogs arrived. One +of the largest of these ran away with the trophy and the big, hairy +noddle of the bully was never found again. + +But the giant's huge hands! Ah, they were cut off by Brabo, who stood on +the very top of the highest tower, while all below looked up and +cheered. Brabo laid one big hand on top of the other, as the giant used +to do, when he cut off the hands of captains. He took first the right +hand and then the left hand and threw them, one at a time, into the +river. + +A pretty sight now revealed the fact that the people knew what had been +going on and were proud of Brabo's valor. In a moment, every house in +Antwerp showed lighted candles, and the city was illuminated. Issuing +from the gates came a company of maidens. They were dressed in white, +but their leader was robed in yellow, red, and black, the colors of the +Brabant flag. They all sang in chorus the praises of Brabo their hero. + +"Let us now drop the term of disgrace to the city--that of the +Hand-Throwing and give it a new name," said one of the leading men of +Antwerp. + +"No," said the chief ruler, "let us rather keep the name, and, more than +ever, invite all peaceful ships to come again, 'an-'t-werf' (at the +wharf), as of old. Then, let the arms of Antwerp be two red hands above +a castle." + +"Agreed," cried the citizens with a great shout. The Duke of Brabant +approved and gave new privileges to the city, on account of Brabo's +bravery. So, from high to low, all rejoiced to honor their hero, who +was richly rewarded. + +After this, thousands of ships, from many countries, loaded or unloaded +their cargoes on the wharves, or sailed peacefully by. Antwerp excelled +all seaports and became very rich again. Her people loved their native +city so dearly, that they coined the proverb "All the world is a ring, +and Antwerp is the pearl set in it." + +To this day, in the great square, rises the splendid bronze monument of +Brabo the Brave. The headless and handless hulk of the giant Antigonus +lies sprawling, while on his body rests Antwerp castle. Standing over +all, at the top, is Brabo high in air. He holds one of the hands of +Antigonus, which he is about to toss into the Scheldt River. + +No people honor valor more than the Belgians. Themselves are to-day, as +of old, among the bravest. + + + + +THE FARM THAT RAN AWAY AND CAME BACK + + +There was once a Dutchman, who lived in the province called Drenthe. +Because there was a row of little trees on his farm, his name was Ryer +Van Boompjes; that is, Ryer of the Little Trees. After a while, he moved +to the shore of the Zuyder Zee and into Overijssel. Overijssel means +over the Ijssel River. There he bought a new farm, near the village of +Blokzyl. By dyking and pumping, certain wise men had changed ten acres, +of sand and heath, into pasture and land for plowing. They surrounded it +on three sides with canals. The fourth side fronted on the Zuyder Zee. +Then they advertised, in glowing language, the merits of the new land +and Ryer Van Boompjes bought it and paid for his real estate. He was as +proud as a popinjay of his island and he ruled over it like a Czar or a +Kaiser. + +A few years before, Ryer had married a "queezel," as the Dutch call +either a nun, or a maid who is no longer young. At this date, when our +story begins, he had four blooming, but old-fashioned children, with +good appetites. They could eat cabbage and potatoes, rye bread and +cheese, by the half peck, and drink buttermilk by the quart. In +addition, Ryer owned four horses, six cows, two dogs, some roosters and +hens, a flock of geese, two dozen ducks, and a donkey. + +Yet although Ryer was rich, as wealth is reckoned in Drenthe, whence he +had come, he was greedy for more. He skimped the food of his animals. So +much did he do this, that his neighbors declared that they had seen him +put green spectacles on his cows and the donkey. Then he mixed straws +and shavings with the hay to make the animals think they were eating +fresh grass. + +When he ploughed, he drove his horses close to the edge next to the +water, so as to make use of every half inch of land. When sometimes bits +of fen land, from his neighbor's farms, got loose and floated on the +water, Ryer felt he was in luck. He would go out at night, grapple the +boggy stuff and fasten it to his own land. + +After this had happened several times, and Ryer had added a half acre to +his holdings, his greed possessed him like a bad fairy. He began to +steal the land on the other side of the Zuyder Zee. In the course of +time, he became a regular land thief. Whenever he saw, or heard of, a +floating bit of territory, he rowed his boat after it by night. Before +morning, aided by wicked helpers, who shared in the plunder, and were in +his pay, he would have the bog attached to his own farm. + +All this time, he hardly realized that his ill-gotten property, now +increased to twelve acres or more, was itself a very shaky bit of real +estate. In fact, it was not real at all. His wife one day told him so, +for she knew of her mean husband's trickery. + +About this time, heavy rains fell, for many days, and without ceasing, +until all the region was reduced to pulp and the country seemed afloat. +The dykes appeared ready to burst. Thousands feared that the land had an +attack of the disease called val (fall) and that the soil would sink +under the waves as portions of the realm had done before, in days long +gone by. + +Yet none of this impending trouble worried Ryer, whose greed grew by +what it fed upon. In fact, the first day the sun shone again, quickly +drying up parts of his farm, he had two horses harnessed up for work. +Then he drove them so near the edge of the ditch that plough, man, and +horses tumbled, and down they went, into the shiny mess of mud and +water. + +At this moment, also, the water, from below the bottom of the Zuyder +Zee, welled up, in a great wave, like a mushroom, and the whole of +Ryer's soggy estate was on the point of breaking loose and seemed ready +to float away. + +The stingy fellow, as he fell overboard, bumped his head so hard on the +plough beam, that he lay senseless for a half hour. He would certainly +have been drowned, had not Pete, his stout son, who was not far away, +and had seen the tumble, ran to the house, launched a boat and rowed +quickly to the spot, where he had last seen his father. Grabbing his +daddy by the collar, he hauled him, half dead, into the boat. Between +his bump and his fright, and the cold bath, old Ryer was a long time +coming to his wits. With filial piety, Pete kept on rubbing the paternal +hands and restoring the circulation. + +All this, however, took a long time, even an hour or more. When his +father was able to sit up and talk, Pete started to row back to the +little wharf in front of his home. + +But where was it,--the farm, with the house and fields? Whither had they +gone? Ryer was too mystified to get his bearings, but Pete knew the +points of the compass. Yet his father's farm was not there. He looked at +the shore of Overijssel, which he had left. Instead of the old, straight +lines of willow trees, with the church spire beyond, there was a hollow +and empty place. It looked as if a giant, as big as the world itself, +had bitten out a piece of land and swallowed it down. Dumbfounded, +father and son looked, the one at the other, but said nothing, for there +was nothing to say. + +Meanwhile, what had become of the farm and "the Queezel," as the +neighbors still called her--that is, the mother with the children. These +good people soon saw that they were floating off somewhere. The mainland +was every moment receding further into the distance. In fact, the farm +was moving from Overijssel northward, towards Friesland. One by one, the +church spires of the village near by faded from sight. + +But when the wind changed from south to west, they seemed as if on a +ship, with sails set, and to be making due west, for North Holland. The +younger children, so far from being afraid, clapped their hands in glee. +They thought it great fun to ferry across the big water, which they had +so long seen before their eyes. Their stingy father had never owned a +carriage, or allowed the horses to be ridden. He always made his family +walk to church. Whether it were to the sermon, in the morning, or to +hear the catechism expounded by the Domine, in the afternoon, all the +family had to tramp on their wooden shoes there and back. + +As for the floating farm, the cows could not understand it. They mooed +piteously, while the donkey brayed loudly. At night, and day after day, +no one could attend properly to the animals, to see that they were fed +and given water. One always sees a big tub in the middle of a Dutch +pasture field. Neither ducks, nor geese, nor chickens minded it in the +least, but the thirsty cattle and horses, at the end of the first day, +had drunk the tub dry. None of the dumb brutes, even if they had not +been afraid of being drowned, could drink from the Zuyder Zee, for it +was chiefly sea water, that is, salt, or at least brackish. + +Occasionally this errant farm, that had thus broken loose, passed by +fishermen, who wondered at so much land thus adrift. Yet they feared to +hail, and go on board, lest the owners might think them intruding. +Others thought it none of their business, supposing some crazy fellow +was using his farm as a ship, to move his lands, goods and household, +and thus save expense. In some of the villages, the runaway farm was +descried from the tops of the church towers. Then, it furnished a +subject for chat and gossip, during three days, to the women, as they +milked the cows, or knitted stockings. To the men, also, while they +smoked, or drank their coffee, it was a lively topic. + +"There were real people on it and a house and stables," said the sexton +of a church, who declared that he had seen this new sort of a flying +Dutchman. It was the usual sight--"cow, dog, and stork," and then he +quoted the old Dutch proverb. + +At last, after several days, and when Ryer and his son were nearly +finished, with fatigue and fright, in trying to row their boat to catch +up with the runaway farm, they finally reached a village across the +Zuyder Zee, in North Holland, where rye bread and turnips satisfied +their hunger and they had waffles for dessert. Their small change went +quickly, and then the two men were at their wit's end to know what +further to do. + +By this time, out on the floating farm, the mother and children were +wild with fear of starving. All the food for the cattle had been eaten +up, the dog had no meat, the cat no milk, and the stork had run out of +its supply of frogs. There was no sugar or coffee, and neither rye nor +currant-bread, or sliced sausage or wafer-thin cheese for any one; but +only potatoes and some barley grain. Happily, however, in drifting +within sight of the village of Osterbeek, the mother and the children +noticed that the east wind was freshening. Soon they descried the tops +of the church towers of North Holland. The smell of cows and cheese and +of burning peat fires from the chimneys made both animals and human +beings happy, as the wind blew the island westward to the village. + +Curiously enough, this was the very place at which, by hard rowing, Ryer +and Pete had also arrived. Father and son were sitting in the hotel +parlor, with their eyes down on the sandy floor, wondering how they were +to pay for their next sandwich and coffee, for their money was all gone. + +At that moment, a small boy clattered over the bricks in his klomps. He +kicked these off, at the door, and rushed into the room. He had on his +yellow baggy trousers and his hair, of the same color, was cut level +with his ears. Half out of breath, he announced the coming, afloat, of +what looked like a combination of farm and menagerie. A house, a woman, +some girls, a dog, a cat, and a stork were on it and afloat. + +At once, old man Ryer, still stiff from his long, cold bath, hobbled +out, and Pete ran before him. Yes, it was mother, the children and all +the animals! For the first time in his life, the mean old sinner felt +his heart thumping, in grateful emotion, under his woolen jacket, with +its two gold buttons. Something like real religion had finally oozed out +from under his crusted soul. + +A whole convoy of boys, fishermen, farmers, and a fat vrouw or two, +volunteered to go out and tow the runaway farm to the village wharf. +They succeeded in grappling the float and held it fast by ropes tied to +a horse post. + +That night all were happy. The farm was made fast by another rope put +round the town pump. Then the villagers all went to bed. They were happy +in having rescued a runaway farm, and they expected a good "loon" +(reward) from the rich old Ryer, who, in the barroom, had talked big +about his wealth. + +As for the Van Boompjes, in order to save a landlord's bill for beds, +they slept in their house, on board the farm, amid the lowing of their +cattle that called out, in their own way, for more fodder; while the +people in the village wondered at roosters crowing out on the water, and +evidently the barn-yard birds were frightened. + +And so they were; for, before midnight, when all other creatures were +asleep, and not even a mouse was stirring on land, whether hard fast, or +floating, the west wind rose mightily and blew to a terrific gale. + +In a moment, the tow lines, that held the vagrant farm to the village +pump and horse post, snapped. The Van Boompjes estate left the wharf and +was driven, at a furious rate, across the Zuyder Zee. For several hours, +like a ship under full sail, it was pushed westward by the wind. Yet so +soundly did all sleep, man and wife, children and hens, that none +awakened during this strange voyage. Even the roosters, after their +first concert, held in their voices. + +Suddenly, and as straight as if steered by a skilled pilot, the Van +Boompjes farm, now an accomplished traveller, after its many adventures, +shot into its old place. This took place with such violence, that Ryer +Van Boompjes and his wife were both thrown out of bed. The cows were +knocked over in the stable. The dog barked, supposing some one had +kicked him. One old rooster, jostled off his perch, set up a tremendous +crowing, that brought some of the early risers out to rub their eyes and +see what was going on. + +"Hemel en aard, bliksem en regen" (Heaven and earth, lightning and +rain), they cried, "the old farm is back in its place." + +In fact, the Van Boompjes real estate was snugly fitted once more to the +mainland, and again in the niche it had left. It had struck so hard, +that a ridge of raised sod, five inches high, marked the place of +junction. At least twenty fishes and wriggling eels were smashed in the +collision. + +From that day forth the conscience of Van Boompjes returned, and he +actually became an honest man. He sawed off, from time to time, portions +of his big farm, and returned them home, with money paid as interest, to +the owners. He found out all the mynheers, whose bits of land had +drifted off. He sent a tidy sum of gold to the village in North Holland, +where his farm had been moored, for a few hours. With a good conscience, +he went to church and worshipped. His action, at each of the two +collections, which Dutch folks always take up on Sundays, was noticed +and praised as a sure and public sign of the old sinner's true +repentance. When the deacons, with their white gloves on, poked under +his nose their black velvet bags, hung at the end of fishing poles, ten +feet long, this man, who had been for years a skinflint, dropped in a +silver coin each time. + +On the farm, all the animals, from duck to stork, and from dog to ox, +now led happier lives. In the family, all declared that the behavior of +the farm and the wind of the Zuyder Zee had combined to make a new man +and a delightful father of old Van Boompjes. He lived long and happily +and died greatly lamented. + + + + +SANTA KLAAS AND BLACK PETE + + +Who is Santa Klaas? How did he get his name? Where does he live? Did you +ever see him? + +These are questions, often asked of the storyteller, by little folks. + +Before Santa Klaas came into the Netherlands, that is, to Belgium and +Holland, he was called by many names, in the different countries in +which he lived, and where he visited. Some people say he was born in +Myra, many hundred years ago before the Dutch had a dyke or a windmill, +or waffles, or wooden shoes. Others tell us how, in time of famine, the +good saint found the bodies of three little boys, pickled in a tub, at a +market for sale, and to be eaten up. They had been salted down to keep +till sold. The kind gentleman and saint, whose name was Nicholas, +restored these three children to life. It is said that once he lost his +temper, and struck with his fist a gentleman named Arius; but the +story-teller does not believe this, for he thinks it is a fib, made up +long afterward. How could a saint lose his temper so? + +Another story they tell of this same Nicholas was this. There were three +lovely maidens, whose father had lost all his money. They wanted +husbands very badly, but had no money to buy fine clothes to get married +in. He took pity on both their future husbands and themselves. So he +came to the window, and left three bags of gold, one after the other. +Thus these three real girls all got real husbands, just as the novels +tell us of the imaginary ones. They lived happily ever afterward, and +never scolded their husbands. + +By and by, men who were goldsmiths, bankers or pawnbrokers, made a sign +of these three bags of gold, in the shape of balls. Now they hang them +over their shop doors, two above one. This means "two to one, you will +never get it again"--when you put your ring, furs, or clothes, or watch, +or spoons, in pawn. + +It is ridiculous how many stories they do tell of this good man, +Nicholas, who was said to be what they call a bishop, or inspector, who +goes around seeing that things are done properly in the churches. It was +because the Reverend Mr. Nicholas had to travel about a good deal, that +the sailors and travellers built temples and churches in his honor. To +travel, one must have a ship on the sea and a horse on the land, or a +reindeer up in the cold north; though now, it is said, he comes to +Holland in a steamship, and uses an automobile. + +On Santa Klaas eve, each of the Dutch children sets out in the chimney +his wooden shoe. Into it, he puts a whisp of hay, to feed the +traveller's horse. When St. Nicholas first came to Holland, he arrived +in a sailing ship from Spain and rode on a horse. Now he arrives in a +big steamer, made of steel. Perhaps he will come in the future by +aeroplane. To fill all the shoes and stockings, the good saint must have +an animal to ride. Now the fast white horse, named Sleipnir, was ready +for him, and on Sleipnir's back he made his journeys. + +How was Santa Klaas dressed? + +His clothes were those of a bishop. He wore a red coat and his cap, +higher than a turban and called a mitre, was split along two sides and +pointed at the top. In his hands, he held a crozier, which was a staff +borrowed from shepherds, who tended sheep; and with the crozier he +helped the lambs over rough places; but the crozier of Santa Klaas was +tipped with gold. He had white hair and rosy cheeks. For an old man, he +was very active, but his heart and feelings never got to be one day +older than a boy's, for these began when mother love was born and +father's care was first in the world, but it never grows old. + +When Santa Klaas travelled up north to Norway and into the icy cold +regions, where there were sleighs and reindeer, he changed his clothes. +Instead of his red robe, he wears a jacket, much shorter and trimmed +with ermine, white as snow. Taking off his mitre, he wears a cap of fur +also, and has laid aside his crozier. In the snow, wheels are no good, +and runners are the best for swift travel. So, instead of his white +horse and a wagon, he drives in a sleigh, drawn by two stags with large +horns. In every country, he puts into the children's stockings hung up, +or shoes set in the fireplace, something which they like. In Greenland, +for example, he gives the little folks seal blubber, and fish hooks. So +his presents are not the same in every country. However, for naughty +boys and girls everywhere, instead of filling shoes and stockings, he +may leave a switch, or pass them by empty. + +When Santa Klaas travels, he always brings back good things. Now when he +first came to New Netherland in America, what did he find to take back +to Holland? + +Well, it was here, on our continent, that he found corn, potatoes, +pumpkins, maple sugar, and something to put in pipes to smoke; besides +strange birds and animals, such as turkeys and raccoons, in addition to +many new flowers. What may be called a weed, like the mullein, for +example, is considered very pretty in Europe, where they did not have +such things. There it is called the American Velvet Plant, or the King's +Candlestick. + +But, better than all, Santa Klaas found a negro boy, Pete, who became +one of the most faithful of his helpers. At Utrecht, in Holland, the +students of the University give, every year, a pageant representing +Santa Klaas on his white horse, with Black Pete, who is always on hand +and very busy. Black Pete's father brought peanuts from Africa to +America, and sometimes Santa Klaas drops a bagful of these, as a great +curiosity, into the shoes of the Dutch young folks. + +Santa Klaas was kept very busy visiting the homes and the public schools +in New Netherland; for in these schools all the children, girls as well +as boys, and not boys only, received a free education. In later visits +he heard of Captain Kidd and his fellow pirates, who wore striped shirts +and red caps, and had pigtails of hair, tied in eel skins, and hanging +down their backs. These fellows wore earrings and stuck pistols in their +belts and daggers at their sides. Instead of getting their gold +honestly, and giving it to the poor, or making presents to the children, +the pirates robbed ships. Then, as 'twas said, they buried their +treasure. Lunatics and boys that read too many novels, have ever since +been digging in the land to find Captain Kidd's gold. + +Santa Klaas does not like such people. Moreover, he was just as good to +the poor slaves, as to white children. So the colored people loved the +good saint also. Their pickaninnies always hung up their stockings on +the evening of December sixth. + +Santa Klaas filled the souls of the people in New Netherland so full of +his own spirit, that now children all over the United States, and those +of Americans living in other countries, hang up their stockings and look +for a visit from him. + +In Holland, Black Pete was very loyal and true to his master, carrying +not only the boxes and bundles of presents for the good children, but +also the switches for bad boys and girls. Between the piles of pretty +things to surprise good children, on one side, and the boxes of birch +and rattan, the straps and hard hair-brush backs for naughty youngsters, +Pete holds the horn of plenty. In this are dolls, boats, trumpets, +drums, balls, toy houses, flags, the animals in Noah's Ark, building +blocks, toy castles and battleships, story and picture books, little +locomotives, cars, trains, automobiles, aeroplanes, rocking horses, +windmills, besides cookies, candies, marbles, tops, fans, lace, and more +nice things than one can count. + +Pete also takes care of the horse of Santa Klaas, named Sleipnir, which +goes so fast that, in our day, the torpedo and submarine U-boats are +named after him. This wonderful animal used to have eight feet, for +swiftness. That was when Woden rode him, but, in course of time, four of +his legs dropped off, so that the horse of Santa Klaas looks less like a +centipede and more like other horses. Whenever Santa Klaas walks, Pete +has to go on foot also, even though the chests full of presents for the +children are very heavy and Pete has to carry them. + +Santa Klaas cares nothing about rich girls or poor girls, for all the +kinds of boys he knows about or thinks of are good boys and bad boys. A +youngster caught stealing jam out of the closet, or cookies from the +kitchen, or girls lifting lumps of sugar out of the sugar bowl, or +eating too much fudge, or that are mean, stingy, selfish, or have bad +tempers, are considered naughty and more worthy of the switch than of +presents. So are the boys who attend Sunday School for a few weeks +before Christmas, and then do not come any more till next December. +These Santa Klaas turns over to Pete, to be well thrashed. + +[Illustration: Santa Klaas and Black Pete.] + +In Holland, Pete still keeps on the old dress of the time of New +Netherland. He wears a short jacket, with wide striped trousers, in +several bright colors, shoes strapped on his feet, a red cap and a ruff +around his neck. Sometimes he catches bad boys, to put them in a bag for +a half hour, to scare them; or, he shuts them up in a dark closet, or +sends them to bed without any supper. Or, instead of allowing them +eleven buckwheat cakes at breakfast, he makes them stop at five. When +Santa Klaas leaves Holland to go back to Spain, or elsewhere, Pete takes +care of the nag Sleipnir, and hides himself until Santa Klaas comes +again next year. + +The story-teller knows where Santa Klaas lives, but he won't tell. + + + + +THE GOBLINS TURNED TO STONE + + +When the cow came to Holland, the Dutch folks had more and better things +to eat. Fields of wheat and rye took the place of forests. Instead of +acorns and the meat of wild game, they now enjoyed milk and bread. The +youngsters made pets of the calves and all the family lived under one +roof. The cows had a happy time of it, because they were kept so clean, +fed well, milked regularly, and cared for in winter. + +By and by the Dutch learned to make cheese and began to eat it every +day. They liked it, whether it was raw, cooked, toasted, sliced, or in +chunks, or served with other good things. Even the foxes and wild +creatures were very fond of the smell and taste of toasted cheese. They +came at night close to the houses, often stealing the cheese out of the +pantry. When a fox would not, or could not, be caught in a trap by any +other bait, a bit of cooked cheese would allure him so that he was +caught and his fur made use of. + +When the people could not get meat, or fish, they had toasted bread and +cheese, which in Dutch is "geroostered brod met kaas." Then they +laughed, and named the new dish after whatever they pretended it was. It +was just the same, as when they called goodies, made out of flour and +sugar, "nuts," "fingers," "calves" and "lambs." Even grown folks love to +play and pretend things like children. + +Soon, it became the fashion to have cheese parties. Men and women would +sit around the fire, by the hour, nibbling the toast that had melted +cheese poured over it. But after they had gone to bed, some of them +dreamed. + +Now some dreams may be pleasant, but cheese-dreams were not usually of +this sort. The dreamer thought that a big she-horse had climbed upon the +bed and sat down upon his stomach. Once there, the beast grinned +hideously, snored, and pressed its hoofs down on the sleeper's breast, +so that he could not breathe or speak. The feeling was a horrible one; +but, just when the dreamer expected to choke, he seemed to jump off some +high place, and come down somewhere, very far off. Then the animal ran +away and the terrible dream was over. + +This was called a nightmare, or in Dutch a "nacht merrie." "Nacht" means +night, and "merrie" a filly or a mare. In the dream, it was not a small +or a young horse, but always a big mare that squatted down on a man's +stomach. + +In those days, instead of seeking for the trouble inside, or asking +whether there was any connection between nightmares and too hearty +eating of cheese, the Dutch fathers laid it all on the goblins. + +The goblins, or sooty elves, that used to live in Holland, were ugly, +short fellows, very smart, quick in action and able to travel far in a +second. They were first cousins to the kabouters. They had big heads, +green eyes and split feet, like cows. They were so ugly, that they were +ordered to live under ground and never come out during the day. If they +did, they would be turned to stone. + +The goblins had a bad reputation for mischief. They liked to have fun +with human beings. They would listen to the conversation of people and +then mock them by repeating the last word. That is the reason why echoes +were called "week klank," or dwarf's talk. + +Because these goblins were short, they envied men their greater stature +and wanted to grow to the height of human beings. As they were not able +of themselves to do this, they often sneaked into a house and snatched a +child out of the cradle. In place of the stolen baby, one of their own +wizened children was laid. That was the reason why many a poor little +baby, that grew puny and thin, was called a "wiseel-kind," or +changeling. When the sick baby could not get well, and medicine or care +seemed to do no good, the mother thought that the goblins had taken away +her own child. + +It was only the female goblins that would change themselves into night +mares and sit on the body of the dreamer. They usually came in through a +hole or a crack; but if that person in the house could plug up the hole, +or stop the crack, he could conquer the female goblin, and do what he +pleased with her. If a man wanted to, he could make her his wife. So +long as the hole was kept stopped up, by which the goblin entered, she +made a good wife. If this crack was left open, or if the plug dropped +out of the hole, the she-goblin was off and could never be found again. + +The ruler of the goblins lived beneath the earth, as the king of the +underworld. His palace was made of gold and glittered with gems. He had +riches more than men could count. All the goblins and kabouters, who +worked in the mines and at the forges and anvils, making swords, spears, +bells, or jewels, obeyed him. + +The most wonderful things about these dwarfs was the way in which they +made themselves invisible, so that men were able to see neither the +night mares nor the male goblins, while at their mischief. This was a +little red cap which every goblin possessed, and which he was careful +never to lose. The red cap acted like a snuffer on a candle, to put it +out, and while under it, no goblin could be seen by mortal eyes. + +Now it happened that one night, as a dear old lady lay dying on her bed, +a middle-sized goblin, with his red cap on, came in through a crack into +the room, and stood at the foot of her bed. Just for mischief and to +frighten her by making himself visible, he took off his red cap. + +When the old lady saw the imp, she cried out loudly: + +"Go way, go way. Don't you know I belong to my Lord?" + +But the goblin dwarf only laughed at her, with his green eyes. + +Calling her daughter Alida, the old lady whispered in her ear: + +"Bring me my wooden shoes." + +Rising up in her bed, the old lady hurled the heavy klomps, one after +the other, at the goblin's head. At this, he started to get out through +the crack, and away, but before his body was half out, Alida snatched +his red cap away. Then she stuck a needle in his cloven foot that made +him howl with pain. Alida looked at the crack through which he escaped +and found it quite sooty. + +Twirling the little red cap around on her forefinger, a brilliant +thought struck her. She went and told the men her plan, and they agreed +to it. This was to gather hundreds of farmers and townfolk, boys and men +together, on the next moonlight night, and round up all the goblins in +Drenthe. By pulling off their caps, and holding them till the sun rose, +when they would be petrified, the whole brood could be exterminated. + +So, knowing that the goblin would come the next night, to steal back his +red cap, she left a note outside the crack, telling him to bring several +hundred goblins to the great moor, or veldt. There, at a certain hour +near midnight, he would find the red cap on a bush. With his companions, +he could celebrate the return of the cap. In exchange for this, she +asked the goblin to bring her a gold necklace. + +The moonlight night came round and hundreds of the men of Drenthe +gathered together. They were armed with horseshoes, and with witch-hazel +and other plants, which are like poison to the sooty elves. They had +also bits of parchment covered with runes, a strange kind of writing, +and various charms which are supposed to be harmful to goblins. It was +agreed to move together in a circle towards the centre, where the lady +Alida was to hang the red cap upon a bush. Then, with a rush, the men +were to snatch off all the goblins' caps, pulling and grabbing, whether +they could see, or even feel anything, or not. + +The placing of the red cap upon the bush in the centre, by the lady +Alida, was the signal. + +So, when the great round-up narrowed to a small space, the men began to +grab, snatch and pull. Putting their hands out in the air, at the height +of about a yard from the ground, they hustled and pushed hard. In a few +minutes, hundreds of red caps were in their hands, and as many goblins +became visible. They were, indeed, an ugly host. + +Yet hundreds of other goblins escaped, with their caps on, and were +still invisible. As they broke away in groups, however, they were seen, +for in each bunch was one or more visible fellow, because he was +capless. So the men divided into squads, to chase the imps a long +distance, even to many distant places. It was a most curious night +battle. Here could be seen groups of men in a tussle with the goblins, +many more of which, but by no means all, were made capless and visible. + +[Illustration: AT THE FIRST LEVEL RAY THE GOBLINS WERE ALL TURNED TO STONE] + +The racket kept up till the sky in the east was gray. Had all the +goblins run away, it would have been well with them. Hundreds of them +did, but the others were so anxious to help their fellows, or to get +back their own caps, fearing the disgrace of returning head bare to +their king, and getting a good scolding, that the sun suddenly rose on +them, before they knew it was day. + +At the first level ray, the goblins were all turned to stone. + +The treeless, desolate land, which, a moment before, was full of +struggling goblins and men, became as quiet as the blue sky above. +Nothing but some rounded rocks or stones, in groups, marked the spot +where the bloodless battle of imps and men had been fought. + +There, these stones, big and little, lie to this day. Among the +buckwheat, and the potato blossoms of the summer, under the shadows and +clouds, and whispering breezes of autumn, or covered with the snows of +winter, they are seen on desolate heaths. Over some of them, oak trees, +centuries old, have grown. Others are near, or among, the farmers' grain +fields, or, not far from houses and barn-yards. The cows wander among +them, knowing nothing of their past. And the goblins come no more. + + + + +THE MOULDY PENNY + + +"Gold makes a woman penny-white," said the Dutch, in the days when +fairies were plentiful and often in their thoughts. What did the proverb +mean? Who ever saw a white penny? + +Well, that was long ago, when pennies were white, because they were then +made of silver. Each one was worth a denary, which was a coin worth +about a shilling, or a quarter of a dollar. + +As the Dutch had pounds, shillings and pence, before the English had +them, we see what _d_ in the signs L s. d. means, that is, a +denary, or a white penny, made of silver. + +In the old days, before the Dutch had houses with glass windows or +clothes of cloth or linen, or hats or shoes, cows and horses, or butter +and cheese, they knew nothing of money and they cared less. Almost +everything, even the land, was owned in common by all. Their wants were +few. Whenever they needed anything from other countries they swapped or +bartered. In this way they traded salt for furs, or fish for iron. But +when they met with, or had to fight, another tribe that was stronger or +richer, or knew more than they did, they required other things, which +the forests and waters could not furnish. So, by and by, pedlars and +merchants came up from the south. They brought new and strange articles, +such as mirrors, jewelry, clothes, and pretty things, which the girls +and women wanted and had begged their daddies and husbands to get for +them. For the men, they brought iron tools and better weapons, improved +traps, to catch wild beasts, and wagons, with wheels that had spokes. +When regular trade began, it became necessary to have money of some +kind. + +Then coins of gold, silver, and copper were seen in the towns and +villages, and even in the woods and on the heaths of Holland. Yet there +was a good deal that was strange and mysterious about these round, +shining bits of metal, called money. + +"Money. What is money?" asked many a proud warrior disdainfully. + +Then the wise men explained to the fighting men, that money was named +after Juno Moneta, a goddess in Rome. She told men that no one would +ever want for money who was honest and just. Then, by and by, the mint +was in her temple and money was coined there. Then, later, in Holland, +the word meant money, but many people, who wanted to get rich quickly, +worshipped her. In time, however, the word "gold" meant money in +general. + +When a great ruler, named Charlemagne, conquered or made treaties with +our ancestors, he allowed them to have mints and to coin money. Then, +again, it seemed wonderful how the pedlars and the goldsmiths and the +men called Lombards--strange long-bearded men from the south, who came +among the Dutch--grew rich faster than the work people. They seemed to +amass gold simply by handling money. + +When a man who knew what a silver penny would do, made a present of one +to his wife, her face lighted up with joy. So in time, the word "penny +white," meant the smiling face of a happy woman. Yet it was also noticed +that the more people had, the more they wanted. The girls and boys +quickly found that money would buy what the pedlars brought. In the +towns, shops sprang up, in which were many curious things, which tempted +people to buy. + +Some tried to spend their money and keep it too--to eat their cake and +have it also--but they soon found that they could not do this. There +were still many foolish, as well as wise people, in the land, even +during the new time of money. A few saved their coins and were happy in +giving some to the poor and needy. Many fathers had what was called a +"sparpot," or home savings bank, and taught their children the right use +of money. It began to be the custom for people to have family names, so +that a girl was not merely the daughter of so-and-so, nor a boy the son +of a certain father. In the selection of names, those which had the word +"penny" in them proved to be very popular. To keep a coin in the little +home bank, without spending it, long enough for it to gather mould, +which it did easily in the damp climate of Holland, that is, to darken +and get a crust on it, was considered a great virtue in the owner. This +showed that the owner had a strong mind and power of self-control. So +the name "Schimmelpennig," or "mouldy penny," became honorable, because +such people were wise and often kind and good. They did not waste their +money, but made good use of it. + +On the other hand, were some mean and stingy folks, who liked to hear +the coins jingle. Instead of wisely spending their cash, or trading with +it, they hoarded their coins; that is, they hid them away in a stocking, +or a purse, or in a jar, or a cracked cooking pot, that couldn't be +used. Often they put it away somewhere in the chimney, behind a loose +brick. Then, at night, when no one was looking, these miserly folks +counted, rubbed, jingled, and gloated over the shining coins and never +helped anybody. So there grew up three sorts of people, called the +thrifty, the spendthrifts, and the misers. These last were the meanest +and most disliked of all. Others, again, hid their money away, so as to +have some, when sick, or old, and they talked about it. No one found +fault with these, though some laughed and said "a penny in the savings +jar makes more noise than when it is full of gold." Even when folks got +married they were exhorted by the minister to save money, "so as to have +something to give to the poor." + +Now when the fairies, that work down underground, heard that the Dutch +had learned the use of money, and had even built a mint to stamp the +metal, they held a feast to talk over what they should do to help or +harm. In any event, they wanted to have some fun with the mortals above +ground. + +That has always been the way with kabouters. They are in for fun, first, +last, and always. So, with punches and hammers, they made counterfeit +money. Then, in league with the elves, they began also to delude misers +and make them believe that much money makes men happy. + +A long time after the mint had been built, two kabouters met to talk +over their adventures. + +"It is wonderful what fools these creatures called men are," said the +first one. "There's old Vrek. He has been hoarding coins for the last +fifty years. Now, he has a pile of gold in guilders and stivers, but +there's hardly anything of his old self left. His soul is as small as a +shrimp. I whispered to him not to let out his money in trade, but to +keep it shut up. His strong box is full to bursting, but what went into +the chest has oozed out of the man. He died, last night, and hardly +anybody considers him worth burying. Some one on the street to-day asked +what Vrek had left behind. The answer was 'Nothing--he took it all with +him, for he had so little to take.'" + +"That's jolly," said the older kabouter, who was a wicked looking +fellow. "I'll get some fun out of this. To shrivel up souls will be my +business henceforth. There's nothing like this newfangled business of +getting money, that will do it so surely." + +So this ugly old imp went "snooping" around, as the Dutch say, about +people who sneak and dodge in and out of places, to which they ought not +to go, and in houses where they should not be found. This imp's purpose +was to make men crazy on the subject of making money, when they tried, +as many of them did, to get rich quickly in mean ways. Sorry to tell, +the imp found a good many promising specimens to work upon, at his +business of making some wise men foolish. He taught them to take out of +their souls what they hoarded away. To such fellows, when they became +misers, he gave the name of "Schim," which means a shadow. It was +believed by some people that such shrivelled up wretches had no bowels. + +Soon after this, a great meeting of kabouters was held, in the dark +realms below ground. Each one told what he had been doing on the earth. +After the little imps had reported, the chief kabouter, when his turn +came, cried out: + +"I shall tell of three brothers, and what each one did with the first +silver penny he earned." + +"Go on," they all cried. + +"I've caught one schim young. He married a wife only last year, but he +won't give her one gulden a year to dress on. He skimps the table, pares +the cheese till the rind is as thin as paper, and makes her live on skim +milk and barley. Besides this, he won't help the poor with a stiver. I +saw him put away a bright and shining silver penny, fresh from the mint. +He hid coin and pocketbook in the bricks of a chimney. So I climbed down +from the roof, seized both and ran away. I smeared the purse with wax +and hid it in the thick rib of a boat, by the wharf. There the penny +will gather mould enough. Ha! Ha! Ha!" + +At this, the little imps broke out into a titter that sounded like the +cackle of a hen trying to tell she had laid an egg. + +"Good for you! Serves the old schim right," said a good kabouter, who +loved to help human beings. "Now, I'll tell you about his brother, who +has a wife and baby. He feeds and clothes them well, and takes good care +of his old mother. + +"Almost every week he helps some poor little boy, or girl, that has no +mother or father. I heard him say he wished he could take care of poor +orphans. So, when he was asleep, at night, I whispered in his ear and +made him dream. + +"'Put away your coin where it won't get mouldy and show that a penny +that keeps moving is not like a rolling stone that gathers no moss. +Deliver it to the goldsmiths for interest and leave it in your will to +increase, until it becomes a great sum. Then, long after you are dead, +the money you have saved and left for the poor _weesies_ (orphans) +will build a house for them. It will furnish food and beds and pay for +nurses that will care for them, and good women who will be like mothers. +Other folks, seeing what you have done, will build orphan houses. Then +we shall have a Wees House (orphan asylum) in every town. No child, +without a father or mother, in all Holland, will have to cry for milk or +bread. Don't let your penny mould.' + +"The third brother, named Spill-penny, woke up on the same morning, with +a headache. He remembered that he had spent his silver penny at the gin +house, buying drinks for a lot of worthless fellows like himself. He and +his wife, with little to eat, had to wear ragged clothes, and the baby +had not one toy to play with. When his wife gently chided him, he ran +out of the house in bad humor. Going to the tap room, he ordered a drink +of what we call 'Dutch courage,' that is, a glass of gin, and drank it +down. Then what do you think he did?" + +"Tell us," cried the imps uproariously. + +"He went into a clothing house, bought a suit of clothes, and had it +'charged.'" + +"That's it. I've known others like him," said an old imp. + +"Now it was kermiss day in the village, and all that afternoon and +evening this spendthrift was roystering with his fellow 'zuip zaks' +(boon companions). With them, it was 'always drunk, always dry.' Near +midnight, being too full of gin, he stumbled in the gutter, struck his +head on the curb, and fell down senseless. + +"Her husband not coming home that night, the distracted wife went out +early in the morning. She found several men lying asleep on the +sidewalks or in the gutters. She turned each one over, just as she did +buckwheat cakes on the griddle, to see if this man or that was hers. At +last she discovered her worthless husband, but no shaking or pulling +could awake him. He was dead. + +"Now there was a covetous undertaker in town, who carted away the +corpse, and then told the widow that she must spend much money on the +funeral, in order to have her husband buried properly; or else, the +tongues of the neighbors would wag. So the poor woman had to sell her +cow, the only thing she had, and was left poorer than ever. That was the +end of Spill-penny." + +"A jolly story," cried the kabouters in chorus. "Served him right. Now +tell us about Vrek the miser. Go on." + +"Well, the saying 'Much coin, much care,' is hardly true of him, for I +and my trusty helpers ran away with all he had. With his first silver +penny he began to hoard his money. He has been hunting for years for +that penny, but has not found it. It will be rather mouldy, should he +find it, but that he never will." + +"Why not?" asked a young imp. + +"For a good reason. He would not pay his boatmen their wages. So they +struck, and refused to work. When he tried to sail his own boat, it +toppled over and sunk, and Vrek was drowned. His wife was saved the +expenses of a funeral, for his carcass was never found, and the covetous +undertaker lost a job." + +"What of the third one?" they asked. + +"Oh, Mynheer Eerlyk, you mean? No harm can come to him. Everybody loves +him and he cares for the orphans. There will be no mouldy penny in his +house." + +Then the meeting broke up. The good kabouters were happy. The bad ones, +the imps, were sorry to miss what they hoped would be a jolly story. + +When a thousand years passed away and the age of newspapers and copper +pennies had come, there were no descendants of the two brothers +Spill-penny and Schim; but of Mynheer Eerlyk there were as many as the +years that had flown since he made a will. In this document, he ordered +that his money, in guilders of gold and pennies of silver, should remain +at compound interest for four hundred years. In time, the ever +increasing sum passed from the goldsmiths to the bankers, and kept on +growing enormously. At last this large fortune was spent in building +hundreds of homes for orphans. + +According to his wish, each girl in the asylum dressed in clothes that +were of the colors on the city arms. In Amsterdam, for example, each +orphan child's frock is half red and half black, with white aprons, and +the linen and lace caps are very neat and becoming to their rosy faces. +In Friesland, where golden hair and apple blossom cheeks are so often +seen with the white lace and linen, some one has called the orphan girls +"Apples of gold in pictures of silver." Among the many glories of the +Netherlands is her care for the aged and the orphans. + +One of the thirty generations of the Eerlyks read one day in the +newspaper: + +"Last week, while digging a very deep canal, some workman struck his +pickaxe against timbers that were black with age, and nearly as hard as +stone. These, on being brought up, showed that they were the ribs of an +ancient boat. Learned men say that there was once a river here, which +long since dried up. All the pieces of the boat were recovered, and, +under the skilful hands of our ship carpenters, have been put together +and the whole vessel is now set up and on view in our museum." + +"We'll go down to-morrow on our way home from school, and see the +curiosity," cried one of the Eerlyk boys, clapping his hands. + +"Wait," said his father, "there's more in the story. + +"To-day, the janitor of the museum, while examining a wide crack in one +of the ribs, which was covered with wax, picked this substance away. He +poked his finger in the crack, and finding something soft, pulled it +out. It was a rough leather purse, inside of which was a coin, mouldy +with age and dark as the wood. Even after cleaning it with acid, it was +hard to read what was stamped on it; but, strange to say, the face of +the coin had left its impression on the leather, which had been covered +with wax. From this, though the metal of the coin was black, and the +mould thick on the coin, what they saw showed that it was a silver penny +of the age of Charlemagne, or the ninth century." + +"Charlemagne is French, father, but we call him Karel de Groot, or +Charles the Great." + +"Yes, my son. Don't you hear Karel's Klok (the curfew) sounding? 'Tis +time for little folks to go to bed." + + + + +THE GOLDEN HELMET + + +For centuries, more than can be counted on the fingers of both hands, +the maidens and mothers of Friesland have worn a helmet of gold covering +the crown and back of their heads, and with golden rosettes at each ear. +It marks the Frisian girl or woman. She is thus known by this head-dress +as belonging to a glorious country, that has never been conquered and is +proudly called Free Frisia. It is a relic of the age of gold, when this +precious metal was used in a thousand forms, not seen to-day. + +Of how and why the golden helmet is worn, this is the story: + +In days gone by, when forests covered the land and bears and wolves were +plentiful, there were no churches in Friesland. The people were pagans +and all worshipped Woden, whom the Frisians called Fos-i-te'. Certain +trees were sacred to him. When a baby was ill, or grown people had a +disease, which medicine could not help, they laid the sick one at the +foot of the holy tree, hoping for health soon to come. But, should the +patient die under the tree, then the sorrowful friends were made glad, +if the leaves of the tree fell upon the corpse. It was death to any +person who touched the sacred tree with an axe, or made kindling wood, +even of its branches. + +Now among the wild people of the north, who ate acorns and were clothed +in the skins of animals, there came, from the Christian lands of the +south, a singer with his harp. Invited to the royal court, he sang sweet +songs. To these the king's daughter listened with delight, until the +tears, first of sorrow and then of joy, rolled down her lovely cheeks. + +This maiden was the pride of her father, because of her sweet temper and +willing spirit, while all the people boasted of her beauty. Her eyes +were of the color of a sky without clouds. No spring flower could equal +the pink and rose in her cheeks. Her lips were like the red coral, which +the ship men brought from distant shores. Her long tresses rivalled gold +in their glory. And, because her father worshipped Fos-i-te', the god of +justice, and his daughter was always so fair to all her playmates, he, +in his pride of her, gave her the name Fos-te-di'-na, that is, the +darling of Fos-i-te', or the Lady of Justice. + +[Illustration: WHICH WAS THE MORE GLORIOUS, HER LONG TRESSES OR THE +SHINING CROWN ABOVE.] + +The singer from the south sang a new song, and when he played upon his +harp his music was apt to be soft and low; sometimes sad, even, and +often appealing. It was so much finer, and oh! so different, from what +the glee men and harpers in the king's court usually rendered for the +listening warriors. Instead of being about fighting and battle, or the +hunting of wolves and bears, of stags and the aurochs, it was of healing +the sick and helping the weak. In place of battles and the exploits of +war lords, in fighting and killing Danes, the harper's whole story was +of other things and about gentle people. He sang neither of war, nor of +the chase, nor of fighting gods, nor of the storm maidens, that carry up +to the sky, and into the hall of Woden, the souls of the slain on the +battlefield. + +The singer sang of the loving Father in Heaven, who sent his dear Son to +earth to live and die, that men might be saved. He made music with voice +and instrument about love, and hope, and kindness to the sick and poor, +of charity to widows and to orphans, and about the delights of doing +good. He closed by telling the story of the crown of thorns, how wicked +men nailed this good prophet to a cross, and how, when tender-hearted +women wept, the Holy Teacher told them not to weep for him, but for +themselves and their children. This mighty lord of noble thoughts and +words lived what he taught. He showed greatness in the hour of death, by +first remembering his mother, and then by forgiving his enemies. + +"What! forgive an enemy? Forgive even the Danes? What horrible doctrine +do we hear!" cried the men of war. "Let us kill this singer from the +south." And they beat their swords on their metal shields, till the +clangor was deafening. The great hall rang with echoes of the din, as if +for battle. The Druids, or pagan priests, even more angry, applauded the +action of the fighting men. + +But Fos-te-di-na rushed forward to shield the harper, and her long +golden hair covered him. + +"No!" said the king to his warriors. "This man is my guest. I invited +him and he shall be safe here." + +Sullen and bitter in their hearts, both priests and war men left the +hall, breathing out revenge and feeling bound to kill the singer. Soon +all were quiet in slumber, for the hour was late. + +Why were the pagan followers of the king so angry with the singer? + +The answer to this question is a story in itself. + +Only three days before, a party of Christian Danes had been taken +prisoners in the forest. They had come, peaceably and without arms, into +the country; for they wanted to tell the Frisians about the new +religion, which they had themselves received. In the cold night air, +they had, unwittingly, cut off some of the dead branches of a tree +sacred to the god Fos-i-te to kindle a fire. + +A spy, who had closely watched them, ran and told his chief. Now, the +Christian Danes were prisoners and would be given to the hungry wolves +to be torn to pieces. That was the law concerning sacrilege against the +trees of the gods. + +Some of the Frisians had been to Rome, the Eternal City, and had there +learned, from the cruel Romans, how to build great enclosures, not of +stone but of wood. Here, on holidays, they gave their prisoners of war +to the wild beasts, for the amusement of thousands of the people. The +Frisians could get no lions or tigers, for these fierce brutes live in +hot countries; but they sent hundreds of hunters into the woods for many +miles around. These bold fellows drove the deer, bears, wolves, and the +aurochs within an ever narrowing circle towards the pits. Into these, +dug deep in the ground and covered with branches and leaves, the animals +fell down and were hauled out with ropes. The deer were kept for their +meat, but the bears and wolves were shut up, in pens, facing the great +enclosure. When maddened with hunger, these ravenous beasts of prey were +to be let loose on the Christian Danes. Several aurochs, made furious by +being goaded with pointed sticks, or pricked by spears, were to rush out +and trample the poor victims to death. + +The heart of the beautiful Fos-te-di-na, who had heard the songs of the +singer of faith in the one God and love for his creatures, was deeply +touched. She resolved to set the captives free. Being a king's daughter, +she was brave as a man. So, at midnight, calling a trusty maid-servant, +she, with a horn lantern, went out secretly to the prison pen. She +unbolted the door, and, in the name of their God and hers, she bade the +prisoners return to their native land. + +How the wolves in their pen did roar, when, on the night breeze, they +sniffed the presence of a newcomer! They hoped for food, but got none. + +The next morning, when the crowd assembled, but found that they were to +be cheated of their bloody sport, they raged and howled. Coming to the +king, they demanded his daughter's punishment. The pagan priests +declared that the gods had been insulted, and that their anger would +fall on the whole tribe, because of the injury done to their sacred +tree. The hunters swore they would invade the Danes' land and burn all +their churches. + +Fos-te-di-na was summoned before the council of the priests, who were to +decide on the punishment due her. Being a king's daughter, they could +not put her to death by throwing her to the wolves. + +Even as the white-bearded high priest spoke, the beautiful girl heard +the fierce creatures howling, until her blood curdled, but she was brave +and would not recant. + +In vain they threatened the maiden, and invoked the wrath of the gods +upon her. Bravely she declared that she would suffer, as her Lord did, +rather than deny him. + +"So be it," cried the high priest. "Your own words are your sentence. +You shall wear a crown of thorns." + +Fos-te-di'-na was dismissed. Then the old men sat long, in brooding over +what should be done. They feared the gods, but were afraid, also, to +provoke their ruler to wrath. They finally decided that the maiden's +life should be spared, but that for a whole day, from sunrise to sunset, +she should stand in the market-place, with a crown of sharp thorns +pressed down hard upon her head. The crowd should be allowed to revile +her for being a Christian and none be punished; but no vile language was +to be allowed, or stones or sticks were to be thrown at her. + +Fos-te-di'-na refused to beg for mercy and bravely faced the ordeal. She +dressed herself in white garments, made from the does and fawns--free +creatures of the forest--and unbound her golden tresses. Then she walked +with a firm step to the centre of the market-place. + +"Bring the thorn-crown for the blasphemer of Fos-i-te," cried the high +priest. + +This given to him, the king's daughter kneeled, and the angry old man, +his eyes blazing like fire, pressed the sharp thorns slowly, down and +hard, upon the maiden's brow. Quickly the red blood trickled down over +her golden hair and face. Then in long, narrow lines of red, the drops +fell, until the crimson stains were seen over the back, front, and sides +of her white garments. + +But without wincing, the brave girl stood up, and all day long, while +the crowd howled, in honor of their gods, and rough fellows jeered at +her, Fos-te-di-na was silent and patient, like her Great Example. +Inwardly, she prayed the Father of all to pardon and forgive. There were +not a few who pitied the bleeding maiden wearing the cruel crown, that +drew the blood that stained her shining hair and once white clothing. + +Years passed by and a great change came over land and people. The very +scars on Fos-te-di-na's forehead softened the hearts of the people. +Thousands of them heard the words of the good missionaries. Churches +arose, on which was seen the shining cross. Idols were abolished and the +trees, once sacred to the old gods, were cut down. Meadows, rich with +cows, smiled where wolves had roamed. The changes, even in ten years, +were like those in a fairy tale. Best of all, a Christian prince from +the south, grandson of Charlemagne, fell in love with Fos-te-di-na, now +queen of the country. He sought her hand, and won her heart, and the +date for the marriage was fixed. It was a great day for Free Frisia. The +wedding was to be in a new church, built on the very spot where +Fos-te-di-na had stood, in pain and sorrow, when the crown of thorns was +pressed upon her brow. + +On that morning, a bevy of pretty maidens, all dressed in white, came in +procession to the palace. One of them bore in her hands a golden crown, +with plates coming down over the forehead and temples. It was made in +such a way that, like a helmet, it completely covered and concealed the +scars of the sovereign lady. So Fos-te-di-na was married, with the +golden helmet on her head. "But which," asked some, "was the more +glorious, her long tresses, floating down her back, or the shining crown +above it?" Few could be sure in making answer. + +Instead of a choir singing hymns, the harper, who had once played in the +king's hall, now an older man, had been summoned, with his harp, to sing +in solo. In joyous spirits, he rendered into the sweet Frisian tongue, +two tributes in song to the crowned and glorified Lord of all. + +One praised the young guest at the wedding at Cana, Friend of man, who +turned water into wine; the other, "The Great Captain of our Salvation," +who, in full manly strength, suffered, thorn-crowned, for us all. + +Then the solemn silence, that followed the song, was broken by the +bride's coming out of the church. Though by herself alone, without +adornment, Fos-te-di-na was a vision of beauty. Her head-covering looked +so pretty, and the golden helmet was so becoming, that other maidens, +also, when betrothed, wished to wear it. It became the fashion-for +Christian brides, on their wedding days, to put on this glorified crown +of thorns. + +All the jewelers approved of the new bridal head-dress, and in time this +golden ornament was worn in Friesland every day. Thus it has come to +pass that the Frisian helmet, which is the glorified crown of thorns, +is, in one form or another, worn even in our day. When Fos-te-di-na's +first child, a boy, was born, the happy parents named him William, which +is only another word for Gild Helm. Out from this northern region, and +into all the seventeen provinces of the Netherlands, the custom spread. +In one way or another, one can discern, in the headdresses or costumes +of the Dutch and Flemish women, the relics of ancient history. + +When Her Majesty, the Dutch Queen, visits the Frisians, in the old land +of the north, which her fathers held so dear, she, out of compliment to +Free Frisia, wears the ancient costume, surmounted by the golden helm. +Those who know the origin of the name Wilhelmina read in it the true +meaning, which is, + +"The Sovereign Lady of the Golden Helm." + + + + +WHEN WHEAT WORKED WOE + + +Many a day has the story-teller wandered along the dykes, which overlook +the Zuyder Zee. Once there were fertile fields, and scores of towns, +where water now covers all. Then fleets of ships sailed on the bosom of +Lake Flevo, and in the river which ran into the sea. Bright and +beautiful cities dotted the shores, and church bells chimed merrily for +the bridal, or tolled in sympathy for the sorrowing. Many were the +festal days, because of the wealth, which the ships brought from lands +near and far. + +But to-day the waters roll over the spot and "The Dead Cities of the +Zuyder Zee" are a proverb. Yet all are not dead, in one and the same +sense. Some lie far down under the waves, their very names forgotten, +because of the ocean's flood, which in one night, centuries ago, rushed +in to destroy. Others languished, because wealth came no longer in the +ships, and the seaports dried up. And one, because of a foolish woman, +instead of holding thousands of homes and people, is to-day only a +village nestling behind the dykes. It holds a few hundred people and +only a fragment of land remains of its once great area. + +In the distant ages of ice and gravel, when the long and high glaciers +of Norway poked their cold noses into Friesland, Stavoren held the +shrine of Stavo, the storm-god. The people were very poor, but many +pilgrims came to worship at Stavo's altars. After the new religion came +into the land, wealth increased, because the ships traded with the warm +lands in the south. A great city sprang up, to which the counts of +Holland granted a charter, with privileges second to none. It was +written that Stavoren should have "the same freedom which a free city +enjoys from this side of the mountains (the Alps) to the sea." + +Then there came an age of gold in Stavoren. People were so rich, that +the bolts and hinges and the keys and locks of their doors were made of +this precious yellow metal. In some of the houses, the parlor floor was +paved with ducats from Spain. + +Now in this city lived a married couple, whose wealth came from the +ships. The man, a merchant, was a simple hearted and honest fellow, who +worked hard and was easily pleased. + +But his wife was discontented, always peevish and never satisfied with +anything. Even her neighbors grew tired of her whining and complaints. +They declared that on her tombstone should be carved these words: + +"_She wanted something else_" + +Now on every voyage, made by the many ships he owned, the merchant +charged his captains to bring home something rare and fine, as a present +to his wife. Some pretty carving or picture, a roll of silk for a dress, +a lace collar, a bit of splendid tapestry, a shining jewel; or, it may +be, a singing bird, a strange animal for a pet, a barrel of fruit, or a +box of sweetmeats was sure to be brought. With such gifts, whether large +or small, the husband hoped to please his wife. + +But in this good purpose, he could never succeed. So he began to think +that it was his own fault. Being only a man, he could not tell what a +woman wanted. So he resolved to try his own wits and tastes, to see if +he could meet his wife's desires. + +One day, when one of his best captains was about to sail on a voyage to +the northeast, to Dantzig, which is almost as far as Russia, he inquired +of his bad-tempered vrouw what he should bring her. + +"I want the best thing in the world," said she. "Now this time, do bring +it to me." + +The merchant was now very happy. He told the captain to seek out and +bring back what he himself might think was the best thing on earth; but +to make sure, he must buy a cargo of wheat. + +The skipper went on board, hoisted anchor and set sail. Using his man's +wits, he also decided that wheat, which makes bread, was the very thing +to be desired. In talking to his mates and sailors, they agreed with +him. Thus, all the men, in this matter, were of one mind, and the +captain dreamed only of jolly times when on shore. On other voyages, +when he had hunted around for curiosities to please the wife of the +boss, he had many and anxious thoughts; but now, he was care-free. + +In Dantzig, all the ship's men had a good time, for the captain made +"goed koop" (a fine bargain). Then the vessel, richly loaded with grain, +turned its prow homeward. Arriving at Stavoren, the skipper reported to +the merchant, to tell him of much money made, of a sound cargo obtained, +of safe arrival, and, above all, plenty of what would please his wife; +for what on earth could be more valuable than wheat, which makes bread, +the staff of life? + +At lunch time, when the merchant came home, his wife wanted to know what +made him look so joyful. Had he made "goed koop" that day? + +Usually, at meal time, this quiet man hardly spoke two words an hour. To +tell the truth, he sometimes irritated his wife because of his silence, +but to-day he was voluble. + +The man of wealth answered, "I have a joyful surprise for you. I cannot +tell you now. You must come with me and see." + +After lunch, he took his wife on board the ship, giving a wink of his +eye to the skipper, who nodded to the sailors, and then the stout +fellows opened the hatches. There, loaded to the very deck, was the +precious grain. The merchant looked up, expecting to see and hear his +wife clap her hands with joy. + +But the greedy woman turned her back on him, and flew into a rage. + +"Throw it all overboard, into the water," she screamed. "You wretch, you +have deceived me." + +The husband tried to calm her and explain that it was his thought to get +wheat, as the world's best gift, hoping thus to please her. + +At that moment, some hungry beggars standing on the wharf, heard the +lady's loud voice, and falling on their knees cried to her: + +"Please, madame, give us some of this wheat; we are starving." + +"Yes, lady, and there are many poor in Stavoren, in spite of all its +gold," said the captain. "Why not divide this wheat among the needy, if +you are greatly disappointed? You will win praise for yourself. In the +name of God, forgive my boldness, and do as I ask. Then, on the next +voyage, I shall sail as far as China and will get you anything you ask!" + +But the angry woman would listen to no one. She stayed on the ship, +urging on the sailors, with their shovels, until every kernel was cast +overboard. + +"Never again will I try to please you," said her husband. "The hungry +will curse you, and you may yet suffer for food, because of this wilful +waste, which will make woful want. Even you will suffer." + +She listened at first in silence, and then put her fingers in her ears +to hear no more. Proud of her riches, with her voice in a high key, she +shouted, "I ever want? What folly to say so! I am too rich." Then, to +show her contempt for such words, she slipped off a ring from her finger +and threw it into the waters of the harbor. Her husband almost died of +grief and shame, when he saw that it was her wedding ring, which she had +cast overboard. + +"Hear you all! When that ring comes back to me, I shall be hungry and +not before," said she, loud enough to be heard on ship, wharf, and +street. Gathering up her skirts, she stepped upon the gangway, tripping +to the shore, and past the poor people, who looked at her in mingled +hate and fear. Then haughtily, she strode to her costly mansion. + +Now to celebrate the expected new triumph and to show off her wealth and +luxury, with the numerous curiosities brought her from many lands, the +proud lady had already invited a score of guests. When they were all +seated, the first course of soup was served in silver dishes, which +every one admired. As the fish was about to be brought in, to be eaten +off golden plates, the butler begged the lady's permission to bring in +first, from the chief cook, something rare and wonderful, that he had +found in the mouth of the fish, which was waiting, already garnished, on +the big dish. Not dreaming what it might be, the hostess clapped her +hands in glee, saying to those at the table: + +"Perhaps now, at last, I shall get what I have long waited for--the best +thing in the world." + +"We shall all hope so," the guests responded in chorus. + +But when the chief cook came into the banquet hall, and, bowing low, +held before his mistress a golden salver, with a finger ring on it, the +proud lady turned pale. + +It was the very ring which, in her anger, she had tossed overboard the +day before. To add to her shame, she saw from the look of horror on +their faces, that the guests had recognized the fact that it was her +wedding token. + +This was only the beginning of troubles. That night, her husband died of +grief and vexation. The next day, the warehouses, stored with valuable +merchandise of all sorts, were burned to the ground. + +Before her husband had been decently buried, a great tempest blew down +from the north, and news came that four of his ships had been wrecked. +Their sailors hardly escaped with their lives, and both they and their +families in Stavoren were now clamoring for bread. + +Even when she put on her weeds of grief, these did not protect the widow +from her late husband's creditors. She had to sell her house and all +that was in it, to satisfy them and pay her debts. She had even to pawn +her ring to the Lombards, the goldsmiths of the town, to buy money for +bread. + +Now that she was poor, none of the former rich folks, who had come to +her grand dinners, would look at her. She had even to beg her bread on +the streets; for who wanted to help the woman who wasted wheat? She was +glad to go to the cow stalls, and eat what the cattle left. Before the +year ended, she was found dead in a stable, in rags and starvation. Thus +her miserable life ended. Without a funeral, but borne on a bier, by two +men, she was buried at the expense of the city, in the potter's field. + +But even this was not the end of the fruits of her wickedness, for the +evil she did lived after her. It was found that, from some mysterious +cause, a sand bar was forming in the river. This prevented the ships +from coming up to the docks. With its trade stopped, the city grew +poorer every day. What was the matter? + +By and by, at low tide, some fishermen saw a green field under the +surface of the harbor. It was not a garden of seaweed, for instead of +leaves whirling with the tide, there were stalks that stood up high. The +wheat had sprouted and taken root. In another month the tops of these +stalks were visible above the water. But in such soil as sand, the wheat +had reverted to its wild state. It was good for nothing, but only did +harm. + +For, while producing no grain for food, it held together the sand, which +rolled down the river and had come all the way from the Alps to the +ocean. Of old, this went out to sea and kept the harbor scoured clean, +so that the ships came clear up to the wharves. Then, on many a morning, +a wealthy merchant, whose house was close to the docks, looked out of +his window to find the prows, of his richly laden ships, poked almost +into his bedroom, and he liked it. Venturesome boys even climbed from +their cots down the bowsprits, on to the deck of their fathers' vessels. +Of such sons, the fathers were proud, knowing that they would make brave +sailors and navigate spice ships from the Indies. It was because of her +brave mariners, that Stavoren had gained her glory and greatness, being +famed in all the land. + +But now, within so short a time, the city's renown and wealth had faded +like a dream. By degrees, the population diminished, commerce became a +memory, and ships a curiosity. The people, that were left, had to eat +rye and barley bread, instead of wheat. Floods ruined the farmers and +washed away large parts of the town, so that dykes had to be built to +save what was left. + +More terrible than all, the ocean waves rolled in and wiped out cities, +towns, and farms, sinking churches, convents, monasteries, warehouses, +wharves, and docks, in one common ruin, hidden far down below. + +To this day the worthless wheat patch, that spoiled Stavoren, is called +"Vrouwen Zand," or the Lady's Sand. Instead of being the staff of life, +as Nature intended, the wheat, because of a power of evil greater than +that of a thousand wicked fairies, became the menace of death to ruin a +rich city. + +No wonder the Dutch have a proverb, which might be thus translated: + + "Peevishness perverts wheat into weeds + But a sweet temper turns a field into gold." + + + + +WHY THE STORK LOVES HOLLAND + + +Above all countries in Europe, this bird, wise in the head and long in +the legs, loves Holland. Flying all the way from Africa, the stork is at +home among dykes and windmills. + +Storks are seen by the thousands in Holland and Friesland. Sometimes +they strut in the streets, not in the least frightened or disturbed. +They make their nests among the tiles and chimneys, on the red roofs of +the houses, and they rear their young even on the church towers. + +If a man sets an old cart wheel flat on a tree-top, the storks accept +this, as an invitation to come and stay. At once they proceed, first of +all, to arrange their toilet, after their long flight. They do this, +even before they build their nest. You can see them, by the hour, +preening their feathers and combing their plumage, with their long +bills. Then, as solemnly as a boss mason, they set about gathering +sticks and hay for their house. They never seem to be in a hurry. + +A stork lays on a bit of wood, and then goes at his toilet again, +looking around to see that other folks are busy. Year after year, a pair +of storks will use the same nest, rebuilding, or repairing it, each +spring time. The stork is a steady citizen and does not like to change. +Once treated well in one place, by the landlord, Mr. and Mrs. Stork keep +the same apartments and watch over the family cradle inside the house, +to see that it is always occupied by a baby. The return of the stork is, +in Holland, a household celebration. + +Out in the fields, Mr. Stork is happy indeed, for Holland is the +paradise of frogs; so the gentleman of the red legs finds plenty to eat. +He takes his time for going to dinner, and rarely rushes for quick +lunch. After business hours in the morning, he lays his long beak among +his thick breast feathers, until it is quite hidden. Then, perched up in +the air on one long leg, like a stilt, he takes a nap, often for hours. + +With the other leg crossed, he seems to be resting on the figure four +(4). + +Towards evening he shakes out his wings, flaps them once or twice, and +takes a walk, but he is never in haste. Beginning his hunt, he soon has +enough frogs, mice, grubs, worms or insects to make a good meal. It is +because this bird feels so much at home, in town and country, making +part of the landscape, that we so associate together Holland and the +stork, as we usually do. + +The Dutch proverb pictures the scene, which is so common. "In the same +field, the cow eats grass; the grayhound hunts the hare; and the stork +helps himself to the frogs." Indeed, if it were not for the stork, +Holland would, like old Egypt, in the time of Moses, be overrun with +frogs. + +The Dutch call the stork by the sweet name "Ooijevaar," or the +treasure-bringer. Every spring time, the boys and girls, fathers and +mothers, shout welcome to the white bird from Egypt. + +"What do you bring me?" is their question or thought. + +If the bird deserts its old home on their roof, the family is in grief, +thinking it has lost its luck; but if Daddy Stork, with Mrs. Stork's +approval, chooses a new place for their nest, there is more rejoicing in +that house, than if money had been found. "Where there are nestlings on +the roof, there will be babies in the house," is what the Dutch say; for +both are welcome. + +To tell why the stork loves Holland, we must go back to the Africa of a +million years ago. Then, we shall ask the Dutch fairies how they +succeeded in making the new land, in the west, so popular in the stork +world. For what reason did the wise birds emigrate to the cold country a +thousand miles away? They were so regular and punctual, that a great +prophet wrote: + +"Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times." + +Ages ago, there were camels and caravans in Africa, but there was no +Holland, for the land was still under the waves. In India, also, the +stork was an old bird, that waded in the pools and kept the frogs from +croaking in terms of the multiplication table. Sometimes the stork +population increased too fast and some went hungry for food; for, the +proverb tells us that a stork "died while waiting for the ocean to dry, +hoping to get a supply of dried fish." + +When on the coast of the North Sea, the Land of a Million Islands was +made, the frog emigrants were there first. They poured in so fast, that +it seemed a question as to who should own the country-frogs or men. Some +were very big, as if ambitious to be bulls. They croaked so loud, that +they drowned out the fairy music, and made the night hideous with their +noises. The snakes spoiled the country for the little birds, while the +toads seemed to think that the salt ocean had been kept out, and the +land made, especially for them. + +The Dutch fairies were disgusted at the way these reptiles behaved, for +they could not enjoy themselves, as in the old days. If they went to +dance in the meadow, on moonlight nights, they always found a big +bullfrog sitting in their ring, mocking them with its bellowing. So when +they heard about the storks in Africa, and what hearty appetites they +had, for the various wrigglers, crawlers, jumpers and splashers in the +waters, they resolved to invite them, in a body, to Holland. + +The Dutch fairies knew nothing of the habits of the bird and scarcely +imagined how such a creature might look, but they heard many pleasant +things about the stork's good character. The wise bird had an excellent +reputation, not only for being kind to its young, but also for attending +to the wants of its parents, when they were old. It was even said that +in some countries the stork was the symbol for filial piety. + +So the fairies of all the Netherlands despatched a delegation to Egypt +and a congress of storks was called to consider this invitation to go +west. Messengers were at once sent to all the red-legged birds, among +the bulrushes of the Nile, or that lived on the roofs of the temples, or +that perched on the pyramids, or dwelt on the top of old columns, or +that stood in rows along the eaves of the town houses. The town birds +gained their living by acting as street cleaners, but the river birds +made their meals chiefly on fish, frogs, and mice. + +The invitation was discussed in stork meeting, and it was unanimously +accepted; except by some old grannies and grandpops that feared in the +strange land they would not be well fed. On a second motion, it was +agreed that only the strongest birds should attempt the flight. Those +afraid, or too weak to go, must stay behind and attend to the old folks. +Such a rattle of mandibles was never heard in Egypt before, as when this +stork meeting adjourned. + +Now when storks travel, they go in flocks. Thousands of them left Egypt +together. High in the air, with their broad wings spread and their long +legs stretched out behind them, they covered Europe in a few hours. Then +they scattered all over the marshy lands of the new country. It was +agreed that each pair was to find its own home. When the cold autumn +should come, they were to assemble again for flight to Egypt. + +It was a new sight for the fairies, the frogs and the men, to look over +the landscape and see these snow white strangers. They were so pretty to +look at, while promenading over the meadows, wading in the ponds and +ditches, or standing silently by the river banks. Soon, however, these +foreign birds were very unpopular in bullfrog land, and as for the +snakes, they thought that Holland would be ruined by these hungry +strangers. On the other hand, it was good news, in fairy-land, that all +fairies could dance safely on their meadow rings, for the bullfrogs were +now afraid to venture in the grass, lest they should be gobbled up, for +the frogs could not hide from the storks. The new birds could poke their +big bills so far into the mud-holes, that no frog, or snake, big or +little, was safe. The stork's red legs were so long, and the birds could +wade in such deep water, that hundreds of frogs were soon eaten up, and +there were many widows and orphans in the ponds and puddles. + +When the fairies got more acquainted with their new guests, and saw how +they behaved, they nearly died of laughing. They were not surprised at +their diet, or eating habits, but they soon discovered that the storks +were not song birds. Instead of having voices, they seemed to talk to +each other by clattering their long jaws, or snapping their mandibles +together. Their snowy plumage--all being white but their wing +feathers--was admired, was envied, and their long bright colored legs +were a wonder. At first the fairies thought their guests wore red +stockings and they thought how heavy must be the laundry work on wash +days; for in Holland, everything must be clean. + +Of all creatures on earth, as the fairies thought, the funniest was seen +when Mr. Stork was in love. To attract and please his lady love, he made +the most grotesque gestures. He would leap up from the ground and move +with a hop, skip, and jump. Then he spread out his wings, as if to hug +his beloved. Then he danced around her, as if he were filled with wine. +All the time he made the best music he knew how, by clattering his +mandibles together. He intended this performance for a sort of love +ditty, or serenade. The whole program was more amusing than anything +that an ape, goat, or donkey could get up. How the fairies did laugh! + +Yet the fairies were very grateful to the storks for ridding their +meadows of so much vermin. How these delicate looking, snow white and +graceful creatures could put so many snails, snakes, tadpoles, and toads +into their stomachs and turn them into snow white feathers, wonderful +wings and long legs, as red as a rose, was a mystery to them. It seemed +more wonderful than anything which they could do, but as fairies have no +stomachs and do not eat, this whole matter of digestion was a mystery to +them. + +Besides the terror and gloom in the frog world, every reptile winced and +squirmed, when he heard of this new enemy. All crawlers, creepers, and +jumpers had so long imagined that the land was theirs and had been made +solely for their benefit! Nor did they know how to conquer the storks. +The frog daddies could do nothing, and the frog mothers were every +moment afraid to let either the tadpoles or froggies go out of their +sight. They worried lest they should see their babies caught up in a +pair of long, bony jaws, as sharp as scissors, there to wriggle and +crow, until their darlings disappeared within the monster. + +One anecdote of the many that were long told in the old Dutch frog ponds +was this: showing into what clangers curiosity may lead youngsters. We +put it in quotation marks to show that it was told as a true story, and +not printed in a book, or made up. + +"A tadpole often teased its froggy mother to let it go and see a red +pole, of which it had heard from a traveller. Mrs. Frog would not at +first let her son go, but promised that as soon as the tadpole lost his +tail, and his flippers had turned into fore legs, and his hind quarters +had properly sprouted, so that he could hop out of danger, he might then +venture on his travels. She warned him, however, not to go too near to +that curious red pole, of which he had heard. Nobody as yet found out +just what this red thing, standing in the water, was; but danger was +suspected by old heads, and all little froggies were warned to be +careful and keep away. In reality, the red stick was the leg of a stork, +sound asleep, for it was taking its usual afternoon nap. The frogs on +the bank, and those in the pool that held their noses above water, to +get their breath, had never before seen anything like this red stilt, or +its cross pole; for no bird of this sort had ever before flown into +their neighborhood. They never suspected that it was a stork, with its +legs shaped like the figure four (4). Indeed, they knew nothing of its +long bill, that could open and shut like a trap, catching a frog or +snake, and swallowing it in a moment. + +"Unfortunately for this uneducated young frog, that had never travelled +from home, it now went too near the red pole, and, to show how brave it +was, rubbed its nose against the queer thing. Suddenly the horrible +creature, that had only been asleep, woke up and snapped its jaws. In a +moment, a wriggling froggy disappeared from sight into the stomach of a +monster, that had two red legs, instead of one. At the sight of such +gluttony, there was an awful splash, for a whole row of frogs had jumped +from the bank into the pool. After this, it was evident that Holland was +not to belong entirely to the frogs." + +As for the human beings, they were so happy over the war with the vermin +and the victory of the storks, that they made this bird their pride and +joy. They heaped honors upon the stork as the savior of their country. +They placed boxes on the roofs of their houses for these birds to nest +in. All the old cart wheels in the land were hunted up. They sawed off +the willow trees a few feet above the ground, and set the wheels in +flat, which the storks used as their parlors and dressing rooms. + +As for the knights, they placed the figure of the stork on their +shields, banners, and coats of arms, while citizens made this bird +prominent on their city seals. The capital of the country, The Hague, +was dedicated to this bird, and, for all time, a pond was dug within the +city limits, where storks were fed and cared for at the public expense. +Even to-day, many a good story, illustrating the tender affection of The +Hague storks for their young, is told and enjoyed as an example to Dutch +mothers to be the best in the world. + +Out in the country at large, in any of the eleven provinces, whenever +they drained a swamp, or pumped out a pond to make a village, it was not +looked upon as a part of Holland, unless there were storks. Even in the +new wild places they planted stakes on the pumped out dry land, called +polders. On the top of these sticks were laid as invitations for the +stork families to come and live with the people. Along the roads they +stuck posts for storks' nests. It became a custom with farmers, when the +storks came back, to kill the fatted calf, or lamb, and leave the refuse +meat out in the fields for a feast to these bird visitors. A score of +Dutch proverbs exist, all of them complimentary to the bird that loves +babies and cradles. + +Last of all, the Dutch children, even in the reign of Queen Wilhelmina, +made letter carriers of their friends the treasure-bringers. Tying tiny +slips of paper to their red legs, they sent messages, in autumn, to the +boys and girls in the old land of the sphinx and pyramids, of Moses, and +the children of Israel. In the spring time, the children's return +messages were received in the country which bids eternal welcome to the +bird named the Bringer of Blessings. + +This is why the storks love Holland. + + +HET EINDE + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks +by William Elliot Griffis + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUTCH FAIRY TALES FOR YOUNG FOLKS *** + +This file should be named 7dfry10.txt or 7dfry10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 7dfry11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 7dfry10a.txt + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Tonya Allen +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +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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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: Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks + +Author: William Elliot Griffis + +Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7871] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 28, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-Latin-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUTCH FAIRY TALES FOR YOUNG FOLKS *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Tonya Allen +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + +[Illustration: Flying out of the sky they came bringing cheeses] + + + +DUTCH FAIRY TALES FOR + +YOUNG FOLKS + +By + +WILLIAM ELLIOT GRIFFIS + +_Author of "The Firefly's Lovers," "The Unmannerly Tiger," "Brave +Little Holland," "Bonnie Scotland," etc._ + + + + +CONTENTS + + +THE ENTANGLED MERMAID + +THE BOY WHO WANTED MORE CHEESE + +THE PRINCESS WITH TWENTY PETTICOATS + +THE CAT AND THE CRADLE + +PRINCE SPIN HEAD AND MISS SNOW WHITE + +THE BOAR WITH THE GOLDEN BRISTLES + +THE ICE KING AND HIS WONDERFUL GRANDCHILD + +THE ELVES AND THEIR ANTICS + +THE KABOUTERS AND THE BELLS + +THE WOMAN WITH THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SIX CHILDREN + +THE ONI ON HIS TRAVELS + +THE LEGEND OF THE WOODEN SHOE + +THE CURLY-TAILED LION + +BRABO AND THE GIANT + +THE FARM THAT RAN AWAY AND CAME BACK + +SANTA KLAAS AND BLACK PETE + +THE GOBLINS TURNED TO STONE + +THE MOULDY PENNY + +THE GOLDEN HELMET + +WHEN WHEAT WORKED WOE + +WHY THE STORK LOVES HOLLAND + + + + + +THE ENTANGLED MERMAID + + +Long ago, in Dutch Fairy Land, there lived a young mermaid who was very +proud of her good looks. She was one of a family of mere or lake folks +dwelling not far from the sea. Her home was a great pool of water that +was half salt and half fresh, for it lay around an island near the mouth +of a river. Part of the day, when the sea tides were out, she splashed +and played, dived and swam in the soft water of the inland current. When +the ocean heaved and the salt water rushed in, the mermaid floated and +frolicked and paddled to her heart's content. Her father was a +gray-bearded merryman and very proud of his handsome daughter. He owned +an island near the river mouth, where the young mermaids held their +picnics and parties and received the visits of young merrymen. + +Her mother and two aunts were merwomen. All of these were sober folks +and attended to the business which occupies all well brought up mermaids +and merrymen. This was to keep their pool clean and nice. No frogs, +toads or eels were allowed near, but in the work of daily housecleaning, +the storks and the mermaids were great friends. + +All water-creatures that were not thought to be polite and well behaved +were expected to keep away. Even some silly birds, such as loons and +plovers and all screaming and fighting creatures with wings, were warned +off the premises, because they were not wanted. This family of merry +folks liked to have a nice, quiet time by themselves, without any rude +folks on legs, or with wings or fins from the outside. Indeed they +wished to make their pool a model, for all respectable mermaids and +merrymen, for ten leagues around. It was very funny to see the old daddy +merman, with a switch made of reeds, shooing off the saucy birds, such +as the sandpipers and screeching gulls. For the bullfrogs, too big for +the storks to swallow, and for impudent fishes, he had a whip made of +seaweed. + +Of course, all the mermaids in good society were welcome, but young +mermen were allowed to call only once a month, during the week when the +moon was full. Then the evenings were usually clear, so that when the +party broke up, the mermen could see their way in the moonlight to swim +home safely with their mermaid friends. For, there were sea monsters +that loved to plague the merefolk, and even threatened to eat them up! +The mermaids, dear creatures, had to be escorted home, but they felt +safe, for their mermen brothers and daddies were so fierce that, except +sharks, even the larger fish, such as porpoises and dolphins were afraid +to come near them. + +One day daddy and the mother left to visit some relatives near the +island of Urk. They were to be gone several days. Meanwhile, their +daughter was to have a party, her aunts being the chaperones. + +The mermaids usually held their picnics on an island in the midst of the +pool. Here they would sit and sun themselves. They talked about the +fashions and the prettiest way to dress their hair. Each one had a +pocket mirror, but where they kept these, while swimming, no mortal ever +found out. They made wreaths of bright colored seaweed, orange and +black, blue, gray and red and wore them on their brows like coronets. +Or, they twined them, along with sea berries and bubble blossoms, among +their tresses. Sometimes they made girdles of the strongest and knotted +them around their waists. + +Every once in a while they chose a queen of beauty for their ruler. Then +each of the others pretended to be a princess. Their games and sports +often lasted all day and they were very happy. + +Swimming out in the salt water, the mermaids would go in quest of +pearls, coral, ambergris and other pretty things. These they would bring +to their queen, or with them richly adorn themselves. Thus the Mermaid +Queen and her maidens made a court of beauty that was famed wherever +mermaids and merrymen lived. They often talked about human maids. + +"How funny it must be to wear clothes," said one. + +"Are they cold that they have to keep warm?" It was a little chit of a +mermaid, whose flippers had hardly begun to grow into hands, that asked +this question. + +"How can they swim with petticoats on?" asked another. + +"My brother heard that real men wear wooden shoes! These must bother +them, when on the water, to have their feet floating," said a third, +whose name was Silver Scales. "What a pity they don't have flukes like +us," and then she looked at her own glistening scaly coat in admiration. + +"I can hardly believe it," said a mermaid, that was very proud of her +fine figure and slender waist. "Their girls can't be half as pretty as +we are." + +"Well, I should like to be a real woman for a while, just to try it, and +see how it feels to walk on legs," said another, rather demurely, as if +afraid the other mermaids might not like her remark. + +They didn't. Out sounded a lusty chorus, "No! No! Horrible! What an +idea! Who wouldn't be a mermaid?" + +"Why, I've heard," cried one, "that real women have to work, wash their +husband's clothes, milk cows, dig potatoes, scrub floors and take care +of calves. Who would be a woman? Not I"--and her snub nose--since it +could not turn up--grew wide at the roots. She was sneering at the idea +that a creature in petticoats could ever look lovelier than one in +shining scales. + +"Besides," said she, "think of their big noses, and I'm told, too, that +girls have even to wear hairpins." + +At this--the very thought that any one should have to bind up their +tresses--there was a shock of disgust with some, while others clapped +their hands, partly in envy and partly in glee. + +But the funniest things the mermaids heard of were gloves, and they +laughed heartily over such things as covers for the fingers. Just for +fun, one of the little mermaids used to draw some bag-like seaweed over +her hands, to see how such things looked. + +One day, while sunning themselves in the grass on the island, one of +their number found a bush on which foxgloves grew. Plucking these, she +covered each one of her fingers with a red flower. Then, flopping over +to the other girls, she held up her gloved hands. Half in fright and +half in envy, they heard her story. + +After listening, the party was about to break up, when suddenly a young +merman splashed into view. The tide was running out and the stream low, +so he had had hard work to get through the fresh water of the river and +to the island. His eyes dropped salt water, as if he were crying. He +looked tired, while puffing and blowing, and he could hardly get his +breath. The queen of the mermaids asked him what he meant by coming +among her maids at such an hour and in such condition. + +At this the bashful merman began to blubber. Some of the mergirls put +their hands over their mouths to hide their laughing, while they winked +at each other and their eyes showed how they enjoyed the fun. To have a +merman among them, at that hour, in broad daylight, and crying, was too +much for dignity. + +"Boo-hoo, boo-hoo," and the merman still wept salt water tears, as he +tried to catch his breath. At last, he talked sensibly. He warned the +Queen that a party of horrid men, in wooden shoes, with pickaxes, spades +and pumps, were coming to drain the swamp and pump out the pool. He had +heard that they would make the river a canal and build a dyke that +should keep out the ocean. + +"Alas! alas!" cried one mermaid, wringing her hands. "Where shall we go +when our pool is destroyed? We can't live in the ocean all the time." +Then she wept copiously. The salt water tears fell from her great round +eyes in big drops. + +"Hush!" cried the Queen. "I don't believe the merman's story. He only +tells it to frighten us. It's just like him." + +In fact, the Queen suspected that the merman's story was all a sham and +that he had come among her maids with a set purpose to run off with +Silver Scales. She was one of the prettiest mermaids in the company, but +very young, vain and frivolous. It was no secret that she and the merman +were in love and wanted to get married. + +So the Queen, without even thanking him, dismissed the swimming +messenger. After dinner, the company broke up and the Queen retired to +her cave to take a long nap! She was quite tired after entertaining so +much company. Besides, since daddy and mother were away, and there were +no beaus to entertain, since it was a dark night and no moon shining on +the water, why need she get up early in the morning? + +So the Mermaid Queen slept much longer than ever before. Indeed, it was +not till near sunset the next day that she awoke. Then, taking her comb +and mirror in hand, she started to swim and splash in the pool, in order +to smooth out her tresses and get ready for supper. + +But oh, what a change from the day before! What was the matter? All +around her things looked different. The water had fallen low and the +pool was nearly empty. The river, instead of flowing, was as quiet as a +pond. Horrors! when she swam forward, what should she see but a dyke and +fences! An army of horrid men had come, when she was asleep, and built a +dam. They had fenced round the swamp and were actually beginning to dig +sluices to drain the land. Some were at work, building a windmill to +help in pumping out the water. + +The first thing she knew she had bumped her pretty nose against the dam. +She thought at once of escaping over the logs and into the sea. When she +tried to clamber over the top and get through the fence, her hair got so +entangled between the bars that she had to throw away her comb and +mirror and try to untangle her tresses. The more she tried, the worse +became the tangle. Soon her long hair was all twisted up in the timber. +In vain were her struggles to escape. She was ready to die with fright, +when she saw four horrid men rush up to seize her. She attempted to +waddle away, but her long hair held her to the post and rails. Her +modesty was so dreadfully shocked that she fainted away. + +When she came to herself, she found she was in a big long tub. A crowd +of curious little girls and boys were looking at her, for she was on +show as a great curiosity. They were bound to see her and get their +money's worth in looking, for they had paid a stiver (two cents) +admission to the show. Again, before all these eyes, her modesty was so +shocked that she gave one groan, flopped over and died in the tub. + +Woe to the poor father and mother at Urk! They came back to find their +old home gone. Unable to get into it, they swam out to sea, never +stopping till they reached Spitzbergen. + +What became of the body of the Mermaid Queen? + +Learned men came from Leyden to examine what was now only a specimen, +and to see how mermaids were made up. Then her skin was stuffed, and +glass eyes put in, where her shining orbs had been. After this, her body +was stuffed and mounted in the museum, that is, set up above a glass +case and resting upon iron rods. Artists came to Leyden to make pictures +of her and no fewer than nine noblemen copied her pretty form and +features into their coats of arms. Instead of the Mermaid's Pool is now +a cheese farm of fifty cows, a fine house and barn, and a family of +pink-cheeked, yellow-haired children who walk and play in wooden shoes. + +So this particular mermaid, all because of her entanglement in the +fence, was more famous when stuffed than when living, while all her +young friends and older relatives were forgotten. + + + + +THE BOY WHO WANTED MORE CHEESE + + +Klaas Van Bommel was a Dutch boy, twelve years old, who lived where cows +were plentiful. He was over five feet high, weighed a hundred pounds, +and had rosy cheeks. His appetite was always good and his mother +declared his stomach had no bottom. His hair was of a color half-way +between a carrot and a sweet potato. It was as thick as reeds in a swamp +and was cut level, from under one ear to another. + +Klaas stood in a pair of timber shoes, that made an awful rattle when he +ran fast to catch a rabbit, or scuffed slowly along to school over the +brick road of his village. In summer Klaas was dressed in a rough, blue +linen blouse. In winter he wore woollen breeches as wide as coffee bags. +They were called bell trousers, and in shape were like a couple of +cow-bells turned upwards. These were buttoned on to a thick warm jacket. +Until he was five years old, Klaas was dressed like his sisters. Then, +on his birthday, he had boy's clothes, with two pockets in them, of +which he was proud enough. + +Klaas was a farmer's boy. He had rye bread and fresh milk for breakfast. +At dinner time, beside cheese and bread, he was given a plate heaped +with boiled potatoes. Into these he first plunged a fork and then dipped +each round, white ball into a bowl of hot melted butter. Very quickly +then did potato and butter disappear "down the red lane." At supper, he +had bread and skim milk, left after the cream had been taken off, with a +saucer, to make butter. Twice a week the children enjoyed a bowl of +bonnyclabber or curds, with a little brown sugar sprinkled on the top. +But at every meal there was cheese, usually in thin slices, which the +boy thought not thick enough. When Klaas went to bed he usually fell +asleep as soon as his shock of yellow hair touched the pillow. In summer +time he slept till the birds began to sing, at dawn. In winter, when the +bed felt warm and Jack Frost was lively, he often heard the cows +talking, in their way, before he jumped out of his bag of straw, which +served for a mattress. The Van Bommels were not rich, but everything was +shining clean. + +There was always plenty to eat at the Van Bommels' house. Stacks of rye +bread, a yard long and thicker than a man's arm, stood on end in the +corner of the cool, stone-lined basement. The loaves of dough were put +in the oven once a week. Baking time was a great event at the Van +Bommels' and no men-folks were allowed in the kitchen on that day, +unless they were called in to help. As for the milk-pails and pans, +filled or emptied, scrubbed or set in the sun every day to dry, and the +cheeses, piled up in the pantry, they seemed sometimes enough to feed a +small army. + +But Klaas always wanted more cheese. In other ways, he was a good boy, +obedient at home, always ready to work on the cow-farm, and diligent in +school. But at the table he never had enough. Sometimes his father +laughed and asked him if he had a well, or a cave, under his jacket. + +Klaas had three younger sisters, Trintjé, Anneké and Saartjé; which is +Dutch for Kate, Annie and Sallie. These, their fond mother, who loved +them dearly, called her "orange blossoms"; but when at dinner, Klaas +would keep on, dipping his potatoes into the hot butter, while others +were all through, his mother would laugh and call him her Buttercup. But +always Klaas wanted more cheese. When unusually greedy, she twitted him +as a boy "worse than Butter-and-Eggs"; that is, as troublesome as the +yellow and white plant, called toad-flax, is to the farmer--very +pretty, but nothing but a weed. + +One summer's evening, after a good scolding, which he deserved well, +Klaas moped and, almost crying, went to bed in bad humor. He had teased +each one of his sisters to give him her bit of cheese, and this, added +to his own slice, made his stomach feel as heavy as lead. + +Klaas's bed was up in the garret. When the house was first built, one of +the red tiles of the roof had been taken out and another one, made of +glass, was put in its place. In the morning, this gave the boy light to +put on his clothes. At night, in fair weather, it supplied air to his +room. + +A gentle breeze was blowing from the pine woods on the sandy slope, not +far away. So Klaas climbed up on the stool to sniff the sweet piny +odors. He thought he saw lights dancing under the tree. One beam seemed +to approach his roof hole, and coming nearer played round the chimney. +Then it passed to and fro in front of him. It seemed to whisper in his +ear, as it moved by. It looked very much as if a hundred fire-flies had +united their cold light into one lamp. Then Klaas thought that the +strange beams bore the shape of a lovely girl, but he only laughed at +himself at the idea. Pretty soon, however, he thought the whisper became +a voice. Again, he laughed so heartily, that he forgot his moping and +the scolding his mother had given him. In fact, his eyes twinkled with +delight, when the voice gave this invitation: + +"There's plenty of cheese. Come with us." + +To make sure of it, the sleepy boy now rubbed his eyes and cocked his +ears. Again, the light-bearer spoke to him: "Come." + +Could it be? He had heard old people tell of the ladies of the wood, +that whispered and warned travellers. In fact, he himself had often seen +the "fairies' ring" in the pine woods. To this, the flame-lady was +inviting him. + +Again and again the moving, cold light circled round the red tile roof, +which the moon, then rising and peeping over the chimneys, seemed to +turn into silver plates. As the disc rose higher in the sky, he could +hardly see the moving light, that had looked like a lady; but the voice, +no longer a whisper, as at first, was now even plainer: + +"There's plenty of cheese. Come with us." + +"I'll see what it is, anyhow," said Klaas, as he drew on his thick +woolen stockings and prepared to go down-stairs and out, without waking +a soul. At the door he stepped into his wooden shoes. Just then the cat +purred and rubbed up against his shins. He jumped, for he was scared; +but looking down, for a moment, he saw the two balls of yellow fire in +her head and knew what they were. Then he sped to the pine woods and +towards the fairy ring. + +What an odd sight! At first Klaas thought it was a circle of big +fire-flies. Then he saw clearly that there were dozens of pretty +creatures, hardly as large as dolls, but as lively as crickets. They +were as full of light, as if lamps had wings. Hand in hand, they flitted +and danced around the ring of grass, as if this was fun. + +Hardly had Klaas got over his first surprise, than of a sudden he felt +himself surrounded by the fairies. Some of the strongest among them had +left the main party in the circle and come to him. He felt himself +pulled by their dainty fingers. One of them, the loveliest of all, +whispered in his ear: + +"Come, you must dance with us." + +Then a dozen of the pretty creatures murmured in chorus: + +"Plenty of cheese here. Plenty of cheese here. Come, come!" + +Upon this, the heels of Klaas seemed as light as a feather. In a moment, +with both hands clasped in those of the fairies, he was dancing in high +glee. It was as much fun as if he were at the kermiss, with a row of +boys and girls, hand in hand, swinging along the streets, as Dutch maids +and youth do, during kermiss week. + +Klaas had not time to look hard at the fairies, for he was too full of +the fun. He danced and danced, all night and until the sky in the east +began to turn, first gray and then rosy. Then he tumbled down, tired +out, and fell asleep. His head lay on the inner curve of the fairy ring, +with his feet in the centre. + +Klaas felt very happy, for he had no sense of being tired, and he did +not know he was asleep. He thought his fairy partners, who had danced +with him, were now waiting on him to bring him cheeses. With a golden +knife, they sliced them off and fed him out of their own hands. How good +it tasted! He thought now he could, and would, eat all the cheese he had +longed for all his life. There was no mother to scold him, or daddy to +shake his finger at him. How delightful! + +But by and by, he wanted to stop eating and rest a while. His jaws were +tired. His stomach seemed to be loaded with cannon-balls. He gasped for +breath. + +But the fairies would not let him stop, for Dutch fairies never get +tired. Flying out of the sky--from the north, south, east and west--they +came, bringing cheeses. These they dropped down around him, until the +piles of the round masses threatened first to enclose him as with a +wall, and then to overtop him. There were the red balls from Edam, the +pink and yellow spheres from Gouda, and the gray loaf-shaped ones from +Leyden. Down through the vista of sand, in the pine woods, he looked, +and oh, horrors! There were the tallest and strongest of the fairies +rolling along the huge, round, flat cheeses from Friesland! Any one of +these was as big as a cart wheel, and would feed a regiment. The fairies +trundled the heavy discs along, as if they were playing with hoops. They +shouted hilariously, as, with a pine stick, they beat them forward like +boys at play. Farm cheese, factory cheese, Alkmaar cheese, and, to crown +all, cheese from Limburg--which Klaas never could bear, because of its +strong odor. Soon the cakes and balls were heaped so high around him +that the boy, as he looked up, felt like a frog in a well. He groaned +when he thought the high cheese walls were tottering to fall on him. +Then he screamed, but the fairies thought he was making music. They, not +being human, do not know how a boy feels. + +At last, with a thick slice in one hand and a big hunk in the other, he +could eat no more cheese; though the fairies, led by their queen, +standing on one side, or hovering over his head, still urged him to take +more. + +At this moment, while afraid that he would burst, Klaas saw the pile of +cheeses, as big as a house, topple over. The heavy mass fell inwards +upon him. With a scream of terror, he thought himself crushed as flat as +a Friesland cheese. + +But he wasn't! Waking up and rubbing his eyes, he saw the red sun rising +on the sand-dunes. Birds were singing and the cocks were crowing all +around him, in chorus, as if saluting him. Just then also the village +clock chimed out the hour. He felt his clothes. They were wet with dew. +He sat up to look around. There were no fairies, but in his mouth was a +bunch of grass which he had been chewing lustily. + +Klaas never would tell the story of his night with the fairies, nor has +he yet settled the question whether they left him because the +cheese-house of his dream had fallen, or because daylight had come. + + + + +THE PRINCESS WITH TWENTY PETTICOATS + + +Long, long ago, before ever a blue flax-flower bloomed in Holland, and +when Dutch mothers wore wolf-skin clothes, there was a little princess, +very much beloved by her father, who was a great king, or war chief. She +was very pretty and fond of seeing herself. There were no metal mirrors +in those days, nor any looking glass. So she went into the woods and +before the pools and the deep, quiet watercourses, made reflection of +her own lovely face. Of this pleasure she never seemed weary. + +Yet sometimes this little princess was very naughty. Then her temper was +not nearly so sweet as her face. She would play in the sand and roll +around in the woods among the leaves and bushes until her curls were all +tangled up. When her nurse combed out her hair with a stone comb--for no +other kinds were then known--she would fret and scold and often stamp +her foot. When very angry, she called her nurse or governess an +"aurochs,"--a big beast like a buffalo. At this, the maid put up her +hands to her face. "Me--an aurochs! Horrible!" Then she would feel her +forehead to see if horns were growing there. + +The nurse--they called her "governess," as the years went on--grew tired +of the behavior of the bad young princess. Sometimes she went and told +her mother how naughty her daughter was, even to calling her an aurochs. +Then the little girl only showed her bad temper worse. She rolled among +the leaves all the more and mussed up her ringlets, so that the +governess could hardly comb them out smooth again. + +It seemed useless to punish the perverse little maid by boxing her ears, +pinching her arm, or giving her a good spanking. They even tried to +improve her temper by taking away her dinner, but it did no good. + +Then the governess and mother went together to her father. When they +complained of his daughter to the king, he was much worried. He could +fight strong men with his club and spear, and even giants with his sword +and battle-axe; but how to correct his little daughter, whom he loved as +his own eyes, was too much for him. He had no son and the princess was +his only child, and the hopes of the family all rested on her. The king +wondered how she would govern his people, after he should die, and she +became the queen. Yet he was glad for one thing: that, with all her +naughtiness, she was, like her father, always kind to animals. Her pet +was a little aurochs calf. Some hunters had killed the mother of the +poor little thing in winter time. So the princess kept the creature warm +and it fed out of her hand daily. + +It was in gloom and with a sad face that the king walked in the woods, +thinking how to make a sweet-tempered lady out of his petulant daughter, +who was fast growing up to be a tall, fine-looking woman. + +Now when the king had been himself a little boy, he was very kind to all +living creatures, wild and tame, dumb and with voice--yes, even to the +trees in the forest. When a prince, the boy would never let the axe men +cut down an oak until they first begged pardon of the fairy that lived +in the tree. + +There was one big oak, especially, which was near the mansion of his +father, the king. It was said that the doctors found little babies in +its leafy branches, and brought them to their mothers. The prince-boy +took great care of this tree. He was taught by a wise man to cut off the +dead limbs, keep off the worms, and warn away all people seeking to +break off branches--even for Yule-tide, which came at our Christmas +time. + +Once when some hunters had chased a young she-aurochs, with her two +calves, into the king's park, the prince, though he was then only a boy, +ran out and drove the rough fellows away. Then he sheltered and fed the +aurochs family of three, until they were fresh and fat. After this he +sent a skilled hunter to imitate the sound of an aurochs mother, to call +the aurochs father to the edge of the woods. He then let them all go +free, and was happy to see the dumb brutes frisking together. + +Now that the boy-prince was grown to be a man and had long been king, +and had forgotten all about the incident of his earlier years, he was +one day walking in the forest. + +Suddenly a gentle breeze arose and the leaves of the old oak tree began +first to rustle and then to whisper. Soon the words were clear, and the +spirit in the oak said: + +"I have seen a thousand years pass by, since I was an acorn planted +here. In a few moments I shall die and fall down. Cut my body into +staves. Of these make a wooden petticoat, like a barrel, for your +daughter. When her temper is bad, let her put it on and wear it until +she promises to be good." + +The king was sad at the thought of losing the grand old tree, under +which he had played as a boy and his fathers before him. His countenance +fell. + +"Cheer up, my friend," said the oak, "for something better shall follow. +When I pass away, you will find on this spot a blue flower growing. +Where the forest was shall be fields, on which the sun shines. Then, if +your daughter be good, young women shall spin something prettier than +wooden petticoats. Watch for the blue flower. Moreover," added the voice +of the tree, "that I may not be forgotten, do you take, henceforth, as +your family name Ten Eyck" (which, in Dutch, means "at the oak "). + +At this moment, a huge aurochs rushed into the wood. Its long hair and +shaggy mane were gray with age. The king, thinking the beast would lower +his horns and charge at him, drew his sword to fight the mighty brute +that seemed to weigh well-nigh a ton. + +But the aurochs stopped within ten feet of the king and bellowed; but, +in a minute or two, the bellowing changed to a voice and the king heard +these good words: + +"I die with the oak, for we are brothers, kept under an enchantment for +a thousand years, which is to end in a few moments. Neither a tree nor +an aurochs can forget your kindness to us, when you were a prince. As +soon as our spirits are released, and we both go back to our home in the +moon, saw off my right horn and make of it a comb for use on your +daughter's curls. It will be smoother than stone." + +In a moment a tempest arose, which drove the king for shelter behind +some rocks hard by. After a few minutes, the wind ceased and the sky was +clear. The king looked and there lay the oak, fallen at full length, and +the aurochs lay lifeless beside it. + +Just then, the king's woodmen, who were out--thinking their master +might be hurt--drew near. He ordered them to take out the right horn of +the aurochs and to split up part of the oak for slaves. The next day, +they made a wooden petticoat and a horn comb. They were such novelties +that nearly every woman in the kingdom came to see them. + +After this, the king called himself the Lord of the Land of Ten Eyck, +and ever after this was his family name, which all his descendants bore. +Whenever the princess showed bad temper, she was forced to wear the +wooden petticoat. To have the boys and girls point at her and make fun +of her was severe punishment. + +But a curious thing took place. It was found that every time the maid +combed the hair of the princess she became gentler and more sweet +tempered. She often thanked her governess and said she liked to have her +curls smoothed with the new comb. She even begged her father to let her +own one and have the comb all to herself. It was not long before she +surprised her governess and her parents by combing and curling her own +hair. In truth, such a wonderful change came over the princess that she +did not often have to wear the wooden petticoat, and after a year or +two, not at all. So the gossips nearly forgot all about it. + +One summer's day, as the princess was walking in the open, sunny space, +where the old oak had stood, she saw a blue flower. It seemed as +beautiful as it was strange. She plucked it and put it in her hair. When +she reached home, her old aunt, who had been in southern lands, declared +it to be the flower of the flax. + +During that spring, millions of tiny green blades sprang up where the +forest had been, and when summer came, the plants were half a yard high. +The women learned how to put the stalks in water and rot the coarse, +outer fibre of the flax. Then they took the silk-like strands from the +inside and spun them on their spinning-wheels. Then they wove them into +pretty cloth. + +This, when laid out on the grass, under the sunshine, was bleached +white. The flax thread was made first into linen, and then into lace. + +"Let us name the place Groen-e'-veld" (Green Field), the happy people +cried, when they saw how green the earth was where had been the dark +forest. So the place was ever after called the Green Field. + +Now when the princess saw what pretty clothes the snow white linen made, +she invented a new style of dress. The upper garment, or "rok," that is, +the one above the waist, she called the "boven rok" and the lower one, +beneath the waist, her "beneden rok." In Dutch "boven" means above and +"beneden" means beneath. By and by, when, at the looms, more of the +beautiful white linen was woven, she had a new petticoat made and put it +on. She was so delighted with this one that she wanted more. One after +the other, she belted them around her waist, until she had on twenty +petticoats at a time. Proud she was of her skirts, even though they made +her look like a barrel. When her mother, and maids, and all the women of +Groen-é-veld, young and old, saw the princess set the fashion, they all +followed. It was not always easy for poor girls, who were to be married, +to buy as many as twenty petticoats. But, as it was the fashion, every +bride had to obey the rule. It grew to be the custom to have at least +twenty; for only this number was thought proper. + +So, a new rule, even among the men, grew up. A betrothed young man, or +his female relatives assisting him, was accustomed to make a present of +one or more petticoats to his sweetheart to increase her wardrobe. + +Thus the fashion prevailed and still holds among the women of the coast. +Fat or thin, tall or short, they pile on the petticoats and swing their +skirts proudly as they walk or go to market, sell their fish, cry "fresh +herring" in the streets, or do their knitting at home, or in front of +their houses. In some parts of the country, nothing makes a girl so +happy as to present her with a new petticoat. It is the fashion to have +a figure like a barrel and wear one's clothes so as to look like a small +hogshead. + +By and by, the men built a dam to get plenty of water in winter for the +rotting of the flax stalks. The linen industry made the people rich. In +time, a city sprang up, which they called Rotterdam, or the dam where +they rotted the flax. + +And, because where had been a forest of oaks, with the pool and rivulet, +there was now a silvery stream flowing gently between verdant meadows, +they made the arms and seal of the city green and white, two of the +former and one of the latter; that is, verdure and silver. To this day, +on the arms and flags of the great city, and on the high smoke-stacks of +the mighty steamers that cross the ocean, from land to land, one sees +the wide, white band between the two broad stripes of green. + +[Illustration: ON AND ON THE RAGING FLOOD BORE THEM UNTIL DARK NIGHT CAME +DOWN] + + + + +THE CAT AND THE CRADLE + + +In the early ages, when our far-off ancestors lived in the woods, ate +acorns, slept in caves, and dressed in the skins of wild animals, they +had no horses, cows or cats. Their only pets and helpers were dogs. The +men and the dogs were more like each other than they are now. + +However, they knew about bees. So the women gathered honey and from it +they made mead. Not having any sugar, the children enjoyed tasting honey +more than anything else, and it was the only sweet thing they had. + +By and by, cows were brought into the country and the Dutch soil being +good for grass, the cows had plenty to eat. When these animals +multiplied, the people drank milk and learned to make cheese and butter. +So the Dutch boys and girls grew fat and healthy. + +The oxen were so strong that they could pull logs of wood or draw a +plough. So, little by little, the forests were cut down and grassy +meadows, full of bright colored flowers, took their place. Houses were +built and the people were rich and happy. + +Yet there were still many cruel men and bad people in the land. +Sometimes, too, floods came and drowned the cattle and covered the +fields with sand, or salt water. In such times, food was very scarce. +Thus it happened that not all the babies born could live, or every +little child be fed. The baby girls especially were often left to die, +because war was common and only boys, that grew into strong warriors, +were wanted. + +It grew to be a custom that families would hold a council and decide +whether the baby should be raised or not. But if any one should give the +infant even a tiny drop of milk, or food of any kind, it was allowed to +live and grow up. If no one gave it milk or honey, it died. No matter +how much a mother might love her baby, she was not allowed to put milk +to its lips, if the grandmother or elders forbade it. The young bride, +coming into her husband's home, always had to obey his mother, for she +was now as a daughter and one of the family. All lived together in one +house, and the grandmother ruled all the women and girls that were under +one roof. + +This was the way of the world, when our ancestors were pagans, and not +always as kind to little babies as our own mothers and fathers are now. +Many times was the old grandmother angry, when her son had taken a wife +and a girl was born. If the old woman expected a grandson, who should +grow up and be a fighter, with sword and spear, and it turned out to be +a girl, she was mad as fire. Often the pretty bride, brought into the +house, had a hard time of it, with her husband's mother, if she did not +in time have a baby boy. In those days a "Herman," a "War Man" and +"German" were one and the same word. + +Now when the good missionaries came into Friesland, one of the first of +the families to receive the gospel was one named Altfrid. With his +bride, who also became a Christian, Altfrid helped the missionary to +build a church. By and by, a sweet little baby was born in the family +and the parents were very happy. They loved the little thing sent from +God, as fathers and mothers love their children now. + +But when some one went and told the pagan grandmother that the new baby +was a girl instead of a boy, the old woman flew into a rage and would +have gone at once to get hold of the baby and put it to death. Her +lameness, however, made her move slowly, and she could not find her +crutch; for the midwife, who knew the bad temper of the grandmother, had +purposely hid it. The old woman was angry, because she did not want any +more females in the big house, where she thought there were already too +many mouths to fill. Food was hard to get, and there were not enough war +men to defend the tribe. She meant to get the new baby and throw it to +the wolves. The old grandmother was a pagan and still worshipped the +cruel gods that loved fighting. She hated the new religion, because it +taught gentleness and peace. + +But the midwife, who was a neighbor, feared that the old woman was +malicious and she had hid her crutch. This she did, so that if the baby +was a girl, she could save its life. The midwife was a good woman, who +had been taught that the Great Creator loves little girls as well as +boys. + +So when the midwife heard the grandmother storm and rave, while hunting +for her crutch, she ran first to the honey jar, dipped her forefinger in +it and put some drops of honey on the baby's tongue. Then she passed it +out the window to some women friends, who were waiting outside. She knew +the law, that if a child tasted food, it must be allowed to live. + +The kind women took the baby to their home and fed it carefully. A hole +was drilled in the small end of a cow's horn and the warm milk, fresh +from the cow, was allowed to fall, drop by drop, into the baby's mouth. +In a few days the little one was able to suck its breakfast slowly out +of the horn, while one of the girls held it. So the baby grew bigger +every day. All the time it was carefully hidden. + +The foolish old grandmother was foiled, for she could never find out +where the baby girl was, which all the time was growing strong and +plump. Her father secretly made her a cradle and he and the babe's +mother came often to see their child. Every one called her Honig-je', or +Little Honey. + +Now about this time, cats were brought into the country and the children +made such pets of them that some of the cows seemed to be jealous of the +attentions paid to Pussy and the kittens. These were the days when cows +and people all lived under one long roof. The children learned to tell +the time of day, whether it was morning, noon or night by looking into +the cats' eyes. These seemed to open and shut, very much as if they had +doors. + +The fat pussy, which was brought into the house where Honig-je' was, +seemed to be very fond of the little girl, and the two, the cat and the +child, played much together. It was often said that the cat loved the +baby even more than her own kittens. Every one called the affectionate +animal by the nickname of Dub-belt-je', which means Little Double; +because this puss was twice as loving as most cat mothers are. When her +own furry little babies were very young, she carried them from one place +to another in her mouth. But this way, of holding kittens, she never +tried on the baby. She seemed to know better. Indeed, Dub-belt-je' often +wondered why human babies were born so naked and helpless; for at an age +when her kittens could feed themselves and run about and play with their +tails and with each other, Honig-je' was not yet able to crawl. + +But other dangers were in store for the little girl. One day, when the +men were out hunting, and the women went to the woods to gather nuts and +acorns, a great flood came. The waters washed away the houses, so that +everything floated into the great river, and then down towards the sea. + +What had, what would, become of our baby? So thought the parents of +Honig-je', when they came back to find the houses swept away and no sign +of their little daughter. Dub-belt-je' and her kittens, and all the +cows, were gone too. + +Now it had happened that when the flood came and the house crashed down, +baby was sound asleep. The cat, leaving its kittens, that were now +pretty well grown up, leaped up and on to the top of the cradle and the +two floated off together. Pretty soon they found themselves left alone, +with nothing in sight that was familiar, except one funny thing. That +was a wooden shoe, in which was a fuzzy little yellow chicken hardly +four days old. It had been playing in the shoe, when the floods came +and swept it off from under the very beak of the old hen, that, with all +her other chicks, was speedily drowned. + +On and on, the raging flood bore baby and puss, until dark night came +down. For hours more they drifted until, happily, the cradle was swept +into an eddy in front of a village. There it spun round and round, and +might soon have been borne into the greater flood, which seemed to roar +louder as the waters rose. + +Now a cat can see sometimes in the night, better even than in the day, +for the darker it becomes, the wider open the eyes of puss. In bright +sunshine, at noon, the inside doors of the cat's eyes close to a narrow +slit, while at night these doors open wide. That is the reason why, in +the days before clocks and watches were made, the children could tell +about the time of day by looking at the cat's eyes. Sometimes they named +their pussy Klok'-oog, which means Clock Eye, or Bell Eye, for bell +clocks are older than clocks with a dial, and because in Holland the +bells ring out the hours and quarter hours. + +Puss looked up and saw the church tower looming up in the dark. At once +she began to meouw and caterwaul with all her might. She hoped that some +one in one of the houses near the river bank might catch the sound. But +none seemed to hear or heed. At last, when Puss was nearly dead with +howling, a light appeared at one of the windows. This showed that some +one was up and moving. It was a boy, who was named Dirck, after the +saint Theodoric, who had first, long ago, built a church in the village. +Then Puss opened her mouth and lungs again and set up a regular +cat-scream. This wakened all her other relatives in the village and +every Tom and Kitty made answer, until there was a cat concert of meouws +and caterwauls. + +The boy heard, rushed down-stairs, and, opening the door, listened. The +wind blew out his candle, but the brave lad was guided by the sound +which Pussy made. Reaching the bank, he threw off his wooden klomps, +plunged into the boiling waters, and, seizing the cradle, towed it +ashore. Then he woke up his mother and showed her his prize. The way +that baby laughed and crowed, and patted the horn of milk, and kicked up +its toes in delight over the warm milk, which was brought, was a joy to +see. Near the hearth, in the middle of the floor, Dub-belt-je', the +puss, was given some straw for a bed and, after purring joyfully, was +soon, like the baby, sound asleep. + +Thus the cat warned the boy, and the boy saved the baby, that was very +welcome in a family where there were no girls, but only a boy. When +Honig-je' grew up to be a young woman, she looked as lovely as a +princess and in the church was married to Dirck! It was the month of +April and all the world was waking to flowers, when the wedding +procession came out of the church and the air was sweet with the opening +of the buds. + +Before the next New Year's day arrived, there lay in the same cradle, +and put to sleep over the same rockers, a baby boy. When they brought +him to the font, the good grandmother named him Luid-i-ger. He grew up +to be the great missionary, whose name in Friesland is, even today, +after a thousand years, a household word. He it was who drove out bad +fairies, vile enchanters, wicked spirits and terrible diseases. Best of +all, he banished "eye-bite," which was the name the people gave to +witchcraft. Luid-i-ger, also, made it hard for the naughty elves and +sprites that delude men. + +After this, it was easy for all the good spirits, that live in kind +hearts and noble lives, to multiply and prosper. The wolves were driven +away or killed off and became very few, while the cattle and sheep +multiplied, until everybody could have a woollen coat, and there was a +cow to every person in the land. + +But the people still suffered from the floods, that from time to time +drowned the cattle and human beings, and the ebb tides, that carried +everything out to sea. Then the good missionary taught the men how to +build dykes, that kept out the ocean and made the water of the rivers +stay between the banks. The floods became fewer and fewer and at last +rarely happened. Then Santa Klaas arrived, to keep alive in the hearts +of the people the spirit of love and kindness and good cheer forever. + +At last, when nearly a hundred years had passed away, Honig-je', once +the girl baby, and then the dear old lady, who was kind to everybody and +prepared the way for Santa Klaas, died. Then, also, Dub-belt-je' the +cat, that had nine lives in one, died with her. They buried the old lady +under the church floor and stuffed the pussy that everybody, kittens, +boys, girls and people loved. By and by, when the cat's tail and fur +fell to pieces, and ears tumbled off, and its glass eyes dropped out, a +skilful artist chiselled a statue of Dub-belt-je', which still stands +over the tomb in the church. Every year, on Santa Klaas day, December +sixth, the children put a new collar around its neck and talk about the +cat that saved a baby's life. + + + + +PRINCE SPIN HEAD AND MISS SNOW WHITE + + +Long, long ago, before the Romans came into the land and when the +fairies ruled in the forest, there was a maiden who lived under an oak +tree. When she was a baby they called her Bundlekin. She had four +brothers, who loved their younger sister very dearly and did everything +they could to make her happy. Her fat father was a famous hunter. When +he roamed the woods, no bear, wolf, aurochs, roebuck, deer, or big +animal of any kind, could escape from his arrows, his spear, or his +pit-trap. He taught his sons to be skilful in the chase, but also to be +kind to the dumb creatures when captured. Especially when the mother +beast was killed, the boys were always told to care for the cubs, whelps +and kittens. As for the smaller animals, foxes, hares, weasels, rabbits +and ermine, these were so numerous, that the father left the business of +hunting them to the lads, who had great sport. + +The house under the oak tree was always well provided with meat and +furs. The four brothers brought the little animals, which they took in +the woods, to make presents to their sister. So there was always a +plenty of pets, bear and wolf cubs, wildcats' kittens and baby aurochs +for the girl to play with. Every day, while the animals were so young as +to be fed on milk, she enjoyed frolicking with the four-footed babies. +When they grew bigger, she romped and sported with them, as if she and +they were equal members of the same family. The older brother watched +carefully, so that the little brutes, as they increased in size, should +not bite or claw his sister, for he knew the fierce nature that was in +wild creatures. Yet the maiden had wonderful power over these beasts of +the forest, whether little or big. She was not very much afraid of them +and often made them run, by looking at them hard in the eye. + +While the girl made a pet of the animals, her parents made a pet of her. +The mother prepared the skins of the wolves and bears, until these were +very soft, keeping the fur on, to make rugs for the floor, and winter +coats for her children. The hides of the aurochs sufficed for rougher +use, but from what had once been the clothes of the fawn, the weasel, +the rabbit, and the ermine, garments were made that were smooth enough +to suit a baby's tender flesh. The forest folk wrapped their infants in +swaddling hands made of these dressed pelts. After feeding the darling, +a mother hung her baby up, warmly covered, to a tree branch. The cradle, +which was a furry bag, was made of the same material and swung in the +wind. + +Bundlekin usually fell asleep right after she had had her breakfast. +When she woke up crowing, the squirrels were playing all around her. She +even learned to watch the spiders, spinning their houses of silk, +without being afraid. When Bundlekin grew up, she always called this +curious creature, that could make silk, Spin Head. She jokingly called +it her lover, in remembrance of baby days. + +It was funny to see how deft the mother was with her needles, fashioned +from bone, and her rough thread, which was made of the intestines of the +deer. From her own childhood in the woods, Bundlekin's mother had been +used to this kind of dressmaking. Now, when her daughter had grown, from +babyhood and through her teens, to be a lovely maiden, fair of face and +strong of limb, her sweet, unselfish parent was equal to new tasks. To +the soft leather coats, made from the skins of fawns, martens, and +weasels, she added trimmings of snow white ermine. Caps and mittens, +cloaks for the body, and coverings for the feet, were fashioned to fit +neatly. Fringes, here and there, were put on them, until her girl looked +like a king's daughter. In summer, the skins of birds and their feathers +clothed her lightly, and with many and rich colors, while the forest +flowers decked her hair. + +In winter, in her white forest robes, the maiden, except for her rosy +face and sparkling eyes, seemed as if she might have been born of the +snow, or was a daughter of the northern ice god at Ulrum. And because +she was so lovely, her parents changed her baby name and called her +Dri'-fa, which means Snow White. + +Yet, though no other girl in Gelderland equalled, and none, not even the +princesses, excelled Snow White in beauty of face, form, or raiment, the +maiden was not happy, even though many lovers came to her and offered to +marry her. Some, as proof of their skill as hunters, brought the finest +furs the forest furnished. Others showed their strength or fleetness of +foot. Some bargained with the kabouters, or fairies of the mines, to +bring them shining ore or precious gems which they offered to Snow +White. Others, again, went afar to get strange wonders, amber and +ambergris, from the seashores of the far north to please her. One fine +fellow, who had been in the south and was proud of his travels, told her +of what he had seen in the great cities, and offered her a necklace of +pearls. + +But all was in vain. Every lover went away sorrowful, for Snow White +wearied of them and sent each one home, disappointed. + +Last of all, among the lovers came a strange looking one, named Spin +Head, resembling a spider, promising a secret worth more than furs, +gold, gems, or necklace; but the mother, seeing the ugly creature, drove +it off with hard words. + +So the months and years passed, until her father feared he would not +live to see his daughter a wife. + +But one day, when all in the household were absent, the leaves of the +oak tree rustled loudly. There was no wind, and Snow White, surprised, +strained her ears to find out what this might mean. Soon she could make +out these words: + +"When the spider, that you called Spin Head, comes to make love to you, +listen to him. He is the wisest being in all the forest. He knows the +future. He will tell you a secret. I shall pass away, but what he +teaches you shall live." + +Then the leaves of the oak ceased to rustle and all was quiet and still +again. + +While wondering what this message might mean, down came the real spider +she had named Spin Head. He lowered himself from a tree branch, high +above on a silken thread. The creature sat down on the log beside the +maiden; but she was not in the least startled and did not scream nor run +away. Indeed, she spoke to the spider as an old friend: + +"Well, playmate of my babyhood, what have you to tell me?" + +"I came to offer you my love. You need not marry me yet, but if you will +let me spin a web in your room, I shall live there, and, by and by, +reward you. Let me be in your sight always, and you will not be sorry +for it." + +The maiden had no sooner agreed than a terrible tempest uprooted the oak +and levelled the trees of the forest. In a moment more, a new and very +beautiful house rose up out of the ground. It was as noble to look at as +a palace. Near by was a garden, and one day when she walked in it, out +of it sprang a blue flower, almost under her feet. + +"Choose the best room for your own self," said Spin Head, "and then show +me my corner. After a hundred days, if you treat me kindly, I shall +reveal the secret of that blue flower." + +Dri'-fa, the maiden, chose the sunniest room, and gave Spin Head the +best corner, near the window and close to the ceiling. At once he began +to weave a shining web for his own house. She wondered at such fine +work, which no human weaver could excel, and why she was not able to +spin silk out of her head, nor even with her fingers, like her strange +lover. But the oak had promised that Spin Head would reveal a secret, +and she was curious to know what it was. Like all girls, she was in a +hurry to have the secret. To ease her impatience, Dri'-fa looked on, +while Spin Head was thus busy at making his dwelling place, with shining +threads which he spun out, never ceasing. She was so intent upon +watching him that night came down before she noticed that her room was +not furnished. There was not even a bed to sleep on. + +Spin Head looked at her closely and then spoke with a deep voice, like a +man's: + +"Ah, I know, you want a bed, and pretty things for your room." + +In another moment, soft furs lined the floor, and soon all that Dri'-fa +had possessed in the forest for comfort she had now, and more. Lost in +wonder as she was, in a few minutes she was fast asleep. + +She dreamed she wore a dress of some strange, new, white fabric, such as +her people had never seen before. Instead of being close in texture, +like the skin of an animal, it was as open work, full of thousands of +little holes, yet strongly held together. It was light and gauzy, like a +silvery spider's web on the summer grass before sunrise, when pearly +with dewdrops. + +The hundred days were passing swiftly by, and Spin Head and Snow White +had become fast friends. Each lived in a different world--a world within +a world. She was waiting for the secret he would tell her. She bravely +resolved not to be impatient, but let Spin Head speak first. + +One day, when autumn had come and she was lonely, she sauntered out into +the garden. The chill winds were blowing and the leaves falling, till +they covered the ground like a yellow carpet. One fell into her hand, as +if it bore words of friendly greeting. Yet, though she waited, not one +of the millions of them brought a message to her! Never a word had she +ever heard from her parents and brothers! The blue flower had long ago +fallen away and there was nothing in its place but a hard, rough, black +stalk. Then she said to herself: + +"Is there anything in this ugly stick? How will Spin Head reveal his +secret?" Never had she been so cast down. + +Again the tempest howled. All the winds of heaven seemed to have broken +loose. Many a sturdy oak lay prostrate. The leaves darkened the air, so +that Snow White could see nothing. Then there was a great calm. The maid +cleared her sight, and lo! there, beside her, stood a youth, more +beautiful than any of her brothers, or her lovers, or any man she had +ever seen. He was dressed in fine white clothing, excelling in its +texture any skin of fawn, or animal of the forest. Instead of being +leather, however soft, it seemed woven of a multitude of threads. In his +hand he held the black stalk of what had been the blue flower. + +"I am Spin Head," he said. "The hundred days are over. The spell is +broken and my deliverance from enchantment has come. I bring to you, as +my gift, this ugly stalk, on which the blue flower bloomed." + +Between surprise at the change of Spin Head from a spider to a handsome +youth, and disappointment at such a present offered her, Snow White was +dumb. She could hardly draw her breath. Was that all? + +"Break it open," said Spin Head. + +Splitting the stalk from end to end, the maiden was surprised to find +inside many long silky fibres, almost as fine as the strands in a +spider's web. She pulled them out and her eyes danced with joy. + +"Plant the seed and let the blue flowers blossom by the million," said +the youth. "Then gather the stalks and, from the fibres, weave them +together and make this. The black rod is a sceptre of wealth." + +Then, separating the delicate strands one by one, Spin Head wove them +together. The result was a rich robe, of a snow white fabric, never seen +in the forest. It was linen. + +Snow White clapped her hands with joy. + +"'Tis for your wedding dress, if you will marry me," said Spin Head. + +Snow White's cheeks blushed red, but she looked at him and her eyes said +"yes." + +"Wait," said Spin Head. "I'll make you a bridal veil." + +Once more his fingers wrought wonders. He produced yards of a gauzy, +open work stuff. He made it float in the air first. Then he threw it +over her head. It trailed down her back and covered her rosy face. It +was lace. + +Happily married, they left the forest and travelled into the land where +the blue flax flowers made a new sky on the earth. Soon on the map men +read the names of cities unknown before. At a time when Europe had no +such masses of happy people, joyous in their toil, Courtrai, Tournay, +Ypres, Ghent, and Bruges told what the blue flower of the flax had done +for the country. More than gold, gems, or the wealth of forest or mine, +was the gift of Spin Head to Snow White, for the making of Belgic Land. + + + + +THE BOAR WITH THE GOLDEN BRISTLES + + +Long, long ago, there were brave fighters and skilful hunters in +Holland, but neither men nor women ever dreamed that food was to be got +out of the ground, but only from the trees and bushes, such as berries, +acorns and honey. They thought the crust of the earth was too hard to be +broken up for seed, even if they knew what grain and bread were. They +supposed that what nature provided in the forest was the only food for +men. Besides this, they made their women do all the work and cook the +acorns and brew the honey into mead, while they went out to fish and +hunt and fight. + +So the fairies took pity on the cold, northern people, who lived where +it rained and snowed a great deal. They held a council and agreed that +it was time to send down to the earth an animal, with tusks, to tear up +the ground. Then the people would see the riches of the earth and learn +what soil was. They would be blessed with farms and gardens, barns and +stalls, hay and grain, horses and cattle, wheat and barley, pigs and +clover. + +Now there were powerful fairies, of a certain kind, who lived in a Happy +Land far, far away, who had charge of everything in the air and water. +One of them was named Fro, who became lord of the summer sunshine and +warm showers, that make all things grow. It was in this bright region +that the white elves lived. + +It was a pretty custom in fairy-land that when a fairy baby cut its +first tooth, the mother's friends should make the little one some pretty +present. + +When Nerthus, the mother of the infant Fro, looked into its mouth and +saw the little white thing that had come up through the baby's gums, she +went in great glee and told the glad news to all the other fairies. It +was a great event and she tried to guess what present her wonderful +boy-baby should receive. + +There was one giant-like fairy as strong as a polar bear, who agreed to +get, for little Fro, a creature that could put his nose under the sod +and root up the ground. In this way he would show men what the earth, +just under its surface, contained, without their going into mines and +caverns. + +One day this giant fairy heard two stout dwarfs talking loudly in the +region under the earth. They were boasting as to which could beat the +other at the fire and bellows, for both were blacksmiths. One was the +king of the dwarfs, who made a bet that he could excel the other. So he +set them to work as rivals, while a third dwarf worked the bellows. The +dwarf-king threw some gold in the flames to melt; but, fearing he might +not win the bet, he went away to get other fairies to help him. He told +the bellows dwarf to keep on pumping air on the fire, no matter what +might happen to him. + +So when one giant fairy, in the form of a gadfly, flew at him, and bit +him in the hand, the bellows-blower did not stop for the pain, but kept +on until the fire roared loudly, as to make the cavern echo. Then all +the gold melted and could be transformed. As soon as the dwarf-king came +back, the bellows-blower took up the tongs and drew out of the fire a +boar having golden bristles. + +This fire-born golden boar had the power of travelling through the air +as swiftly as a streak of lightning. It was named Gullin, or Golden, and +was given to the fairy Fro, and he, when grown, used the wonderful +creature as his steed. All the other good fairies and the elves +rejoiced, because men on the earth would now be helped to do great +things. + +Even more wonderful to tell, this fire-born creature became the father +of all the animals that have tusks and that roam in the woods. A tusk is +a big tooth, of which the hardest and sharpest part grows, long and +sharp, outside of the mouth and it stays there, even when the mouth is +shut. + +When Gullin was not occupied, or being ridden by Fro on his errands over +the world, he taught his sons, that is, the wild boars of the forest, +how to root up the ground and make it soft for things to grow in. Then +his master Fro sent the sunbeams and the warm showers to make the +turned-up earth fruitful. + +To do this, the wild boars were given two long tusks, as pointed as +needles and sharp as knives. With one sweep of his head a boar could rip +open a dog or a wolf, a bull or a bear, or furrow the earth like a +ploughshare. + +Now there were several cousins in the Tusk family. The elephant on land, +and the walrus and narwhal in the seas; but none of these could plough +ground, but because the boar's tusks grew out so long and were so sharp, +and hooked at the end, it could tear open the earth's hard crust and +root up the ground. This made a soil fit for tender plants to grow in, +and even the wild flowers sprang up in them. + +All this, when they first noticed it, was very wonderful to human +beings. The children called one to the other to come and see the unusual +sight. The little troughs, made first by the ripping of the boar's +tusks, were widened by rooting with their snouts. These were welcomed by +the birds, for they hopped into the lines thus made, to feed on the +worms. So the birds, supposing that these little gutters in the ground +were made especially for them, made great friends with the boars. They +would even perch near by, or fly to their backs, and ride on them. + +As for the men fathers, when they looked at the clods and the loose +earth thus turned over, they found them to be very soft. So the women +and girls were able to break them up with their sticks. Then the seeds, +dropped by the birds that came flying back every spring time, from +far-away lands, sprouted. It was noticed that new kinds of plants grew +up, which had stalks. In the heads or ears of these were a hundredfold +more seeds. When the children tasted them, they found, to their delight, +that the little grains were good to eat. They swallowed them whole, they +roasted them at the fire, or they pounded them with stones. Then they +baked the meal thus made or made it into mush, eating it with honey. + +For the first time people in the Dutch world had bread. When they added +the honey, brought by the bees, they had sweet cakes with mead. Then, +saving the seeds over, from one summer to another, they in the spring +time planted them in the little trenches made by the animal's tusks. +Then the Dutch words for "boar" and "row" were put together, meaning +boar row, and there issued, in time, our word "furrow." + +The women were the first to become skilful in baking. In the beginning +they used hot stones on which to lay the lump of meal, or flour and +water, or the batter. Then having learned about yeast, which "raised" +the flour, that is, lifted it up, with gas and bubbles, they made real +bread and cakes and baked them in the ovens which the men had made. When +they put a slice of meat between upper and lower layers of bread, they +called it "broodje," that is, little bread; or, sandwich. In time, +instead of one kind of bread, or cake, they had a dozen or twenty +different sorts, besides griddle cakes and waffles. + +Now when the wise men of the mark, or neighborhood, saw that the women +did such wonderful things, they put their heads together and said one to +the other: + +"We are quite ready to confess that fairies, and elves, and even the +kabouters are smarter than we are. Our women, also, are certainly +wonderful; but it will never do to let the boars think that they know +more than we do. They did indeed teach us how to make furrows, and the +birds brought us grain; but we are the greater, for we can hunt and kill +the boars with our spears. + +"Although they can tear up the sod and root in the ground with tusk and +snout, they cannot make cakes, as our women can. So let us see if we +cannot beat both the boars and birds, and even excel our women. We shall +be more like the fairies, if we invent something that will outshine them +all." + +So they thought and planned, and, little by little, they made the +plough. First, with a sharp stick in their hands, the men scratched the +surface of the ground into lines that were not very deep. Then they +nailed plates of iron on those sticks. Next, they fixed this iron-shod +wood in a frame to be pulled forward, and, by and by, they added +handles. Men and women, harnessed together, pulled the plough. Indeed it +was ages before they had oxen to do this heavy work for them. At last +the perfect plough was seen. It had a knife in front to cut the clods, a +coulter, a beam, a mould board and handles, and, after a while, a wheel +to keep it straight. Then they set horses to draw it. + +Fro the fairy was the owner, not only of the boar with the golden +bristles, but also of the lightning-like horse, Sleipnir, that could +ride through fire and water with the speed of light. Fro also owned the +magic ship, which could navigate both land and sea. It was so very +elastic that it could be stretched out to carry a host of warriors over +the seas to war, or fold up like a lady's handkerchief. With this flying +vessel, Fro was able to move about like a cloud and also to change like +them. He could also appear, or disappear, as he pleased, in one place or +another. + +By and by, the wild boars were all hunted to death and disappeared. Yet +in one way, and a glorious one also, their name and fame were kept in +men's memories. Brave knights had the boar's head painted on their +shields and coats of arms. When the faith of the Prince of Peace made +wars less frequent, the temples in honor of Fro were deserted, but the +yule log and the revels, held to celebrate the passing of the Mother +Night, in December, that is, the longest one of the year, were changed +for the Christmas festival. + +Then again, the memory of man's teacher of the plough was still kept +green; for the boar was remembered as the giver, not only of nourishing +meat, but of ideas for men's brains. Baked in the oven, and made +delightful to the appetite, served on the dish, with its own savory +odors; withal, decorated with sprigs of rosemary, the boar's head was +brought in for the great dinner, with the singing of Christmas carols. + + + + +THE ICE KING AND HIS WONDERFUL GRANDCHILD + + +In the far-off ages, all the lands of northern Europe were one, for the +deep seas had not yet separated them. Then our forefathers thought that +fairies were gods. They built temples in their honor, and prayed to +them. Then, in the place where is now the little town of Ulrum in +Friesland was the home of the spirit in the ice, Uller. That is what +Ulrum means, the home of the good fairy Uller. + +Uller was the patron of boys and girls. They liked him, because he +invented skates and sleds and sleighs. He had charge of things in winter +and enjoyed the cold. He delighted also in hunting. Dressed in thick +furs, he loved to roam over the hills and through the forests, seeking +out the wolf, the bear, the deer, and the aurochs. His bow and arrows +were terrible, for they were very big and he was a sure shot. Being the +patron of archery, hunters always sought his favor. The yew tree was +sacred to Uller, because the best bows were made from its wood. No one +could cut down a yew tree without angering Uller. + +Nobody knew who Uller's father was, and if he knew himself, he did not +care to tell any one. He would not bestow many blessings upon mankind; +yet thousands of people used to come to Ulrum every year to invoke his +aid and ask him to send a heavy fall of snow to cover the ground. That +meant good crops of food for the next year. The white snow, lying thick +upon the ground, kept back the frost giants from biting the earth too +hard. Because of deep winter snows, the ground was soft during the next +summer. So the seed sprouted more easily and there was plenty to eat. + +When Uller travelled over the winter snow, to go out on hunting trips, +he strapped snow-shoes on his feet. Because these were shaped like a +warrior's shield, Uller was often called the shield-god. His protection +was especially invoked by men who fought duels with sword or spear, +which were very common in early days; or by soldiers or hunters, who +wished to be very brave, or had engaged in perilous ventures. + +Now when Uller wanted a wife to marry him, he made love to Skadi, +because she was a huntress and liked the things which he liked. So they +never had a quarrel. She was very strong, fond of sports, and of chasing +the wild animals. She wore a short skirt, which allowed freedom of +motion to her limbs. Then she ranged over the hills and valleys with +wonderful swiftness. So rapid were her movements that many people +likened her to the cold mountain stream, that leaps down from the high +peaks and over the rocks, foaming and dashing to the lowlands. They gave +the same name to both this fairy woman and the water, because they were +so much alike. + +Indeed Skadi was very lovely to look at. It was no wonder that many of +the gods, fairies and men fell in love with her. It is even said that +she had had several husbands before marrying Uller. When you look at her +pictures, you will see that she was as pretty as bright winter itself, +when Jack Frost clothes the trees with white and makes the cheeks of the +girls so rosy. She wore armor of shining steel, a silver helmet, short +white skirts and white fur leggings. Her snow-shoes were of the hue of +winter. Besides a glittering spear, she had a bow and sharp arrows. +These were held in a silver quiver slung over her shoulders. Altogether, +she looked like winter alive. She loved to live in the mountains, and +hear the thunders of cataracts, the crash of avalanches, the moaning of +the winds in the pine forests. Even the howling of wolves was music in +her ears. She was afraid of nothing. + +Now from such a father and mother one would expect wonderful children, +yet very much like their parents. It turned out that the offspring of +Uller and Skadi were all daughters. To them--one after another--were +given the names meaning Glacier, Cold, Snow, Drift, Snow Whirl, and Snow +Dust, the oldest being the biggest and hardiest. The others were in +degree softer and more easily influenced by the sun and the wind. They +all looked alike, so that some people called them the Six White Sisters. + +Yet they were all so great and powerful that many considered them +giantesses. It was not possible for men to tame them, for they did very +much as they pleased. No one could stop their doings or drive them away, +except Woden, who was the god of the sun. Yet in winter, even he left +off ruling the world and went away. During that time, that is, during +seven months, Uller took Woden's throne and governed the affairs of the +world. When summer came, Uller went with his wife up to the North Pole; +or they lived in a house, on the top of the Alps. There they could hunt +and roam on their snow-shoes. To these cold places, which the whole +family enjoyed, their daughters went also and all were very happy so far +above the earth. + +Things went on pleasantly in Uller's family so long as his daughters +were young, for then the girls found enough to delight in at their daily +play. But when grown up and their heads began to be filled with notions +about the young giants, who paid visits to them, then the family +troubles began. + +[Illustration: YET ALL THE TIME HE WAS CALLING ON HUMAN BEINGS TO HARNESS +HIM TO WHEELS] + +There was one young giant fairy named Vuur, who came often to see all +six of Uller's daughters, from the youngest to the oldest. Yet no one +could tell which of them he was in love with, or could name the girl he +liked best; no, not even the daughters themselves. His character and his +qualities were not well known, for he put on many disguises and appeared +in many places. It was believed, however, that he had already done a +good deal of mischief and was likely to do more, for he loved +destruction. Yet he often helped the kabouter dwarfs to do great things; +so that showed he was of some use. In fact he was the fire fairy. He +kept on, courting all the six sisters, long after May day came, and he +lengthened his visits until the heat turned the entire half dozen of +them into water. So they became one. + +At this, Uller was so angry at Vuur's having delayed so long before +popping the question, and at his daughters' losing their shapes, that he +made Vuur marry them all and at once, they taking the name of Regen. + +Now when the child of Vuur and Regen was born, it turned out to be, in +body and in character, just what people expected from such a father and +mother. It was named in Dutch, Stoom. It grew fast and soon showed that +it was as powerful as its parents had been; yet it was much worse, when +shut up, than when allowed to go free in the air. Stoom loved to do all +sorts of tricks. In the kitchen, it would make the iron kettle lid flop +up and down with a lively noise. If it were confined in a vessel, +whether of iron or earthenware, when set over the fire, it would blow +the pot or kettle all to pieces, in order to get out. Thinking itself a +great singer, it would make rather a pleasant sound, when its mother let +it come out of a spout. Yet it never obeyed either of its parents. When +they tried to shut up Stoom inside of anything, it always escaped with a +terrible sound. In fact, nothing could long hold it in, without an +explosion. + +Sometimes Stoom would go down into the bowels of the earth and turn on a +stream of water so as to meet the deep fires which are ever burning far +down below us. Then there would come an awful earthquake, because Stoom +wanted to get out, and the earth crust would not let him, but tried to +hold him down. Sometimes Stoom slipped down into a volcano's mouth. Then +the mountain, in order to save itself from being choked, had to spit +Stoom out, and this always made a terrible mess on the ground, and men +called it lava. Or, Stoom might stay down in the crater as a guest, and +quietly come out, occasionally, in jets and puffs. + +Even when Jack Frost was around and froze the pipes in the house, or +turned the water of the pots, pans, kettles and bottles into solid ice, +Stoom behaved very badly. If the frozen kettles, or any other closed +vessel were put over the stove, or near the fire, and the ice melted at +the bottom too fast, Stoom would blow the whole thing up. In this way, +he often put men's lives in danger and made them lose their property. + +No one seemed to know how to handle this mischievous fairy. Not one man +on earth could do anything with him. So they let him have his own way. +Yet all the time, though he was enjoying his own tricks and lively fun, +he was, with his own voice, calling on human beings to use him properly, +and harness him to wheels; for he was willing to be useful to them, and +was all ready to pull or drive, lift or lower, grind or pump, as the +need might be. + +As long as men did not treat him properly and give him the right to get +out into the air, after he had done his work, Stoom would explode, blow +up and destroy everything. He could be made to sing, hiss, squeal, +whistle, and make all kinds of sounds, but, unless the bands that held +him in were strong enough, or if Vuur got too hot, or his mother would +not give him drink enough, when the iron pipes were red with heat, he +would lose his temper and explode. He had no respect for bad or +neglected boilers, or for lazy or careless firemen and engineers. + +Yet properly harnessed and treated well, and fed with the food such as +his mother can give, and roused by his father's persuasion, Stoom is +greater than any giant or fairy that ever was. He can drive a ship, a +locomotive, a submarine, or an aeroplane, as fast as Fro's boar, horse +or ship. Everybody to-day is glad that Stoom is such a good servant and +friend all over the world. + + + + +THE ELVES AND THEIR ANTICS + + +The elves are the little white creatures that live between heaven and +earth. They are not in the clouds, nor down in the caves and mines, like +the kabouters. They are bright and fair, dwelling in the air, and in the +world of light. The direct heat of the sun is usually too much for them, +so they are not often seen during the day, except towards sunset. They +love the silvery moonlight. There used to be many folks, who thought +they had seen the beautiful creatures, full of fun and joy, dancing hand +in hand, in a circle. + +In these old days, long since gone by, there were more people than there +are now, who were sure they had many times enjoyed the sight of the +elves. Some places in Holland show, by their names, where this kind of +fairies used to live. These little creatures, that looked as thin as +gauze, were very lively and mischievous, though they often helped honest +and hard working people in their tasks, as we shall see. But first and +most of all, they were fond of fun. They loved to vex cross people and +to please those who were bonnie and blithe. They hated misers, but they +loved the kind and generous. These little folks usually took their +pleasure in the grassy meadows, among the flowers and butterflies. On +bright nights they played among the moonbeams. + +There were certain times when the elves were busy, in such a way as to +make men and girls think about them. Then their tricks were generally in +the stable, or in the field among the cows. Sometimes, in the kitchen or +dairy, among the dishes or milk-pans, they made an awful mess for the +maids to clean up. They tumbled over the churns, upset the milk jugs, +and played hoops with the round cheeses. In a bedroom they made things +look as if the pigs had run over them. + +When a farmer found his horse's mane twisted into knots, or two cows +with their tails tied together, he said at once, "That's the work of +elves." If the mares did not feel well, or looked untidy, their owners +were sure the elves had taken the animals out and had been riding them +all night. If a cow was sick, or fell down on the grass, it was believed +that the elves had shot an arrow into its body. The inquest, held on +many a dead calf or its mother, was, that it died from an "elf-shot." +They were so sure of this, that even when a stone arrow head--such as +our far-off ancestors used in hunting, when they were cave men--was +picked up off the ground, it was called an "elf bolt," or "elf-arrow." + +Near a certain village named Elf-berg or Elf Hill, because there were so +many of the little people in that neighborhood, there was one very old +elf, named Styf, which means Stiff, because though so old he stood up +straight as a lance. Even more than the young elves, he was famous for +his pranks. Sometimes he was nicknamed Haan-e'-kam or Cock's Comb. He +got this name, because he loved to mock the roosters, when they crowed, +early in the morning. With his red cap on, he did look like a rooster. +Sometimes he fooled the hens, that heard him crowing. Old Styf loved +nothing better than to go to a house where was a party indoors. All the +wooden shoes of the twenty or thirty people within, men and women, girls +and boys, would be left outside the door. All good Dutch folks step out +of their heavy timber shoes, or klomps, before they enter a house. It is +always a curious sight, at a country church, or gathering of people at a +party, to see the klomps, big and little, belonging to baby boys and +girls, and to the big men, who wear a number thirteen shoe of wood. One +wonders how each one of the owners knows his own, but he does. Each pair +is put in its own place, but Old Styf would come and mix them all up +together, and then leave them in a pile. So when the people came out to +go home, they had a terrible time in finding and sorting out their +shoes. Often they scolded each other; or, some innocent boy was blamed +for the mischief. Some did not find out, till the next day, that they +had on one foot their own, and on another foot, their neighbor's shoe. +It usually took a week to get the klomps sorted out, exchanged, and the +proper feet into the right shoes. In this way, which was a special trick +with him, this naughty elf, Styf, spoiled the temper of many people. + +Beside the meadow elves, there were other kinds in Elfin Land; some +living in the woods, some in the sand-dunes, but those called +Staalkaars, or elves of the stall, were Old Styf's particular friends. +These lived in stables and among the cows. The Moss Maidens, that could +do anything with leaves, even turning them into money, helped Styf, for +they too liked mischief. They teased men-folks, and enjoyed nothing +better than misleading the stupid fellows that fuddled their brains with +too much liquor. + +Styf's especially famous trick was played on misers. It was this. When +he heard of any old fellow, who wanted to save the cost of candles, he +would get a kabouter to lead him off in the swamps, where the sooty +elves come out, on dark nights, to dance. Hoping to catch these lights +and use them for candles, the mean fellow would find himself in a swamp, +full of water and chilled to the marrow. Then the kabouters would laugh +loudly. + +Old Styf had the most fun with another stingy fellow, who always scolded +children when he found them spending a penny. If he saw a girl buying +flowers, or a boy giving a copper coin for a waffle, he talked roughly +to them for wasting money. Meeting this miser one day, as he was walking +along the brick road, leading from the village, Styf offered to pay the +old man a thousand guilders, in exchange for four striped tulips, that +grew in his garden. The miser, thinking it real silver, eagerly took the +money and put it away in his iron strong box. The next night, when he +went, as he did three times a week, to count, and feel, and rub, and +gloat, over his cash, there was nothing but leaves in a round form. +These, at his touch, crumbled to pieces. The Moss Maidens laughed +uproariously, when the mean old fellow was mad about it. + +But let no one suppose that the elves, because they were smarter than +stupid human beings, were always in mischief. No, no! They did, indeed, +have far more intelligence than dull grown folks, lazy boys, or careless +girls; but many good things they did. They sewed shoes for poor +cobblers, when they were sick, and made clothes for children, when the +mother was tired. When they were around, the butter came quick in the +churn. + +When the blue flower of the flax bloomed in Holland, the earth, in +spring time, seemed like the sky. Old Styf then saw his opportunity to +do a good thing. Men thought it a great affair to have even coarse linen +tow for clothes. No longer need they hunt the wolf and deer in the +forest, for their garments. By degrees, they learned to make finer +stuff, both linen for clothes and sails for ships, and this fabric they +spread out on the grass until the cloth was well bleached. When taken +up, it was white as the summer clouds that sailed in the blue sky. All +the world admired the product, and soon the word "Holland" was less the +name of a country, than of a dainty fabric, so snow white, that it was +fit to robe a queen. The world wanted more and more of it, and the Dutch +linen weaver grew rich. Yet still there was more to come. + +Now, on one moonlight night in summer, the lady elves, beautiful +creatures, dressed in gauze and film, with wings to fly and with feet +that made no sound, came down into the meadows for their fairy dances. +But when, instead of green grass, they saw a white landscape, they +wondered, Was it winter? + +Surely not, for the air was warm. No one shivered, or was cold. Yet +there were whole acres as white as snow, while all the old fairy rings, +grass and flowers were hidden. + +They found that the meadows had become bleaching grounds, so that the +cows had to go elsewhere to get their dinner, and that this white area +was all linen. However, they quickly got over their surprise, for elves +are very quick to notice things. But now that men had stolen a march on +them, they asked whether, after all, these human beings had more +intelligence than elves. Not one of these fairies but believed that men +and women were the inferiors of elves. + +So, then and there, began a battle of wits. + +"They have spoiled our dancing floor with their new invention; so we +shall have to find another," said the elfin queen, who led the party. + +"They are very proud of their linen, these men are; but, without the +spider to teach them, what could they have done? Even a wild boar can +instruct these human beings. Let us show them, that we, also, can do +even more. I'll get Old Styf to put on his thinking cap. He'll add +something new that will make them prouder yet." + +"But we shall get the glory of it," the elves shouted in chorus. Then +they left off talking and began their dances, floating in the air, until +they looked, from a distance, like a wreath of stars. + +The next day, a procession of lovely elf maidens and mothers waited on +Styf and asked him to devise something that would excel the invention of +linen; which, after all, men had learned from the spider. + +"Yes, and they would not have any grain fields, if they had not learned +from the wild boar," added the elf queen. + +Old Styf answered "yes" at once to their request, and put on his red +thinking cap. Then some of the girl elves giggled, for they saw that he +did, really, look like a cock's comb. "No wonder they called him +Haan-e'-kam," said one elf girl to the other. + +Now Old Styf enjoyed fooling, just for the fun of it, and he taught all +the younger elves that those who did the most work with their hands and +head, would have the most fun when they were old. + +First of all, he went at once to see Fro, the spirit of the golden +sunshine and the warm summer showers, who owned two of the most +wonderful things in the world. One was his sword, which, as soon as it +was drawn out of its sheath, against wicked enemies, fought of its own +accord and won every battle. Fro's chief enemies were the frost giants, +who wilted the flowers and blasted the plants useful to man. Fro was +absent, when Styf came, but his wife promised he would come next day, +which he did. He was happy to meet all the elves and fairies, and they, +in turn, joyfully did whatever he told them. Fro knew all the secrets of +the grain fields, for he could see what was in every kernel of both the +stalks and the ripe ears. He arrived, in a golden chariot, drawn by his +wild boar which served him instead of a horse. Both chariot and boar +drove over the tops of the ears of wheat, and faster than the wind. + +The Boar was named Gullin, or Golden Bristles because of its sunshiny +color and splendor. In this chariot, Fro had specimens of all the +grains, fruits, and vegetables known to man, from which Styf could +choose, for these he was accustomed to scatter over the earth. + +When Styf told him just what he wanted to do, Fro picked out a sheaf of +wheat and whispered a secret in his ear. Then he drove away, in a burst +of golden glory, which dazzled even the elves, that loved the bright +sunshine. These elves were always glad to see the golden chariot coming +or passing by. + +Styf also summoned to his aid the kabouters, and, from these ugly little +fellows, got some useful hints; for they, dwelling in the dark caverns, +know many secrets which men used to name alchemy, and which they now +call chemistry. + +Then Styf fenced himself off from all intruders, on the top of a bright, +sunny hilltop, with his thinking cap on and made experiments for seven +days. No elves, except his servants, were allowed to see him. At the end +of a week, still keeping his secret and having instructed a dozen or so +of the elf girls in his new art, he invited all the elves in the Low +Countries to come to a great exhibition, which he intended to give. + +What a funny show it was! On one long bench, were half a dozen washtubs; +and on a table, near by, were a dozen more washtubs; and on a longer +table not far away were six ironing boards, with smoothing irons. A +stove, made hot with a peat fire, was to heat the irons. Behind the tubs +and tables, stood the twelve elf maidens, all arrayed in shining white +garments and caps, as spotless as snow. One might almost think they were +white elves of the meadow and not kabouters of the mines. The wonder was +that their linen clothes were not only as dainty as stars, but that they +glistened, as if they had laid on the ground during a hoar frost. + +Yet it was still warm summer. Nothing had frozen, or melted, and the +rosy-faced elf-maidens were as dry as an ivory fan. Yet they resembled +the lilies of the garden when pearly with dew-drops. + +When all were gathered together, Old Styf called for some of the +company, who had come from afar, to take off their dusty and +travel-stained linen garments and give them to him. These were passed +over to the trained girls waiting to receive them. In a jiffy, they were +washed, wrung out, rinsed and dried. It was noticed that those +elf-maidens, who were standing at the last tub, were intently expecting +to do something great, while those five elf maids at the table took off +the hot irons from the stove. They touched the bottom of the flat-irons +with a drop of water to see if it rolled off hissing. They kept their +eyes fixed on Styf, who now came forward before all and said, in a loud +voice: + +"Elves and fairies, moss maidens and stall sprites, one and all, behold +our invention, which our great friend Fro and our no less helpful +friends, the kabouters, have helped me to produce. Now watch me prove +its virtues." + +Forthwith he produced before all a glistening substance, partly in +powder, and partly in square lumps, as white as chalk. He easily broke +up a handful under his fingers, and flung it into the fifth tub, which +had hot water in it. After dipping the washed garments in the white +gummy mass, he took them up, wrung them out, dried them with his breath, +and then handed them to the elf ironers. In a few moments, these held +up, before the company, what a few minutes before had been only dusty +and stained clothes. Now, they were white and resplendent. No fuller's +earth could have bleached them thus, nor added so glistening a surface. + +It was starch, a new thing for clothes. The fairies, one and all, +clapped their hands in delight. + +"What shall we name it?" modestly asked Styf of the oldest gnome +present. + +"Hereafter, we shall call you Styf Sterk, Stiff Starch." They all +laughed. + +Very quickly did the Dutch folks, men and women, hear and make use of +the elves' invention. Their linen closets now looked like piles of snow. +All over the Low Countries, women made caps, in new fashions, of lace or +plain linen, with horns and wings, flaps and crimps, with quilling and +with whirligigs. Soon, in every town, one could read the sign "Hier +mangled men" (Here we do ironing). + +In time, kings, queens and nobles made huge ruffs, often so big that +their necks were invisible, and their heads nearly lost from sight, in +rings of quilled linen, or of lace, that stuck out a foot or so. Worldly +people dyed their starch yellow; zealous folk made it blue; but moderate +people kept it snowy white. + +Starch added money and riches to the nation. Kings' treasuries became +fat with money gained by taxes laid on ruffs, and on the cargoes of +starch, which was now imported by the shipload, or made on the spot, in +many countries. So, out of the ancient grain came a new spirit that +worked for sweetness and beauty, cleanliness, and health. From a useful +substance, as old as Egypt, was born a fine art, that added to the sum +of the world's wealth and pleasure. + + + + +THE KABOUTERS AND THE BELLS + + +When the young queen Wilhelmina visited Brabant and Limburg, they amused +her with pageants and plays, in which the little fellows called +kabouters, in Dutch, and kobolds in German, played and showed off their +tricks. Other small folk, named gnomes, took part in the tableaux. The +kabouters are the dark elves, who live in forests and mines. The white +elves live in the open fields and the sunshine. + +The gnomes do the thinking, but the kabouters carry out the work of +mining and gathering the precious stones and minerals. They are short, +thick fellows, very strong and are strenuous in digging out coal and +iron, copper and gold. When they were first made, they were so ugly, +that they had to live where they could not be seen, that is, in the dark +places. The grown imps look like old men with beards, but no one ever +heard of a kabouter that was taller than a yardstick. As for the babies, +they are hardly bigger than a man's thumb. The big boys and girls, in +the kabouter kingdom, are not much over a foot high. + +[Illustration: THE MASTER OF THE CHOIR TRIED AGAIN AND AGAIN] + +What is peculiar about them all is, that they help the good and wise +people to do things better; but they love to plague and punish the dull +folks, that are stupid, or foolish or naughty. In impish glee, they lure +the blockheads, or in Dutch, the "cheese-heads," to do worse. + +A long time ago, there were no church spires or bells in the land of the +Dutch folks, as there are now by the thousands. The good teachers from +the South came into the country and taught the people to have better +manners, finer clothes and more wholesome food. They also persuaded them +to forget their cruel gods and habits of revenge. They told of the +Father in Heaven, who loves us all, as his children, and forgives us +when we repent of our evil doings. + +Now when the chief gnomes and kabouters heard of the newcomers in the +land, they held a meeting and said one to the other: + +"We shall help all the teachers that are good and kind, but we shall +plague and punish the rough fellows among them." + +So word was sent to all little people in the mines and hills, +instructing them how they were to act and what they were to do. + +Some of the new teachers, who were foreigners, and did not know the +customs of the country, were very rude and rough. Every day they hurt +the feelings of the people. With their axes they cut down the sacred +trees. They laughed scornfully at the holy wells and springs of water. +They reviled the people, when they prayed to great Woden, with his black +ravens that told him everything, or to the gentle Freya, with her white +doves, who helped good girls to get kind husbands. They scolded the +children at play, and this made their fathers and mothers feel +miserable. This is the reason why so many people were angry and sullen, +and would not listen to the foreign teachers. + +Worse than this, many troubles came to these outsiders. Their bread was +sour, when they took it out of the oven. So was the milk, in their pans. +Sometimes they found their beds turned upside down. Gravel stones +rattled down into their fireplaces. Their hats and shoes were missing. +In fact, they had a terrible time generally and wanted to go back home. +When the kabouter has a grudge against any one, he knows how to plague +him. + +But the teachers that were wise and gentle had no trouble. They +persuaded the people with kind words, and, just as a baby learns to eat +other food at the table, so the people were weaned away from cruel +customs and foolish beliefs. Many of the land's folk came to listen to +the teachers and helped them gladly to build churches. + +More wonderful than this, were the good things that came to these kind +teachers, they knew not how. Their bread and milk were always sweet and +in plenty. They found their beds made up and their clothes kept clean, +gardens planted with blooming flowers, and much hard work done for them. +When they would build a church in a village, they wondered how it was +that the wood and the nails, the iron necessary to brace the beams, and +the copper and brass for the sacred vessels, came so easily and in +plenty. When, on some nights, they wondered where they would get food to +eat, they found, on waking up in the morning, that there was always +something good ready for them. Thus many houses of worship were built, +and the more numerous were the churches, the more did farms, cows, grain +fields, and happy people multiply. + +Now when the gnomes and kabouters, who like to do work for pleasant +people, heard that the good teachers wanted church bells, to call the +people to worship, they resolved to help the strangers. They would make +not only a bell, or a chime, but, actually a carillon, or concert of +bells to hang up in the air. + +The dark dwarfs did not like to dig metal for swords or spears, or what +would hurt people; but the church bells would guide travellers in the +forest, and quiet the storms, that destroyed houses and upset boats and +killed or drowned people, besides inviting the people to come and pray +and sing. They knew that the good teachers were poor and could not buy +bells in France or Italy. Even if they had money, they could not get +them through the thick forests, or over the stormy seas, for they were +too heavy. + +When all the kabouters were told of this, they came together to work, +night and day, in the mines. With pick and shovel, crowbar and chisel, +and hammer and mallet, they broke up the rocks containing copper and +tin. Then they built great roaring fires, to smelt the ore into ingots. +They would show the teachers that the Dutch kabouters could make bells, +as well as the men in the lands of the South. These dwarfish people are +jealous of men and very proud of what they can do. + +It was the funniest sight to see these short legged fellows, with tiny +coats coming just below their thighs, and little red caps, looking like +a stocking and ending in a tassel, on their heads, and in shoes that had +no laces, but very long points. They flew around as lively as monkeys, +and when the fire was hot they threw off everything and worked much +harder and longer than men do. + +Were they like other fairies? Well, hardly. One must put away all his +usual thoughts, when he thinks of kabouters. No filmy wings on their +backs! No pretty clothes or gauzy garments, or stars, or crowns, or +wands! Instead of these were hammers, pickaxes, and chisels. But how +diligent, useful and lively these little folks, in plain, coarse coats +and with bare legs, were! In place of things light, clean and easy, the +kabouters had furnaces, crucibles and fires of coal and wood. + +Sometimes they were grimy, with smoke and coal dust, and the sweat ran +down their faces and bodies. Yet there was always plenty of water in the +mines, and when hard work was over they washed and looked plain but +tidy. Besides their stores of gold, and silver, and precious stones, +which they kept ready, to give to good people, they had tools with which +to tease or tantalize cruel, mean or lazy folks. + +Now when the kabouter daddies began the roaring fires for the making of +the bells, the little mothers and the small fry in the kabouter world +could not afford to be idle. One and all, they came down from off the +earth, and into the mines they went in a crowd. They left off teasing +milkmaids, tangling skeins of flax, tearing fishermen's nets, tying +knots in cows' tails, tumbling pots, pans and dishes, in the kitchen, or +hiding hats, and throwing stones down the chimneys onto the fireplaces. +They even ceased their fun of mocking children, who were calling the +cows home, by hiding behind the rocks and shouting to them. Instead of +these tricks, they saved their breath to blow the fires into a blast. +Everybody wondered where the "kabs" were, for on the farms and in town +nothing happened and all was as quiet as when a baby is asleep. + +For days and weeks underground, the dwarfs toiled, until their skins, +already dark, became as sooty as the rafters in the houses of our +ancestors. Finally, when all the labor was over, the chief gnomes were +invited down into the mines to inspect the work. + +What a sight! There were at least a hundred bells, of all sizes, like as +in a family; where there are daddy, mother, grown ups, young sons and +daughters, little folk and babies, whether single, twins or triplets. +Big bells, that could scarcely be put inside a hogshead, bells that +would go into a barrel, bells that filled a bushel, and others a peck, +stood in rows. From the middle, and tapering down the row, were scores +more, some of them no larger than cow-bells. Others, at the end, were so +small, that one had to think of pint and gill measures. + +Besides all these, there were stacks of iron rods and bars, bolts, nuts, +screws, and wires and yokes on which to hang the bells. + +One party of the strongest of the kabouters had been busy in the forest, +close to a village, where some men, ordered to do so by a foreign +teacher, had begun to cut down some of the finest and most sacred of the +grand old trees. They had left their tools in the woods; but the "kabs," +at night, seized their axes and before morning, without making any +noise, they had levelled all but the holy trees. Those they spared. +Then, the timber, all cut and squared, ready to hold the bells, was +brought to the mouth of the mine. + +Now in Dutch, the name for bell is "klok." So a wise and gray-bearded +gnome was chosen by the high sounding title of klokken-spieler, or bell +player, to test the bells for a carillon. They were all hung, for +practice, on the big trestles, in a long row. Each one of these frames +was called a "hang," for they were just like those on which fishermen's +nets were laid to dry and be mended. + +So when all were ready, washed, and in their clean clothes, every one of +the kabouter families, daddies, mothers, and young ones, were ranged in +lines and made to sing. The heavy male tenors and baritones, the female +sopranos and contraltos, the trebles of the little folks, and the +squeaks of the very small children, down to the babies' cooing, were all +heard by the gnomes, who were judges. The high and mighty +klokken-spieler, or master of the carillon, chose those voices with best +tone and quality, from which to set in order and regulate the bells. + +It was pitiful to see how mad and jealous some of the kabouters, both +male and female, were, when they were not appointed to the first row, in +which were some of the biggest of the males, and some of the fattest of +the females. Then the line tapered off, to forty or fifty young folks, +including urchins of either sex, down to mere babies, that could hardly +stand. These had bibs on and had to be held up by their fond mothers. +Each one by itself could squeal and squall, coo and crow lustily; but, +at a distance, their voices blended and the noise they made sounded like +a tinkle. + +All being ready, the old gnome bit his tuning fork, hummed a moment, and +then started a tune. Along the line, at a signal from the chief gnome, +they started a tune. + +In the long line, there were, at first, booms and peals, twanging and +clanging, jangling and wrangling, making such a clangor that it sounded +more like an uproar than an opera. The chief gnome was almost +discouraged. + +But neither a gnome nor a kabouter ever gives up. The master of the +choir tried again and again. He scolded one old daddy, for singing too +low. He frowned at a stalwart young fellow, who tried to drown out all +the rest with his bull-like bellow. He shook his finger at a kabouter +girl, that was flirting with a handsome lad near her. He cheered up the +little folks, encouraging them to hold up their voices, until finally he +had all in order. Then they practiced, until the master gnome thought he +had his scale of notation perfect and gave orders to attune the bells. +To the delight of all the gnomes, kabouters and elves, that had been +invited to the concert, the rows of bells, a hundred or more, from +boomers to tinklers, made harmony. Strung one above the other, they +could render merriment, or sadness, in solos, peals, chimes, cascades +and carillons, with sweetness and effect. At the low notes the babies +called out "cow, cow;" but at the high notes, "bird, bird." + +So it happened that, on the very day that the bishop had his great +church built, with a splendid bulb spire on the top, and all nicely +furnished within, but without one bell to ring in it, that the kabouters +planned a great surprise. + +It was night. The bishop was packing his saddle bags, ready to take a +journey, on horseback, to Rheims. At this city, the great caravans from +India and China ended, bringing to the annual fair, rugs, spices, gems, +and things Oriental, and the merchants of Rheims rolled in gold. Here +the bishop would beg the money, or ask for a bell, or chimes. + +Suddenly, in the night, while in his own house, there rang out music in +the air, such as the bishop had never heard in Holland, or in any of the +seventeen provinces of the Netherlands. Not even in the old lands, +France, or Spain, or Italy, where the Christian teachers, builders and +singers, and the music of the bells had long been heard, had such a +flood of sweet sounds ever fallen on human ears. Here, in these northern +regions, rang out, not a solo, nor a peal, nor a chime, nor even a +cascade, from one bell, or from many bells; but, a long programme of +richest music in the air--something which no other country, however rich +or old, possessed. It was a carillon, that is, a continued mass of real +music, in which whole tunes, songs, and elaborate pieces of such length, +mass and harmony, as only a choir of many voices, a band of music, or an +orchestra of many performers could produce. + +To get this grand work of hanging in the spire done in one night, and +before daylight, also, required a whole regiment of fairy toilers, who +must work like bees. For if one ray of sunshine struck any one of the +kabouters, he was at once petrified. The light elves lived in the +sunshine and thrived on it; but for dark elves, like the kabouters, +whose home was underground, sunbeams were as poisoned arrows bringing +sure death; for by these they were turned into stone. Happily the task +was finished before the eastern sky grew gray, or the cocks crowed. +While it was yet dark, the music in the air flooded the earth. The +people in their beds listened with rapture. + +"Laus Deo" (Praise God), devoutly cried the surprised bishop. "It sounds +like a choir of angels. Surely the cherubim and seraphim are here. Now +is fulfilled the promise of the Psalmist: 'The players on instruments +shall be there.'" + +So, from this beginning, so mysterious to the rough, unwise and stupid +teachers, but, by degrees, clearer to the tactful ones, who were kind +and patient, the carillons spread over all the region between the +forests of Ardennes and the island in the North Sea. The Netherlands +became the land of melodious symphonies and of tinkling bells. No town, +however poor, but in time had its carillon. Every quarter of an hour, +the sweet music of hymn or song, made the air vocal, while at the +striking of the hours, the pious bowed their heads and the workmen heard +the call for rest, or they took cheer, because their day's toil was +over. At sunrise, noon, or sunset, the Angelus, and at night the curfew +sounded their calls. + +It grew into a fashion, that, on stated days, great concerts were given, +lasting over an hour, when the grand works of the masters of music were +rendered and famous carillon players came from all over the Netherlands, +to compete for prizes. The Low Countries became a famous school, in +which klokken-spielers (bell players) by scores were trained. Thus no +kingdom, however rich or great, ever equalled the Land of the Carillon, +in making the air sweet with both melody and harmony. + +Nobody ever sees a kabouter nowadays, for in the new world, when the +woods are nearly all cut down, the world made by the steam engine, and +telegraph, and wireless message, the automobile, aeroplane and +submarine, cycle and under-sea boat, the little folks in the mines and +forests are forgotten. The chemists, miners, engineers and learned men +possess the secrets which were once those of the fairies only. Yet the +artists and architects, the clockmakers and bellfounders, who love +beauty, remember what their fathers once thought and believed. That is +the reason why, on many a famous clock, either in front of the dial or +near the pendulum, are figures of the gnomes, who thought, and the +kabouters who wrought, to make the carillons. In Teuton lands, where +their cousins are named kobolds, and in France where they are called +fée, and in England brownies, they have tolling and ringing of bells, +with peals, chimes and cascades of sweet sound; but the Netherlands, +still, above all others on earth, is the home of the carillon. + + + + +THE WOMAN WITH THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SIX CHILDREN + + +Long, long ago, before the oldest stork was young and big deer and +little fawns were very many in the Dutch forests, there was a pond, +famous for its fish, which lay in the very heart of Holland, with woods +near by. Hunters came with their bows and arrows to hunt the stags. Or, +out of the bright waters, boys and men in the sunshine drew out the fish +with shining scales, or lured the trout, with fly-bait, from their +hiding places. In those days the fish-pond was called the Vijver, and +the woods where the deer ran, Rensselaer, or the Deer's Lair. + +So, because the forests of oak, and beech, and alder trees were so fine, +and game on land and in water so plentiful, the lord of the country came +here and built his castle. He made a hedge around his estate, so that +the people called the place the Count's Hedge; or, as we say, The Hague. + +Even to-day, within the beautiful city, the forests, with their grand +old trees, still remain, and the fish-pond, called the Vijver, is there +yet, with its swans. On the little island, the fluffy, downy cygnets are +born and grow to be big birds, with long necks, bent like an arch. In +another part of the town, also, with their trees for nesting, and their +pond for wading, are children of the same storks, whose fathers and +mothers lived there before America was discovered. + +By and by, many people of rank and fortune came to The Hague, for its +society. They built their grand houses at the slope of the hill, not far +away from the Vijver, and in time a city grew up. + +It was a fine sight to see the lords and ladies riding out from the +castle into the country. The cavalcade was very splendid, when they went +hawking. There were pretty women on horseback, and gentlemen in velvet +clothes, with feathers in their hats, and the horses seemed proud to +bear them. The falconers followed on foot, with the hunting birds +perched on a hoop, which the man inside the circle carried round him. +Each falcon had on a little cap or hood, which was fastened over its +head. When this was taken off, it flew high up into the air, on its hunt +for the big and little birds, which it brought down for its masters. +There were also men with dogs, to beat the reeds and bushes, and drive +the smaller birds from shelter. The huntsmen were armed with spears, +lest a wild boar, or bear, should rush out and attack them. It was +always a merry day, when a hawking party, in their fine clothes and gay +trappings, started out. + +There were huts, as well as palaces, and poor people, also, at The +Hague. Among these, was a widow, whose twin babies were left without +anything to eat--for her husband and their father had been killed in the +war. Having no money to buy a cradle, and her babies being too young to +be left alone, she put the pair of little folks on her back and went out +to beg. + +Now there was a fine lady, a Countess, who lived with her husband, the +Count, near the Vijver. She was childless and very jealous of other +women who were mothers and had children playing around them. On this +day, when the beggar woman, with her two babies on her back, came along, +the grand lady was in an unusually bad temper. For all her pretty +clothes, she was not a person of fine manners. Indeed, she often acted +more like a snarling dog, ready to snap at any one who should speak to +her. Although she had cradles and nurses and lovely baby clothes all +ready, there was no baby. This spoiled her disposition, so that her +husband and the servants could hardly live with her. + +One day, after dinner, when there had been everything good to eat and +drink on her table, and plenty of it, the Countess went out to walk in +front of her house. It was the third day of January, but the weather was +mild. The beggar woman, with her two babies on her back and their arms +round her neck, crying with hunger, came trudging along. She went into +the garden and asked the Countess for food or an alms. She expected +surely, at least a slice of bread, a cup of milk, or a small coin. + +But the Countess was rude to her and denied her both food and money. She +even burst into a bad temper, and reviled the woman for having two +children, instead of one. + +"Where did you get those brats? They are not yours. You just brought +them here to play on my feelings and excite my jealousy. Begone!" + +But the poor woman kept her temper. She begged piteously and said: "For +the love of Heaven, feed my babies, even if you will not feed me." + +"No! they are not yours. You're a cheat," said the fine lady, nursing +her rage. + +"Indeed, Madame, they are both my children and born on one day. They +have one father, but he is dead. He was killed in the war, while serving +his grace, your husband." + +"Don't tell me such a story," snapped back the Countess, now in a fury. +"I don't believe that any one, man or woman, could have two children at +once. Away with you," and she seized a stick to drive off the poor +woman. + +Now, it was the turn of the beggar to answer back. Both had lost their +temper, and the two angry women seemed more like she-bears robbed of +their whelps. + +"Heaven punish you, you wicked, cruel, cold-hearted woman," cried the +mother. Her two babies were almost choking her in their eagerness for +food. Yet their cries never moved the rich lady, who had bread and good +things to spare, while their poor parent had not a drop of milk to give +them. The Countess now called her men-servants to drive the beggar away. +This they did, most brutally. They pushed the poor woman outside the +garden gate and closed it behind her. As she turned away, the poor +mother, taking each of her children by its back, one in each hand, held +them up before the grand lady and cried out loudly, so that all heard +her: + +"May you have as many children as there are days in the year." + +Now with all her wrath burning in her breast, what the beggar woman +really meant was this: It was the third of January, and so there were +but three days in the year, so far. She intended to say that, instead of +having to care for two children, the Countess might have the trouble of +rearing three, and all born on the same day. + +But the fine lady, in her mansion, cared nothing for the beggar woman's +words. Why should she? She had her lordly husband, who was a count, and +he owned thousands of acres. Besides, she possessed vast riches. In her +great house, were ten men-servants and thirty-one maid-servants, +together with her rich furniture, and fine clothes and jewels. The lofty +brick church, to which she went on Sundays, was hung with the coats of +arms of her famous ancestors. The stone floor, with its great slabs, was +so grandly carved with the crests and heraldry of her family, that to +walk over these was like climbing a mountain, or tramping across a +ploughed field. Common folks had to be careful, lest they should stumble +over the bosses and knobs of the carved tombs. A long train of her +servants, and tenants on the farms followed her, when she went to +worship. Inside the church, the lord and lady sat, in high seats, on +velvet cushions and under a canopy. + +By the time summer had come, according to the fashion in all good Dutch +families, all sorts of pretty baby clothes were made ready. There were +soft, warm, swaddling bands, tiny socks, and long white linen dresses. A +baptismal blanket, covered with silk, was made for the christening, and +daintily embroidered. Plenty of lace, and pink and blue ribbons--pink +for a girl and blue for a boy--were kept at hand. And, because there +might be twins, a double set of garments was provided, besides baby +bathtubs and all sorts of nice things for the little stranger or +strangers--whether one or two--to come. Even the names were chosen--one +for a boy and the other for a girl. Would it be Wilhelm or Wilhelmina? + +It was real fun to think over the names, but it was hard to choose out +of so many. At last, the Countess crossed off all but forty-six; or the +following; nearly every girl's name ending in _je_, as in our +"Polly," "Sallie." + + _Girls_ _Boys_ + + Magtel Catharyna Gerrit Gysbert + Nelletje Alida Cornelis Jausze + Zelia Annatje Volkert Myndert + Jannetje Christina Kilian Adrian + Zara Katrina Johannes Joachim + Marytje Bethje Petrus Arendt + Willemtje Eva Barent Dirck + Geertruy Dirkje Wessel Nikolaas + Petronella Mayken Hendrik Staats + Margrieta Hilleke Teunis Gozen + Josina Bethy Wouter Willemtje + Japik Evert + +But before the sun set on the expected day, it was neither one boy nor +one girl, nor both; nor were all the forty-six names chosen sufficient; +for the beggar woman's wish had come true, in a way not expected. There +were as many as, and no fewer children than, there were days in the +year; and, since this was leap year, there were three hundred and +sixty-six little folks in the house; so that other names, besides the +forty-six, had to be used. + +Yet none of these wee creatures was bigger than a mouse. Beginning at +daylight, one after another appeared--first a girl and then a boy; so +that after the forty-eighth, the nurse was at her wit's end, to give +them names. It was not possible to keep the little babies apart. The +thirty-one servant maids of the mansion were all called in to help in +sorting out the girls from the boys; but soon it seemed hopeless to try +to pick out Peter from Henry, or Catalina from Annetje. After an hour or +two spent at the task, and others coming along, the women found that it +was useless to try any longer. It was found that little Piet, Jan and +Klaas, Hank, Douw and Japik, among the boys; and Molly, Mayka, Lena, +Elsje, Annatje and Marie were getting all mixed up. So they gave up the +attempt in despair. Besides, the supply of pink and blue ribbons had +given out long before, after the first dozen or so were born. As for +the, baby clothes made ready, they were of no use, for all the garments +were too big. In one of the long dresses, tied up like a bag, one might +possibly, with stuffing, have put the whole family of three hundred and +sixty-six brothers and sisters. + +It was not likely such small fry of human beings could live long. So, +the good Bishop Guy, of Utrecht, when he heard that the beggar woman's +curse had come true, in so unexpected a manner, ordered that the babies +should be all baptized at once. The Count, who was strict in his ideas +of both custom and church law, insisted on it too. + +So nothing would do but to carry the tiny infants to church. How to get +them there, was a question. The whole house had been rummaged to provide +things to carry the little folks in: but the supply of trays, and mince +pie dishes, and crocks, was exhausted at the three hundred and sixtieth +baby. So there was left only a Turk's Head, or round glazed earthen +dish, fluted and curved, which looked like the turban of a Turk. Hence +its name. Into this, the last batch of babies, or extra six girls, were +stowed. Curiously enough, number 366 was an inch taller than the others. +To thirty house maids was given a tray, for each was to carry twelve +mannikins, and one the last six, in the Turk's Head. Instead of rich +silk blankets a wooden tray, and no clothes on, must suffice. + +In the Groote Kerk, or Great Church, the Bishop was waiting, with his +assistants, holding brass basins full of holy water, for the +christening. All the town, including the dogs, were out to see what was +going on. Many boys and girls climbed up on the roofs of the one-story +houses, or in the trees to get a better view of the curious +procession--the like of which had never been seen in The Hague before. +Neither has anything like it ever been seen since. + +So the parade began. First went the Count, with his captains and the +trumpeters, blowing their trumpets. These were followed by the +men-servants, all dressed in their best Sunday clothes, who had the +crest and arms of their master, the Count, on their backs and breasts. +Then came on the company of thirty-one maids, each one carrying a tray, +on which were twelve mannikins, or minikins. Twenty of these trays were +round and made of wood, lined with velvet, smooth and soft; but ten were +of earthenware, oblong in shape, like a manger. In these, every year, +were baked the Christmas pies. + +At first, all went on finely, for the outdoor air seemed to put the +babies asleep and there was no crying. But no sooner were they inside +the church, than about two hundred of the brats began wailing and +whimpering. Pretty soon, they set up such a squall that the Count felt +ashamed of his progeny and the Bishop looked very unhappy. + +To make matters worse, one of the maids, although warned of the danger, +stumbled over the helmet of an old crusader, carved in stone, that rose +some six inches or so above the floor. In a moment, she fell and lay +sprawling, spilling out at least a dozen babies. "Heilige Mayke" (Holy +Mary!), she cried, as she rolled over. "Have I killed them?" + +Happily the wee ones were thrown against the long-trained gown of an old +lady walking directly in front of her, so that they were unhurt. They +were easily picked up and laid on the tray again, and once more the line +started. + +Happily the Bishop had been notified that he would not have to call out +the names of all the infants, that is, three hundred and sixty-six; for +this would have kept him at the solemn business all day long. It had +been arranged that, instead of any on the list of the chosen forty-six, +to be so named, all the boys should be called John, and all the girls +Elizabeth; or, in Dutch, Jan and Lisbet, or Lizbethje. Yet even to say +"John" one hundred and eighty times, and "Lisbet" one hundred and +eighty-six times, nearly tired the old gentleman to death, for he was +fat and slow. + +So, after the first six trays full of wee folks had been sprinkled, one +at a time, the Bishop decided to "asperse" them, that is, shake, from a +mop or brush, the holy water, on a tray full of babies at one time. So +he called for the "aspersorium." Then, clipping this in the basin of +holy water, he scattered the drops over the wee folk, until all, even +the six extra girl babies in the Turk's Head, were sprinkled. Probably, +because the Bishop thought a Turk was next door to a heathen, he dropped +more water than usual on these last six, until the young ones squealed +lustily with the cold. It was noted, on the contrary, that the little +folks in the mince pie dishes were gently handled, as if the good man +had visions of Christmas coming and the good things on the table. + +Yet it was evident that such tiny people could not bear what healthy +babies of full size would think nothing of. Whether it was because of +the damp weather, or the cold air in the brick church, or too much +excitement, or because there were not three hundred and sixty-six +nurses, or milk bottles ready, it came to pass that every one of the wee +creatures died when the sun went down. + +Just where they were buried is not told, but, for hundreds of years, +there was, in one of The Hague churches, a monument in honor of these +little folks, who lived but a day. It was graven with portraits in stone +of the Count and Countess and told of their children, as many as the +days of the year. Near by, were hung up the two basins, in which the +holy water, used by the Bishop, in sprinkling the babies, was held. The +year, month and day of the wonderful event were also engraved. Many and +many people from various lands came to visit the tomb. The guide books +spoke of it, and tender women wept, as they thought how three hundred +and sixty-six little cradles, in the Count's castle, would have looked, +had each baby lived. + + + + +THE ONI ON HIS TRAVELS + + +Across the ocean, in Japan, there once lived curious creatures called +Onis. Every Japanese boy and girl has heard of them, though one has not +often been caught. In one museum, visitors could see the hairy leg of a +specimen. Falling out of the air in a storm, the imp had lost his limb. +It had been torn off by being caught in the timber side of a well curb. +The story-teller was earnestly assured by one Japanese lad that his +grandfather had seen it tumble from the clouds. + +Many people are sure that the Onis live in the clouds and occasionally +fall off, during a peal of thunder. Then they escape and hide down in a +well. Or, they get loose in the kitchen, rattle the dishes around, and +make a great racket. They behave like cats, with a dog after them. They +do a great deal of mischief, but not much harm. There are even some old +folks who say that, after all, Onis are only unruly children, that +behave like angels in the morning and act like imps in the afternoon. So +we see that not much is known about the Onis. + +Many things that go wrong are blamed on the Onis. Foolish folks, such as +stupid maid-servants, and dull-witted fellows, that blunder a good deal, +declare that the Onis made them do it. Drunken men, especially, that +stumble into mud-holes at night, say the Onis pushed them in. Naughty +boys that steal cake, and girls that take sugar, often tell fibs to +their parents, charging it on the Onis. + +The Onis love to play jokes on people, but they are not dangerous. There +are plenty of pictures of them in Japan, though they never sat for their +portraits, but this is the way they looked. + +Some Onis have only one eye in their forehead, others two, and, once in +a while, a big fellow has three. There are little, short horns on their +heads, but these are no bigger than those on a baby deer and never grow +long. The hair on their heads gets all snarled up, just like a little +girl's that cries when her tangled tresses are combed out; for the Onis +make use of neither brushes nor looking glasses. As for their faces, +they never wash them, so they look sooty. Their skin is rough, like an +elephant's. On each of their feet are only three toes. Whether an Oni +has a nose, or a snout, is not agreed upon by the learned men who have +studied them. + +No one ever heard of an Oni being higher than a yardstick, but they are +so strong that one of them can easily lift two bushel bags of rice at +once. In Japan, they steal the food offered to the idols. They can live +without air. They like nothing better than to drink both the rice spirit +called saké, and the black liquid called soy, of which only a few drops, +as a sauce on fish, are enough for a man. Of this sauce, the Dutch, as +well as the Japanese, are very fond. + +Above all things else, the most fun for a young Oni is to get into a +crockery shop. Once there, he jumps round among the cups and dishes, +hides in the jars, straddles the shelves and turns somersaults over the +counter. In fact, the Oni is only a jolly little imp. The Japanese +girls, on New Year's eve, throw handfuls of dried beans in every room of +the house and cry, "In, with good luck; and out with you, Onis!" Yet +they laugh merrily all the time. The Onis cannot speak, but they can +chatter like monkeys. They often seem to be talking to each other in +gibberish. + +Now it once happened in Japan that the great Tycoon of the country +wanted to make a present to the Prince of the Dutch. So he sent all over +the land, from the sweet potato fields in the south to the seal and +salmon waters in the north, to get curiosities of all sorts. The +products of Japan, from the warm parts, where grow the indigo and the +sugar cane, to the cold regions, in which are the bear and walrus, were +sent as gifts to go to the Land of Dykes and Windmills. The Japanese had +heard that the Dutch people like cheese, walk in wooden shoes, eat with +forks, instead of chopsticks, and the women wear twenty petticoats +apiece, while the men sport jackets with two gold buttons, and folks +generally do things the other way from that which was common in Japan. + +Now it chanced that while they were packing the things that were piled +up in the palace at Yedo, a young Oni, with his horns only half grown, +crawled into the kitchen, at night, through the big bamboo water pipe +near the pump. Pretty soon he jumped into the storeroom. There, the +precious cups, vases, lacquer boxes, pearl-inlaid pill-holders, writing +desks, jars of tea, and bales of silk, were lying about, ready to be put +into their cases. The yellow wrappings for covering the pretty things of +gold and silver, bronze and wood, and the rice chaff, for the packing of +the porcelain, were all at hand. What a jolly time the Oni did have, in +tumbling them about and rolling over them! Then he leaped like a monkey +from one vase to another. He put on a lady's gay silk kimono and wrapped +himself around with golden embroidery. Then he danced and played the +game of the Ka-gu'-ra, or Lion of Korea, pretending to make love to a +girl-Oni. Such funny capers as he did cut! It would have made a cat +laugh to see him. It was broad daylight, before his pranks were over, +and the Dutch church chimes were playing the hour of seven. + +Suddenly the sound of keys in the lock told him that, in less than a +minute, the door would open. + +Where should he hide? There was no time to be lost. So he seized some +bottles of soy from the kitchen shelf and then jumped into the big +bottom drawer of a ladies' cabinet, and pulled it shut. + +"Namu Amida" (Holy Buddha!), cried the man that opened the door. "Who +has been here? It looks like a rat's picnic." + +However, the workmen soon came and set everything to rights. Then they +packed up the pretty things. They hammered down the box lids and before +night the Japanese curiosities were all stored in the hold of a swift, +Dutch ship, from Nagasaki, bound for Rotterdam. After a long voyage, the +vessel arrived safely in good season, and the boxes were sent on to The +Hague, or capital city. As the presents were for the Prince, they were +taken at once to the pretty palace, called the House in the Wood. There +they were unpacked and set on exhibition for the Prince and Princess to +see the next day. + +When the palace maid came in next morning to clean up the floor and dust +the various articles, her curiosity led her to pull open the drawer of +the ladies' cabinet; when out jumped something hairy. It nearly +frightened the girl out of her wits. It was the Oni, which rushed off +and down stairs, tumbling over a half dozen servants, who were sitting +at their breakfast. All started to run except the brave butler, who +caught up a carving knife and showed fight. Seeing this, the Oni ran +down into the cellar, hoping to find some hole or crevice for escape. +All around, were shelves filled with cheeses, jars of sour-krout, +pickled herring, and stacks of fresh rye bread standing in the corners. +But oh! how they did smell in his Japanese nostrils! Oni, as he was, he +nearly fainted, for no such odors had ever beaten upon his nose, when in +Japan. Even at the risk of being carved into bits, he must go back. So +up into the kitchen again he ran. Happily, the door into the garden +stood wide open. + +Grabbing a fresh bottle of soy from the kitchen shelf, the Oni, with a +hop, skip and jump, reached outdoors. Seeing a pair of klomps, or wooden +shoes, near the steps, the Oni put his pair of three toes into them, to +keep the dogs from scenting its tracks. Then he ran into the fields, +hiding among the cows, until he heard men with pitchforks coming. At +once the Oni leaped upon a cow's back and held on to its horns, while +the poor animal ran for its life into its stall, in the cow stable, +hoping to brush the monster off. + +The dairy farmer's wife was at that moment pulling open her bureau +drawer, to put on a new clean lace cap. Hearing her favorite cow moo and +bellow, she left the drawer open and ran to look through the pane of +glass in the kitchen. Through this, she could peep, at any minute, to +see whether this or that cow, or its calf, was sick or well. + +Meanwhile, at the House in the Wood, the Princess, hearing the maid +scream and the servants in an uproar, rushed out in her embroidered +white nightie, to ask who, and what, and why, and wherefore. All +different and very funny were the answers of maid, butler, cook, valet +and boots. + +The first maid, who had pulled open the drawer and let the Oni get out, +held up broom and duster, as if to take oath. She declared: + +"It was a monkey, or baboon; but he seemed to talk--Russian, I think." + +"No," said the butler. "I heard the creature--a black ram, running on +its hind legs; but its language was German, I'm sure." + +The cook, a fat Dutch woman, told a long story. She declared, on honor, +that it was a black dog like a Chinese pug, that has no hair. However, +she had only seen its back, but she was positive the creature talked +English, for she heard it say "soy." + +The valet honestly avowed that he was too scared to be certain of +anything, but was ready to swear that to his ears the words uttered +seemed to be Swedish. He had once heard sailors from Sweden talking, and +the chatter sounded like their lingo. + +Then there was Boots, the errand boy, who believed that it was the +Devil; but, whatever or whoever it was, he was ready to bet a week's +wages that its lingo was all in French. + +Now when the Princess found that not one of her servants could speak or +understand any language but their own, she scolded them roundly in +Dutch, and wound up by saying, "You're a lot of cheese-heads, all of +you." + +Then she arranged the wonderful things from the Far East, with her own +dainty hands, until the House in the Wood was fragrant with Oriental +odors, and soon it became famous throughout all Europe. Even when her +grandchildren played with the pretty toys from the land of Fuji and +flowers, of silk and tea, cherry blossoms and camphor trees, it was not +only the first but the finest Japanese collection in all Europe. + +Meanwhile, the Oni, in a strange land, got into one trouble after +another. In rushed men with clubs, but as an Oni was well used to seeing +these at home, he was not afraid. He could outrun, outjump, or outclimb +any man, easily. The farmer's vrouw (wife) nearly fainted when the Oni +leaped first into her room and then into her bureau drawer. As he did +so, the bottle of soy, held in his three-fingered paw, hit the wood and +the dark liquid, as black as tar, ran all over the nicely starched +laces, collars and nightcaps. Every bit of her quilled and crimped +hear-gear and neckwear, once as white as snow, was ruined. + +"Donder en Bliksem" (thunder and lightning), cried the vrouw. "There's +my best cap, that cost twenty guilders, utterly ruined." Then she +bravely ran for the broomstick. + +The Oni caught sight of what he thought was a big hole in the wall and +ran into it. Seeing the blue sky above, he began to climb up. Now there +were no chimneys in Japan and he did not know what this was. The soot +nearly blinded and choked him. So he slid down and rushed out, only to +have his head nearly cracked by the farmer's wife, who gave him a whack +of her broomstick. She thought it was a crazy goat that she was +fighting. She first drove the Oni into the cellar and then bolted the +door. + +An hour later, the farmer got a gun and loaded it. Then, with his hired +man he came near, one to pull open the door, and the other to shoot. +What they expected to find was a monster. + +But no! So much experience, even within an hour, of things unknown in +Japan, including chimneys, had been too severe for the poor, lonely, +homesick Oni. There it lay dead on the floor, with its three fingers +held tightly to its snout and closing it. So much cheese, zuur kool +(sour krout), gin (schnapps), advocaat (brandy and eggs), cows' milk, +both sour and fresh, wooden shoes, lace collars and crimped neckwear, +with the various smells, had turned both the Oni's head and his stomach. +The very sight of these strange things being so unusual, gave the Oni +first fright, and then a nervous attack, while the odors, such as had +never tortured his nose before, had finished him. + +The wise men of the village were called together to hold an inquest. +After summoning witnesses, and cross-examining them and studying the +strange creature, their verdict was that it could be nothing less than a +_Hersen Schim_, that is, a spectre of the brain. They meant by this +that there was no such animal. + +However, a man from Delft, who followed the business of a knickerbocker, +or baker of knickers, or clay marles, begged the body of the Oni. He +wanted it to serve as a model for a new gargoyle, or rain spout, for the +roof of churches. Carved in stone, or baked in clay, which turns red and +is called terra cotta, the new style of monster became very popular. The +knickerbocker named it after a new devil, that had been expelled by the +prayers of the saints, and speedily made a fortune, by selling it to +stone cutters and architects. So for one real Oni, that died and was +buried in Dutch soil, there are thousands of imaginary ones, made of +baked clay, or stone, in the Dutch land, where things, more funny than +in fairy-land, constantly take place. + +The dead Japanese Oni serving as a model, which was made into a water +gutter, served more useful purposes, for a thousand years, than ever he +had done, in the land where his relations still live and play their +pranks. + + + + +THE LEGEND OF THE WOODEN SHOE + + +In years long gone, too many for the almanac to tell of, or for clocks +and watches to measure, millions of good fairies came down from the sun +and went into the earth. There, they changed themselves into roots and +leaves, and became trees. There were many kinds of these, as they +covered the earth, but the pine and birch, ash and oak, were the chief +ones that made Holland. The fairies that lived in the trees bore the +name of Moss Maidens, or Tree "Trintjes," which is the Dutch pet name +for Kate, or Katharine. + +The oak was the favorite tree, for people lived then on acorns, which +they ate roasted, boiled or mashed, or made into meal, from which +something like bread was kneaded and baked. With oak bark, men tanned +hides and made leather, and, from its timber, boats and houses. Under +its branches, near the trunk, people laid their sick, hoping for help +from the gods. Beneath the oak boughs, also, warriors took oaths to be +faithful to their lords, women made promises, or wives joined hand in +hand around its girth, hoping to have beautiful children. Up among its +leafy branches the new babies lay, before they were found in the cradle +by the other children. To make a young child grow up to be strong and +healthy, mothers drew them through a split sapling or young tree. Even +more wonderful, as medicine for the country itself, the oak had power to +heal. The new land sometimes suffered from disease called the _val_ +(or fall). When sick with the _val_, the ground sunk. Then people, +houses, churches, barns and cattle all went down, out of sight, and were +lost forever, in a flood of water. + +But the oak, with its mighty roots, held the soil firm. Stories of dead +cities, that had tumbled beneath the waves, and of the famous Forest of +Reeds, covering a hundred villages, which disappeared in one night, were +known only too well. + +Under the birch tree, lovers met to plight their vows, and on its smooth +bark was often cut the figure of two hearts joined in one. In summer, +the forest furnished shade, and in winter warmth from the fire. In the +spring time, the new leaves were a wonder, and in autumn the pigs grew +fat on the mast, or the acorns, that had dropped on the ground. + +So, for thousands of years, when men made their home in the forest, and +wanted nothing else, the trees were sacred. + +But by and by, when cows came into the land and sheep and horses +multiplied, more open ground was needed for pasture, grain fields and +meadows. Fruit trees, bearing apples and pears, peaches and cherries, +were planted, and grass, wheat, rye and barley were grown. Then, instead +of the dark woods, men liked to have their gardens and orchards open to +the sunlight. Still, the people were very rude, and all they had on +their bare feet were rough bits of hard leather, tied on through their +toes; though most of them went barefooted. + +The forests had to be cut down. Men were so busy with the axe, that in a +few years, the Wood Land was gone. Then the new "Holland," with its +people and red roofed houses, with its chimneys and windmills, and dykes +and storks, took the place of the old Holt Land of many trees. + +Now there was a good man, a carpenter and very skilful with his tools, +who so loved the oak that he gave himself, and his children after him, +the name of Eyck, which is pronounced Ike, and is Dutch for oak. When, +before his neighbors and friends, according to the beautiful Dutch +custom, he called his youngest born child, to lay the corner-stone of +his new house, he bestowed upon her, before them all, the name of +Neeltje (or Nellie) Van Eyck. + +The carpenter daddy continued to mourn over the loss of the forests. He +even shed tears, fearing lest, by and by, there should not one oak tree +be left in the country. Moreover, he was frightened at the thought that +the new land, made by pushing back the ocean and building dykes, might +sink down again and go back to the fishes. In such a case, all the +people, the babies and their mothers, men, women, horses and cattle, +would be drowned. The Dutch folks were a little too fast, he thought, in +winning their acres from the sea. + +One day, while sitting on his door-step, brooding sorrowfully, a Moss +Maiden and a Tree Elf appeared, skipping along, hand in hand. They came +up to him and told him that his ancestral oak had a message for him. +Then they laughed and ran away. Van Eyck, which was now the man's full +family name, went into the forest and stood under the grand old oak +tree, which his fathers loved, and which he would allow none to cut +down. + +Looking up, the leaves of the tree rustled, and one big branch seemed to +sweep near him. Then it whispered in his ear: + +"Do not mourn, for your descendants, even many generations hence, shall +see greater things than you have witnessed. I and my fellow oak trees +shall pass away, but the sunshine shall be spread over the land and make +it dry. Then, instead of its falling down, like acorns from the trees, +more and better food shall come up from out of the earth. Where green +fields now spread, and the cities grow where forests were, we shall come +to life again, but in another form. When most needed, we shall furnish +you and your children and children's children, with warmth, comfort, +fire, light, and wealth. Nor need you fear for the land, that it will +fall; for, even while living, we, and all the oak trees that are left, +and all the birch, beech, and pine trees shall stand on our heads for +you. We shall hold up your houses, lest they fall into the ooze and you +shall walk and run over our heads. As truly as when rooted in the soil, +will we do this. Believe what we tell you, and be happy. We shall turn +ourselves upside down for you." + +"I cannot see how all these things can be," said Van Eyck. + +"Fear not, my promise will endure." + +The leaves of the branch rustled for another moment. Then, all was +still, until the Moss Maiden and Trintje, the Tree Elf, again, hand in +hand, as they tripped along merrily, appeared to him. + +"We shall help you and get our friends, the elves, to do the same. Now, +do you take some oak wood and saw off two pieces, each a foot long. See +that they are well dried. Then set them on the kitchen table to-night, +when you go to bed." After saying this, and looking at each other and +laughing, just as girls do, they disappeared. + +Pondering on what all this might mean, Van Eyck went to his wood-shed +and sawed off the oak timber. At night, after his wife had cleared off +the supper table, he laid the foot-long pieces in their place. + +When Van Eyck woke up in the morning, he recalled his dream, and, before +he was dressed, hurried to the kitchen. There, on the table, lay a pair +of neatly made wooden shoes. Not a sign of tools, or shavings could be +seen, but the clean wood and pleasant odor made him glad. When he +glanced again at the wooden shoes, he found them perfectly smooth, both +inside and out. They had heels at the bottom and were nicely pointed at +the toes, and, altogether, were very inviting to the foot. He tried them +on, and found that they fitted him exactly. He tried to walk on the +kitchen floor, which his wife kept scrubbed and polished, and then +sprinkled with clean white sand, with broomstick ripples scored in the +layers, but for Van Eyck it was like walking on ice. After slipping and +balancing himself, as if on a tight rope, and nearly breaking his nose +against the wall, he took off the wooden shoes, and kept them off, while +inside the house. However, when he went outdoors, he found his new shoes +very light, pleasant to the feet and easy to walk in. It was not so much +like trying to skate, as it had been in the kitchen. + +At night, in his dreams, he saw two elves come through the window into +the kitchen. One, a kabouter, dark and ugly, had a box of tools. The +other, a light-faced elf, seemed to be the guide. The kabouter at once +got out his saw, hatchet, auger, long, chisel-like knife, and smoothing +plane. At first, the two elves seemed to be quarrelling, as to who +should be boss. Then they settled down quietly to work. The kabouter +took the wood and shaped it on the outside. Then he hollowed out, from +inside of it, a pair of shoes, which the elf smoothed and polished. Then +one elf put his little feet in them and tried to dance, but he only +slipped on the smooth floor and flattened his nose; but the other fellow +pulled the nose straight again, so it was all right. They waltzed +together upon the wooden shoes, then took them off, jumped out the +window, and ran away. + +When Van Eyck put the wooden shoes on, he found that out in the fields, +in the mud, and on the soft soil, and in sloppy places, this sort of +foot gear was just the thing. They did not sink in the mud and the man's +feet were comfortable, even after hours of labor. They did not "draw" +his feet, and they kept out the water far better than leather possibly +could. + +When the Van Eyck vrouw and the children saw how happy Daddy was, they +each one wanted a pair. Then they asked him what he called them. + +"Klompen," said he, in good Dutch, and klompen, or klomps, they are to +this day. + +"I'll make a fortune out of this," said Van Eyck. "I'll set up a +klomp-winkel (shop for wooden shoes) at once." + +So, going out to the blacksmith's shop, in the village, he had the man +who pounded iron fashion for him on his anvil, a set of tools, exactly +like those used by the kabouter and the elf, which he had seen in his +dream. Then he hung out a sign, marked "Wooden blocks for shoes." He +made klomps for the little folks just out of the nursery, for boys and +girls, for grown men and women, and for all who walked out-of-doors, in +the street or on the fields. + +Soon klomps came to be the fashion in all the country places. It was +good manners, when you went into a house, to take off your wooden shoes +and leave them at the door. Even in the towns and cities, ladies wore +wooden slippers, especially when walking or working in the garden. + +Klomps also set the fashion for soft, warm socks, and stockings made +from sheep's wool. Soon, a thousand needles were clicking, to put a soft +cushion between one's soles and toes and the wood. Women knitted, even +while they walked to market, or gossiped on the streets. The +klomp-winkels, or shops of the shoe carpenters, were seen in every +village. + +When rich beyond his day-dreams, Van Eyck had another joyful night +vision. The next day, he wore a smiling countenance. Everybody, who met +him on the street, saluted him and asked, in a neighborly way: + +"Good-morning, Mynheer Bly-moe-dig (Mr. Cheerful). How do you sail +to-day?" + +That's the way the Dutch talk--not "how do you do," but, in their watery +country, it is this, "How do you sail?" or else, "Hoe gat het u al?" +(How goes it with you, already?) + +Then Van Eyck told his dream. It was this: The Moss Maiden and Trintje, +the wood elf, came to him again at night and danced. They were lively +and happy. + +"What now?" asked the dreamer, smilingly, of his two visitors. + +[Illustration: The kabouter took the wood and shaped it on the inside.] + +He had hardly got the question out of his mouth, when in walked a +kabouter, all smutty with blacksmith work. In one hand, he grasped his +tool box. In the other, he held a curious looking machine. It was a big +lump of iron, set in a frame, with ropes to pull it up and let it fall +down with a thump. + +"What is it?" asked Van Eyck. + +"It's a Hey" (a pile driver), said the kabouter, showing him how to use +it. "When men say to you, on the street, to-morrow, 'How do you sail?' +laugh at them," said the Moss Maiden, herself laughing. + +"Yes, and now you can tell the people how to build cities, with mighty +churches with lofty towers, and with high houses like those in other +lands. Take the trees, trim the branches off, sharpen the tops, turn +them upside down and pound them deep in the ground. Did not the ancient +oak promise that the trees would be turned upside down for you? Did they +not say you could walk on top of them?" + +By this time, Van Eyck had asked so many questions, and kept the elves +so long, that the Moss Maiden peeped anxiously through the window. +Seeing the day breaking, she and Trintje and the kabouter flew away, so +as not to be petrified by the sunrise. + +"I'll make another fortune out of this, also," said the happy man, who, +next morning, was saluted as Mynheer Blyd-schap (Mr. Joyful). + +At once, Van Eyck set up a factory for making pile drivers. Sending men +into the woods, who chose the tall, straight trees, he had their +branches cut off. Then he sharpened the trunks at one end, and these +were driven, by the pile driver, down, far and deep, into the ground. So +a foundation, as good as stone, was made in the soft and spongy soil, +and well built houses uprose by the thousands. Even the lofty walls of +churches stood firm. The spires were unshaken in the storm. + +Old Holland had not fertile soil like France, or vast flocks of sheep, +producing wool, like England, or armies of weavers, as in the Belgic +lands. Yet, soon there rose large cities, with splendid mansions and +town halls. As high towards heaven as the cathedrals and towers in other +lands, which had rock for foundation, her brick churches rose in the +air. On top of the forest trees, driven deep into the sand and clay, +dams and dykes were built, that kept out the ocean. So, instead of the +old two thousand square miles, there were, in the realm, in the course +of years, twelve thousand, rich in green fields and cattle. Then, for +all the boys and girls that travel in this land of quaint customs, +Holland was a delight. + + + + +THE CURLY-TAILED LION + + +Once upon a time, some Dutch hunters went to Africa, hoping to capture a +whole family of lions. In this they succeeded. With a pack of hounds and +plenty of aborigines to poke the jungle with sticks, they drove a big +male lion, with his wife and four whelps, out of the undergrowth into a +circle. In the centre, they had dug a pit and covered it over with +sticks and grass. Into this, the whole lion family tumbled. Then, by +nets and ropes, the big, fierce creatures and the little cubs were +lifted out. They were put in cages and brought to Holland. The baby +lions, no bigger than pug dogs, were as pretty and harmless as kittens. +The sailors delighted to play with them. + +Now lions, even before one was ever seen among the Dutch, enjoyed a +great reputation for strength, courage, dignity and power. It was +believed that they had all the traits of character supposed to belong to +kings, and which boys like to possess. Many fathers had named their sons +Leo, which is Latin for lion. Dutch daddies had their baby boys +christened with the name of Leeuw, which is their word for the king of +beasts. + +Before lions were brought from the hot countries into colder lands, the +bear and wolf were most admired; because, besides possessing plenty of +fur, as well as great claws and terrible teeth, they had great courage. +For these reasons, many royal and common folks had taken the wolf and +bear as namesakes for their hopeful sons. + +But the male lion could make more noise than wolves, for he could roar, +while they could only howl. He had a shaggy mane and a very long tail. +This had a nail at the end, for scratching and combing out his hair, +when tangled up. If he were angry, the mighty brute could stick out his +red tongue, curled like a pump handle, and nearly half a yard long. + +So the lion was called the king of beasts, and the crowned rulers and +knights took him as their emblem. They had pictures of the huge creature +painted on their flags, shields and armor. Sometimes they stuck a gold +or brass lion on their iron war hats, which they called helmets. No +knight was allowed to have more than one lion on his shield, but kings +might have three or four, or even a whole menagerie of meat-eating +creatures. These painted or sculptured lions were in all sorts of +action, running, walking, standing up and looking behind or before. + +Now there was a Dutch artist, who noticed what funny fellows kings were, +and how they liked to have all sorts of beasts and birds of prey, and +sea creatures that devour, on their banners. There were dragons, +two-headed eagles, boars with tusks, serpents with fangs, hawks, +griffins, wyverns, lions, dragons and dragon-lions, besides horses with +wings, mermaids with scaly tails, and even night mares that went flying +through the dark. With such a funny variety of beast, bird, and fish, +some wondered why there were not cows with two tails, cats with two +noses, rams with four horns, and creatures that were half veal and half +mutton. He noticed that kings did not care much for tame, quiet, +peaceable, or useful creatures, such as oxen or horses, doves or sheep; +but only for those brutes that hunt and kill the more defenceless +creatures. + +Since, then, kings of the country must have a lion, the artist resolved +to make a new one. He would have some fun, at any rate. + +So as painter or sculptor select men and women to pose for them in their +study as their heroes and heroines, and just as they picture plump +little boys and girls as cherubs and angels, so the Dutchman would make +of the cubs and the father beast of prey his models for coats of arms. + +Poor lions! They did not know, but they soon found out how tiresome it +was to pose. They must hold their paws up, down, sideways or behind, +according as they were told. They must stand or kneel, for a long time, +in awkward positions. They must stick out their tongues to full length, +walk on their hind legs, twist their necks, to one side or the other, +look forward or backward, and in many tiresome ways do just as they were +ordered. They must also make of their tails every sort of use, whether +to wrap around posts or bundles, to stick out of their cage, or put +between their legs, as they ran away, or to whisk them around, as they +roared; or hoist them up high when rampant. + +In some cases, they were expected, even, to put on spectacles, and +pretend to be reading, to hold in their paws books and scrolls, or town +arms, or shop signs. They must pose, not only as companions of Daniel, +in the lions' den at Babylon, which was proper; but also to sit, as +companion of St. Mark, and even to stand on their legs on the top of a +high column, without falling off. + +In a word, this artist belonged to the college of heralds, and he +introduced the king of beasts into Dutch heraldry. + +So from that day forth, the life of that family of African lions, from +the daddy to the youngest cub, was made a burden. When at home in the +jungle and even in the cage, the father lion's favorite position was +that of lolling on one side, with his paws stretched out, and half +asleep and all day, until he went out, towards dark, to hunt. Now, he +must stand up, nearly all day. Daddy lion had to do most of the posing, +until the poor beast's front legs and paws were weary with standing so +long. Moreover, the hair was all worn off his body at the place where he +had to sit on the hard wooden floor. He must do all this, on penalty of +being punched with a red hot poker, if he refused. A charcoal furnace +and long andirons were kept near by, and these were attended to by a +Dutch boy. Or, it might be that the whole family of lions were not +allowed to have any dinner till Daddy obeyed and did what he was told, +though often with a snarl or a roar. + +First, Leo must rise upon his hind legs and look in front of him. This +posture was not hard, for in his native jungle, he had often thus +obtained a breakfast of venison for his wife and family. But oh, to +stand a half hour on two legs only, when he had four, and would gladly +have used all of them, was hard. Yet this was the position, called "the +lion rampant," which kings liked best. + +But the king's uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, and his wife's +relations generally, every one of them, wanted a lion on his or her +stationery and pocket handkerchiefs, as well as on their shields and +flags. So the old lion was tortured--the hot poker being always in +sight--and he was made to take a great variety of positions. The artist +called out to Leo, just as a driver says to his cart horse, "whoa," "get +up," "golong," etc. When he yelled in this fashion, the lion had to +obey. + +Pretty soon lions in heraldry, on flags, armor, town arms, family crests +and city seals became all the fashion. The whole country went lion-mad. +There were lions carved in stone, wood and iron, and every sort and +kind, possible or impossible. Some of them seemed to be engaged in a +variety of tricks, as if they belonged to a circus, or were having a +holiday. They laughed, giggled, yawned, stuck out their tongues, held +boards for hotels, bundles for the shopkeepers, or barrels for beer +halls, and made excellent shop signs, which the boys and girls enjoyed +looking at. + +Mrs. Leo was not in much demand, for Mr. Leo did not approve of his +wife's appearing in public. She was kept busy in taking care of her +cubs. Daddy Lion had to do multiple work for his family, until the cubs +were grown. Yet long before this time had come, their Dad had died and +been stuffed for a museum. How this first king of beasts in the +Netherlands came to his untimely end was on this wise. + +Not satisfied with posing Leo in every posture, and with all possible +gestures, his master, the artist, wanted him to look "heraldical"; that +is, like some of the mythical beasts that were combinations of any and +all creatures having fins, fur, feathers, or scales, such as the dragon +or griffin. One day, he attempted to make out of a live lion a fanciful +creature of curlicues and curliewurlies. So he strapped the lion down, +and used a curling iron on his mane until he looked like a bearded bull +of Babylon. Then he combed out, and, with curl papers, twisted the long +line of hair, which is seen in front of Leo's stomach. In like manner, +he treated the bunches of hair that grow over the animal's kneepans and +elbows. Last of all, he took a hair brush, and smoothed out the tuft, at +the end of the animal's long tail. Then the artist made a picture of him +in this condition, all curled and rich in ringlets, like a dandy. + +By this time, the father of the lion family looked as if he had come out +fresh from a hairdresser's parlor. Indeed, Mrs. Leo was so struck with +her husband's appearance, that she immediately licked her cubs all over, +until their fur shone, so they should look like their father. Then, +having used her tongue as a comb, to make her own skin smooth and +glossy, she completed the job by using the nail in her tail, to do the +finishing work. Altogether, this was the curliest family of lions ever +seen, and Daddy Leo appeared to be the funniest curly-headed and +curly-bodied lion ever seen. In fact he was all curls, from head to +tail. + +Notwithstanding all his pains, the artist was not yet satisfied with his +job. He wanted a circle of long hair to grow in the middle of the lion's +tail. His curly lion should beat all creation, and in this way he +proceeded. + +His own daughter, being a young lady and having some trouble of the +throat, the doctor had ordered medicine for the girl, charging her not +to spill any drops of the liquid on her face, or clothes. + +But, in giving the dose, either the mother, or the daughter, was +careless. At that very moment the cat ran across the room, after the +mouse, and just as she held the spoon to her mouth, Puss got twisted in +her skirts. So most of the medicine splashed upon her upper lip and then +ran down to her chin, on either side of her mouth. She laughed over the +spill, wiped off the liquid, and thought no more of the matter. + +But a week later, she was astonished. On waking, she looked in the +glass, only to shrink back in horror. On her face had grown both +moustaches and a beard. True, both were rather downy, but still they +were black; and, until the barber came, and shaved off the growth, she +was a bearded woman. Yet, strange to tell, after one or two shaves by +the barber, no more hair grew again on her face, which was smooth again. + +"By Saint Servatus! I'll make a fortune on this," cried the artist, when +he saw his daughter's hairy face. + +So, he sold his secret to a druggist, and this man made an ointment, +giving it a Chinese name, meaning "beard-grower." This wonderful +medicine, as his sign declared, would "force the growth of luxuriant +moustaches and a beard, on the smoothest face of any young man," who +should buy and apply it. + +Soon the whole town rang with the news of the wonderful discovery. The +druggist sold out his stock, in two days, to happy purchasers. Other +young fellows, that wanted to outrival their companions, had to wait a +fortnight for the new medicine to be made. By that time, a full crop of +downy hair had come out on the cheeks and chin and upper lip of many a +youth. Some, who had been trying for years to raise moustaches, in order +duly to impress the girls, to whom they were making love, were now +jubilant. In several cases, a lover was able to cut out his rival and +win the maid he wanted. Several courtings were hastened and became +genuine matches, because a face, long very smooth, and like a desert as +to hair, bore a promising crop. Beard and cheeks had at last met +together. So the new medicine was called a "match-maker." + +The artist rubbed his hands in glee, at the prospect of a fortune. He +argued that if the wonderful ointment made beards for men, it must be +good for lions also. So again, Daddy Lion was coerced by the threat of +the hot poker. Then his tail was seized, and, by means of a rope, tied +to a post on one side of the cage, he was held fast. Then the artist +anointed about six inches of the middle of the smooth tail with the +magic liquid. For fear the lion might lick it off, the poor beast was +held in this tiresome position for a whole week, so that he could not +turn round, and he nearly died of fatigue. + +But it happened to the lion's tail, as it did with the young men's +chins, cheeks and upper lips. A beard did indeed grow, but once shaved +off--and many did shave, thinking to promote greater growth--no more +hair ever appeared again. The ointment forced a downy growth but it +killed the roots of the hair. + +A worse fate befell the lion. A crop of hair, perhaps an inch longer +than common, grew out. But this time, the bad medicine, which had +deceived men, and was unfit for lions, struck in. + +From this cause, added to nervous prostration, old Leo fell dead. As +lion fathers go, he was a good one, and his widow and children mourned +for him. He had never once, however hungry, tried to eat up his cubs, +which was something in his favor. + +Soon after these exploits, the old artist died also. His son, hearing +there was still a demand, among kings, for lions, and those especially +with centre curls in their tails, took the most promising of the whelps +and petted and fed him well. In the seventh year, when his mane and +elbow and knee hair had grown out, this cub was mated to a young lioness +of like promise. When, of this couple, a male whelp was born, it was +found that in due time its knees, elbows, tail-tuft, and the front of +its body were all rich in furry growth. In the middle of its tail, also, +thick ringlets, several inches long, were growing. Evidently, the hair +tonic had done some good. So this one became the father of all the +curly-tailed lions in the Netherlands. Not only was this lion, thus +distinguished for so novel an ornament, copied into heraldry, but it +adorned many city seals and town arms. In time, the lion of the +Netherlands was pictured with a crown on its head, a sword in its right +hand, a bundle of seven arrows--in token of a union of seven +states--and, still later, the new Order of the Netherlands Lion was +founded. The original curly lion, with long hair in the middle of its +tail, boasts of a long line of descendants that are proud of their +ancestor. + + + + +BRABO AND THE GIANT + + +Ages ago, when the giants were numerous on the earth, there lived a big +fellow named Antigonus. That was not what his mother had called him, but +some one told him of a Greek general of that name; so he took this for +his own. He was rough and cruel. His castle was on the Scheldt River, +where the city of Antwerp now stands. Many ships sailed out of France +and Holland, down this stream. They were loaded with timber, flax, iron, +cheese, fish, bread, linen, and other things made in the country. It was +by this trade that many merchants grew rich, and their children had +plenty of toys to play with. The river was very grand, deep, and wide. +The captains of the ships liked to sail on it, because there was no +danger from rocks, and the country through which it flowed was so +pretty. + +So every day, one could see hundreds of white-sailed craft moving +towards the sea, or coming in from the ocean. Boys and girls came down +to stand in their wooden shoes on the banks, to see the vessels moving +to and fro. The incoming ships brought sugar, wine, oranges, lemons, +olives and other good things to eat, and wool to make warm clothes. +Often craftsmen came from the wonderful countries in the south to tell +of the rich cities there, and help to build new and fine houses, and +splendid churches, and town halls. So all the Belgian people were happy. + +But one day, this wicked giant came into the country to stop the ships +and make them pay him money. He reared a strong castle on the river +banks. It had four sides and high walls, and deep down in the earth were +dark, damp dungeons. One had to light a candle to find his way to the +horrid places. + +What was it all for? The people wondered, but they soon found out. The +giant, with a big knotted club, made out of an oak tree, strode through +the town. He cried out to all the people to assemble in the great open +square. + +"From this day forth," he roared, "no ship, whether up or down the +river, shall pass by this place, without my permission. Every captain +must pay me toll, in money or goods. Whoever refuses, shall have both +his hands cut off and thrown into the river. + +"Hear ye all and obey. Any one caught in helping a ship go by without +paying toll, whether it be night, or whether it be day, shall have his +thumbs cut off and be put in the dark dungeon for a month. Again I say, +Obey!" + +With this, the giant swung and twirled his club aloft and then brought +it down on a poor countryman's cart, smashing it into flinders. This was +done to show his strength. + +So every day, when the ships hove in sight, they were hailed from the +giant's castle and made to pay heavy toll. Poor or rich, they had to +hand over their money. If any captain refused, he was brought ashore and +made to kneel before a block and place one hand upon the other. Then the +giant swung his axe and cut off both hands, and flung them into the +river. If a ship master hesitated, because he had no money, he was cast +into a dungeon, until his friends paid his ransom. + +Soon, on account of this, the city got a bad name. The captains from +France kept in, and the ship men from Spain kept out. The merchants +found their trade dwindling, and they grew poorer every day. So some of +them slipped out of the city and tried to get the ships to sail in the +night, and silently pass the giant's castle. + +But the giant's watchers, on the towers, were as wide awake as owls and +greedy as hawks. They pounced on the ship captains, chopped off their +hands and tossed them into the river. The townspeople, who were found on +board, were thrown into the dungeons and had their thumbs cut off. + +So the prosperity of the city was destroyed, for the foreign merchants +were afraid to send their ships into the giant's country. The reputation +of the city grew worse. It was nicknamed by the Germans Hand Werpen, or +Hand Throwing; while the Dutchmen called it Antwerp, which meant the +same thing. The Duke of Brabant, or Lord of the land, came to the big +fellow's fortress and told him to stop. He even shook his fist under the +giant's huge nose, and threatened to attack his castle and burn it. But +Antigonus only snapped his fingers, and laughed at him. He made his +castle still stronger and kept on hailing ships, throwing some of the +crews into dungeons and cutting off the hands of the captains, until the +fish in the river grew fat. + +Now there was a brave young fellow named Brabo, who lived in the +province of Brabant. He was proud of his country and her flag of yellow, +black and red, and was loyal to his lord. He studied the castle well and +saw a window, where he could climb up into the giant's chamber. + +Going to the Duke, Brabo promised if his lord's soldiers would storm the +gates of the giant's castle, that he would seek out and fight the +ruffian. While they battered down the gates, he would climb the walls. +"He's nothing but a 'bulle-wak'" (a bully and a boaster), said Brabo, +"and we ought to call him that, instead of Antigonus." + +The Duke agreed. On a dark night, one thousand of his best men-at-arms +were marched with their banners, but with no drums or trumpets, or +anything that could make a noise and alarm the watchmen. + +Reaching a wood full of big trees near the castle, they waited till +after midnight. All the dogs in the town and country, for five miles +around, were seized and put into barns, so as not to bark and wake the +giant up. They were given plenty to eat, so that they quickly fell +asleep and were perfectly quiet. + +At the given signal, hundreds of men holding ship's masts, or tree +trunks, marched against the gates. They punched and pounded and at last +smashed the iron-bound timbers and rushed in. After overcoming the +garrison, they lighted candles, and unlocking the dungeons, went down +and set the poor half-starved captives free. Some of them pale, haggard +and thin as hop poles, could hardly stand. About the same time, the barn +doors where the dogs had been kept, were thrown open. In full cry, a +regiment of the animals, from puppies to hounds, were at once out, +barking, baying, and yelping, as if they knew what was going on and +wanted to see the fun. + +But where was the giant? None of the captains could find him. Not one of +the prisoners or the garrison could tell where he had hid. + +But Brabo knew that the big fellow, Antigonus, was not at all brave, but +really only a bully and a coward. So the lad was not afraid. Some of his +comrades outside helped him to set up a tall ladder against the wall. +Then, while all the watchers and men-at-arms inside, had gone away to +defend the gates, Brabo climbed into the castle, through a slit in the +thick wall. This had been cut out, like a window, for the bow-and-arrow +men, and was usually occupied by a sentinel. Sword in hand, Brabo made +for the giant's own room. Glaring at the youth, the big fellow seized +his club and brought it down with such force that it went through the +wooden floor. But Brabo dodged the blow and, in a trice, made a sweep +with his sword. Cutting off the giant's head, he threw it out the +window. It had hardly touched the ground, before the dogs arrived. One +of the largest of these ran away with the trophy and the big, hairy +noddle of the bully was never found again. + +But the giant's huge hands! Ah, they were cut off by Brabo, who stood on +the very top of the highest tower, while all below looked up and +cheered. Brabo laid one big hand on top of the other, as the giant used +to do, when he cut off the hands of captains. He took first the right +hand and then the left hand and threw them, one at a time, into the +river. + +A pretty sight now revealed the fact that the people knew what had been +going on and were proud of Brabo's valor. In a moment, every house in +Antwerp showed lighted candles, and the city was illuminated. Issuing +from the gates came a company of maidens. They were dressed in white, +but their leader was robed in yellow, red, and black, the colors of the +Brabant flag. They all sang in chorus the praises of Brabo their hero. + +"Let us now drop the term of disgrace to the city--that of the +Hand-Throwing and give it a new name," said one of the leading men of +Antwerp. + +"No," said the chief ruler, "let us rather keep the name, and, more than +ever, invite all peaceful ships to come again, 'an-'t-werf' (at the +wharf), as of old. Then, let the arms of Antwerp be two red hands above +a castle." + +"Agreed," cried the citizens with a great shout. The Duke of Brabant +approved and gave new privileges to the city, on account of Brabo's +bravery. So, from high to low, all rejoiced to honor their hero, who +was richly rewarded. + +After this, thousands of ships, from many countries, loaded or unloaded +their cargoes on the wharves, or sailed peacefully by. Antwerp excelled +all seaports and became very rich again. Her people loved their native +city so dearly, that they coined the proverb "All the world is a ring, +and Antwerp is the pearl set in it." + +To this day, in the great square, rises the splendid bronze monument of +Brabo the Brave. The headless and handless hulk of the giant Antigonus +lies sprawling, while on his body rests Antwerp castle. Standing over +all, at the top, is Brabo high in air. He holds one of the hands of +Antigonus, which he is about to toss into the Scheldt River. + +No people honor valor more than the Belgians. Themselves are to-day, as +of old, among the bravest. + + + + +THE FARM THAT RAN AWAY AND CAME BACK + + +There was once a Dutchman, who lived in the province called Drenthe. +Because there was a row of little trees on his farm, his name was Ryer +Van Boompjes; that is, Ryer of the Little Trees. After a while, he moved +to the shore of the Zuyder Zee and into Overijssel. Overijssel means +over the Ijssel River. There he bought a new farm, near the village of +Blokzyl. By dyking and pumping, certain wise men had changed ten acres, +of sand and heath, into pasture and land for plowing. They surrounded it +on three sides with canals. The fourth side fronted on the Zuyder Zee. +Then they advertised, in glowing language, the merits of the new land +and Ryer Van Boompjes bought it and paid for his real estate. He was as +proud as a popinjay of his island and he ruled over it like a Czar or a +Kaiser. + +A few years before, Ryer had married a "queezel," as the Dutch call +either a nun, or a maid who is no longer young. At this date, when our +story begins, he had four blooming, but old-fashioned children, with +good appetites. They could eat cabbage and potatoes, rye bread and +cheese, by the half peck, and drink buttermilk by the quart. In +addition, Ryer owned four horses, six cows, two dogs, some roosters and +hens, a flock of geese, two dozen ducks, and a donkey. + +Yet although Ryer was rich, as wealth is reckoned in Drenthe, whence he +had come, he was greedy for more. He skimped the food of his animals. So +much did he do this, that his neighbors declared that they had seen him +put green spectacles on his cows and the donkey. Then he mixed straws +and shavings with the hay to make the animals think they were eating +fresh grass. + +When he ploughed, he drove his horses close to the edge next to the +water, so as to make use of every half inch of land. When sometimes bits +of fen land, from his neighbor's farms, got loose and floated on the +water, Ryer felt he was in luck. He would go out at night, grapple the +boggy stuff and fasten it to his own land. + +After this had happened several times, and Ryer had added a half acre to +his holdings, his greed possessed him like a bad fairy. He began to +steal the land on the other side of the Zuyder Zee. In the course of +time, he became a regular land thief. Whenever he saw, or heard of, a +floating bit of territory, he rowed his boat after it by night. Before +morning, aided by wicked helpers, who shared in the plunder, and were in +his pay, he would have the bog attached to his own farm. + +All this time, he hardly realized that his ill-gotten property, now +increased to twelve acres or more, was itself a very shaky bit of real +estate. In fact, it was not real at all. His wife one day told him so, +for she knew of her mean husband's trickery. + +About this time, heavy rains fell, for many days, and without ceasing, +until all the region was reduced to pulp and the country seemed afloat. +The dykes appeared ready to burst. Thousands feared that the land had an +attack of the disease called val (fall) and that the soil would sink +under the waves as portions of the realm had done before, in days long +gone by. + +Yet none of this impending trouble worried Ryer, whose greed grew by +what it fed upon. In fact, the first day the sun shone again, quickly +drying up parts of his farm, he had two horses harnessed up for work. +Then he drove them so near the edge of the ditch that plough, man, and +horses tumbled, and down they went, into the shiny mess of mud and +water. + +At this moment, also, the water, from below the bottom of the Zuyder +Zee, welled up, in a great wave, like a mushroom, and the whole of +Ryer's soggy estate was on the point of breaking loose and seemed ready +to float away. + +The stingy fellow, as he fell overboard, bumped his head so hard on the +plough beam, that he lay senseless for a half hour. He would certainly +have been drowned, had not Pete, his stout son, who was not far away, +and had seen the tumble, ran to the house, launched a boat and rowed +quickly to the spot, where he had last seen his father. Grabbing his +daddy by the collar, he hauled him, half dead, into the boat. Between +his bump and his fright, and the cold bath, old Ryer was a long time +coming to his wits. With filial piety, Pete kept on rubbing the paternal +hands and restoring the circulation. + +All this, however, took a long time, even an hour or more. When his +father was able to sit up and talk, Pete started to row back to the +little wharf in front of his home. + +But where was it,--the farm, with the house and fields? Whither had they +gone? Ryer was too mystified to get his bearings, but Pete knew the +points of the compass. Yet his father's farm was not there. He looked at +the shore of Overijssel, which he had left. Instead of the old, straight +lines of willow trees, with the church spire beyond, there was a hollow +and empty place. It looked as if a giant, as big as the world itself, +had bitten out a piece of land and swallowed it down. Dumbfounded, +father and son looked, the one at the other, but said nothing, for there +was nothing to say. + +Meanwhile, what had become of the farm and "the Queezel," as the +neighbors still called her--that is, the mother with the children. These +good people soon saw that they were floating off somewhere. The mainland +was every moment receding further into the distance. In fact, the farm +was moving from Overijssel northward, towards Friesland. One by one, the +church spires of the village near by faded from sight. + +But when the wind changed from south to west, they seemed as if on a +ship, with sails set, and to be making due west, for North Holland. The +younger children, so far from being afraid, clapped their hands in glee. +They thought it great fun to ferry across the big water, which they had +so long seen before their eyes. Their stingy father had never owned a +carriage, or allowed the horses to be ridden. He always made his family +walk to church. Whether it were to the sermon, in the morning, or to +hear the catechism expounded by the Domine, in the afternoon, all the +family had to tramp on their wooden shoes there and back. + +As for the floating farm, the cows could not understand it. They mooed +piteously, while the donkey brayed loudly. At night, and day after day, +no one could attend properly to the animals, to see that they were fed +and given water. One always sees a big tub in the middle of a Dutch +pasture field. Neither ducks, nor geese, nor chickens minded it in the +least, but the thirsty cattle and horses, at the end of the first day, +had drunk the tub dry. None of the dumb brutes, even if they had not +been afraid of being drowned, could drink from the Zuyder Zee, for it +was chiefly sea water, that is, salt, or at least brackish. + +Occasionally this errant farm, that had thus broken loose, passed by +fishermen, who wondered at so much land thus adrift. Yet they feared to +hail, and go on board, lest the owners might think them intruding. +Others thought it none of their business, supposing some crazy fellow +was using his farm as a ship, to move his lands, goods and household, +and thus save expense. In some of the villages, the runaway farm was +descried from the tops of the church towers. Then, it furnished a +subject for chat and gossip, during three days, to the women, as they +milked the cows, or knitted stockings. To the men, also, while they +smoked, or drank their coffee, it was a lively topic. + +"There were real people on it and a house and stables," said the sexton +of a church, who declared that he had seen this new sort of a flying +Dutchman. It was the usual sight--"cow, dog, and stork," and then he +quoted the old Dutch proverb. + +At last, after several days, and when Ryer and his son were nearly +finished, with fatigue and fright, in trying to row their boat to catch +up with the runaway farm, they finally reached a village across the +Zuyder Zee, in North Holland, where rye bread and turnips satisfied +their hunger and they had waffles for dessert. Their small change went +quickly, and then the two men were at their wit's end to know what +further to do. + +By this time, out on the floating farm, the mother and children were +wild with fear of starving. All the food for the cattle had been eaten +up, the dog had no meat, the cat no milk, and the stork had run out of +its supply of frogs. There was no sugar or coffee, and neither rye nor +currant-bread, or sliced sausage or wafer-thin cheese for any one; but +only potatoes and some barley grain. Happily, however, in drifting +within sight of the village of Osterbeek, the mother and the children +noticed that the east wind was freshening. Soon they descried the tops +of the church towers of North Holland. The smell of cows and cheese and +of burning peat fires from the chimneys made both animals and human +beings happy, as the wind blew the island westward to the village. + +Curiously enough, this was the very place at which, by hard rowing, Ryer +and Pete had also arrived. Father and son were sitting in the hotel +parlor, with their eyes down on the sandy floor, wondering how they were +to pay for their next sandwich and coffee, for their money was all gone. + +At that moment, a small boy clattered over the bricks in his klomps. He +kicked these off, at the door, and rushed into the room. He had on his +yellow baggy trousers and his hair, of the same color, was cut level +with his ears. Half out of breath, he announced the coming, afloat, of +what looked like a combination of farm and menagerie. A house, a woman, +some girls, a dog, a cat, and a stork were on it and afloat. + +At once, old man Ryer, still stiff from his long, cold bath, hobbled +out, and Pete ran before him. Yes, it was mother, the children and all +the animals! For the first time in his life, the mean old sinner felt +his heart thumping, in grateful emotion, under his woolen jacket, with +its two gold buttons. Something like real religion had finally oozed out +from under his crusted soul. + +A whole convoy of boys, fishermen, farmers, and a fat vrouw or two, +volunteered to go out and tow the runaway farm to the village wharf. +They succeeded in grappling the float and held it fast by ropes tied to +a horse post. + +That night all were happy. The farm was made fast by another rope put +round the town pump. Then the villagers all went to bed. They were happy +in having rescued a runaway farm, and they expected a good "loon" +(reward) from the rich old Ryer, who, in the barroom, had talked big +about his wealth. + +As for the Van Boompjes, in order to save a landlord's bill for beds, +they slept in their house, on board the farm, amid the lowing of their +cattle that called out, in their own way, for more fodder; while the +people in the village wondered at roosters crowing out on the water, and +evidently the barn-yard birds were frightened. + +And so they were; for, before midnight, when all other creatures were +asleep, and not even a mouse was stirring on land, whether hard fast, or +floating, the west wind rose mightily and blew to a terrific gale. + +In a moment, the tow lines, that held the vagrant farm to the village +pump and horse post, snapped. The Van Boompjes estate left the wharf and +was driven, at a furious rate, across the Zuyder Zee. For several hours, +like a ship under full sail, it was pushed westward by the wind. Yet so +soundly did all sleep, man and wife, children and hens, that none +awakened during this strange voyage. Even the roosters, after their +first concert, held in their voices. + +Suddenly, and as straight as if steered by a skilled pilot, the Van +Boompjes farm, now an accomplished traveller, after its many adventures, +shot into its old place. This took place with such violence, that Ryer +Van Boompjes and his wife were both thrown out of bed. The cows were +knocked over in the stable. The dog barked, supposing some one had +kicked him. One old rooster, jostled off his perch, set up a tremendous +crowing, that brought some of the early risers out to rub their eyes and +see what was going on. + +"Hemel en aard, bliksem en regen" (Heaven and earth, lightning and +rain), they cried, "the old farm is back in its place." + +In fact, the Van Boompjes real estate was snugly fitted once more to the +mainland, and again in the niche it had left. It had struck so hard, +that a ridge of raised sod, five inches high, marked the place of +junction. At least twenty fishes and wriggling eels were smashed in the +collision. + +From that day forth the conscience of Van Boompjes returned, and he +actually became an honest man. He sawed off, from time to time, portions +of his big farm, and returned them home, with money paid as interest, to +the owners. He found out all the mynheers, whose bits of land had +drifted off. He sent a tidy sum of gold to the village in North Holland, +where his farm had been moored, for a few hours. With a good conscience, +he went to church and worshipped. His action, at each of the two +collections, which Dutch folks always take up on Sundays, was noticed +and praised as a sure and public sign of the old sinner's true +repentance. When the deacons, with their white gloves on, poked under +his nose their black velvet bags, hung at the end of fishing poles, ten +feet long, this man, who had been for years a skinflint, dropped in a +silver coin each time. + +On the farm, all the animals, from duck to stork, and from dog to ox, +now led happier lives. In the family, all declared that the behavior of +the farm and the wind of the Zuyder Zee had combined to make a new man +and a delightful father of old Van Boompjes. He lived long and happily +and died greatly lamented. + + + + +SANTA KLAAS AND BLACK PETE + + +Who is Santa Klaas? How did he get his name? Where does he live? Did you +ever see him? + +These are questions, often asked of the storyteller, by little folks. + +Before Santa Klaas came into the Netherlands, that is, to Belgium and +Holland, he was called by many names, in the different countries in +which he lived, and where he visited. Some people say he was born in +Myra, many hundred years ago before the Dutch had a dyke or a windmill, +or waffles, or wooden shoes. Others tell us how, in time of famine, the +good saint found the bodies of three little boys, pickled in a tub, at a +market for sale, and to be eaten up. They had been salted down to keep +till sold. The kind gentleman and saint, whose name was Nicholas, +restored these three children to life. It is said that once he lost his +temper, and struck with his fist a gentleman named Arius; but the +story-teller does not believe this, for he thinks it is a fib, made up +long afterward. How could a saint lose his temper so? + +Another story they tell of this same Nicholas was this. There were three +lovely maidens, whose father had lost all his money. They wanted +husbands very badly, but had no money to buy fine clothes to get married +in. He took pity on both their future husbands and themselves. So he +came to the window, and left three bags of gold, one after the other. +Thus these three real girls all got real husbands, just as the novels +tell us of the imaginary ones. They lived happily ever afterward, and +never scolded their husbands. + +By and by, men who were goldsmiths, bankers or pawnbrokers, made a sign +of these three bags of gold, in the shape of balls. Now they hang them +over their shop doors, two above one. This means "two to one, you will +never get it again"--when you put your ring, furs, or clothes, or watch, +or spoons, in pawn. + +It is ridiculous how many stories they do tell of this good man, +Nicholas, who was said to be what they call a bishop, or inspector, who +goes around seeing that things are done properly in the churches. It was +because the Reverend Mr. Nicholas had to travel about a good deal, that +the sailors and travellers built temples and churches in his honor. To +travel, one must have a ship on the sea and a horse on the land, or a +reindeer up in the cold north; though now, it is said, he comes to +Holland in a steamship, and uses an automobile. + +On Santa Klaas eve, each of the Dutch children sets out in the chimney +his wooden shoe. Into it, he puts a whisp of hay, to feed the +traveller's horse. When St. Nicholas first came to Holland, he arrived +in a sailing ship from Spain and rode on a horse. Now he arrives in a +big steamer, made of steel. Perhaps he will come in the future by +aeroplane. To fill all the shoes and stockings, the good saint must have +an animal to ride. Now the fast white horse, named Sleipnir, was ready +for him, and on Sleipnir's back he made his journeys. + +How was Santa Klaas dressed? + +His clothes were those of a bishop. He wore a red coat and his cap, +higher than a turban and called a mitre, was split along two sides and +pointed at the top. In his hands, he held a crozier, which was a staff +borrowed from shepherds, who tended sheep; and with the crozier he +helped the lambs over rough places; but the crozier of Santa Klaas was +tipped with gold. He had white hair and rosy cheeks. For an old man, he +was very active, but his heart and feelings never got to be one day +older than a boy's, for these began when mother love was born and +father's care was first in the world, but it never grows old. + +When Santa Klaas travelled up north to Norway and into the icy cold +regions, where there were sleighs and reindeer, he changed his clothes. +Instead of his red robe, he wears a jacket, much shorter and trimmed +with ermine, white as snow. Taking off his mitre, he wears a cap of fur +also, and has laid aside his crozier. In the snow, wheels are no good, +and runners are the best for swift travel. So, instead of his white +horse and a wagon, he drives in a sleigh, drawn by two stags with large +horns. In every country, he puts into the children's stockings hung up, +or shoes set in the fireplace, something which they like. In Greenland, +for example, he gives the little folks seal blubber, and fish hooks. So +his presents are not the same in every country. However, for naughty +boys and girls everywhere, instead of filling shoes and stockings, he +may leave a switch, or pass them by empty. + +When Santa Klaas travels, he always brings back good things. Now when he +first came to New Netherland in America, what did he find to take back +to Holland? + +Well, it was here, on our continent, that he found corn, potatoes, +pumpkins, maple sugar, and something to put in pipes to smoke; besides +strange birds and animals, such as turkeys and raccoons, in addition to +many new flowers. What may be called a weed, like the mullein, for +example, is considered very pretty in Europe, where they did not have +such things. There it is called the American Velvet Plant, or the King's +Candlestick. + +But, better than all, Santa Klaas found a negro boy, Pete, who became +one of the most faithful of his helpers. At Utrecht, in Holland, the +students of the University give, every year, a pageant representing +Santa Klaas on his white horse, with Black Pete, who is always on hand +and very busy. Black Pete's father brought peanuts from Africa to +America, and sometimes Santa Klaas drops a bagful of these, as a great +curiosity, into the shoes of the Dutch young folks. + +Santa Klaas was kept very busy visiting the homes and the public schools +in New Netherland; for in these schools all the children, girls as well +as boys, and not boys only, received a free education. In later visits +he heard of Captain Kidd and his fellow pirates, who wore striped shirts +and red caps, and had pigtails of hair, tied in eel skins, and hanging +down their backs. These fellows wore earrings and stuck pistols in their +belts and daggers at their sides. Instead of getting their gold +honestly, and giving it to the poor, or making presents to the children, +the pirates robbed ships. Then, as 'twas said, they buried their +treasure. Lunatics and boys that read too many novels, have ever since +been digging in the land to find Captain Kidd's gold. + +Santa Klaas does not like such people. Moreover, he was just as good to +the poor slaves, as to white children. So the colored people loved the +good saint also. Their pickaninnies always hung up their stockings on +the evening of December sixth. + +Santa Klaas filled the souls of the people in New Netherland so full of +his own spirit, that now children all over the United States, and those +of Americans living in other countries, hang up their stockings and look +for a visit from him. + +In Holland, Black Pete was very loyal and true to his master, carrying +not only the boxes and bundles of presents for the good children, but +also the switches for bad boys and girls. Between the piles of pretty +things to surprise good children, on one side, and the boxes of birch +and rattan, the straps and hard hair-brush backs for naughty youngsters, +Pete holds the horn of plenty. In this are dolls, boats, trumpets, +drums, balls, toy houses, flags, the animals in Noah's Ark, building +blocks, toy castles and battleships, story and picture books, little +locomotives, cars, trains, automobiles, aeroplanes, rocking horses, +windmills, besides cookies, candies, marbles, tops, fans, lace, and more +nice things than one can count. + +Pete also takes care of the horse of Santa Klaas, named Sleipnir, which +goes so fast that, in our day, the torpedo and submarine U-boats are +named after him. This wonderful animal used to have eight feet, for +swiftness. That was when Woden rode him, but, in course of time, four of +his legs dropped off, so that the horse of Santa Klaas looks less like a +centipede and more like other horses. Whenever Santa Klaas walks, Pete +has to go on foot also, even though the chests full of presents for the +children are very heavy and Pete has to carry them. + +Santa Klaas cares nothing about rich girls or poor girls, for all the +kinds of boys he knows about or thinks of are good boys and bad boys. A +youngster caught stealing jam out of the closet, or cookies from the +kitchen, or girls lifting lumps of sugar out of the sugar bowl, or +eating too much fudge, or that are mean, stingy, selfish, or have bad +tempers, are considered naughty and more worthy of the switch than of +presents. So are the boys who attend Sunday School for a few weeks +before Christmas, and then do not come any more till next December. +These Santa Klaas turns over to Pete, to be well thrashed. + +[Illustration: Santa Klaas and Black Pete.] + +In Holland, Pete still keeps on the old dress of the time of New +Netherland. He wears a short jacket, with wide striped trousers, in +several bright colors, shoes strapped on his feet, a red cap and a ruff +around his neck. Sometimes he catches bad boys, to put them in a bag for +a half hour, to scare them; or, he shuts them up in a dark closet, or +sends them to bed without any supper. Or, instead of allowing them +eleven buckwheat cakes at breakfast, he makes them stop at five. When +Santa Klaas leaves Holland to go back to Spain, or elsewhere, Pete takes +care of the nag Sleipnir, and hides himself until Santa Klaas comes +again next year. + +The story-teller knows where Santa Klaas lives, but he won't tell. + + + + +THE GOBLINS TURNED TO STONE + + +When the cow came to Holland, the Dutch folks had more and better things +to eat. Fields of wheat and rye took the place of forests. Instead of +acorns and the meat of wild game, they now enjoyed milk and bread. The +youngsters made pets of the calves and all the family lived under one +roof. The cows had a happy time of it, because they were kept so clean, +fed well, milked regularly, and cared for in winter. + +By and by the Dutch learned to make cheese and began to eat it every +day. They liked it, whether it was raw, cooked, toasted, sliced, or in +chunks, or served with other good things. Even the foxes and wild +creatures were very fond of the smell and taste of toasted cheese. They +came at night close to the houses, often stealing the cheese out of the +pantry. When a fox would not, or could not, be caught in a trap by any +other bait, a bit of cooked cheese would allure him so that he was +caught and his fur made use of. + +When the people could not get meat, or fish, they had toasted bread and +cheese, which in Dutch is "geroostered brod met kaas." Then they +laughed, and named the new dish after whatever they pretended it was. It +was just the same, as when they called goodies, made out of flour and +sugar, "nuts," "fingers," "calves" and "lambs." Even grown folks love to +play and pretend things like children. + +Soon, it became the fashion to have cheese parties. Men and women would +sit around the fire, by the hour, nibbling the toast that had melted +cheese poured over it. But after they had gone to bed, some of them +dreamed. + +Now some dreams may be pleasant, but cheese-dreams were not usually of +this sort. The dreamer thought that a big she-horse had climbed upon the +bed and sat down upon his stomach. Once there, the beast grinned +hideously, snored, and pressed its hoofs down on the sleeper's breast, +so that he could not breathe or speak. The feeling was a horrible one; +but, just when the dreamer expected to choke, he seemed to jump off some +high place, and come down somewhere, very far off. Then the animal ran +away and the terrible dream was over. + +This was called a nightmare, or in Dutch a "nacht merrie." "Nacht" means +night, and "merrie" a filly or a mare. In the dream, it was not a small +or a young horse, but always a big mare that squatted down on a man's +stomach. + +In those days, instead of seeking for the trouble inside, or asking +whether there was any connection between nightmares and too hearty +eating of cheese, the Dutch fathers laid it all on the goblins. + +The goblins, or sooty elves, that used to live in Holland, were ugly, +short fellows, very smart, quick in action and able to travel far in a +second. They were first cousins to the kabouters. They had big heads, +green eyes and split feet, like cows. They were so ugly, that they were +ordered to live under ground and never come out during the day. If they +did, they would be turned to stone. + +The goblins had a bad reputation for mischief. They liked to have fun +with human beings. They would listen to the conversation of people and +then mock them by repeating the last word. That is the reason why echoes +were called "week klank," or dwarf's talk. + +Because these goblins were short, they envied men their greater stature +and wanted to grow to the height of human beings. As they were not able +of themselves to do this, they often sneaked into a house and snatched a +child out of the cradle. In place of the stolen baby, one of their own +wizened children was laid. That was the reason why many a poor little +baby, that grew puny and thin, was called a "wiseel-kind," or +changeling. When the sick baby could not get well, and medicine or care +seemed to do no good, the mother thought that the goblins had taken away +her own child. + +It was only the female goblins that would change themselves into night +mares and sit on the body of the dreamer. They usually came in through a +hole or a crack; but if that person in the house could plug up the hole, +or stop the crack, he could conquer the female goblin, and do what he +pleased with her. If a man wanted to, he could make her his wife. So +long as the hole was kept stopped up, by which the goblin entered, she +made a good wife. If this crack was left open, or if the plug dropped +out of the hole, the she-goblin was off and could never be found again. + +The ruler of the goblins lived beneath the earth, as the king of the +underworld. His palace was made of gold and glittered with gems. He had +riches more than men could count. All the goblins and kabouters, who +worked in the mines and at the forges and anvils, making swords, spears, +bells, or jewels, obeyed him. + +The most wonderful things about these dwarfs was the way in which they +made themselves invisible, so that men were able to see neither the +night mares nor the male goblins, while at their mischief. This was a +little red cap which every goblin possessed, and which he was careful +never to lose. The red cap acted like a snuffer on a candle, to put it +out, and while under it, no goblin could be seen by mortal eyes. + +Now it happened that one night, as a dear old lady lay dying on her bed, +a middle-sized goblin, with his red cap on, came in through a crack into +the room, and stood at the foot of her bed. Just for mischief and to +frighten her by making himself visible, he took off his red cap. + +When the old lady saw the imp, she cried out loudly: + +"Go way, go way. Don't you know I belong to my Lord?" + +But the goblin dwarf only laughed at her, with his green eyes. + +Calling her daughter Alida, the old lady whispered in her ear: + +"Bring me my wooden shoes." + +Rising up in her bed, the old lady hurled the heavy klomps, one after +the other, at the goblin's head. At this, he started to get out through +the crack, and away, but before his body was half out, Alida snatched +his red cap away. Then she stuck a needle in his cloven foot that made +him howl with pain. Alida looked at the crack through which he escaped +and found it quite sooty. + +Twirling the little red cap around on her forefinger, a brilliant +thought struck her. She went and told the men her plan, and they agreed +to it. This was to gather hundreds of farmers and townfolk, boys and men +together, on the next moonlight night, and round up all the goblins in +Drenthe. By pulling off their caps, and holding them till the sun rose, +when they would be petrified, the whole brood could be exterminated. + +So, knowing that the goblin would come the next night, to steal back his +red cap, she left a note outside the crack, telling him to bring several +hundred goblins to the great moor, or veldt. There, at a certain hour +near midnight, he would find the red cap on a bush. With his companions, +he could celebrate the return of the cap. In exchange for this, she +asked the goblin to bring her a gold necklace. + +The moonlight night came round and hundreds of the men of Drenthe +gathered together. They were armed with horseshoes, and with witch-hazel +and other plants, which are like poison to the sooty elves. They had +also bits of parchment covered with runes, a strange kind of writing, +and various charms which are supposed to be harmful to goblins. It was +agreed to move together in a circle towards the centre, where the lady +Alida was to hang the red cap upon a bush. Then, with a rush, the men +were to snatch off all the goblins' caps, pulling and grabbing, whether +they could see, or even feel anything, or not. + +The placing of the red cap upon the bush in the centre, by the lady +Alida, was the signal. + +So, when the great round-up narrowed to a small space, the men began to +grab, snatch and pull. Putting their hands out in the air, at the height +of about a yard from the ground, they hustled and pushed hard. In a few +minutes, hundreds of red caps were in their hands, and as many goblins +became visible. They were, indeed, an ugly host. + +Yet hundreds of other goblins escaped, with their caps on, and were +still invisible. As they broke away in groups, however, they were seen, +for in each bunch was one or more visible fellow, because he was +capless. So the men divided into squads, to chase the imps a long +distance, even to many distant places. It was a most curious night +battle. Here could be seen groups of men in a tussle with the goblins, +many more of which, but by no means all, were made capless and visible. + +[Illustration: AT THE FIRST LEVEL RAY THE GOBLINS WERE ALL TURNED TO STONE] + +The racket kept up till the sky in the east was gray. Had all the +goblins run away, it would have been well with them. Hundreds of them +did, but the others were so anxious to help their fellows, or to get +back their own caps, fearing the disgrace of returning head bare to +their king, and getting a good scolding, that the sun suddenly rose on +them, before they knew it was day. + +At the first level ray, the goblins were all turned to stone. + +The treeless, desolate land, which, a moment before, was full of +struggling goblins and men, became as quiet as the blue sky above. +Nothing but some rounded rocks or stones, in groups, marked the spot +where the bloodless battle of imps and men had been fought. + +There, these stones, big and little, lie to this day. Among the +buckwheat, and the potato blossoms of the summer, under the shadows and +clouds, and whispering breezes of autumn, or covered with the snows of +winter, they are seen on desolate heaths. Over some of them, oak trees, +centuries old, have grown. Others are near, or among, the farmers' grain +fields, or, not far from houses and barn-yards. The cows wander among +them, knowing nothing of their past. And the goblins come no more. + + + + +THE MOULDY PENNY + + +"Gold makes a woman penny-white," said the Dutch, in the days when +fairies were plentiful and often in their thoughts. What did the proverb +mean? Who ever saw a white penny? + +Well, that was long ago, when pennies were white, because they were then +made of silver. Each one was worth a denary, which was a coin worth +about a shilling, or a quarter of a dollar. + +As the Dutch had pounds, shillings and pence, before the English had +them, we see what _d_ in the signs Ł s. d. means, that is, a +denary, or a white penny, made of silver. + +In the old days, before the Dutch had houses with glass windows or +clothes of cloth or linen, or hats or shoes, cows and horses, or butter +and cheese, they knew nothing of money and they cared less. Almost +everything, even the land, was owned in common by all. Their wants were +few. Whenever they needed anything from other countries they swapped or +bartered. In this way they traded salt for furs, or fish for iron. But +when they met with, or had to fight, another tribe that was stronger or +richer, or knew more than they did, they required other things, which +the forests and waters could not furnish. So, by and by, pedlars and +merchants came up from the south. They brought new and strange articles, +such as mirrors, jewelry, clothes, and pretty things, which the girls +and women wanted and had begged their daddies and husbands to get for +them. For the men, they brought iron tools and better weapons, improved +traps, to catch wild beasts, and wagons, with wheels that had spokes. +When regular trade began, it became necessary to have money of some +kind. + +Then coins of gold, silver, and copper were seen in the towns and +villages, and even in the woods and on the heaths of Holland. Yet there +was a good deal that was strange and mysterious about these round, +shining bits of metal, called money. + +"Money. What is money?" asked many a proud warrior disdainfully. + +Then the wise men explained to the fighting men, that money was named +after Juno Moneta, a goddess in Rome. She told men that no one would +ever want for money who was honest and just. Then, by and by, the mint +was in her temple and money was coined there. Then, later, in Holland, +the word meant money, but many people, who wanted to get rich quickly, +worshipped her. In time, however, the word "gold" meant money in +general. + +When a great ruler, named Charlemagne, conquered or made treaties with +our ancestors, he allowed them to have mints and to coin money. Then, +again, it seemed wonderful how the pedlars and the goldsmiths and the +men called Lombards--strange long-bearded men from the south, who came +among the Dutch--grew rich faster than the work people. They seemed to +amass gold simply by handling money. + +When a man who knew what a silver penny would do, made a present of one +to his wife, her face lighted up with joy. So in time, the word "penny +white," meant the smiling face of a happy woman. Yet it was also noticed +that the more people had, the more they wanted. The girls and boys +quickly found that money would buy what the pedlars brought. In the +towns, shops sprang up, in which were many curious things, which tempted +people to buy. + +Some tried to spend their money and keep it too--to eat their cake and +have it also--but they soon found that they could not do this. There +were still many foolish, as well as wise people, in the land, even +during the new time of money. A few saved their coins and were happy in +giving some to the poor and needy. Many fathers had what was called a +"sparpot," or home savings bank, and taught their children the right use +of money. It began to be the custom for people to have family names, so +that a girl was not merely the daughter of so-and-so, nor a boy the son +of a certain father. In the selection of names, those which had the word +"penny" in them proved to be very popular. To keep a coin in the little +home bank, without spending it, long enough for it to gather mould, +which it did easily in the damp climate of Holland, that is, to darken +and get a crust on it, was considered a great virtue in the owner. This +showed that the owner had a strong mind and power of self-control. So +the name "Schimmelpennig," or "mouldy penny," became honorable, because +such people were wise and often kind and good. They did not waste their +money, but made good use of it. + +On the other hand, were some mean and stingy folks, who liked to hear +the coins jingle. Instead of wisely spending their cash, or trading with +it, they hoarded their coins; that is, they hid them away in a stocking, +or a purse, or in a jar, or a cracked cooking pot, that couldn't be +used. Often they put it away somewhere in the chimney, behind a loose +brick. Then, at night, when no one was looking, these miserly folks +counted, rubbed, jingled, and gloated over the shining coins and never +helped anybody. So there grew up three sorts of people, called the +thrifty, the spendthrifts, and the misers. These last were the meanest +and most disliked of all. Others, again, hid their money away, so as to +have some, when sick, or old, and they talked about it. No one found +fault with these, though some laughed and said "a penny in the savings +jar makes more noise than when it is full of gold." Even when folks got +married they were exhorted by the minister to save money, "so as to have +something to give to the poor." + +Now when the fairies, that work down underground, heard that the Dutch +had learned the use of money, and had even built a mint to stamp the +metal, they held a feast to talk over what they should do to help or +harm. In any event, they wanted to have some fun with the mortals above +ground. + +That has always been the way with kabouters. They are in for fun, first, +last, and always. So, with punches and hammers, they made counterfeit +money. Then, in league with the elves, they began also to delude misers +and make them believe that much money makes men happy. + +A long time after the mint had been built, two kabouters met to talk +over their adventures. + +"It is wonderful what fools these creatures called men are," said the +first one. "There's old Vrek. He has been hoarding coins for the last +fifty years. Now, he has a pile of gold in guilders and stivers, but +there's hardly anything of his old self left. His soul is as small as a +shrimp. I whispered to him not to let out his money in trade, but to +keep it shut up. His strong box is full to bursting, but what went into +the chest has oozed out of the man. He died, last night, and hardly +anybody considers him worth burying. Some one on the street to-day asked +what Vrek had left behind. The answer was 'Nothing--he took it all with +him, for he had so little to take.'" + +"That's jolly," said the older kabouter, who was a wicked looking +fellow. "I'll get some fun out of this. To shrivel up souls will be my +business henceforth. There's nothing like this newfangled business of +getting money, that will do it so surely." + +So this ugly old imp went "snooping" around, as the Dutch say, about +people who sneak and dodge in and out of places, to which they ought not +to go, and in houses where they should not be found. This imp's purpose +was to make men crazy on the subject of making money, when they tried, +as many of them did, to get rich quickly in mean ways. Sorry to tell, +the imp found a good many promising specimens to work upon, at his +business of making some wise men foolish. He taught them to take out of +their souls what they hoarded away. To such fellows, when they became +misers, he gave the name of "Schim," which means a shadow. It was +believed by some people that such shrivelled up wretches had no bowels. + +Soon after this, a great meeting of kabouters was held, in the dark +realms below ground. Each one told what he had been doing on the earth. +After the little imps had reported, the chief kabouter, when his turn +came, cried out: + +"I shall tell of three brothers, and what each one did with the first +silver penny he earned." + +"Go on," they all cried. + +"I've caught one schim young. He married a wife only last year, but he +won't give her one gulden a year to dress on. He skimps the table, pares +the cheese till the rind is as thin as paper, and makes her live on skim +milk and barley. Besides this, he won't help the poor with a stiver. I +saw him put away a bright and shining silver penny, fresh from the mint. +He hid coin and pocketbook in the bricks of a chimney. So I climbed down +from the roof, seized both and ran away. I smeared the purse with wax +and hid it in the thick rib of a boat, by the wharf. There the penny +will gather mould enough. Ha! Ha! Ha!" + +At this, the little imps broke out into a titter that sounded like the +cackle of a hen trying to tell she had laid an egg. + +"Good for you! Serves the old schim right," said a good kabouter, who +loved to help human beings. "Now, I'll tell you about his brother, who +has a wife and baby. He feeds and clothes them well, and takes good care +of his old mother. + +"Almost every week he helps some poor little boy, or girl, that has no +mother or father. I heard him say he wished he could take care of poor +orphans. So, when he was asleep, at night, I whispered in his ear and +made him dream. + +"'Put away your coin where it won't get mouldy and show that a penny +that keeps moving is not like a rolling stone that gathers no moss. +Deliver it to the goldsmiths for interest and leave it in your will to +increase, until it becomes a great sum. Then, long after you are dead, +the money you have saved and left for the poor _weesies_ (orphans) +will build a house for them. It will furnish food and beds and pay for +nurses that will care for them, and good women who will be like mothers. +Other folks, seeing what you have done, will build orphan houses. Then +we shall have a Wees House (orphan asylum) in every town. No child, +without a father or mother, in all Holland, will have to cry for milk or +bread. Don't let your penny mould.' + +"The third brother, named Spill-penny, woke up on the same morning, with +a headache. He remembered that he had spent his silver penny at the gin +house, buying drinks for a lot of worthless fellows like himself. He and +his wife, with little to eat, had to wear ragged clothes, and the baby +had not one toy to play with. When his wife gently chided him, he ran +out of the house in bad humor. Going to the tap room, he ordered a drink +of what we call 'Dutch courage,' that is, a glass of gin, and drank it +down. Then what do you think he did?" + +"Tell us," cried the imps uproariously. + +"He went into a clothing house, bought a suit of clothes, and had it +'charged.'" + +"That's it. I've known others like him," said an old imp. + +"Now it was kermiss day in the village, and all that afternoon and +evening this spendthrift was roystering with his fellow 'zuip zaks' +(boon companions). With them, it was 'always drunk, always dry.' Near +midnight, being too full of gin, he stumbled in the gutter, struck his +head on the curb, and fell down senseless. + +"Her husband not coming home that night, the distracted wife went out +early in the morning. She found several men lying asleep on the +sidewalks or in the gutters. She turned each one over, just as she did +buckwheat cakes on the griddle, to see if this man or that was hers. At +last she discovered her worthless husband, but no shaking or pulling +could awake him. He was dead. + +"Now there was a covetous undertaker in town, who carted away the +corpse, and then told the widow that she must spend much money on the +funeral, in order to have her husband buried properly; or else, the +tongues of the neighbors would wag. So the poor woman had to sell her +cow, the only thing she had, and was left poorer than ever. That was the +end of Spill-penny." + +"A jolly story," cried the kabouters in chorus. "Served him right. Now +tell us about Vrek the miser. Go on." + +"Well, the saying 'Much coin, much care,' is hardly true of him, for I +and my trusty helpers ran away with all he had. With his first silver +penny he began to hoard his money. He has been hunting for years for +that penny, but has not found it. It will be rather mouldy, should he +find it, but that he never will." + +"Why not?" asked a young imp. + +"For a good reason. He would not pay his boatmen their wages. So they +struck, and refused to work. When he tried to sail his own boat, it +toppled over and sunk, and Vrek was drowned. His wife was saved the +expenses of a funeral, for his carcass was never found, and the covetous +undertaker lost a job." + +"What of the third one?" they asked. + +"Oh, Mynheer Eerlyk, you mean? No harm can come to him. Everybody loves +him and he cares for the orphans. There will be no mouldy penny in his +house." + +Then the meeting broke up. The good kabouters were happy. The bad ones, +the imps, were sorry to miss what they hoped would be a jolly story. + +When a thousand years passed away and the age of newspapers and copper +pennies had come, there were no descendants of the two brothers +Spill-penny and Schim; but of Mynheer Eerlyk there were as many as the +years that had flown since he made a will. In this document, he ordered +that his money, in guilders of gold and pennies of silver, should remain +at compound interest for four hundred years. In time, the ever +increasing sum passed from the goldsmiths to the bankers, and kept on +growing enormously. At last this large fortune was spent in building +hundreds of homes for orphans. + +According to his wish, each girl in the asylum dressed in clothes that +were of the colors on the city arms. In Amsterdam, for example, each +orphan child's frock is half red and half black, with white aprons, and +the linen and lace caps are very neat and becoming to their rosy faces. +In Friesland, where golden hair and apple blossom cheeks are so often +seen with the white lace and linen, some one has called the orphan girls +"Apples of gold in pictures of silver." Among the many glories of the +Netherlands is her care for the aged and the orphans. + +One of the thirty generations of the Eerlyks read one day in the +newspaper: + +"Last week, while digging a very deep canal, some workman struck his +pickaxe against timbers that were black with age, and nearly as hard as +stone. These, on being brought up, showed that they were the ribs of an +ancient boat. Learned men say that there was once a river here, which +long since dried up. All the pieces of the boat were recovered, and, +under the skilful hands of our ship carpenters, have been put together +and the whole vessel is now set up and on view in our museum." + +"We'll go down to-morrow on our way home from school, and see the +curiosity," cried one of the Eerlyk boys, clapping his hands. + +"Wait," said his father, "there's more in the story. + +"To-day, the janitor of the museum, while examining a wide crack in one +of the ribs, which was covered with wax, picked this substance away. He +poked his finger in the crack, and finding something soft, pulled it +out. It was a rough leather purse, inside of which was a coin, mouldy +with age and dark as the wood. Even after cleaning it with acid, it was +hard to read what was stamped on it; but, strange to say, the face of +the coin had left its impression on the leather, which had been covered +with wax. From this, though the metal of the coin was black, and the +mould thick on the coin, what they saw showed that it was a silver penny +of the age of Charlemagne, or the ninth century." + +"Charlemagne is French, father, but we call him Karel de Groot, or +Charles the Great." + +"Yes, my son. Don't you hear Karel's Klok (the curfew) sounding? 'Tis +time for little folks to go to bed." + + + + +THE GOLDEN HELMET + + +For centuries, more than can be counted on the fingers of both hands, +the maidens and mothers of Friesland have worn a helmet of gold covering +the crown and back of their heads, and with golden rosettes at each ear. +It marks the Frisian girl or woman. She is thus known by this head-dress +as belonging to a glorious country, that has never been conquered and is +proudly called Free Frisia. It is a relic of the age of gold, when this +precious metal was used in a thousand forms, not seen to-day. + +Of how and why the golden helmet is worn, this is the story: + +In days gone by, when forests covered the land and bears and wolves were +plentiful, there were no churches in Friesland. The people were pagans +and all worshipped Woden, whom the Frisians called Fos-i-te'. Certain +trees were sacred to him. When a baby was ill, or grown people had a +disease, which medicine could not help, they laid the sick one at the +foot of the holy tree, hoping for health soon to come. But, should the +patient die under the tree, then the sorrowful friends were made glad, +if the leaves of the tree fell upon the corpse. It was death to any +person who touched the sacred tree with an axe, or made kindling wood, +even of its branches. + +Now among the wild people of the north, who ate acorns and were clothed +in the skins of animals, there came, from the Christian lands of the +south, a singer with his harp. Invited to the royal court, he sang sweet +songs. To these the king's daughter listened with delight, until the +tears, first of sorrow and then of joy, rolled down her lovely cheeks. + +This maiden was the pride of her father, because of her sweet temper and +willing spirit, while all the people boasted of her beauty. Her eyes +were of the color of a sky without clouds. No spring flower could equal +the pink and rose in her cheeks. Her lips were like the red coral, which +the ship men brought from distant shores. Her long tresses rivalled gold +in their glory. And, because her father worshipped Fos-i-té', the god of +justice, and his daughter was always so fair to all her playmates, he, +in his pride of her, gave her the name Fos-te-dí'-na, that is, the +darling of Fos-i-té', or the Lady of Justice. + +[Illustration: WHICH WAS THE MORE GLORIOUS, HER LONG TRESSES OR THE +SHINING CROWN ABOVE.] + +The singer from the south sang a new song, and when he played upon his +harp his music was apt to be soft and low; sometimes sad, even, and +often appealing. It was so much finer, and oh! so different, from what +the glee men and harpers in the king's court usually rendered for the +listening warriors. Instead of being about fighting and battle, or the +hunting of wolves and bears, of stags and the aurochs, it was of healing +the sick and helping the weak. In place of battles and the exploits of +war lords, in fighting and killing Danes, the harper's whole story was +of other things and about gentle people. He sang neither of war, nor of +the chase, nor of fighting gods, nor of the storm maidens, that carry up +to the sky, and into the hall of Woden, the souls of the slain on the +battlefield. + +The singer sang of the loving Father in Heaven, who sent his dear Son to +earth to live and die, that men might be saved. He made music with voice +and instrument about love, and hope, and kindness to the sick and poor, +of charity to widows and to orphans, and about the delights of doing +good. He closed by telling the story of the crown of thorns, how wicked +men nailed this good prophet to a cross, and how, when tender-hearted +women wept, the Holy Teacher told them not to weep for him, but for +themselves and their children. This mighty lord of noble thoughts and +words lived what he taught. He showed greatness in the hour of death, by +first remembering his mother, and then by forgiving his enemies. + +"What! forgive an enemy? Forgive even the Danes? What horrible doctrine +do we hear!" cried the men of war. "Let us kill this singer from the +south." And they beat their swords on their metal shields, till the +clangor was deafening. The great hall rang with echoes of the din, as if +for battle. The Druids, or pagan priests, even more angry, applauded the +action of the fighting men. + +But Fos-te-dí-na rushed forward to shield the harper, and her long +golden hair covered him. + +"No!" said the king to his warriors. "This man is my guest. I invited +him and he shall be safe here." + +Sullen and bitter in their hearts, both priests and war men left the +hall, breathing out revenge and feeling bound to kill the singer. Soon +all were quiet in slumber, for the hour was late. + +Why were the pagan followers of the king so angry with the singer? + +The answer to this question is a story in itself. + +Only three days before, a party of Christian Danes had been taken +prisoners in the forest. They had come, peaceably and without arms, into +the country; for they wanted to tell the Frisians about the new +religion, which they had themselves received. In the cold night air, +they had, unwittingly, cut off some of the dead branches of a tree +sacred to the god Fos-i-té to kindle a fire. + +A spy, who had closely watched them, ran and told his chief. Now, the +Christian Danes were prisoners and would be given to the hungry wolves +to be torn to pieces. That was the law concerning sacrilege against the +trees of the gods. + +Some of the Frisians had been to Rome, the Eternal City, and had there +learned, from the cruel Romans, how to build great enclosures, not of +stone but of wood. Here, on holidays, they gave their prisoners of war +to the wild beasts, for the amusement of thousands of the people. The +Frisians could get no lions or tigers, for these fierce brutes live in +hot countries; but they sent hundreds of hunters into the woods for many +miles around. These bold fellows drove the deer, bears, wolves, and the +aurochs within an ever narrowing circle towards the pits. Into these, +dug deep in the ground and covered with branches and leaves, the animals +fell down and were hauled out with ropes. The deer were kept for their +meat, but the bears and wolves were shut up, in pens, facing the great +enclosure. When maddened with hunger, these ravenous beasts of prey were +to be let loose on the Christian Danes. Several aurochs, made furious by +being goaded with pointed sticks, or pricked by spears, were to rush out +and trample the poor victims to death. + +The heart of the beautiful Fos-te-dí-na, who had heard the songs of the +singer of faith in the one God and love for his creatures, was deeply +touched. She resolved to set the captives free. Being a king's daughter, +she was brave as a man. So, at midnight, calling a trusty maid-servant, +she, with a horn lantern, went out secretly to the prison pen. She +unbolted the door, and, in the name of their God and hers, she bade the +prisoners return to their native land. + +How the wolves in their pen did roar, when, on the night breeze, they +sniffed the presence of a newcomer! They hoped for food, but got none. + +The next morning, when the crowd assembled, but found that they were to +be cheated of their bloody sport, they raged and howled. Coming to the +king, they demanded his daughter's punishment. The pagan priests +declared that the gods had been insulted, and that their anger would +fall on the whole tribe, because of the injury done to their sacred +tree. The hunters swore they would invade the Danes' land and burn all +their churches. + +Fos-te-dí-na was summoned before the council of the priests, who were to +decide on the punishment due her. Being a king's daughter, they could +not put her to death by throwing her to the wolves. + +Even as the white-bearded high priest spoke, the beautiful girl heard +the fierce creatures howling, until her blood curdled, but she was brave +and would not recant. + +In vain they threatened the maiden, and invoked the wrath of the gods +upon her. Bravely she declared that she would suffer, as her Lord did, +rather than deny him. + +"So be it," cried the high priest. "Your own words are your sentence. +You shall wear a crown of thorns." + +Fos-te-di'-na was dismissed. Then the old men sat long, in brooding over +what should be done. They feared the gods, but were afraid, also, to +provoke their ruler to wrath. They finally decided that the maiden's +life should be spared, but that for a whole day, from sunrise to sunset, +she should stand in the market-place, with a crown of sharp thorns +pressed down hard upon her head. The crowd should be allowed to revile +her for being a Christian and none be punished; but no vile language was +to be allowed, or stones or sticks were to be thrown at her. + +Fos-te-di'-na refused to beg for mercy and bravely faced the ordeal. She +dressed herself in white garments, made from the does and fawns--free +creatures of the forest--and unbound her golden tresses. Then she walked +with a firm step to the centre of the market-place. + +"Bring the thorn-crown for the blasphemer of Fos-i-té," cried the high +priest. + +This given to him, the king's daughter kneeled, and the angry old man, +his eyes blazing like fire, pressed the sharp thorns slowly, down and +hard, upon the maiden's brow. Quickly the red blood trickled down over +her golden hair and face. Then in long, narrow lines of red, the drops +fell, until the crimson stains were seen over the back, front, and sides +of her white garments. + +But without wincing, the brave girl stood up, and all day long, while +the crowd howled, in honor of their gods, and rough fellows jeered at +her, Fos-te-dí-na was silent and patient, like her Great Example. +Inwardly, she prayed the Father of all to pardon and forgive. There were +not a few who pitied the bleeding maiden wearing the cruel crown, that +drew the blood that stained her shining hair and once white clothing. + +Years passed by and a great change came over land and people. The very +scars on Fos-te-dí-na's forehead softened the hearts of the people. +Thousands of them heard the words of the good missionaries. Churches +arose, on which was seen the shining cross. Idols were abolished and the +trees, once sacred to the old gods, were cut down. Meadows, rich with +cows, smiled where wolves had roamed. The changes, even in ten years, +were like those in a fairy tale. Best of all, a Christian prince from +the south, grandson of Charlemagne, fell in love with Fos-te-dí-na, now +queen of the country. He sought her hand, and won her heart, and the +date for the marriage was fixed. It was a great day for Free Frisia. The +wedding was to be in a new church, built on the very spot where +Fos-te-dí-na had stood, in pain and sorrow, when the crown of thorns was +pressed upon her brow. + +On that morning, a bevy of pretty maidens, all dressed in white, came in +procession to the palace. One of them bore in her hands a golden crown, +with plates coming down over the forehead and temples. It was made in +such a way that, like a helmet, it completely covered and concealed the +scars of the sovereign lady. So Fos-te-dí-na was married, with the +golden helmet on her head. "But which," asked some, "was the more +glorious, her long tresses, floating down her back, or the shining crown +above it?" Few could be sure in making answer. + +Instead of a choir singing hymns, the harper, who had once played in the +king's hall, now an older man, had been summoned, with his harp, to sing +in solo. In joyous spirits, he rendered into the sweet Frisian tongue, +two tributes in song to the crowned and glorified Lord of all. + +One praised the young guest at the wedding at Cana, Friend of man, who +turned water into wine; the other, "The Great Captain of our Salvation," +who, in full manly strength, suffered, thorn-crowned, for us all. + +Then the solemn silence, that followed the song, was broken by the +bride's coming out of the church. Though by herself alone, without +adornment, Fos-te-dí-na was a vision of beauty. Her head-covering looked +so pretty, and the golden helmet was so becoming, that other maidens, +also, when betrothed, wished to wear it. It became the fashion-for +Christian brides, on their wedding days, to put on this glorified crown +of thorns. + +All the jewelers approved of the new bridal head-dress, and in time this +golden ornament was worn in Friesland every day. Thus it has come to +pass that the Frisian helmet, which is the glorified crown of thorns, +is, in one form or another, worn even in our day. When Fos-te-dí-na's +first child, a boy, was born, the happy parents named him William, which +is only another word for Gild Helm. Out from this northern region, and +into all the seventeen provinces of the Netherlands, the custom spread. +In one way or another, one can discern, in the headdresses or costumes +of the Dutch and Flemish women, the relics of ancient history. + +When Her Majesty, the Dutch Queen, visits the Frisians, in the old land +of the north, which her fathers held so dear, she, out of compliment to +Free Frisia, wears the ancient costume, surmounted by the golden helm. +Those who know the origin of the name Wilhelmina read in it the true +meaning, which is, + +"The Sovereign Lady of the Golden Helm." + + + + +WHEN WHEAT WORKED WOE + + +Many a day has the story-teller wandered along the dykes, which overlook +the Zuyder Zee. Once there were fertile fields, and scores of towns, +where water now covers all. Then fleets of ships sailed on the bosom of +Lake Flevo, and in the river which ran into the sea. Bright and +beautiful cities dotted the shores, and church bells chimed merrily for +the bridal, or tolled in sympathy for the sorrowing. Many were the +festal days, because of the wealth, which the ships brought from lands +near and far. + +But to-day the waters roll over the spot and "The Dead Cities of the +Zuyder Zee" are a proverb. Yet all are not dead, in one and the same +sense. Some lie far down under the waves, their very names forgotten, +because of the ocean's flood, which in one night, centuries ago, rushed +in to destroy. Others languished, because wealth came no longer in the +ships, and the seaports dried up. And one, because of a foolish woman, +instead of holding thousands of homes and people, is to-day only a +village nestling behind the dykes. It holds a few hundred people and +only a fragment of land remains of its once great area. + +In the distant ages of ice and gravel, when the long and high glaciers +of Norway poked their cold noses into Friesland, Stavoren held the +shrine of Stavo, the storm-god. The people were very poor, but many +pilgrims came to worship at Stavo's altars. After the new religion came +into the land, wealth increased, because the ships traded with the warm +lands in the south. A great city sprang up, to which the counts of +Holland granted a charter, with privileges second to none. It was +written that Stavoren should have "the same freedom which a free city +enjoys from this side of the mountains (the Alps) to the sea." + +Then there came an age of gold in Stavoren. People were so rich, that +the bolts and hinges and the keys and locks of their doors were made of +this precious yellow metal. In some of the houses, the parlor floor was +paved with ducats from Spain. + +Now in this city lived a married couple, whose wealth came from the +ships. The man, a merchant, was a simple hearted and honest fellow, who +worked hard and was easily pleased. + +But his wife was discontented, always peevish and never satisfied with +anything. Even her neighbors grew tired of her whining and complaints. +They declared that on her tombstone should be carved these words: + +"_She wanted something else_" + +Now on every voyage, made by the many ships he owned, the merchant +charged his captains to bring home something rare and fine, as a present +to his wife. Some pretty carving or picture, a roll of silk for a dress, +a lace collar, a bit of splendid tapestry, a shining jewel; or, it may +be, a singing bird, a strange animal for a pet, a barrel of fruit, or a +box of sweetmeats was sure to be brought. With such gifts, whether large +or small, the husband hoped to please his wife. + +But in this good purpose, he could never succeed. So he began to think +that it was his own fault. Being only a man, he could not tell what a +woman wanted. So he resolved to try his own wits and tastes, to see if +he could meet his wife's desires. + +One day, when one of his best captains was about to sail on a voyage to +the northeast, to Dantzig, which is almost as far as Russia, he inquired +of his bad-tempered vrouw what he should bring her. + +"I want the best thing in the world," said she. "Now this time, do bring +it to me." + +The merchant was now very happy. He told the captain to seek out and +bring back what he himself might think was the best thing on earth; but +to make sure, he must buy a cargo of wheat. + +The skipper went on board, hoisted anchor and set sail. Using his man's +wits, he also decided that wheat, which makes bread, was the very thing +to be desired. In talking to his mates and sailors, they agreed with +him. Thus, all the men, in this matter, were of one mind, and the +captain dreamed only of jolly times when on shore. On other voyages, +when he had hunted around for curiosities to please the wife of the +boss, he had many and anxious thoughts; but now, he was care-free. + +In Dantzig, all the ship's men had a good time, for the captain made +"goed koop" (a fine bargain). Then the vessel, richly loaded with grain, +turned its prow homeward. Arriving at Stavoren, the skipper reported to +the merchant, to tell him of much money made, of a sound cargo obtained, +of safe arrival, and, above all, plenty of what would please his wife; +for what on earth could be more valuable than wheat, which makes bread, +the staff of life? + +At lunch time, when the merchant came home, his wife wanted to know what +made him look so joyful. Had he made "goed koop" that day? + +Usually, at meal time, this quiet man hardly spoke two words an hour. To +tell the truth, he sometimes irritated his wife because of his silence, +but to-day he was voluble. + +The man of wealth answered, "I have a joyful surprise for you. I cannot +tell you now. You must come with me and see." + +After lunch, he took his wife on board the ship, giving a wink of his +eye to the skipper, who nodded to the sailors, and then the stout +fellows opened the hatches. There, loaded to the very deck, was the +precious grain. The merchant looked up, expecting to see and hear his +wife clap her hands with joy. + +But the greedy woman turned her back on him, and flew into a rage. + +"Throw it all overboard, into the water," she screamed. "You wretch, you +have deceived me." + +The husband tried to calm her and explain that it was his thought to get +wheat, as the world's best gift, hoping thus to please her. + +At that moment, some hungry beggars standing on the wharf, heard the +lady's loud voice, and falling on their knees cried to her: + +"Please, madame, give us some of this wheat; we are starving." + +"Yes, lady, and there are many poor in Stavoren, in spite of all its +gold," said the captain. "Why not divide this wheat among the needy, if +you are greatly disappointed? You will win praise for yourself. In the +name of God, forgive my boldness, and do as I ask. Then, on the next +voyage, I shall sail as far as China and will get you anything you ask!" + +But the angry woman would listen to no one. She stayed on the ship, +urging on the sailors, with their shovels, until every kernel was cast +overboard. + +"Never again will I try to please you," said her husband. "The hungry +will curse you, and you may yet suffer for food, because of this wilful +waste, which will make woful want. Even you will suffer." + +She listened at first in silence, and then put her fingers in her ears +to hear no more. Proud of her riches, with her voice in a high key, she +shouted, "I ever want? What folly to say so! I am too rich." Then, to +show her contempt for such words, she slipped off a ring from her finger +and threw it into the waters of the harbor. Her husband almost died of +grief and shame, when he saw that it was her wedding ring, which she had +cast overboard. + +"Hear you all! When that ring comes back to me, I shall be hungry and +not before," said she, loud enough to be heard on ship, wharf, and +street. Gathering up her skirts, she stepped upon the gangway, tripping +to the shore, and past the poor people, who looked at her in mingled +hate and fear. Then haughtily, she strode to her costly mansion. + +Now to celebrate the expected new triumph and to show off her wealth and +luxury, with the numerous curiosities brought her from many lands, the +proud lady had already invited a score of guests. When they were all +seated, the first course of soup was served in silver dishes, which +every one admired. As the fish was about to be brought in, to be eaten +off golden plates, the butler begged the lady's permission to bring in +first, from the chief cook, something rare and wonderful, that he had +found in the mouth of the fish, which was waiting, already garnished, on +the big dish. Not dreaming what it might be, the hostess clapped her +hands in glee, saying to those at the table: + +"Perhaps now, at last, I shall get what I have long waited for--the best +thing in the world." + +"We shall all hope so," the guests responded in chorus. + +But when the chief cook came into the banquet hall, and, bowing low, +held before his mistress a golden salver, with a finger ring on it, the +proud lady turned pale. + +It was the very ring which, in her anger, she had tossed overboard the +day before. To add to her shame, she saw from the look of horror on +their faces, that the guests had recognized the fact that it was her +wedding token. + +This was only the beginning of troubles. That night, her husband died of +grief and vexation. The next day, the warehouses, stored with valuable +merchandise of all sorts, were burned to the ground. + +Before her husband had been decently buried, a great tempest blew down +from the north, and news came that four of his ships had been wrecked. +Their sailors hardly escaped with their lives, and both they and their +families in Stavoren were now clamoring for bread. + +Even when she put on her weeds of grief, these did not protect the widow +from her late husband's creditors. She had to sell her house and all +that was in it, to satisfy them and pay her debts. She had even to pawn +her ring to the Lombards, the goldsmiths of the town, to buy money for +bread. + +Now that she was poor, none of the former rich folks, who had come to +her grand dinners, would look at her. She had even to beg her bread on +the streets; for who wanted to help the woman who wasted wheat? She was +glad to go to the cow stalls, and eat what the cattle left. Before the +year ended, she was found dead in a stable, in rags and starvation. Thus +her miserable life ended. Without a funeral, but borne on a bier, by two +men, she was buried at the expense of the city, in the potter's field. + +But even this was not the end of the fruits of her wickedness, for the +evil she did lived after her. It was found that, from some mysterious +cause, a sand bar was forming in the river. This prevented the ships +from coming up to the docks. With its trade stopped, the city grew +poorer every day. What was the matter? + +By and by, at low tide, some fishermen saw a green field under the +surface of the harbor. It was not a garden of seaweed, for instead of +leaves whirling with the tide, there were stalks that stood up high. The +wheat had sprouted and taken root. In another month the tops of these +stalks were visible above the water. But in such soil as sand, the wheat +had reverted to its wild state. It was good for nothing, but only did +harm. + +For, while producing no grain for food, it held together the sand, which +rolled down the river and had come all the way from the Alps to the +ocean. Of old, this went out to sea and kept the harbor scoured clean, +so that the ships came clear up to the wharves. Then, on many a morning, +a wealthy merchant, whose house was close to the docks, looked out of +his window to find the prows, of his richly laden ships, poked almost +into his bedroom, and he liked it. Venturesome boys even climbed from +their cots down the bowsprits, on to the deck of their fathers' vessels. +Of such sons, the fathers were proud, knowing that they would make brave +sailors and navigate spice ships from the Indies. It was because of her +brave mariners, that Stavoren had gained her glory and greatness, being +famed in all the land. + +But now, within so short a time, the city's renown and wealth had faded +like a dream. By degrees, the population diminished, commerce became a +memory, and ships a curiosity. The people, that were left, had to eat +rye and barley bread, instead of wheat. Floods ruined the farmers and +washed away large parts of the town, so that dykes had to be built to +save what was left. + +More terrible than all, the ocean waves rolled in and wiped out cities, +towns, and farms, sinking churches, convents, monasteries, warehouses, +wharves, and docks, in one common ruin, hidden far down below. + +To this day the worthless wheat patch, that spoiled Stavoren, is called +"Vrouwen Zand," or the Lady's Sand. Instead of being the staff of life, +as Nature intended, the wheat, because of a power of evil greater than +that of a thousand wicked fairies, became the menace of death to ruin a +rich city. + +No wonder the Dutch have a proverb, which might be thus translated: + + "Peevishness perverts wheat into weeds + But a sweet temper turns a field into gold." + + + + +WHY THE STORK LOVES HOLLAND + + +Above all countries in Europe, this bird, wise in the head and long in +the legs, loves Holland. Flying all the way from Africa, the stork is at +home among dykes and windmills. + +Storks are seen by the thousands in Holland and Friesland. Sometimes +they strut in the streets, not in the least frightened or disturbed. +They make their nests among the tiles and chimneys, on the red roofs of +the houses, and they rear their young even on the church towers. + +If a man sets an old cart wheel flat on a tree-top, the storks accept +this, as an invitation to come and stay. At once they proceed, first of +all, to arrange their toilet, after their long flight. They do this, +even before they build their nest. You can see them, by the hour, +preening their feathers and combing their plumage, with their long +bills. Then, as solemnly as a boss mason, they set about gathering +sticks and hay for their house. They never seem to be in a hurry. + +A stork lays on a bit of wood, and then goes at his toilet again, +looking around to see that other folks are busy. Year after year, a pair +of storks will use the same nest, rebuilding, or repairing it, each +spring time. The stork is a steady citizen and does not like to change. +Once treated well in one place, by the landlord, Mr. and Mrs. Stork keep +the same apartments and watch over the family cradle inside the house, +to see that it is always occupied by a baby. The return of the stork is, +in Holland, a household celebration. + +Out in the fields, Mr. Stork is happy indeed, for Holland is the +paradise of frogs; so the gentleman of the red legs finds plenty to eat. +He takes his time for going to dinner, and rarely rushes for quick +lunch. After business hours in the morning, he lays his long beak among +his thick breast feathers, until it is quite hidden. Then, perched up in +the air on one long leg, like a stilt, he takes a nap, often for hours. + +With the other leg crossed, he seems to be resting on the figure four +(4). + +Towards evening he shakes out his wings, flaps them once or twice, and +takes a walk, but he is never in haste. Beginning his hunt, he soon has +enough frogs, mice, grubs, worms or insects to make a good meal. It is +because this bird feels so much at home, in town and country, making +part of the landscape, that we so associate together Holland and the +stork, as we usually do. + +The Dutch proverb pictures the scene, which is so common. "In the same +field, the cow eats grass; the grayhound hunts the hare; and the stork +helps himself to the frogs." Indeed, if it were not for the stork, +Holland would, like old Egypt, in the time of Moses, be overrun with +frogs. + +The Dutch call the stork by the sweet name "Ooijevaar," or the +treasure-bringer. Every spring time, the boys and girls, fathers and +mothers, shout welcome to the white bird from Egypt. + +"What do you bring me?" is their question or thought. + +If the bird deserts its old home on their roof, the family is in grief, +thinking it has lost its luck; but if Daddy Stork, with Mrs. Stork's +approval, chooses a new place for their nest, there is more rejoicing in +that house, than if money had been found. "Where there are nestlings on +the roof, there will be babies in the house," is what the Dutch say; for +both are welcome. + +To tell why the stork loves Holland, we must go back to the Africa of a +million years ago. Then, we shall ask the Dutch fairies how they +succeeded in making the new land, in the west, so popular in the stork +world. For what reason did the wise birds emigrate to the cold country a +thousand miles away? They were so regular and punctual, that a great +prophet wrote: + +"Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times." + +Ages ago, there were camels and caravans in Africa, but there was no +Holland, for the land was still under the waves. In India, also, the +stork was an old bird, that waded in the pools and kept the frogs from +croaking in terms of the multiplication table. Sometimes the stork +population increased too fast and some went hungry for food; for, the +proverb tells us that a stork "died while waiting for the ocean to dry, +hoping to get a supply of dried fish." + +When on the coast of the North Sea, the Land of a Million Islands was +made, the frog emigrants were there first. They poured in so fast, that +it seemed a question as to who should own the country-frogs or men. Some +were very big, as if ambitious to be bulls. They croaked so loud, that +they drowned out the fairy music, and made the night hideous with their +noises. The snakes spoiled the country for the little birds, while the +toads seemed to think that the salt ocean had been kept out, and the +land made, especially for them. + +The Dutch fairies were disgusted at the way these reptiles behaved, for +they could not enjoy themselves, as in the old days. If they went to +dance in the meadow, on moonlight nights, they always found a big +bullfrog sitting in their ring, mocking them with its bellowing. So when +they heard about the storks in Africa, and what hearty appetites they +had, for the various wrigglers, crawlers, jumpers and splashers in the +waters, they resolved to invite them, in a body, to Holland. + +The Dutch fairies knew nothing of the habits of the bird and scarcely +imagined how such a creature might look, but they heard many pleasant +things about the stork's good character. The wise bird had an excellent +reputation, not only for being kind to its young, but also for attending +to the wants of its parents, when they were old. It was even said that +in some countries the stork was the symbol for filial piety. + +So the fairies of all the Netherlands despatched a delegation to Egypt +and a congress of storks was called to consider this invitation to go +west. Messengers were at once sent to all the red-legged birds, among +the bulrushes of the Nile, or that lived on the roofs of the temples, or +that perched on the pyramids, or dwelt on the top of old columns, or +that stood in rows along the eaves of the town houses. The town birds +gained their living by acting as street cleaners, but the river birds +made their meals chiefly on fish, frogs, and mice. + +The invitation was discussed in stork meeting, and it was unanimously +accepted; except by some old grannies and grandpops that feared in the +strange land they would not be well fed. On a second motion, it was +agreed that only the strongest birds should attempt the flight. Those +afraid, or too weak to go, must stay behind and attend to the old folks. +Such a rattle of mandibles was never heard in Egypt before, as when this +stork meeting adjourned. + +Now when storks travel, they go in flocks. Thousands of them left Egypt +together. High in the air, with their broad wings spread and their long +legs stretched out behind them, they covered Europe in a few hours. Then +they scattered all over the marshy lands of the new country. It was +agreed that each pair was to find its own home. When the cold autumn +should come, they were to assemble again for flight to Egypt. + +It was a new sight for the fairies, the frogs and the men, to look over +the landscape and see these snow white strangers. They were so pretty to +look at, while promenading over the meadows, wading in the ponds and +ditches, or standing silently by the river banks. Soon, however, these +foreign birds were very unpopular in bullfrog land, and as for the +snakes, they thought that Holland would be ruined by these hungry +strangers. On the other hand, it was good news, in fairy-land, that all +fairies could dance safely on their meadow rings, for the bullfrogs were +now afraid to venture in the grass, lest they should be gobbled up, for +the frogs could not hide from the storks. The new birds could poke their +big bills so far into the mud-holes, that no frog, or snake, big or +little, was safe. The stork's red legs were so long, and the birds could +wade in such deep water, that hundreds of frogs were soon eaten up, and +there were many widows and orphans in the ponds and puddles. + +When the fairies got more acquainted with their new guests, and saw how +they behaved, they nearly died of laughing. They were not surprised at +their diet, or eating habits, but they soon discovered that the storks +were not song birds. Instead of having voices, they seemed to talk to +each other by clattering their long jaws, or snapping their mandibles +together. Their snowy plumage--all being white but their wing +feathers--was admired, was envied, and their long bright colored legs +were a wonder. At first the fairies thought their guests wore red +stockings and they thought how heavy must be the laundry work on wash +days; for in Holland, everything must be clean. + +Of all creatures on earth, as the fairies thought, the funniest was seen +when Mr. Stork was in love. To attract and please his lady love, he made +the most grotesque gestures. He would leap up from the ground and move +with a hop, skip, and jump. Then he spread out his wings, as if to hug +his beloved. Then he danced around her, as if he were filled with wine. +All the time he made the best music he knew how, by clattering his +mandibles together. He intended this performance for a sort of love +ditty, or serenade. The whole program was more amusing than anything +that an ape, goat, or donkey could get up. How the fairies did laugh! + +Yet the fairies were very grateful to the storks for ridding their +meadows of so much vermin. How these delicate looking, snow white and +graceful creatures could put so many snails, snakes, tadpoles, and toads +into their stomachs and turn them into snow white feathers, wonderful +wings and long legs, as red as a rose, was a mystery to them. It seemed +more wonderful than anything which they could do, but as fairies have no +stomachs and do not eat, this whole matter of digestion was a mystery to +them. + +Besides the terror and gloom in the frog world, every reptile winced and +squirmed, when he heard of this new enemy. All crawlers, creepers, and +jumpers had so long imagined that the land was theirs and had been made +solely for their benefit! Nor did they know how to conquer the storks. +The frog daddies could do nothing, and the frog mothers were every +moment afraid to let either the tadpoles or froggies go out of their +sight. They worried lest they should see their babies caught up in a +pair of long, bony jaws, as sharp as scissors, there to wriggle and +crow, until their darlings disappeared within the monster. + +One anecdote of the many that were long told in the old Dutch frog ponds +was this: showing into what clangers curiosity may lead youngsters. We +put it in quotation marks to show that it was told as a true story, and +not printed in a book, or made up. + +"A tadpole often teased its froggy mother to let it go and see a red +pole, of which it had heard from a traveller. Mrs. Frog would not at +first let her son go, but promised that as soon as the tadpole lost his +tail, and his flippers had turned into fore legs, and his hind quarters +had properly sprouted, so that he could hop out of danger, he might then +venture on his travels. She warned him, however, not to go too near to +that curious red pole, of which he had heard. Nobody as yet found out +just what this red thing, standing in the water, was; but danger was +suspected by old heads, and all little froggies were warned to be +careful and keep away. In reality, the red stick was the leg of a stork, +sound asleep, for it was taking its usual afternoon nap. The frogs on +the bank, and those in the pool that held their noses above water, to +get their breath, had never before seen anything like this red stilt, or +its cross pole; for no bird of this sort had ever before flown into +their neighborhood. They never suspected that it was a stork, with its +legs shaped like the figure four (4). Indeed, they knew nothing of its +long bill, that could open and shut like a trap, catching a frog or +snake, and swallowing it in a moment. + +"Unfortunately for this uneducated young frog, that had never travelled +from home, it now went too near the red pole, and, to show how brave it +was, rubbed its nose against the queer thing. Suddenly the horrible +creature, that had only been asleep, woke up and snapped its jaws. In a +moment, a wriggling froggy disappeared from sight into the stomach of a +monster, that had two red legs, instead of one. At the sight of such +gluttony, there was an awful splash, for a whole row of frogs had jumped +from the bank into the pool. After this, it was evident that Holland was +not to belong entirely to the frogs." + +As for the human beings, they were so happy over the war with the vermin +and the victory of the storks, that they made this bird their pride and +joy. They heaped honors upon the stork as the savior of their country. +They placed boxes on the roofs of their houses for these birds to nest +in. All the old cart wheels in the land were hunted up. They sawed off +the willow trees a few feet above the ground, and set the wheels in +flat, which the storks used as their parlors and dressing rooms. + +As for the knights, they placed the figure of the stork on their +shields, banners, and coats of arms, while citizens made this bird +prominent on their city seals. The capital of the country, The Hague, +was dedicated to this bird, and, for all time, a pond was dug within the +city limits, where storks were fed and cared for at the public expense. +Even to-day, many a good story, illustrating the tender affection of The +Hague storks for their young, is told and enjoyed as an example to Dutch +mothers to be the best in the world. + +Out in the country at large, in any of the eleven provinces, whenever +they drained a swamp, or pumped out a pond to make a village, it was not +looked upon as a part of Holland, unless there were storks. Even in the +new wild places they planted stakes on the pumped out dry land, called +polders. On the top of these sticks were laid as invitations for the +stork families to come and live with the people. Along the roads they +stuck posts for storks' nests. It became a custom with farmers, when the +storks came back, to kill the fatted calf, or lamb, and leave the refuse +meat out in the fields for a feast to these bird visitors. A score of +Dutch proverbs exist, all of them complimentary to the bird that loves +babies and cradles. + +Last of all, the Dutch children, even in the reign of Queen Wilhelmina, +made letter carriers of their friends the treasure-bringers. Tying tiny +slips of paper to their red legs, they sent messages, in autumn, to the +boys and girls in the old land of the sphinx and pyramids, of Moses, and +the children of Israel. In the spring time, the children's return +messages were received in the country which bids eternal welcome to the +bird named the Bringer of Blessings. + +This is why the storks love Holland. + + +HET EINDE + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks +by William Elliot Griffis + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUTCH FAIRY TALES FOR YOUNG FOLKS *** + +This file should be named 8dfry10.txt or 8dfry10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 8dfry11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 8dfry10a.txt + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Tonya Allen +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +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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