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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:55:46 -0700 |
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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/19461-8.txt b/19461-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..39a8b8c --- /dev/null +++ b/19461-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,14384 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Tales of Wonder Every Child Should Know, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Tales of Wonder Every Child Should Know + +Author: Various + +Editor: Kate Douglas Wiggin and Nora Archibald Smith + +Release Date: October 4, 2006 [EBook #19461] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF WONDER *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + [Illustration: The three-headed monster belched forth flame] + + + What Every Child Should Know LIBRARY + + + + TALES + + OF WONDER + + + EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW + + + + + Edited by + + KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN + + and NORA ARCHIBALD SMITH + + + + + + + Published by DOUBLEDAY, DORAN & CO., INC., for + + THE PARENTS' INSTITUTE, INC. + + Publishers of "THE PARENTS' MAGAZINE" + + _52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York_ + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY + + * * * * * + + + + +PUBLISHER'S NOTE + + +_Doubleday, Page & Company wish to make acknowledgment of their +indebtedness to the following publishers_: + +_G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York and London, for permission to use "The +Five Queer Brothers," "The Two Melons" and "What the Birds Said," from +"Chinese Nights' Entertainment," by Adele M. Fielde; "The Lac of +Rupees," from "Indian Fairy Tales," by Joseph Jacobs; "The +Sea-maiden," from "Celtic Fairy Tales," by Joseph Jacobs; "The Black +Horse" and "The Farmer of Liddesdale," from "More Celtic Fairy Tales," +by Joseph Jacobs; and "The Buried Moon," from "More English Fairy +Tales," by Joseph Jacobs._ + +_T. Y. Crowell & Company, New York, for permission to use "The +Grateful Crane" from "The Fire-fly's Lovers," by William Elliot +Griffis._ + +_Joseph McDonough, Albany, for permission to use "Little Surya Bai," +"The Jackal, the Barber and the Brahmin," "Truth's Triumph," "The +Raksha's Palace," and "Panch-Phul Ranee," from "Old Deccan Days," by +M. Frere._ + +_Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, for permission to use "The +Deserter," "Steelpacha" and "The Watch-tower Between Earth and +Heaven," from "The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales," by L. S. +Houghton._ + +_Macmillan & Company, London, for permission to use "The Grateful +Foxes" and "The Badger's Money," from "Tales of Old Japan," by A. B. +Mitford._ + +_The Review of Reviews Company, London, for permission to use "The +Feast of Lanterns" and "The Lake of Gems," from "Books for the +Bairns," edited by W. T. Stead._ + +_We also wish to express our appreciation to Mr. Seumas MacManus for +the use of his stories, "The Amadan of the Dough," "Hookedy-Crookedy," +"Billy Beg and the Bull," and "The Queen of the Golden Mines," from +"Donegal Fairy Stories," and "In Chimney Corners," published by us._ + + * * * * * + + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +I WONDER (_Scandinavian_) + +WHAT THE BIRDS SAID (_Chinese_) + +THE SMITH AND THE FAIRIES (_Gaelic_) + +THE GRATEFUL CRANE (_Japanese_) + +LITTLE SURYA BAI (_Southern Indian_) + +THE STORKS AND THE NIGHT OWL (_Persian_) + +THE FIVE QUEER BROTHERS (_Chinese_) + +THE LAC OF RUPEES (_Southern Indian_) + +THE EMPEROR'S NIGHTINGALE. H. C. ANDERSEN + +HOOKEDY-CROOKEDY. SEUMAS MACMANUS (_Celtic_) + +ARNDT'S NIGHT UNDERGROUND. D. M. MULOCK + +THE UNICORN (_German_) + +DESTINY. E. LABOULAYE (_Dalmatian_) + +THE QUEEN OF THE GOLDEN MINES. SEUMAS MACMANUS (_Celtic_) + +THE DESERTER (_Russian_) + +THE TWO MELONS (_Chinese_) + +THE IRON CASKET (_Persian_) + +THE KNIGHTS OF THE FISH. FERNAN CABALLERO (_Spanish_) + +DAPPLEGRIM (_Scandinavian_) + +THE HERMIT. VOLTAIRE (_French_) + +THE WATCH-TOWER BETWEEN EARTH AND HEAVEN (_Russian_) + +THE LUCKY COIN. FRANCOSO (_Portuguese_) + +THE JACKAL, THE BARBER AND THE BRAHMIN (_Southern Indian_) + +THE BIRD OF TRUTH. CABALLERO (_Spanish_) + +THE TWO GENIES. VOLTAIRE (_French_) + +STEELPACHA (_Russian_) + +THE BURIED MOON (_English_) + +THE FARMER OF LIDDESDALE (_English_) + +THE BADGER'S MONEY (_Japanese_) + +THE GRATEFUL FOXES (_Japanese_) + +THE BLACK HORSE (_Celtic_) + +TRUTH'S TRIUMPH (_Southern Indian_) + +THE FEAST OF THE LANTERNS (_Chinese_) + +THE LAKE OF GEMS (_Chinese_) + +THE SEA-MAIDEN (_Celtic_) + +THE ENCHANTED WATERFALL (_Japanese_) + +THE AMADAN OF THE DOUGH. SEUMAS MACMANUS (_Celtic_) + +THE RAKSHAS'S PALACE (_Southern Indian_) + +BILLY BEG AND THE BULL. SEUMAS MACMANUS (_Celtic_) + +THE PRINCES FIRE-FLASH AND FIRE-FADE (_Japanese_) + +PANCH-PHUL RANEE (_Southern Indian_) + +SCHIPPEITARO (_Japanese_) + + * * * * * + + + + +I WONDER! + + + I wonder if in Samarcand + Grave camels kneel in golden sand, + Still lading bales of magic spells + And charms a lover's wisdom tells, + To fare across the desert main + And bring the Princess home again-- + I wonder! + + I wonder in Japan to-day + If grateful beasts find out the way + To those who succoured them in pain, + And bring their blessings back again; + If cranes and sparrows take the shape + And all the ways of mortals ape-- + I wonder! + + In Bagdad, may there still be found + That potent powder, finely ground, + Which changes all who on it feast, + Monarch or slave, to bird or beast? + Do Caliphs taste and unafraid, + Turn storks, and weeping night-owls aid? + I wonder! + + I wonder if in far Cathay + The nightingale still trills her lay + Beside the Porcelain Palace door, + And courtiers praise her as before I + If emperors dream of bygone things + And musing, weep the while she sings-- + I wonder! + + Such things have never chanced to me. + I wonder if to eyes that see + These magic visions still appear + In daily living, now and here; + If every flower is touched with glory, + If e'en the grass-blades tell a story-- + I wonder + N. A. S. + + * * * * * + + + + +_INTRODUCTION_ + + +There is a Chinese tale, known as "The Singing Prisoner," in which a +friendless man is bound hand and foot and thrown into a dungeon, where +he lies on the cold stones unfed and untended. + +He has no hope of freedom and as complaint will avail him nothing, he +begins to while away the hours by reciting poems and stories that he +had learned in youth. So happily does he vary the tones of the +speakers, feigning in turn the voices of kings and courtiers, lovers +and princesses, birds and beasts, that he speedily draws all his +fellow-prisoners around him, beguiling them by the spell of his +genius. + +Those who have food, eagerly press it upon him that his strength may +be replenished; the jailer, who has been drawn into the charmed +circle, loosens his bonds that he may move more freely, and finally +grants him better quarters that the stories may be heard to greater +advantage. Next the petty officers hear of the prisoner's marvellous +gifts and report them everywhere with such effect that the higher +authorities at last become interested and grant him a pardon. + +Tales like these, that draw children from play and old men from the +chimney-corner; that gain the freedom of a Singing Prisoner, and +enable a Scheherazade to postpone from night to night her hour of +death, are one and all pervaded by the same eternal magic. Pain, +grief, terror, care, and bondage are all forgotten for a time when +lakes of gems and enchanted waterfalls shimmer in the sunlight, when +Rakshas's palaces rise, full-built, before our very eyes, or when +Caballero's Knights of the Fish prance away on their magic chargers. +"I wonder when!" "I wonder how!" "I wonder where!" we say as we follow +them into the land of mystery. So Youngling said when he heard the +sound of the mysterious axe in the forest and asked himself who could +be chopping there. + +"I wonder!" he cried again when he listened to the faerie spade +digging and delving at the top of the rocks. + +"I wonder!" he questioned a third time when he drank from the +streamlet and sought its source, finding it at last in the enchanted +walnut. Axe and spade and walnut each gladly welcomed him, you +remember, saying, "It's long I've been looking for you, my lad!" for +the new world is always awaiting its Columbus. + +No such divine curiosity as that of Youngling's stirred the dull minds +of his elder brothers and to them came no such reward. They jeered at +the wanderer, reproaching him that he forever strayed from the beaten +path, but when Youngling issues from the forest with the magic axe, +the marvellous spade, and the miraculous nut to conquer his little +world, we begin to ask ourselves which of the roads in the wood are +indeed best worth following. + +"Childish wonder is the first step in human wisdom," said the greatest +of the world's showmen, but there are no wonders to the eyes that lack +real vision. In the story of "What the Birds Said," for instance, the +stolid jailer flatly denies that the feathered creatures have any +message of import to convey; it is the poor captive who by sympathy +and insight divines the meaning of their chatter and thus saves the +city and his own life. + +The tales in this book are of many kinds of wonder; of black magic, +white magic and gray; ranging from the recital of strange and +supernatural deeds and experiences to those that fore-shadow modern +conquests of nature and those that utilize the marvellous to teach a +moral lesson. Choose among them as you will, for as the Spaniards +might say, "The book is at your feet; whatever you admire is yours!" + +"Tales of Wonder" is the fourth and last of our Fairy Series in the +Children's Classics, so this preface is in the nature of an epilogue. +"The Fairy Ring," "Magic Casements," "Tales of Laughter"--each had its +separate message for its little public, and "Tales of Wonder" rings +down the curtain. + +There was once a little brown nightingale that sang melodious strains +in the river-thickets of the Emperor's garden, but when she was +transported to the Porcelain Palace the courtiers soon tired of her +wild-wood notes and supplanted her with a wonderful bird-automaton, +fashioned of gold and jewels. + +Time went on, but the Emperor, wisest of the court, began at last to +languish, and to long unceasingly for the fresh, free note of the +little brown nightingale. It was sweeter by far than the machine-made +trills and roulades of the artificial songster, and he felt +instinctively that only by its return could death be charmed away. + +The old, yet ever new, tales in these four books are like the wild +notes of the nightingale in the river-thicket, and many are the +emperors to whom they have sung. + +Whenever we tire of what is trivial and paltry in the machine-made +fairy tale of to-day, let us open one of these crimson volumes and +hear again the note of the little brown bird in the thicket. + +KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN. + + * * * * * + + + + +_Tales of Wonder_ + +_I Wonder_ + + +Once on a time there was a man who had three sons--Peter, Paul, and +the least of all, whom they called Youngling. I can't say the man had +anything more than these three sons, for he hadn't one penny to rub +against another; and he told the lads, over and over again, that they +must go out into the world and try to earn their bread, for at home +there was nothing to be looked for but starving to death. + +Now near by the man's cottage was the King's palace, and, you must +know, just against the windows a great oak had sprung up, which was so +stout and tall that it took away all the light. The King had said he +would give untold treasure to the man who could fell the oak, but no +one was man enough for that, for as soon as one chip of the oak's +trunk flew off, two grew in its stead. + +A well, too, the King desired, which was to hold water for the whole +year; for all his neighbours had wells, but he hadn't any, and that he +thought a shame. So the King said he would give both money and goods +to anyone who could dig him such a well as would hold water for a +whole year round, but no one could do it, for the palace lay high, +high up on a hill, and they could only dig a few inches before they +came upon the living rock. + +But, as the King had set his heart on having these two things done, he +had it given out far and wide, in all the churches of his dominion, +that he who could fell the big oak in the King's courtyard, and get +him a well that would hold water the whole year round, should have the +Princess and half the kingdom. + +Well! you may easily know there was many a man who came to try his +luck; but all their hacking and hewing, all their digging and delving, +were of no avail. The oak grew taller and stouter at every stroke, and +the rock grew no softer. + +So one day the three brothers thought they'd set off and try, too, and +their father hadn't a word against it; for, even if they didn't get +the Princess and half the kingdom, it might happen that they would get +a place somewhere with a good master, and that was all he wanted. So +when the brothers said they thought of going to the palace, their +father said "Yes" at once, and Peter, Paul, and Youngling went off +from their home. + +They had not gone far before they came to a fir-wood, and up along one +side of it rose a steep hillside, and as they went they heard +something hewing and hacking away up on the hill among the trees. + +"I wonder now what it is that is hewing away up yonder?" said +Youngling. + +"You are always so clever with your wonderings," said Peter and Paul, +both at once. "What wonder is it, pray, that a wood-cutter should +stand and hack up on a hillside?" + +"Still, I'd like to see what it is, after all," said Youngling, and up +he went. + +"Oh, if you're such a child, 't will do you good to go and take a +lesson," cried out his brothers after him. + +But Youngling didn't care for what they said; he climbed the steep +hillside toward where the noise came, and when he reached the place, +what do you think he saw? + +Why, an axe that stood there hacking and hewing, all of itself, at the +trunk of a fir. + +"Good day," said Youngling. "So you stand here all alone and hew, do +you?" + +"Yes, here I've stood and hewed and hacked a long, long time, waiting +for you, my lad," said the Axe. + +"Well, here I am at last," said Youngling, as he took the Axe, pulled +it off its haft, and stuffed both head and haft into his wallet. + +So when he climbed down again to his brothers, they began to jeer and +laugh at him. + +"And now, what funny thing was it you saw up yonder on the hillside?" +they said. + +"Oh, it was only an axe we heard," said Youngling. + +When they had gone a bit farther, they came under a steep spur of +rock, and up above they heard something digging and shovelling. + +"I wonder, now," said Youngling, "what it is digging and shovelling up +yonder at the top of the rock?" + +"Ah, you're always so clever with your wonderings," said Peter and +Paul again; "as if you'd never heard a woodpecker hacking and pecking +at a hollow tree." + +"Well, well," said Youngling, "I think it would be a piece of fun just +to see what it really is." + +And so off he set to climb the rock, while the others laughed and made +game of him. But he didn't care a bit for that; up he clambered, and +when he got near the top, what do you think he saw? Why, a spade that +stood there digging and delving. + +"Good day," said Youngling. "So you stand here all alone, and dig and +delve?" + +"Yes, that's what I do," said the Spade, "and that's what I've done +this many a long day, waiting for you, my lad." + +"Well, here I am," said Youngling again, as he took the Spade and +knocked off its handle, and put it into his wallet; and then he +climbed down again to his brothers. + +"Well, what was it, so strange and rare," said Peter and Paul, "that +you saw up there at the top of the rock?" + +"Oh," said Youngling, "nothing more than a spade; that was what we +heard." + +So they went on again a good bit, till they came to a brook. They were +thirsty all three, after their long walk, and so they lay down beside +the brook to have a drink. + +"I have a great fancy to see where this brook comes from," said +Youngling. + +So up alongside the brook he went, in spite of all that his brothers +shouted after him. Nothing could stop him. On he went. And as he went +up and up, the brook grew smaller and smaller, and at last, a little +way farther on, what do you think he saw? Why, a great walnut, and out +of that the water trickled. + +"Good day," said Youngling again. "So you lie here and trickle, and +run down all alone?" + +"Yes, I do," said the Walnut "and here have I trickled and run this +many a long day, waiting for you, my lad." + +"Well, here I am," said Youngling, as he took a lump of moss and +plugged up the hole, so that the water mightn't run out. Then he put +the Walnut into his wallet, and ran down to his brothers. + +"Well, now," said Peter and Paul, "have you found out where the water +comes from? A rare sight it must have been!" + +"Oh, after all, it was only a hole it ran out of," said Youngling, and +the others laughed and made game of him again, but Youngling didn't +mind that a bit. + +So when they had gone a little farther, they came to the King's +palace; but as every man in the kingdom had heard that he might win +the Princess and half the realm, if he could only fell the big oak and +dig the King's well, so many had come to try their luck that the oak +was now twice as stout and big as it had been at first, for you will +remember that two chips grew for every one they hewed out with their +axes. + +So the King had now laid it down as a punishment that if anyone tried +and couldn't fell the oak, he should be put on a barren island, and +both his ears were to be clipped off. But the two brothers didn't let +themselves be frightened by this threat; they were quite sure they +could fell the oak, and Peter, as he was the eldest, was to try his +hand first; but it went with him as with all the rest who had hewn at +the oak: for every chip he cut two grew in its place. So the King's +men seized him, and clipped off both his ears, and put him out on the +island. + +Now Paul was to try his luck, but he fared just the same! When he had +hewn two or three strokes, they began to see the oak grow, and so the +King's men seized him, too, and clipped his ears, and put him out on +the island; and his ears they clipped closer, because they said he +ought to have taken a lesson from his brother. + +So now Youngling was to try. + +"If you want to look like a marked sheep, we're quite ready to clip +your ears at once, and then you'll save yourself some trouble," said +the King, for he was angry with him for his brothers' sake. + +"Well, I'd just like to try first," said Youngling, and so he got +leave. Then he took his Axe out of his wallet and fitted it to its +handle. + +"Hew away!" said he to his Axe, and away it hewed, making the chips +fly again, so that it wasn't long before down came the oak. + +When that was done, Youngling pulled out his Spade and fitted it to +its handle. + +"Dig away!" said he to his Spade, and so the Spade began to dig and +delve till the earth and rock flew out in splinters, and he soon had +the well deep enough, you may believe. + +And when he had got it as big and deep as he chose, Youngling took out +his Walnut and laid it in one corner of the well, and pulled the plug +of moss out. + +"Trickle and run," said Youngling, and so the Nut trickled and ran +till the water gushed out of the hole in a stream, and in a short time +the well was brimful. + +So as Youngling had felled the oak which shaded the King's palace, and +dug a well in the palace-yard, he got the Princess and half the +kingdom, as the King had said; but it was lucky for Peter and Paul +that they had lost their ears, else they might have grown tired of +hearing how everyone said each hour of the day: + +"Well, after all, Youngling wasn't so much out of his mind when he +took to wondering." + + + + +_What the Birds Said_ + + +A lad named Kong Hia Chiang, who lived with his parents among the +mountains, understood the language of the birds. One twilight, as he +sat at his books, a flock of birds alighted on a tree before his +window and sang: + + "Kong Hia Chiang, on the southern plain + A sheep awaits you by a heap of stones,-- + A fine fat wether, that the dogs have slain; + You eat the flesh and we will pick the bones!" + +Kong Hia Chiang went and brought in the torn sheep and cooked it +during the night. The next morning a shepherd came and said that one +of his sheep was missing; he had found blood on the meadow, had +followed the trail, and it had brought him to that house. Kong Hia +Chiang acknowledged that he had brought in the sheep, but declared +that the dogs had killed it, and that its death and the place where it +might be found had been made known to him by birds. His story was +considered to be an impudent fabrication, and he was haled away to +prison. + +While he was awaiting his trial before the magistrate, a bird, flying +eastward, perched on the wall, saw him, and piped: + + "Foes approach the western border, + Banners, bows, and spears in order, + While the gate lacks watch or warder." + +Kong Hia Chiang thereupon so vehemently besought his jailer to inform +the magistrate of the imminent danger of invasion through the +unprotected Western Pass, that the jailer, though wholly incredulous, +decided to test his power of comprehending the utterances of birds. He +took some rice, soaked a part of it in sweetened water, and a part in +brine, and then spread the whole on the roof of a shed into which he +brought Kong Hia Chiang, and asked him if he knew why so many birds +were chirruping overhead. Kong Hia Chiang at once replied that those +on the roof were hailing those that were flying past, and saying: + + "Call a halt; call a halt; + Here is rice fresh and white; + Half is sweet, half is salt; + Stop a bit; take a bite." + +The jailer was at once convinced that the prisoner understood the +speech of birds, and therefore hastened to the magistrate to report +the warning and the test. The magistrate sent a swift courier to +notify the military officers, and a scout was sent out to the west. He +soon confirmed the message of Kong Hia Chiang, and troops were +dispatched to strengthen the garrison at the pass, the invaders +thereby being successfully repelled. The great service rendered to the +country by Kong Hia Chiang was acknowledged by his sovereign, who +afterward made use of his remarkable talent, invited him to study with +the princes, and eventually raised him to a high rank among the nobles +of the empire. + + + + +_The Smith and the Fairies_ + + +Years ago there lived in Crossbrig a smith of the name of MacEachern. +This man had an only child, a boy of about thirteen or fourteen years +of age, cheerful, strong, and healthy. All of a sudden he fell ill; +took to his bed and moped whole days away. No one could tell what was +the matter with him, and the boy himself could not, or would not, tell +how he felt. He was wasting away fast; getting thin, old, and yellow; +and his father and all his friends were afraid that he would die. + +At last one day, after the boy had been lying in this condition for a +long time, getting neither better nor worse, always confined to bed, +but with an extraordinary appetite--one day, while sadly revolving +these things, and standing idly at his forge, with no heart to work, +the smith was agreeably surprised to see an old man, well known for +his sagacity and knowledge of out-of-the-way things, walk into his +workshop. Forthwith he told him the occurrence which had clouded his +life. + +The old man looked grave as he listened; and after sitting a long time +pondering over all he had heard, gave his opinion thus: "It is not +your son you have got. The boy has been carried away by the '_Daione +Sith_,' and they have left a _Sibhreach_ in his place." + +"Alas! and what then am I to do?" said the smith. "How am I ever to +see my own son again?" + +"I will tell you how," answered the old man. "But, first, to make sure +that it is not your own son you have got, take as many empty +egg-shells as you can get, go into his room, spread them out carefully +before his sight, then proceed to draw water with them, carrying them +two and two in your hands as if they were a great weight, and arrange +them when full, with every sort of earnestness around the fire." + +The smith accordingly gathered as many broken egg-shells as he could +get, went into the room, and proceeded to carry out all his +instructions. + +He had not been long at work before there arose from the bed a shout +of laughter, and the voice of the seeming sick boy exclaimed, "I am +eight hundred years of age, and I have never seen the like of that +before." The smith returned and told the old man. + +"Well, now," said the sage to him, "did I not tell you that it was not +your son you had: your son is in Borracheill in a digh there (that is, +a round green hill frequented by fairies). Get rid as soon as possible +of this intruder, and I think I may promise you your son. You must +light a very large and bright fire before the bed on which this +stranger is lying. He will ask you, 'What is the use of such a fire as +that?' Answer him at once, 'You will see that presently!' and then +seize him, and throw him into the middle of it. If it is your own son +you have got, he will call out to you to save him; but if not, the +thing will fly through the roof." + +The smith again followed the old man's advice: kindled a large fire, +answered the question put to him as he had been directed to do, and +seizing the child flung him in without hesitation. The _Sibhreach_ +gave an awful yell, and sprang through the roof, where a hole had been +left to let the smoke out. + +On a certain night the old man told him the green round hill, where +the fairies kept the boy, would be open, and on that date the smith, +having provided himself with a Bible, a dirk, and a crowing cock, was +to proceed to the hill. He would hear singing and dancing, and much +merriment going on, he had been told, but he was to advance boldly; +the Bible he carried would be a certain safeguard to him against any +danger from the fairies. On entering the hill he was to stick the dirk +in the threshold, to prevent the hill from closing upon him; "and +then," continued the old man, "on entering you will see a spacious +apartment before you, beautifully clean, and there, standing far +within, working at a forge, you will also see your own son. When you +are questioned, say you come to seek him, and will not go without +him." + +Not long after this, the time came round, and the smith sallied forth, +prepared as instructed. Sure enough as he approached the hill, there +was a light where light was seldom seen before. Soon after, a sound of +piping, dancing, and joyous merriment reached the anxious father on +the night wind. + +Overcoming every impulse to fear, the smith approached the threshold +steadily, stuck the dirk into it as directed, and entered. Protected +by the Bible he carried on his breast, the fairies could not touch +him; but they asked him, with a good deal of displeasure, what he +wanted there. He answered, "I want my son, whom I see down there, and +I will not go without him." + +Upon hearing this the whole company before him gave a loud laugh, +which wakened up the cock he carried dozing in his arms, who at once +leaped up on his shoulders, clapped his wings lustily, and crowed loud +and long. + +The fairies, incensed, seized the smith and his son, and throwing them +out of the hill, flung the dirk after them, and in an instant all was +dark. + +For a year and a day the boy never did a turn of work, and hardly ever +spoke a word; but at last one day, sitting by his father and watching +him finishing a sword he was making for some chief, and which he was +very particular about, he suddenly exclaimed, "That is not the way to +do it;" and taking the tools from his father's hands he set to work +himself in his place, and soon fashioned a sword, the like of which +was never seen in the country before. + +From that day the young man wrought constantly with his father, and +became the inventor of a peculiarly fine and well-tempered weapon, the +making of which kept the two smiths, father and son, in constant +employment, spread their fame far and wide, and gave them the means in +abundance, as they before had the disposition, to live content with +all the world and very happily with each other. + + + + +_The Grateful Crane_[1] + + +"Fighting sparrows fear not man," as the old proverb says. Yet it was +not a sparrow but a crane that fell down out of the air. Near the feet +of Musai, the farmer's boy, it lay, as he waded in the ooze of his +rice field, working from daybreak to sundown. + +[Footnote 1: From "The Fire-fly's Lovers," by William Elliot Griffis, +copyright, 1008, by T. Y. Crowell & Co.] + +The farmer's boy was used to cranes, for in the plough's furrow on the +dry land these long-legged birds walked close behind, not the least +afraid in the Mikado's dominions. For who would hurt the +white-breasted creature, that every one called the Honourable Lord +Crane? The graceful birds seemed to love to be near man, when he +worked in the wet or paddy fields, where under four inches of water +the seeds were planted and the rice plants grew. So graceful in all +its movements is the crane that many a dainty little maid who acts +politely hears herself spoken of as the "bird that rises from the +water without muddying the stream." + +Musai hurried to the grassy bank at the edge of the paddy field as +fast as he could wade through the liquid mud, to see what was the +matter with the crane. Throwing down his hoe, and looking in the +grass, he saw that an arrow was sticking in the crane's back, and that +red drops of blood dappled its white plumage. Instead of seeming +frightened when the man came near, the bird bent down its neck, as if +to submit to whatever the farmer's boy should do. + +Gently Musai plucked out the arrow and helped the bird to rise, +pushing back the undergrowth so that its broad white pinions could +have free play. After a few feeble attempts to fly it spread its +wings, rose up from the earth, and after circling several times round +its benefactor as though to thank him, it flew off to the mountain. + +Musai went back to his work, hoping that in season his labor would +yield a good crop. He had his widowed mother to support and must needs +toil every day. His one delight was to come home, weary after the long +hours of labour in the muddy rice field, and have a hot bath. This his +mother always had ready for him. Then, clean and with a fresh kimono, +and a little rest before supper-time, he was ready for a quiet evening +with the neighbours. + +So in routine the days passed by until autumn was near at hand. One +day, returning before the sun was fully set, he found seated beside +his mother a lovely girl. In spite of his contemptible appearance +after a day's toil, working barelegged in the mire, she welcomed him +with the grace of a princess. + +Not thinking of returning the salute in his unwashed condition, he +took off his head-kerchief, drew in his breath, and bowing to his +mother asked. + +"Who is the honourable That Side, and how comes she into this +miserable hut?" + +"My son," replied his mother, "though you are a man, you have as yet +no wife. Your virtues of obedience, filial reverence, fidelity, and +politeness have made you well known. Hence this fair damsel is not +unwilling to become your wife. But, without your consent, I could not +answer her proposal. What do you think about it?" + +The young farmer, though highly complimented, at first said little, +but he thought hard. "Daintily reared, and perhaps of noble birth is +she, but should I gratify her desire, how can she bear the poverty to +which we are accustomed? Will she be patient, when she has to suffer +hunger? Or, shall we be separated, and that which promises love and +happiness last only a little while, to pass away, leaving gloom and +sorrow behind?" + +But as the days slipped along, and when he saw how kind she was to her +new mother, ever patient and self-denying in loving reverence, all his +fears were driven away like clouds before the wind. So the young man +and woman were married. + +But when the full autumn-time came for the rice ears to fill and round +out, nothing was found but husk and shell. The crop was a total +failure. With heavy taxes unpaid and no food in the house, starvation +loomed before them. By winter, all were in dire distress. + +Then the patient wife revealed new powers and cheered her husband, +saying, + +"I can spin such cloth as was never made in this province, if you will +build me a separate room. I cannot weave here, or make the fine +pattern of red and white except when alone and in perfect silence. +Build me a room, and the money you need will flow in." + +The old mother was doubtful as to her daughter-in-law's project and +even Musai was but half-hearted. Yet he went to work diligently. With +beam, and wattle, and thatch, floor of mats and window of latticed +paper, with walls made tight because well daubed with clay, he built +the room apart. There alone, day by day, secluded from all, the sweet +wife toiled unseen. The mother and husband patiently waited, until +after a week, the little woman rejoined the family circle. In her +hands she bore a roll of woven stuff, white and shining, as lustrous +and pure as fresh fallen snow. Yet here and there, a crimson thread in +the stuff did but intensify the purity of the otherwise unflecked +whiteness. Pure red and pure white were the only colours of this +wonderful fabric. + +"What shall we call it?" inquired the amazed husband. + +"It has no name, for there is none other in the world like it," said +the fair weaver. + +"But I must have a name. I shall take it to the Daimio. He will not +buy, if he does not know how it is called." + +"Then," said the wife, "tell him its name is 'White Crane's-down +cloth.'" + +Quickly passed the snowy fabric into the hands of the lord of the +castle, who sent it as a present to the Empress in Kioto. All were +amazed by it, and the Empress commanded the donor to be richly +rewarded. The farmer husband, bearing a thousand pieces of coin in his +bag, hastened home to spread the shining silver at his mother's feet +and to thank the wife who had brought him fortune. A feast followed, +and for many weeks the family lived easily on the money thus gained. +Then, when again on the edge of need, Musai asked his wife if she were +willing to weave another web of the wonderful Crane's-down cloth. + +Cheerfully she agreed, cautioning him to leave her in privacy, and not +to look upon her until she came forth with the cloth. + +But alas for the spirit of prying impertinence and wicked curiosity! +Not satisfied with having been delivered from starvation by a wife +that served him like a slave, Musai stealthily crept up to the paper +partition, touched his tongue to the latticed pane, and poked his +finger noiselessly through, thus making a round hole to which he glued +his eye and looked in. + +What a sight! There was no woman at work, but a noble white crane--the +same that he had seen in the field, and from whose back he had +extracted the hunter's arrow. Bending over the spinning wheel, the +bird pulled from her own breast the silky down, and by twining and +twisting made it into the finest thread which mortals ever beheld. +From time to time, she pressed from her heart's blood red drops with +which to dye some strands, and thus the weaving went on. The web of +the cloth was nearly finished. + +Musai astounded looked on without moving, until suddenly called by his +mother, he cried out in response, "Yes, I'm coming." + +The startled crane turned and saw the eye in the wall. Throwing down +thread and web she moved angrily to the door, gave a shrill scream and +flew out under the sky. Like a white speck against the blue hills, she +appeared for a little while and then was lost to sight. + +Son and mother once more faced poverty and loneliness, and Musai again +splashed barelegged in the rice field. + + + + +_Little Surya Bai_ + + +A poor Milkwoman was once going into the town with cans full of milk +to sell. She took with her her little daughter (a baby of about a year +old), having no one in whose charge to leave her at home. Being tired, +she sat down by the roadside, placing the child and the cans full of +milk beside her; when, on a sudden, two large eagles flew overhead; +and one, swooping down, seized the child, and flew away with her out +of the mother's sight. + +Very far, far away the eagles carried the little baby, even beyond the +borders of her native land, until they reached their home in a lofty +tree. There the old eagles had built a great nest; it was made of iron +and wood, and was as big as a little house; there was iron all round, +and to get in and out you had to go through seven iron doors. + +In this stronghold they placed the little baby, and because she was +like a young eaglet they called her Surya Bai (the Sun Lady). The +eagles both loved the child; and daily they flew into distant +countries to bring her rich and precious things--clothes that had been +made for princesses, precious jewels, wonderful playthings, all that +was most costly and rare. + +One day, when Surya Bai was twelve years old, the old husband Eagle +said to his wife, "Wife, our daughter has no diamond ring on her +little finger, such as princesses wear; let us go and fetch her one." +"Yes," said the other old Eagle; "but to fetch it we must go very +far." "True," rejoined he, "such a ring is not to be got nearer than +the Red Sea, and that is a twelve-month's journey from here; +nevertheless we will go." So the Eagles started off, leaving Surya Bai +in the strong nest, with twelve months' provisions (that she might not +be hungry whilst they were away), and a little dog and cat to take +care of her. + +Not long after they were gone, one day the naughty little cat stole +some food from the store, for doing which Surya Bai punished her. The +cat did not like being whipped, and she was still more annoyed at +having been caught stealing; so, in revenge, she ran to the fireplace +(they were obliged to keep a fire always burning in the Eagle's nest, +as Surya never went down from the tree, and would not otherwise have +been able to cook her dinner), and put out the fire. When the little +girl saw this she was much vexed, for the cat had eaten their last +cooked provisions, and she did not know what they were to do for food. +For three whole days Surya Bai puzzled over the difficulty, and for +three whole days she and the dog and the cat had nothing to eat. At +last she thought she would climb to the edge of the nest, and see if +she could see any fire in the country below; and, if so, she would go +down and ask the people who lighted it to give her a little with which +to cook her dinner. So she climbed to the edge of the nest. Then, very +far away on the horizon, she saw a thin curl of blue smoke. So she let +herself down from the tree, and all day long she walked in the +direction whence the smoke came. Toward evening she reached the place, +and found it rose from a small hut in which sat an old woman warming +her hands over a fire. Now, though Surya Bai did not know it, she had +reached the Rakshas's country, and this old woman was none other than +a wicked old Rakshas, who lived with her son in the little hut. The +young Rakshas, however, had gone out for the day. When the old Rakshas +saw Surya Bai, she was much astonished, for the girl was beautiful as +the sun, and her rich dress resplendent with jewels; and she said to +herself, "How lovely this child is; what a dainty morsel she would be! +Oh, if my son were only here we would kill her, and boil her, and eat +her. I will try and detain her till his return." + +Then, turning to Surya Bai, she said, "Who are you, and what do you +want?" + +Surya Bai answered, "I am the daughter of the great Eagles, but they +have gone a far journey, to fetch me a diamond ring, and the fire has +died out in the nest. Give me, I pray you, a little from your +hearth." + +The Rakshas replied, "You shall certainly have some, only first pound +this rice for me, for I am old, and have no daughter to help me." + +Then Surya Bai pounded the rice, but the young Rakshas had not +returned by the time she had finished; so the old Rakshas said to her, +"If you are kind, grind this corn for me, for it is hard work for my +old hands." + +Then she ground the corn, but still the young Rakshas came not; and +the old Rakshas said to her, "Sweep the house for me first, and then I +will give you the fire." + +So Surya Bai swept the house; but still the young Rakshas did not +come. + +Then his mother said to Surya Bai, "Why should you be in such a hurry +to go home? Fetch me some water from the well, and then you shall have +the fire." + +And she fetched the water. When she had done so, Surya Bai said, "I +have done all your bidding, now give me the fire, or I will go +elsewhere and seek it." + +The old Rakshas was grieved because her son had not returned home; but +she saw she could detain Surya Bai no longer, so she said, "Take the +fire and go in peace; take also some parched corn, and scatter it +along the road as you go, so as to make a pretty little pathway from +our house to yours"--and so saying, she gave Surya Bai several +handfuls of parched corn. The girl took them, fearing no evil, and as +she went she scattered the grains on the road. Then she climbed back +into the nest and shut the seven iron doors, and lighted the fire, and +cooked the food, and gave the dog and the cat some dinner, and took +some herself, and went to sleep. + +No sooner had Surya Bai left the Rakshas's hut, than the young Rakshas +returned, and his mother said to him, "Alas, alas, my son, why did not +you come sooner? Such a sweet little lamb has been here, and now we +have lost her." Then she told him all about Surya Bai. + +"Which way did she go?" asked the young Rakshas; "only tell me that, +and I'll have her before morning." + +His mother told him how she had given Surya Bai the parched corn to +scatter on the road; and when he heard that, he followed up the track, +and ran, and ran, and ran, till he came to the foot of the tree. + +There, looking up, he saw the nest high in the branches above them. + +Quick as thought, up he climbed, and reached the great outer door; and +he shook it, and shook it, but he could not get in, for Surya Bai had +bolted it. Then he said, "Let me in, my child, let me in; I'm the +great Eagle, and I have come from very far, and brought you many +beautiful jewels; and here is a splendid diamond ring to fit your +little finger." But Surya Bai did not hear him--she was fast asleep. + +He next tried to force open the door again, but it was too strong for +him. In his efforts, however, he had broken off one of his finger +nails (now the nail of a Rakshas is most poisonous), which he left +sticking in the crack of the door when he went away. + +Next morning Surya Bai opened all the doors, in order to look down on +the world below; but when she came to the seventh door a sharp thing, +which was sticking in it, ran into her hand, and immediately she fell +down dead. + +At that same moment the two poor Eagles returned from their long, +wearisome journey, bringing a beautiful diamond ring, which they had +fetched for their little favourite from the Red Sea. + +There she lay on the threshold of the nest, beautiful as ever but cold +and dead. + +The Eagles could not bear the sight; so they placed the ring on her +finger, and then, with loud cries, flew off to return no more. + +But a little while after there chanced to come by a great Rajah, who +was out on a hunting expedition. He came with hawks, and hounds, and +attendants, and horses, and pitched his camp under the tree in which +the Eagles' nest was built. Then looking up, he saw, amongst the +topmost branches, what appeared like a queer little house; and he sent +some of his attendants to see what it was. They soon returned, and +told the Rajah that up in the tree was a curious thing like a cage, +having seven iron doors, and that on the threshold of the first door +lay a fair maiden, richly dressed; that she was dead, and that beside +her stood a little dog and a little cat. + +At this the Rajah commanded that they should be fetched down, and when +he saw Surya Bai he felt very sad to think that she was dead. And he +took her hand to feel if it were already stiff; but all her limbs were +supple, nor had she become cold, as the dead are cold; and, looking +again at her hand, the Rajah saw that a sharp thing, like a long +thorn, had run into the tender palm, almost far enough to pierce +through to the back of her hand. + +He pulled it out, and no sooner had he done so than Surya Bai opened +her eyes, and stood up, crying, "Where am I? and who are you? Is it a +dream, or true?" + +The Rajah answered, "It is all true, beautiful lady. I am the Rajah of +a neighbouring land; pray tell me who are you." + +She replied, "I am the Eagles' child." + +But he laughed. "Nay," he said, "that cannot be; you are some great +Princess." + +"No," she answered, "I am no royal lady; what I say is true. I have +lived all my life in this tree. I am only the Eagles' child." + +Then the Rajah said, "If you are not a Princess born, I will make you +one; say only you will be my Queen." + +Surya Bai consented, and the Rajah took her to his kingdom and made +her his Queen. But Surya Bai was not his only wife, and the first +Ranee, his other wife, was both envious and jealous of her. + +The Rajah gave Surya Bai many trustworthy attendants to guard her and +be with her; and one old woman loved Surya Bai more than all the rest, +and used to say to her, "Don't be too intimate with the first Ranee, +dear lady, for she wishes you no good, and she has power to do you +harm. Some day she may poison or otherwise injure you." But Surya Bai +would answer her, "Nonsense! what is there to be alarmed about? Why +cannot we both live happily together like two sisters?" Then the old +woman would rejoin, "Ah, dear lady, may you never live to rue your +confidence! I pray my fears may prove folly." So Surya Bai went often +to see the first Ranee, and the first Ranee also came often to see +her. + +One day they were standing in the palace courtyard, near a tank, where +the Rajah's people used to bathe, and the first Ranee said to Surya +Bai, "What pretty jewels you have, sister; let me try them on for a +minute, and see how I look in them." + +The old woman was standing beside Surya Bai, and she whispered to her, +"Do not lend her your jewels." + +"Hush, you silly old woman," answered she. "What harm will it do?" and +she gave the Ranee her jewels. + +Then the Ranee said, "How pretty all your things are! Do you not think +they look well even on me! Let us come down to the tank; it is as +clear as glass, and we can see ourselves reflected in it, and how +these jewels will shine in the clear water!" + +The old woman, hearing this, was much alarmed, and begged Surya Bai +not to venture near the tank, but she said, "I bid you be silent; I +will not distrust my sister." And she went down to the tank. Then, +when no one was near, and they were both leaning over, looking at +their reflections in the water, the first Ranee pushed Surya Bai into +the tank, who, sinking under the water, was drowned; and from the +place where her body fell there sprang up a bright golden sunflower. + +The Rajah shortly afterward inquired where Surya Bai was, but nowhere +could she be found. Then, very angry, he came to the first Ranee and +said, "Tell me where the child is. You have made away with her." + +But she answered, "You do me wrong; I know nothing of her. Doubtless +that old woman whom you allowed to be always with her, has done her +some harm." So the Rajah ordered the poor old woman to be thrown into +prison. + +He tried to forget Surya Bai and all her pretty ways, but it was no +good. Wherever he went he saw her face. Whatever he heard, he still +listened for her voice. Every day he grew more miserable; he would not +eat or drink; and as for the other Ranee, he could not bear to speak +to her. All his people said, "He will surely die." + +When matters were in this state, the Rajah one day wandered to the +edge of the tank, and bending over the parapet, looked into the water. +Then he was surprised to see, growing out of the tank close beside him +a stately golden flower; and as he watched it, the sunflower gently +bent its head and leaned down toward him. The Rajah's heart was +softened, and he kissed its leaves and murmured, "This flower reminds +me of my lost wife. I love it, it is fair and gentle as she used to +be." And every day he would go down to the tank and sit and watch the +flower. When the Ranee heard this, she ordered her servants to go and +dig the sunflower up, and to take it far into the jungle and burn it. +Next time the Rajah went to the tank he found his flower gone, and he +was much grieved, but none dared say who had done it. + +Then, in the jungle, from the place where the ashes of the sunflower +had been thrown, there sprang up a young mango tree, tall and +straight, that grew so quickly, and became such a beautiful tree, that +it was the wonder of all the country round. At last, on its topmost +bough, came one fair blossom; and the blossom fell, and the little +mango grew rosier and rosier, and larger and larger, till so wonderful +was it both for size and shape that people flocked from far and near +only to look at it. + +But none ventured to gather it, for it was to be kept for the Rajah +himself. + +Now one day, the poor Milkwoman, Surya Bai's mother, was returning +homeward after her day's work with the empty milk cans, and being very +tired with her long walk to the bazaar, she lay down under the mango +tree and fell asleep. Then, right into her largest milk can, fell the +wonderful mango! When the poor woman awoke and saw what had happened, +she was dreadfully frightened, and thought to herself, "If any one +sees me with this wonderful fruit, that all the Rajah's people have +been watching for so many, many weeks, they will never believe that I +did not steal it, and I shall be put in prison. Yet it is no good +leaving it here; besides, it fell off of itself into my milk can. I +will therefore take it home as secretly as possible, and share it with +my children." + +So the Milkwoman covered up the can in which the mango was, and took +it quickly to her home, where she placed it in the corner of the room, +and put over it a dozen other milk cans, piled one above another. +Then, as soon as it was dark, she called her husband and eldest son +(for she had six or seven children), and said to them, "What good +fortune do you think has befallen me to-day?" + +"We cannot guess," they said. "Nothing less," she went on, "than the +wonderful, wonderful mango falling into one of my milk cans while I +slept! I have brought it home with me; it is in that lowest can. Go, +husband, call all the children to have a slice; and you, my son, take +down that pile of cans and fetch me the mango." "Mother," he said, +when he got to the lowest can, "you were joking, I suppose, when you +told us there was a mango here." + +"No, not at all," she answered; "there is a mango there. I put it +there myself an hour ago." + +"Well, there's something quite different now," replied the son. "Come +and see." + +The Milkwoman ran to the place, and there, in the lowest can, she saw, +not the mango, but a little tiny wee lady, richly dressed in red and +gold, and no bigger than a mango! On her head shone a bright jewel +like a little sun. + +"This is very odd," said the mother. "I never heard of such a thing in +my life! But since she has been sent to us, I will take care of her, +as if she were my own child." + +Every day the little lady grew taller and taller, until she was the +size of an ordinary woman; she was gentle and lovable, but always sad +and quiet, and she said her name was "Surya Bai." + +The children were all very curious to know her history, but the +Milkwoman and her husband would not let her be teased to tell who she +was, and said to the children, "Let us wait. By and by, when she knows +us better, she will most likely tell us her story of her own accord." + +Now it came to pass that once, when Surya Bai was taking water from +the well for the old Milkwoman, the Rajah rode by, and as he saw her +walking along, he cried, "That is my wife," and rode after her as +fast as possible. Surya Bai hearing a great clatter of horses' hoofs, +was frightened, and ran home as fast as possible, and hid herself; and +when the Rajah reached the place there was only the old Milkwoman to +be seen standing at the door of her hut. + +Then the Rajah said to her, "Give her up, old woman, you have no right +to keep her; she is mine, she is mine!" + +But the old woman answered, "Are you mad? I don't know what you mean." + +The Rajah replied, "Do not attempt to deceive me. I saw my wife go in +at your door; she must be in the house." + +"Your wife?" screamed the old woman--"your wife? you mean my daughter, +who lately returned from the well! Do you think I am going to give my +child up at your command? You are Rajah in your palace, but I am Rajah +in my own house; and I won't give up my little daughter for any +bidding of yours. Be off with you, or I'll pull out your beard." And +so saying, she seized a long stick and attacked the Rajah, calling out +loudly to her husband and sons, who came running to her aid. + +The Rajah, seeing matters were against him, and having outridden his +attendants (and not being quite certain moreover whether he had seen +Surya Bai, or whether she might not have been really the poor +Milkwoman's daughter), rode off and returned to his palace. + +However, he determined to sift the matter. As a first step he went to +see Surya Bai's old attendant, who was still in prison. From her he +learned enough to make him believe she was not only entirely innocent +of Surya Bai's death, but gravely to suspect the first Ranee of having +caused it. He therefore ordered the old woman to be set at liberty, +still keeping a watchful eye on her, and bade her prove her devotion +to her long-lost mistress by going to the Milkwoman's house, and +bringing him as much information as possible about the family, and +more particularly about the girl he had seen returning from the well. + +So the attendant went to the Milkwoman's house, and made friends with +her, and bought some milk, and afterward she stayed and talked to +her. + +After a few days the Milkwoman ceased to be suspicious of her, and +became quite cordial. + +Surya Bai's attendant then told how she had been the late Ranee's +waiting-woman, and how the Rajah had thrown her into prison on her +mistress's death; in return for which intelligence the old Milkwoman +imparted to her how the wonderful mango had tumbled into her can as +she slept under the tree, and how it had miraculously changed in the +course of an hour into a beautiful little lady. "I wonder why she +should have chosen my poor house to live in, instead of any one +else's," said the old woman. + +Then Surya Bai's attendant said, "Have you ever asked her her history? +Perhaps she would not mind telling it to you now." + +So the Milkwoman called the girl, and as soon as the old attendant saw +her, she knew it was none other than Surya Bai, and her heart jumped +for joy; but she remained silent, wondering much, for she knew her +mistress had been drowned in the tank. + +The old Milkwoman turned to Surya Bai and said, "My child, you have +lived long with us, and been a good daughter to me; but I have never +asked you your history, because I thought it must be a sad one; but if +you do not fear to tell it to me now, I should like to hear it." + +Surya Bai answered, "Mother, you speak true; my story is sad. I +believe my real mother was a poor Milkwoman like you, and that she +took me with her one day when I was quite a little baby, as she was +going to sell milk in the bazaar. But being tired with the long walk, +she sat down to rest, and placed me also on the ground, when suddenly +a great Eagle flew down and carried me away. But all the father and +mother I ever knew were the two great Eagles." + +"Ah, my child! my child!" cried the Milkwoman, "I was that poor woman; +the Eagles flew away with my eldest girl when she was only a year old. +Have I found you after these many years?" + +And she ran and called all her children, and her husband, to tell them +the wonderful news. + +And there was great rejoicing among them all. + +When they were a little calmer, her mother said to Surya Bai, "Tell +us, dear daughter, how your life has been spent since first we lost +you." And Surya Bai went on: + +"The old Eagles took me away to their home, and there I lived happily +many years. They loved to bring me all the beautiful things they could +find, and at last one day they both went to fetch me a diamond ring +from the Red Sea; but while they were gone the fire went out in the +nest: so I went to an old woman's hut, and got her to give me some +fire; and next day (I don't know how it was), as I was opening the +outer door of the cage, a sharp thing, that was sticking in it, ran +into my hand and I fell down senseless. + +"I don't know how long I lay there, but when I came to myself, I found +the Eagles must have come back, and thought me dead, and gone away, +for the diamond ring was on my little finger; a great many people were +watching over me, and amongst them was a Rajah, who asked me to go +home with him and be his wife, and he brought me to this place, and I +was his Ranee. + +"But his other wife, the first Ranee, hated me (for she was jealous), +and desired to kill me; and one day she accomplished her purpose by +pushing me into the tank, for I was young and foolish, and disregarded +the warnings of my faithful old attendant, who begged me not to go +near the place. Ah! if I had only listened to her words I might have +been happy still." + +At these words the old attendant, who had been sitting in the +background, rushed forward and kissed Surya Bai's feet, crying; "Ah, +my lady! my lady! have I found you at last!" and, without staying to +hear more, she ran back to the palace to tell the Rajah the glad news. + +Then Surya Bai told her parents how she had not wholly died in the +tank, but become a sunflower; and how the first Ranee; seeing how fond +the Rajah was of the plant, had caused it to be thrown away; and then +how she had risen from the ashes of the sunflower, in the form of a +mango tree; and how when the tree blossomed all her spirit went into +the little mango flower, and she ended by saying: "And when the flower +became fruit, I know not by what irresistible impulse I was induced +to throw myself into your milk can. Mother--it was my destiny, and as +soon as you took me into your house, I began to recover my human +form." + +"Why, then," asked her brothers and sisters, "why do you not tell the +Rajah that you are living, and that you are the Ranee Surya Bai?" + +"Alas," she answered, "I could not do that. Who knows but that he may +be influenced by the first Ranee, and also desire my death. Let me +rather be poor like you, but safe from danger." + +Then her mother cried, "Oh, what a stupid woman I am! The Rajah one +day came seeking you here, but I and your father and brothers drove +him away, for we did not know you were indeed the lost Ranee." + +As she spoke these words a sound of horses' hoofs was heard in the +distance, and the Rajah himself appeared, having heard the good news +of Surya Bai's return from her old attendant. + +It is impossible to tell the joy of the Rajah at finding his long-lost +wife, but it was not greater than Surya Bai's at being restored to her +husband. + +Then the Rajah turned to the old Milkwoman, and said "Old woman, you +did not tell me true, for it was indeed my wife who was in your hut." + +"Yes, Protector of the Poor," answered the old Milkwoman, "but it was +also my daughter." Then they told him how Surya Bai was the +Milkwoman's child. + +At hearing this the Rajah commanded them all to return with him to the +palace. He gave Surya Bai's father a village and, ennobled the family; +and he said to Surya Bai's old attendant, "For the good service you +have done you shall be palace housekeeper," and he gave her great +riches; adding, "I can never repay the debt I owe you, nor make you +sufficient recompense for having caused you to be unjustly cast into +prison." But she replied, "Sire, even in your anger you were +temperate; if you had caused me to be put to death, as some would have +done, none of this good might have come upon you; it is yourself you +have to thank." + +The wicked first Ranee was cast, for the rest of her life, into the +prison in which the old attendant had been thrown; but Surya Bai lived +happily with her husband the rest of her days; and in memory of her +adventures, he planted round their palace a hedge of sunflowers and a +grove of mango trees. + + + + +_The Storks and the Night Owl_ + + +Chasid, Caliph of Bagdad, which, by the way, is on the river Tigris, +and was long, long ago the capital of the ancient Saracen Empire, was +comfortably seated upon his sofa one beautiful afternoon. He had slept +a little, for it was a very hot day, and he seemed cheerful after his +nap. + +He smoked from a long pipe made of rosewood; sipped now and then a +little coffee, which a slave poured out for him, and stroked his beard +very contentedly. So it was very plain that the Caliph was in a good +humour. This was generally the case at this hour, as it was the custom +of his Grand Vizier Manzor to visit him every day about this time. He +came this afternoon, but he seemed very thoughtful. The Caliph looked +at him, and said: "Grand Vizier, why is thy countenance so sad?" + +The Grand Vizier crossed his arms over his breast, bowed himself +before his lord, and said: "My lord, I am sad because in the court +below there is a merchant who has such fine wares that I am troubled +because I have so little money to spare to purchase them." + +The Caliph, who had for a long time past desired to confer a favour +upon his Grand Vizier, sent his black slave to bring up the merchant. +The slave soon returned with him. The merchant was a short stout man, +with a dark brown face, and in ragged attire. He carried a chest, in +which he had various kinds of wares, pearls and rings, richly inlaid +pistols, goblets and combs. The Caliph and his Vizier looked at them, +and the former purchased some beautiful pistols for himself and +Manzor. As the merchant was about to pack up his chest the Caliph saw +a small drawer, and asked what it contained. The merchant drew out the +drawer, and showed therein a box filled with blackish powder and a +paper with strange writing upon it, which neither the Caliph nor +Manzor could read. "I received these things from a merchant who found +them in the streets of Mecca," said he. "I know not what they contain. +They are at your service for a trifling price, for I can do nothing +with them." + +The Caliph, who was a great collector of old manuscripts for his +library, even if he could not read them, purchased box and writings, +and dismissed the merchant. But it occurred to the Caliph that he +would like to know the meaning of the writing, and he asked the Vizier +whether he knew anyone who could read it. + +"Most worthy lord and master," replied the Vizier, "near the great +Mosque there dwells a man who understands all languages; he is called +'Selim the Wise.' Send for him; perhaps he may be able to interpret +the writing." + +The learned Selim was soon brought. "Selim," said the Caliph, "they +say thou art very learned; peep now into this writing, and see if thou +canst read it. If thou canst, thou shalt have a rich new garment; if +thou canst not, thou shalt be beaten with five-and-twenty strokes upon +the soles of thy feet, for in that case thou art without the right to +be called 'Selim the Wise.'" + +Selim bowed himself and said: "Thy will be done, my lord." For a long +time he examined the writing, then suddenly exclaimed, "This is Latin, +my lord." + +"Say what it means," commanded the Caliph, "if it be Latin." + +Selim commenced to translate the documents. "Oh man, thou who findest +this, praise Allah for His great goodness to thee. Whoever snuffs of +the powder contained in this box, and says thereupon 'Mutabor,' will +have the power to change himself into any animal he may choose, and +will be able to understand the language of that animal and all others. +Should he wish to return to his human form he must bow himself three +times to the East, and in the direction of our holy Mecca, and repeat +the same word. But beware, when thou art transformed that thou +laughest not, otherwise the magic word will disappear completely from +thy memory and thou wilt remain a beast." + +When Selim the Wise had read this, the Caliph was delighted beyond +measure. He bound over the sage that he would disclose the secret to +no one, presented him with the promised rich garment, and dismissed +him. But to his Grand Vizier he said: "That I call a good purchase, +Manzor. I can scarcely restrain my delight until I am a beast. Early +to-morrow morning come thou hither; we will go together into the +field, snuff a little out of the box, and then listen to what is said +in the air, and in the water, in the wood, and in the field." + +On the following morning the Caliph had scarcely breakfasted when the +Grand Vizier appeared to accompany him upon his walk, as he had +commanded him. The Caliph placed the box with the magic powder in his +girdle, and, having directed his train to remain behind, he set out +alone with his Grand Vizier. They went through the spacious gardens of +the Caliph, and looked around, but in vain, for some living thing, +that they might try their trick. The Vizier at length proposed that +they should go further on, to a pond where he had often seen many of +those beautiful creatures called Storks, which, by their grave +appearance and their continual clacking, had always excited his +attention. + +The Caliph approved the proposal of the Vizier, and they went together +to the pond. When they had arrived they saw a stork walking gravely up +and down looking for frogs, and now and then clacking something to +himself. At the same time they saw also, far above in the air, another +stork hovering over the pond. + +"I am pretty sure," said the Grand Vizier, "that these two long-legged +fellows are carrying on a fine conversation with each other. What if +we should become storks?" + +"Well said!" replied the Caliph. "But first let us consider, once +more, how we are to become men again. True! three times must we bend +toward the East and in the direction of Mecca, and say 'Mutabor,' then +I am Caliph again and thou Vizier. But we must take care whatever we +do, not to laugh, or we are lost." + +While the Caliph was thus speaking he saw the other stork hover over +their heads and slowly descend toward the earth. He drew the box +quickly from his girdle, took a good pinch, offered it to the Grand +Vizier, who also snuffed it, and both cried out "Mutabor!" + +At once their legs began to shrivel up, and soon became thin and red. +The beautiful yellow slippers of the Caliph and of his companion were +changed into the strange-shaped feet of the stork; their arms were +changed to wings; their necks were lengthened out from their shoulders +and became a yard long; their beards had disappeared, and their bodies +were covered with feathers which were soft, fine and graceful. + +"You have a beautiful beak," said the Caliph after a long pause of +astonishment. "By the beard of the Prophet, I have never seen anything +like it in my life." + +"I thank you most humbly," replied the Grand Vizier, while he made his +obeisance. "But if it were permitted I might say that your Highness +looks even more handsome as a stork than as a Caliph. But come, if it +please you, let us listen to our comrades yonder, and find out whether +we really understand the language of the storks." + +In the meanwhile the other stork had reached the ground. He trimmed +his feet with his beak, put his feathers in order, and advanced to his +companion. The two new storks hastened to get near them, and to their +great surprise heard the following conversation:-- + +"Good morning, Lady Longlegs, already so early in the meadow." + +"Thank you, dear Clatterbeak, I have had only a slight breakfast." + +"Would you like, perhaps, a piece of a duck or the leg of a frog?" + +"Much obliged, but I have no appetite to-day. I have come into the +meadow for a very different purpose. I am to dance to-day before some +guests of my father's, and I wish to practise here a little quietly by +myself." + +The young stork immediately jumped about the field with singular +motions. The Caliph and Manzor looked on with wonder; but as she stood +in a picturesque attitude upon one foot, and fluttered her wings +gracefully, they could no longer contain themselves--an irresistible +laughter burst forth from their beaks, from which they could not +recover themselves for a long time. The Caliph first collected +himself. "That was a joke now," he exclaimed, "that is not to be +purchased with gold. Pity that the foolish creatures have been +frightened away by our laughter, otherwise perhaps they might even +have sung!" + +But it now occurred to the Grand Vizier that laughter had been +specially forbidden them during their transformation. He told his +anxiety to the Caliph. "Dear me, dear me, it would indeed be a +sorrowful joke if I must remain a stork. Pray bethink thyself of the +magic word. For the life of me I can't remember it." + +"Three times must we bow to the East and to Mecca, and then say, 'Mu, +mu, mu.'" + +They turned toward the East, and bowed and bowed, so that their beaks +almost touched the earth. But alas! alas! the magic word would not +come. However often the Caliph bowed himself and however anxiously the +Vizier called out "Mu, mu," all recollection of it had vanished, and +the poor Caliph and Vizier remained storks. + +Very mournfully did the enchanted ones wander through the fields. They +knew not what to do in their great distress. They could not rid +themselves of their storks' skin and feathers; they could not return +to the city to make themselves known, for who would have believed a +stork, if he had said he was the Caliph? And even if they should +believe it, the inhabitants of Bagdad would not have a stork for their +Caliph. Thus they wandered about for several days, and nourished +themselves with the fruits of the field, which they could not eat very +conveniently on account of their long beaks. For ducks and frogs they +had no appetite; they were afraid that with such food they might +fatally disorder their stomachs. It was their only pleasure in this +sad condition that they could fly, and so they often flew upon the +roofs of Bagdad to see what passed in the city. + +During the first days they observed great disorder and mourning in the +streets, but about the fourth day after their transformation, as they +stood upon the Caliph's palace, they saw in the street a splendid +procession. Drums and fifes sounded; a man in a scarlet mantle, +embroidered with gold, rode a richly caparisoned steed, surrounded by +a brilliant train of attendants. + +Half Bagdad leaped to meet him, and all cried: "Hail, Mirza, Lord of +Bagdad!" The two storks upon the roof of the palace looked at each +other, and the Caliph said: "Canst thou now divine, Grand Vizier, why +I am enchanted? This Mirza is the son of my deadly enemy, the mighty +magician Cachnur, who, in an evil hour, swore revenge upon me. But +still I will not give up hope. Come with me, thou true companion of my +misfortune! We will wander to the grave of the Prophet. Perhaps on +that holy spot this spell will vanish;" and they at once soared from +the roof of the palace and flew toward Mecca. + +But flying was no easy matter to them, for the two storks had as yet +but little practice. "Oh, my lord," sighed the Grand Vizier, after a +few hours, "with your permission I must stop, for I can bear it no +longer; you fly altogether too fast. Besides it is now evening, and we +should do well to seek a shelter for the night." Chasid at once +yielded to the prayer of the Vizier, and, as they at this moment +perceived a ruin in the valley below, they flew thither. The place in +which they had taken refuge for the night seemed formerly to have been +a castle. Beautiful columns overtopped the ruins, and several +chambers, which were still in a fair state of preservation, gave +evidence of the former splendour of the building. Chasid and his +companion wandered through the passages to find a dry spot for +themselves. Suddenly the stork Manzor stopped. "My Lord and master," +he whispered softly, "if it were not folly in a Grand Vizier, and +still more in a stork, to be afraid of spirits, I should feel much +alarmed, for something near by us sighed and groaned very plainly." + +The Caliph also stood still, and heard very distinctly a low weeping +that seemed rather to come from a human being than from an animal. + +Full of expectation, he was about to advance toward the place from +whence came the sounds of weeping and sighing, when the Vizier seized +him by the wing with his beak and begged him very earnestly not to +plunge into new and unknown dangers But in vain! The Caliph, who bore +a brave heart under his stork's wing, tore himself loose, with the +loss of some of his feathers, and hastened into a dark passage-way. He +soon arrived at a door which seemed to be partly open, and through +which he overheard distinct sighs, with a slight moaning. In the +ruined chamber, which was but dimly lighted by a small grated window, +he saw a large night owl upon the floor. Big tears rolled from her +large round eyes, and with a hoarse voice she sent forth her cries +from her curved beak. As soon, however, as she saw the Caliph and +Vizier she gave a loud scream of joy. Gracefully she wiped the tears +from her eyes with her brown-spotted wing, and to the great +astonishment of both she exclaimed, in good plain Arabic, "Welcome, ye +storks! Ye are a good sign of my rescue, for it has been told me that +by a stork I shall attain to great happiness." + +When the Caliph had recovered from his astonishment he bowed with his +long neck, brought his thin feet into a handsome position, and said: + +"Night owl, from thy words I think that thou art a companion in +suffering. But alas! the hope that thou wilt be rescued by us is vain. +Thou wilt see our helplessness when we have told thee our history." + +The night owl begged him to relate it. The Caliph commenced, and +repeated what we already know. + +When the Caliph had told the owl his history she thanked him and said: + +"Hear also my story, and you will see that I am not less unhappy than +you. My father is King of India; I, his only daughter, am called Lusa. +That magician Cachnur, who has enchanted you, has also plunged me into +this misery. He came one day to my father, and desired me for a wife +to his son. But my father, who is a quick-tempered man, ordered him to +be pushed down the stairs. The bad man contrived to meet me under +another form; and once, when taking refreshments in my garden, he +brought me, in the person of a slave, a draught in a cup, which +changed me into this frightful shape. Powerless from fright, he +brought me hither and cried in my ear: 'Here shalt thou remain, hated +and despised, even by the beasts, until thy death, or until someone, +with free will, shall desire thee for his wife, even in this horrible +shape. In this way I revenge myself upon thee and thy proud father!' + +"Since then many months have passed. Solitary and disconsolate, I +dwell within these walls, scorned by the world, a horror even to the +beasts. Beautiful nature is locked up from me, for, like all owls, I +am blind by day, and only when the moon pours her pale light over +these ruins does the veil fall from my eyes." + +The owl stopped speaking and wiped the tears again from her eyes, for +the telling of her sorrows had drawn them forth anew. + +During the story of the Princess, the Caliph appeared deep in thought. +"If everything does not deceive me," he said, "there is a secret +connection between our fates; but where can I find the key to this +riddle?" + +The owl replied: "Oh, my lord, I also have such a thought, for it was +once told me when I was a very little girl that a stork would one day +bring me great happiness, and I may know perhaps how we may be +rescued." + +The Caliph was much astonished, and asked her in what way she meant. + +"The magician who has made us both miserable," said she, "comes once +in every month to these ruins. Not far from this chamber is a hall. +There he is accustomed to feast with many of his companions. I have +often listened there already. They tell one another their histories, +and what they have been doing since last they met. Perhaps on the next +occasion they may talk over your story, and let fall the magic word +that you have forgotten." + +"Oh, dearest Princess," exclaimed the Caliph, "tell me when does he +come and where is the hall?" + +The owl was silent for a moment and then spoke. "Take it not +ungraciously, but only upon one condition can your wish be granted." + +"Speak out! speak out!" cried the Caliph. "Command, and whatever it is +I will obey?" + +"It is this: I also would gladly be free, and this can only happen if +one of you offer me his hand." The storks seemed somewhat confused at +this proposition, and the Caliph made a sign to his follower to +withdraw for a moment with him. + +They talked together for a long time, the Caliph urging the Vizier to +consent; but he said it was not possible, as he was already an old +man, "whilst you, my lord and master, are but young in years." The +Caliph at last saw that the Vizier would rather remain a stork than +accept the owl, so he resolved to fulfil the condition himself. The +owl was overjoyed, and she said they could not have come at a better +time, for the magicians would most likely meet that very night. + +She then left the chamber in company with the storks, in order to lead +them to the hall. They walked for a long time through a dark +passage-way, when at last a bright light shone upon them from an +opening in a ruined wall. When they had arrived thither the owl +advised them to keep perfectly quiet. From the opening near where they +stood they had a good view of the hall. It had many pillars, and the +whole apartment was richly decorated. In the middle was a round table +covered with rich food of various kinds; round the table were placed +seats, upon which sat eight men. In one of these men the storks +recognized the merchant who had sold them the magic powder. The one +who sat next him desired him to relate his history and what had been +done during the last few days. He did so, and among the other things +he told the story of his visit to the Caliph and Grand Vizier of +Bagdad. + +"What kind of a word hast thou given them," asked the other magician. + +"A very hard Latin one; it is Mutabor." + +As the storks heard this from their place of concealment they became +almost beside themselves for joy. They ran so quickly with their long +legs to the door of the ruin that the owl could scarcely follow them. +There, the Caliph addressed the owl with much emotion. + +"Saviour of my life, and the life of my friend, as an eternal thanks +for what thou hast done for us, accept me as thy husband"; then he +turned himself toward the east and toward Mecca. Three times the +storks bent their long necks toward the sun, which, by this time, was +rising above the distant hills: "Mutabor!" they exclaimed. In a +twinkling they were changed, and in the delight of newly restored +life, master and servant were laughing and weeping in each other's +arms. But who can describe their astonishment as they looked about +them? + +A beautiful maiden in a splendid dress stood before them. She held out +her hand to the Caliph saying: "Do you no longer recognize your night +owl?" + +Yes, it was indeed that bird. The Caliph looked with wonder at her +beauty and grace, and said: "It is my greatest happiness that I have +been a stork." + +The three now started to travel together for the city of Bagdad. The +Caliph found in his clothes not only the box with the magic powder, +but also his purse of gold. By this means he purchased at the nearest +village all that was necessary for their journey, so that they very +soon arrived at the gates of Bagdad. The arrival of the Caliph excited +the greatest wonder. They had supposed him dead, but the people were +overjoyed to have their beloved lord again. + +Their hatred was intense against the deceiver Mirza. They entered the +palace and took the old magician and his son prisoners. The Caliph +took the old man to that same chamber in which the Princess had lived +so long as an owl, and ordered him to be hung up there. But to the +son, who did not understand the wicked arts of his father, he offered +the choice of either to die or take snuff. + +He chose the latter when the Grand Vizier offered the box. A good +pinch, and the magic word of the Caliph changed him into a stork. The +Caliph then directed that he should be put into a cage and placed in +his garden. + +Long and happily the Caliph Chasid lived with his wife, the Princess. +His happiest hours were when the Grand Vizier visited him in the +afternoon. They never tired of talking about their storks' adventure, +and when the Caliph was more than usually merry he would imitate the +Grand Vizier, and show how he looked when he was a stork. He walked +gravely up and down the chamber with slow and solemn steps, made a +clacking noise, flapped his arms like wings, and showed how he, to no +purpose, bowed himself to the east and called out: "Mu--Mu--Mu." This +was always a great delight to the Princess and the children, which +were afterward born to her, until they also took delight in calling +out to one another: "Mu--Mu--Mu." + +So for very many years happiness reigned in the palace, and not only +in the palace, but throughout the city of Bagdad, the capital of the +ancient Saracen Empire. + + + + +_The Five Queer Brothers_ + + +An old woman had five grown-up sons that looked just alike. The eldest +could gulp up the ocean at a mouthful; the second was hard enough to +nick steel; the third had extensible legs; the fourth was unaffected +by fire; the fifth lived without breathing. They all concealed their +peculiar traits, and their neighbours did not even guess that they +were queer. + +The eldest supported the family by fishing, going alone to the sea, +and bringing back loads of spoil. The neighbours often besought him to +teach their sons how to fish, and he at last let all their boys go +with him, one day, to learn his art. On reaching the shore, he sucked +the sea into his mouth, and directed the boys to the dry bottom, to +collect the fish. When he was tired of holding the water, he beckoned +to the boys to return, but they were playing amongst strange objects, +and paid no heed to him. When he could contain the sea no longer, he +had to let it flow back into its former basin, and all the boys were +drowned. + +As he went homeward, he passed the doors of the parents, who inquired +how many fish their sons had caught, and how long they would be in +coming back. He told them the facts, yet they would not excuse him, +and they dragged him before the magistrate to account for the loss of +their children. He defended himself by saying that he had not invited +the boys to go with him, and had consented to their going only when +the parents had repeatedly urged him; that, after the boys were on the +ocean-bed, he had done his utmost to induce them to come ashore; that +he had held the water as long as he could, and had then thrown it in +the sea-basin solely because nothing else would contain it. +Notwithstanding this defence, the judge decided that, since he took +the boys away and did not bring them back, he was guilty of murder, +and sentenced him to decapitation. He entreated leave to pay one visit +to his aged mother before his execution, and this was granted. He went +alone and told his brothers of his doom, and the second brother +returned in his stead to the judge, thanked him for having given him +permission to perform a duty required by filial piety, and said he was +then ready to die. He knelt with bowed head, and the headsman brought +the knife down across the back of his neck, but the knife was nicked +and the neck was left unscathed. A second knife, and a third of finer +steel, were brought and tried by headsmen who were accustomed to sever +heads clean off at one stroke. Having spoiled their best blades +without marring his neck, they took him back to prison and informed +the judge that the sentence could not be executed. + +The judge then decreed that he should be dropped into the sea which +covered his victims. When he heard this decision, he said that he had +taken leave of his mother supposing that his head was to be cut off, +and that, if he was to be drowned, he must go to her and make known +his fate, and get her blessing anew. Permission being given, he went +and told his brothers what had happened, and the third brother took +the place of the second, and presented himself before the judge as the +criminal that was to be sunk in the sea. He was carried far from shore +and thrown overboard, but he stretched his legs till his feet touched +bottom and he stood with his head in the air. They hauled him aboard +and took him farther from land, but still his extensible legs +supported him above the waters. Then they sailed to mid-ocean, and +cast him into its greatest depths, but his legs still lengthened so +that he was not drowned. They brought him back to the judge, reported +what had been done, and said that some other method of destroying him +must be followed. + +He was then condemned to death by being boiled in oil; and while the +caldron was being heated, he begged and obtained leave to go and tell +his mother of his late survival, and, of the manner in which he was +soon to be taken off. His brothers having heard the latest judgment, +the fourth one went to bear the penalty of the law, and was lowered +into the kettle of boiling oil, where he disported himself as if in a +tepid bath, and even asked the executioners to stir up the fire a +little to increase the warmth. Finding that he could not be fried, he +was remanded to prison. + +Then the populace, the bereaved parents, and the magistrate joined in +effort to invent a sure method of putting him to death. Water, fire +and sword all having failed, they finally fixed upon smothering him in +a vast cream-cake. The whole country round made contributions of flour +for the tough pastry, sugar for the viscid filling, and bricks for a +huge oven; and it was made and baked on a plain outside the city +walls. Meanwhile the prisoner was allowed to go and bid his mother +farewell, and the fifth brother secretly became his substitute. When +the cake was done, a multitude of people, with oxen, horses, and +ropes, dragged it to the execution ground, and within it the culprit +was interred. As he was able to exist without air, he rested +peacefully till the next midnight. Then he safely crawled forth, and +returned to his home, where he dwelt happily for many years with his +remarkable brothers. + + + + +_The Lac of Rupees_ + + +A poor blind Brahman and his wife were dependent on their son for +their subsistence. Every day the young fellow used to go out and get +what he could by begging. This continued for some time, till at last +he became quite tired of such a wretched life, and determined to go +and try his luck in another country. He informed his wife of his +intention, and ordered her to manage somehow or other for the old +people during the few months that he would be absent. He begged her to +be industrious, lest his parents should be angry and curse him. + +One morning he started with some food in a bundle, and walked on day +after day, till he reached the chief city of the neighbouring country. +Here he went and sat down by a merchant's shop and asked alms. The +merchant inquired whence he had come, why he had come, and what was +his caste; to which he replied that he was a Brahman, and was +wandering hither and thither begging a livelihood for himself, his +wife and parents. Moved with pity for the man, the merchant advised +him to visit the kind and generous king of that country, and offered +to accompany him to the court. Now, at that time it happened that the +king was seeking for a Brahman to look after a golden temple which he +had just had built. His Majesty was very glad, therefore, when he saw +the Brahman and heard that he was good and honest. He at once deputed +him to the charge of this temple, and ordered fifty kharwars of rice +and one hundred rupees to be paid to him every year as wages. + +Two months after this, the Brahman's wife, not having heard any news +of her husband, left the house and went in quest of him. By a happy +fate she arrived at the very place that he had reached, where she +heard that every morning at the golden temple a golden rupee was given +in the king's name to any beggar who chose to go for it. Accordingly, +on the following morning she went to the place and met her husband. + +"Why have you come here?" he asked. "Why have you left my parents? +Care you not whether they curse me and I die? Go back immediately, and +await my return." + +"No, no," said the woman. "I cannot go back to starve and see your old +father and mother die. There is not a grain of rice left in the +house." + +"O Bhagawant!" exclaimed the Brahman. "Here, take this," he continued, +scribbling a few lines on some paper, and then handing it to her, "and +give it to the king. You will see that he will give you a lac of +rupees for it." Thus saying he dismissed her, and the woman left. + +On this scrap of paper were written three pieces of advice--First, If +a person is travelling and reaches any strange place at night, let him +be careful where he puts up, and not close his eyes in sleep, lest he +close them in death. Secondly, If a man has a married sister, and +visits her in great pomp, she will receive him for the sake of what +she can obtain from him; but if he comes to her in poverty, she will +frown on him and disown him. Thirdly, If a man has to do any work, he +must do it himself, and do it with might and without fear. + +On reaching her home the Brahmani told her parents of her meeting with +her husband, and what a valuable piece of paper he had given her; but +not liking to go before the king herself, she sent one of her +relations. The king read the paper, and ordering the man to be +flogged, dismissed him. The next morning the Brahmani took the paper, +and while she was going along the road to the darbar reading it, the +king's son met her, and asked what she was reading, whereupon she +replied that she held in her hands a paper containing certain bits of +advice, for which she wanted a lac of rupees. The prince asked her to +show it to him, and when he had read it gave her a parwana for the +amount, and rode on. The poor Brahmani was very thankful. That day she +laid in a great store of provisions, sufficient to last them all for a +long time. + +In the evening the prince related to his father the meeting with the +woman, and the purchase of the piece of paper. He thought his father +would applaud the act. But it was not so. The king was more angry than +before, and banished his son from the country. + +So the prince bade adieu to his mother and relations and friends, and +rode off on his horse, whither he did not know. At nightfall he +arrived at some place, where a man met him, and invited him to lodge +at his house. The prince accepted the invitation, and was treated like +a prince. Matting was spread for him to squat on, and the best +provisions set before him. + +"Ah!" thought he, as he lay down to rest, "here is a case for the +first piece of advice that the Brahmani gave me. I will not sleep +to-night." + +It was well that he thus resolved, for in the middle of the night the +man rose up, and taking a sword in his hand, rushed to the prince with +the intention of killing him. But the prince arose and spoke. + +"Do not slay me," he said. "What profit would you get from my death? +If you killed me you would be sorry afterward like that man who killed +his dog." + +"What man? What dog?" he asked. + +"I will tell you," said the prince, "if you will give me that sword." + +So he gave him the sword, and the prince began his story: + +"Once upon a time there lived a wealthy merchant who had a pet dog. He +was suddenly reduced to poverty, and had to part with his dog. He got +a loan of five thousand rupees from a brother merchant, leaving the +dog as a pledge, and with the money began business again. Not long +after this the other merchant's shop was broken into by thieves and +completely sacked. There was hardly ten rupees' worth left in the +place. The faithful dog, however, knew what was going on, and went and +followed the thieves, and saw where they deposited the things, and +then returned. + +"In the morning there was great weeping and lamentation in the +merchant's house when it was known what had happened. The merchant +himself nearly went mad. Meanwhile the dog kept on running to the +door, and pulling at his master's shirt and pajamas, as though wishing +him to go outside. At last a friend suggested that, perhaps, the dog +knew something of the whereabouts of the things, and advised the +merchant to follow its leadings. The merchant consented, and went +after the dog right up to the very place where the thieves had hidden +the goods. Here the animal scraped and barked, and showed in various +ways that the things were underneath. So the merchant and his friends +dug about the place, and soon came upon all the stolen property. +Nothing was missing. There were all the articles just as the thieves +had taken them. + +"The merchant was very glad. On returning to his house, he at once +sent the dog back to its old master with a letter rolled under the +collar, wherein he had written about the sagacity of the beast, and +begged his friend to forget the loan and to accept another five +thousand rupees as a present. When this merchant saw his dog coming +back again, he thought, 'Alas! my friend is wanting the money. How can +I pay him? I have not had sufficient time to recover myself from my +recent losses. I will slay the dog ere he reaches the threshold, and +say that another must have slain it. Thus there will be an end of my +debt. No dog, no loan.' Accordingly he ran out and killed the poor +dog, when the letter fell out of its collar. The merchant picked it up +and read it. How great was his grief and disappointment when he knew +the facts of the case! + +"Beware," continued the prince, "lest you do that which afterward you +would give your life not to have done." + +By the time the prince had concluded this story it was nearly morning, +and he went away, after rewarding the man. + +The prince then visited the country belonging to his brother-in-law. +He disguised himself as a jogi, and sitting down by a tree near the +palace, pretended to be absorbed in worship. News of the man and of +his wonderful piety reached the ears of the king. He felt interested +in him, as his wife was very ill; and he had sought for hakims to cure +her, but in vain. He thought that, perhaps, this holy man could do +something for her. So he sent to him. But the jogi refused to tread +the halls of a king, saying that his dwelling was the open air, and +that if his Majesty wished to see him he must come himself and bring +his wife to the place. Then the king took his wife and brought her to +the jogi. The holy man bade her prostrate herself before him, and when +she had remained in this position for about three hours, he told her +to rise and go, for she was cured. + +In the evening there was great consternation in the palace, because +the queen had lost her pearl rosary, and nobody knew anything about +it. At length some one went to the jogi, and found it on the ground by +the place where the queen had prostrated herself. When the king heard +this he was very angry and ordered the jogi to be executed. This stern +order, however, was not carried out, as the prince bribed the men and +escaped from the country. But he knew that the second bit of advice +was true. + +Clad in his own clothes, the prince was walking along one day when he +saw a potter crying and laughing, alternately, with his wife and +children. "O fool," said he, "what is the matter? If you laugh, why do +you weep? If you weep, why do you laugh?" + +"Do not bother me," said the potter. "What does it matter to you?" + +"Pardon me," said the prince, "but I should like to know the reason." + +"The reason is this, then," said the potter. "The king of this country +has a daughter whom he is obliged to marry every day, because all her +husbands die the first night of their stay with her. Nearly all the +young men of the place have thus perished, and our son will be called +on soon. We laugh at the absurdity of the thing--a potter's son +marrying a princess, and we cry at the terrible consequence of the +marriage. What can we do?" + +"Truly a matter for laughing and weeping. But weep no more," said the +prince. "I will exchange places with your son, and will be married to +the princess instead of him. Only give me suitable garments, and +prepare me for the occasion." + +So the potter gave him beautiful raiment and ornaments, and the prince +went to the palace. At night he was conducted to the apartment of the +princess. "Dread hour!" thought he; "am I to die like the scores of +young men before me?" He clenched his sword with firm grip, and lay +down on his bed, intending to keep awake all the night and see what +would happen. In the middle of the night he saw two Shahmars come out +from the nostrils of the princess. They stole over toward him, +intending to kill him, like the others who had been before him; but he +was ready for them. He laid hold of his sword, and when the snakes +reached his bed he struck at them and killed them. In the morning the +king came as usual to inquire, and was surprised to hear his daughter +and the prince talking gaily together. "Surely," said he, "this man +must be her husband, as he only can live with her." + +"Where do you come from? Who are you?" asked the king, entering the +room. + +"Oh king!" replied the prince, "I am the son of a king who rules over +such-and-such a country." + +When he heard this the king was very glad, and bade the prince to +abide in his palace, and appointed him his successor to the throne. +The prince remained at the palace for more than a year, and then asked +permission to visit his own country, which was granted. The king gave +him elephants, horses, jewels, and abundance of money for the expenses +of the way and as presents for his father, and the prince started. + +On the way he had to pass through the country belonging to his +brother-in-law, whom we have already mentioned. Report of his arrival +reached the ears of the king, who came with rope-tied hands and +haltered neck to do him homage. He most humbly begged him to stay at +his palace, and to accept what little hospitality could be provided. +While the prince was staying at the palace he saw his sister, who +greeted him with smiles and kisses. On leaving he told her how she and +her husband had treated him at his first visit, and how he escaped; +and then gave them two elephants, two beautiful horses, fifteen +soldiers, and ten lacs of rupees' worth of jewels. + +Afterward he went to his own home, and informed his mother and father +of his arrival. Alas! his parents had both become blind from weeping +about the loss of their son. "Let him come in," said the king, "and +put his hands upon our eyes, and we shall see again." So the prince +entered, and was most affectionately greeted by his old parents; and +he laid his hands on their eyes, and they saw again. + +Then the prince told his father all that had happened to him, and how +he had been saved several times by attending to the advice that he had +purchased from the Brahmani. Whereupon the king expressed his sorrow +for having sent him away, and all was joy and peace again. + + + + +_The Emperor's Nightingale_ + + +China, as you know, is ruled over by an Emperor, who is a Chinaman, +and all his courtiers are Chinamen, too. Now, this little story that I +am going to tell you happened ever so long ago, and that is why you +ought to hear it now, before it is forgotten, for it is well worth +hearing. + +The Emperor lived in the most beautiful palace in the world and it was +a very costly one, for it was made of the finest porcelain, and was so +brittle that you had to be very careful if you touched it. It was +surrounded by such a large garden that the gardener himself did not +quite know where it ended. Lovely flowers grew in luxuriance, and, +lest people should pass the most beautiful without noticing them, +peals of silver bells were tied to their stems. + +Truly, everything was carefully planned in the Emperor's garden. If +you kept on far enough, you came to a mighty forest which stretched +down so close to the margin of the sea that the poor fishermen in +their boats could sail under the overhanging branches. + +In one of these boughs a nightingale lived, and so beautiful was its +song that the rough sailors would stop to listen on their way out to +spread their nets. + +"Ah, what beautiful music!" they would exclaim, and then they had to +sail on, for they had their work to do. And again, when nightfall +came, and the bird sang, and the boats came drifting home on the tide, +they would say: + +"Heavens! how gloriously that bird sings!" + +Travellers came from all over the world to see the Emperor's city and +his palace and garden; but when they heard the Nightingale, they would +say: + +"That is most beautiful of all." + +And when the travellers reached their homes again, they told all their +friends of the wonderful things they had seen and heard; and wise +people wrote books, in which they did not forget to tell of the +Nightingale, which was pronounced the loveliest among many lovely +things. Even the poets wrote verses about this Nightingale that lived +in the wood by the sea. + +And then, one by one, the books travelled over the world, until some +at last reached the hands of the Emperor, who sat in his golden chair +and read them, nodding his head with pleasure; for he was charmed with +the beautiful descriptions of his city and castle and garden. Then he +read the words: + +"The Nightingale is the most lovely thing of all!" + +"What is this?" he said. "The Nightingale! I have never heard of such +a bird, yet there seems to be one in my empire--and in my own garden! +Imagine learning of such a thing for the first time from a book!" + +Thereupon he summoned his Chamberlain, who was a very important +person, and who never replied more than "Paugh!" to any inferior who +dared to ask him anything. This, of course, was no answer at all. + +"This book tells of a very remarkable bird called a Nightingale," said +the Emperor. "They say it is the finest thing in my empire. Why has no +one told me about it before?" + +"I have never heard anyone mention it before, myself," replied the +Chamberlain. "I don't remember that it has ever been presented at +Court." + +"I command it to appear at Court and sing before me to-night," said +the Emperor. "All the world knows what I possess, it appears, except +myself." + +"I have never heard of such a thing before," answered the Chamberlain +again, "but I will search until it is found." + +But where was it? The Chamberlain searched up and down the palace, +through corridors and up staircases, but he could not find anyone who +had even heard of a nightingale. Then he hastened back to the Emperor +to say that it must certainly be an invention of the man who had +written the book. + +"Your Imperial Majesty will scarcely credit the sort of things these +people will write," he said. "It is all fiction and something called +Black Art." + +"But the great and mighty Mikado of Japan has sent me this book!" +shouted the Emperor, very much annoyed, "and, therefore, there cannot +be anything that is false in it. I must and shall hear the +Nightingale, and I command it to be present this evening. It has my +especial Royal favour, and if it is not here, the whole Court shall be +trampled upon by camels after supper." + +"Tching Pe!" exclaimed the Chamberlain, very much alarmed, and raced +up and down stairs and through all the corridors again, accompanied +now by half the Court, who were not at all anxious to be trampled +upon, even after supper. It was a great search after this wonderful +Nightingale, of which all the world had heard, except the Emperor and +his courtiers. + +At length they came to the kitchen, where a poor little scullery-maid +at once exclaimed: + +"Why, yes, I know it well; and it sings beautifully! Every evening I +have permission to take the kitchen scraps to my sick mother, who +lives down on the sea-shore, and often, as I come back, I rest in the +wood and listen to the Nightingale, Its song makes my eyes fill with +tears, and I seem to be able to feel my mother's kisses." + +"Little girl," the Chamberlain said, "if you will take us straight to +where the Nightingale lives you shall receive a high appointment in +the Royal kitchen, and be allowed to see the Emperor dine every night. +His Majesty has commanded it to sing before him this evening." + +So the girl led the Chamberlain and all the Court to the wood where +the Nightingale sang. When they were half-way there a cow began to +low. + +"Hark!" said all the courtiers. "What a beautiful note, and how +powerful for such a tiny creature! I have certainly heard it before." + +"No," said the maid, "that is only the lowing of a cow. We have a long +way to go yet." + +"Oh, how exquisite!" murmured the Chinese Court-chaplain, as he heard +the frogs croaking in a marsh. "Now I can hear it; why, it resembles +the chime of silver bells." + +"No, those are only the marsh frogs," said the little maid. "But we +shall soon be able to hear it now." And then, just as she spoke, the +Nightingale commenced to sing. + +"Ah, now!" said the girl. "Listen, listen! There it sits up in the +branches," and she pointed to a tiny gray bird clinging to a spray of +thorn. + +"I should never have believed it would look like that," exclaimed the +Chamberlain. "It looks so simple and so pale; it must be frightened at +the sight of so many grand people." + +"Dear Nightingale," called the little girl, "our most noble Emperor +desires you to sing to him." + +"Oh, certainly, with pleasure," replied the Nightingale; and it sang +so beautifully it was a treat to hear it. + +"It is like the sound of running water; and see how its tiny throat +quivers, too," the Chamberlain said. "How strange that we have never +heard it talked about before! It will be an immense success at Court." + +"Would the Emperor like to hear another song?" asked the bird, for it +thought the Emperor had been listening all the time. + +"Most worthy Nightingale," the Chamberlain replied, "it is with great +pleasure I command you to appear before his Majesty at a Court +reception to-night, when you will charm his Majesty with your +delightful singing." + +"It sounds so much more beautiful out in the wood," said the bird; but +still it promised willingly when it heard it was the Emperor's royal +desire. + +The palace was very elegant in its decorations. The porcelain walls +and floors glittered and shone with the reflection from many lamps. +Beautiful flowers, shaking their silvery bells, were banked in rich +profusion on each side of the great staircase. Indeed, what with the +passing of many feet and the great draught, the bells tinkled so +loudly you could hardly hear yourself speak. + +The Emperor sat on a jewelled throne in the centre of the great hall, +and close beside him stood a golden perch for the Nightingale. All +the courtiers were assembled, and the little scullery-maid, now raised +to the rank of a real Court cook, had received permission to listen +behind the door. Everyone stood dressed in his very best and gazed on +the little gray bird, to whom the mighty Emperor had just nodded his +head. + +Then the Nightingale began to sing, and sang so gloriously that the +Emperor's eyes so filled with tears that they overflowed and ran down +his cheeks. And the bird sang on and on, till it reached one's very +heart. The Emperor was so delighted that he said the Nightingale +should wear his own golden slipper around its neck. But the +Nightingale thanked him very politely and said it had already received +sufficient reward. + +"For," it said, "I have caused the Emperor's eyes to fill with tears, +and an Emperor's tears have a mighty power. Heaven knows I have been +sufficiently repaid." And again it burst into its beautiful song. + +"Oh, what charming coquetry!" said the Court ladies, and each tried to +keep their mouths full of water so that they might gurgle like the +Nightingale when they spoke to anyone. Even the footmen and the +ladies' maids expressed their perfect satisfaction, and that was a +great deal, for they are generally the hardest to please. In short, +the Nightingale had scored a great success. + +It was so arranged that in future it should live at Court, in its own +cage, with permission to fly out twice a day, and once during the +night. + +On these trips it was accompanied by twelve servants, each of whom +held a silken cord attached to its leg, so that really there could not +be the slightest pleasure for it in such a flight. As for the city, +wherever you went, you met people talking of the wonderful bird. One +had only to say the word "Nightin" when the other would answer "gale," +and each would give a sigh and feel they perfectly understood each +other. Eleven babies belonging to poor people were christened after +the bird, and yet not one of them could sing a note. + +One day a parcel arrived at the palace, addressed to the Emperor, with +the words, "The Nightingale," written on the outside. + +"Oh, this must be a fresh book about our famous bird," said the +Emperor. + +But it was not a book. A wonderful work of art lay within a casket, a +clockwork nightingale, encrusted in diamonds and rubies and pearls, +and fashioned in the shape of a real bird. When it had been wound up +it sang one of the same songs that the real nightingale sang, and its +glittering tail moved up and down in time to the notes. A ribbon hung +around its neck, and on it these words were written: "The Emperor of +Japan's Nightingale is nothing compared to that of the Emperor of +China." + +"How perfect!" everyone cried, and the Emperor immediately bestowed +the title of the King's-Imperial-Nightingale-Bringer on the courier +who had brought the bird. + +"Now we must hear them sing a duet together. How beautiful it will +sound!" they all said. But it did not sound so well as they had +expected, for the real bird sang in a natural way, and just whatever +came into its little throat, and the artificial bird could only sing +waltzes. + +"The new one sings quite correctly," said the chief Court musician. +"It keeps perfect time, and understands my own method, I can hear." So +then the new one had to sing by itself and obtained quite as much +applause as the real one had done. Besides, it looked so much +handsomer; glittering and glistening like bracelets and breast-pins. + +Over and over again, for quite thirty-three times, it sang the same +tune and yet was not tired. The courtiers would have liked to hear it +again even, only the Emperor said "No, it's the real bird's turn now, +let us ask it to sing." + +But where was the Nightingale? Not a soul had seen it fly out of the +open window back to its own green woods. + +"Well, well! whatever has become of it?" exclaimed the Emperor. And +all the courtiers united in saying it was a most ungrateful creature. + +"After all," they said, "we still have the better bird," and with that +the new one had to sing his song for the thirty-fourth time, and even +then the courtiers had not caught the tune quite correctly, for it was +very difficult and tricky. The Court musician, especially, praised +the bird, and said, not only was its plumage much more handsome, but +its inside was better made, too. + +"For your Imperial Highness, and you, my noble lords and ladies, must +see," he went on, "that with a real Nightingale you can never tell +what is coming next, but with an imitation one everything is settled. +One can open it and see exactly how it works, where the waltz comes +from, and why the notes follow one after the other." + +The courtiers all agreed with the Court musician, and the Emperor +commanded him to show it to the people on the following Saturday, and +let them hear it sing. This he did, and the Chinese people felt so +pleased and happy they all nodded their heads and shook their +forefingers and said "Ah!" Only the fishermen, who had heard the real +bird sing, shook their heads and said it all sounded very nice, and +very much alike, too; but somehow--they didn't quite know +how--something seemed lacking. + +And so the real Nightingale was sent into exile, and the imitation one +slept on a satin cushion close to the Emperor's bed. All the jewels +and precious stones that had been showered on it as presents were +arranged around the edge of the cushion, and it was given the title of +the Emperor's Own Court Singer and advanced to the very highest rank, +that of First on the Left; for the left was thought to be the highest +station, as the Emperor wore his heart on that side, just like +ordinary people. + +The Court musician wrote twenty-five volumes on the imitation bird. +The work was very tedious and dull, and full of the longest Chinese +words you can imagine; and people always said they had read it and +pretended to have enjoyed it, or else they would have been thought +stupid and have had their bodies trampled upon. + +A whole year passed by in this fashion, and at last the Emperor and +his Court and all the Chinese people knew every turn and trill of the +Nightingale's song by heart, and this pleased them more than ever. +They often sang with it, and the street-urchins, even, could sing +"Tchoochoohuh juggjugg jugg," and the Emperor just the same. It was +really delightful. + +One evening the Emperor lay in his bed listening to the bird which was +singing its very best. Suddenly it stopped with a jerk, and bang! +something had snapped in its inside, and all its wheels ran down with +a whirr, and then there was a dead silence. + +The Emperor sprang out of bed and sent for the Court physician, but he +could do nothing. Then a watchmaker was fetched in, and after he had +talked a lot, and poked and examined the inside a great deal, he +managed to put it in something like working order again. + +"You must not use it too much," he said, "it is nearly worn out, and +one can never put in fresh works again and be sure of the music being +as good as before." + +At this there was great mourning all over the country, for the +imitation bird must only be allowed to sing once a year in future, and +even that might prove too much for it. + +And when these performances were given the Court musician made a short +speech, full of very long words, proving that it sang as beautifully +as ever, and so the Court thought it did and were very well content. + +After five years had passed the Emperor fell very ill. All the people +felt sad, for they were really extremely fond of him, and now it was +said he could not possibly live. Already the new Emperor was selected, +and the people stood about in the streets and begged to know from the +Chamberlain how the old Emperor was. + +But "Paugh!" was all he would say as he nodded his head. + +White and cold the old Emperor lay in his great tall bed, and all the +courtiers thought he was dead, and ran away to greet their new King. +In the antechamber the pages gossiped with the maids-in-waiting as +they ate a splendid tea. The palace was wrapped in silence, for +carpets had been laid down in the hall and corridor, so that the noise +of footsteps might be deadened. It was very, very still and solemn. +And the Emperor, still alive, lay all cold and pale on the magnificent +bed, with its heavy velvet draperies and gorgeous golden tassels. +High up, through the open window, the moon shone in upon him and the +imitation nightingale lying in its casket by the bed. + +The poor old Emperor lay panting for breath; a terrible weight seemed +pressing on his chest, and he opened his eyes at last to see Death +sitting there, with the Emperor's crown upon his head and his sword +and jewelled sceptre in his hands. + +The Emperor's gaze travelled round, and he saw faces--some ugly and +some smiling and gentle--peeping at him from among the velvet folds of +the curtains; these were the Emperor's good and bad deeds looking down +at him as Death pressed on his heart. + +"Don't you remember this?" and "Can you recall that?" they all seemed +to be whispering. And the cold sweat broke out on the Emperor's brow, +at the recollections they brought to his mind. + +"I do not remember--I cannot!" gasped the Emperor, then cried, "Music! +music! Bring the great Chinese drum, that I may not hear what they +say." + +But still they whispered together, and Death nodded his head, like a +Chinese mandarin, at all they said. + +"Music, music, I say!" shrieked the old Emperor. "Oh precious jewelled +bird, sing! I heaped upon you gold and precious stones, and even hung +my golden slippers around your neck. Ah, heavens! sing! I say, sing!" + +But the imitation bird was still and silent, for until someone wound +it up, it could not sing, and there was no one by to do it. And Death +still sat gazing at him with hollow, hungry eyes, and all around was +terribly still. + +Suddenly a silvery note floated in at the open window. It was the +voice of the real Nightingale as it sat upon a bough outside. It had +heard the Emperor was ill, and had come back to comfort him and fill +him with hope. + +And as its song gained strength and rose and fell in delicious trills, +the ghostly faces faded away and the warm life blood began to flow +anew in the Emperor's veins. Even Death raised his head and said, "Go +on, go on, little Nightingale." + +"Ah, but you will give me the Emperor's royal crown and his sword and +jewelled sceptre, if I do?" asked the bird. + +And Death exchanged each of these treasures for a song, and the +Nightingale went on singing--of a peaceful churchyard, heavy with the +scent of roses and elder blossom, where the grass lay thick with the +dew of many tears shed by mortals over dear ones lying sleeping there. +Then Death was filled with a yearning to be in his own garden, and +passed like a gray mist out of the open window. + +"Deep, deep thanks I give you," said the Emperor. "Merciful little +bird! I know you again. It was you I banished from my presence and my +kingdom. And yet, you have charmed the evil spectres from my bed and +Death from my heart. How can I ever repay you?" + +"I am already rewarded in that I drew tears from your eyes when first +I sang to you. Those tears were jewels to crown the heart of any +singer, and I shall never forget them. I will sing you to sleep now, a +sleep from which you will awake fresh and strong again." + +And the Emperor fell into a sweet, refreshing slumber, so deep and +peaceful that he awoke strong and well in the warm sunlight. None of +the courtiers were by him, for all believed he was dead, only the +Nightingale was still singing a gentle, sweet song. + +"You must never leave me," the Emperor said; "you shall only sing when +you desire, and I will break the artificial bird into a million +pieces." + +"No, spare it," said the Nightingale. "It did its best as long as it +was able, so keep it as before. I cannot build my nest within the +castle, but I will often come to you at evening and sing, on the bough +outside the window, songs that will make you glad, and at the same +time sweetly melancholy. I will sing of happiness and sorrow, of the +goodness and wickedness that lie close around you. The singing bird +loves the fisherman's hut, the peasant's cot, and all that is far +removed from palace and court. But I love your soul more than your +crown. I will fly to you and sing my songs, but you must promise me +one thing." + +The Emperor stood in his royal robes, which he had put on with his own +hands, and he pressed his sword-hilt to his breast as he said: + +"Anything that I can, I will grant." + +"I only ask of you this one thing. Do not let anyone know that you +have a little bird that tells you all; it will be for the best." + +So saying the Nightingale flew away. + +Then the servants entered to attend to their dead Emperor, and when +they saw him standing there strong and well, they started back aghast. + +But the Emperor only said: + +"Good morning!" + + + + +_Hookedy-Crookedy_ + + +Once on a time there was a King and Queen in Ireland, and they had one +son named Jack, and when Jack grew up to be man big, he rose up one +day and said to his father and mother that he would go off and push +his fortune. + +All his father and mother could say to Jack, they could not keep him +from going. So with his staff in his hand and his father's and +mother's blessing on his head, off he started, and he travelled away +far, farther than I could tell you, and twice as far as you could tell +me. At length one day, coming up to a big wood, he met a gray-haired +old man. The old man asked him, "Jack, where are you going?" + +He says, "I am going to push my fortune." + +"Well," says the old man, says he, "If 't is looking for service you +are, there is a Giant who lives at the other side of that wood that +they call the Giant of the Hundred Hills, and I believe he wants a +fine strong, able, clever young fellow like you." + +"Very well," says Jack, "I will push on to him." + +Push on Jack did, away through the wood, until he got to the other +side, and then he saw a big castle, and going up he knocked at the +door, and a big Giant came out. + +"Welcome, Jack," says he, "the King of Ireland's Son! Where are you +going and what do you want?" + +"I come," says Jack, "to push my fortune, and am looking for honest +service. I have been told," he says to the Giant of the Hundred Hills, +"that you wanted a clean, clever boy like me." + +"Well," says the Giant, "I am the Giant of the Hundred Hills, and do +want such a fine fellow as you. I have to go away every day," he says, +"to battle with another giant at the other end of the world, and when +I am away I want somebody to look after my house and place. If you +will be of good, faithful service to me, and do everything I tell you, +I will give you a bag of gold at the end of the time." Jack promised +he would do all that. The Giant then gave him a hearty supper and a +good bed, and well he slept that night. In the morning the Giant had +him called up before the first lark was in the sky. + +"Jack, my brave boy," says he, "I have got to be off to the other end +of the world to-day to fight the Giant of the Four Winds, and it is +time you were up and looking after your business. You have got to put +this house in order, and look after everything in it until I come back +to-night. To every room in the house and to every place about the +house you can go, except the stable. My stable door is closed, and on +the peril of your life, don't open it or go into the stable. Keep that +in mind." + +Jack said he certainly would. Then the Giant visited the stable, and +started off; and as soon as he was gone, Jack went fixing and +arranging the house and setting everything in order. And a wonderful +house it was to Jack, so big and so great; and after that he went to +the castle yard and into every house and building there, except the +stable: and when he had visited all the rest of them, he stood before +the stable and looked at it a long time. "And I wonder," says Jack, +says he, "I wonder what can be in there, and what is the reason he +wants me on the peril of my life not to go into it? I would like to go +and peep in, and there certainly would be no harm." + +Every door in and about the Giant's place was opened by a little ring +turning on a pivot in the middle of the door. Forward to the stable +door Jack then steps, turns the little ring, and the door flew open. +Inside what does Jack see but a mare and a bear standing by the +manger, and neither of them eating. There was hay before the bear and +meat before the mare. + +"Well," says Jack, "it is no wonder, poor creatures, you are not +eatin'. That was a nice blunder of the Giant," and he stepped in and +changed their food, putting hay before the mare and meat before the +bear, and at once both of them fell to it and Jack went out and closed +the stable door. As he did so his finger stuck in the ring, and he +pulled and struggled to get it away, but he could not. + +That was a fix for poor Jack, "And by this and by that," says he, "the +Giant will be back and find me stuck here;" so he whips out his knife, +and cuts off his finger, and leaves it there. + +And when the Giant came home that night, says he to Jack, "Well, Jack, +what sort of a day have you had this day, and how did you get along?" + +"I had a fine day," says Jack, "and got along very well indeed." + +"Jack," says he, "show me your two hands;" and when Jack held out his +two hands, the Giant saw one of his fingers gone. He got black in the +face with rage when he saw this, and he said, "Jack, did I not warn +you on the peril of your life not to go into that stable?" + +Poor Jack pleaded all he could, and said he did not mean to, but +curiosity got the best of him, and he thought he would open the door +and peep in. + +Says the Giant, "No man before ever opened that stable door and lived +to tell it, and you, too, would be a dead man this minute only for one +thing. Your father's father did my father a great service once. I am +the man who never forgets a good thing, and for that service," says +he, "I give you your life and pardon this time; but if you ever do the +like again, you won't live." + +Jack, he promised that surely and surely he would never do the like +again. His supper he got that night, and to bed. And at early morning +again the Giant had him up, and, "Jack," says he, "I must be off to +the other end of the world again and fight the Giant of the Four +Winds. You know your duty is to look after this house and place and +set everything in order about it, and go everywhere you like, only +don't open the stable door or go into the stable, on the peril of your +life." + +"I will mind all that," says Jack. + +Then that morning again the Giant visited the stable before he went +away. And after he had gone, to his work went Jack, wandering through +the house, cleaning and setting everything in order about it, and out +into the yard he went, and fixed and arranged everything out there, +except the stable. He stood before the stable door a good while this +day, and says he to himself, "I wonder how the bear and the mare are +doing, and what the Giant did when he went in to see them? I would +give a great deal to know," says he. "I will take a peep in." + +Into the ring of the door he put his finger, and turned it, and looked +in, and there he saw the mare and the bear standing as on the day +before and neither of them eating. In Jack steps. "And no wonder, poor +creatures," says he, "you don't eat, when that is the way the Giant +blundered," he says, after he saw the meat before the mare and the hay +before the bear this time also. + +Jack then changed the food, putting the hay before the mare and the +meat before the bear, as it should be, and very soon both the mare and +the bear were eating heartily; and then Jack went out. He closed the +door, and when he did so, his finger stuck in the ring; and pull and +struggle though Jack did, he could not get it out. + +"Och, och, och," says Jack, says he, "I am a dead man to-day surely." + +He whips out his knife, and cuts off his finger, and leaves it there, +and 't was there when the Giant came home that night. + +"Well, Jack, my fine boy," says he, "how have you got on to-day?" + +"Oh, finely, finely," says Jack, says he, holding his hands behind his +back all the same. + +"Show me your hands, Jack," says the Giant, "till I see if you wash +them and keep them clean always." And when Jack showed his hands, the +Giant got black in the face with rage, and says he, "Didn't I forgive +you your life yesterday for going into that stable, and you promised +never to do it again, and here I find you out, once more?" + +The Giant ranted and raged for a long time, and then says he, "Because +your father's father did my father such a good turn, I suppose I will +have to spare your life this second time; but, Jack," says he, "if you +should live for a hundred years, and spend them all in my service, +and if you should then again open that door and put your foot into my +stable that day," says he, "you will be a dead man as sure as there is +a head on you. Mind that!" + +Jack, he thanked the Giant very much for sparing his life, and +promised that he never, never would again disobey him. + +The next morning the Giant had Jack up early, and told him he was +going off this day to fight the Giant at the other end of the world, +and gave Jack his directions, and warned him just as on the other +days. Then he went into the stable before he went away. And when he +was gone, Jack went through all the house, and through the whole yard, +setting everything in order, and when everything was done, he stood +before the stable door. + +"I wonder," says Jack, "how the poor mare and the poor bear are +getting along and what the Giant of the Hundred Hills was doing here +to-day? I should very much like," says he, "to take one wee, wee peep +in," and he opened the door. + +Jack peeped in, and there the mare and the bear stood looking at each +other again, and neither of them taking a morsel. And there was the +meat before the mare and the hay before the bear, just as on the other +days. + +"Poor creatures," says Jack, "it is no wonder you are not eating, and +hungry and hungry you must be." And forward he steps, and changes the +food, putting it as it should be, the hay before the mare and the meat +before the bear, and to it both of them fell. + +And when he had done this, up speaks the mare, and "Poor Jack," says +she, "I am sorry for you. This night you will be killed surely; and +sorry for us, too, I am, for we will be killed as well as you." + +"Oh, oh, oh!" says Jack, says he, "that is terrible. Is there nothing +we can do?" + +"Only one thing," says the mare. + +"What is that?" says Jack. + +"It's this," says the mare; "put that saddle and bridle on me, and let +us start off and be away, far, far from this country, when the Giant +comes back." And soon Jack had the saddle and bridle on the mare, and +on her back he got to start off. + +"Oh!" says the bear, speaking up, "both of you are going away to leave +me in for all the trouble." + +"No," says the mare, "we will not do that. Jack," says she, "take the +chains and tie me to the bear." + +Jack tied the mare to the bear with chains that were hanging by, and +then the three of them, the mare and the bear and Jack, started, and +on and on they went, as fast as they could gallop. + +After a long time, says the mare: "Jack, look behind you, and see what +you can see." + +Jack looked behind him, and "Oh!" says he, "I see the Giant of the +Hundred Hills coming like a raging storm. Very soon he will be on us, +and we will all three be murdered." + +Says the mare, says she, "We have a chance yet. Look in my left ear, +and see what you can see;" and in her left ear Jack looked, and saw a +little chestnut. + +"Throw it over your left shoulder," says the mare. + +Jack threw it over his left shoulder, and that minute there arose +behind them a chestnut wood ten miles wide. On and on they went that +day and that night; and till the middle of the next day, "Jack," says +the mare, "look behind you, and see what you can see." + +Jack looked behind him, and "Oh!" says he, "I see the Giant of the +Hundred Hills coming tearing after us like a harvest hurricane." + +"Do you see anything strange about him, Jack?" says the mare. + +"Yes," says Jack, says he, "there are as many bushes on the top of his +head, and as much fowl stuck about his feet and legs as will keep him +in firewood and flesh for years to come. We are done for this time, +entirely," says poor Jack. + +"Not yet," says the mare; "there is another chance. Look into my right +ear, and see what you can see." + +In the mare's right ear Jack looked, and found a drop of water. + +"Throw it over your left shoulder, Jack," says the mare, "and see what +will happen." + +Over his left shoulder Jack threw it, and all at once a lough sprung +up between them and the Giant that was one hundred miles wide every +way and one hundred miles deep. + +"Now," says the mare, "he cannot reach us until he drinks his way +through the lough, and very likely he will drink until he bursts, and +then we shall be rid of him altogether." + +Jack thanked God, and on he went. It was not long now until he reached +the borders of Scotland, and there he saw a great wood. + +"Now," says the mare and the bear, "this wood must be our +hiding-place." + +"And what about me?" says Jack. + +"For you, Jack," says the mare, "you must push on and look for +employment. The castle of the King of Scotland is near by, and I think +you will be likely to get employment there; but first I must change +you into an ugly little hookedy-crookedy fellow, because the King of +Scotland has three beautiful daughters, and he won't take into his +service a handsome fellow like you, for fear his daughters would fall +in love with you." + +Then the mare put her nostrils to Jack's breast and blew her breath +over him, and Jack was turned into an ugly little hookedy-crookedy +fellow. + +"Jack," says the mare, "before you go, look into my left ear, and take +what you see there." + +Out of the mare's left ear Jack took a little cap. + +"Jack," says she, "that is a wishing-cap, and every time you put it on +and wish to have anything done, it will be done. Whenever you are in +any trouble," the mare says, "come back to me, and I will do what I +can for you, and now good-bye." + +So Jack said good-bye to the mare and to the bear, and set off. When +he got out of the wood, he soon saw a castle, and walked up to it and +went in by the kitchen. A servant was busy scouring knives. He told +her he wanted employment. She said the King of Scotland would employ +no man in his house, so he might as well push on. But Jack insisted +that the King would give him work, and at length the girl consented to +go and let the King know. + +When the girl had gone away, Jack put on his wishing-cap and wished +the knives and forks scoured, and all at once the knives and forks, +that were piled in a stack ten yards high, were scoured as brightly as +new pins; and though the King of Scotland did not want to employ him, +when he found how quickly Jack had scoured all the big stack of knives +and forks, he agreed to keep him. But first he brought down his three +daughters to see Jack, so that he could observe what impression Jack +made upon them. When they came into the kitchen and saw the ugly +little fellow, every one of the three fainted and had to be carried +out. + +"It is all right," says the King; "we will surely keep you," and Jack +was employed, and sent out into the garden to work there. + +Now at this time the King of the East declared war on the King of +Scotland. The King of the East had a mighty army entirely, and he +threatened to wipe the King of Scotland off the face of the earth. + +The King of Scotland was very much troubled, and he consulted with his +Grand Adviser what was best to be done, and his Grand Adviser +counselled that he should at once give his three daughters in marriage +to sons of kings, and in that way get great help for the war. The King +said this was a grand idea. + +So he sent out messengers to all parts of the world to say that his +three beautiful daughters were ready for marriage. In a very short +time the son of the King of Spain came and married the eldest +daughter, and the son of the King of France came and married the +second, and a whole lot of princes came looking for the youngest, who +was the most beautiful of the three and whose name was Yellow Rose; +but she would not take one of them, and for this the King ordered her +never to come into his sight, nor into company, again. + +Yellow Rose got very downhearted, and spent almost all her time now +wandering in the garden, where the Hookedy-Crookedy lad was looking +after the flowers, and she used to come around again and again, +chatting to Hookedy-Crookedy. And so it was not long until he saw that +the Yellow Rose was in love with him, and he got just as deeply in +love with her, for she was a beautiful and charming girl. + +The next thing the Grand Adviser counselled the King was that he +should send his two new sons-in-law, the Prince of Spain and the +Prince of France, to the Well of the World's End for bottles of +Ioca[2] to take to battle with them, that they might cure the wounded +and dead men. So the King ordered his sons-in-law to go to the Well of +the World's End and bring him back two bottles of Ioca. + +[Footnote 2: Ioca was a liquid that cured all wounds and restored the +dead to life.] + +The Yellow Rose told Hookedy-Crookedy this, and when he had turned it +over in his mind, he said to himself, "I will go and have a chat with +the mare and the bear about this." + +So off to the woods he went, and right glad the mare and the bear were +to see him. He told them all that had happened, and then he told them +how the King's two sons-in-law were to start to the Well of the +World's End the next day, and asked the mare's advice about it. + +"Well, Jack," says the mare, "I want you to go with them. Take an old +hunter in the King's stable, an old bony, skinny animal that is past +all work, and put an old straw saddle on him, and dress yourself in +the most ragged dress you can get, and join the two men on the road, +and say that you are going with them. They will be heartily ashamed of +you, Jack, and your old horse, and they will do everything to get rid +of you. When you come to the crossroads, one of them will propose to +go in and have a drink; and while you are chatting over your drink, +they will propose that the three of you separate and every one take a +road by himself to go to the Well of the World's End, and that all +three shall meet at the crossroads again, and whoever is back first +with the bottle of water is to be the greatest hero of them all. You +agree to this. When they start on their roads, they will not go many +miles till they fill their bottles from spring wells by the roadside +and hurry back to the meeting-place, and then continue on home to the +King of Scotland and give him these bottles as bottles of Ioca from +the Well of the World's End. But you will be before them. After you +have set out on the road, and when you have gone around the first +bend, put on your wishing-cap and wish for two bottles of Ioca from +the Well of the World's End, and at once you will have them." And then +the mare directed Jack fully all that he was to do after. + +Jack thanked the mare, and bade good-bye to her, and went away. + +The next day, when the King's two sons-in-law set out on their grand +steeds to go to the Well of the World's End, they had not gone far +when Jack, in a ragged old suit and sitting on a straw saddle on an +old white skinny horse, joined them and told them he too was going +with them for a bottle of Ioca. Right heartily ashamed were they of +Jack and ready to do anything to get rid of him. + +By and by, when they came to where the road divided into three, they +proposed to have a drink, and as they set off to drink they proposed +that each take a road for himself, and whoever got back first with a +bottle of Ioca would be the greatest hero. All agreed, and each chose +his own road and set out. + +When Jack had got around the first bend, he put on his wishing-cap and +wished for two bottles of Ioca from the Well of the World's End, and +no sooner had he wished than he had them; and back again he came, and +when the other two came riding up, surprised they were to find Jack +there before them. They said that Jack had not been to the Well of the +World's End and it was no Ioca he had with him, but some water from +the roadside. + +Said Jack, "Take care that is not your own story. Just test them; when +the servant comes in, you cut off his head and then cure him with +water from your bottles." + +But both refused to do this, for they knew the water in their bottles +could not cure anything, and they defied Jack to do it. + +"Very soon I will do it," said Jack. + +So when the servant came in with the bottles of Ioca, Jack drew his +sword and whipped his head off him, and in a minute's time, with two +drops from one of his bottles, he had the head on again. + +Says they to Hookedy-Crookedy, "What will you take for your two +bottles?" + +Says Jack, "I will take the golden balls of your marriage pledge, and +also you shall allow me to write something on your backs." + +And they agreed to this. They handed over to Jack the two golden balls +that were their marriage tokens, and they let Jack write on their bare +backs; and what Jack wrote on each of them was, "This is an unlawfully +married man." Then he gave them the bottles of Ioca, and they brought +them to the King, and Jack returned to his garden again. + +He did not tell the Yellow Rose where he had been and what doing, only +said he was away on a message for her father. As soon as the King got +the bottles of Ioca, he gave orders that his army should move to +battle the next day. + +The next morning early Jack was over to the wood to consult the mare. +He told her what was going to happen that day. Says the mare, "Look in +my left ear, Jack, and see what you will see." + +Jack looked in the mare's left ear, and took out of it a grand +soldier's dress. The mare told him to put it on and get on her back. +On he put the dress, and at once Hookedy-Crookedy was transformed into +a very handsome, dashing young fellow, and off went Jack and the mare +and the bear, the three of them, away to the war. Every one saw them, +and they admired Jack very much, he was such a handsome, +clever-looking fellow, and the word was passed on to the King about +the great Prince who was riding to the war--himself, the mare, and the +bear. The King came to see him, too, and asked him on which side he +was going to fight. + +"I will strike no stroke this day," says Jack, "except on the side of +the King of Scotland." + +The King thanked him very heartily, and said he was sure they would +win. So they went into the battle with Jack at their head, and Jack +struck east and west and in all directions and at every blow of his +sword the wind of his stroke tossed houses on the other side of the +world, and in a very short time the King of the East ran off, with +all his soldiers that were still left alive. Then the King of Scotland +invited Jack to come home with him, as he was going to give a great +feast in his honor, but Jack said no, he could not go. + +"They don't know at home," said Jack, "where I am at all"--and neither +they did--"so I must be off to them as quickly as possible." + +"Then," says the King, "the least I can do is to give you a present. +Here is a tablecloth," says he, "and every time you spread it out you +will have it covered with eating and drinking of all sorts." + +Jack took it, and thanked him, and rode away. He left the mare and the +bear in their own wood, and became Hookedy-Crookedy again, and ran +back to his garden. The Yellow Rose told him of the brave soldier that +had won her father's battle that day. + +"Well, well," says Jack, says he, "he must have been a grand fellow +entirely. It is a pity I was not there, but I had to go on a message +for the King." + +"Poor Hookedy-Crookedy," says she, "what could you do if you were +there yourself?" + +Jack went to the wood again next morning, and consulted with the mare. + +"Jack," said the mare, "look in the inside of my left ear, and see +what you will see," and Jack took out of her left ear a soldier's +suit, done off with silver, the grandest ever seen, and at the mare's +advice he put the suit on, and mounted on her back, and the three of +them went off to the battle. Every one was admiring the beautiful, +dashing fellow that was riding to the battle this day, and word came +to the King, and the King came to speak to him and welcomed him +heartily. + +He said, "Your brother came with us the last day we went into the +battle. Your brother is a very handsome, fine-looking fellow. What +side are you going to fight on?" + +Says Jack, "I will strike no stroke on any side but yours this day." + +The King thanked him very heartily, and into the battle they went +with Jack at their head, and Jack struck east and west and in all +directions, and the wind of the strokes blew down forests in the other +end of the world, and very soon the King of the East, with all his +soldiers that were still alive, drew off from the battle. + +Then the King thanked Jack and invited him to his castle; where he +would give a feast in his honor. But Jack said he could not go, for +they did not know at home where he was, and they would be uneasy about +him until he reached home again. + +"Then," says the King, "the least I can do for you is to give you a +present. Here is a purse, and no matter how often and how much you pay +out of it, it will never be empty." + +Jack took it, and thanked him, and rode away. In the wood he left the +mare and the bear, and was again changed into Hookedy-Crookedy, and +went home to his garden. The Yellow Rose came out, and told him about +the great victory a brave and beautiful soldier, brother to the fine +fellow of the day before, had won for her father. + +"Well, well," says Jack, says he, "that was very wonderful entirely. I +am sorry I was not there, but I had to be away on a message for your +father." + +"But, my poor Hookedy-Crookedy," says she, "it was better so, for what +could you do?" + +Three days after that the King of the East took courage to come to +battle again. The morning of the battle Jack went to the wood to +consult the mare. + +"Look into my left ear, Jack, and see what you will see," and from the +mare's left ear Jack drew out a most gorgeous soldier's suit, done off +with gold braiding and ornaments of every sort. By the mare's advice +he put it on, and himself, the mare, and the bear went off to the war. + +The King soon heard of the wonderfully grand fellow that was riding to +the war to-day with the mare and the bear, and he came to Jack and +welcomed him and told him how his two brothers had won the last two +victories for him. He asked Jack on what side he was going to fight. + +"I will strike no stroke this day," says Jack, "only on the King of +Scotland's side." + +The King thanked him heartily, and said, "We will surely win the +victory," and then into the battle they rode with Jack at their head, +and Jack struck east and west and in all directions, and the wind of +the strokes tumbled mountains at the other end of the world, and very +soon the King of the East with all his soldiers that were left alive +took to their heels and never stopped running until they went as far +as the world would let them. + +Then the King came to Jack and thanked him over and over again, and +said he would never be able to repay him. He then invited him to come +to his castle, where he would give a little feast in his honour, but +Jack said they didn't know at home where he was and they would be +uneasy about him, and so he could not go with the King. + +"But," says he, "I and my brothers will come to the feast with you at +any other time." + +"What day will the three of you come?" said the King. + +"Only one of us can leave home in one day," said Jack. "I will come to +feast with you to-morrow, and my second brother the day after, and my +third brother the day after that." + +The King agreed to this and thanked him. "And now," said the King, +"let me give you a present," and he gave him a comb, such that every +time he combed his hair with it he would comb out of it bushels of +gold and silver, and it would transform the ugliest man that ever was +into the nicest and handsomest. Jack took it and thanked the King and +rode away. + +On this day, as on the other two days after the battle, they cured the +dead and the wounded with the bottles of Ioca, and all were well +again. When Jack went to the wood, he left the mare and the bear in it +and became Hookedy-Crookedy again, and went home and to his garden. +The Yellow Rose came to him and had wonderful news for him this day +about the terrible grand fellow entirely, who had won the battle for +her father that day; brother to the two brave fellows who had won the +battles on the other two days. + +"Well," says Jack, says he, "those must be wonderful chaps. I wish I +had been there; but I had to be away on a message for your father all +day." + +"Oh, my poor Hookedy-Crookedy," says she, "it was better so, for what +could you do?" + +The next day, when it was near dinner time, he went off to the wood to +the mare and the bear and got on the suit he had worn the day before +in the battle, and mounted the mare and rode for the castle, and when +he came there all the gates happened to be closed, but he put the mare +at the walls, which were nine miles high, and leaped them. + +The King scolded the gate-keepers, but Jack said a trifle like that +didn't harm him or his mare. After dinner the King asked him what he +thought of his two daughters and their husbands. Jack said they were +very good and asked him if he had any more daughters in his family. + +The King said he used to have another, the youngest, but she would not +consent to marry as he wished, and he had banished her out of his +sight. + +Jack said he would like to see her. + +The King said he never wished to let her enter company again, but he +could not refuse Jack; so the Yellow Rose was sent for. + +Jack fell a-chatting with her and used all his arts to win her; and of +course, in this handsome Jack she did not recognize ugly little +Hookedy-Crookedy. He told her he had heard that she had the very bad +taste to fall in love with an ugly, crooked, wee fellow in her +father's garden. + +"I am a handsome fellow, and a rich prince," says Jack, "and I will +give you myself and all I possess if you will only say you will accept +me." + +She was highly insulted, and she showed him that very quickly. She +said, "I won't sit here and hear the man I love abused," and she got +up to leave. + +"Well," says Jack, "I admire your spirit; but before you go," says he, +"let me make you a little present," and he handed her a tablecloth. +"There," says he, "if you marry Hookedy-Crookedy, as long as you have +this tablecloth, you will never want eating and drinking of the +best." + +The other two sisters grabbed to get the tablecloth from her but Jack +put out his hands and pushed them back. + +At dinner time the next day Jack came in the dress in which he had +gone into the second battle, and with the mare he cleared the walls as +on the day before. + +The King was enraged at the gate-keepers and began to scold them, but +Jack laughed at them and said a trifle like that was nothing to him or +his mare. + +After dinner was over the King asked what he thought of his two +daughters and their husbands. + +Jack said they were very good, and asked him if he had any more +daughters in his family. + +The King said, "I have no more except one who won't do as I wish and +who has fallen in love with an ugly, crooked, wee fellow in my garden, +and I ordered her never to come into my sight." + +But Jack said he would very much like to see her. + +The King said that on Jack's account he would break his vow and let +her come in. So the Yellow Rose was brought in, and Jack fell to +chatting with her. He did all he could to make her fall in love with +him, and told her of all his great wealth and possessions and offered +himself to her, and said if she only would marry him she should live +in ease and luxury and happiness all the days of her life, as she +never could do with Hookedy-Crookedy. + +But Yellow Rose got very angry, and said: "I won't sit here and listen +to such things," and she got up to leave the room. + +"Well," says Jack, "I admire your spirit, and before you go let me +make you a little present." + +So he handed her a purse. "Here," says he, "is a purse, and all the +days yourself and Hookedy-Crookedy live you will never want for money, +for that purse will never be empty." + +Her sisters made a grab to snatch it from her, but Jack shoved them +back, and went out. And Jack rode away with the mare after dinner and +left her in the wood. + +When he came back to his garden he always came in the +Hookedy-Crookedy shape and always pretended he had been off on a +message for the King. + +The third day he went to the wood again. He dressed in the suit in +which he had gone to the first battle, and when he came back he went +to the castle and cleared the walls, and when the King scolded the +gate-keepers Jack told him never to mind, as that was a small trifle +to him and his mare. + +A very grand dinner indeed Jack had this day, and when they chatted +after dinner the King asked him how he liked his two daughters and +their husbands. + +He said he liked them very well, and asked him if he had any more +daughters in his family. + +The King said no, except one foolish one who wouldn't do as he wished, +and who had fallen in love with an ugly, crooked, wee fellow in his +garden, and she was never to come within his sight again. + +Says Jack, "I would like to see that girl." + +The King said he could not refuse Jack any request he made; so he sent +for the Yellow Rose. When she came in, Jack fell into chat with her, +and did his very, very best to make her fall in love with him. But it +was of no use. He told her of all his wealth and all his grand +possessions, and said if she would marry him she should own all these, +and all the days she should live she should be the happiest woman in +the wide world, but if she married Hookedy-Crookedy, he said, she +would never be free from want and hardships, besides having an ugly +husband. + +If the Yellow Rose was in a rage on the two days before, she was in a +far greater rage now. She said she wouldn't sit there to listen. She +told Jack that Hookedy-Crookedy was in her eyes a far more handsome +and beautiful man than he or than any king's son she had ever seen. +She said to Jack, that if he were ten times as handsome and a hundred +times as wealthy, she wouldn't give Hookedy-Crookedy's little finger +for himself or for all his wealth and possessions, and then she got up +to leave the room. + +"Well," says Jack, says he, "I admire your spirit very much and," says +he, "I would like to make you a little present. Here is a comb," he +said, "and it will comb out of your hair a bushel of gold and a bushel +of silver every time you comb with it, and, besides," says he, "it +will make handsome the ugliest man that ever was." + +When the other sisters heard this they rushed to snatch the comb from +her, but Jack threw them backwards so very roughly that their husbands +sprang at him. With a back switch of his two hands Jack knocked the +husbands down senseless. The King flew into a rage, and said, "How +dare you do that to the two finest and bravest men of this world?" + +"Fine and brave, indeed!" said Jack. "One and the other are worthless +creatures, and not even your lawful sons-in-law." + +"How dare you say that?" says the King. + +"Strip their backs where they lie and see for yourself." And there the +King saw written, "An unlawfully married man." + +"What is the meaning of this?" says the King. "They were lawfully +married to my two daughters, and they have the golden tokens of the +marriage." + +Jack drew out from his pocket the golden balls and handed them to the +King, and said, "It is I who have the tokens." + +The Yellow Rose had gone off to the garden in the middle of all this. +Jack made the King sit down, and told him all his story, and how he +came by the golden balls. He told him how he was Hookedy-Crookedy, and +that it reflected a great deal of honour on his youngest daughter that +she whom the King thought so worthless should refuse to give up +Hookedy-Crookedy for the one she thought a wealthy prince. The King, +you may be sure, was now highly delighted to grant him all he desired. +A couple of drops of Ioca brought the King's two sons-in-law to their +senses again, and at Jack's request, they were ordered to go and live +elsewhere. Jack went off, left his mare in the wood, and came into the +garden as Hookedy-Crookedy. He told the Yellow Rose he had been +gathering bilberries. + +"Oh," says she, "I have something grand for you. Let me comb your hair +with this comb." + +Hookedy-Crookedy put his head in her lap, and she combed out a bushel +of gold and silver; and when he stood up again, she saw +Hookedy-Crookedy no more, but instead the beautiful prince that had +been trying to win her in her father's drawing-room for the last three +days; and then and there to her Jack told his whole story, and it's +Yellow Rose who was the delighted girl. + +With little delay they were married. The wedding lasted a year and a +day, and there were five hundred fiddlers, five hundred fluters and a +thousand fifers at it, and the last day was better than the first. + +Shortly after the marriage, Jack and his bride were out walking one +day. A beautiful young woman crossed their path. Jack addressed her, +but she gave him a very curt reply. + +"Your manners are not so handsome as your looks," said Jack to her. + +"And bad as they are, they are better than your memory, +Hookedy-Crookedy," says she. + +"What do you mean?" says Jack. + +She led Jack aside, and she told him, "I am the mare who was so good +to you. I was condemned to that shape for a number of years, and now +my enchantment is over. I had a brother who was enchanted into a bear, +and whose enchantment is over now also. I had hopes," she says, "that +some day you would be my husband, but I see," she says, "that you +quickly forgot all about me. No matter now," she says; "I couldn't +wish you a better and handsomer wife than you have got. Go home to +your castle, and be happy and live prosperous. I shall never see you, +and you will never see me again." + + + + +_Arndt's Night Underground_ + + +It was on a dreary winter's night, just such a one as it may be +now--only you cannot see it for your closed shutters and +curtains--that two children were coming home from their daily work, +for their parents were poor, and Arndt and Reutha had already to use +their little hands in labour. They were very tired, and as they came +across the moor the wind blew in their faces, and the distant roaring +of the Baltic sea, on whose shore they lived, sounded gloomy and +terrible. + +"Dear Arndt, let me sit down and rest for a minute, I can go no +farther," said Reutha, as she sank down on a little mound that seemed +to rise up invitingly, with its shelter of bushes, from the midst of +the desolate moor. + +The elder brother tried to encourage his little sister, as all kind +brothers should do; he even tried to carry her a little way; but she +was too heavy for him, and they went back to the mound. Just then the +moon came out, and the little hillock looked such a nice +resting-place, that Reutha longed more than ever to stay. It was not a +cold night, so Arndt was not afraid; and at last he wrapped his sister +up in her woollen cloak, and she sat down. + +"I will just run a little farther and try if I can see the light in +father's window," said Arndt. "You will not be afraid, Reutha?" + +"Oh, no! I am never afraid." + +"And you will not go to sleep?" + +"Not I," said Reutha; and all the while she rubbed her eyes to keep +them open, and leaned her head against a branch which seemed to her as +soft and inviting as a pillow. + +Arndt went a little way, until he saw the light which his father +always placed so as to guide the children over the moor. Then he felt +quite safe and at home, and went back cheerfully to his sister. + +Reutha was not there! Beside the little mound and among the bushes did +poor Arndt search in terror, but he could not find his sister. He +called her name loudly--there was no answer. Not a single trace of her +could be found; and yet he had not been five minutes away. + +"Oh! what shall I do?" sobbed the boy; "I dare not go home without +Reutha!" And there for a long time did Arndt sit by the hillock, +wringing his hands and vainly expecting that his sister would hear him +and come back. At last there passed by an old man, who travelled about +the country selling ribbons and cloths. + +"How you are grown since I saw you last, my little fellow!" said the +man. "And where is your sister Reutha?" + +Arndt burst into tears, and told his friend of all that had happened +that night. The peddler's face grew graver and graver as the boy told +him it was on this very spot that he lost his little sister. + +"Arndt," whispered he, "did you ever hear of the Hill-men? It is they +who have carried little Reutha away." + +And then the old man told how in his young days he had heard strange +tales of this same moor; for that the little mound was a fairy-hill, +where the underground dwarfs lived, and where they often carried off +young children to be their servants, taking them under the hill, and +only leaving behind their shoes. "For," said the peddler, "the +Hill-people are very particular, and will make all their servants wear +beautiful glass shoes instead of clumsy leather." + +So he and Arndt searched about the hill, and there, sure enough, they +found Reutha's tiny shoes hidden under the long grass. At this her +brother's tears burst forth afresh. + +"Oh! what shall I do to bring back my poor sister? The Hill-men and +women will kill her!" + +"No," said the old man, "they are very good little people, and they +live in a beautiful palace underground. Truly, you will never see +Reutha again, for they will keep her with them a hundred years; and +when she comes back you will be dead and buried, while she is still a +beautiful child." + +And then, to comfort the boy, the peddler told him wonderful stories +of the riches and splendour of the Hill-people, how that sometimes +they had been seen dancing at night on the mounds, and how they wore +green caps, which, if any mortal man could get possession of, the +dwarfs were obliged to serve him and obey him in everything. All this +Arndt drank in with eager ears; and when the peddler went away he sat +a long time thinking. + +"I will do it," at last he said aloud. "I will try to get my dear +Reutha safe back again." + +And the boy stole noiselessly to the mound which the Hill-men were +supposed to inhabit. He hid himself among the surrounding bushes, and +there he lay in the silence and darkness, his young heart beating +wildly, and only stilled by one thought that lay ever there, that of +the lost Reutha. At last a sudden brightness flashed upon the boy's +eyes; it could not be the moon, for she had long set. No; but it was a +sight more glorious than Arndt had ever dreamed of. + +The grassy hill opened, and through this aperture the boy saw a palace +underground, glittering with gold and gems. The Hill-men danced about +within it, dressed like tiny men and women. Arndt thought how +beautiful they were, though they seemed no bigger than his own baby +sister of six months old. One by one they rose out of the opening, and +gambolled on the snow-covered mound; but wherever they trod flowers +sprang up, and the air grew light and warm as summer. After a while +they ceased dancing and began ball-playing, tossing their little green +caps about in great glee. And lo and behold! one of these wonderful +caps, being tossed farther than usual, lighted on the very forehead of +the peeping boy! + +In a moment he snatched it and held it fast, with a cry of triumph. +The light faded--the scene vanished--only Arndt heard a small weak +voice whispering, humbly and beseechingly in his ear. + +"Please, noble gentleman, give me my cap again." + +"No, no, good Hill-man," answered the courageous boy; "you have got +my little sister, and I have got your cap, which I shall keep." + +"I will give you a better cap for it--all gold and jewels--oh, so +beautiful!" said the Hill-man, persuasively. + +"I will not have it. What good would it do me? No, no, I am your +master, good dwarf, as you very well know, and I command you to take +me down in the hill with you, for I want to see Reutha." + +There shone a dim light on the grass, like a glowworm, and then Arndt +saw the elfin mound open again; but this time the palace looked like a +dim, gloomy staircase. On the top stair stood the little Hill-man, +holding the glowworm lamp, and making many low bows to his new master. +Arndt glanced rather fearfully down the staircase; but then he thought +of Reutha, and his love for her made him grow bold. He took upon +himself a lordly air, and bade his little servant lead the way. + +The Hill-man took him through beautiful galleries, and halls, and +gardens, until the boy's senses were intoxicated with these lovely +things. Every now and then he stopped, and asked for Reutha: but then +there was always some new chamber to be seen, or some dainty banquet +to be tasted; until, by degrees, Arndt's memory of his little sister +grew dimmer, and he revelled in the delights of the fairy palace hour +after hour. When night came--if so it could be called in that lovely +place, where night was only day shadowed over and made more +delicious--the boy felt himself lulled by sweet music to a soft +dreaminess, which was all the sleep that was needed in that fairy +paradise. + +Thus, day after day passed in all gay delights, the elfin people were +the merriest in the world, and they did all their little master +desired. And Arndt knew not that while they surrounded him with +delights it was only to make him forget his errand. But one day, when +the boy lay on a green dell in the lovely fairy-garden, he heard a +low, wailing song, and saw a troop of little mortal children at work +in the distance. Some were digging ore, and others making jewellery, +while a few stood in the stream that ran by, beating linen, as it +seemed. And among these poor little maidens, who worked so hard and +sang so mournfully, was his own sister Reutha. + +"No one cares for me," she murmured; and her song had in it a +plaintive sweetness, very different from the way in which the little +Danish maiden spoke on earth. "Reutha is alone--her hands are sore +with toil--her feet bleed--but no one pities her. Arndt sleeps in +gorgeous clothes, while Reutha toils in rags. Arndt is the +master--Reutha is the slave! Poor Reutha is quite alone!" + +Even amidst the spells of fairyland that voice went to the brother's +heart. He called the Hill-people, and bade them bring Reutha to him. +Then he kissed her, and wept over her, and dressed her in his own +beautiful robes, while the Hill-men dared not interfere. Arndt took +his sister by the hand, and said-- + +"Now, let us go; we have stayed long enough. Good Hill-man, you shall +have your cap again when you have brought Reutha and me to our own +father's door." + +But the Hill-man shook his tiny head, and made his most obsequious +bow. "Noble master, anything but this! This little maid we found +asleep on our hill, and she is ours for a hundred years." + +Here Arndt got into a passion; for, convinced of the power the little +green cap gave him over the dwarfs, he had long lost all fear of them. +He stamped with his foot until the little man leaped up a yard high, +and begged his master to be more patient. + +"How dare you keep my sister? you ugly little creatures!" cried the +boy, his former pleasant companion becoming at once hateful to him. +But the Hill-people only gave him gentle answers; until at last he +grew ashamed of being so angry with such tiny creatures. They led him +to a palace, more beautiful than any he had yet seen, and showed him +pearls and diamonds heaped up in basketfuls. + +"You shall take all these away with you, noble sir!" said his little +servant. "They will make you a rich man all the days of your life, and +you will live in a palace as fine as ours. Is not that far better than +having a poor helpless sister to work for?" + +But Arndt caught a glimpse of Reutha, as she sat outside; weeping--she +dared not enter with him--and he kicked the baskets over, and +scattered the jewels like so many pebbles. + +"Keep all your treasures, and give me my sister!" cried he. + +Then the Hill-man tried him with something else. Arndt was a very +handsome boy and everybody had told him so, until he was rather vain. +Many a time, when he worked in the field, he used to look at himself +in a clear, still pool, and think how golden his hair was, and how +lithe and graceful his figure. Now the Hill-man knew all this; and so +he led the boy to a crystal mirror and showed him his own beautiful +form, set off with every advantage of rich dress. And then, by fairy +spells, Arndt saw beside it the image of the little peasant as he was +when he entered the hill. + +"Think how different!" whispered the dwarf. He breathed on the mirror, +and the boy saw himself as he would be when he grew up--a +hard-working, labouring man; and opposite, the semblance of a young, +graceful nobleman, whose face was the same which the stream had often +told him was his own. + +"We can make thee always thus handsome. Choose which thou wilt be," +murmured the tempting voice. + +The boy hesitated; but the same moment came that melancholy voice--"My +brother is rich, and I am poor; he is clad in silk, and I in rags. +Alas, for me!" + +"It shall not be!" cried the noble boy. "I will go out of this place +as poor as I came; but I will take Reutha with me. I will work all the +days of my life; but Reutha shall not stay here. Hill-people! I want +none of your treasures; but I command you to give me my sister, and +let us go!" + +Arndt folded his arms around Reutha, and walked with her through all +the gorgeous rooms, the Hill-men and women following behind, and +luring him with their sweetest songs and most bewitching smiles. But +Reutha's voice and Reutha's smile had greatest power of all over her +brother's heart. + +They climbed the gloomy staircase, and stood at the opening in the +hillock. Then the little Hill-man appealed once more to his master-- + +"Noble gentleman! remember, a life of labour with Reutha or one of +continual pleasure alone! Think again!" + +"No, not for a moment," said Arndt, as he felt the breezes of earth +playing on his cheek. How sweet they were, even after the fragrant +airs of elfin-land! + +"At least, kind master, give me my cap!" piteously implored the +Hill-man. + +"Take it; and good-bye for evermore!" cried Arndt, as he clasped his +sister in his arms and leaped out. The chasm closed, and the two +children found themselves lying in a snow-drift, with the gray dawn of +a winter's morning just breaking over them. + +"Where have you been all night, my children?" cried the anxious +mother, as they knocked at the door. + +Had it, indeed, been only a single night, the months that seemed to +have passed while they were under the hill? They could not tell, for +they were now like all other children, and their wisdom learned in +fairyland had passed away. It seemed only a dream, save that the +brother and sister loved each other better than ever, and so they +continued to do as long as they lived. + + + + +_The Unicorn_ + + +Fritz, Franz, and Hans were charcoal-burners. They lived with their +mother in the depths of a forest, where they very seldom saw the face +of another human being. Hans, the youngest, did not remember ever +having lived anywhere else, but Fritz and Franz could just call to +mind sunny meadows, in which they played as little children, plucking +the flowers and chasing the butterflies. Indeed, Fritz was able to +compare the present state of miserable poverty in which they lived +with the ease and comfort they had enjoyed in years gone by. + +Once upon a time they were well off. They had enough to eat every day; +they lived in a comfortable house, surrounded by a nice garden, and +with plenty of kind neighbours around them. Then came a change. Their +father lost his money and was forced to leave this pleasant home, and +to earn bread for his family by becoming a charcoal-burner. Everything +now became different. Their house was a poor hut, composed of a few +logs of wood knocked roughly together. Dry black bread with, +occasionally, a few potatoes and lentils, and now and then, as a great +treat, a little porridge, formed their food. And to secure even this +they had to work hard from morning till night at their grimy trade. +But their father was brave and patient, and, while he was alive, the +wolf was kept some distance from the door. Besides, he could always +put some heart into the boys when they began to flag, by a joke or a +pleasant story. But he had died a year ago, owing to an accident he +met with while chopping wood for the furnace, and since his death +matters had been going from bad to worse with the family. + +Fritz and Franz were, unfortunately, selfish, ill-conditioned lads, +who made the worst instead of the best of their troubles, and who +even grudged their mother and brother their share of the food. Hans, +on the other hand, was a capital fellow. He always had a cheerful +smile or word, and did all in his power to help his mother to keep in +good spirits. One day, at dinner time, they were startled by a knock +at the door. A knock at the door does not seem to us, perhaps, to be a +very startling thing, but they, as I said, so seldom saw a strange +face near their home that this knock at the door quite took away their +breath. When it came, Fritz and Franz were sitting over the fire +munching their last piece of black bread, and grumbling to each other +as was their custom, while Hans, seated on the bed beside his mother, +was telling her about what he saw and what he fancied when he was in +the forest. Fritz was the first to recover himself, and he growled +out, in his usual surly tone, "Come in." The door opened, and a +gentleman entered. From his green dress, the gun that he carried in +his hand, and the game-bag slung by his side, they saw that he was a +huntsman, who had been amusing himself with shooting the game with +which the forest abounded. + +"Good morning, good friends," he said, in a cheerful tone. "Could you +provide me with a cup of water and a mouthful of something to eat? I +have forgotten to bring anything with me, and am ravenously hungry, +and far from home." + +Fritz and Franz first threw a scowling glance from under their +eyebrows at the stranger by way of reply, then gave a grunt, and +continued munching at their hunks of bread. Hans, however, was more +polite. The only seats in the hut were occupied by Fritz and Franz, +and as they showed no disposition to move, Hans dragged a log of wood +from a corner and placed it before the visitor, and invited him to sit +down. Then he produced a cup, scrupulously clean indeed, but sadly +cracked and chipped, and, running outside, he filled it from a spring +of delicious, cool water, which rose near the hut. As he had been busy +talking to his mother, he had had no time to eat his share of the +black bread, and so he handed his coarse crust to the stranger, saying +he was sorry that there was nothing better to offer him. + +"Thank you," said the stranger, courteously. "Hunger is the best +sauce. There is no lunch I like so well as this." And he set to work +with such a good will that, in a very short time, poor Hans's crust +had vanished, and there was nothing left before the stranger but a few +crumbs of bread on the table, and a few drops of water in the cup. +These he kneaded carelessly together into a little pellet, about the +size of a pea, while Hans told him, in answer to his questions, all +about their lonely life in the forest, and the hardships which they +had to endure. + +When the stranger rose to go he said, "Well, I thank you heartily for +your hospitality--now I will give you a word of advice. One of you +lads should go and seek the sparkling golden water, which turns +everything it touches into gold." + +Fritz and Franz pricked up their ears at this, and both at once +demanded where this sparkling golden water was to be found. The +stranger turned toward them, courteously, although these were the +first words they had spoken since his entrance, and replied: + +"The sparkling golden water is to be found in the forest of dead +trees, on the farther side of those blue mountains, which you may see +on any clear day in the far distance. It is a three weeks' journey on +foot from here." + +Then, bowing to his hosts, he stepped toward the door. Hans, however, +was there first, and opened it for him. Obeying a sign from the +stranger, Hans followed him a little way from the hut. Then the +stranger, taking from his pocket the little black bread pellet, said, +"I know, because you gave me your dinner, that you will have to go +hungry. I have no money to offer you, but here is something that will +be of far greater value to you than money. Keep this pellet carefully, +and when you seek the sparkling golden water, as I know you will, +don't forget to bring it with you. Now go back: you must follow me no +farther." So saying, the stranger waved his hand to Hans, and, +plunging into the thicket, disappeared. Hans slipped the pellet into +his pocket and re-entered the hut, where he found his brothers in loud +dispute about the sparkling golden water. They were much too +interested in the matter to pay any attention to Hans or to ask him, +as he was afraid they would, whether the stranger had given him any +money before he left. As he came in, he heard Fritz saying in a loud +voice: + +"I'm the eldest, and I will go first to get the sparkling golden +water. When I've got it I will buy all the land hereabouts and become +Count. I will hunt every day, and have lots of good wine; and +sometimes, if I'm passing near here, I'll just look in to see how you +all are, and to show you my fine clothes, and horses, and dogs, and +servants." Fritz was, for him, almost gracious at the bright prospect +before him. + +"I don't care whether you're the eldest or not," growled Franz, +stubbornly, "I shall go, too, to find the sparkling golden water. When +I've found it I will buy the Burgomaster's office, and live in his +house in the town yonder, and wear his fur robes and gold chain; and, +best of all, walk at the head of all the grand processions. None of +your wild hunting for me--give me ease and comfort." + +At last it was decided, after a great deal of squabbling, that Fritz +as the eldest should go first in search of the sparkling golden water, +and accordingly next day he set out. Hans ventured to hint that the +first thing to be done with this sparkling golden water when it was +found should be to provide a comfortable home for their mother, but +Fritz's only answer to this was a blow, and an angry order to Hans to +mind his own business. + +We cannot follow Fritz all the way on his journey. As he had no money +he was forced to beg at the doors of the cottages and farmhouses which +he passed, for food and shelter for the night. Now, this proved to be +rather hard work, because nobody very much liked his looks or his +manner; and people only gave him spare scraps now and then in order to +get him to go away as soon as possible. However, he found himself, at +last, approaching the forest of dead trees. He knew that it was the +forest, although there was nobody there to tell him so. He had not, in +fact, seen any human being for the last three days, but he felt that +he could not be mistaken. A vast forest of enormous trees lifted +leafless, sapless branches to the sky, and every breath of wind +rattled them together like the bones of a skeleton. When he was about +twenty yards from the forest a terrible sound came from it. It was as +though a thousand horses were neighing and screaming all at once. +Fritz's heart stood still. He wanted to run away, but his legs refused +to move. As he stood there, shaking and quaking, there rushed out of +the forest a huge unicorn with a spiral golden horn on his forehead. + +"What seek you here?" asked the unicorn, in a voice of thunder. Fritz +stammered out that he sought the sparkling golden water. + +"What want you with the sparkling golden water, which is in my +charge?" thundered the unicorn. + +Fritz was almost too frightened to speak. He fell on his knees, put up +his hands, and cried: "Oh, good Mr. Unicorn, oh, kind Mr. Unicorn, +pray don't hurt me!" + +The unicorn stamped furiously on the ground with his right forefoot. +"Say this instant," he cried, "what it is that you want with the +sparkling golden water!" + +"I want to get money to buy land and become a Count," Fritz was just +able to gasp out. The unicorn said nothing; he simply lowered his +head, and with his golden horn tossed Fritz three hundred and +forty-five feet in the air. Up went Fritz like a sky-rocket, and down +he came like its stick, turning somersaults all the way. Fortunately +for him, his fall was broken by the branches of one of the dead trees. +If it had not been for this he would probably have been seriously +hurt. Through these branches he crashed until he reached the point +where they joined the trunk. The tree was hollow here, and Fritz +tumbled down to the bottom of the trunk and found himself a prisoner. +While he was feeling his arms and legs, to find out if any bones were +broken or not, he had the satisfaction of hearing the unicorn, as he +trotted back into the forest, muttering, loud enough for his words to +pierce the bark and wood of Fritz's prison:-- + +"So much for you and your Countship!" + +Fritz tried to get out, but in vain. The tree was too smooth and +slippery and high for him to be able to clamber up, and he only hurt +himself every time he attempted to escape. There was nothing for it, +then, but for him to lie down and howl. He had to satisfy his hunger +as best he might, by eating the stray worms and woodlice and fungi, +which he found creeping, crawling, and growing round about the roots +of the tree. We will leave him there for the present and return to the +others. + +Franz, Hans, and their mother waited and waited for Fritz to come +back. Hans and his mother could not believe it possible that, when he +had secured the sparkling golden water, he would leave them in their +poverty. Franz, on the other hand, judging Fritz by himself, thought +that nothing was more likely. And Franz was most probably right. Six +weeks was the shortest time in which Fritz could be home again. +"Unless," said Hans, "he buys a horse and rides back, as he will be +very well able to do when he has got the sparkling golden water." But +six weeks passed, and two months, and three months, and no Fritz, +either on horseback or afoot. Then Franz's patience came to an end. He +must needs go, too. + +"I won't wait here starving any longer," said he; "Fritz has forgotten +all about us. I'll get the sparkling golden water and become +Burgomaster." So off he set, following the same road as Fritz, and +meeting with much the same difficulties. They were, however, rather +greater in his case than in his brother's. Folk remembered the +ill-conditioned Fritz only too well, and Franz was so like him in +looks and manner, that they shut the door in his face the moment he +appeared, and ran upstairs and called out from the top windows of +their houses, "Go away! There's nothing for you here. The big dog's +loose in the yard. Go away, charcoal-burner." + +However, by dint of perseverance, in which to say the truth he was not +lacking, Franz, very hungry and sulky, reached the verge of the forest +of dead trees. Out came the unicorn and asked his business. On Franz +replying that he wanted the sparkling golden water in order to buy the +house and post of Burgomaster, the unicorn tossed him into the air, +and he tumbled into the same tree as Fritz. Then the unicorn trotted +back into the forest, muttering, for Franz's benefit: "So much for you +and your Burgomastership!" + +When Fritz and Franz found themselves thus closely confined in the +same prison, they, instead of making the best of each other's company, +as sensible brothers would have done, fell to quarrelling and +fighting, until at last neither would speak to the other, and that +state of sulky silence they maintained all the time of their +captivity. + +The months passed by, but no news came to Hans and his mother of Fritz +and Franz. Meanwhile Hans found that it became daily more difficult +for him to earn enough money to support two people. Moreover, he saw +that his mother was growing weaker, and he feared that she would die +unless she had proper food and nourishment. At last he said: + +"Mother, if there were only some one to take care of you, I would go +in search of Fritz and Franz. You may be sure they have got the +sparkling golden water by this time. They would never refuse me a few +guldern, if I were to ask them and tell them how ill you are." + +But Hans's mother did not at all like the idea of his leaving her, and +she begged and prayed him not to go. He felt obliged, therefore, to +submit, and stayed on for a little longer, until at last even his +mother saw that they must either starve or do as Hans suggested. Most +fortunately at this time there dropped in to see them another +charcoal-burner, whom Hans used to call "Uncle Stoltz," although he +was no uncle at all, but only a good-natured neighbour and an old +friend of Hans's father. Uncle Stoltz strongly urged the mother to let +her boy go in search of his brothers, adding, although he was nearly +as poor as they were themselves: + +"You come and live with me and my wife. While we have a crust to +divide you shan't want." + +So Hans's mother gave a reluctant consent, and went to live with Uncle +Stoltz, while Hans went out in search of his brothers. By making +inquiries he easily found the road which they had taken, but nobody +ever thought of shutting the door in his face. On the contrary, his +polite manners and cheerful looks made him a welcome guest at every +cottage and farmstead at which he stopped. At last he, too, found +himself on the verge of the forest of dead trees and face to face with +the golden-horned unicorn. But Hans was not to be frightened as his +brothers had been by the terrible voice and awe-striking appearance of +the guardian of the fountain. In reply to the usual question, given in +the usual tone of thunder: "What seek you here?" Hans replied, coolly, +"I seek my brothers, Fritz and Franz." + +"They are where you will never find them," said the unicorn, "so go +home again." + +"If I cannot find my brothers," said Hans, firmly, "I will not go home +without the sparkling golden water." + +"What want you with the sparkling golden water, which is in my +charge?" asked the unicorn, in his terrible voice. + +"I want to buy food and wine and comforts for my mother; who is very +ill," answered Hans, undaunted. But his eyes filled with tears as he +thought of his mother. + +The unicorn spoke more gently. + +"Have you," he asked, "the crystal ball? Because without it I cannot +allow you to pass to the sparkling golden water." + +"The crystal ball!" echoed Hans. "I never heard of such a thing." + +"That's a pity," said the unicorn, gravely; "I'm afraid you will have +to go home without the water; but, stay, feel in your pockets. You may +have had the ball, and put it somewhere, and have forgotten all about +it." + +Hans smiled at the idea of the crystal ball lying, unknown to him, in +his pockets, but he followed the suggestion of the unicorn; and found, +as he knew he should find, nothing at all, except, indeed, the pellet +of black bread which the stranger-huntsman had given him, and which he +had not thought of from that day to this. "No," he said to the +unicorn, "I have nothing in my pocket, except this pellet," and he was +about to throw it away when the unicorn called out to him to stop. + +"Let me see it," he said. "Why," he went on, "this is the crystal +ball--look!" + +Hans did look, and sure enough he found in his hand a tiny globe of +crystal. He examined it with amazement. "Well," he said, "all I know +is that a second ago it was a black-bread pellet." + +"That may be," said the unicorn, carelessly; "anyhow, it is a crystal +ball now, and the possession of it makes me your servant. It is my +duty to carry you to the fountain of sparkling golden water, if you +wish to go. Have you brought a flask with you?" + +"No," said Hans. "Fritz took the only flask we had, and Franz an old +bottle." + +"Fritz, eh? Well, follow me a little way." So saying, the unicorn led +Hans to the tree in which his brothers were imprisoned and, motioning +him to be silent, cried out: + +"Ho! Master Count, throw out the flask you have with you, if you +please: it is wanted." + +"'Shan't," growled Fritz's voice in reply, "unless you promise to let +me out." + +"Oh, you won't, won't you?" said the unicorn; "well, we'll see." + +With that he drew back a few steps, and then, running forward, thrust +his sharp horn into the side of the hollow trunk from which Fritz's +voice had issued. A loud yell came from the spot, showing that the +horn had run into some tender part of Fritz's body, and at the same +instant, the flask appeared flying out of the hole in the tree by +which Fritz and Franz had entered. + +"That's right," said the unicorn, "now we shall do comfortably. Get on +my back, grasp my mane tightly, hold your breath, and shut your eyes." + +"If you please," said Hans, "will you set Fritz and Franz free first?" + +The unicorn looked annoyed. "They are doing very well there," he said; +"why should you disturb them? But you're my master, and I must do as +you please. Only, take my word, you will be sorry for this afterward." + +With that he went to the tree and, with one or two powerful blows with +his horn, made a hole large enough for the unhappy prisoners to creep +out. Two more sheepish, miserable wretches than those half-starved +brothers of his, Hans had never seen. They fell at his feet and +thanked him again and again for delivering them. They promised never +to do anything unkind or selfish again, and each assured Hans that he +had always liked him far more than he had liked the other brother. + +Their protestations of affection rather disgusted Hans, only, as he +was a good-hearted boy himself, he could not help being moved by them. +He then told his brothers in what state he had left his mother, and +how he was to be taken by the unicorn to get the sparkling golden +water. + +"Oh!" cried the brothers, "can't you take us, too?" + +The unicorn thought it time to interfere. "No one can be taken there, +but the owner of the crystal ball," he said. "Come, master, it is time +for you to mount." + +Hans clambered nimbly into his seat on the unicorn's back. "Wait for +me here," he called out to his brothers. "I shall not be long." Then +Hans shut his eyes, held his breath, and grasped the unicorn tightly +by the mane. It was as well that he did so, for the unicorn gave a +bound that carried him over the tops of the highest trees, and would +certainly have thrown him off unless he had been very firmly seated. +Three such bounds did he take, and then he paused and said to Hans, +"Now you may open your eyes." Hans found himself in a desolate, rocky +valley, without a trace of vegetation--unless the forest of dead +trees, which clothed the valley on every side, might be taken as +vegetation. In the midst of the valley there sprang up a fountain of +water, which sparked with such intense brilliancy that Hans was unable +at first to look upon it. + +"There, master," said the unicorn, turning his head, "this is the +fountain of sparkling golden water. Dismount, and fill your flask. But +take care that you do not allow your hand to touch the water. If it +does it will be turned into gold, and will never become flesh and +blood again." + +Hans slipped from his seat and, flask in hand, approached the +fountain. The ground on which he walked was sand, but as he drew +nearer the fountain, he noticed that the sand kept growing brighter +until he felt that he was walking upon what he guessed rightly to be +veritable gold dust Hans thrust a handful of this dust into his +pocket, and also one or two moderate-sized stones that he found, +which, like the sand, had been changed, by the spray coming from the +fountain, into pure gold. He tried to be as careful as possible in +filling the flask; but, notwithstanding all his care, the top joint of +his little finger touched the water, and in an instant became gold. +However, he had his flask full of sparkling golden water, the flask +itself now, of course, golden, and he felt that the top joint of his +little finger was a small price to pay for all this. + +"Now, master," said the unicorn when Hans got back, "do you still +intend to return to those brothers of yours? Or shall I put you out of +the forest at some other point?" + +"Certainly," replied Hans; "I intend to return to them. You heard them +say how sorry they were for all the unkindness they had shown to my +mother and me. I know they mean to do better for the future. Besides, +I promised them to come back." + +The unicorn said nothing, but grunted in a discouraging manner, and +motioned to Hans to get on his back. When he was seated the unicorn +said: + +"Since this is your wish, you must have it. I have, however, three +pieces of advice to give you. On your way home your brothers will +offer to carry the flask--do not let them do so; also do not let them +get behind you for a moment; and thirdly, guard the crystal ball with +the utmost care. I can't go with you beyond the verge of the forest of +dead trees. One visit, and only one, is permitted to the fountain. You +therefore can never come here again. But if ever you need me sorely, +crush the crystal ball, and I will be with you. Now shut your eyes, we +must be off." + +Three bounds brought them to the side of Fritz and Franz; and Hans +having thanked the unicorn warmly for his kindness, the three brothers +began to retrace their steps homeward. Now, during Hans's absence at +the fountain, Fritz and Franz had been devising how they might rob him +of the flask of sparkling golden water. + +"It is disgusting," they said to one another, "that this wretched +little Hans should beat us both. He will only waste the water in +buying things for his mother, while it would make us Count and +Burgomaster." + +As soon, therefore, as they were out of sight of the unicorn, Fritz +and Franz begged and prayed Hans to allow one of them to carry the +flask. + +"You've had all the trouble of getting the water," they said; "we +ought at least to be allowed the honour of helping you carry it. +Besides, are we not your servants now that you are so rich? It is not +suitable for you to do all the work." But Hans remembered the +unicorn's words, and held firmly to his flask. + +"No," he said, "thank you; but I'll carry it myself." Then Fritz and +Franz pretended to get sulky and tried to drop behind, but Hans would +not allow this, either. The consequence was that the three made very +slow progress homeward. Toward the evening they came to a deep stream, +which they had to re-cross. It was only fordable at one point, as they +all knew, because they had, of course, already crossed it before. Hans +stood aside to allow Fritz and Franz to go on first, but each of them +went in a little way, and ran back, saying that they were afraid of +being drowned. + +"What nonsense," said Hans, who was getting a little impatient at the +delay; "it's quite shallow," and, forgetting the unicorn's warning, he +entered the stream first. Fritz and Franz did not miss the +opportunity. Each took a large stone and struck Hans violently on the +head. Then as he fell back senseless into the water, Fritz snatched +the flask from off the belt to which it was attached, and Franz thrust +with his foot Hans's body farther into the river, so that the current +should carry it away, and, laughing at their own cleverness, the two +proceeded to cross the ford. + +Now, naturally enough, lads like Fritz and Franz do not care to trust +each other very far. As soon, therefore, as they reached the other +side of the stream, Franz produced his bottle, and demanded of Fritz +his share of the sparkling golden water. Fritz, who intended to keep +it all to himself, proposed that they should put off sharing it till +later. Franz would not hear of this. He knew, only too well, what +Fritz intended. This led to a wrangle, which ended in a fight between +the two, in which the sparkling golden water was spilled, partly over +Fritz's right hand, and the remainder over Franz's left foot. The +brothers first realized what had happened to them by Fritz finding +that he could not close his fist to strike, and Franz finding that he +could not raise his foot to kick. The discovery sobered them in an +instant. There they stood, one with a hand and the other with a foot +of solid gold, and the golden flask with them; but the water, the +precious sparkling golden water, lost forever. Fritz was the first to +recover himself. + +"Well," he said, "thank goodness I have a couple of feet left me. I +shall be off, I can't wait for you. You must hobble on as best you +can, or stay here and starve," and he was on the point of leaving +Franz to his fate, when the latter caught him by the collar. + +"If I've only one foot, I have two hands," cried he, "and I don't +intend to let you leave me behind. No, no; we must go together or not +at all." + +Fritz was obliged to submit, as it was a case of two hands against +one; and he and Franz, arm in arm as though they were the most +affectionate brothers, made their way slowly to the nearest town. +There they had to submit to have hand and foot cut off. The operation +hurt them very much indeed, but they sold the gold for a good sum of +money to the goldsmith. With that, and with what they got for the +flask, Fritz was able to buy his Countship, although he could never +hunt owing to the loss of his right hand, and Franz was able to buy +his Burgomastership, although the loss of his foot prevented his +walking properly in processions. Neither of them, of course, gave a +thought to their mother. + +Now we must return to poor Hans, whom we left floating down the +stream--senseless, and to all appearance dead. He was not dead, +however, although the blows which his brothers had inflicted were very +severe ones. He was only stunned, and fortunately he did not float far +enough to be drowned. His body came into a back eddy of the stream +and drifted gently on to a shelving bank of white sand. The cold water +soon had the effect of bringing him to his senses so far as to enable +him to crawl on to the land. It was, however, some hours before he was +able to recall the past events. When he remembered them he gave way to +despair. All the pains he had taken to win the sparkling golden water +were thrown away. He might not return to get more--the unicorn had +told him that. His mother would be as badly off as ever. Above all, he +had the bitter disappointment of feeling that his brothers had +deceived him. Then he bethought him of the crystal ball. Taking it +from his pocket, he placed it on a large stone, and taking another +stone struck it with all his force. A report like that of a cannon +followed, and at the same instant the unicorn stood before him. + +"I warned you of what would happen," he said to Hans. "You would have +done much better if you had left your brothers in the tree. Now let me +see what can be done for you. First of all, rub that dockleaf, which +is touching your right hand, on the wound in your head." Hans did as +he was told, and his head became as sound as ever. "Now," said the +unicorn, "you must go straight home to your mother and bring her to +the city of White Towers, and stay there till you hear from me again." + +"But," said Hans, with tears in his eyes, "how can I do that? My +mother is much too ill to move, and I have lost the sparkling golden +water which was to have made her well and strong." + +"Did not I see you," asked the unicorn, "put some sand and stones of +pure gold into your pocket as you went to the fountain? There will be +more than enough to meet all your expenses. Do as I tell you," and the +unicorn, saying this, disappeared. + +Hans, greatly cheered, set off once more, and finished his journey +home without any further adventures. The gold that he had with him, +not only enabled him to provide the comforts and necessaries which his +mother required, but he was able also to reward Uncle Stoltz for his +kindness. When his mother was strong enough to travel, Hans hired a +wagon, and they set off by easy stages for the city of White Towers, +there to await further news from the unicorn. + +Now, the city of White Towers was at that time attracting from far and +wide every one who wanted to make his fortune. The Princess of the +city was the loveliest Princess in the world, and the richest and the +most powerful. She had given out that she would marry any one, whoever +it might be, king or beggar, who would tell her truly in the morning +the dream that she had dreamed in the night. But whoever should +compete and fail, was to forfeit all his fortune, be whipped through +the streets and out of the gate, and banished from the city on pain of +death. If, however, he had no fortune to forfeit, he was to be whipped +back again and sold into slavery. The terms were hard; but many tried +and failed, and many more, undeterred by the punishment which they +constantly saw being inflicted on the others, were waiting their turn +to compete. Among these latter were Count Fritz and Burgomaster Franz. +These two met very often in the streets of the city, but they could +never forget their quarrel over the sparkling golden water and when +they met they always looked in opposite directions. Now, Fritz and +Franz had made themselves hated by all with whom they had to deal; +Fritz by his tyranny over the poor in the district in which his +property lay, and Franz by his injustice as Burgomaster. The former +used to grind down his people so as to extract the last penny from +them; the latter used to make his judgments depend on the amount of +bribe he received from the suitors. Everybody, therefore, hoped that +both Fritz and Franz would fail to tell the Princess her dreams, and +would have to pay the penalty. + +Hans and his mother arrived at the city of White Towers on the evening +before the day on which Fritz was to try his fortune. They heard on +all sides that the "One-armed Count," as he was called, was to be the +next competitor; but, of course, they had no idea that this "One-armed +Count" was Fritz. The consequence was that, when they found themselves +next day in the great square, where the whole population of the city +assembled to see the trial, they were amazed beyond measure to see +Fritz, marching jauntily along, quite confident of success, dressed in +his very smartest clothes, to the platform on which the Princess and +her ladies and her courtiers were assembled, Fritz felt sure that he +would win, for this reason: There was an old woman living in a cottage +near his castle, who was said to be a witch. Fritz had ordered her to +be seized and put to the most cruel tortures, in order to force her to +say what the Princess was going to dream on the night before the day +fixed for his trial. This was very silly of him, as the old woman +might be a witch ten times over, and yet not be able to tell him that. +But cruel, wicked people often are silly. This poor old woman screamed +out some nonsense in her agony which Fritz took to be the answer he +required. He smiled, therefore, in a self-confident fashion as he +bowed low before the princess and awaited her question. She asked it +in a clear bell-like voice, which somehow caused Hans's heart, when he +heard it, to beat a good deal quicker than before. + +"Sir Count, what did I dream last night?" + +"Your Highness dreamed," was the reply, "that the moon came down to +earth and kissed you." + +The princess gently shook her head, and in a moment Fritz found +himself in the hands of her guards, with his coat stripped off his +back, and his hands bound behind him. The first lash made him cry for +mercy; but the Princess had already gone, and the soldiers, whose duty +it was to inflict the whipping, were not much disposed to show mercy +to the "One-armed Count." They laid on their blows well, driving the +unlucky Fritz through the streets till the gate was reached, through +which, with a final shower of blows, he was thrust, with the warning +not to return thither, but to beg his way henceforth through the +world. Of all who watched the proceedings, none seemed so delighted +with the result as Franz. He followed, hobbling after his unhappy +brother as close as the soldiers would allow, and kept jeering and +laughing at him all the way. This was easy for him to do, +notwithstanding the fact that he had to go on crutches, because good +care was taken to make Fritz's progress through the streets as slow as +possible. In addition, therefore, to the blows, Fritz had to endure +the sight of Franz's grinning face, and to listen to such remarks as: +"Who thought he was going to win the Princess?"--"Will your Highness +remember your poor brother, the Burgomaster?"--"Who lost the sparkling +golden water?"--and so on. + +With very different feelings had Hans watched the proceedings. When he +saw his brother stripped for beating, he forgot all about the wrongs +he had sustained, and only thought what he could do to help the +sufferer. He tried to bribe the soldiers to deal gently with Fritz; +but when he found it was of no avail, he hastened to the city gate so +as to meet his brother outside and comfort him when the punishment was +over. Hans found Fritz, as indeed was natural under the circumstances, +more surly and ill-tempered than ever. He appeared startled for a +moment at seeing Hans, whom he thought dead, alive and well; but he +set to work blubbering again immediately, and rubbing his back with +his one hand. Hans gave him what money he could afford, which Fritz +took without saying "Thank you," and went his way. + +Next day it was Franz's turn to try and win the Princess. Franz felt +just as certain of succeeding as Fritz had been. A certain necromancer +in Franz's town had been a party in a suit which came before the +Burgomaster's court. All the evidence which was brought forward told +against him, but the necromancer promised Franz, as a bribe, if he +would decide in his favour, to tell him by means of his art the true +secret of the Princess's dream. Franz swallowed the bait greedily, and +gave his unjust decision. Now, in order that the necromancer might not +fail him, Franz had determined not to let him out of his sight till +the day of trial. Very early in the morning of that day the +necromancer came to Franz and said: "Last night the Princess dreamed +so-and-so--will your worship allow me to go away now?" Franz, on +hearing the dream, skipped with delight, forgetting about his one +foot, and tumbled down on the floor. However, he did not mind that, +and gave the necromancer leave to depart; which that worthy did in +great haste. Franz was so impatient that he was in his place, in front +of the platform, long before the Princess arrived. He could hardly +wait for her to put the formal question before he blurted out: + +"Your Highness dreamed that you were walking in your garden, and that +all the trees and shrubs bore gold and silver leaves." + +The Princess shook her head. "A very pretty dream," she said; "but it +was not mine." So Franz had to suffer the same punishment as Fritz, +and nobody was at all sorry. He was likewise thrust out of the city +gate, bawling between his howls for some one to bring him the +necromancer. Hans found him there, and tried to comfort him, as he had +tried to comfort Fritz, and with about the same result. When Hans had +returned to the inn, where he and his mother were staying, he was met +with the news that a stranger was waiting to see him. He went in and +found the huntsman who had given him the pellet which turned into the +crystal ball. + +"Hans," said the huntsman, as soon as Hans entered the room, "the +unicorn has sent me to you. It's your turn now to try to win the +Princess." + +Hans turned pale at the thought. + +"I would give my life to win her," he said, earnestly, "but I am +certain to fail, and then what will my poor mother do? I have no +property to be confiscated, and, of course, I shall be sold into +slavery." + +"Don't talk of failure," said the huntsman cheerily; "the way to +success is to forget that there is such a word as failure. Now I'll +tell you my plan. The Princess, as you know, or as you very likely +don't know, is devoted to curious animals of all kinds. I will change +you into a white mouse with a gold claw, and will offer you to the +Princess for sale. She has never seen or heard of such a creature as a +white mouse with a gold claw before, and will be sure to buy you. Then +it will be your fault if matters don't go smoothly with you. You have +only to keep your ears open and use your wits. Now, first of all, we +must enter you for to-morrow's competition." + +Hans longed to try his luck with the Princess, and as this plan seemed +a promising one--indeed, it was the only one he could think of--he +agreed to try it. However, he determined not to tell his mother +anything about the matter, as he knew how terrified she would be at +the thought of his failure. The first thing, as the huntsman had said, +was for him to present himself to the Princess as candidate for her +hand. He accordingly did so, and found her seated on her throne, +surrounded by the lords and ladies of her court, glittering in jewels +and dressed in magnificent apparel. Hans felt rather shy as he marched +up the splendid room, amongst all these grandly dressed people, in his +shabby old clothes; but he put as good a face on it as he could, and +when he stopped before the throne and looked into the Princess's eyes, +all his shyness vanished. He was conscious of nothing but a strong +determination to win her for himself, or to perish in the attempt. The +court usher announced his name and purpose in a loud tone. + +"This is Hans, the charcoal-burner, who has undertaken to tell the +Princess her dream to-morrow morning, or to pay the penalty." + +When the Princess looked at Hans and saw what a nice, open-faced boy +he was, she did all she could to persuade him to give up the attempt. +She pointed out to him how many had tried and failed--how little +chance there was of his succeeding. She could not bear, she said, to +think of his being whipped publicly and sold into slavery. She offered +him, if he would withdraw, the important post of general manager of +the court menagerie. But neither this offer nor the prayers of the +Princess could move Hans. + +"Now, that I have seen you face to face, Princess," said he, "I would +rather die twenty times over than give up the undertaking." + +The Princess was obliged to allow Hans to enter his name for +to-morrow's trial, although it made her very unhappy. Her heart told +her that he was the one of all her suitors whom she would most wish to +succeed; but she felt that he would be certain to fare as the others +had done; and so when the formality was over, and Hans had left, she +dismissed the court; shut herself up in her room, and said she would +be at home to nobody for the rest of the day. + +As soon as Hans got back, the huntsman took a cup of water, muttered +some strange words over it, and sprinkled Hans with the contents. He +was conscious of a curious change taking place in him, and before he +could quite make out what it was, he found that he was a white mouse +with a gold claw. The huntsman put him in a box and carried him to the +palace to sell him to the Princess. When he arrived there the porter +refused to admit him. + +"No!" he said, "the Princess had given out that she would see no one +that day. It was more than his place was worth to admit the stranger." +However, by dint of flattering words and a handsome present slipped +into his hands, the porter was persuaded to send for one of the +Princess's ladies. When she came and saw the white mouse with the gold +claw, she said she was sure that her mistress would be so delighted +with his beautiful little curiosity that she would pardon having her +orders disobeyed for once. Only, the huntsman must remain where he +was; she would take the white mouse to the Princess herself. To this +the Huntsman consented; and the long and short of it was that the +Princess sent him a handsome sum for the mouse; and Hans found himself +established as her newest favourite. The Princess was so pleased with +her pet that, when she went to bed, she placed him in a cabinet in her +room, the door of which she left open--because he was so tame that she +had no fear of his attempting to run away. Hans was wondering how he +was to find out the Princess's dream in this situation, when his +mistress woke up, laughing heartily, and called for her lady in +waiting to come to her. + +"I've had such a curious dream," she said. "I dreamed that I was +married to a man with a golden top-joint to his little finger. I +suppose that it was the white mouse with the gold claw which put the +idea into my head. But," and here the Princess's voice grew very sad, +"how will that poor boy ever guess this dream to-morrow?" + +Hans waited impatiently for all to be quiet, then he slipped out of +his cabinet, and finding the door shut, ran up the curtain of the +window, which was fortunately open, and getting on a rose which +clambered up outside the wall, ran down it and made the best of his +way to the inn. There he found the huntsman waiting for him, to whom +he told all that had taken place, and who in a few seconds changed him +back to his own shape. + +An enormous concourse of people was assembled next day to see the +trial. Very pale and sad the Princess looked as she sat prepared to +put the question to Hans. He waited respectfully till she had spoken, +and then, without saying a word, held out his hand to her. Her eye +fell on the golden top-joint of his little finger. She cried out with +delight, and, seizing his hand in hers, turned to the people and said: +"Hans has guessed right, and he shall be my husband." + +And all the people raised a glad shout, "Long live Prince Hans!" + +"Oh!" said the Princess to Hans, "how I wish my brother were here to +share our happiness!" + +"He is here," said the huntsman, who had thrust his way to the front; +and, throwing off his huntsman's disguise, he appeared dressed as a +Prince. Then, turning to Hans, he said: + +"A mighty magician, the enemy of our family, condemned me, because I +would not give him my sister in marriage, to take the form of a +unicorn, and to guard the sparkling golden water. Twice every year, +for a fortnight at a time, I was allowed to resume my human shape. It +was then that I came to your hut in the forest, and gave you the token +by which to win your way to the fountain. The spell laid upon me was +only to be raised when some one guessed aright my sister's dream, and +so won her to wife. Thanks to you, brother Hans, the magician's power +is at an end." + +Hans and the Princess were married, and after the ceremony the Prince +went off to his own kingdom. Hans's mother had a beautiful suite of +apartments in the palace assigned to her, and Uncle Stoltz was not +forgotten, but was provided for comfortably for life; and they all +lived happily ever afterward. + +As for Fritz and Franz, they were so selfish and cruel, that there was +nothing to be done with them but to send them back into the forest +again to burn charcoal; and for all I know they are burning charcoal +there still. + + + + +_Destiny_ + + +Once upon a time there were two brothers who lived together in the +same household. One attended to everything, while the other was an +indolent fellow, who occupied himself only with eating and drinking. +Their harvests were always magnificent; they had cattle, horses, +sheep, pigs, bees, and all other things in great abundance. + +The elder, who did everything about the estate, said to himself one +day: + +"Why should I toil for this lazy fellow? It would be better that we +should separate. I will work for myself alone, and he can do whatever +he pleases." So he said to his brother: + +"Brother, it is unjust that I should take charge of all whilst thou +wilt aid me in nothing, and thinkest only of eating and drinking. It +is better that we should part." + +The other tried to turn him from his project, saying: + +"Brother, do not do this. We get on so well together. Thou hast all in +thy hands--not only what is thine, but what is mine, and thou knowest +that I am always contented with what thou doest, and with what thou +orderest." + +But the elder persisted in his resolution so firmly that the younger +was obliged to give up, and said: + +"Since it is so I have no ill-will toward thee. Make the division as +seemeth good to thee." + +The division made, each one ordered his life as he thought good. The +indolent brother took a herder for his cattle and horses, a shepherd +for his sheep, a goatherd for his goats, a swineherd for his pigs, a +keeper for his bees, and said to each of them: + +"I confide my goods to thee, and may God watch over thee." + +And he continued to live in his house without any more care he had +ever done. + +The elder on the contrary laboured for his half of the property as +much as he had ever done for the common good. He kept his herds +himself, having an eye on everything, but in spite of all his care he +had ill success on every side. + +From day to day everything turned out badly with him, so that at last +he became so poor that he had not even a pair of sandals, and was +obliged to go barefooted. Then he said to himself: + +"I will go to my brother's, and see how the world wags with him." + +His way led him across a meadow where a flock of sheep was grazing, +and as he drew near he saw that the sheep had no shepherd. Near them, +however, a beautiful young girl was seated, spinning a thread of gold. + +After having saluted the maiden with a "God protect thee," he asked +her whose were the sheep, and she answered: + +"To whom I belong, belong the sheep also." + +"And who art thou?" he continued. + +"I am thy brother's fortune," she answered. + +Then the traveller was seized with wrath and envy, and cried out: + +"And where is _my_ fortune?" + +The maiden answered him: "Ah, she is far from thee." + +"Can I find her?" he asked. + +She answered: "Thou canst find her--only look for her." + +When he had heard these words, and saw that the sheep were so +beautiful that nothing finer could be imagined, he did not care to go +farther to see the other flocks, but went direct to his brother, who +as soon as he had seen him took pity on him, and said, weeping: + +"Why hast thou hidden thyself from me for so long a time?" + +Then seeing that he was in rags and barefooted he gave him a pair of +sandals and some money. + +After having remained three days with his brother the poor fellow +departed to return home, but once arrived at the house he threw a +sack over his shoulders, put a morsel of bread in it, took a stick in +his hand, and set out into the world to seek his fortune. + +Having travelled a long time he found himself at last in a deep forest +where he met a wretched old woman asleep in a thicket. He began to +beat the ground with his stick to wake up the old woman, and at last +gave her a blow on the back. However, she scarcely moved even then, +and half opening her drowsy eyes, said to him: + +"Thou mayest thank God that I was asleep, for if I had been awake thou +wouldst not have had those sandals." + +Then he said to her: "Who art thou then, who wouldst have hindered me +from having these sandals?" + +The old hag answered him: "I am thy fortune." + +Hearing these words he beat his breast, crying: "What! thou art my +fortune! May God exterminate thee! Who gave thee to me?" + +And the old hag said to him: "It was Destiny." + +"Where is Destiny?" + +"Go and seek for him," she answered, going to sleep again. + +Then he departed and went to seek for Destiny. + +After a long, long journey he arrived at last at another wood, and in +this wood he found a hermit of whom he asked if he could not give him +some news of Destiny? + +The hermit answered him: "Climb that mountain, and thou wilt arrive at +his castle, but when thou reachest Destiny be careful not to speak to +him. Do only what thou seest him do, until he speaks to thee." + +The traveller thanked the hermit, took his way up the mountain, and +when he had arrived at the castle of Destiny what wonderful things he +saw! + +The luxury was absolutely royal. There was a crowd of servants, always +in motion and doing nothing. As for Destiny, he was supping at a +magnificent table. When the stranger saw this he seated himself also +at table and ate with the master of the house. After supper Destiny +went to bed and the traveller did the same. Toward midnight terrible +noise was heard in the castle, and in the midst of the noise a voice +crying: + +"Destiny, Destiny--so many souls have come into the world to-day. Give +them something at thy good pleasure." + +And Destiny arose, opened a golden coffer, and threw into the room a +shower of shining ducats, saying: + +"Such as I am to-day, so shall you be all your lives." + +At daybreak the grand castle vanished, and there took its place an +ordinary house, but one in which nothing was wanting. When evening +came Destiny sat down to supper again, his guest did the same, and no +one spoke a word. After supper both went to bed as before. + +Toward midnight again commenced the terrible noise in the castle, and +in the midst of the tumult a voice crying: + +"Destiny, Destiny, so many souls have seen the light to-day. Give them +something at thy good pleasure." + +Destiny arose and opened a silver coffer, but this time there were no +ducats in it, only silver money mixed with a few pieces of gold. +Destiny threw this silver upon the ground, saying: + +"Such as I am to-day, so shall you be all your lives." + +At daybreak the house had vanished, and there appeared in its place +another smaller one. So passed each night; each morning the house +became smaller until at last it was only a miserable hut. Destiny then +took a spade and began to dig up the earth; his guest did the same, +and they dug all day long. When evening came Destiny took a crust of +hard bread, broke it in two, and gave half to his companion. This was +all their supper, and when they had eaten they went to bed. + +Toward midnight again commenced the terrible noise, and in the midst +of it a voice was heard, crying: + +"Destiny, Destiny, so many souls have come into the world this night. +Give them something at thy good pleasure." + +Destiny arose, opened a coffer, and began to throw out pebbles among +which were mixed some small money, saying as he did so: + +"Such as I am to-day, so shall you be all your lives." + +When morning came the hut was changed again to a grand palace as it +had been on the first day. Then for the first time Destiny spoke to +his guest, and said to him: + +"Why hast thou come to me?" + +The traveller then related his miseries in detail, and said that he +had come to ask of Destiny himself, why he had given him so evil a +fortune. + +Destiny answered him: + +"Thou didst see that the first night I sowed ducats and what followed +thereon. Such as I am on the night when a man is born, such that man +will be all his life. Thou wert born on a night of poverty, and thou +wilt remain always poor. Thy brother, on the contrary, came into the +world in a happy hour, and happy he will remain to the end. But since +thou hast taken so much trouble to find me I will tell thee how thou +mayst help thyself. Thy brother has a daughter named Miliza, who is as +fortunate as her father. Take her for thy wife when thou shalt return +to thine own country, and all that thou shalt acquire thereafter, be +careful to say belongs to her." + +The traveller thanked Destiny many times and departed. + +When he had returned to his own country he went straight to his +brother, and said to him: + +"Brother, give me Miliza. Thou seest that without her I am alone in +the world." + +And the brother answered: "It pleases me well. Miliza is thine." + +Straightway the bridegroom took his brother's daughter to his house, +and he became very rich, but he was always careful to say: "All that I +have belongs to Miliza." + +One day he went into the fields to see his wheat, which was so fine +that there was nothing like it in the whole country around. A +traveller passed along the way, and said to him: + +"Whose is this wheat?" + +And the elder brother, without thinking, answered: "It is mine." + +But scarcely had he spoken than a spark was seen in the wheat and in +an instant it was all on fire. Quickly he ran after the traveller, and +cried out: + +"Stop, my friend, this wheat is not mine. It belongs to Miliza, my +brother's daughter." + +The fire was instantly extinguished, and thenceforth the elder brother +was happy--thanks to Miliza. + + + + +_The Queen of the Golden Mines_ + + +Once on a time there was a King of Ireland, and he had three sons, +Teddy, Billy, and Jack. Teddy and Billy were the two eldest, and they +were brave, able boys. But Jack was the youngest, a _gauchy_, _dawnie_ +sort of a lad that was good for nothing only feeding fowls and doing +odd turns about the house. When they grew up to be men, Teddy and +Billy one day said they'd go away to travel and see the world, for +they'd only be good-for-nothing omadhauns if they'd stay here all +their lives. Their father said that was good, and so off the both of +them started. And that night when they halted from their travelling, +who does they see coming up after them, but Jack; for it seems he +commenced to think _long_, when he found them gone, and he was that +lonesome that he couldn't stay behind them. And there he was dressed +in his old tattered clothes, a spec-_tacle_ for the world, and a +disgrace to them; for of course, they were done off with the best of +everything--rale gentlemen, as becomed their father's sons. They said +to themselves they'd be long sorry to let that picthur with them--for +he _was_ a picthur, and no doubt of it--to be an upcast to them +wherever they'd go. So before they started on again next mornin' they +tied Jack to a millstone, and left him there. That night again, when +they went to stop from their travellin', what would you have of it but +there was me brave Jack once more, not a hundred parches behind them, +and he dragging the millstone after him. Teddy and Billy said this was +too bad entirely; and next day, before they started again, they tied +another millstone to him, and they said, "Well, you'll not get away +from here in a hurry anyhow, boy." So on they went again on their +journey, laughing and cracking jokes, and telling passages, to pass +the time; but that night again, when they went to stop from their +journey, lo! and behold ye, who does they see coming tearing after +them but my poor Jack, once more, with the two millstones dragging +behind him. Then they were in a quandhary entirely, and they begun to +consider what was best to do with him, for they saw there was no +holdin' or tyin' of him, or keepin' him back at all, at all, for if +they were to tie him to a mountain in the mornin', he'd be afther them +with the mountain rattling at his heels again night. So they come to +the conclusion that it was best to take Jack with them, and purtend +him to be their hired boy, and not their brother at all. Of course, me +poor Jack, that was always agreeable, was only too ready to go on +these terms; and on the three of them went, afore them, till at length +they reached the King of England's castle. When the King of England +heard Teddy and Billy was the King of Ireland's two sons, he give them +_cead mile failte_,[3] was plaised and proud to see them, ordhered +them to be made much of, then opened his hall door, an' asked in the +nobility an' genthry of the whole counthry-side to a big dinner and +ball that he gave in their honour. But what do you have of it, but in +the middle of the ball doesn't Teddy have a fallout with the King of +England's son, and sthruck him, and then that was the play! The hubbub +and _hooroosh_ got up, and the King ordhered the ball to be stopped, +and had Teddy taken pris'ner, and Billy and Jack ordhered away out of +the kingdom. Billy and Jack went away, vexed in their hearts at +leaving Teddy in jail, and they travelled away till they came to +France, and the King of France's castle. Here, when the King of France +heard that Billy, the King of Ireland's son, had come to see him, he +went out and welcomed him, an' asked in himself and Jack to come in +and make a visit with him. And, like the King of England, he thought +he couldn't make too much of the King of Ireland's sons, and threw +open his hall door and asked in the whole nobility and clergy and +genthry of all the counthry-side into a great dinner and ball given in +Billy's honour. But lo! and behould ye, doesn't it turn up at this +ball, too, that Billy had a squabble with the King of France's son and +struck him, and the ball was stopped by the King's ordhers, and the +people sent home, and Billy taken prisoner, and there was poor Jack +now left all alone. The King of France, taking pity on Jack, employed +him as a boy. And Jack was getting along very well at Court, and the +king and him used to have very great yarns together entirely. At +length a great war broke out betwixt France and Germany; and the King +of France was in great trouble, for the Germans were slaughtering and +conquering all before them. Says Jack, says he, to the King one day, +"I wish I had only half a rajimint of your men, and you'd see what I +would do." Instead of this the King gave him a whole army, and in less +nor three days there wasn't a German alive in the whole kingdom of +France. It was the king was the thankful man to Jack for this good +action, and said he never could forget it to him. After that Jack got +into great favour at court, and used to have long chats with the Queen +herself. But Jack soon found that he never could come into the Queen's +presence that he didn't put her in tears. He asked her one day what +was the meaning of this, and she told him that it was because she +never looked on him that he didn't put her in mind of her infant son +that had, twelve months before, been carried away by the Queen of the +Golden Mines, and who she had never heard tale or tidings of from that +day to this. + +[Footnote 3: Hundred thousand welcomes.] + +"Well, be this and be that," says Jack, says he, "but I'm not the man +to leave ye in your trouble if I can help it; and be this and be that +over again," says he, "but I won't sleep two nights in the one bed, or +eat two meals' meat in the one house, till I find out the Queen of the +Golden Mines' Castle, and fetch back your infant son to ye--or else I +'ll not come back livin'." + +"Ah," says the Queen, "that would never do!" and "Ah," says the King, +"that would never do at all, at all!" They pointed out and showed to +him how a hundred great knights had gone on the same errand before +him, and not one of them ever come back livin', and there was no use +in him throwin' away his life, for they couldn't afford to lose him. +But it was all no use; Jack was bound on going, and go he would. So, +the very next morning he was up at cock-crow, and afther leavin' +good-bye with the whole of them, and leavin' the King and the Queen in +tears, he started on his journey. And he travelled away afore him, +inquiring his way to the Castle of the Queen of the Golden Mines; and +he travelled and tramped for many a weary day, and for many a weary +week, and for many a weary month; till at last, when it was drawing on +twelve months from the day he left the Castle of the King of France, +one day tor'st evening he was travelling through a thick wood, when he +fell in with an old man, resting, with a great bundle of sticks by his +side; and "Me poor old man," says Jack, says he, "that's a mighty +great load entirely for a poor man of your years to be carryin'. Sure, +if ye'll allow me, I'll just take them with me for ye, as far as +you're goin'." + +"Blissin's on ye!" says the ould man; "an' an ould man's blissin' atop +of that; an' thanky." + +"Nobbut, thanky, yerself, for your good wishes," says Jack, says he, +throwin' the bundle of sticks on his shoulder, an' marchin' on by the +ould man's side. And they thravelled away through the wood till they +come at last to the ould man's cabin. And the ould man axed Jack to +come in and put up with him for the night, and such poor +accommodations as he had, Jack was heartily welcome to them. Jack +thanked him and went in and put up for the night with him, and in the +morning Jack told the ould man the arrand he was on and axed if he'd +diract him on his way to the Queen of the Golden Mines' Castle. Then +the ould man took out Jack, and showed him a copper castle glancing in +the sun, on a hill opposite, and told him that was his journey's end. + +"But, me poor man," says he, "I would strongly advise ye not to go +next or near it. A hundred knights went there afore you on the +selfsame errand, and their heads are now stuck on a hundred spears +right afore the castle; for there's a fiery dragon guards it that +makes short work of the best of them." + +But seeing Jack wasn't to be persuaded off his entherprise nohow, he +took him in and gave him a sword that carried ten men's strength in it +along with that of the man that wielded it. And he told Jack, if he +was alive again' night, and not killed by the dhragon, to come back to +his cabin. Jack thanked him for the sword, and promised this, and then +he set out for the castle. But lo! and behold ye, no sooner did Jack +come anear the castle than a terrible great monsther of a dhragon +entirely, the wildest ever Jack seen or heard tell of, come out from +the castle, and he opened his mouth as wide as the world from side to +side, and let out a roar that started the old gray eagle on top of +Croaghpathrick mountain at home in Ireland. Poor Jack thrimbled from +head to foot--and small wonder he did--but, not a bit daunted, he went +on to meet the dhragon, and no sooner were they met than he to it and +the dhragon to it, and they fought and sthrove long and hard, the +wildest fight by far that poor Jack ever entered into, and they fought +that way from early mornin' till the sun went down, at one time Jack +seemin' to be gettin' the betther of the dhragon, and the next minute +the dhragon gettin' the betther of Jack; and when the sun went down +they called a truce of peace till next day; and Jack dragged himself +back to the cabin in small hopes of being able to meet the dhragon +more, for he was covered over with wounds from head to foot. But when +he got to the cabin the ould man welcomed him back alive, and he took +down a little bottle of ointment and rubbed it over Jack, and no +sooner did he rub it over him than Jack's wounds were all healed as +well as ever again. And Jack went out a new man the next mornin' to +give the dhragon another try for it this day. And just as on the day +afore the fiery dhragon come down the hill meeting poor Jack, and the +dhragon opened his mouth as wide as the world, and gave a roar that +shook the nails on the toes of the great gray eagle on top of +Croaghpathrick mountain at home in Ireland, and then he fell on Jack, +and Jack fell on him, and the dhragon to it, and Jack to it; and the +dhragon gave Jack his fill, and Jack gave the dhragon his fill; and if +they fought hard the day afore they fought double as hard this day, +and the dhragon put very sore on Jack entirely till the sun went down. +Then again they agreed on a truce of peace till the next mornin', and +Jack dragged himself back as best he could to the cabin again, all +covered over with cuts and bruises, and streaming down with blood. +And when he came there the ould man took down a little bottle of +ointment and rubbed Jack over with it, and he was healed as well as +ever again. Next morning Jack was up quite fresh and ready for another +day's battling, and the ould man told Jack that, win or lose, this day +was like to end the battle. And he said if Jack happened (as God send) +to come off victorious, he was to go into the castle and there he +would find a great number of beautiful virgins running about in great +confusion to prevent Jack from discovering their mistress the Queen of +the Golden Mines, and every one of them axing, "Is it me ye want? Is +it me ye want?" But he told Jack he was to heed none of them, but +press through room after room till he come to the sixth room, and +there he would find the Queen herself asleep, with the little child by +her side. So Jack went meeting the dhragon this third day again, and +the dhragon come meeting Jack. And he opened his mouth as wide as the +world, and let a roar that rattled the eyes in the sockets of the +great gray eagle on top of Croaghpathrick mountain at home in Ireland, +and then fell on Jack, and Jack fell on him; and he to it, and Jack to +it, and both of them to it; and if the fight was wild and terrible the +first two days it was ten times wilder and terribler this day. And +harder and harder it was getting the more they warmed to the work; and +one time it was Jack was getting the better of the dhragon, and the +next time it was the dhragon was getting the better of poor Jack; and +at last coming on tor'st night the dhragon was putting very hard on +Jack entirely, and it was very nearly being all over with him, when he +stepped back, and gathering all his strength mounted into the air with +one spring, and come down atop of the dhragon's head, and struck his +sword into his heart, leaving him over dead. Then Jack went into the +castle, and no sooner did he go in than there was lots of the most +beautiful virgins, running in great commotion, and asking Jack, "Is it +me ye want?" "Is it me ye want?" But Jack never heeded thim till he +come into the sixth room, where he saw the beautiful Queen of the +Golden Mines asleep, with the Queen of France's child asleep beside +her. Jack bent over her and gave her one kiss, for she was a lovely +picthur. Then he took up the child in his arms, and picking up a +beautiful garter all glancing with diamonds, that was lying by the +Queen's bedside, and taking with him a loaf of bread that could never +be eaten out, a bottle of wine that could never be drunk out, and a +purse that could never be emptied, he started away. He stopped that +night with the ould man, who took down his bottle of ointment and +healed up all the wounds Jack got that day. In the morning Jack +started for France, leaving with the ould man to keep till the Queen +of the Golden Mines would call for it, the purse that never could be +emptied. When Jack reached France, and presented back to the Queen her +darling child, that was the rejoicement and the joy! There was a great +faist given, and at the faist Jack said he had a little wondher he +fetched with him, that he'd like to show; and he produced his bottle, +and sent it round the prences, and nobility, and genthry that were all +assembled at the faist, and axed them all to drink the Queen's health +out of it. This they all did; and lo! and behold ye, when they had +finished the bottle was as full as when they commenced; and they all +said that bate all ever they knew or heerd tell of; and the King said +it bate all ever he knew or heerd tell of, too, and that the same +bottle would be of mighty great sarvice to him, to keep his troops in +drink when he'd go to war, and axed Jack on what tarms he'd part with +it. Jack said he couldn't part with it entirely, as it wasn't his own, +but if the King relaised his brother he 'd leave the bottle with him +till such times as the Queen of the Golden Mines might call for it. +The Queen agreed to this. Jack's brother was relaised, and himself and +Jack started off for England. When they were come there the King of +England gave a great faist in their honour, too, and at this faist +Jack said he 'd like to show them a little wonder he fetched with him, +and he produced the loaf, and axed the King to divide all round. And +the King cut off the loaf, and divided all round, over all the prences +and nobility and gentry that was there; and when he had finished they +were all lost in wondherment, for the loaf was still as big as when +the King commenced to cut. The King said that would be the grand loaf +for feeding his troops whenever he went to war, and axed Jack what +would he take to part with it. Jack said the loaf wasn't his to part +with, but if the King relaised his brother out of prison he'd give him +the loaf till such times as the Queen of the Golden Mines might call +for it. The King agreed to this, and relaised Jack's other brother, +and then the three of them started for home together. And when they +were come near home the two older brothers agreed that Jack, when he'd +tell his story, would disgrace them, and they'd put him to death. But +Jack agreed if they'd let him live he would go away and push his +fortune, and never go back near home. They let him live on these +conditions, and they pushed on home, where they were received with +great welcomes, and told mortial great things entirely of all the +great things they done while they were away. Jack come to the castle +in disguise and got hired as a boy and lived there. + +The Queen of the Golden Mines, when she woke up and learned of the +young gentleman that had killed the dhragon, and carried off the child +and the other things, and kissed her, said he must be a fine fellow +entirely, and she would never marry another man if she couldn't find +him out. She got no rest till she started, herself and her virgins, +and away to find out Jack. She first come to the old man, where she +got her purse, and he directed her to the King of France. When she +come to the Court of the King of France she got her bottle, and he +said Jack went from there to go to see the King of England. From the +King of England she got her loaf, and he diracted her to Ireland, +telling her that Jack was no other than the King of Ireland's son. She +lost no time then reaching the Court of the King of Ireland, where she +demanded his son who had killed the fiery dhragon. The King sent out +his eldest son, and he said it was him that had killed the fiery +dhragon, and she asked him for tokens, but he could give none, so she +said he wasn't the man she wanted. Then the King's second son come out +and said it was him killed the fiery dhragon. But he couldn't show her +no tokens either, so he wouldn't do. Then the King said he had no +other son, but a good-for-nothing _droich_ who went away somewhere and +never come back; but that it wasn't him anyhow, for he couldn't kill +a cockroach. She said she'd have to see him, and converse with him, or +otherwise she wouldn't go away till she'd pull down his castle. Then +the whole house was upside down, and they didn't know what to do. And +Jack, who was doing something about the yards axed what it was all +about; and they told him, and he axed to have a minute's convarsing +with her. But they all laughed at him; and one gave him a knock, and +another gave him a push, and another gave him a kick. And Jack never +minded them one bit, but went out and said it was him that kilt the +fiery dhragon. They all set up another big roar of a laugh at this. +Then the Queen asked him to show his tokens, and Jack fetched from his +pocket the beautiful garter, all shining with jewels, and held it up, +and the Queen came and threw her arms about Jack's neck and kissed +him, and said he was the brave man she'd marry, and no other. And me +brave Jack, to the astonishment of them all, confessed who he was, and +got married to her, and was ever afther the King of the Golden Mines. + + + + +_The Deserter_[4] + + +Once upon a time there was a deserter who was three times faithless to +his colours. Twice had he undergone the punishment due to desertion; +the third time he knew he was face to face with death. So he resolved +to flee by night and hide himself by day in some ditch or thicket, for +he was afraid that in the daylight he might be recognized and +arrested. + +[Footnote 4: From "The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales." Copyright, +1906, by Charles Scribner's Sons.] + +One night, as he was hastening onward, he saw a glimmer of light in +the distance, and thought to himself, "I will go toward that light; +perhaps it will somehow help me out of my trouble." + +When, however, he came up to that light all he saw was an opening just +wide enough for him to creep into. The moment he was inside thick +darkness fell upon him. He could find his way neither in nor out; but +on groping around he at last came upon a staircase, up which he +climbed and found himself in a passage-way. Through this passage-way +he went for a long, long time, until at last he stumbled upon a door. +He opened the door and stepped into a room, but it was pitch dark +there too; so he groped all about until at last he stumbled upon +another door and entered another room. + +So on he went through eleven rooms, and finally reached the twelfth, +where at last he found a lighted candle upon a table. The room was +beautifully fitted up, and he thought within himself, "Come what come +may, I shall make myself at home in this room." + +So he stretched himself upon a couch. He lay there for a while lost in +thought, when, lo and behold! the table began to lay itself. When the +cloth was spread, all sorts of good cheer began to appear upon it. + +"Come what come may," he thought to himself again, "I am hungry." So +he fell to and ate to his heart's content. When he had eaten all that +he could swallow he threw himself upon the couch again and began to +consider. + +Suddenly three women entered, clothed entirely in black. One seated +herself at the piano, while the two others danced. Tired as he was, +when he saw this he arose and skipped about with them. After this +entertainment they began to talk with him, speaking of one thing and +another, and finally came round to the question how he might break the +spell that bound them. + +They told him the very way and manner of doing it, saying that he had +nothing more nor less to do than to pass the night in a certain room +which they would show him. A ghost would come there and pester him +with all sorts of questions--who he was, how he had come there, and +other things. But he must not say a mortal word to all these +questions, not though the ghost tormented him in all sorts of ways; if +he could only hold out in silence the ghost would vanish, and then he +would feel not the least pain from all the torments he had been +enduring. + +Our deserter fell in with the proposition without further words, and +the ladies escorted him, with the sound of music, to the fateful room +and left him there alone. When they were gone he undressed himself, +bolted the door securely, and lay down in bed. But he could not sleep, +for his head throbbed with expectation of what was about to happen. + +At eleven o'clock a sudden knock was heard at the door. He dared not +make a sound, for he was firmly resolved to ransom himself, the +ladies, and the enchanted castle; so he kept as still as a mouse. +Again the knocking came, but he made no answer. At the third knock the +door flew open, and in walked a gigantic form all clothed in flames. + +The giant placed himself at the bedside and began to ask the man who +he was and why he had come; but the deserter never uttered a word. +Then the giant seized him, threw him upon the floor, and began to +torment him; but no sound passed the sufferer's lips. At the stroke +of twelve the ghost departed, with the words: + +"Though you wouldn't tell to-day, you will to-morrow, when we all +three come." + +He spoke, the door flew open, closed again, and he was gone. The young +man arose from the floor, lay down upon his bed, and fell sweetly +asleep, without feeling the least harm. + +Next morning came the three ladies, all in white up to their knees, +and led him, with sound of music, back to the room where he had been +on the previous day. They placed a chair for him and set a delicious +breakfast before him. When he had plentifully breakfasted he fell +asleep and snored till evening. + +When he awoke he asked how late it was. The ladies replied that it was +nine o'clock; and they gave him a good supper and led him again to the +same room to sleep. + +At the stroke of eleven some one knocked at the door. He made no +sound, but at the third knock the door flew open and three ghosts +entered. The one who had been there the night before asked him the +same questions as before, but received no better answer. Then one of +them seized him and flung him into one corner, and another into +another, and so they tossed him about until the poor fellow lay +helpless against the wall, all covered with blood. + +When the clock struck twelve the spokesman said to him, "Though you +won't answer to-night, you will to-morrow, when we all four come." +With these words they disappeared. + +He again lifted himself up, lay down upon his bed, and felt no harm. +In the morning the three ladies came, all in white up to their +girdles, and escorted him, to the sound of music, into the other room, +where, after breakfast, he again fell asleep. + +At night they again escorted him to his chamber to sleep. When they +were gone he did not go to bed as usual, but began to consider how he +might avoid the fearful torment in store for him. First he looked out +at a window, but his gaze fell upon a frightful abyss enclosed by +rocky precipices. He went to the second window, but there it was no +better, but seemed to be even more fearful. So nothing was left him +but to heap all the furniture of the room before the door, in hope +thus to escape his tormentors. But he soon gave up this hope, for +about midnight the knocking began. He made no answer, but at the third +knock the door flew open and all the furniture returned to its own +place. + +The ghost who had before questioned him now began to repeat his +questions, commanding him to tell who he was and how he came there; +but the young man was not to be made to speak. Then the spokesman +ordered one of his comrades to go below and bring up an anvil and four +hammers, and when these had been brought, one of the ghosts blew up a +fire and threw the young man upon it. When he was heated to a glow +they laid him upon the anvil and beat him with hammers until he was as +flat as paper. But with all this he was not to be forced to speak. + +The time was up and the ghosts must go. Before they went they told him +that he and all around him were blessed; and then the door flew open +and they vanished. He again arose, laid himself upon the bed, and sank +at once into slumber. + +Next morning the three ladies, all in white from head to foot, came, +with the sound of music, to thank him for ransoming them, and they +gave him to choose among them for a wife. Now the youngest of them had +grown nearest his heart, and he declared himself ready to marry her, +not at once, but later, for first he wished to see something of the +world. + +This being the case, they gave him a ham, a wooden flask of wine, a +loaf of bread, three dogs, and a pipe which hung by a golden chain, +and they told him that these dogs would come to his aid in every time +of need; he had only to call them by means of his pipe. And should he +be tired, he had only to seat himself upon one of them. So he took all +these things and went forth to see the world. + +One day when he was travelling through a forest he arrived at a castle +and turned aside to enter. But the steps which led up were of such a +kind that he could not climb them; so he seated himself upon one of +his dogs and the animal carried him up. As he passed through the +entrance he peeped through a window and saw a Tiger and his wife, who +was combing his hair. + +He went in to where they were, and the Tiger at once arose, led him +from room to room, and showed him many wonderful things. Everything +pleased the young man, except that the Tiger's wife kept the dogs shut +up in a room apart. + +When he entered the fourth room he went around it, gazing upon the +many statues and paintings; and while thus doing he stepped upon a +board which gave way and let him fall into a cellar where it was as +dark as pitch. He groped around for a way of escape, but a damp, heavy +wind seemed to sweep all around him, and first he would wound his hand +and then his foot. So he thought to himself, "You won't come safely +out of this!" + +After a while the Tiger let himself down by a rope, butcher-knife in +hand, intending to kill him. The young man begged for a half-hour's +respite, that he might do penance for his sins. This was granted, but +the time soon flew by, and the Tiger was already whetting his knife to +stab him, when the young man sprang aside, and his hand met the chain +upon which the pipe was hanging. He blew upon it, and quick as thought +the dogs were on the spot. He set them upon the Tiger, but as they +fell upon him the Tiger begged humbly for life, promising that his +wife would draw him and his dogs up out of the cellar. + +So it came to pass; but they were no sooner out than he again set the +dogs upon the Tiger, who again began to beg, promising to give him a +salve which had the power of fastening against the wall any one upon +whose back it was rubbed, and keeping him there fast and firm until he +chose to let him go. + +The youth took the salve and went on farther, till he reached a city +which was all shrouded in mourning. He entered and asked why every one +was in mourning, and received answer that a fearful Dragon was to come +that day and carry off the Emperor's daughter. + +At this he laughed heartily, and said, "That may easily be helped; +just go and announce to the Emperor that I am ready to ransom the +Princess, if it is agreeable to him." This was announced, and the +Emperor received him into the castle with great joy. + +As the appointed time for the Dragon's coming had arrived, the young +man placed himself in readiness. At the stroke of twelve the Dragon +suddenly appeared, driving four horses. The young man was waiting for +him, and as soon as the Dragon had taken the Princess by the hand to +carry her off he spread the salve upon his back, pressed him against +the wall, and set his dogs upon him. At the same time he belaboured +him with the butt-end of his musket, till the Dragon was quite +exhausted and began to beg off, promising to give a written agreement +never again to molest the Princess. When he had written the paper in +his own blood and signed it he vanished through the window. + +Then the Emperor knew not what to do for joy. He offered his daughter +to the soldier to wife, or, if he liked it better, the half of his +kingdom. But the young man declined both offers and returned to his +own ladies, where he married the youngest with the greatest +festivities. As they came out of church to go to their house a new +city sprang up along the roadside. The hilarity was great. I myself +was among the guests, and after I had made merry to my heart's content +I set out upon the way home to Varazdin. + + + + +_The Two Melons_ + + +An Honest and poor old woman was washing clothes at a pool, when a +bird that a hunter had disabled by a shot in the wing, fell down into +the water before her. She gently took up the bird, carried it home +with her, dressed its wound, and fed it until it was well, when it +soared away. Some days later it returned, put before her an oval seed, +and departed again. The woman planted the seed in her yard and when it +came up she recognized the leaf as that of a melon. She made a trellis +for it, and gradually a fruit formed on it, and grew to great size. + +Toward the end of the year, the old dame was unable to pay her debts, +and her poverty so weighed upon her that she became ill. Sitting one +day at her door, feverish and tired, she saw that the melon was ripe, +and looked luscious; so she determined to try its unknown quality. +Taking a knife, she severed the melon from its stalk, and was +surprised to hear it chink in her hands. On cutting it in two, she +found it full of silver and gold pieces, with which she paid her debts +and bought supplies for many days. + +Among her neighbours was a busybody who craftily found out how the old +woman had so suddenly become rich. Thinking there was no good reason +why she should not herself be equally fortunate, she washed clothes at +the pool, keeping a sharp lookout for birds until she managed to hit +and maim one of a flock that was flitting over the water. She then +took the disabled bird home, and treated it with care till its wing +healed and it flew away. Shortly afterward it came back with a seed in +its beak, laid it before her, and again took flight. The woman quickly +planted the seed, saw it come up and spread its leaves, made a trellis +for it, and had the gratification of seeing a melon form on its +stalk. In prospect of her future wealth, she ate rich food, bought +fine garments, and got so deeply into debt that, before the end of the +year, she was harried by duns. But the melon grew apace, and she was +delighted to find that, as it ripened, it became of vast size, and +that when she shook it there was a great rattling inside. At the end +of the year she cut it down, and divided it, expecting it to be a +coffer of coins; but there crawled out of it two old, lame, hungry +beggars, who told her they would remain and eat at her table as long +as they lived. + + + + +_The Iron Casket_ + + +In Bagdad, in the little lane by the Golden Bridge, lived, ages ago, a +merchant named Kalif. He was a quiet, retiring man, who sat early and +late in his little shop, and went but once a year to Mosul or Shiraz, +where he bought embroidered robes in exchange for attar of roses. + +On one of these journeys, chancing to have fallen a little in the rear +of his caravan, he heard roarings and trampling of horse's hoofs in +the thicket close by the roadside. Drawing his sword, which he wore on +account of thieves, he entered the thicket. On a little green, +surrounded by trees, he saw a horseman in a light blue mantle and a +turban fastened by a flashing diamond. The horse, an Arab of purest +blood, seemed to have lost its senses. Rearing upright with a piercing +neigh, it struggled vainly to dislodge an enormous panther, which had +fixed its great claws in its flanks. The rider had lost all control +over it; blood and foam poured from its mouth and nostrils. Kalif +sprang boldly out, with a mighty stroke split the panther's skull, +and, flinging away his sword, ran to the horse's head, thereby +enabling the rider to dismount. Having calmed the trembling animal, +the horseman begged his rescuer to follow him. + +"I had lost my way in the chase," he said, "and should have fallen a +victim to the panther, if Allah had not sent you to my aid. I will +reward you well for your bravery. Come! let us seek my companions; +there, behind that wood, my camp must be." + +"I did what any other would have done in my place," answered Kalif +simply, "and expect no reward. But if you so will it, I will accompany +you to your tents." + +The stranger took his horse by the rein, and walked in silence at the +merchant's side till they arrived at an opening in the trees. Here, +surrounded by several smaller ones, stood one large tent of purple +linen. A number of richly clad men threw themselves on their faces +before the new-comer. Then Kalif knew whom he had saved: it was the +Shah himself. He was about to fall at his feet, but the Shah seized +his hand and led him into the tent. Inside, standing on five stools, +were five caskets, the first of gold set with jewels, the second of +gold alone, the third silver, the fourth copper, and the fifth of +iron. + +"Choose one of these caskets," said the Shah. + +Kalif hesitated. At length he said: + +"What I did is not worthy of any reward, but if you will it, O King of +Kings, I will take one of these caskets to remind me of the day when +my eyes were permitted to behold the Light of Asia." + +He stooped and took the iron casket. + +The Shah started. "Stranger," he said, "your modesty has met with its +own reward. You have chosen the most valuable casket; for, look! the +others are empty, but this one contains two jewels which possess the +magic gift of bestowing undreamed-of power to their owner." He raised +the lid and showed the wondering Kalif the two stones. "This one," he +said, "is a lapis lazuli. Whosoever winds it in the folds of his +turban, to him everything is known that has happened since the world +began, and no secret can be hidden from him. But this stone," and he +took a diamond the size of a dove's egg from the casket, "this stone +brings all the riches he can think of to its owner. He has but to rub +the stone and repeat his wish aloud." He replaced the stones in the +casket, closed the lid, and handed it to the merchant, who thanked the +Shah, hid the treasure in his robes, and hastened to rejoin his +caravan. + +Once again in his own house he often looked at the princely gift, and +one day as he was rubbing the lid he noticed an inscription upon it, +that had hitherto been unseen. It ran:-- + + "'Tis Allah's will that he who cherishes + The precious gift that never perishes. + Shall make the East to bend as low + As palms that in the whirlwind blow." + +Kalif never spoke of his adventure in the Kalaat Mountains, neither +could he ever make up his mind to test the virtue of the stones, being +a frugal man on the one hand, and unwilling to surpass his neighbours +in wisdom on the other. But at length the news of the Shah's rescue by +the merchant reached even Bagdad, together with the account of the +Royal reward, and people jostled one another to call on the merchant +and see with their own eyes the wonderful casket. In consequence Kalif +had more customers in one day than he generally had in ten years, and +his daily receipts testified to the worth of the casket. For many +years he enjoyed the reward of his bravery, and at his death Ali +Haitam, the eldest son, proposed that they should draw lots for the +magic stones. He had great ideas of his own cleverness, and hoped from +the bottom of his heart to win the lapis lazuli. Ali Hassuf, the +second son, whose sole failing was insatiable greed, was quite +agreeable, though in secret he was revolving in his own mind how to +obtain the diamond in case it fell into the hands of the youngest son. +But just as they were about to draw, Abdul Kassim, the youngest son, +said: "Dear brothers, we are three, and there are but two stones. It +would be better, therefore, for one to renounce his claim in order +that no dispute may arise in our hitherto peace-loving family. I am +the youngest, and therefore can have least claim on the stones. Throw +to decide which stone shall fall to each. I resign!" + +The other two were delighted and, as it happened, each got the stone +he desired. + +"But in order that I may have a keepsake of my dear father," continued +Abdul Kassim, "permit me to take home the casket. It will be of no use +to you, since you have divided the contents." + +Ali Hassuf hesitated at first, but finally agreed to Kassim's wish. + +The three brothers left the empty house, and went each to seek his +fortune in his own way. + +Ali Haitam bought a piece of muslin, folded it into a turban, sewed +the lapis lazuli inside, and fixed it firmly on his head. Then he went +to the bazaar and waited for an influx of wisdom, And see! The power +of the stone set to work and his mind was filled with knowledge! He +knew the origin of all things, and his eyes could see through walls +five feet thick! He passed the Caliph's palace, and he could see that +in the recesses of the cellars were hidden 9,000 sacks of gold, and +that Fatma, the daughter of the Caliph, was the most lovely maiden in +the East; and an idea occurred to him that dazzled him. "How would it +be," he thought, "if I placed my wisdom at the Caliph's disposal, +became his first adviser, and finally married the lovely Fatma?" But +together with this dream came the longing to display to an admiring +crowd some proofs of his wisdom. + +He hurried back to the bazaar, mounted the highest steps at the gates, +and cried: "You people of Bagdad, who believe that the sun moves round +the earth, you are ignorant fools and sons of fools! Hear now what I +preach to you. The sun stands still, but the earth moves!" + +He intended to continue, but the cries of the bystanders interrupted +him. + +"Ali Haitam has gone mad," they cried; "listen to the nonsense he is +talking. Come, let us hold him head first under the lion's mouth at +the spring; that will restore him to reason!" + +And one, a fruit dealer, took an orange, and crying, "Ali Haitam is +right, the sun moves just as little as this orange!" flung the orange +at the philosopher on the steps. The juicy fruit knocked the turban +from Ali's head. He stooped to regain it, but in vain. The fruit +dealer's throw was the signal for a general onslaught, so that he was +obliged to take to his heels and fly for home. Dusty and panting he +reached his hut, deeply grieved at the loss of his precious stone, and +furious at the stupidity of the people, who showed so little +understanding of the first principles of science. + +The second brother started more cautiously. Since he had but seldom +been farther than the end of the narrow street by the Golden Bridge, +he was not in a position to think of anything very precious to wish +for; he therefore first visited the bazaar and asked the price of +everything he saw. At last he found something that, on account of its +high price, made a great impression on him. It was a Turkish sword +that a cunning jeweller had studded thickly with diamonds on handle +and sheath. The dealer asked fifteen hundred golden coins for it, and +the bystanders stared with open eyes at the man who dared to bargain +for such costly possessions. Just as Ali Hassuf was weighing the +precious sword in his hand, a palanquin was borne through the crowd. +He turned, and through the drawn curtains caught sight of a maiden of +wondrous beauty. When he heard that she was the Caliph's daughter, the +desire awoke in his soul to marry this lovely creature, and it seemed +to him not unlikely that the Caliph would give his daughter to a man +of such note as he would become as the possessor of the magic diamond. +He decided to buy the sword, and, armed with the same, to visit the +Caliph the very next day. + +"I shall come again the very first thing to-morrow morning," he said +to the dealer. "I have not quite enough money with me now, but I shall +procure it this evening. I had quite expected," he added boastingly, +"that the sword would be expensive." + +He turned and went home, where he saddled the thin ass and hung across +its back two large panniers. When it grew dark he softly drove the +beast through the yard and led it out into the desert. For about an +hour he walked, and in imagination saw himself in possession of all +the glories the talisman would bring him. He had not noticed that he +was followed by three dark forms, who had never lost sight of him +since his visit to the bazaar. He halted by a group of stunted palms, +spread out a large cloth, and with trembling fingers began to rub the +diamond, crying at the same time, "Spirit of the Stone! send me at +once twenty shekels of golden coins!" He waited a moment, and listened +in the darkness, thinking he heard whispering voices. But as all was +silent he repeated his wish for the second and third time. He heard a +noise as of the falling of soft, heavy weights, and, on stooping, +found twenty well-filled sacks. He opened one, and felt inside. And, +truly! it was really gold in bright new coins! With feverish haste he +slung the sacks on the ass's back, and turned its head homeward. +Suddenly he heard once more the same mysterious whisperings, this time +in his immediate neighbourhood. He stood still and listened with +bated breath. He felt himself seized by heavy hands and thrown to the +ground, and saw another form seize the ass. Two men with blackened +faces tore off his turban and robe and left him lying half-naked by +the roadside, after having warned him to keep quiet as to this attack +unless he wished to lose his life. Trembling with fright and rage, he +saw the robbers disappear with his ass in the direction of the +mountain. What pained him most was the loss of his diamond, which he +had concealed in his robe. He reached home, where he lay hidden for +weeks, too ashamed to show himself in the streets or at the bazaar. +But once as he sat on the Golden Bridge fishing, to try and provide +himself with a frugal meal, the weapon-dealer passed him by, and said: +"Well, Ali Hassuf, when are you coming for your sword?" + +But sword and Princess were forever lost to Ali Hassuf. + +In the meantime, as the two elder brothers were mourning their losses, +Abdul Kassim, the youngest, sat at home in his little house by the +gardens, thinking with regret of his father, and wondering what he +should do to earn himself his daily bread. Before him, on a little +stool, stood the iron casket. There came a knock at the door, and +Micha ben Jahzeel, the Jew, who had lent him money a month or two ago, +walked in. Micha looked grave and said, "Abdul Kassim, times are bad, +and ready money gets scarcer and scarcer. You know I lent you ten +golden coins, and I have come to ask"--his eyes fell on the casket and +he started, but collecting himself, went on: "I have come to tell you +that I am not in an immediate hurry for the return of the loan. If you +like you can keep it, or, as it is hardly worth mentioning, keep it +for some months, or even years if you like. I only wanted to tell you +you needn't trouble about it, there is no hurry at all." He bowed low +to his debtor and withdrew. + +Abdul Kassim marvelled at the change in the Jew's manner, but as he +thought of the looks he had cast at the casket he couldn't help +smiling. + +On the same evening came his neighbour, the clothes dealer, who had +not visited him for years, "Dear friend," he said, and placed a +bundle on the floor before Kassim, "I have come to entreat your pardon +that my horse should have splashed your robe with mud the other day; +he is a young thing, and is not yet properly broken. I have brought +you a new robe to replace it, which I hope will please you." Then he +withdrew. The young man could not recollect having been splashed by +his neighbour's horse, still less could he account for the generosity +of one who was celebrated for his meanness, in presenting him with +such an elaborately embroidered robe. + +Next morning, just as he had put on his new robe, a distant relation +arrived, bringing a magnificently caparisoned horse. + +"Dear cousin," he said--formerly he had not even noticed him--"your +appearance grieves me. I feared you were giving way too much to grief +at the loss of your father, and it would give me great pleasure to +cheer you a little. I have ventured to bring you this horse, which is +overcrowding my stable; do me the favour to accept this little gift!" + +Abdul Kassim would have refused, but the cousin had hurried away. +There he stood, holding the beautiful animal by the bridle. He could +not resist the temptation to mount him. He swung himself into the +saddle and rode into the town. Every one bowed to him, and many stood +still, saying: "There, I told you so! Abdul Kassim was always the +favorite son, and he has inherited the casket!" + +Next morning, as the barber sharpened his razor and began to shave the +Caliph, the latter asked him: "Well, Harmos, what are my subjects +talking about just now?" + +The barber bowed to the ground and said: "What should they speak of, O +King of the Faithful, if not of your goodness and wisdom?" + +"Of your idiocy, very likely," shouted the Caliph, bored by the +eternal flatteries of the barber. "Tell me, what are the people +talking about?" + +"They talk," began Harmos hesitatingly; "they talk of the luck of your +servant, Abdul Kassim, whom they call the wisest and richest of your +subjects." + +"Abdul Kassim? I don't even know his name," said the Caliph. + +"He is the son and heir of Kalif," continued the barber, more +courageously; "the same Kalif whom the Shah once rewarded with a magic +casket." + +He related at length all about the magic stones. The Caliph listened +attentively, dismissed the barber, and sent a message to the Grand +Vizier to come at once. The Vizier came and confirmed the barber's +tale. "Abdul Kassim," he said, "knows everything that goes on in the +world, and whenever he has a wish, all he has to do to fulfil it is to +rub the diamond and say what he wants." + +The Caliph grew serious, "Do you think, Vizier, that this man could +usurp my throne? How would it be if I gave him a palace and raised him +to be the husband of my daughter?" + +The Grand Vizier agreed to the proposal of his ruler, and undertook +himself to convey to the astounded Abdul Kassim the tidings that the +Commander of the Faithful had given him a palace and awaited his +visit. + +The same evening the new favourite of the Caliph packed all his few +belongings on the horse's back, took the iron casket under his arm +and, amid the cheers of the crowd, entered the palace. + +A troop of negroes received him and threw themselves at his feet. An +especially gorgeously arrayed slave led him into a room, where a +banquet awaited him. Abdul Kassim had never fared so well in his life. +But he did not forget to praise Allah for his goodness. Next morning +he put on his gorgeous robe, bound on the magnificent sword he found +in the great hall, and rode, accompanied by the negroes, to visit the +Caliph. + +The Commander of the Faithful sat on the throne and awaited his +subject, who, when he appeared, was about to throw himself in the dust +at the ruler's feet, but the Caliph descended the three steps of the +throne, and took the young man's hand. + +"Are you Abdul Kassim," he said, "son of Kalif, the merchant who lived +by the Golden Bridge?" + +"I am he, Caliph," answered Abdul; "permit me to express my thanks +for the palace with which you have endowed your most humble servant." + +"I have heard much good of you," said the Caliph, when he had ordered +his suite to retire; "and pray you to show me the magic jewels that +help you to such power and wisdom." + +"Of which jewels are you speaking?" asked Abdul Kassim, amazed. + +"Well," smiled the Caliph, "which jewels should I mean but those you +have inherited from your father?" + +The young man stared. So the Caliph, too, took him for the possessor +of the magic stones? Without reserve he confessed that, to avoid +disputes he had voluntarily retired and left the stones to his +brothers. + +"But," said the Caliph, "Micha ben Jahzeel, the Jew, saw the casket in +your house!" + +"The casket he may have seen," answered Abdul Kassim; "I begged it of +my brothers in memory of my father." + +The Caliph seemed still in doubt. He sent a slave to Abdul Kassim's +palace to bring the casket. The messenger brought it, gave it to the +Caliph, and retired. The Caliph opened the lid and looked inside. It +was in truth empty! His gaze fell on the inscription:-- + + "'Tis Allah's will that he who cherishes + The precious gift that never perishes, + Shall make the East to bend as low + As palms that in the whirlwind blow." + +He read the verse and looked at the youth. "Abdul Kassim," he said, +"you have jewels in your heart more precious than all the treasures of +the earth. For love of your brothers you gave up the stones, and for +love of your father you have preserved this seemingly worthless +casket. But Allah has blessed you for your virtues and has, by means +of this humble iron casket, raised you to power and wealth. I dare not +refuse to assist you. I will give you the most priceless gift at my +disposal--the hand of my only daughter." + +He called the chief overseer of the harem and bade him lead Fatma to +the throne-room. The maiden had passed the night in weeping, for she +had heard that she was to be given in marriage to a strange man. She +shuddered at the thought, for as only child of the Caliph she had been +thoroughly spoiled, and hated the idea of leaving her father's roof. + +Abdul Kassim, who until now had been struck utterly dumb with +astonishment, could not refrain from a cry of admiration at the sight +of the lovely Fatma. She seemed to him a hundred times more beautiful +than any description he had heard of her in Bagdad. + +In the midst of her grief Fatma retained her woman's curiosity, and on +hearing the youth's voice, cast one glance at him over her father's +shoulder. The first impression seemed not unfavourable. She eyed his +slender form as he stood leaning on his sword, and gradually ceased +her sobbing. She even raised herself and took hold of the Caliph's +arm. "Father," she said, "do with me what you will; not without cause +do the people call you 'The Wise One'." + +So Fatma was married to Abdul. But neither she nor any other ever knew +that the iron casket connected with her young lord's rise and power +was empty. The Caliph advised his son-in-law to maintain the deepest +silence as to the absence of the magic jewels. + +In the fifth year of their wedded life the Caliph, feeling the weight +of advancing years, abdicated in Abdul Kassim's favour, so the verse +on the casket was fulfilled, and Abdul Kassim reigned many, many years +over Bagdad, the best and wisest ruler who had ever ascended the +throne. Allah's name be praised! + + + + +_The Knights of the Fish_ + + +Once upon a time there was a poor cobbler, who, being unable to live +by mending shoes, determined to buy a net and turn fisherman. He went +a-fishing for several days, but could draw up nothing in his net but +old boots and shoes, though few enough of them could he get hold of +when he was a cobbler. At last he thought: + +"This is the very last day I will go fishing. If I catch nothing I +will go and hang myself." + +He cast his net, and this time he found a fine fish in it. When he had +taken the fish in his hand, it opened its mouth and said to him: + +"Take me home to your house; cut me in six pieces and stew me with +salt and pepper, cinnamon and cloves, laurel leaves and mint. Give two +of the pieces to your wife, two to your mare, and the other two to the +plant in the garden." + +The cobbler did exactly what the fish had told him to do, such was the +faith he had in its words. And he was duly rewarded, for several +months afterward his wife presented him with two fine boys, and his +mare with two colts, whilst the plant in his garden grew two lances +which, instead of flowers, bore two shields, on which were to be seen +a silver fish on an azure ground. + +Everything went on so prosperously that in course of time, one fine +day, might be seen two gallant youths issuing from the cobbler's +house, mounted upon two superb chargers, and bearing slender lances +and brilliant shields. + +These two brothers were so much alike that they were known as The +Double Knight; and each of them wishing, as was just, to preserve his +own individuality, they determined to separate and each seek his own +fortune. After embracing affectionately, the one took his way toward +the West, and the other toward the East. + +After travelling for some days the first arrived at Madrid, and found +the royal city pouring bitter tears into the pure, sweet waters of her +cherished river, the Manzanares. Everybody was weeping when our +gallant youth arrived at the Spanish capital; he inquired the cause of +this universal lamentation, and was informed that every year a fiery +dragon came and carried off a beautiful maiden, and that this luckless +year the lot had fallen upon their princess, the king's good and +peerless daughter. + +The knight at once inquired where the princess was to be found, and +was informed, at about a quarter of a league's distance, where she was +expecting the fiery one to appear and carry her off to his den. Then +the knight started off at once to the place indicated, and found the +princess bathed in tears, and trembling from head to foot. + +"Fly away!" cried the princess, when she saw the Knight of the Fish +approach; "fly away, rash one! the monster is coming here, and if he +sees you, heaven help you!" + +"I shall not go away," responded the gallant youth, "because I have +come to save you." + +"To save me! Is that possible?" + +"I am going to see," responded the valiant champion. "Are there any +German merchants in the city?" + +"Yes," answered the princess in astonishment; "but why do you ask?" + +"You will see," said the knight, and galloped off to the city of +mourning. + +He speedily returned with an immense mirror which he had purchased +from a German dealer. This he rested against the trunk of a tree, and +covered it with the princess's veil, placing her in front of it, and +instructing her that when the dragon was near to her she was to pull +off the veil and slip behind the glass. So saying, the knight retired +behind an adjacent wall. + +In a little while the fiery dragon appeared, and gradually drew near +to the fair one, eying her with all the insolence and effrontery +possible. When he was quite close, the princess, as she had been +instructed by her champion, withdrew the veil, and slipping behind the +mirror, disappeared from before the eyes of the fiery dragon, which +remained stupefied at finding his amorous glances directed at a dragon +similar to himself. He made a movement; his resemblance did the same. +His eyes sparkled red and brilliant as two rubies; whilst those of his +opponent gleamed like two carbuncles. This increased his fury; he +erected his scales as a porcupine would its quills, and those of his +rival likewise stood up. He opened his tremendous mouth, which would +have been without parallel but for that of his opponent, who, far from +being intimidated, opened an identical one. The dragon dashed +furiously against his intrepid adversary, giving such an awful blow +with his head against the mirror that he was completely stunned; and +as he had broken the glass, and in every piece saw a piece of his own +body, he fancied that with one blow he had dashed his rival to atoms. + +The knight availed himself of this moment of confusion and +stupefaction, and dashing forth impetuously from his retreat, with his +good lance deprived the dragon of its life, and would have been ready +to deprive it of a hundred lives had it possessed so many. + +The delight and jubilation of the Madrid people may be imagined when +they beheld the Knight of the Fish bearing on his saddle the beautiful +princess, quite uninjured and as lively as a cricket, and the dragon, +fastened by its neck to his sturdy charger, hanging dead and bloodless +behind. It may, also, be readily guessed that after such an +achievement they were unable to reward the gallant knight with +anything but the princess's fair hand; and that they had wedding +festivities, and banquets, and bull fights, and tilting matches, and +all sorts of good things. + +Some days after the marriage the Knight of the Fish said to his wife +that he would like to look over the palace, which was so extensive +that it covered a league of ground. They inspected the place together, +and the task occupied them four days. On the fourth day they ascended +the roof, and the knight was struck with amazement at the prospect. +Never had he seen anything like it, nor ever could he have seen its +equal, even if he had visited all Spain and the Empire of Morocco as +well. + +"What castle is that?" inquired the Knight of the Fish, "which I see +standing in the distance, so solitary and sombre." + +"That," responded the princess, "is the castle of Albastretch; it is +enchanted, and no one is able to undo the enchantment; and no one of +all those who have gone to it has ever been known to return." + +The knight listened intently to this, and as he was valiant and +adventurous, on the following morning he mounted his horse, seized his +lance, and set out for the castle. + +The castle was enough to set one's hair on end with fright to look at +it; it was darker than a thunder-cloud, and as silent as death. But +the Knight of the Fish knew nothing of fear, save by hearsay, and +never turned his back on foe until he had conquered; so he took his +cornet and blew it lustily. The sound startled all the slumbering +echoes of the castle, so that they repeated it by heart, now nearer +and now farther, sometimes softer and then louder; but no one stirred +in the castle. + +"Ah! what a castle!" shouted the knight. "Is there no one to see to a +knight who craves shelter? Is there no governor, nor squire nor even a +groom, to take my horse away?" + +"Away! away! away!" clamoured the echoes. + +"Why should I go away?" said the Knight of the Fish. "I shall not go +back, no matter how much you sigh!" + +"Ay! ay! ay! (_Alas! alas! alas!_)" groaned the echoes. + +The knight grasped his spear and struck a loud blow on the door. + +Then the portcullis was raised, and in the opening appeared the tip of +an enormous nose, located between the sunken eyes and fallen-in mouth +of an old woman uglier than sin. + +"What do you want, impudent disturber?" she inquired, with a cracked +voice. + +"To enter," replied the knight. "Are you not able to afford me the +enjoyment of some rest at this hour of the night? Yes or no?" + +"No! no! no!" said the echoes. + +Here the knight lifted his vizier, because he was warm; and the old +woman, seeing how handsome he was, said to him: + +"Come in, handsome youth; you shall be cared for and well looked +after." + +"After! after!" warned the echoes; but the knight was fear-less and +entered, the old woman promising that he should fare well. + +"Farewell, farewell!" sighed the echoes. + +"Go on, old lady," said the knight. + +"I am called Lady Berberisca," interposed the old woman, very crossly; +"and I am the mistress of Albastretch." + +"Wretch! wretch!" groaned the echoes. + +"Won't you be silent, cursed chatterers?" exclaimed Lady Berberisca. +"I am your humble servant," she continued, making a deep curtsey to +the knight, "and if you like I will be your wife, and you shall live +with me here as grand as a Pacha." + +"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the echoes. + +"Would you have me marry you? You must be a hundred. You are foolish, +and mad as well." + +"Well, well," said the echoes. + +"What I want," said the knight, "is the registry of the castle, to +examine and amend." + +"Amen! amen!" sighed the echoes. + +Lady Berberisca's pride was deeply wounded; she gave a hasty glance at +the Knight of the Fish, and intimating to him that he should follow +her, she showed him over the castle, where he beheld many strange +things, but she did not afford him any opportunity of referring to +them. The wicked old woman took him through an obscure corridor, where +there was a trap-door, into which he fell and disappeared into an +abyss, where his voice was added to the echoes, which were the voices +of many other gallant and accomplished knights, whom the shameless old +Berberisca had punished in the same manner for having despised her +venerable charms. + + * * * * * + +Let us now turn to the other Knight of the Fish, who, after long +travels, arrived at Madrid. As he entered the city gates the +sentinels presented arms, the drums beat the royal march and several +of the palace servitors surrounded him, saying that the princess was +in constant tears through his prolonged absence, fearing that some +misfortune had happened to him in the enchanted castle of Albastretch. + +"It is necessary that I should pass for my brother," thought the +knight, "to whom, it would appear, some good fortune has occurred. I +must be quiet, and we shall see what will come to pass." + +They carried him almost in triumph to the palace, where he found it +easy to accept all the caresses and congratulations bestowed upon him +by the king and the princess. They were eager to learn about his +adventures, and what he had seen at the castle; but to the princess's +inquiries he answered: + +"I am not permitted to say a word about that until after I have been +there once more." + +"Are you thinking of revisiting that accursed castle? You are the only +one who has yet returned from it." + +"It is unavoidable; I am obliged to go there." + +When they retired to rest, the knight placed his sword in the bed. + +"Why do you do that?" inquired the princess. + +"Because I have sworn not to sleep in a bed until after I have +revisited Albastretch." + +And on the following day he mounted his steed and took his way to the +enchanted castle, much fearing that some misfortune had happened to +his brother there. He arrived at the castle, and quickly saw the old +woman's fiery nose appear at the portcullis. + +No sooner did she see the knight than she became livid with fright, +for she thought he was the dead knight come to life again. She began +to invoke the object of her devotions, Beelzebub, most devoutly, and +promised him all kinds of gifts if he would take from her view that +vision of flesh and blood, drawn up from the abode of the dead. + +"Ancient lady!" cried the recent arrival, "I have come to ask where a +knight is who has been here?" + +"Here! here! here!" responded the echoes. + +"And what have you done with this knight, so accomplished in all +things, and so skilled?" + +"Killed! killed!" groaned the echoes. + +On hearing this, and seeing the old hag running off, the Knight of the +Fish, beside himself with rage, ran after her, and pierced her through +with his sword, which remained fast in her body, so that she jumped +about at the point of it like a parched pea in a frying-pan. + +"Where is my brother, ugly old traitress?" demanded the knight. + +"I can tell you," responded the witch, "but as I am at death's door, I +will not let you know until you have resuscitated me." + +"But how can I do this, perfidious witch?" + +"Go to the garden," responded the old woman, "cut some evergreens, +everlastings, and dragon's blood; with these plants make a decoction +in a caldron, and then sprinkle some of it over me." + +After saying this the old woman died, without uttering a prayer. The +knight did all that the witch instructed him to do, and effectually +resuscitated her, but uglier than ever, for her nose remained deadly +white, and looked like an elephant's tusk. Then she was forced to tell +the knight where his brother was; and down in the abyss he not only +found him, but many other victims of the wicked Berberisca. He +sprinkled them all with the decoction in the caldron, and they were +all brought to life again, and to each person came an echo which had +been his voice; and the first words they all uttered were: + +"Accursed witch, merciless Berberisca!" + +Then all those gallant knights, and many beautiful ladies whom the +fiery old dragon--who was the witch's son--had carried there, gave +thanks to the Knight of the Fish; and one of the most beautiful of the +ladies gave him her hand; on seeing which, the wicked Berberisca died +again with envy and spite. + + + + +_Dapplegrim_ + + +Once on a time there was a rich couple who had twelve sons; but the +youngest, when he was grown up, said he wouldn't stay any longer at +home, but be off into the world to try his luck. His father and mother +said he did very well at home, and had better stay where he was. But +no, he couldn't rest; away he must and would go. + +So at last they gave him leave. And when he had walked a good bit, he +came to a king's palace, where he asked for a place, and got it. + +Now, the daughter of the king of that land had been carried off into +the hill by a Troll, and the king had no other children; so he and all +his land were in great grief and sorrow, and the king gave his word +that anyone who could set her free should have the Princess and half +the kingdom. But there was no one who could do it, though many tried. + +When the lad had been there a year or so, he longed to go home again, +and see his father and mother, and back he went; but when he got home +his father and mother were dead, and his brothers had shared all that +the old people owned between them, so there was nothing left for the +lad. + +"Shan't I have anything at all, then, out of father's and mother's +goods?" asked the lad. + +"Who could tell you were still alive, when you've been wandering about +so long?" said his brothers. "But all the same there are twelve mares +up on the hill which we haven't yet shared amongst us; if you choose +to take them for your share, you're welcome." + +Yes, the lad was quite content; so he thanked his brothers, and went +at once up on the hill, where the twelve mares were out at grass. And +when he got up there he found them; and one of them had along with +her a big dapple-gray foal, which was so sleek that the sun shone from +its coat. + +"A fine fellow you are, my little foal," said the lad. + +"Yes," said the foal, "but you wait until another year has passed, and +then see how big and sleek I'll be." + +So the lad went home again, and when he came back the next year to +look after his foal and mares, the foal was so sleek and fat that the +sun shone from its coat, and it had grown so big the lad had hard work +to mount it. + +"Well, it's quite plain I lost nothing by leaving you to graze for a +twelvemonth," said the lad to the yearling, "but now you're big enough +to come along with me." + +"No," said the colt, "I must bide here a year longer and then see how +big and sleek I'll be by summer." + +Yes, the lad did that; and next year when he went up on the hill to +look after his colt and mares, each mare had her foal, but the dapple +colt was so tall that the lad couldn't reach up to his crest when he +wanted to feel how fat he was; and so sleek he was, too, that his coat +glistened in the sunshine. + +"Big and beautiful you were last year, my colt," said the lad, "but +this year you're far grander. There's no such horse in the king's +stable. But now you must come along with me." + +"No," said Dapple again, "I must stay here one year more, to eat this +beautiful grass, then just come and look at me when the summer comes." + +So again the lad went away home. + +But when he went up next year to look after Dapple and the mares, he +was quite astonished. So tall, and stout, and sturdy, he never thought +a horse could be; for Dapple had to lie down before the lad could +bestride him, and it was hard work to climb up even then, although he +lay flat; and his coat was so smooth and sleek that the sunbeams shone +from it as from a looking-glass. + +This time Dapple was willing enough to follow the lad, so he jumped up +on his back, and when he came riding home to his brothers, they all +clapped their hands and shouted, for such a horse they had never heard +of or seen before. + +"If you will only get me the best shoes you can for my horse, and the +grandest saddle and bridle that are to be found," said the lad, "you +may have my twelve mares that graze up on the hill yonder, and their +twelve foals into the bargain." For you must know that this year every +mare had her foal. + +Yes, his brothers were ready to do that, and so the lad got such +strong shoes under his horse that the stones flew high aloft as he +rode away across the hills; and he had a golden saddle and a golden +bridle, which gleamed and glistened a long way off. + +"Now we're off to the king's palace," said Dapplegrim--that was his +name; "and mind you ask the king for a good stable and fodder for me." + +Yes, the lad said he would mind; he'd be sure not to forget; and when +he rode off from his brothers' house, you may be sure it wasn't long, +with such a horse under him, before he got to the king's palace. + +When he came there the king was standing on the steps, and stared and +stared at the man who came riding along. + +"Nay, nay," said he, "such a man and such a horse I never saw in all +my life." + +But when the lad asked if he could resume his place in the king's +household, the king was so glad he was ready to jump and dance as he +stood on the steps. + +There was no reason, the king said, why the lad should not come back. + +"Ay," said the lad, "but I must have good stable-room for my horse, +and fodder that one can trust." + +Yes, he should have meadow-hay and oats, as much as his horse could +cram, and all the other knights had to lead their steeds out of the +stable that Dapplegrim might stand alone, and have it all to himself. + +But it wasn't long before all the others in the king's household began +to be jealous of the lad, and there was no end to the bad things they +would have done to him, if they had only dared. At last they thought +of telling the king that he had been boasting he was man enough to set +the king's daughter free--whom the Troll had long since carried away +into the hill--if he only chose. The king called the lad before him, +and said he had heard what the lad had said, so now he must go and do +it. If he succeeded, the king's daughter and half the kingdom should +be his, and that promise would be faithfully kept; if he didn't, he +should be killed. + +The lad kept on saying he never said any such thing; but it was no +good, the king wouldn't even listen to him; and so the end of it was +he was forced to say he'd go and try. + +So he went into the stable, down in the mouth and heavy-hearted, and +then Dapplegrim asked him at once why he was in such doleful dumps. + +Then the lad told him all, and how he couldn't tell which way to turn, +and he said: + +"As for setting the Princess free, that's downright nonsense." + +"Oh, but it might be done, perhaps," said Dapplegrim. "But you must +first have me well shod. You must go and ask for ten pounds of iron +and twelve pounds of steel for the shoes; and one smith to hammer and +another to hold." + +Yes, the lad did that, and got for answer, "Yes." He got both the iron +and the steel, and the smith, and so Dapplegrim was shod both strong +and well, and off went the lad from the courtyard in a cloud of dust. + +But when he came to the hill into which the Princess had been carried, +the pinch was how to get up the steep wall of rock where the Troll's +cave was in which the Princess had been hid. For you must know the +hill stood straight up and down right on end, as upright as a house +wall, and as smooth as a sheet of glass. + +The first time the lad went at it he got a little way up; but then +Dapple's forelegs slipped, and down they went again, with a sound like +thunder on the hill. + +The second time he rode at it he got some way further up; but then one +foreleg slipped, and down they went with a crash like a landslip. + +But the third time Dapple said: + +"Now we must show our mettle," and went at it again till the stones +flew heaven-high about them, and so they got up. + +Then the lad rode right into the cave at full speed, and caught up +the Princess, and threw her over his saddle-bow, and out and down +again before the Troll had time even to get on his legs; and so the +Princess was freed. + +When the lad came back to the palace the king was both happy and glad +to get his daughter back, that you may well believe; but somehow or +other, though I don't know how, the others about the court had so +brought it about that the king was angry with the lad after all. + +"Thanks you shall have for freeing my Princess," said he to the lad, +when he brought the Princess into the hall and made his bow. + +"She ought to be mine as well as yours; for you're a word-fast man, I +hope," said the lad. + +"Ay, ay!" said the king, "have her you shall, since I said it, but +first of all you must make the sun shine into my palace hall." + +Now you must know there was a high, steep ridge of rock close outside +the windows, which threw such a shade over the hall that never a +sunbeam shone into it. + +"That wasn't in our bargain," answered the lad; "but I suppose I must +do what you command. I must e'en go and try my luck, for the Princess +I must and will have." + +So down he went to Dapple, and told him what the king wanted; and +Dapplegrim thought it might easily be done, but first of all he must +be newly shod; and for that, ten pounds of iron and twelve pounds of +steel besides were needed; and two smiths, one to hammer and the other +to hold, and then they'd soon get the sun to shine into the palace +hall. + +So when the lad asked for all these things, he got them at once--the +king couldn't say nay for very shame; and so Dapplegrim got new shoes, +and such shoes! Then the lad jumped upon his back, and off they went +again; and for every leap that Dapplegrim gave, down sank the ridge +fifteen feet into the earth, and so they went on till there was +nothing left of the ridge for the king to see. + +When the lad got back to the king's palace, he asked the king if the +Princess was not his now; for now no one could say that the sun didn't +shine into the hall. But then the others whispered to the king again, +and he answered that the lad should have her, of course; he had never +thought of anything else; but first of all he must get as grand a +horse for the bride to ride on to church as the bridegroom had +himself. + +The lad said the king hadn't spoken a word about this before, and that +he thought he had now fairly earned the Princess; but the king held to +his own; and more, if the lad couldn't do that he should lose his +life; that was what the king said. So the lad went down to the stable +in doleful dumps, as you may well fancy, and there he told Dapplegrim +all about it; how the king had laid that task upon him, to find the +bride as good a horse as the bridegroom had himself, else he would +lose his life. + +"But that's not so easy," he said, "for your match isn't to be found +in the wide world." + +"Oh, yes, I have a match," said Dapplegrim; "but he lives a long way +from here, and rules over a great country. Still, we'll try. And now +you must go up to the king and ask for new shoes for me, ten pounds of +iron and twelve pounds of steel; and two smiths, one to hammer and one +to hold; and mind you see that the points and ends of those shoes are +sharp; and twelve sacks of rye, and twelve sacks of barley, and twelve +roasted oxen we must have with us; and mind, we must have the twelve +ox-hides, with twelve hundred spikes driven into each; and, let me +see, a big tar-barrel--that's all we want." + +So the lad went up to the king and asked for all that Dapplegrim +required, and the king again thought he couldn't say nay, for shame's +sake, and so the lad got all he wanted. + +Well, he jumped up on Dapplegrim's back, and rode away from the +palace, and when he had ridden far over hill and heath, Dapple asked: + +"Do you hear anything?" + +"Yes, I hear an awful hissing and rustling up in the air," said the +lad; "I think I'm getting afraid." + +"That's all the wild birds that fly through the wood. They are sent to +stop us; but just cut a hole in the corn sacks, and then they'll have +so much to do with the corn, they'll forget us, quite." + +Yes, the lad did that; he cut holes in the corn sacks, so that the +rye and the barley ran out on all sides. Then all the wild birds came +flying round them so thick that the sunbeams grew dark, but as soon as +they saw the corn they couldn't keep to their purpose, but flew down +and began to pick and scratch at the rye and barley; and after that +they began to fight amongst themselves. As for Dapplegrim and the lad, +they forgot all about them, and did them no harm. + +So the lad rode on and on--far, far over mountain and dale, over +sand-hills and moor. Then Dapplegrim began to prick up his ears again, +and at last he asked the lad if he heard anything. + +"Yes, now I hear such an ugly rushing and howling in the wood all +round, it makes me quite afraid." + +"Ah!" said Dapplegrim, "that's all the wild beasts that range through +the wood, and they're sent out to stop us. But just cast out the +twelve carcasses of the oxen; that will give them enough to do, and so +they'll forget us outright." + +Yes, the lad cast out the carcasses, and then all the wild beasts in +the wood--bears and wolves and lions--came after them. But when they +saw the carcasses, they began to fight for them amongst themselves, +till blood flowed in streams; but Dapple and the lad they quite +forgot. + +So the lad rode far away, and they changed the landscape many, many +times, for Dapplegrim didn't let the grass grow under him, as you may +imagine. At last Dapple gave a great neigh. + +"Do you hear anything?" he said. + +"Yes, I hear something like a colt neighing loudly a long, long way +off," answered the lad. + +"That's a full-grown colt, then," said Dapplegrim, "if we hear him +neigh so loud such a long way off." + +After that they travelled a good bit, changing the landscape once or +twice, maybe. Then Dapplegrim gave another neigh. + +"Now listen, and tell me if you hear anything," he said. + +"Yes, now I hear a neigh like a full-grown horse," answered the lad. + +"Ay, ay!" said Dapplegrim, "you'll hear him once again soon, and then +you'll hear he's got a voice of his own." + +So they travelled on and on, and changed the landscape once or twice, +perhaps, and then Dapplegrim neighed the third time; but before he +could ask the lad if he heard anything, something gave such a neigh +across the heathery hillside, the lad thought hill and rock would +surely be rent asunder. + +"Now he's here!" said Dapplegrim; "make haste, now, and throw the +ox-hides, with the spikes in them, over me, and throw down the +tar-barrel on the plain; then climb up into that great spruce-fir +yonder. When it comes, fire will flash out of both nostrils, and then +the tar-barrel will catch fire. Now, mind what I say. If the flame +rises, I win; if it falls, I lose; but if you see me winning, take and +cast the bridle--you must take it off me--over its head, and then it +will be tame enough." + +So just as the lad had done throwing the ox-hides, with the spikes, +over Dapplegrim, and had cast down the tar-barrel on the plain, and +had got well up into the spruce-fir, up galloped a horse, with fire +flashing out of its nostrils, and the flame caught the tar-barrel at +once. Then Dapplegrim and the strange horse began to fight till the +stones flew heaven-high. They fought and bit and kicked, both with +fore feet and hind feet, and sometimes the lad could see them, and +sometimes he couldn't; but at last the flame began to rise; for +wherever the strange horse kicked or bit, he met the spiked hides, and +at last he had to yield. + +When the lad saw that, he wasn't long getting down from the tree and +in throwing the bridle over its head, and then it was so tame you +could hold it with a pack-thread. + +And what do you think--that horse was dappled, too, and so like +Dapplegrim, you couldn't tell which was which. Then the lad bestrode +the new Dapple he had won, and rode home to the palace, and old +Dapplegrim ran loose by his side. So when he got home, there stood the +king out in the yard. + +"Can you tell me, now," said the lad, "which is the horse I have +caught and broken, and which is the one I had before? If you can't, I +think your daughter is fairly mine." + +Then the king went and looked at both Dapples, high and low, before +and behind, but there wasn't a hair on one which wasn't on the other +as well. + +"No," said the king, "that I can't; and since you've got my daughter +such a grand horse for her wedding, you shall have her with all my +heart. But still we'll have one trial more, just to see whether you're +fated to have her. First, she shall hide herself twice, and then you +shall hide yourself twice. If you can find out her hiding-place, and +she can't find out yours, why, then, you're fated to have her, and so +you shall have her." + +"That's not in the bargain, either," said the lad; "but we must try, +since it must be so;" and so the Princess went off to hide herself +first. + +So she turned herself into a duck, and lay swimming on a pond that was +close to the palace. But the lad only ran down to the stable, and +asked Dapplegrim what she had done with herself. + +"Oh, you only need take your gun," said Dapplegrim, "and go down to +the brink of the pond, and aim at the duck which lies swimming about +there, and she'll soon show herself." + +So the lad snatched his gun and ran off to the pond. + +"I'll just take a pop at this duck," he said, and began to aim at it. + +"Nay, nay, dear friend, don't shoot. It's I," said the Princess. + +So he found her once. + +The second time the Princess turned herself into a loaf of bread, and +laid herself on the table amongst four other loaves; and so like was +she to the others, no one could say which was which. + +But the lad went again down to the stable to Dapplegrim, and said how +the Princess had hidden herself again, and he couldn't tell at all +what had become of her. + +"Oh, just take and sharpen a good bread-knife," said Dapplegrim, "and +do as if you were going to cut in two the third loaf on the left hand +of those four loaves which are lying on the dresser in the king's +kitchen, and you'll find her soon enough." + +Yes, the lad was down in the kitchen in no time, and began to sharpen +the biggest bread-knife he could lay his hands on; then he caught +hold of the third loaf on the left hand, and put the knife to it, as +though he were going to cut it in two. + +"I'll just have a slice off this loaf," he said. + +"Nay, dear friend," said the Princess, "don't cut. It's I." + +So he found her twice. + +Then he was to go and hide but he and Dapplegrim had settled it so +well beforehand, it wasn't easy to find him. First he turned himself +into a fly, and hid himself in Dapplegrim's left nostril; and the +Princess went about hunting for him everywhere, high and low. At last +she wanted to go into Dapplegrim's stall, but he began to bite and +kick, so that she daren't go near him, and so she couldn't find the +lad. + +"Well," she said, "since I cannot find you, you must show where you +are yourself;" and in a trice the lad stood there on the stable floor. + +The second time Dapplegrim told him just what to do; and then he +turned into a clod of earth, and stuck himself between Dapple's hoof +and shoe on the near forefoot. So the Princess hunted up and down, out +and in, everywhere; at last she came into the stable, and wanted to go +into Dapplegrim's loose box. This time he let her come up to him, and +she pried high and low, but under his heels she couldn't come, for he +stood firm as a rock on his feet, and so she couldn't find the lad. + +"Well, you must just show yourself, for I'm sure I can't find you," +said the Princess, and as she spoke the lad stood by her side on the +stable floor. + +"Now you are mine indeed," said the lad; "for now you can see I'm +fated to have you." This he said both to the father and daughter. + +"Yes; it is so fated," said the king; "so it must be." + +Then everything was made ready for the wedding with great splendour +and promptitude; and the lad got on Dapplegrim, and the Princess on +Dapplegrim's match, and then you may guess they were not long on their +way to church. + + + + +_The Hermit_ + + +In the reign of King Moabdar there lived at Babylon a young man named +Zadig. He was handsome, rich, and naturally good-hearted; and at the +moment when this story opens, he was travelling on foot to see the +world, and to learn philosophy and wisdom. But, hitherto, he had +encountered so much misery, and endured so many terrible disasters, +that he had become tempted to rebel against the will of Heaven, and to +believe that the Providence which rules the world neglects the good +and lets the evil prosper. In this unhappy spirit he was one day +walking on the banks of the Euphrates, when he chanced to meet a +venerable hermit, whose snowy beard descended to his girdle, and who +carried in his hand a scroll which he was reading with attention. +Zadig stopped, and made him a low bow. The hermit returned the +salutation with an air so kindly, and so noble, that Zadig felt a +curiosity to speak to him. He inquired what scroll was that which he +was reading. + +"It is the Book of Destiny," replied the hermit; "would you like to +read it?" + +He handed it to Zadig; but the latter, though he knew a dozen +languages, could not understand a word of it. His curiosity increased. + +"You appear to be in trouble," said the kindly hermit. + +"Alas!" said Zadig, "I have cause to be so." + +"If you will allow me," said the hermit, "I will accompany you. +Perhaps I may be useful to you. I am sometimes able to console the +sorrowful." + +Zadig felt a deep respect for the appearance, the white beard, and the +mysterious scroll of the old hermit, and perceived that his +conversation was that of a superior mind. The old man spoke of +destiny, of justice, of morality, of the chief good of life, of human +frailty, of virtue, and of vice, with so much power and eloquence, +that Zadig felt himself attracted by a kind of charm, and besought the +hermit not to leave him until they should return to Babylon. + +"I ask you the same favour," said the hermit. "Promise me that, +whatever I may do, you will keep me company for several days." + +Zadig gave the promise; and they set forth together. + +That night the travellers arrived at a grand mansion. The hermit +begged for food and lodging for himself and his companion. The porter, +who might have been mistaken for a prince, ushered them in with a +contemptuous air of welcome. The chief servant showed them the +magnificent apartments; and they were then admitted to the bottom of +the table, where the master of the mansion did not condescend to cast +a glance at them. They were, however, served with delicacies in +profusion, and, after dinner, washed their hands in a golden basin set +with emeralds and rubies. They were then conducted for the night into +a beautiful apartment; and the next morning, before they left the +castle, a servant brought them each a piece of gold. + +"The master of the house," said Zadig, as they went their way, +"appears to be a generous man, although a trifle haughty. He practises +a noble hospitality." As he spoke he perceived that a kind of large +pouch which the hermit carried appeared singularly distended; within +it was the golden basin, set with precious stones, which the old man +had purloined. Zadig was amazed; but he said nothing. + +At noon the hermit stopped before a little house, in which lived a +wealthy miser, and once more asked for hospitality. An old valet in a +shabby coat received them very rudely, showed them into the stable, +and set before them a few rotten olives, some moldy bread, and beer +which had turned sour. The hermit ate and drank with as much content +as he had shown the night before; then, addressing the old valet, who +had kept his eye upon them to make sure that they stole nothing, he +gave him the two gold pieces which they had received that morning, +and thanked him for his kind attention. "Be so good," he added, "as +to let me see your master." + +The astonished valet showed them in. + +"Most mighty signor," said the hermit, "I can only render you my +humble thanks for the noble manner in which you have received us. I +beseech you to accept this golden basin as a token of my gratitude." + +The miser almost fell backwards with amazement. The hermit, without +waiting for him to recover, set off with speed with his companion. + +"Holy Father," said Zadig, "what does all this mean? You seem to me to +resemble other men in nothing. You steal a golden basin set with +jewels from a signor who receives you with magnificence, and you give +it to a curmudgeon who treats you with indignity." + +"My son," replied the hermit, "this mighty lord, who only welcomes +travellers through vanity, and to display his riches, will henceforth +grow wiser, while the miser will be taught to practise hospitality. Be +amazed at nothing, and follow me." + +Zadig knew not whether he was dealing with the most foolish or the +wisest of all men. But the hermit spoke with such ascendancy that +Zadig, who, besides, was fettered by his promise, had no choice except +to follow him. + +That night they came to an agreeable house, of simple aspect, and +showing signs neither of prodigality nor avarice. The owner was a +philosopher, who had left the world, and who studied peacefully the +rules of virtue and of wisdom, and who yet was happy and contented. He +had built this calm retreat to please himself, and he received the +strangers in it with a frankness which displayed no sign of +ostentation. He conducted them himself to a comfortable chamber, where +he made them rest awhile; then he returned to lead them to a dainty +little supper. During their conversation they agreed that the affairs +of this world are not always regulated by the opinions of the wisest +men, but the hermit still maintained that the ways of Providence are +wrapped in mystery, and that men do wrong to pass judgment on a +universe of which they only see the smallest part. Zadig wondered how +a person who committed such mad acts could reason so correctly. + +At length, after a conversation as agreeable as instructive, the host +conducted the two travellers to their apartment, and thanked Heaven +for sending him two visitors so wise and virtuous. He offered them +some money, but so frankly that they could not feel offended. The old +man declined, and desired to say farewell, as he intended to depart +for Babylon at break of day. They therefore parted on the warmest +terms, and Zadig, above all, was filled with kindly feelings toward so +amiable a man. + +When the hermit and himself were in their chamber, they spent some +time in praises of their host. At break of day the old man woke his +comrade. + +"We must be going," he remarked. "But while every one is still asleep, +I wish to leave this worthy man a pledge of my esteem." With these +words he took a torch and set the house on fire. + +Zadig burst forth into cries of horror, and would have stopped the +frightful act. But the hermit, by superior strength, drew him away. +The house was in a blaze; and the old man, who was now a good way off +with his companion, looked back calmly at the burning pile. + +"Heaven be praised!" he cried, "our kind host's house is destroyed +from top to bottom." + +At these words Zadig knew not whether he should burst out laughing, +call the reverend father an old rascal, knock him down, or run away. +But he did neither. Still subdued by the superior manner of the +hermit, he followed him against his will to their next lodging. + +This was the dwelling of a good and charitable widow, who had a nephew +of fourteen, her only hope and joy. She did her best to use the +travellers well; and the next morning she bade her nephew guide them +safely past a certain bridge, which, having recently been broken, had +become dangerous to cross over. The youth, eager to oblige them, led +the way. + +"Come," said the hermit, when they were half across the bridge, "I +must show my gratitude toward your aunt;" and as he spoke he seized +the young man by the hair and threw him into the river. The youth +fell, reappeared for an instant on the surface, and then was swallowed +by the torrent. + +"Oh, monster!" exclaimed Zadig, "ah, most detestable of men--" + +"You promised me more patience," interrupted the old man. "Listen! +Beneath the ruins of that house which Providence saw fit to set on +fire, the owner will discover an enormous treasure; while this young +man, whose existence Providence cut short, would have killed his aunt +within a year, and you yourself in two." + +"Who told you so, barbarian?" cried Zadig; "and even if you read the +issue in your Book of Destiny, who gave you power to drown a youth who +never injured you?" + +While he spoke, he saw that the old man had a beard no longer, and +that his face had become fair and young; his hermit's frock had +disappeared; four white wings covered his majestic form, and shone +with dazzling lustre. + +"Angel of heaven," cried Zadig, "you are then descended from the skies +to teach an erring mortal to submit to the eternal laws." + +"Men," replied the angel Jezrael, "judge all things without knowledge; +and you, of all men, most deserved to be enlightened. The world +imagines that the youth who has just perished fell by chance into the +water, and that by a like chance the rich man's house was set on fire. +But there is no such thing as chance; all is trial, or punishment, or +foresight. Feeble mortal, cease to argue and rebel against what you +ought to adore!" + +As he spoke these words the angel took his flight to heaven, and Zadig +fell upon his knees. + + + + +_The Watch-tower Between Earth and Heaven_[5] + + +Once upon a time there was a King who had three sons and one daughter. +He kept the daughter in a cage and guarded her as the eyes in his +head. + +[Footnote 5: From "The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales." Copyright, +1906, by Charles Scribner's Sons.] + +When the maiden was grown up she begged her father one evening to let +her go out and take a walk before the castle with her brothers. The +father consented, but hardly was she out of the door when suddenly a +Dragon came swooping down from the sky, seized the maiden from among +her brothers, and carried her away with him high into the clouds. + +The brothers rushed headlong back to their father, told him of their +misfortune, and begged permission to go and seek their stolen sister. +The father consented, gave them each a horse and everything needful +for a journey, and they set out. + +After many wanderings they came across a watch-tower which stood +neither on earth nor in heaven. When they reached the place it +occurred to them that their sister might be within, and they at once +began to take counsel among themselves as to how they should reach it. + +After long consultation they decided to kill one of their horses, cut +his skin into a long strap, fasten the end to an arrow, and shoot it +up into some place in the watch-tower where it would hold securely. +Then they could easily climb up. The two younger brothers asked the +eldest to sacrifice his horse, but he would not; nor would the second +brother. So the youngest brother slew his horse, cut the hide into a +long strap, bound one end to his arrow, and with his bow shot it up +into the tower. + +But now, when it came to climbing up by the strap, the eldest and +second brothers declined, whereupon the youngest undertook the +adventure. Arriving at the tower, he went from room to room, until at +last he came to one where he saw his sister sitting, with the Dragon's +head in her lap, the Dragon being fast asleep. + +When the sister perceived her brother she was greatly terrified, and +softly entreated him to flee before the Dragon should awake. This he +would not do, but seized his cudgel, struck out boldly, and dealt the +Dragon a heavy blow upon the head. The Dragon, without awaking, put +his hand up to the spot, murmuring, "Something hit me right here." + +As he said this the Prince fetched him a second blow upon the head, +and again the Dragon murmured, "Something hit me here." But now, as +the brother made ready to strike a third time, the sister made a sign +showing the Dragon's vulnerable spot; and the brother, giving a +powerful blow, killed him as dead as a mouse. + +Then the Princess pushed him from her, flew into her brother's arms, +and smothered him with kisses. After this she took him by the hand and +began to lead him through all the rooms. First she led him into a room +in which a black fox, with a harness of pure silver, was standing +before a manger. Then she led him into another room, where a white +horse, with a harness of pure gold, stood before another manger. +Finally she led him into a third room, where a brown horse stood +before a manger, his harness all studded with diamonds. + +When they had gone through these rooms, the sister led her brother +into a chamber where a maiden sat before a golden embroidery frame, +working with golden threads. From this room she led him into another, +where a second maiden was spinning gold thread, and at last into a +room where a third maiden was stringing pearls, while at her feet a +golden hen, with a brood of chickens, was picking up pearls from a +golden basin. + +When they had gone through all these rooms and seen all they wanted to +see, they went back into the room where the dead Dragon lay, dragged +him out, and threw him head-foremost down to the earth. When the other +brothers saw him they were almost convulsed with terror. But now the +youngest brother let down to them first their sister and then the +three maidens, one after another, each with her work. As he let them +down he allotted one to each of his brothers, and when he let down the +third, that is, the one with the hen and chickens, he reserved her to +himself. + +But his brothers, filled with envy because he was the hero who had +discovered all these things and rescued their sister, cut the strap to +make it impossible for him to return. Then they rode away, and coming +upon a shepherd boy with his sheep, they dressed him like their +brother and brought him home to their father, forbidding their sister +and the maidens, with fearful threats, under any circumstances to +reveal the secret. + +After a time word came to the youngest brother in the tower that his +brothers and the shepherd were about to marry those three maidens. On +the day appointed for the eldest brother's wedding he mounted the +white horse and flew down into the midst of the wedding-guests just as +they were leaving the church, and struck his brother lightly upon the +back with his club. The brother fell from his horse and the other flew +back to his watch-tower. + +When the second brother's wedding-day came he again flew down upon his +steed, gave the second brother a blow upon the back, so that he fell +from his horse, and again flew away. But when he at last heard that +the shepherd was about to marry the third maiden he again mounted his +steed, flew among the wedding-guests just as they were coming out of +the church, and dealt the bridegroom such a blow upon the head with +his club that the fellow lay dead upon the spot. + +In a trice the Prince was surrounded by the wedding-guests, who were +determined that he should not escape this time. He made no attempt to +do so, however, but remained where he was, made himself known as the +King's youngest son, revealed the trick his brothers had played upon +him by means of the shepherd, and told how they had left him in the +watch-tower where he had found his sister and killed the Dragon. + +His sister and the maidens bore witness to the truth of his story, and +when the King heard all this he banished the two elder brothers from +his presence, married the youngest to the maiden of his choice, and +decreed that he should be heir to the throne after his own decease. + + + + +_The Lucky Coin_ + + +Many years ago there lived in a hermitage a holy monk. From all the +villages around, the people, mostly poor labourers, were in the habit +of coming to him on Sundays and festivals to hear him say mass for +them. These good people used to bring little offerings of food for the +support of the hermit during the week. + +One Sunday, after his congregation had departed, the monk perceived a +man, laden with traps and nets for catching birds, crossing the field +before the hermitage. The good monk went out to him. + +"Where do you come from?" he inquired; "and what are you going to do, +my son?" + +"I live some miles from here, good father," he replied, "and I have +borrowed a few nets and traps to try to catch some doves to sell, so +as to get a little butter for our bread; for with that and a draught +of water from the spring my wife and I are satisfied; or else to get +some work to do, that I may earn enough for our support, for we have +neither bread nor a single farthing to buy it." + +The hermit took the man into his hermitage, and gave him the little +offerings of food which had been brought that morning by the +villagers, leaving Providence to provide for his own simple wants. + +"Brother," he said, "take this for yourself and your wife; and if you +want money I will give you some. But you must first tell me which you +choose, to earn a single coin honestly, or a hundred, dishonestly." + +The poor man hesitated, for great was the temptation. + +"I will consult with my wife," he said at last, "and return to-morrow +to inform you." + +With the food in his hands he returned to his miserable home, where he +and his wife made an excellent meal, for which they returned thanks to +Heaven. They then consulted together about the money, and, though the +temptation was great to take the hundred coins, yet, being God-fearing +folks, they decided upon taking the one coin honestly acquired and let +alone the hundred. + +The man accordingly returned to the hermit, and told him what they had +decided. + +The good monk gave him two half _reals_. + +"Take this money," he said; "and may Heaven prosper you." + +Full of joy, the man departed. But on the road home, in a solitary +spot, he encountered two lads fighting desperately; they were dealing +each other terrible blows, and blood was streaming down their faces. +The man rushed up to separate them, but all his efforts only served to +make them fiercer. + +"Why do you fight like this?" he cried. + +"We are fighting for that stone," replied one of the lads; "I saw it +first!" + +"No, you didn't," replied the other; "it was I, and it belongs to me!" +and once more they fell to blows more desperate than before. + +The poor man, fearing that the quarrel might end fatally, cried out to +them-- + +"Here, take each of you one of these coins, and let alone the stone; +it is of no value, for it is no bigger than a walnut. And be off with +you!" + +The lads were glad to take the money, and ran away, thinking +themselves lucky to make so good a bargain. + +His wife was at the cottage door impatiently awaiting her husband. +Great was her disappointment when all he brought her was a stone. + +"Well, to be sure!" she cried, after he had recounted what had taken +place, "I _am_ disappointed." And, taking the little stone, she threw +it into a corner of the room. + +"Dear wife," replied the man, "do not take it so to heart. The money +was spent in a good work; in making peace between the children of our +neighbours." + +His wife at length became more reconciled to the loss, considering +that after all he had done right to make peace between their +neighbours' sons at any cost. Not many minutes after, the parents of +the two lads came to thank the man for having separated the boys. They +also thanked him for the money he had given to the boys, for they knew +he sorely needed it himself. Each of the parents gave him a present +for his friendly service; and from that day they always treated him +most kindly, and often gave him little jobs to do, so that the poor +couple never wanted bread. + +Not long afterwards, it happened that the King's Ambassador passed +that way, with a great retinue of officials, secretaries, and +servitors; and it fell out that, night coming on, the Ambassador +decided upon taking his quarters in the village. + +The village inns were small, and could not afford accommodation for so +large a retinue, and the various cottagers were asked to take in one +or more of the servants. Among those who gave lodgings to the retinue +were our good couple, who took in a lodger, for whom they were paid +handsomely. The wife quickly prepared a clean, tidy bed, and did her +best to make things comfortable. + +The guest, being tired, was soon fast asleep. Toward morning he awoke, +and was surprised to see the chamber bathed in a resplendent light. +Knowing well that the people of the house could not afford a lamp or +candles, he arose to find out whence proceeded this unusual +brilliancy. Great was his astonishment to find that it proceeded from +a small stone in the corner of the room, which, as the sun struck on +it, sent out rays of vivid light. He took up the stone, and, believing +it to be of great value, took it to the Ambassador. + +When the nobleman examined the stone, he admired it greatly, and +desired its owner to be sent for in order to learn all particulars +about it. + +"Please, your Excellency," said the poor man, "it is of no use to us, +and if it pleases you, take it, for it cost me only a small coin"; and +he proceeded to relate how it had come into his possession. + +The Ambassador drew forth a heavy bag of money, and taking out a +handful of gold pieces, gave them to the man. + +"My good fellow," he said, "since you offer me the stone, I accept it +gladly; but as I am leaving the kingdom, and my expenses are very +heavy, I cannot give you all that it is worth. If it please Heaven, I +will return this way, and I will pay you then." + +The poor man did not like to accept so much gold for what he judged to +be a worthless stone; but on the nobleman's entreaty he took the +money, and ran back to his wife, full of joy at his good fortune. Both +husband and wife then went at once to the hermit to recount to him all +that had taken place, and to offer him a tenth of the money. This he +refused to take, but bade them return to the village and distribute it +in alms to the poor. They returned to the village accordingly and did +as the monk had bidden them. They also gave part of the money to the +parents of the lads who had fought so desperately for the possession +of the stone. The rest the man spent in purchasing a piece of land. + +This little plot of ground proved very fertile, and whatever the owner +planted produced a hundredfold. His trees were borne down by the +weight of the fruit, which always fetched a good price. + +Years passed ere the Ambassador returned from the foreign country, +where he had gained high honours and wealth. On passing the village +again where he had obtained the stone, he inquired for the good man, +and was told how he had prospered with the money he had given him, and +that he was now a person of importance. + +On arriving at the Court of his sovereign he recounted to the King all +that had taken place. The King was greatly pleased with the history of +the honestly earned coin, and had the stone valued by the first +jewellers of the kingdom, who all pronounced it to be a singularly +valuable gem. A large sum was given to the Ambassador for it, and he +was loaded with distinctions and honours. The nobleman, wishing to +show his gratitude for the honours conferred on him, sent handsome +presents to the good man and his wife. + +And so it came to pass that they who had been honest were now +prosperous as well. + + + + +_The Jackal, the Barber and the Brahmin_ + + +A barber and a Jackal once struck up a great friendship, which might +have continued to this day, had not the Jackal been so clever that the +Barber never felt quite on equal terms with him, and suspected his +friend of playing him many tricks. But this he was not able to prove. + +One day the Jackal said to the Barber, "It would be a nice thing for +us to have a garden of our own, in which we might grow as many +cucumbers, pumpkins and melons as we like. Why should we not buy one?" + +The Barber answered, "Very well; here is money. Do you go and buy us a +garden." So the Jackal took the Barber's money, and with it bought a +fine garden, in which were cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, figs, and many +other good fruits and vegetables. And he used to go there every day +and feast to his heart's content. When, however, the Barber said to +him, "What is the garden like which you bought with the money I gave +you?" he answered, "There are very fine plants in it, but there is no +fruit upon them; when the fruit is ripe I will let you know." This +reply satisfied the Barber, who inquired no further at that time. + +A little while afterward, the Barber again asked the Jackal about the +garden, saying, "I see you go down to that garden every day; is the +fruit getting ripe?" + +"Oh dear no, not yet," answered the Jackal; "why, the plants are only +just coming into blossom." + +But all this time there was a great deal of fruit in the garden, and +the Jackal went there every day and ate as much as he could. + +Again, a third time, when some weeks had passed, the Barber said to +him, "Is there no ripe fruit in our garden yet?" + +"No," said the Jackal; "the blossoms have only just fallen, but the +fruit is forming. In time we shall have a fine show of melons and figs +there." + +Then the Barber began to think the Jackal was deceiving him, and +determined to see and judge for himself. So next day, without saying +anything about it, he followed him down to the garden. + +Now it happened that very day the Jackal had invited all his friends +to come and feast there. All the animals in the neighbouring jungle +had accepted the invitation; there they came trooping by hundreds and +dozens, and were very merry indeed--running here and there, and eating +all the melons and cucumbers and figs and pumpkins in the place. + +The Barber peeped over the hedge, and saw the assembled wild beasts, +and his friend the Jackal entertaining them--talking to this one, +laughing with that, and eating with all. The good man did not dare to +attack the intruders, as they were many and powerful. But he went home +at once, very angry, muttering to himself, "I'll be the death of that +young jackanapes; he shall play no more pranks in my garden." And, +watching his opportunity, he returned there when the Jackal and all +his friends had left, and tied a long knife to the largest of the +cucumbers that still remained; then he went home and said nothing of +what he had seen. + +Early next morning the Jackal thought to himself, "I'll just run down +to the garden and see if there are no cucumbers or melons left." So he +went there, and, picking out the largest of the cucumbers, began to +eat it. Quick as thought, the long knife, that was concealed by the +cucumber leaves, ran into him, cutting his muzzle, his neck and his +side. + +"Ah, that nasty Barber!" he cried; "this must be his doing!" And +instead of going home, he ran as fast as he could, very far, far, away +into the jungle, and stretching himself out on a great flat rock, +prepared to die. + +But he did not die. Only for three whole days the pain in his neck and +side was so great that he could not move; moreover, he felt very weak +from loss of blood. + +At the end of the third day he tried to get up, but his own blood had +sealed him to the stone! He endeavoured to move it by his struggles, +but could not succeed. "Oh dear! oh dear!" he murmured; "to think that +I should recover from my wound, only to die such a horrible death as +this! Ah, me! here is the punishment of dishonesty!" And, having said +this, he began to weep. It chanced, however, that the god of Rain +heard his lamentations, and taking pity on the unfortunate animal, he +sent a kindly shower, which, wetting the stone, effected his release. + +No sooner was the Jackal set free than he began to think what he could +do to earn a livelihood, since he did not dare return to the Barber's +house. It was not long before a feasible plan struck him: all around +was the mud made by the recent rain; he placed a quantity of it in a +small chattee, covered the top over carefully with leaves (as people +do jars of fresh butter), and took it into a neighbouring village to +sell. + +At the door of one of the first houses to which he came stood a woman, +to whom the Jackal said, "Mahi, here is butter--beautiful fresh +butter! won't you buy some fresh butter?" + +She answered, "Are you sure it is quite fresh? Let me see it." + +But he replied, "It is perfectly fresh; but if you open the chattee +now, it will be all spoiled by the time you want it. If you like to +buy it, you may take it; if not, I will sell it to some one else." + +The woman did want some fresh butter, and the chattee the Jackal +carried on his head was carefully fastened up, as if what it contained +was of the best; and she knew if she opened it, it might spoil before +her husband returned home; besides, she thought, if the Jackal had +intended to deceive her, he would have been more pressing in asking +her to buy it. So she said, "Very well, give me the chattee; here is +money for you. You are sure it is the best butter?" + +"It is the best of its kind," answered the Jackal; "only be sure you +put it in some cool place, and don't open it till it is wanted." And +taking the money, he ran away. + +A short time afterward the woman discovered how she had been cheated, +and was very angry, but the Jackal was by that time far away, out of +reach of punishment. + +When his money was spent, the Jackal felt puzzled as to how to get a +living, since no one would give him food and he could buy none. +Fortunately for him, just then one of the bullocks belonging to the +village died. The Jackal found it lying dead by the roadside, and he +began to eat it, and ate, and ate so much that at last he had got too +far into the animal's body to be seen by passers-by. Now, the weather +was hot and dry. Whilst the Jackal was in it, the bullock's skin +crinkled up so tightly with the heat that it became too hard for him +to bite through, and so he could not get out again. + +The Mahars of the village all came out to bury the dead bullock. The +Jackal, who was inside it, feared that if they caught him they would +kill him, and that if they did not discover him, he would be buried +alive; so on their approach he called out, "People, people, take care +how you touch me, for I am a great saint." The poor people were very +much frightened when they heard the dead bullock talking, and thought +that some mighty spirit must indeed possess it. + +"Who are you, sir, and what do you want?" they cried. + +"I," answered the Jackal, "am a very holy saint. I am also the god of +your village, and I am very angry with you because you never worship +me nor bring me offerings." + +"O my Lord," they cried, "what offerings will please you? Tell us +only, and we will bring you whatever you like." + +"Good," he replied. "Then you must fetch here plenty of rice, plenty +of flowers and a nice fat chicken; place them as an offering beside +me, and pour a great deal of water over them, as you do at your most +solemn feasts, and I will forgive you your sins." The Mahars did as +they were commanded. They placed some rice and flowers, and the best +chicken they could procure, beside the bullock, and poured water over +it and the offering. Then, no sooner did the dry, hard Bullock's skin +get wetted than it split in many places, and to the surprise of all +his worshippers, the Jackal jumped out, seized the chicken in his +mouth, and ran away with it through the midst of them into the jungle. +The Mahars ran after him over hedges and ditches for many, many miles, +but he got away in spite of them all. + +On, on he ran--on, on, for a very long way--until at last he came to a +place where a little kid lived under a little sicakai tree. All her +relations and friends were away, and when she saw him coming she +thought to herself, "Unless I frighten this Jackal, he will eat me." +So she ran as hard as she could up against the sicakai tree, which +made all the branches shake and the leaves go rustle, rustle, rustle. +And when the Jackal heard the rustling noise he got frightened, and +thought it was all the little kid's friends coming to help her. And +she called out to him, "Run away, Jackal, run away. Thousands and +thousands of Jackals have run away at that sound--run away for your +life." And the Jackal was so frightened that he ran away. So, he who +had deceived so many was outwitted by a simple little kid! + +After this the Jackal found his way back to his own village, where the +Barber lived, and there for some time he used to prowl round the +houses every night and live upon any bones he could find. The +villagers did not like his coming, but did not know how to catch him, +until one night his old friend the Barber (who had never forgiven him +for stealing the fruit from the garden) caught him in a great net, +having before made many unsuccessful attempts to do so. "Aha!" cried +the Barber, "I've got you at last, my friend. You did not escape death +from the cucumber-knife for nothing! you won't get away this time. +Here, wife! wife! see what a prize I've got." The Barber's wife came +running to the door, and the Barber gave her the Jackal (after he had +tied all his four legs firmly together with a strong rope), and said +to her, "Take this animal into the house, and be sure you don't let +him escape, while I go and get a knife to kill him with." + +The Barber's wife did as she was bid, and taking the Jackal into the +house, laid him down on the floor. But no sooner had the Barber gone +than the Jackal said to her, "Ah, good woman, your husband will return +directly and put me to death. For the love of heaven, loosen the rope +round my feet before he comes, for one minute only, and let me drink a +little water from that puddle by the door, for my throat is parched +with thirst." + +"No, no, friend Jackal," answered the Barber's wife. "I know well +enough what you'll do. No sooner shall I have untied your feet than +you will run away, and when my husband returns and finds you are gone, +he will beat me." + +"Indeed, indeed, I will not run away," he replied. "Ah, kind mother, +have pity on me, only for one little moment." + +Then the Barber's wife thought, "Well, it is hard not to grant the +poor beast's last request; he will not live long enough to have many +more pleasures." So she untied the Jackal's legs and held him by a +rope, that he might drink from the puddle. But quick as possible, he +gave a jump and a twist and a pull, and, jerking the rope out of her +hand, escaped once more into the jungle. + +For some time he roamed up and down, living on what he could get in +this village or that, until he had wandered very far away from the +country where the Barber lived. At last one day, by chance, he passed +a certain cottage, in which there dwelt a very poor Brahmin, who had +seven daughters. + +As the Jackal passed by, the Brahmin was saying to himself, "Oh, dear +me! what can I do for my seven daughters? I shall have to support them +all my life, for they are much too poor ever to get married. If a dog +or a jackal were to offer to take one off my hands, he should have +her." + +Next day the Jackal called on the Brahmin, and said to him, "You said +yesterday, if a Jackal or a dog were to offer to marry one of your +daughters, you would let him have her; will you, therefore accept me +as a son-in-law?" + +The poor Brahmin felt very much embarrassed, but it was certain he had +said the words, and therefore he felt in honour bound not to retract, +although he had little dreamed of ever being placed in such a +predicament. Just at that moment all the seven daughters began crying +for bread, and the father had no bread to give them. + +Observing this, the Jackal continued, "Let me marry one of your seven +daughters and I will take care of her. It will at least leave you one +less to provide for, and I will see that she never needs food." + +Then the Brahmin's heart was softened, and he gave the Jackal his +eldest daughter in marriage, and the Jackal took her home to his den +in the high rocks. + +Now you will say there never was a Jackal so clever as this. Very +true, for this was not a common Jackal, or he could never have done +all that I have told you. This Jackal was, in fact, a great Rajah in +disguise, who, to amuse himself, took the form of a Jackal; for he was +a great magician as well as a great prince. + +The den to which he took the Brahmin's daughter looked like quite a +common hole in the rocks on the outside, but inside it was a splendid +palace, adorned with silver, and gold, and ivory and precious stones. +But even his own wife did not know that he was not always a Jackal, +for the Rajah never took his human form except every morning very +early, when he used to take off the Jackal skin and wash it and brush +it, and put it on again. + +After he and his wife, the Brahmin's daughter, had lived up in their +home in the rocks happily for some time, who should the Jackal see one +day but his father-in-law, the old Brahmin, climbing up the hill to +come and pay him a visit. The Jackal was vexed to see the Brahmin, for +he knew he was very poor, and thought he had most likely come to beg; +and so it was. The Brahmin said to him, "Son-in-law, let me come into +your cave and rest a little while. I want to ask you to help me, for I +am very poor and much in need of help." + +"Don't go into my cave," said the Jackal; "it is but a poor hole, not +fit for you to enter" (for he did not wish his father-in-law to see +his fine palace); "but I will call my wife, that you may see I have +not eaten her up, and she and you and I will talk over the matter, and +see what we can do for you." + +So the Brahmin, the Brahmin's daughter and the Jackal all sat down on +the hillside together, and the Brahmin said, "I don't know what to do +to get food for myself, my wife, and my six daughters. Son-in-law +Jackal, cannot you help me?" + +"It is a difficult business," answered the Jackal, "but I'll do what I +can for you;" and he ran to his cave and fetched a large melon, and +gave it to the Brahmin, saying, "Father-in-law, you must take this +melon, and plant it in your garden, and when it grows up sell all the +fruit you find upon it, and that will bring you in some money." So the +Brahmin took the melon home with him and planted it in his garden. + +By next day the melon that the Jackal had given him had grown up in +the Brahmin's garden into a fine plant, covered with hundreds of +beautiful ripe melons. The Brahmin, his wife and family were overjoyed +at the sight. And all the neighbours were astonished, and said, "How +fast that fine melon plant has grown in the Brahmin's garden!" + +Now it chanced that a woman who lived in a house close by wanted some +melons, and seeing what fine ones these were, she went down at once to +the Brahmin's house and bought two or three from the Brahmin's wife. +She took them home with her and cut them open; but then, lo and +behold! marvel of marvels! what a wonderful sight astonished her! +Instead of the thick white pulp she expected to see, the whole of the +inside of the melon was composed of diamonds, rubies and emeralds; and +all the seeds were enormous pearls. She immediately locked her door, +and taking with her all the money she had, ran back to the Brahmin's +wife and said to her, "Those were very good melons you sold me; I like +them so much that I will buy all the others on your melon plant." And +giving her the money she took home all the rest of the melons. Now +this cunning woman told none of her friends of the treasure she had +found, and the poor, stupid Brahmin and his family did not know what +they had lost, for they had never thought of opening any of the +melons; so that for all the precious stones they sold they only got a +few pice, which was very hard. Next day, when they looked out of the +window, the melon plant was again covered with fine ripe melons, and +again the woman who had bought those which had grown the day before +came and bought them all. And this went on for several days. There +were so many melons; and all the melons were so full of precious +stones, that the woman who bought them had enough to fill the whole +of one room in her house with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and pearls. + +At last, however, the wonderful melon plant began to wither, and when +the woman came to buy melons one morning, the Brahmin's wife was +obliged to say to her, in a sad voice, "Alas! there are no more melons +on our melon plant." And the woman went back to her own house very +much disappointed. + +That day the Brahmin and his wife and children had no money in the +house to buy food with, and they all felt very unhappy to think that +the fine melon plant had withered. But the Brahmin's youngest +daughter, who was a clever girl, thought, "Though there are no more +melons fit to sell on our melon plant, perhaps I may be able to find +one or two shriveled ones, which, if cooked, will give us something +for dinner." So she went out to look, and searching carefully amongst +the thick leaves, found two or three withered little melons still +remaining. These she took into the house and began cutting them up to +cook, when--more wonderful than wonderful!--within each little melon +she found a number of small emeralds, rubies, diamonds and pearls! The +girl called her father and mother and her five sisters, crying, "See +what I have found! See these precious stones and pearls. I dare say, +inside all the melons we sold there were as good or better than these. +No wonder that woman was so anxious to buy them all! See, father--see, +mother--see, sisters!" + +Then they were all overjoyed to see the treasure, but the Brahmin +said, "What a pity we have lost all the benefit of my son-in-law the +Jackal's good gift by not knowing its worth! I will go at once to that +woman, and try and make her give us back the melons she took." + +So he went to the melon-buyer's house, and said to her, "Give me back +the melons you took from me, who did not know their worth." + +She answered, "I don't know what you mean." + +He replied. "You were very deceitful; you bought melons full of +precious stones from us poor people, who did not know what they were +worth, and you only paid for them the price of common melons; give me +some of them back, I pray you." + +But she said, "I bought common melons from your wife, and made them +all into common soup long ago; therefore talk no further nonsense +about jewels, but go about your business." And she turned him out of +the house. Yet all this time she had a whole roomful of the emeralds, +diamonds, rubies and pearls that she had found in the melons the +Brahmin's wife had sold her. + +The Brahmin returned home and said to his wife, "I cannot make that +woman give me back any of the melons you sold her; but give me the +precious stones our daughter has just found, and I will sell them to a +jeweller and bring home some money." So he went to the town, and took +the precious stones to a jeweller, and said to him, "What will you +give me for these?" + +But no sooner did the jeweller see them than he said, "How could such +a poor man as you become possessed of such precious stones? You must +have stolen them: you are a thief! You have stolen these from my shop, +and now come to sell them to me!" + +"No, no, sir; indeed no, sir," cried the Brahmin. + +"Thief, thief!" shouted the jeweller. + +"In truth, no sir," said the Brahmin; "my son-in-law, the Jackal, gave +me a melon plant, and in one of the melons I found these jewels." + +"I don't believe a word you say," screamed the jeweller (and he began +beating the Brahmin, whom he held by the arm); "give up those jewels +which you have stolen from my shop." + +"No, I won't," roared the Brahmin; "oh! oh-o! oh-o-o! don't beat me +so; I didn't steal them." But the jeweller was determined to get the +jewels; so he beat the Brahmin and called the police, who came running +up to his assistance, and shouted till a great crowd of people had +collected round his shop. Then he said to the Brahmin, "Give me up the +jewels you stole from me, or I'll give you to the police, and you +shall be put in jail." The Brahmin tried to tell his story about his +son-in-law, the Jackal but of course nobody believed him; and he was +obliged to give the precious stones to the jeweller in order to escape +the police, and to run home as fast as he could. And every one thought +the jeweller was very kind to let him off so easily. + +All his family were very unhappy when they heard what had befallen +him. But his wife said, "You had better go again to our son-in-law, +the Jackal, and see what he can do for us." + +So next day the Brahmin climbed the hill again, as he had done before, +and went to call upon the Jackal. When the Jackal saw him coming he +was not very well pleased. So he went to meet him, and said, +"Father-in-law, I did not expect to see you again so soon." + +"I merely came to see how you were," answered the Brahmin, "and to +tell you how poor we are; and how glad we should be of any help you +can give us." + +"What have you done with all the melons I gave you?" asked the Jackal. + +"Ah," answered the Brahmin, "that is a sad story!" And beginning at +the beginning, he related how they had sold almost all the melons +without knowing their value; and how the few precious stones they had +found had been taken from him by the jeweller. + +When the Jackal heard this he laughed very much, and said; "I see it +is no use giving such unfortunate people as you gold or jewels, for +they will only bring you into trouble. Come, I'll give you a more +useful present." + +So, running into his cave, he fetched thence a small chattee, and gave +it to the Brahmin, saying, "Take this chattee; whenever you or any of +the family are hungry, you will always find in it as good a dinner as +this." And putting his paw into the chattee, he extracted thence +currie and rice, pilau, and all sorts of good things, enough to feast +a hundred men; and the more he took out of the chattee, the more +remained inside. + +When the Brahmin saw the chattee and smelt the good dinner, his eyes +glistened for joy; and he embraced the Jackal, saying, "Dear +son-in-law, you are the only support of our house." And he took his +new present carefully home with him. + +After this, for some time, the whole family led a very happy life, for +they never wanted good food; every day the Brahmin, his wife and his +six daughters found inside the chattee a most delicious dinner; and +every day, when they had dined, they placed it on a shelf, to find it +replenished when next it was needed. + +But it happened that hard by there lived another Brahmin, a very great +man, who was much in the Rajah's confidence; and this man smelt daily +the smell of a very nice dinner, which puzzled him a great deal. The +rich Brahmin thought it smelt even nicer than his own dinner, for +which he paid so much, and yet it seemed to come from the poor +Brahmin's little cottage. So one day he determined to find out all +about it; and, going to call on his neighbour, he said to him, "Every +day, at about twelve o'clock, I smell such a very nice dinner--much +nicer than my own; and it seems to come from your house. You must live +on very good things, I think, although you seem to every one to be so +very poor." + +Then, in the pride of his heart, the poor Brahmin invited his rich +neighbour to come and dine with him, and lifting the magic chattee +down from the shelf, took out of it such delicate fare as the other +had never before tasted. And in an evil hour he proceeded to tell his +friend of the wondrous properties of the chattee, which his +son-in-law, the Jackal, had given him, and how it never was empty. No +sooner had the great man learned all this than he went to the Rajah, +and said to him, "There is a poor Brahmin in the town who possesses a +wonderful chattee, which is always filled with the most delicious +dinner. I should not feel authorized to deprive him of it; but if it +pleased your Highness to take it from him, he could not complain." + +The Rajah, hearing this, determined to see and taste for himself. So +he said, "I should very much like to see this chattee with my own +eyes." And he accompanied the rich Brahmin to the poor Brahmin's +house. The poor Brahmin was overjoyed at being noticed by the Rajah +himself, and gladly exhibited the various excellences of the chattee; +but no sooner did the Rajah taste the dinner it contained than he +ordered his guards to seize it and take it away to the palace, in +spite of the Brahmin's tears and protestations. Thus, for a second +time, he lost the benefit of his son-in-law's gift. + +When the Rajah had gone, the Brahmin said to his wife; "There is +nothing to be done but to go again to the Jackal, and see if he can +help us." + +"If you don't take care, you'll put him out of all patience at last," +answered she. "I can't think why you need have gone talking about our +chattee!" + +When the Jackal heard the Brahmin's story, he became very cross, and +said, "What a stupid old man you were to say anything about the +chattee! But see, here is another, which may aid you to get back the +first. Take care of it, for this is the last time I will help you." +And he gave the Brahmin a chattee, in which was a stout stick tied to +a very strong rope. "Take this," he said, "into the presence of those +who deprived you of my other gifts, and when you open the chattee, +command the stick to beat them; this it will do so effectually that +they will gladly return you what you have lost; only take care not to +open the chattee when you are alone, or the stick that is in it will +punish your rashness." + +The Brahmin thanked his son-in-law, and took away the chattee, but he +found it hard to believe all that had been said. So, going through the +jungle on his way home, he uncovered it, just to peep in and see if +the stick were really there. No sooner had he done this than out +jumped the rope, out jumped the stick; the rope seized him and bound +him to a tree, and the stick beat him, and beat him, and beat him, +until he was nearly killed. + +"Oh dear! oh dear!" screamed the Brahmin; "what an unlucky man I am! +Oh dear! oh dear! stop, please, stop! good stick, stop! what a very +good stick this is!" But the stick would not stop, but beat him so +much that he could hardly crawl home again. + +Then the Brahmin put the rope and stick back again into the chattee, +and sent to his rich neighbour and to the Rajah, and said to them, "I +have a new chattee, much better than the old one; do come and see what +a fine one it is." And the rich Brahmin and the Rajah thought, "This +is something good; doubtless there is a choice dinner in this chattee +also, and we will take it from this foolish man, as we did the other." +So they went down to meet the Brahmin in the jungle, taking with them +all their followers and attendants. Then the Brahmin uncovered his +chattee, saying, "Beat, stick, beat! beat them every one!" and the +stick jumped out, and the rope jumped out, and the rope caught hold of +the Rajah and the rich Brahmin and all their attendants, and tied them +fast to the trees that grew around, and the stick ran from one to +another, beating, beating, beating--beating the Rajah, beating his +courtiers--beating the rich Brahmin, beating his attendants, and +beating all their followers; while the poor Brahmin cried with all his +might, "Give me back my chattee! give me back my chattee!" + +At this the Rajah and his people were very much frightened, and +thought they were going to be killed. And the Rajah said to the +Brahmin, "Take away your stick, only take away your stick, and you +shall have back your chattee." So the Brahmin put the stick and rope +back into the chattee, and the Rajah returned him the dinner-making +chattee. And all the people felt very much afraid of the Brahmin, and +respected him very much. + +Then he took the chattee containing the rope and stick to the house of +the woman who had bought the melons, and the rope caught her and the +stick beat her; and the Brahmin cried, "Return me those melons! return +me those melons!" + +And the woman said, "Only make your stick stop beating me and you +shall have back all the melons." So he ordered the stick back into the +chattee, and she returned them to him forthwith--a whole roomful of +melons full of diamonds, pearls, emeralds, and rubies. + +The Brahmin took them home to his wife, and going into the town, with +the help of his good stick, forced the jeweller who had deprived him +of the little emeralds, rubies, diamonds and pearls he had taken to +sell to give them back to him again, and having accomplished this, he +returned to his family, and from that time they all lived very +happily. Then, one day, the Jackal's wife invited her six sisters to +come and pay her a visit. Now the youngest sister was more clever than +any of the others; and it happened that, very early in the morning, +she saw her brother-in-law, the Jackal, take off the Jackal skin and +wash it and brush it, and hang it up to dry; and when he had taken off +the jackal-skin coat, he looked the handsomest prince that ever was +seen. Then his little sister-in-law ran, quickly and quietly, and +stole away the Jackal-skin coat, and threw it on the fire and burned +it. And she awoke her sister, and said, "Sister, sister, your husband +is no longer a jackal: see, that is he standing by the door." + +So the Jackal Rajah's wife ran to the door to meet her husband, and +because the jackal's skin was burned, and he could wear it no longer, +he continued to be a man for the rest of his life, and gave up playing +all jackal-like pranks; and he and his wife, and his father and mother +and sisters-in-law, lived very happily all the rest of their days. + + + + +_The Bird of Truth_ + + +Once upon a time there was a very poor fisherman, who lived in a +little hut on the banks of a river. This river, although deep, was +calm and clear, and, gliding from the sun and noise, would hide itself +among the trees, reeds, and brambles, in order to listen to the birds +who delighted it with their songs. + +One day when the fisherman went out in his boat to cast his nets, he +saw a casket of crystal slowly drifting along with the stream. He +rowed toward it, but what was his horror at seeing two little babies, +apparently twins, lying in it upon a bundle of cotton! The poor +fisherman pitied them, took them out, and carried them home to his +wife. + +"What have you got there?" she exclaimed, as he presented them to her. +"We have eight children already, and as if that were not enough, you +must bring me some more!" + +"Wife," replied the poor fisherman, "what could I do? I found these +dear little creatures floating on the river below, and they would have +died of hunger, or have been drowned, if I had not rescued them. +Heaven, which has sent us these two more children, will assist us to +provide for them." + +And so it proved; and the little ones, a boy and a girl, grew up +healthy and robust, together with the eight other children. They were +both so good, so docile, and so peaceable, that the fisherman and his +wife loved them exceedingly, and always held them up as examples to +the other children; but they, envious and enraged, did them a thousand +injustices and injuries. To escape from these cruelties, the twins +would take refuge together among the thickets and on the river's +banks; there they would divert themselves with the birds, and carry +crumbs of bread to them; and the birds, grateful to them for their +kindness, would fly to meet them, and teach them the bird-language. +The children learned to converse with the birds very quickly, and thus +they could amuse themselves with their feathered friends, who also +taught them many other very good and useful things, one of them being +how to get up early in the morning, and another, how to sing. One day +when the fisherman's children were more annoying than they had ever +been before, they said to the twins: + +"We are the true-born children of Christians, but you, with all your +neatness and superiority, are but castaways, without any other father +or mother than the river, and belong to the toads and frogs!" + +Upon receiving this insult the poor brother and sister were so filled +with shame and distress that they determined to go right away from +home and travel in search of their real parents At the early dawn next +day they got up and went forth without any one knowing it, and began +their journey, travelling they knew not whither. + +Half the day passed by, and they had not perceived as yet any abode, +nor seen a single living being. They were hungry, thirsty, and tired, +when on turning round a hillside, they discovered a little house and, +on reaching it, they found it empty and its inhabitants absent. + +Thoroughly disheartened, they seated themselves on a bench in the +doorway to rest. After a little while they noticed a number of +swallows collected together under the eaves of the roof, and as these +birds are such chatter-boxes, they began to prattle with one another. +Having learned the language of birds, the children knew what the +swallows said. + +"Holloa! my lady friend," said one of the birds, who had a somewhat +rustic air about it, to another that was of a very elegant and +distinguished mien, "my eyes are glad to see you once more! I thought +you had forgotten your country friends. How do you live in the +palace?" + +"I possess the nest of my ancestors," replied the other, "and as yet +they have not disinherited me, although, like yours, it is a century +old. But tell me before all," continued she with admirable finesse, +"how you and all your family are." + +"Well, thank heaven, for although I have had my little Mariguita laid +up with an inflammation of the eyes that was within an ace of leaving +her blind, when I obtained our old remedy, the _pito-real_, it cured +her as if by magic." + +"But what news have you to relate to me, friend Beatrice? Does the +nightingale still sing well? Does the lark soar as high as of yore? +Does the linnet still prune itself?" + +"Sister," responded the swallow, "I have nothing but downright +scandals to tell you of. Our flock, which formerly was so innocent and +temperate, is utterly lost, and has quite taken to the manners of +mankind. It is heartbreaking!" + +"What! Simple customs and innocence not to be found in the country, +nor among birds? My dear friend, what do you tell me?" + +"The pure truth and nothing more. Just figure to yourself that on our +arrival here, whom should we meet but those chattering linnets, who +went off in search of cold and storm when the spring came with long +days and bright flowers! We tried to dissuade the crazy creatures, but +they answered us with the utmost insolence." + +"What did they say?" + +"They said to us-- + + 'Whither do we go? + Whence come _you_, gossips, + Who travel so little + And talk so much?' + +This was their reply to us, and on hearing it, we made them march to +double-quick time." + +"What do I hear!" exclaimed the interlocutor. "That any one has dared +to accuse us, the most truthful and discreet of birds, of being +gossips?" + +"Then what will you think when I tell you," said the first speaker, +"that the lark, who was so timid and ladylike, has become an insolent +pilferer, and that-- + + The lady lark upon her flight + Pilfers pulse and pilfers maize + Before the very sower's sight, + And at his anger pertly says, + 'Sower, sower, more seed sow, + As that sown can never grow'?" + +"I am astounded!" + +"That is only half my story. When we arrived here, and I wished to +enter my nest, I found a shameless sparrow making himself quite at +home in it. 'This nest is mine,' I said to him. 'Yours?' he answered +rudely, and began to laugh. 'Mine and mine only.' 'Property is +robbery,' piped he quite coolly. 'Sir, are you crazy?' I said to him. +'My ancestors built this nest, my parents educated me in it, and in it +I mean to bring up my children.' Then at seeing me fainting, all my +companions began to weep. By the time I recovered my consciousness; +our husbands had put an end to the thieving rascal. But you, sister, +never see such scandals in the palace." + +"Don't we! Ah, if you only knew!" + +"Do tell us! do tell us!" exclaimed all the swallows with one voice. +When silence had been re-established, thanks to a loud and prolonged +hus-s-s-sh, uttered by an elder, the court dame began her story in +these terms. + +"You must know that the king fell in love with the youngest daughter +of a tailor who lived near the palace, and married her; the girl +deserved his love, for she was as good as she was beautiful, and as +modest as she was discreet. It so happened that the king had to go to +the wars and leave his poor wife in the saddest and most perplexed +position, for his ministers and courtiers who were very indignant at +having a tailor's daughter for their queen, conspired to ruin her. And +they availed themselves of the first opportunity. During the king's +absence beautiful twins were born, a boy and a girl; but the wicked +conspirators sent to tell him that the queen had for children a cat +and a serpent. + +"When the king received this intelligence, he was furious and sent off +a royal mandate that the queen should be entombed alive, and the +children cast into the river. This was done: the beautiful queen was +shut up in a stone vault, and her little darling twins were placed in +a crystal coffer, and left to the mercy of the stream." + +When they heard the fate of the poor queen and her innocent babes, the +swallows, who are very kind and affectionate, began to lament most +heartily, whilst the twins looked at each other in amazement, +suspecting it to be very probable that they themselves were the +castaway children. + +The city swallow continued her narrative: + +"But now hear how God frustrated the plots of these traitors. The +queen was entombed; but her attendant, who was very devoted to her, +contrived to make a hole in the wall, and supplied her with food +through it, as we do to our little ones through our nests, and thus +the lady lives, although a life of misery. Her children were rescued +by a good fisherman, who has brought them up, so a friend of mine, +Martin Fisher, who lives on the banks of the river, has informed me." + +The twins, who had heard the whole story, were delighted that they had +learned the language of birds; which indeed, is a proof that we should +never neglect any opportunity of learning for, when least we think it, +what we have learned may prove of great utility to us. + +"So then," said the swallows joyfully, "when these children are older, +they will be able to regain their place at their father's side, and +liberate their mother." + +"That is not so easy," said the narrator, "because they will not be +able to prove their identity, nor prove their mother's innocence, nor +the malice of the Ministry. There is only one method by which they +would be able to undeceive the king." + +"And what is that? What is that?" cried all the swallows together. +"And how do you know it?" + +"I know it," responded the narrator, "because one day when I was +passing by the palace garden, I met and had a chat with a cuckoo, who, +as you know, is a conjuror, and can foretell what will happen. As we +were discoursing with each other on the affairs of the palace, he said +to me--" + +The children and the swallows were listening now with redoubled +attention, and even the young swallows were thrusting their little +bald heads so far out of their nests, that they were in great peril of +falling. + +"'The only one who is able to persuade the king,' said the cuckoo to +me, 'is the Bird of Truth, who speaks the language of men, although +they for the most part do not know truth, and do not wish to +understand it.' 'And this bird, where is it?' I asked the cuckoo. +'This bird,' he answered, 'is in the castle of Go and Return Not; the +castle is guarded by a ferocious giant who only sleeps one quarter of +an hour in the day. If when he wakes up any one should be within reach +of his tremendous arm, he seizes and swallows him as we should a +mosquito.'" + +"And where is this castle?" inquired the inquisitive Beatrice. + +"That is what I do not know," responded her friend; "all that I know +about it is, that not far from it is a tower in which dwells a wicked +witch, who knows the way and will point it out to any one who will +bring her from the fountain that flows there, the Water of Many +Colours, which water she makes use of in her enchantments. But I +should also tell you that she would like to destroy the Bird of Truth, +though as no one is able to kill this bird, what she and her friend, +the giant, do is to keep it a prisoner guarded by the Birds of +Falsehood who will not let it speak a single word." + +"Then will nobody be able to inform the poor queen's son where they +have hidden the Bird of Truth?" inquired the country swallows. + +"Nobody," replied the city bird, "but a pious red owl, who lives as a +hermit in the desert, but who knows no more of the language of men +then the word 'Cross,' which he learned when, at Calvary, he beheld +the Crucifixion of the Redeemer, and which he has never ceased from +sorrowfully repeating. And thus he will not be able to understand the +prince, even supposing the impossible event should ever happen of the +boy finding him out. But, my dear friends, I must say good-bye, for I +have spent the whole afternoon in this pleasant chat. The sun is +seeking his nest in the depths of the sea, and I am going to seek +mine, where my little ones will be wondering what has happened to me. +Good-bye, friend Beatrice." + +So saying, the swallow took to flight, and the children in their joy, +feeling neither hunger nor fatigue, got up and pursued their way in +the same direction that the bird had flown. + +At the hour of evening service the children arrived at a city which +they imagined must be that in which the king, their father, dwelt. +They begged a good woman to give them shelter for the night, and this, +seeing they were so well-spoken and well-mannered, she kindly granted. + +The following morning had scarcely dawned when the girl arose and +tidied the house, and the boy drew the water and watered the garden, +so that when the good woman got up she found all the housework done. +She was so pleased with this that she proposed to the children that +they should remain and live with her. The boy said that his sister +might, but that it was necessary for him to arrange some business +matters, for which he had come to the city. So he departed, and +followed a chance road, praying to heaven to guide his steps and bring +his enterprise to a successful ending. + +For three days he followed various byways, but without seeing any +vestige of the tower; on the fourth, sad and weary he seated himself +under the shadow of a tree. After a short time he saw a little +turtle-dove arrive and rest among the branches of the tree; so he said +to it in its own language: + +"Little turtle-dove, I wish you could tell me where the castle of Go +and Return Not is?" + +"Poor boy," responded the turtle-dove, "who bore you such ill-will as +to send you there?" + +"It is my good or my evil fortune," replied the boy. + +"Then if you wish to know it," said the bird, "follow the Wind, which +to-day blows toward it!" + +Then the boy thanked the turtle-dove and recommenced his journey, +following the course of the wind as it changed and chopped about to +different points of the compass. The country gradually grew sadder +and more arid; and, as night approached, the path led between bare and +sombre rocks, a vast black mass among them being the tower wherein +dwelt the witch whom the boy was in search of. The sight of the +hideous place terrified him at first; but as he was brave--like every +one whose aim is the furtherance of a good work--he advanced boldly. +When he reached the tower, he picked up a big stone and struck the +gate with it three times; the hollows of the rocks reverberated with +the sounds, as if sighs were uttered from their very entrails. + +Then the door opened, and there appeared in the doorway an old woman +carrying a candle that lit up her face, which was so wrinkled and so +frightful that the poor boy recoiled in horror. Quite an army of +beetles, lizards, salamanders, spiders and other vermin surrounded the +witch. + +"How dare you disturb me, impudent beggar," she exclaimed, "by coming +to knock at my door? What do you want? Speak quickly!" + +"Madam," said the boy, "knowing that you alone know the way which +leads to the castle of Go and Return Not, I come to ask you, if you +please, to point it out to me." + +The old woman made a grimace, intended for a mocking smile, and +answered: + +"Very well; but now it is too late. You shall go to-morrow. Come in, +and you shall sleep with these little insects." + +"I am not able to stay," replied the boy. "It is necessary that I +should go at once, as I have to return by daybreak to the place whence +I came." + +"May dogs worry you, and cats tear you, you stubborn boy," growled the +old witch angrily. "If I tell you the way," she added, "it will only +be upon condition that you bring me this jar full of the Water of Many +Colours, which flows from the fountain in the courtyard of the castle; +and if you do not bring it to me, I will change you into a lizard for +all eternity." + +"Agreed!" cried the boy in return. + +Then the old woman called a poor dog, which looked very thin and +wretched, and said to it: + +"Up! conduct this good-for-naught to the castle of Go and Return Not, +and be careful that you inform my friend of his arrival." + +The dog snarled, shook himself savagely, and set forth. At the end of +about two hours they arrived in front of a very black, enormous, and +gloomy castle, whose portals stood wide open, though neither light nor +sound gave any indication that it was inhabited; even the rays of the +moon, as they were reflected upon the sombre and lifeless mass, seemed +to make it still more horrible. + +As he went forward the dog began to howl; but the boy, who knew not +whether this was the giant's hour for sleep, stopped and rested +himself timorously against the trunk of a withered and leafless wild +olive, which was the only tree to be found in that parched and naked +district. + +"Heaven help me!" exclaimed the boy. + +"Cross! cross!" responded a sad voice among the branches of the olive. +Joyfully the boy recognized the hermit owl which the swallow had +mentioned, and said to it in the language of birds: + +"Poor little owl, I beg you will help and guide me. I am come in +search of the Bird of Truth, and I have to carry the Water of Many +Colours to the witch of the tower." + +"Do not do that," responded the owl; "but when you have filled the jar +with the clear, pure water that flows from a spring at the foot of the +fountain of Water of Many Colours, go in quickly to the aviary, which +you will find in front of the doorway; do not take any notice of the +various coloured birds that will come to meet you and deafen you by +all shouting out together that they are the Bird of Truth; then seize +a little white bird which the others thrust on one side and persecute +ceaselessly, but cannot kill, because it cannot die. But go quickly, +for at this moment the giant is just going to sleep, and his sleep +only lasts for a quarter of an hour!" + +The boy began to run; he entered into the courtyard, where he found +that the fountain had many spouts whence poured waters of different +colours, but he did not look at them; he filled his jar at the spring +of pure, clear water which flowed from the spring at the foot of the +fountain, and then made his way to the aviary. Scarcely had he +entered it, when he was surrounded by a troop of birds, some plovers, +some black ravens, and others gorgeous peacocks, each one declaring +itself to be the Bird of Truth. The boy did not linger with them, but +went right forward, and finding the white bird he was in search of +huddled in the corner, he took it, placed it in his bosom, and went +forth, not however, without distributing a few good blows among the +enemies of the Bird of Truth. + +The boy did not cease running until he reached the witch's tower. When +he arrived, the old wretch seized the jar and flung all the contents +at him, thinking that it was the water of many colours, and that he +would be changed by it into a parrot; but as it was pure and clear +water, the boy only became handsomer than he was before. + +At the same time she had drenched all the insects, who were really +people that had arrived there with the same intention as the little +prince, and who were immediately changed back into their original +forms--the beetles into knights errant, the lizards into princesses, +grasshoppers into dancers, crickets into musicians, flies into +journalists, spiders into young ladies, _curianas_ (black flies) into +students, the weevils into boys, and so forth. When the old witch saw +this, she seized a broom and flew away. Then the disenchanted people, +the ladies, gentlemen, girls and boys thanked their liberator and +accompanied him on his way back to the city. + +You may imagine how delighted his sister was when she saw the young +prince return with the Bird of Truth. But a very great difficulty +still remained, and that was, how the bird could be got into the +presence of the king without the knowledge of the courtiers, who were +interested in preventing him from discovering the crime which they had +committed. And what was more, the Court having learned that the Bird +of Truth had been found, the news inspired such dread that few were +able to sleep tranquilly in their beds. All kinds of weapons were +prepared against it; some sharpened, others envenomed; hawks were +trained to pursue it; cages were prepared in which to imprison it, if +it were found impossible to kill it; they slandered it, saying that +its whiteness was an artificial paint, with which it coated its black +plumage; they satirized and ridiculed it in every possible manner. At +last so much was said about the Bird of Truth, that it reached the +king's ears, who wished to see it; and the more that the courtiers +intrigued to prevent it, the more he desired to view the bird. +Finally, his Majesty issued a proclamation, that whoever had the Bird +of Truth in his possession, was to present himself without delay to +the king. + +This was the very thing that the boy had wished for. So he hastened to +the palace, carrying the Bird of Truth in his bosom; but, as you can +imagine, the courtiers would not allow him to enter. Then the bird, +taking flight, entered into the royal household by a window, and +presenting itself before the king, said: + +"Sir, I am the Bird of Truth; the boy who brought me here in his bosom +has not been allowed by the courtiers to enter." + +The king commanded that the boy should be brought in at once, and he +entered with his sister, who had accompanied him to the palace. When +they came into the royal presence the king inquired who they were. + +"That the Bird of Truth can tell your Majesty," said the boy. + +And, questioned by the king, the bird answered that the children were +his Majesty's own, and informed him of all that had happened. As soon +as the king heard the story of the treason, with tears of joy he +clasped the children in his arms, and ordered masons to open the vault +in which the good queen had been so many years entombed. When the poor +lady came forth she was so white that she looked like a statue of +marble; but as soon as she beheld her children, the blood rushed from +her heart to her cheeks, and she became again as beautiful as she had +ever been before. The king embraced her, and seated her on the throne +with her children by her side. Then he ordered the good fisherman to +be fetched, and created him chief of the Ministry of Fishing; and the +queen's faithful attendant, who had saved her mistress's life, he +pensioned off, and created a duchess, and he distributed many other +gifts and benefits to celebrate the most joyful occasion of his life. + + + + +_The Two Genies_ + + +Every one in the province of Candahar knows the adventures of young +Rustem. He was the only son of a Mirza of that country--or as we might +say, a lord. His father, the Mirza, had a good estate. Rustem was to +be married to the daughter of a Mirza of his own rank, as both +families ardently desired. He was intended to be the comfort of his +parents, to make his wife happy, and to be happy with her. + +But, unfortunately, he had seen the Princess of Cashmere at the great +fair at Cabul, which is the most important fair in the whole world. +And this was the reason why the old Prince of Cashmere had brought his +daughter to the fair: he had lost the two most precious objects in his +treasury; one was a diamond as big as my thumb, on which, by an art +then known to the Indians, but now forgotten, a portrait of his +daughter was engraved; the other was a javelin, which of its own +accord would strike whatever mark the owner wished. + +A fakir in his Highness's train had stolen these treasures, and +carried them to the Princess. "Take the greatest care of these two +things," said he; "your fate depends upon them." Then he went away, +and was seen no more. + +The Prince of Cashmere, in great despair at his loss, determined to +travel to the fair at Cabul, to see whether among all the merchants +who collected there from the four quarters of the earth, there might +not be one who had his diamond or his weapon. He took his daughter +with him wherever he went, and unknown to him she carried the diamond +safe in her girdle; but as for the javelin, which she could not +conveniently hide, she left it in Cashmere, safely locked up in a +large Chinese chest. + +At Cabul she and Rustem saw each other, and they fell in love, with +all the ardour of their nation. As a love-token the Princess gave him +the diamond; and, at parting, Rustem promised to go to see her +secretly in Cashmere. + +The young Mirza had two favourite attendants who served him as +secretaries, stewards and body-servants. One was named Topaz; he was +handsome and well-made, as fair as a Circassian beauty, as gentle and +obliging as an Armenian, and as wise as a Parsee. The other was called +Ebony; a good-looking Negro, more active and more industrious than +Topaz, and one who never made objections. To them he spoke about his +journey. Topaz tried to dissuade him with the cautious zeal of a +servant who is anxious not to offend, and reminded him of all the +risks. How could he leave two families in despair, and cut his parents +to the heart? He shook Rustem's purpose; but Ebony once more confirmed +it, and removed his scruples. + +The young man had not money enough for so long a journey. Wise Topaz +would have refused to get it for him. Ebony provided it. He quietly +stole his master's diamond, and had a false one made exactly like it, +which he put in its place, pledging the real one to an Armenian for +many thousands of rupees. + +As soon as Rustem had the rupees he was ready to start An elephant was +loaded with his baggage, and they set out on horseback. + +"I took the liberty," said Topaz to his master, "of remonstrating +against your enterprise; but after speaking it was my duty to obey. I +am your slave. I love you, and will follow you to the end of the +world. But let us consult the oracle which is on our way." + +Rustem agreed. The answer of the oracle was this: "If you turn to the +east you will turn to the west." Rustem could not understand this. +Topaz maintained that it boded no good; Ebony, always accommodating, +persuaded him that it was very favourable. + +There was yet another oracle in Cabul, which they consulted also. The +Cabul oracle replied as follows: "If you possess you will not possess; +if you get the best of it, you will get the worst; if you are Rustem +you will not be Rustem." This saying seemed still more incomprehensible +than the other. + +"Beware," said Topaz. + +"Fear nothing," said Ebony. And he, as may be supposed, seemed to his +master to be always in the right, since he encouraged his passion and +his hopes. + +On leaving Cabul they marched through a great forest. Here they sat +down on the grass to eat, while the horses were turned loose to feed. +They were about to unload the elephant, which carried the dinner and +the service, when it was discovered that Topaz and Ebony were no +longer with the party. They called them loudly: the forest echoed with +the names of Topaz and Ebony; the men sought them in every direction +and filled the woods with their shouts, but they came back having seen +no one and heard no answer. "We saw nothing," they said to Rustem, +"but a vulture fighting with an eagle and plucking out all its +feathers." + +The history of this struggle excited Rustem's curiosity; he went to +the spot on foot. He saw no vulture or eagle, but he found that his +elephant, still loaded with baggage, had been attacked by a huge +rhinoceros. One was fighting with his horn, the other with his trunk. +On seeing Rustem the rhinoceros retreated, and the elephant was led +back. But now the horses were gone. "Strange things happen to +travellers in the forest!" exclaimed Rustem. The servants were +dismayed, and their master was in despair at having lost his horses, +his favourite negro, and the sage Topaz, for whom he had always had a +regard, though he did not always agree with his opinion. + +He was comforting himself with the hope of soon finding himself at the +feet of the beautiful Princess of Cashmere, when he met a fine striped +ass, which a vigorous peasant was beating violently with a stick. +There is nothing rarer, swifter, or more beautiful than an ass of this +kind. This one retorted on the rustic for his thrashing by kicks which +might have uprooted an oak. The young Mirza very naturally took the +ass's part, for it was a beautiful beast. The peasant ran off, crying +out to the ass: "I will pay you out yet!" The ass thanked its +liberator after its fashion, went up to him, fawned on him, and +received his caresses. + +Having dined, Rustem mounted him, and took the road to Cashmere with +his servants, some on foot and some riding the elephant. + +Hardly had he mounted his ass, when the animal turned toward Cabul, +instead of proceeding on the way to Cashmere. In vain his rider tugged +at the bridle, jerked at the bit, squeezed his ribs with his knees, +drove the spurs into his flanks, gave him his head, pulled him up, +whipped him right and left. The obstinate beast still made direct to +Cabul. + +Rustem was growing desperate, when he met a camel-driver, who said to +him: + +"You have a very stubborn ass there, master, which insists on carrying +you where you do not want to go. If you will let me have him, I will +give you four of my camels, which you may choose for yourself." + +Rustem thanked Providence for having sent so good a bargain in his +way. "Topaz was all wrong," thought he, "to say that my journey would +be unlucky." He mounted the finest of the camels, and the others +followed. He soon rejoined his little caravan, and went on his way +toward happiness. + +He had not marched more than four miles, when he was stopped by a +torrent, wide, deep and impetuous, tumbling over rocks all white with +foam. On each shore rose precipitous cliffs, which bewildered the eyes +and chilled the heart of man. There was no way of getting across, of +turning to the right hand or to the left. + +"I am beginning to fear," said Rustem, "that Topaz may have been right +to reprehend me for this journey, and I very wrong to undertake it. If +he were but here he might give me some good advice, and if I had +Ebony, he at any rate would comfort me, and suggest some expedient. As +it is I have no one left to help me." + +His dismay was increased by that of his followers. The night was very +dark, and they spent it in lamentations. At last fatigue and +dejection brought sleep to the love-sick traveller. He awoke, however, +at daybreak, and saw a fine marble bridge built across the torrent +from shore to shore. + +Then what exclamations, what cries of astonishment and delight! "Is it +possible? Is it a dream? What a marvel! It is magic! Dare we cross +it?" All the Mirza's train fell on their knees, got up again, went to +the bridge, kissed the ground, looked up to heaven, lifted their +hands; then tremulously set foot on it, went over, and came back in +perfect ecstasy, and Rustem said, "Heaven is on my side this time. +Topaz did not know what he was saying. The oracles were in my favour. +Ebony was right; but why is he not here?" + +Hardly had the caravan crossed in safety, when the bridge fell into +the torrent with an appalling crash. + +"So much the better!" cried Rustem. "God be praised! He does not +intend me to return to my own country, where I should be only a +private gentleman. He means me to marry the Princess. I shall be +Prince of Cashmere. In that way, when I possess my Princess, I shall +not possess my humble rank in Candahar; I shall be Rustem, and I shall +not, since I shall be a great prince. There is a great deal of the +oracle interpreted in my favour. The rest will be explained in the +same way. I am too happy! But why is not Ebony at my side? I regret +him a thousand times more than Topaz!" + +He rode a few miles farther in great glee; but as evening fell, a +chain of mountains, steeper than a rampart, and higher than the Tower +of Babel would have been when finished, entirely closed the road +against the travellers, who were filled with fears. + +Every one exclaimed: "It is the will of God that we should perish +here. He has broken down the bridge that we may have no hope of +returning; He has raised up this mountain to hinder our going forward. +Oh, Rustem! Oh, hapless Mirza! We shall never see Cashmere, we shall +never return to the land of Candahar!" + +In Rustem's soul the keenest anguish and most complete dejection +succeeded the immoderate joy and hopes which had intoxicated him. He +was now very far from interpreting the oracles to his advantage: "O +merciful heaven!" he cried. "Have I really lost my friend Topaz?" + +As he spoke the words, heaving deep sighs and shedding bitter tears in +the sight of his despairing followers, behold, the base of the +mountain opened, and a long, vaulted gallery lighted by a hundred +thousand torches was revealed to his dazzled eyes! + +Rustem broke into exclamations of joy; his people fell on their knees +or dropped down with amazement, crying out that it was a miracle, and +that Rustem was destined to govern the world. Rustem himself believed +it, and was uplifted beyond measure. "Ah! Ebony, my dear Ebony, where +are you?" he cried. "Why are you not here to see all these wonders? +How did I come to lose you? Fair Princess of Cashmere, when shall I +again behold your charms?" + +He marched forward with his servants, his elephant and his camels, +into the tunnel under the mountain, and, at the end of it came out +upon a meadow enameled with flowers and watered by brooks. Beyond this +meadow avenues of trees stretched into the far distance; at the end of +them was a river bordered by delightful houses in the loveliest +gardens. On every side he heard concerts of voices and instruments, +and saw dancing. He hurried across one of the bridges over the river, +and asked the first man he met what was this beautiful country. + +The man to whom he spoke replied: "You are in the province of +Cashmere; the inhabitants, as you see, are holding great rejoicings. +We are doing honour to the wedding of our beautiful Princess, who is +about to marry a certain lord named Barbabou, to whom her father has +plighted her. May heaven prolong their happiness!" + +On hearing these words Rustem fell down in a swoon. The gentleman of +Cashmere, supposing that he was liable to fits, had him carried to his +own house, where he lay some time unconscious. The two cleverest +physicians of the district were called in; they felt their patient's +pulse: and he, having somewhat recovered, sobbed and sighed, and +rolled his eyes, exclaiming, "Topaz, Topaz, you were right after all!" + +One of the physicians said to the gentleman of Cashmere, "I perceive +by his accent that this young man comes from Candahar; the air of this +country does not agree with him, and he must be sent home again. I can +see by his eyes that he is mad; leave him in my hands; I will take him +back to his own country and cure him." The other physician declared +that his only complaint was melancholy, and that he ought to be taken +to the Princess's wedding and compelled to dance. + +While they were discussing his case the sick man recovered his powers; +the two physicians were sent away, and Rustem remained alone with his +host. + +"Sir," said he, "I ask your pardon for fainting in your presence; I +know that it is not good manners, and I entreat you to accept my +elephant in acknowledgment of all the kindness with which you have +received me." + +He then related his adventures, taking good care not to mention the +object of his journey. "But, in the name of Brahma," said he, "tell me +who is this happy Barbabou who is to be married to the Princess of +Cashmere, and why her father has chosen him for his son-in-law, and +why the Princess has accepted him for her husband." + +"My lord," replied the gentleman of Cashmere, "the Princess is far +from having accepted him. On the contrary, she is drowned in tears, +while the province rejoices over her marriage. She is shut up in the +Palace Tower, and refuses to see any of the festivities prepared in +her honour." + +Rustem, on hearing this, felt new life in his soul, and the colour +which sorrow had faded came again into his cheeks. + +"Then pray tell me," he continued, "why the Prince of Cashmere +persists in marrying her to Barbabou against her will." + +"The facts are these," replied his friend. "Do you know that our +august Prince lost some time ago a diamond and a javelin, on which his +heart was greatly set?" + +"I know it well," said Rustem. + +"Then I must tell you," said his host, "that the Prince in despair at +hearing nothing of his two treasures, after searching for them all the +world over, promised his daughter in marriage to any one who would +bring him either of them. Then Barbabou arrived and brought the +diamond with him; and he is to marry the Princess to-morrow." + +Rustem turned pale. He muttered his thanks, took leave of his host, +and went off on his dromedary to the capital where the ceremony was to +take place. He reached the palace of the sovereign, announced that he +had matters of importance to communicate to him, and craved an +audience. He was told that the Prince was engaged in preparing for the +wedding. "That is the very reason," said he, "why I wish to speak to +him." In short, he was so urgent that he was admitted. + +"My lord," said he, "may heaven crown your days with glory and +magnificence! Your son-in-law is a rascal." + +"A rascal! How dare you say so? Is that the way to speak to a Prince +of Cashmere of the son-in-law he has chosen?" + +"Yes, a rascal," said Rustem. "And to prove it to your Highness, here +is your diamond, which I have brought back to you." + +The Prince, in much amazement, compared the two diamonds and, as he +knew nothing about gems, he could not tell which was the true one. + +"Here are two diamonds," said he, "but I have only one daughter. I am +in a strange dilemma!" + +Then he sent for Barbabou, and asked him whether he had not deceived +him. Barbabou swore that he had bought the diamond of an Armenian. +Rustem did not say from whom he had got his, but he proposed, as a +solution, that his Highness should allow him and his rival to fight in +single combat on the spot. + +"It is not enough that your son-in-law should possess a diamond," said +he, "he ought also to show proof of valour. Do you not think it fair +that the one who kills the other should marry the Princess?" + +"Very good," said the Prince; "it will be a fine show for all the +court. You two shall fight it out at once. The conqueror shall have +the armour of the conquered man, after the custom of Cashmere: and he +shall marry the Princess." + +The rivals immediately descended to the palace court. On the stairs +they saw a magpie and a raven. The raven cried; "Fight it out, fight +it out!" the magpie, "Do not fight!" This made the Prince laugh. The +rivals scarcely noticed the two birds. + +The combat began. All the courtiers stood round them in a circle. The +Princess still shut herself up in her tower, and would see nothing of +it. She had no suspicion that her lover could be in Cashmere, and she +had such a horror of Barbabou that she would not look on. The fight +went off as well as possible. Barbabou was left stone dead, and the +populace were delighted, for he was ugly and Rustem very handsome--a +fact which always turns the scale of public favour. + +The conqueror put on the dead man's coat of mail, his scarf and his +helmet, and approached the window of his mistress to the sound of +trumpets, followed by all the Court. Every one was shouting: "Fair +Princess, come and see your handsome bridegroom who has killed his +hideous rival!" and the ladies repeated the words. The Princess +unfortunately looked out of the window, and seeing the armour of the +man she abhorred, she flew in despair to the Chinese trunk, and took +out the fatal javelin, which darted, at her wish, to pierce her dear +Rustem through a joint in his cuirass. He gave a bitter cry, and in +that cry the Princess thought that she recognized the voice of her +hapless lover. + +She flew into the courtyard, her hair all disheveled, death in her +eyes and in her heart. Rustem was lying in her father's arms. She saw +him! What a moment, what a sight! Who can express the anguish, the +tenderness, the horror of that meeting? She threw herself upon him and +embraced him. + +"These," she cried, "are the first and last kisses of your lover and +destroyer." Then snatching the dart from his wound, she plunged it +into her own heart, and died on the breast of the lover she adored. + +Her father, horror-stricken and heartbroken, strove in vain to bring +her back to life; she was no more. He broke the fatal weapon into +fragments, and flung away the ill-starred diamonds: and while +preparations were proceeding for his daughter's funeral instead of her +wedding, he had the bleeding but still living Rustem carried into his +palace. + +Rustem was laid upon a couch. The first thing he saw, one on each side +of his death-bed, were Topaz and Ebony. Surprise gave him strength. +"Cruel that you were," said he; "why did you desert me? The Princess +might still perhaps be living if you had been at hand!" + +"I have never left you for a moment," said Topaz. + +"I have been always at your side," said Ebony. + +"What do you mean? Why do you insult me in my last moments?" replied +Rustem, in a weak voice. + +"Believe me, it is true," said Topaz. "You know I never approved of +this ill-advised journey, for I foresaw its disastrous end. I was the +eagle which struggled with the vulture, and which the vulture plucked; +I was the elephant which made off with your baggage to compel you to +return home; I was the striped ass which would fain have carried you +back to your father; it was I who led your horses astray, who produced +the torrent which you could not cross, who raised the mountain which +checked your unlucky advance; I was the physician who advised your +return to your native air, and the magpie which urged you not to +fight." + +"I," said Ebony, "was the vulture who plucked the eagle, the +rhinoceros which thrust its horn into the elephant, the peasant who +beat the ass, the merchant who gave you the camels to hasten you to +your ruin; I raised the bridge you crossed; I bored the mountains for +you to pass; I was the physician who advised you to proceed, and the +raven which encouraged you to fight." + +"Alas! And remember the Oracle," added Topaz; "If you turn to the east +you will turn to the west." + +"Yes, here they bury the dead with their faces turned westward," said +Ebony. "The Oracle was plain; why did not you understand it? You +possessed and you possessed not; for you had the diamond, but it was a +false one, and you did not know it; you got the best of it in battle, +but you also got the worst, for you must die; you are Rustem, but you +will soon cease to be so. The Oracle is fulfilled." + +Even as he spoke two white wings appeared on the shoulders of Topaz, +and two black wings on those of Ebony. + +"What is this that I see?" cried Rustem. And Topaz and Ebony replied: +"We are your two genies." "I," added Topaz, "am your good genie." + +"And you, Ebony, with your black wings, are apparently my evil genie." + +"As you say," replied Ebony. + +Then suddenly everything vanished. Rustem found himself in his +father's house, which he had not quitted, and in his bed where he had +been sleeping just an hour. + +He awoke with a start, bathed in sweat and greatly scared. He shouted, +he called, he rang. His servant Topaz hurried up in his night-cap, +yawning. + +"Am I dead or alive?" cried Rustem. "Will the beautiful Princess of +Cashmere recover?" + +"Is your Highness dreaming?" said Topaz calmly. + +"And what," cried Rustem, "has become of that cruel Ebony, with his +two black wings? Is it his fault that I am dying so dreadful a death?" + +"Sir, I left him upstairs, snoring. Shall I call him down?" + +"The villain! He has been tormenting me these six months. It was he +who took me to that fatal fair at Cabul; it was he who stole the +diamond the Princess gave me; he is the sole cause of my journey, of +the death of my Princess, and of the javelin-wound of which I am dying +in the prime of youth." + +"Make yourself easy," said Topaz. "You have never been to Cabul. There +is no Princess of Cashmere; the Prince has but two sons, and they are +now at school. You never had any diamond. The Princess cannot be dead +since she never was born; and you are perfectly sound and well." + +"What! Is it not true that you became in turn an eagle, an elephant, +an ass, a doctor, and a magpie, to protect me from ill?" + +"It is all a dream, sir. Our ideas are no more under our control when +sleeping than when awake. The Almighty sent that string of ideas +through your head, as it would seem, to give you some lesson which you +may lay to heart." + +"You are making game of me," said Rustem. "How long have I been +sleeping?" + +"Sir, you have only slept one hour." + +"Well, I cannot understand it," said Rustem. + +But perhaps he took the lesson to heart, and learned to doubt whether +all he wished for was right and good for him. + + + + +_Steelpacha_[6] + + +Once upon a time there was an Emperor who had three sons and three +daughters. As he was very old, his last hour drew nigh. He therefore +called his children to his bedside and laid earnest command upon his +sons to give their sisters, without hesitation, to the first suitors +who asked for them in marriage. "Marry them off," he said to the sons, +"or my curse will be upon you!" These were his last words. + +[Footnote 6: From "The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales," copyright, +1906, by Charles Scribner's Sons.] + +After his death, day passed quietly after day for a while. Then one +evening there came a loud knocking at the door. The whole palace began +to rock amid a wild roaring, howling, crashing; the castle was bathed +in a sea of flame. Every heart was terrified, and trembling took +possession of every soul. + +Suddenly a voice cried, "Open the door, ye princes!" + +Up spoke the Emperor's eldest son, "Do not open!" And the second said, +"On no account open!" But the youngest said, "Then I will open the +door myself." + +He sprang up and drew the bolts. Hardly was the door opened when a +fearful Being rushed in, the outline of whose form was hidden in +encircling flames. + +"I am come," he exclaimed, "to take your eldest sister for my wife, +and that at once. So give a short answer--yes or no; I insist upon +it!" + +Said the eldest brother, "I will not give her to you. Why should I, +when I know neither who nor whence you are? You come here by night, +demand my sister's hand upon the instant, and I do not even hear which +way I am to turn when I wish to visit her." + +Said the second brother, "Nor do I permit you to take away my sister +thus in the dead of night." + +But the youngest interposed, "Then I will give her away if you two +refuse. Have you already forgotten our father's command?" And taking +his sister by the hand he gave her to the stranger, saying, "May she +live happily with you and be ever faithful!" + +As the sister crossed the threshold every one in the building fell to +the ground in fear and horror. It lightened, it thundered, it crashed, +it quaked, the whole fortress swayed heavily, as if heaven and earth +were falling together. Gradually the uproar died away, and the rosy +eastern light announced the coming morning. + +As soon as day had broken the brothers searched for the traces which +they supposed would have been left by their tremendous nocturnal +visitor; but not a trace, not a footprint had he left behind. All was +swept away. + +On the following night, at the selfsame hour, the selfsame flashing, +crashing din was heard around the imperial fortress, and a voice +without cried loudly, "Open the door, you princes!" + +Paralyzed with terror, they threw open the door and a fearful Form +rushed in, crying in a loud voice, "Give me here the maiden, your +second sister! I have come to marry her!" + +Said the eldest brother, "I will not give you my sister!" + +Said the second, "I will not let my sister--" + +But the youngest broke in with, "Then I will! Will you never remember +what our father commanded?" + +He took his sister by the hand and led her to the wooer. "Take her; +she will be happy with you and always good." + +At this the powerful apparition vanished, and the maiden with him. + +As soon as morning dawned the brothers sought around the castle for +traces of the direction which the apparition had taken; but they found +nothing under the blessed sun, nor was there the slightest clue from +which they could make any sort of guess any more than if no one had +been there! + +On the third night, at the same hour, the whole castle was again +shaken to the foundation by a horrible uproar and earthquake, and a +voice called out, "Open the door, ye princes!" + +The Emperor's sons sprang nimbly to their feet and drew the bolts, +upon which a monstrous Form entered, exclaiming "We are come to demand +the hand of your youngest sister!" + +"Never!" shrieked the eldest and second brothers with one voice. "We +will not let this one go away thus by night. Surely we must at least +know of this our youngest sister whom she marries and where she goes, +that we may be able to visit her!" + +But up spoke the youngest brother, "Then I will give her away if you +refuse. Have you quite forgotten what our father charged us on his +dying bed? It is not so long ago." + +He took the sister by the hand and said, "Here she is; take her home +and live happily and joyfully with her!" + +In a twinkling the terrible Being disappeared in the midst of a +fearful uproar. + +When the morning dawned the brothers felt oppressed by anxiety, being +all uncertain as to the fate of their sisters. After a long interval, +during which no light had been thrown upon this matter, the three +brothers took counsel together: + +"Good heavens, did ever one know of anything so mysterious? What has +become of our sisters? We have not the least idea of their +abiding-place, nor any clue which can lead to their discovery." + +At length one said to the others, "Let us go forth to seek our +sisters." + +So the three brothers made ready without losing a moment. They took +money enough for a long journey and went out into the wide world to +seek their sisters. + +In the course of their wanderings they lost their way among the +mountains, where they wandered for a whole day. When night fell they +decided, on account of their horses, to encamp near a piece of water. + +And so they did. They reached the shore of a lake, pitched their +tents, and sat down to supper. When they lay down to sleep the eldest +brother said, "You may sleep, but I will stand guard." + +So the two younger brothers went peacefully to sleep, while the eldest +brother kept watch. At a certain hour of the night the lake became +agitated with a swaying motion which startled the watcher not a +little. He soon observed a shapeless form arising out of the midst of +the water and rushing straight toward him. It was a frightful monster +of a Dragon, with two great flapping ears, which was rushing so +fiercely upon him. The Prince bravely drew his sword, and seizing the +Dragon, cut off his head. Then he sliced off the ears and put them +into his wallet, and threw the head and the body back into the lake. + +Meantime the day had dawned, and the brothers still lay in profound +slumber, little dreaming of their eldest brother's heroic exploit. He +now waked them, but said not a syllable about his nocturnal adventure. +They left that place and continued their journey, and when twilight +began to fall they once more agreed to seek a halting-place near some +piece of water. But they were much terrified to find themselves quite +lost in a lonely wilderness. At last, however, they came upon a tiny +lake, where they decided to spend the night. They kindled a fire, +unpacked cooking utensils and food, and took their evening meal. After +that they disposed themselves to sleep. Then said the second brother, +"Do you two go to rest; I will mount guard to-night." + +The two brothers therefore lay down to sleep, but the third cheerfully +sat up and kept watch. Suddenly a rustling sound from the lake met his +ears, and he saw a sight which curdled the blood in his veins. A +two-headed Dragon rushed tumultuously upon the brothers as if to +annihilate them all three. + +Quick as thought the watcher sprang up, drew his glittering sword, +avoided the Dragon's attack, and cut off his two heads. Then he sliced +off the ears and put them into his wallet, throwing the other parts of +the monster back into the lake. The brothers knew nothing of the +affair, for both slept soundly until dawn. + +When day broke the second brother called to them, "Wake up, brothers, +the morning dawns!" + +Immediately they sprang up, packed their goods, and set forth upon +their way; but they had not the least idea where they were or in what +country. + +A great fear overwhelmed them that they might perish of hunger in +this wilderness, and they besought God to guide them at least to some +inhabited village or city, or to permit them to meet some human being, +for they had already wandered three days in this inhospitable +wilderness without coming to the end or finding any way out. + +It was rather early in the day when they came to a pretty large lake +and decided to go no farther, but to make their camp on this +lake-side. For they said, "If we go farther we shall very probably not +find any more water near which to make our camp." + +They remained, therefore, in this place, built a great fire, supped, +and made ready to sleep. Then said the youngest brother. + +"Do you two go to rest. I will take the watch to-night." + +So the two lay down and soon fell asleep, but the youngest brother +kept a sharp lookout, and often threw a glance over the shining +surface of the lake. + +Thus passed away a portion of the night, when suddenly the lake boiled +up, surged, foaming, upon the fire and half-extinguished it. But the +watcher whipped out his sword and took his position close to the fire. +Suddenly a three-headed Dragon rushed forth and made as if to kill the +brothers. + +Now was the hero-spirit of the youth tested. He waked not his +brothers, but went forth alone to meet the Dragon. Three times he +raised his sword, and each time he smote off one of the monster's +heads. Then he sliced off the ears, and threw the shapeless remains +into the water. + +While this tremendous conflict was going on the fire died out, having +been flooded by the water. The Prince would not waken his brothers, +although he had no tinder-box of his own to rekindle the flame, but +resolved to search around a little in the wilderness in hope of +stumbling upon some one who could help him. + +But nowhere was there a mortal soul! At last he climbed into a high +tree and looked around in all directions to see what he might see. + +As he was thus gazing far and wide his eyes were suddenly attracted by +a flash of light which seemed to be very near him. He descended the +tree and went in the direction of the light; hoping to get some fire +wherewith to rekindle the fire for his brothers. + +He went on for a long stretch, the light seeming always to be just +before him, when suddenly he found himself standing before a cave in a +rock in which nine Giants, gathered around an immense fire, were +roasting two men upon a spit, one on one side of the fire, the other +on the other. An enormous copper caldron, full to the brim with human +flesh, was bubbling over the fire. + +The imperial Prince was horrified at this sight. He would have turned +back, but whither should he go? Where was there a way of escape for +him? He quickly recovered his self-possession, however, and cried out, +"Good-morning, valiant comrades, I have long been seeking you!" + +They received him most cordially, answering, "God be with thee, if +thou art a true comrade." + +He replied, "Indeed I am, and shall be all my life long. I would risk +my head for you." + +"All right," they answered. "If you wish to be one of us, are you +ready to eat human flesh and take a share in our Adventures?" + +"Yes, that I will," said the Prince. "What you do, that will I do +also." + +"Faith, then all is well!" they said. "Sit down among us." + +They settled themselves around the fire. The caldron was taken off, +its contents served, and the meal began. The Prince received his +share, but he knew how to manage, and, instead of eating, he slyly +threw the meat, bit by bit, behind him. He did the same with the +roast. Then the Giants said: + +"Come, now, we must go a-hunting, for we must eat to-morrow as well as +to-day." + +So the nine Giants set out, with the Prince for a tenth. + +"Come," they said to him, "not far from here is a town in which reigns +an Emperor. His city has fed us for several years." + +As they drew near to the city they pulled up two fir-trees by the +roots and carried them along. When they reached the town they set one +of the trees against the wall and called to the Prince, "Come on, +climb up the wall here, and we will hand you the second tree. Seize it +by the point and let it down on the other side, but keep hold of the +top so that we may climb down by the trunk." + +The Prince accordingly scrambled up, but on receiving the second tree +he called out, "I don't know where to stand it; I am not familiar with +the place and dare not shove it over. Do one of you come up and show +me, and then I will make it all right." + +One of the Giants climbed up to him, seized the fir-tree by the point, +and let it down on the other side of the wall. As he stood thus bent +over, the Prince drew his sword and struck off his head, and the dead +Giant tumbled off the wall into the city. + +Then the Prince cried to the others, "All right! Come on now, one at a +time, that I may help you along in the same way." + +One after another unsuspiciously climbed up, only to meet death at the +hand of the Prince. When he had made an end of all the nine he let +himself down by the fir-tree into the city, which he explored in every +direction. No sound of human voice reached his ear. All was a drear, +horrible desolation. "Has the whole population been robbed and +murdered by the Giants?" he thought to himself. + +For a long time he wandered about the desolate city, until he came to +a very high tower, from one window of which shone out the light of a +taper. He threw open the door, rushed up the tower stair, and hastened +straight to that room. + +On the threshold he stood still in amazement. The room was richly hung +and decorated with gold, silk, and velvet, and not a soul within +except a maiden who lay upon a couch, out-stretched in deep slumber. +The Prince was rooted to the spot at the sight of the maiden, for she +was wonderfully beautiful. But at that moment he became aware of a +great serpent which, sliding along the wall, stretched out its head +directly over the head of the maiden, coiling itself up in readiness +to spring and strike her upon the brow, between the eyes. + +Then the Prince sprang quickly with his pocket-knife, which in a +trice he had drawn from his pocket, and pinned the serpent's head to +the wall. Then saying these words: "God grant that no hand but mine +may draw this knife out from the wall," he went quickly away. He +climbed up by one fir-tree and down by the other, and so got over the +wall. Arrived at the Giants' cave, he took some fire and ran back to +his brothers, who were still buried in profound slumber. As he kindled +the fire day began to dawn in the east. He wakened the brothers, and +they set forth upon their journey. + +That same day they came to the highway leading to the before-mentioned +city. A mighty Emperor reigned there who used to go about the city +every morning shedding bitter tears because his people were +exterminated and eaten by the Giants, and because of his constant fear +that his only daughter would fall a sacrifice to their gluttony. On +this morning he was going about the city as usual. It lay empty and +deserted; the inhabitants had dwindled away to a mere remnant; most of +them had found a grave in the giants' maws. + +As I have said, the Emperor was thus reviewing his city when suddenly +his eyes fell upon the uprooted fir-tree which still leaned against +the wall, and as he drew nearer he beheld a wonderful sight; there lay +the nine Giants, the very pests of the city, with their heads all cut +off! + +This sight gave the King unspeakable joy. The people also gathered +together to pray God that blessing and happiness might descend upon +the giant-slayer. At that very moment a servant came from the imperial +citadel to say that a serpent had nearly been the death of the +Emperor's daughter. Upon this the Emperor betook himself straightway +to the citadel, and to the very chamber of his daughter. Arrived +there, he saw upon the wall the impaled serpent, and tried with his +own hand to draw out the knife, but in vain. + +Then the Emperor sent a proclamation through his whole empire: +"Whoever has slain the Giants and impaled the serpent, let him make +himself known, that the Emperor may richly reward him and bestow upon +him the hand of his daughter." + +This proclamation was issued in every province of the empire. The +Emperor also gave command that great inns should be erected upon the +principal highways, where all travellers should be stopped and asked +whether they knew who had overcome the giants; and whoever should +discover the man, let him hasten with utmost speed to the Emperor to +receive a rich reward. + +According to the imperial proclamation, great inns were erected upon +the principal highways, and every traveller was stopped, examined, and +the whole affair explained to him. + +After a while the three Princes who were seeking their sisters came to +pass the night at one of these inns. After supper the landlord joined +the company, and began to boast of his wonderful exploits. At last he +turned to the three brothers with the question, "And what doughty +deeds have you done up to this time?" + +Then the eldest brother began, "As I and my brothers were upon our +travels it came to pass one night that we made our halt on the border +of a lake in a great wilderness. While my brothers were asleep and I +keeping watch, a Dragon came up out of the lake to destroy me. I drew +my sword out of the scabbard and struck off his head. If you don't +believe me, here are his ears." And he drew the ears out of his wallet +and threw them upon the table. + +When the second brother heard this, he began, "I had the watch on the +second night, and I killed a two-headed Dragon. If you don't believe +me, here are the ears which I cut from his two heads for a witness." +He said it and showed the two pairs of ears. + +The youngest brother heard the whole in silence. The landlord now +turned to him. + +"By heaven, youngster, your brothers are valiant heroes! Come let us +hear if you can also boast of any doughty deeds!" + +Hesitatingly the youngest began his story: "Well, I also did a trifle. +It was on the third night, beside the lake in the wilderness. You, my +brothers, were asleep. I kept watch. At a certain hour of the night +the lake surged up and a three-headed Dragon arose from it, who would +have annihilated us. Then I drew a sword and cut off all three of his +heads. If you don't believe it, here are the three pairs of ears!" + +Upon this the two brothers were dumb with astonishment. But the +youngest went on with his story: "In the meantime the fire had gone +out, and I went forth to seek a light. While straying around among the +hills I stumbled upon nine giants in a cave"; and so he went on and +told all his adventures in order, and every one was struck with +amazement at the wonderful tale. + +No sooner had the landlord heard the story than he ran secretly to the +Emperor and told him the whole affair. The Emperor gave him a great +sum of money, and sent his people at once to bring the three princes +before him. + +When they came into the Emperor's presence he put the following +question to the youngest: "Is it you who performed the wonders in our +city, killing the Giants and saving my only daughter from +destruction?" + +"Yes, it was I, mighty Emperor," replied the Prince. Here-upon the +Emperor married his daughter to the young Prince and raised him to the +highest office in the kingdom. + +Then the Emperor said to the two elder brothers, "If it please you to +remain in my empire, I will give you each a wife and will permit you +to build strongholds for yourselves." + +But they told him they were already married, and explained that they +had undertaken this journey merely to seek out their sisters. When the +Emperor heard this he detained only the youngest brother, his +son-in-law, and to the two other brothers he gave two mules laden with +gold. So the two brothers returned home to their own kingdom. + +Still the youngest brother thought continually of his sisters, and +kept always in mind the hope of yet seeking them out But on the other +hand he was pained at the thought of parting from his young wife, and +besides he knew that the Emperor would never consent to his leaving +him. So he was continually racked with anxiety about his sisters. + +One day the Emperor went hunting, and before setting out he said to +his son-in-law, "Do you remain in the castle during my absence. I give +to you nine keys which you must keep carefully by you. I give you +free leave to open three or four rooms. You will find in them silver +and gold in abundance; there is also no lack of weapons, or of any +kind of treasure. You may even, if you feel inclined, open eight of +the rooms. But beware of unlocking the ninth. Leave that one alone; +for," he added, "if you do not it will be the worse for you." Upon +this the Emperor departed, leaving his son-in-law at home alone. + +Hardly was the Emperor gone when the Prince began to open one door +after another, until he had examined eight rooms in succession. His +eyes beheld in them treasures of all kinds. When at last he came to +the door of the ninth room he said to himself, "I have seen and done +so many wonderful things, and shall it be forbidden me to enter a +certain room?" + +So he unlocked the door and went in. What a sight! There was a man +whose legs up to his knees and whose arms up to the elbows were +incased in iron; from his neck hung heavy iron chains, the ends of +which were fastened to stakes driven into the floor on all sides, +holding him so securely that he could not stir. Before him a stream of +water gushed from a golden vessel and flowed into a golden basin which +stood near; beside it was a golden jug, beautifully adorned with +jewels. The man longed to drink the water, but he could not reach the +jug. + +When the imperial Prince saw this he started backward; but the +fettered man cried, "Oh, come to me, I beseech you, in the name of the +living God!" + +The Prince drew nearer, and the man continued, "Oh, do a pious act; +let me drain a jug of water! Be assured I will reward you for it with +an additional life." + +The Prince considered the proposition. "Can there be anything better +for me than to secure for myself an additional life?" He took the jug, +filled it, and raised it to the man's lips, who emptied it at a single +draught. Upon this the Prince asked him, "In the name of heaven, who +are you?" + +The man answered, "My name is Steelpacha." + +The prince now turned toward the door, but the man implored him, "Give +me another jug of water, and I will give you a second life." + +The Prince thought, "He will give me a second life; I have one into +the bargain. This will be a prodigy indeed!" and he filled the jug +again and put it to the man's lips. + +He then turned away and already held the door-latch in his hand when +Steelpacha called to him, "Oh, sir, come back to me! You have twice +acted nobly by me; prove yourself a man a third time and I will give +you a third life. Take this jug, fill it to the brim, and pour it over +my head; and for this labour of love I will give you a third life." + +When the Prince heard this he turned back, took the jug, filled it +with water, and poured it over the man's head. The moment the water +touched him the chains about his neck fell asunder and all the bonds +which held him were unloosed. Quick as lightning Steelpacha sprang up, +spread a pair of wings, flew out of the window, snatched up the +Princess, the wife of his deliverer, took flight with her under his +wing, and in a moment had disappeared from view. That was a prodigy +indeed! + +The Prince now looked forward with deepest dread to the Emperor's +return. However, when the Emperor came home, the Prince told the whole +story exactly as it had happened. The Emperor was beside himself with +grief. "Why did you do thus?" said he reproachfully. "Did I not +expressly forbid you to enter the ninth room?" + +The Prince answered soothingly, "Don't be angry with me. I will go at +once to seek Steelpacha and rescue my wife from him." + +The Emperor tried to dissuade him from this plan. "Don't do that," +said he; "you shall on no account move a step from this place. You +have no idea who Steelpacha is. Many an army and much treasure did I +waste before I got him in my power. So remain quietly with me. I will +provide another wife for you. And don't be unhappy; I love you as my +own son." + +But the Prince was deaf to all these persuasions, and adhered to his +first resolution. He provided himself with the necessary money, +mounted his horse, and went forth into the world to seek Steelpacha. +For a long time he wandered about, and at last he arrived at a city. +He was gazing around with some curiosity, when suddenly a woman called +to him from a balcony, "You Prince, get down from your horse and come +into the court!" + +As the Prince entered the court the woman came to meet him. He looked +narrowly at her and recognized his eldest sister. They flew into each +other's arms and lavished sweet kisses upon each other. + +The sister was the first to speak. "Come out upon the balcony with me, +brother." + +When they were upon the balcony the Prince asked his sister whom she +had married, and she answered, "I am married to the Emperor of the +Dragons. My husband is himself a Dragon. So, brother, it would be +worth your while to hide, for my husband often says he would cut his +brothers-in-law in small bits if he ever laid eyes upon them. Let me +first question him; if he promises to do you no harm I will tell him +of your arrival." + +So said and so done. The sister concealed her brother and his horse. +The evening drew on. The Dragon's supper was ready; they were awaiting +his arrival, when at last he came. When he flew in the whole earth was +bathed in blinding light; but he had hardly entered when he called to +his wife: + +"Wife, I smell men's bones. Who is here? Tell me quick!" + +"No one is here," she answered. + +"That is not possible," said he. + +Upon this the wife said, "I want to ask you a question, and do you +answer me truly and honestly. Would you do any harm to my brothers if +they happened to come here?" + +The Dragon-emperor answered, "I would have the eldest and the second +killed and roasted, but I would do nothing to the youngest." + +Upon this she said, "My youngest brother, your brother-in-law, is +arrived." + +When the Dragon-emperor heard this he cried, "Out with him, then!" And +when the sister brought her brother from his hiding-place the Emperor +ran to meet him and showered kisses upon him. + +"Welcome here, brother-in-law!" + +"God be with you, sister's husband!" + +"Where were you hiding?" + +"Here I am!" And he told him the object of his journey, from beginning +to end. + +The Dragon-emperor said to him, "You are running the greatest risk, +God help you! The day before yesterday Steelpacha flew past with your +wife. I was awaiting him with seven thousand dragons, but we could not +overcome him. I adjure you, let that fiend alone. I will give you +money to your heart's desire; just go quietly home." + +But the Prince would not hear a word of this advice, and emphatically +declared that he would continue his journey on the morrow. When the +Emperor saw that he could not prevent him, nor induce him to turn +back, he drew a feather out of his wing and gave it to his +brother-in-law, with these words: + +"Give good heed to what I now tell you. Take this feather of mine, and +if you come across Steelpacha and find yourself in great danger, then +burn my feather; that very moment I will come to your aid with the +whole strength of my army." + +The Prince concealed the feather in a safe place and went his way. He +travelled on and on until he reached a second great city. Here again, +as he was going through the city, a woman called to him from a +balcony. + +"Ho, there, you Prince, dismount from your horse and come into the +court!" + +The Prince rode into the court. Behold, who comes to meet him? It is +his second sister! They rush into each other's arms and kiss each +other heartily. Then the sister led her brother into the castle. + +When she had put the horse into the stable she asked the object of his +journey, and he told her the whole story of his adventures, finally +asking her, "And whom have you married, dear sister?" + +She answered, "I am married to the Emperor of the Falcons. He will +come home to-night. But I must carefully conceal you, for he is +furious against my brothers." So saying, she concealed the Prince. + +In a little while the Falcon-emperor came home, and the whole city +quaked with the tumult of his approach. Supper was served at once, but +not before he had cried to his wife, "I smell men's flesh!" + +The wife answered, "What are you thinking of, husband?" + +At last, after talking for some time of this thing and that, she asked +him, "Would you do any harm to my brothers if they were to come here?" + +The Emperor said, "It would surely go hard with the eldest and the +second, but I would do nothing to the youngest." Then she told him of +her youngest brother's arrival. + +The Falcon-emperor commanded his wife to bring her brother before him, +and as soon as he beheld him he fell upon his neck and kissed him. +"Welcome, dear brother-in-law!" + +"A lucky and joyful meeting, dear sister's husband!" answered the +Prince; upon which they sat down to supper. + +After supper the Emperor asked his brother-in-law concerning the +object of his journey, and the Prince replied that he was seeking +Steelpacha, and told him all his adventures. But the Emperor began to +counsel him. + +"Give up your journey," said he. "Just let me tell you something about +Steelpacha. That very day on which he stole your wife I was awaiting +him with five thousand falcons, and waged a fearful battle with him. +Blood flowed knee-deep around us, yet we could not prevail against +him. And how shall you, a single man, overmaster him? So I give you +this well-meant advice: Go back home. So much of my treasure as your +heart desires is yours; take it and go." + +But the Prince answered, "Hearty thanks for your offer, but go back +with my task unperformed I will not. No, never! I must yet find +Steelpacha." For he thought to himself, "Why should I not? Have I not +three lives?" + +When the Falcon-emperor became convinced that he could not move him +from his purpose he drew a feather out of his wing and gave it to him, +with these words, "Here, take this feather of mine, and if you come +into great danger strike a fire and burn it I will come at once to +your aid with all my forces." + +So the Prince took the feather and set forth to seek Steelpacha. + +For a long time he went up and down through the wide world, until at +last he reached a third city. He had hardly entered it when a woman +called to him from a balcony, "Dismount and come into the court!" + +The Prince turned his horse and rode into the court. Behold, there was +his youngest sister! They fell into each other's arms and lavished +kisses upon each other. She led the horse into the stable, the brother +into the castle. Then the Prince asked, "Sister, whom have you +married?" + +And she answered, "My consort is the Emperor of the Eagles; it is he +whom I have married." + +When the Eagle-emperor came home that night his wife met him +affectionately; but he paid no attention to her greeting, but asked +her, "What man has come into my castle? Tell me at once!" + +She answered, "There is no one here," and they sat down to supper. +During supper she asked him, as if by chance, "Would you do any harm +to my brothers if they should suddenly arrive?" + +The Emperor answered, "The eldest and the second I should kill without +hesitation, but not the youngest. On the contrary, I would hasten to +his aid at any time, as far as it was in my power." + +Then she said to the Emperor, "My youngest brother is come to pay us a +visit." + +The Emperor commanded that he should be presented at once, went to +meet him and greeted him with "Welcome, dear brother-in-law!" + +The other answered, "A lucky and joyful meeting, dear sister's +husband!" + +So they sat down to the table. + +After supper they talked of one thing and another, and at last the +Prince told them that he was seeking for Steelpacha. When the +Eagle-emperor heard this he said everything he could think of to +dissuade him from this idea. + +"Dear brother-in-law," said he, "leave that fiend alone and give up +your journey. Stay, rather, here with me; you shall be made happy in +every respect." + +But the Prince paid no heed to his words, and as soon as morning +dawned he made ready and set off to seek Steelpacha. But before he +went away the Eagle-emperor, who saw that he could not turn him from +his purpose, drew forth a feather from his wing and said: + +"Take this feather, brother-in-law, and if ever you are in need or +danger, strike a fire and burn it. I will come at once with my eagles +to help you." + +The Prince put the feather in his pocket and set forth. + +Thus he roved around the world from city to city, going ever farther +and farther till at last one day he discovered his wife in a cavern. +She was not a little surprised to see him, and cried out to him, "In +the name of heaven, husband, how came you here?" + +He hastily told her his adventures, and added, "Wife, my wife! Quick, +let us flee!" + +But she hesitated. "Where shall we go, since Steelpacha can overtake +us in a moment? He will kill you on the spot, and bring me back here +again." + +But the Prince, being mindful of the three lives which Steelpacha had +given him, still coaxed his wife to flee, and they set out. Hardly had +they started when Steelpacha heard of it, gave rapid chase, and +overtook them. + +"Oho, little Prince!" he cried out, "you would steal my wife, would +you?" + +He tore her away from the Prince, and continued, "This time I give you +your life, for I have not forgotten that I promised you three lives; +but go now, and never come back again after her, for if you do your +life is at stake." + +With these words Steelpacha took the woman away, while the Prince +remained alone, in doubt what to do next. At last he resolved to go +after his wife again. + +When he arrived near the cavern he waited for his opportunity till +Steelpacha should be gone away; and once more he fled, taking his wife +with him. + +Steelpacha soon heard of it, pursued after them, overtook them, fitted +an arrow to his bow, and cried out, "Would you rather that I kill you +with this arrow, or shall I cut you down with my sword?" + +The Prince began to beg with all his might, and Steelpacha said to +him, "This second time I give you your life, but let me tell you one +thing: don't you try again to carry away this woman, for I will not +again give you your life, but will kill you on the spot as dead as a +mouse." + +With these words he seized the woman and carried her away, while the +Prince again remained alone, always planning how to rescue his wife. +Finally he said to himself, "After all, why should I be afraid? I +still have two lives--that one which he gave me and the one I had +before." + +So he resolved to go back to his wife the next day when Steelpacha was +absent. + +"Come," he said to her, "let us flee!" She objected that it was +useless to flee, since they would be at once overtaken; but he +constrained her to go with him. + +But very soon Steelpacha overtook them, and cried out to the Prince, +"Wait, just wait! I will never forgive you this!" The Prince was +terrified and began to beg for mercy, but Steelpacha silenced him. + +"You remember that I gave you three lives? All right; now I give you +the third, and you have nothing more to expect from me. So go home in +peace, and beware of hazarding the life which God lent you." + +When the Prince saw that he was powerless against the might of +Steelpacha he turned back homeward with a heavy heart. Suddenly he +remembered what his brothers-in-law had said to him when they gave him +the feathers, and he said to himself, "Come what come may, I will go +once more to rescue my wife, and in case of need I will burn the +feathers and call my brothers-in-law to my assistance." + +So said and so done. + +He went back to the cavern and saw his wife in Steelpacha's arms. He +waited around till the latter had gone away, and then showed himself +to his wife. She was not a little frightened, and cried out in terror, +"In the name of heaven! Is life so hateful that you come back again +for me?" + +He calmed her and told her that his brothers-in-law had promised to +help him in utmost need. "And therefore," said he, "I am come for you +once more; make ready to flee." + +She did so, and they hastened away; but Steelpacha soon got news of +their flight, and cried to them from afar, "Just wait, little Prince; +you haven't escaped me yet!" + +But as soon as the Prince saw Steelpacha he drew the three feathers +and his tinder-box out of his pocket, struck a light, and kindled the +feathers one by one. But while they were kindling Steelpacha overtook +him, drew his sword, and cleft the Prince in half. + +That very moment what a prodigy occurred! There came flying the +Dragon-emperor with his dragons, the Falcon-emperor with his falcons, +and the Eagle-emperor with all his eagles, and waged battle with +Steelpacha. Blood flowed in streams, but fortune favoured Steelpacha, +and he made off safely, carrying his prize, the Princess, with him. + +The three emperors now took counsel over their brother-in-law's body, +and decided to recall him to life. So they summoned three of the +swiftest dragons and asked which one of them could most speedily bring +some water from the river Jordan. The first one said, "I can do it +within half an hour;" the second said, "I can do it in a quarter of an +hour;" the third said, "I will have it here in nine minutes." The +emperors said to this one, "Then set out, Dragon, as fast as +possible." + +The Dragon put forth all his impetuous strength, and truly within nine +minutes he brought back the water from the Jordan. The emperors took +the water, poured it over the two portions of the Prince's body and +scarcely had the water touched them when the young man sprang upon his +feet, safe and sound, as if nothing had happened to him. + +The emperors then counselled him, "Now go back home, since you have +been restored to life!" + +But the Prince answered that he must once more try his luck, and, by +one means or another, free his wife from the clutches of that fiend. +His imperial brothers-in-law remonstrated: + +"Do give it up! You will surely perish this time, for you have no life +at command except the one God lent you!" + +But for all answer the Prince remained dumb. + +Then the emperors said, "All right; if you are bent upon trying again, +come what come may, at least don't attempt to get your wife away by +flight, but beg her to wheedle Steelpacha into telling her wherein his +strength lies. Then bring us word, that we may help you to get the +best of him." + +So the Prince stole secretly to his wife and told her how she should +coax Steelpacha to tell her the secret of his strength. Then he betook +himself to some place of safety. + +When Steelpacha came home the Princess beset him with questions. "In +heaven's name, do tell me wherein your strength lies!" + +Steelpacha answered, "My pretty wife, my strength lies in my sword." + +Then the Princess prayed to the sword as if to God. At sight of this +Steelpacha burst into a mocking laugh and said to her, "Oh, you simple +woman! my strength lies not in my sword but in my arrow." + +Therefore she fell upon her knees before the arrow and began to pray +to it. Then Steelpacha said, "My wife, some one must have well taught +you how to coax from me the secret of my strength. If your husband +were alive I should say it was he who had taught you." + +But she swore by body and soul that no one had taught her, no one had +been there. + +After several days her husband came again, and she told him that thus +far it had been impossible to learn from Steelpacha wherein his +strength lay. But the Prince answered, "Try again," and went away. + +When Steelpacha came home she asked him anew wherein his strength lay. +Upon which he answered her, "Since I see that you have a high respect +for my strength, I will confess the truth about it." + +Then he told her: "Far from here is a mountain-peak. On this +mountain-peak lives a Fox. The Fox has a heart in which a bird is +concealed; this bird holds my strength. But that Fox is very hard to +catch, for he has many transformations." + +The next day, when Steelpacha was away from home, the Prince came +again to his wife to learn what he had told her. She repeated +everything carefully, and the Prince went straight away to his +brothers-in-law with the much-longed-for news. They received it with +joy, and at once set out with the Prince to go to that mountain-peak. + +Arrived there, they set the eagles upon the Fox, which immediately +took refuge in a lake and there changed himself into a gull with six +wings. But the falcons gave battle to the gull and drove him thence. +He flew high amid the clouds, the falcons ever following. In a trice +the gull changed himself into a fox again and tried to escape into the +earth; but, falling into the power of the eagles and all the rest of +the mighty host, he was surrounded and taken prisoner. + +Then the emperors commanded that the Fox should be cut open and his +heart taken out. A fire was kindled, the heart cut open, and the bird +taken out and cast into the flames. As soon as the bird was burned +Steelpacha vanished forever. + +So the Prince took his wife and went happily home. + + + + +_The Buried Moon_ + + +Long ago in my grandmother's time, the Carland was all in bogs, great +pools of black water, and creeping trickles of green water, and +squishy mools which squirted when you stepped on them. + +Well, granny used to say how long before her time the Moon herself was +once dead and buried in the marshes, and as she used to tell me, I'll +tell you all about it. + +The Moon up yonder shone and shone just as she does now, and when she +shone she lighted up the bogpools, so that one could walk about almost +as safe as in the day. + +But when she didn't shine, out came the Things that dwelt in the +darkness and went about seeking to do evil and harm; Bogles and +Crawling Horrors, all came out when the Moon didn't shine. + +Well, the Moon heard of this, and being kind and good--as she surely +is, shining for us in the night instead of taking her natural +rest--she was main troubled. "I'll see for myself, I will," said she, +"maybe it's not so bad as folks make out." + +Sure enough, at the month's end down she stepped, wrapped up in a +black cloak, and a black hood over her yellow shining hair. Straight +she went to the bog edge and looked about her. Water here and water +there; waving tussocks and trembling mools, and great black snags all +twisted and bent. Before her all was dark--dark but for the glimmer of +the stars in the pools, and the light that came from her own white +feet, stealing out of her black cloak. + +The Moon drew her cloak faster about her and trembled, but she +wouldn't go back without seeing all there was to be seen; so on she +went, stepping as light as the wind in summer from tuft to tuft +between the muddy, gurgling water holes. Just as she came near a big +black pool her foot slipped and she was nigh tumbling in. She grabbed +with both hands at a snag near by, to steady herself with, but as she +touched it, it twined itself round her wrists, like a pair of +handcuffs, and gripped her so that she couldn't move. She pulled and +twisted and fought, but it was no good. She was fast, and must stay +fast. + +Presently as she stood trembling in the dark, wondering if help would +come, she heard something calling in the distance, calling, calling, +and then dying away with a sob, till the marshes were full of this +pitiful crying sound; then she heard steps floundering along, +squishing in the mud and slipping on the tufts, and through the +darkness she saw a white face with great feared eyes. + +'T was a man strayed in the bogs. Mazed with fear he struggled on +toward the flickering light that looked like help and safety. And when +the poor Moon saw that he was coming nigher and nigher to the deep +hole, farther and farther from the path, she was so mad and so sorry +that she struggled and fought and pulled harder than ever. And though +she couldn't get loose she twisted and turned, till her black hood +fell back off her shining yellow hair, and the beautiful light that +came from it drove away the darkness. + +Oh, but the man cried with joy to see the light again. And at once all +evil things fled back into the dark corners, for they cannot abide the +light. So he could see where he was, and where the path was, and how +he could get out of the marsh. And he was in such haste to get away +from the Quicks, and Bogles, and Things that dwelt there, that he +scarce looked at the brave light that came from the beautiful shining +yellow hair, streaming out over the black cloak and falling to the +water at his feet. And the Moon herself was so taken up with saving +him, and with rejoicing that he was back on the right path, that she +clean forgot that she needed help herself, and that she was held fast +by the Black Snag. + +So off he went, spent and gasping, and stumbling and sobbing with joy, +flying for his life out of the terrible bogs. Then it came over the +Moon, she would main like to go with him. So she pulled and fought as +if she were mad, till she fell on her knees, spent with tugging, at +the foot of the snag. And as she lay there, gasping for breath, the +black hood fell forward over her head. So out went the blessed light +and back came the darkness, with all its Evil Things, with a screech +and a howl. They came crowding round her, mocking and snatching and +beating; shrieking with rage and spite, and swearing and snarling, for +they knew her for their old enemy, that drove them back into the +corners, and kept them from working their wicked wills. + +"Drat thee!" yelled the witch-bodies, "thou 'st spoiled our spells +this year agone!" + +"And us thou sent'st to brood in the corners!" howled the Bogles. + +And all the Things joined in with a great "Ho, ho!" till the very +tussocks shook and the water gurgled. And they began again. + +"We'll poison her--poison her!" shrieked the witches. + +And "Ho, ho!" howled the Things again. + +"We'll smother her--smother her!" whispered the Crawling Horrors, and +twined themselves round her knees. + +And "Ho, ho!" mocked the rest of them. + +And again they all shouted with spite and ill-will. And the poor Moon +crouched down, and wished she was dead and done with. + +And they fought and squabbled what they should do with her, till a pale +gray light began to come in the sky; and it drew nigh the dawning. And +when they saw that, they were feared lest they shouldn't have time to +work their will; and they caught hold of her, with horrid bony fingers, +and laid her deep in the water at the foot of the snag. And the Bogles +fetched a strange big stone and rolled it on top of her, to keep her +from rising. And they told two of the Will-o-the-wykes to take turns in +watching on the black snag, to see that she lay safe and still, and +couldn't get out to spoil their sport. + +And there lay the poor Moon, dead and buried in the bog; till some one +would set her loose; and who'd know where to look for her? + +Well, the days passed, and 't was the time for the new moon's coming, +and the folk put pennies in their pockets and straws in their caps so +as to be ready for her, and looked about, for the Moon was a good +friend to the marsh folk, and they were main glad when the dark time +was gone, and the paths were safe again, and the Evil Things were +driven back by the blessed Light into the darkness and the waterholes. + +But days and days passed, and the new Moon never came, and the nights +were aye dark, and the Evil Things were worse than ever. And still the +days went on, and the new Moon never came. Naturally the poor folk +were strangely feared and mazed, and a lot of them went to the Wise +Woman who dwelt in the old mill, and asked if so be she could find out +where the Moon was gone. + +"Well," said she, after looking in the brewpot, and in the mirror, and +in the Book, "it be main queer, but I can't rightly tell ye what's +happened to her. If ye hear aught, come and tell me." + +So they went their ways; and as days went by, and never a Moon came, +naturally they talked--my word! I reckon they _did_ talk! their +tongues wagged at home, and at the inn, and in the garth. But so came +one day, as they sat on the great settle in the Inn, a man from the +far end of the bog lands was smoking and listening, when all at once +he sat up and slapped his knee. "My faicks!" said he, "I'd clean +forgot, but I reckon I kens where the Moon be!" and he told them of +how he was lost in the bogs, and how, when he was nigh dead with +fright, the light shone out, and he found the path and got home safe. + +So off they all went to the Wise Woman, and told her about it, and she +looked long in the pot and the Book again, and then she nodded her +head. + +"It's dark still, childer, dark!" says she, "and I can't rightly see, +but do as I tell ye, and ye'll find out for yourselves. Go, all of ye, +just afore the night gathers, put a stone in your mouth, and take a +hazel-twig in your hands, and say never a word till you're safe home +again. Then walk on and fear not, far into the midst of the marsh, +till ye find a coffin, a candle, and a cross. Then ye'll not be far +from your Moon; look, and m'appen ye'll find her." + +So come the next night in the darklings, out they went all together, +every man with a stone in his mouth, and a hazel-twig in his hand, and +feeling, thou may'st reckon, main feared and creepy. And they stumbled +and stottered along the paths into the midst of the bogs; they saw +naught, though they heard sighings and flutterings in their ears, and +felt cold wet fingers touching them; but all together, looking around +for the coffin, the candle, and the cross, while they came nigh to the +pool beside the great snag, where the Moon lay buried. And all at once +they stopped, quaking and mazed and skeery, for there was the great +stone, half in, half out of the water, for all the world like a +strange big coffin; and at the head was the black snag, stretching out +its two arms in a dark gruesome cross, and on it a tiddy light +flickered, like a dying candle. And they all knelt down in the mud, +and said, "Our Lord," first forward, because of the cross, and then +backward, to keep off the Bogles; but without speaking out, for they +knew that the Evil Things would catch them, if they didn't do as the +Wise Woman told them. + +Then they went nigher, and took hold of the big stone, and shoved it +up, and afterward they said that for one tiddy minute they saw a +strange and beautiful face looking up at them glad-like out of the +black water; but the Light came so quick and so white and shining, +that they stepped back mazed with it, and the very next minute, when +they could see again, there was the full Moon in the sky, bright and +beautiful and kind as ever, shining and smiling down at them, and +making the bogs and the paths as clear as day, and stealing into the +very corners, as though she'd have driven the darkness and the Bogles +clean away if she could. + + + + +_The Farmer of Liddesdale_ + + +There was in Liddesdale (in Morven) a Farmer who suffered great loss +within the space of one year. In the first place, his wife and +children died, and shortly after their death the Ploughman left him. +The hiring-markets were then over, and there was no way of getting +another Ploughman in the place of the one that left. When spring came +his neighbours began ploughing; but he had not a man to hold the +plough, and he knew not what he should do. The time was passing, and +he was, therefore, losing patience. At last he said to himself, in a +fit of passion, that he would engage the first man that came his way, +whoever he should be. + +Shortly after that a man came to the house. The Farmer met him at the +door, and asked him whither was he going, or what was he seeking? He +answered that he was a Ploughman, and that he wanted an engagement. "I +want a Ploughman, and if we agree about the wages, I will engage thee. +What dost thou ask from this day to the day when the crop will be +gathered in?" + +"Only as much of the corn when it shall be dry as I can carry with me +in one burden-withe." + +"Thou shalt get that," said the Farmer, and they agreed. + +Next morning the Farmer went out with the Ploughman, and showed him +the fields which he had to plough. Before they returned, the Ploughman +went to the wood, and having cut three stakes, came back with them, +and placed one of them at the head of each one of the fields. After he +had done that he said to the Farmer, "I will do the work now alone, +and the ploughing need no longer give thee anxiety." + +Having said this, he went home and remained idle all that day. The +next day came, but he remained idle as on the day before. After he +had spent a good while in that manner, the Farmer said to him that it +was time for him to begin to work now, because the spring was passing +away, and the neighbours had half their work finished. + +He replied, "Oh, our land is not ready yet." + +"How dost thou think that?" + +"Oh, I know it by the stakes." + +If the delay of the Ploughman made the Farmer wonder, this answer made +him wonder more. He resolved that he would keep his eye on him, and +see what he was doing. + +The Farmer rose early next morning, and saw the Ploughman going to the +first field. When he reached the field, he pulled the stake at its end +out of the ground, and put it to his nose. He shook his head and put +the stake back in the ground, He then left the first field and went to +the rest. He tried the stakes, shook his head, and returned home. In +the dusk he went out the second time to the fields, tried the stakes, +shook his head, and after putting them again in the ground, went home. +Next morning he went out to the fields the third time. When he reached +the first stake he pulled it out of the ground and put it to his nose +as he did on the foregoing days. But no sooner had he done that than +he threw the stake from him, and stretched away for the horses with +all his might. + +He got the horses, the withes, and the plough, and when he reached the +end of the first field with them, he thrust the plough into the +ground, and cried: + + "My horses and my leather-traces, and mettlesome lads, + The earth is coming up!" + +He then began ploughing, kept at it all day at a terrible rate and +before the sun went down that night there was not a palm-breadth of +the three fields which he had not ploughed, sowed, and harrowed. When +the Farmer saw this he was exceedingly well pleased, for he had his +work finished as soon as his neighbours. + +The Ploughman was quick and ready to do everything that he was told, +and so he and the Farmer agreed well until the harvest came. But on a +certain day when the reaping was over the Farmer said to him that he +thought the corn was dry enough for putting in. The Ploughman tried a +sheaf or two, and answered that it was not dry yet. But shortly after +that day he said that it was now ready. "If it is," said the Farmer, +"we'd better begin putting it in." + +"We will not until I get my share out of it first," said the +Ploughman. He then went off to the wood, and in a short time returned, +having in his hand a withe scraped and twisted. He stretched the withe +on the field, and began to put the corn in it. He continued putting +sheaf after sheaf in the withe until he had taken almost all the +sheaves that were on the field. The Farmer asked of him what he meant? +"Thou didst promise me as wages as much corn as I could carry with me +in one burden-withe, and here I have it now," said the Ploughman, as +he was shutting the withe. + +The Farmer saw that he would be ruined by the Ploughman, and therefore +said: + + "'T was in the Mart I sowed, + 'T was in the Mart I baked, + 'T was in the Mart I harrowed. + Thou Who hast ordained the three Marts, + Let not my share go in one burden-withe.'" + +Instantly the withe broke, and it made a loud report, which echo +answered from every rock far and near. Then the corn spread over the +field, and the Ploughman went away in a white mist in the skies, and +was seen no more. + + + + +_The Badger's Money_ + + +Once upon a time, in a hut at a place called Namékata, in Hitache, +there lived an old priest, famous neither for learning nor wisdom, but +bent only on passing his days in prayer and meditation. He had not +even a child to wait upon him, but prepared his food with his own +hands. Night and morning he recited the prayer, "Namu Amida Butsu," +intent upon that alone. Although the fame of his virtue did not reach +far, yet his neighbours respected and revered him, and often brought +him food and raiment; and when his roof or his walls fell out of +repair, they would mend them for him; so for the things of this world +he took no thought. + +One very cold night, when he little thought any one was outside, he +heard a voice calling, "Your reverence! your reverence!" So he rose +and went out to see who it was, and there he beheld an old badger +standing. Any ordinary man would have been greatly alarmed at the +apparition; but the priest, being such as he has been described above, +showed no sign of fear, but asked the creature his business. Upon this +the badger respectfully bent its knees, and said: + +"Hitherto, sir, my lair has been in the mountains, and of snow or +frost I have taken no heed; but now I am growing old, and this severe +cold is more that I can bear. I pray you to let me enter and warm +myself at the fire of your cottage, that I may live through this +bitter night." + +When the priest heard what a helpless state the beast was reduced to, +he was filled with pity, and said: + +"That's a very slight matter; make haste and come in and warm +yourself." + +The badger, delighted with so good a reception, went into the hut, and +squatting down by the fire began to warm itself; and the priest, with +renewed fervour, recited his prayers and struck his bell before the +image of Buddha, looking straight before him. After two hours the +badger took its leave, with profuse expressions of thanks, and went +out; and from that time forth it came every night to the hut. As the +badger would collect and bring with it dried branches and dead leaves +from the hills for firewood, the priest at last became very friendly +with it, and got used to its company; so that if ever, as the night +wore on, the badger did not arrive, he used to miss it, and wonder why +it did not come. When the winter was over, and the spring-time came at +the end of the second month, the badger gave up its visits, and was no +more seen; but, on the return of the winter, the beast resumed its old +habit of coming to the hut. When this practice had gone on for ten +years, one day the badger said to the priest, "Through your +reverence's kindness for all these years, I have been able to pass the +winter nights in comfort. Your favours are such that, during all my +life, and even after my death, I must remember them. What can I do to +requite them? If there is anything that you wish for, pray tell me." + +The priest, smiling at this speech, answered, "Being such as I am, I +have no desire and no wishes. Glad as I am to hear your kind +intentions, there is nothing that I can ask you to do for me. You need +feel no anxiety on my account. As long as I live, when the winter +comes, you shall be welcome here." The badger, on hearing this, could +not conceal its admiration at the depth of the old man's benevolence; +but having so much to be grateful for, it felt hurt at not being able +to requite it. As this subject was often renewed between them, the +priest at last, touched by the goodness of the badger's heart, said, +"Since I have shaven my head, renounced the world, and forsaken the +pleasures of this life, I have no desire to gratify, yet I own I +should like to possess three riyos in gold. Food and raiment I receive +by the favour of the villagers, so I take no heed for those things. +Were I to die to-morrow, and attain my wish of being born again into +the next world, the same kind folk have promised to meet and bury my +body. Thus, although I have no other reason to wish for money, still +if I had three riyos I would offer them up at some holy shrine, that +masses and prayers might be said for me, whereby I might enter into +salvation. Yet I would not get this money by violent or unlawful +means; I only think of what might be if I had it. So you see, since +you have expressed such kind feelings toward me, I have told you what +is on my mind." When the priest had done speaking, the badger leaned +its head on one side with a puzzled and anxious look, so much so that +the old man was sorry he had expressed a wish which seemed to give the +beast trouble, and tried to retract what he had said. "Posthumous +honours, after all, are the wish of ordinary men, I, who am a priest, +ought not to entertain such thoughts, or to want money; so pray pay no +attention to what I have said;" and the badger, feigning assent to +what the priest had impressed upon it, returned to the hills as usual. + +From that time forth the badger came no more to the hut. The priest +thought this very strange, but imagined either that the badger stayed +away because it did not like to come without the money, or that it had +been killed in an attempt to steal it; and he blamed himself for +having added to his sins for no purpose, repenting when it was too +late: persuaded, however, that the badger must have been killed, he +passed his time in putting up prayers upon prayers for it. + +After three years had gone by, one night the old man heard a voice +near his door calling out, "Your reverence! your reverence!" + +As the voice was like that of the badger, he jumped up as soon as he +heard it, and ran out to open the door; and there, sure enough, was +the badger. The priest, in great delight, cried out, "And so you are +safe and sound, after all! Why have you been so long without coming +here? I have been expecting you anxiously this long while." + +So the badger came into the hut, and said, "If the money which you +required had been for unlawful purposes, I could easily have procured +as much as ever you might have wanted; but when I heard that it was to +be offered to a temple for masses for your soul, I thought that, if I +were to steal the hidden treasure of some other man, you could not +apply to a sacred purpose money which had been obtained at the +expense of his sorrow. So I went to the island of Sado, and gathering +the sand and earth which had been cast away as worthless by the +miners, fused it afresh in the fire; and at this work I spent months +and days." As the badger finished speaking, the priest looked at the +money which it had produced, and sure enough he saw that it was bright +and new and clean; so he took the money, and received it respectfully, +raising it to his head. + +"And so you have had all this toil and labour on account of a foolish +speech of mine? I have obtained my heart's desire, and am truly +thankful." + +As he was thanking the badger with great politeness and ceremony, the +beast said, "In doing this I have but fulfilled my own wish; still I +hope that you will tell this thing to no man." + +"Indeed," replied the priest, "I cannot choose but tell this story. +For if I keep the money in my poor hut, it will be stolen by thieves: +I must either give it to some one to keep for me, or else at once +offer it up at the temple. And when I do this, when people see a poor +old priest with a sum of money quite unsuited to his station, they +will think it very suspicious, and I shall have to tell the tale as it +occurred; but as I shall say that the badger that gave me the money +has ceased coming to my hut, you need not fear being waylaid, but can +come, as of old, and shelter yourself from the cold." To this the +badger nodded assent, and as long as the old priest lived, it came and +spent the winter nights with him. + + + + +_The Grateful Foxes_ + + +One fine spring day, two friends went out to a moor to gather fern, +attended by a boy with a bottle of wine and a box of provisions. As +they were straying about, they saw at the foot of a hill a fox that +had brought out its cub to play; and whilst they looked on, struck by +the strangeness of the sight, three children came up from a +neighbouring village with baskets in their hands, on the same errand +as themselves. As soon as the children saw the foxes, they picked up a +bamboo stick and took the creatures stealthily in the rear; and when +the old foxes took to flight, they surrounded them and beat them with +the stick, so that they ran away as fast as their legs could carry +them; but two of the boys held down the cub, and, seizing it by the +scruff of the neck, went off in high glee. + +The two friends were looking on all the while, and one of them, +raising his voice, shouted out, "Hallo! you boys! what are you doing +with that fox?" + +The eldest of the boys replied, "We're going to take him home and sell +him to a young man in our village. He'll buy him, and then he'll boil +him in a pot and eat him." + +"Well," replied the other, after considering the matter attentively, +"I suppose it's all the same to you whom you sell him to. You'd better +let me have him." + +"Oh, but the young man from our village promised us a good round sum +if we could find a fox, and got us to come out to the hills and catch +one; and so we can't sell him to you at any price." + +"Well, I suppose it cannot be helped, then; but how much would the +young man give you for the cub?" + +"Oh, he'll give us three hundred cash at least." + +"Then I'll give you half a bu; and so you'll gain five hundred cash by +the transaction." + +"Oh, we'll sell him for that, sir. How shall we hand him over to you?" + +"Just tie him up here," said the other; and so he made fast the cub +round the neck with the string of the napkin in which the luncheon box +was wrapped, and gave half a bu to the three boys, who ran away +delighted. + +The man's friend, upon this, said to him, "Well, certainly you have +got queer tastes. What on earth are you going to keep that fox for?" + +"How very unkind of you to speak of my tastes like that. If we had not +interfered just now, the fox's cub would have lost its life. If we had +not seen the affair, there would have been no help for it. How could I +stand by and see life taken? It was but a little I spent--only half a +bu--to save the cub, but had it cost a fortune I should not have +grudged it. I thought you were intimate enough with me to know my +heart; but to-day you have accused me of being eccentric, and I see +how mistaken I have been in you. However, our friendship shall cease +from this day forth." + +And when he had said this with a great deal of firmness, the other, +retiring backward and bowing with his hands on his knees, replied: + +"Indeed, indeed, I am filled with admiration at the goodness of your +heart. When I hear you speak thus, I feel more than ever how great is +the love I owe you. I thought that you might wish to use the cub as a +sort of decoy to lead the old ones to you, that you might pray them to +bring prosperity and virtue to your house. When I called you eccentric +just now, I was but trying your heart, because I had some suspicions +of you; and now I am truly ashamed of myself." + +And as he spoke, still bowing, the other replied, "Really! was that +indeed your thought? Then I pray you to forgive me for my violent +language." + +When the two friends had thus become reconciled, they examined the +cub, and saw that it had a slight wound in its foot, and could not +walk; and while they were thinking what they should do, they spied out +the herb called "Doctor's Nakasé," which was just sprouting; so they +rolled up a little of it in their fingers and applied it to the part. +Then they pulled out some boiled rice from their luncheon box and +offered it to the cub, but it showed no sign of wanting to eat; so +they stroked it gently on the back, and petted it; and as the pain of +the wound seemed to have subsided, they were admiring the properties +of the herb, when, opposite to them, they saw the old foxes sitting +watching them by the side of some stacks of rice straw. + +"Look there! the old foxes have come back, out of fear for their cub's +safety. Come, we will set it free!" And with these words they untied +the string round the cub's neck, and turned its head toward the spot +where the old foxes sat; and as the wounded foot was no longer +painful, with one bound it dashed to its parents' side and licked them +all over for joy, while they seemed to bow their thanks, looking +toward the two friends. So, with peace in their hearts, the latter +went off to another place, and, choosing a pretty spot, produced the +wine bottle and ate their noon-day meal; and after a pleasant day, +they returned to their homes, and became firmer friends than ever. + +Now the man who had rescued the fox's cub was a tradesman in good +circumstances: he had three or four agents and two maid-servants, +besides men-servants; and altogether he lived in a liberal manner. He +was married, and this union had brought him one son, who had reached +his tenth year, but had been attacked by a strange disease which +defied all the physicians' skill and drugs. At last a famous physician +prescribed the liver taken from a live fox, which, as he said, would +certainly effect a cure. If that were not forthcoming, the most +expensive medicine in the world would not restore the boy to health. +When the parents heard this, they were at their wits' end. However, +they told the state of the case to a man who lived on the mountains. +"Even though our child should die for it," they said, "we will not +ourselves deprive other creatures of their lives; but you, who live +among the hills, are sure to hear when your neighbours go out +fox-hunting. We don't care what price we might have to pay for a fox's +liver; pray, buy one for us at any expense." So they pressed him to +exert himself on their behalf; and he, having promised faithfully to +execute the commission went his way. + +In the night of the following day there came a messenger, who +announced himself as coming from the person who had undertaken to +procure the fox's liver; so the master of the house went out to see +him. + +"I have come from Mr. So-and-so. Last night the fox's liver that you +required fell into his hands; so he sent me to bring it to you." With +these words the messenger produced a small jar, adding, "In a few days +he will let you know the price." + +When he had delivered his message, the master of the house was greatly +pleased and said, "Indeed, I am deeply grateful for this kindness, +which will save my son's life." + +Then the good wife came out, and received the jar with every mark of +politeness. + +"We must make a present to the messenger." + +"Indeed, sir, I've already been paid for my trouble." + +"Well, at any rate, you must stop the night here." + +"Thank you, sir: I've a relation in the next village whom I have not +seen for a long while, and I will pass the night with him;" and so he +took his leave, and went away. + +The parents lost no time in sending to let the physician know that +they had procured the fox's liver. The next day the doctor came and +compounded a medicine for the patient, which at once produced a good +effect, and there was no little joy in the household. As luck would +have it, three days after this the man whom they had commissioned to +buy the fox's liver came to the house; so the good wife hurried out to +meet him and welcome him. + +"How quickly you fulfilled our wishes, and how kind of you to send at +once! The doctor prepared the medicine, and now our boy can get up and +walk about the room; and it's all owing to your goodness." + +"Wait a bit!" cried the guest, who did not know what to make of the +joy of the two parents. "The commission with which you entrusted me +about the fox's liver turned out to be a matter of impossibility, so +I came to-day to make my excuses; and now I really can't understand +what you are so grateful to me for." + +"We are thanking you, sir," replied the master of the house, bowing +with his hands on the ground, "for the fox's liver which we asked you +to procure for us." + +"I really am perfectly unaware of having sent you a fox's liver; there +must be some mistake here. Pray inquire carefully into the matter." + +"Well, this is very strange. Four nights ago, a man of some five or +six and thirty years of age came with a verbal message from you, to +the effect that you had sent him with a fox's liver, which you had +just procured, and said that he would come and tell us the price +another day. When we asked him to spend the night here, he answered +that he would lodge with a relation in the next village, and went +away." + +The visitor was more and more lost in amazement, and, leaning his head +on one side in deep thought, confessed that he could make nothing of +it. As for the husband and wife, they felt out of countenance at +having thanked a man so warmly for favours of which he denied all +knowledge; and so the visitor took his leave, and went home. + +That night there appeared at the pillow of the master of the house a +woman of about one or two and thirty years of age, who said, "I am the +fox that lives at such-and-such a mountain. Last spring, when I was +taking out my cub to play, it was carried off by some boys, and only +saved by your goodness. The desire to requite this kindness pierced me +to the quick. At last, when calamity attacked your house, I thought +that I might be of use to you. Your son's illness could not be cured +without a liver taken from a live fox, so to repay your kindness I +killed my cub and took out its liver; then its sire, disguising +himself as a messenger, brought it to your house." + +And as she spoke, the fox shed tears; and the master of the house, +wishing to thank her, moved in bed, upon which his wife awoke and +asked him what was the matter; but he, too, to her great astonishment, +was biting the pillow and weeping bitterly. + +"Why are you weeping thus?" asked she. + +At last he sat up in bed, and said, "Last spring, when I was out on a +pleasure excursion, I was the means of saving the life of a fox's cub, +as I told you at the time. The other day I told Mr. So-and-so that, +although my son were to die before my eyes, I would not be the means +of killing a fox on purpose; but asked him in case he heard of any +hunter killing a fox, to buy it for me. How the foxes came to hear of +this I don't know; but the foxes to whom I had shown kindness killed +their own cub and took out the liver; and the old dog-fox, disguising +himself as a messenger from the person to whom we had confided the +commission, came here with it. His mate has just been at my +pillow-side and told me all about it; hence it was that, in spite of +myself, I was moved to tears." + +When she heard this, the good wife likewise was blinded by her tears, +and for a while they lay lost in thought; but at last, coming to +themselves, they lighted the lamp on the shelf on which the family +idol stood, and spent the night in reciting prayers and praises, and +the next day they published the matter to the household and to their +relations and friends. Now, although there are instances of men +killing their own children to requite a favour, there is no other +example of foxes having done such a thing; so the story became the +talk of the whole country. + +Now, the boy who had recovered through the efficacy of this medicine +selected the prettiest spot on the premises to erect a shrine to Inari +Sama, the Fox God, and offered sacrifice to the two old foxes, for +whom he purchased the highest rank at court of the Mikado. + + + + +_The Black Horse_ + + +Once there was a king, and he had three sons, and when the king died, +they did not give a shade of anything to the youngest son, but an old +white limping garron. + +"If I get but this," quoth he, "it seems that I had best go with this +same." + +He was going with it right before him, sometimes walking, sometimes +riding. When he had been riding a good while he thought that the +garron would need a while of eating, so he came down to earth, and +what should he see coming out of the heart of the western air toward +him but a rider riding high, well, and right well. + +"All hail, my lad," said he. + +"Hail, king's son," said the other. + +"What's your news?" said the king's son. + +"I've got that," said the lad who came. "I am after breaking my heart +riding this ass of a horse; but will you give me the limping white +garron for him?" + +"No," said the prince; "it would be a bad business for me." + +"You need not fear," said the man that came, "there is no saying but +that you might make better use of him than I. He has one value, there +is no single place that you can think of in the four parts of the +wheel of the world that the black horse will not take you there." + +So the king's son got the black horse, and he gave the limping white +garron. + +Where should he think of being when he mounted but in the Realm +Underwaves. He went, and before sunrise on the morrow he was there. +What should he find when he got there but the son of the King +Underwaves holding a court, and the people of the realm gathered to +see if there was any one who would undertake to go to seek the +daughter of the King of the Greeks to be the prince's wife. No one +came forward, when who should come up but the rider of the black +horse. + +"You rider of the black horse," said the prince, "I lay you under +crosses and under spells to have the daughter of the King of the +Greeks here before the sun rises to-morrow." + +The lad went out and he reached the black horse and leaned his elbow +on his mane, and he heaved a sigh. + +"Sigh of a king's son under spells!" said the horse; "but have no +care; we shall do the thing that was set before you." And so off they +went. + +"Now," said the horse, "when we get near the great town of the Greeks, +you will notice that the four feet of a horse never went to the town +before. The king's daughter will see me from the top of the castle +looking out of a window, and she will not be content without a turn of +a ride upon me. Say that she may have that, but the horse will suffer +no man but you to ride before a woman on him." + +They came near the big town, and he fell to horsemanship; and the +princess was looking out of the windows, and noticed the horse. The +horsemanship pleased her, and she came out just as the horse had come. + +"Give me a ride on the horse," said she. + +"You shall have that," said he, "but the horse will let no man ride +him before a woman but me." + +"I have a horseman of my own," said she. + +"If so, set him in front," said he. + +Before the horseman mounted at all, when he tried to get up, the horse +lifted his legs and kicked him off. + +"Come then, yourself, and mount before me," said she; "I won't leave +the matter so." + +He mounted the horse and she behind him, and before she glanced from +her she was nearer sky than earth. He was in Realm Underwaves with her +before sunrise. + +"You are come," said Prince Underwaves. + +"I am come," said he. + +"There you are, my hero," said the prince. "You are the son of a +king, but I am a son of success. Anyhow, we shall have no delay or +neglect now, but a wedding." + +"Just gently," said the princess; "your wedding is not so short a way +off as you suppose. Till I get the silver cup that my grandmother had +at her wedding, and that my mother had as well, I will not marry, for +I need to have it at my own wedding." + +"You rider of the black horse," said the Prince Underwaves, "I set you +under spells and under crosses unless the silver cup is here before +dawn to-morrow." + +Out the lad went and reached the horse and leaned his elbow on his +mane, and he heaved a sigh. + +"Sigh of a king's son under spells!" said the horse; "mount and you +shall get the silver cup. The people of the realm are gathered about +the king to-night, for he has missed his daughter, and when you get to +the palace go in and leave me without; they will have the cup there +going round the company. Go in and sit in their midst. Say nothing, +and seem to be as one of the people of the place. But when the cup +comes round to you, take it under your oxter, and come out to me with +it, and we'll go." + +Away they went and they got to Greece, and he went into the palace and +did as the black horse bade. He took the cup and came out and mounted, +and before sunrise he was in the Realm Underwaves. + +"You are come," said Prince Underwaves. + +"I am come," said he. + +"We had better get married now," said the prince to the Greek +princess. + +"Slowly and softly," said she. "I will not marry till I get the silver +ring that my grandmother and my mother wore when they were wedded." + +"You rider of the black horse," said the Prince Underwaves, "do that. +Let's have that ring here to-morrow at sunrise." + +The lad went to the black horse and put his elbow on his crest and +told him how it was. + +"There never was a matter set before me harder than this matter which +has now been set in front of me," said the horse, "but there is no +help for it at any rate. Mount me. There is a snow mountain and an ice +mountain and a mountain of fire between us and the winning of that +ring. It is right hard for us to pass them." + +Thus they went as they were, and about a mile from the snow mountain +they were in a bad case with cold. As they came near it the lad struck +the horse, and with the bound he gave the black horse was on the top +of the snow mountain; at the next bound he was on the top of the ice +mountain; at the third bound he went through the mountain of fire. +When he had passed the mountains the lad was dragging at the horse's +neck, as though he were about to lose himself. He went on before him +down to a town below. + +"Go down," said the black horse, "to a smithy; make an iron spike for +every bone end in me." + +Down he went as the horse desired, and he got the spikes made, and +back he came with them. + +"Stick them into me," said the horse, "every spike of them in every +bone end that I have." + +That he did; he stuck the spikes into the horse. + +"There is a loch here," said the horse, "four miles long and four +miles wide, and when I go out into it the loch will take fire and +blaze. If you see the Loch of Fire going out before the sun rises, +expect me, and if not, go your way." + +Out went the black horse into the lake, and the lake became flame. +Long was he stretched about the lake, beating his palms and roaring. +Day came, and the loch did not go out. + +But at the hour when the sun was rising out of the water the lake went +out. + +And the black horse rose in the middle of the water with one single +spike in him, and the ring upon its end. + +He came on shore, and down he fell beside the loch. + +Then down went the rider. He got the ring, and he dragged the horse +down to the side of a hill. He fell to sheltering him with his arms +about him, and as the sun was rising he got better and better, till +about midday, when he rose on his feet. + +"Mount," said the horse, "and let us be gone." + +He mounted on the black horse, and away they went. + +He reached the mountains, and he leaped the horse at the fire mountain +and was on the top. From the mountain of fire he leaped to the +mountain of ice, and from the mountain of ice to the mountain of snow. +He put the mountains past him, and by morning he was in Realm +Underwaves. + +"You are come," said the prince. + +"I am," said he. + +"That's true," said Prince Underwaves. "A king's son are you, but a +son of success am I. We shall have no more mistakes and delays, but a +wedding this time." + +"Go easy," said the Princess of the Greeks. "Your wedding is not so +near as you think yet. Till you make a castle, I won't marry you. Not +to your father's castle nor to your mother's will I go to dwell; but +make me a castle for which your father's castle will not make washing +water." + +"You rider of the black horse, make that," said Prince Underwaves, +"before the morrow's sun rises." + +The lad went out to the horse and leaned his elbow on his neck and +sighed, thinking that this castle never could be made for ever. + +"There never came a turn in my road yet that is easier for me to pass +than this," said the black horse. + +The lad gave a glance from him and saw all that were there, and ever +so many wrights and stone masons at work, and the castle was ready +before the sun rose. + +He shouted at the Prince Underwaves, and he saw the castle. He tried +to pluck out his eye, thinking that it was a false sight. + +"Son of King Underwaves," said the rider of the black horse, "don't +think that you have a false sight; this is a true sight." + +"That's true," said the prince. "You are a son of success, but I am a +son of success, too. There will be no more mistakes and delays, but a +wedding now." + +"No," said she. "The time is come. Should we not go to look at the +castle? There's time enough to get married before the night comes." + +They went to the castle and the castle was without a fault. + +"I see one," said the prince. "One want at least to be made good. A +well must be made inside, so that water may not be far to fetch when +there is a feast or a wedding in the castle." + +"That won't be long undone," said the rider of the black horse. + +The well was made, and it was seven fathoms deep and two or three +fathoms wide, and they looked at the well on the way to the wedding. + +"It is all very good," said she, "but for one little fault yonder." + +"Where is it?" said Prince Underwaves. + +"There," said she. + +He bent him down to look. She came out, and she put her two hands at +his back, and cast him in. + +"Be thou there," said she. "If I go to be married, thou art not the +man; but the man who did each exploit that has been done, and, if he +chooses, him will I have." + +Away she went with the rider of the little black horse to the wedding. + +And at the end of three years after that, so it was that he first +remembered the black horse or where he left him. + +He got up and went out, and he was very sorry for his neglect of the +black horse. He found him just where he left him. + +"Good luck to you, gentleman," said the horse. "You seem as if you had +got something that you like better than me." + +"I have not got that, and I won't; but it came over me to forget you," +said he. + +"I don't mind," said the horse, "it will make no difference. Raise +your sword and smite off my head." + +"Fortune will not allow that I should do that," said he. + +"Do it instantly, or I will do it to you," said the horse. + +So the lad drew his sword and smote off the horse's head; then he +lifted his two palms and uttered a doleful cry. + +What should he hear behind him but "All hail, my brother-in-law!"? + +He looked behind him, and there was the finest man he ever set eyes +upon. + +"What set you weeping for the black horse?" said he. + +"This," said the lad, "that there never was born of man or beast a +creature in this world that I was fonder of." + +"Would you take me for him?" said the stranger. + +"If I could think you the horse I would; but if not, I would rather +have the horse," said the rider. + +"I am the black horse," said the lad, "and if I were not, how should +you have all these things that you went to seek in my father's house. +Since I went under spells, many a man have I ran at before you met me. +They had but one word amongst them: they could not keep me, nor manage +me, and they never kept me a couple of days. But when I fell in with +you, you kept me till the time ran out that was to come from the +spells. And now you shall go home with me, and we will make a wedding +in my father's house." + + + + +_Truth's Triumph_ + + +Several hundred years ago there was a certain Rajah who had twelve +wives, but no children, and though he caused many prayers to be said, +and presents made in temples far and near, never a son nor a daughter +had he. Now this Rajah had a Wuzeer who was a very, very wise old man, +and it came to pass that one day, when he was travelling in a distant +part of his kingdom, accompanied by this Wuzeer and the rest of his +court, he came upon a large garden, in walking round which he was +particularly struck by a little tree which grew there. It was a +bringal tree, not above two feet in height. It had no leaves, but on +it grew a hundred and one bringals. The Rajah stopped to count them, +and then turning to the Wuzeer in great astonishment, said, "It is to +me a most unaccountable thing, that this little tree should have no +leaves, but a hundred and one bringals growing on it. You are a wise +man--can you guess what this means?" + +The Wuzeer replied, "I can interpret this marvel to you, but if I do, +you will most likely not believe me; promise therefore that if I tell +you, you will not cause me to be killed as having told (as you +imagine) a lie." + +The Rajah promised, and the Wuzeer continued: "The meaning of this +little bringal tree, with the hundred and one bringals growing on it, +is this. Whoever marries the daughter of the Malee in charge of this +garden will have a hundred and one children--a hundred sons and one +daughter." + +The Rajah said. "Where is the maiden to be seen?" + +The Wuzeer answered, "When a number of great people like you and all +your court come into a little village like this, the poor people, and +especially the children, are frightened and run away and hide +themselves; therefore, as long as you stay here as Rajah you cannot +hope to see her. Your only means will be to send away your suite, and +cause it to be announced that you have left the place. Then, if you +walk daily in this garden, you may some morning meet the pretty Guzra +Bai, of whom I speak." + +Upon this advice the Rajah acted; and one day whilst walking in the +garden he saw the Malee's young daughter, a girl of twelve years old, +busy gathering flowers. He went forward to accost her, but she, seeing +that he was not one of the villagers, but a stranger, was shy, and ran +home to her father's house. + +The Rajah followed, for he was very much struck with her grace and +beauty; in fact, he fell in love with her as soon as he saw her, and +thought he had never seen a king's daughter half so charming. + +When he got to the Malee's house the door was shut; so he called out, +"Let me in, good Malee; I am the Rajah, and I wish to marry your +daughter." + +The Malee only laughed, and answered, "A pretty tale to tell a simple +man, indeed! You a Rajah! why the Rajah is miles away. You had better +go home, my good fellow, for there's no welcome for you here!" But the +Rajah continued calling till the Malee opened the door; who then was +indeed surprised, seeing it was truly no other than the Rajah, and he +asked what he could do for him. + +The Rajah said, "I wish to marry your beautiful daughter, Guzra Bai." + +"No, no," said the Malee, "this joke won't do. None of your Princes in +disguise for me. You may think you are a great Rajah and I only a poor +Malee, but I tell you that makes no difference at all to me. Though +you were king of all the earth, I would not permit you to come here +and amuse yourself chattering to my girl, only to fill her head with +nonsense, and to break her heart." + +"In truth, good man, you do me wrong," answered the Rajah humbly: "I +mean what I say; I wish to marry your daughter." + +"Do not think," retorted the Malee, "that I'll make a fool of myself +because I'm only a Malee, and believe what you've got to say, because +you're a great Rajah. Rajah or no Rajah is all one to me. If you mean +what you say, if you care for my daughter and wish to be married to +her, come and be married; but I'll have none of your new-fangled forms +and court ceremonies hard to be understood; let the girl be married by +her father's hearth and under her father's roof, and let us invite to +the wedding our old friends and acquaintances whom we've known all our +lives, and before we ever thought of you." + +The Rajah was not angry, but amused, and rather pleased than otherwise +at the old man's frankness, and he consented to all that was desired. + +The village beauty, Guzra Bai, was therefore married with as much pomp +as they could muster, but in village fashion, to the great Rajah, who +took her home with him, followed by the tears and blessings of her +parents and playmates. + +The twelve kings' daughters were by no means pleased at this addition +to the number of the Ranees; and they agreed amongst themselves that +it would be highly derogatory to their dignity to permit Guzra Bai to +associate with them, and that the Rajah their husband, had offered +them an unpardonable insult in marrying a Malee's daughter, which was +to be revenged upon her the very first opportunity. + +Having made this league, they tormented poor Guzra Bai so much that, +to save her from their persecutions, the Rajah built her a little +house of her own, where she lived very, very happily for a short time. + +At last one day he had occasion to go and visit a distant part of his +dominions, but fearing his high-born wives might ill-use Guzra Bai in +his absence, at parting he gave her a little golden bell, saying, "If +while I am away you are in any trouble, or any one should be unkind to +you, ring this little bell, and wherever I am I shall instantly hear +it, and will return to your aid." + +No sooner had the Rajah gone, than Guzra Bai thought she would try the +power of the bell. So she rang it. + +The Rajah instantly appeared. "What do you want?" he said. + +"Oh, nothing," she replied. "I was foolish. I could hardly believe +what you told me could be true, and thought I would try." + +"Now you will believe, I hope," he said, and went away. A second time +she rang the bell. Again the Rajah returned. + +"Oh, pardon me, husband," she said; "it was wrong of me not to trust +you, but I hardly thought you could return again from so far." + +And again he went away. A third time she rang the golden bell. "Why do +you ring again, Guzra Bai?" asked the Rajah sternly, as for a third +time he returned. + +"I don't know, indeed; indeed I beg your pardon," she said; "but I +know not why, I felt so frightened." + +"Have any of the Ranees been unkind to you?" he asked. + +"No, none," she answered; "in fact, I have seen none of them." + +"You are a silly child," said he, stroking her hair. "Affairs of the +state call me away. You must try and keep a good heart till my +return;" and for the fourth time he disappeared. + +A little while after this, wonderful to relate, Guzra Bai had a +hundred and one children--a hundred boys and one girl. When the Ranees +heard this, they said to each other, "Guzra Bai, the Malee's daughter, +will rank higher than us; she will have great power and influence as +mother to the heir to the Raj; let us kill these children, and tell +our husband that she is a sorceress; then will he love her no longer, +and his old affection for us will return." So these twelve wicked +Ranees all went over to Guzra Bai's house. When Guzra Bai saw them +coming, she feared they meant to do her some harm, so she seized her +little golden bell, and rang, and rang, and rang--but no Rajah came. +She had called him back so often that he did not believe she really +needed his help. And thus the poor woman was left to the mercy of her +implacable enemies. + +Now the nurse who had charge of the hundred and one babies was an old +servant of the twelve Ranees, and moreover a very wicked woman, able +and willing to do whatever her twelve wicked old mistresses ordered. +So when they said to her, "Can you kill these children?" she answered, +"Nothing is easier; I will throw them out upon the dust-heap behind +the palace, where the rats and hawks and vultures will have left none +of them remaining by to-morrow morning." + +"So be it," said the Ranees. Then the nurse took the hundred and one +little innocent children--the hundred little boys and the one little +girl--and threw them behind the palace on the dust-heap, close to some +large rat-holes; and after that, she and the twelve Ranees placed a +very large stone in each of the babies' cradles, and said to Guzra +Bai, "Oh, you evil witch in disguise, do not hope any longer to impose +by your arts on the Rajah's credulity. See, your children have all +turned into stones. See these, your pretty babies!"--and with that +they tumbled the hundred and one stones down in a great heap on the +floor. Then Guzra Bai began to cry, for she knew it was not true; but +what could one poor woman do against thirteen? At the Rajah's return +the twelve Ranees accused Guzra Bai of being a witch, and the nurse +testified that the hundred and one children she had charge of had +turned into stones, and the Rajah believed them rather than Guzra Bai, +and he ordered her to be imprisoned for life. + +Meanwhile a Bandicote had heard the pitiful cries of the children, and +taking pity on them, dragged them all, one by one, into her hole, out +of the way of kites and vultures. She assembled all the Bandicotes +from far and near, and told them what she had done, begging them to +assist in finding food for the children. Then every day a hundred and +one Bandicotes would come, each bringing a little bit of food in his +mouth, and give it to one of the children; and so day by day they grew +stronger and stronger, until they were able to run about, and then +they used to play of a morning at the mouth of the Bandicote's hole, +running in there to sleep every night. But one fine day who should +come by but the wicked old nurse! Fortunately all the boys were in the +hole, and the little girl, who was playing outside, on seeing her ran +in there too, but not before the nurse had seen her. She immediately +went to the twelve Ranees and related this, saying, "I cannot help +thinking some of the children may still be living in those rat-holes. +You had better send and have them dug out and killed." + +"We dare not do that," answered they, "for fear of causing suspicion; +but we will order some labourers to dig up that ground and make it +into a field, and that will effectually smother any of the children +who may still be alive." + +This plan was approved and forthwith carried into execution; but the +good Bandicote, who happened that day to be out on a foraging +expedition in the palace, heard all about it there, and immediately +running home, took all the children from her hole to a large well some +distance off, where she hid them in the hollows behind the steps +leading down to the well, laying one child under each step. + +Here they would have been quite safe, had not the Dhobee happened to +go down to the well that day to wash some clothes, taking with him his +little girl. While her father was drawing up water, the child amused +herself running up and down the steps of the well. Now each time her +weight pressed down a step it gave the child hidden underneath a +little squeeze. All the hundred boys bore this without uttering a +sound; but when the Dhobee's child trod on the step under which the +little girl was hidden, she cried out, "How can you be so cruel to me, +trampling on me in this way? Have pity on me, for I am a little girl +as well as you." + +When the child heard these words proceeding from the stone, she ran in +great alarm to her father, saying, "Father, I don't know what's the +matter, but something alive is certainly under those stones. I heard +it speak; but whether it is a Rakshas or an angel or a human being I +cannot tell." Then the Dhobee went to the twelve Ranees to tell them +the wonderful news about the voice in the well; and they said to each +other, "Maybe it's some of Guzra Bai's children; let us send and have +this inquired into." So they sent some people to pull down the well +and see if some evil spirits were not there. + +Then labourers went to pull down the well. Now, close to the well was +a little temple dedicated to Gunputti, containing a small shrine and a +little clay image of the god. When the children felt the well being +pulled down they called out for help and protection to Gunputti, who +took pity on them and changed them into trees growing by his temple--a +hundred little mango trees all round in a circle (which were the +hundred little boys), and a little rose bush in the middle, covered +with red and white roses, which was the little girl. + +The labourers pulled down the well, but they found nothing there but a +poor old Bandicote, which they killed. Then, by order of the twelve +wicked Ranees, they sacrilegiously destroyed the little temple. But +they found no children there, either. However, the Dhobee's +mischievous little daughter had gone with her father to witness the +work of destruction, and as they were looking on, she said, "Father, +do look at all those funny little trees; I never remember noticing +them here before." And being very inquisitive, she started off to have +a nearer look at them. There in a circle grew the hundred little mango +trees, and in the centre of all the little rose bush, bearing the red +and white roses. + +The girl rushed by the mango trees, who uttered no words, and running +up to the rose bush, began gathering some of the flowers. At this the +rose bush trembled very much, and sighed and said, "I am a little girl +as well as you; how can you be so cruel? You are breaking all my +ribs." + +Then the child ran back to her father and said, "Come and listen to +what the rose bush says." And the father repeated the news to the +twelve Ranees, who ordered that a great fire should be made, and the +hundred and one little trees be burned in it, root and branch, till +not a stick remained. + +The fire was made, and the hundred and one little trees were dug up +and just going to be put into it, when Gunputti, taking pity on them, +caused a tremendous storm to come on, which put out the fire and +flooded the country and swept the hundred and one trees into the +river, where they were carried down a long, long way by the torrent, +until at last the children were landed, restored to their own shapes, +on the river bank, in the midst of a wild jungle, very far from any +human habitation. + +Here these children lived for ten years, happy in their mutual love +and affection. Generally every day fifty of the boys would go out to +collect roots and berries for their food, leaving fifty at home to +take care of their little sister; but sometimes they put her in some +safe place, and all would go out together for the day; nor were they +ever molested in their excursions by bear, panther, snake, scorpion, +or other noxious creature. One day all the brothers put their little +sister safely up in a fine shady tree, and went out together to hunt. +After rambling on for some time they came to the hut of a savage +Rakshas, who in the disguise of an old woman had lived for many years +in the jungle. + +The Rakshas, angry at this invasion of her domain, no sooner saw them +than she changed them all into crows. Night came on, and their little +sister was anxiously awaiting her brothers' return, when on a sudden +she heard a loud whirring sound in the air, and round the tree flocked +a hundred black crows, cawing and offering her berries and roots which +they had dug up with their sharp bills. Then the little sister guessed +too truly what must have happened--that some malignant spirit had +metamorphosed her brothers into this hideous shape; and at the sad +sight she began to cry. + +Time wore on; every morning the crows flew away to collect food for +her and for themselves, and every evening they returned to roost in +the branches of the high tree where she sat the livelong day, crying +as if her heart would break. + +At last so many bitter tears had she shed that they made a little +stream which flowed from the foot of the tree right down through the +jungle. + +Some months after this, one fine day, a young Rajah from a +neighbouring country happened to be hunting in this very jungle; but +he had not been very successful. Toward the close of the day he found +himself faint and weary, having missed his way and lost his comrades, +with no companion save his dogs, who, being thirsty, ran hurriedly +hither and thither in search of water. After some time, they saw in +the distance what looked like a clear stream; the dogs rushed there +and the tired prince, following them, flung himself down on the grass +by the water's brink, thinking to sleep there for the night; and, with +his hands under his head, stared up into the leafy branches of the +tree above him. Great was his astonishment to see high up in in the +air an immense number of crows, and above them all a most lovely young +girl, who was feeding them with berries and wild fruits. Quick as +thought, he climbed the tree, and bringing her carefully and gently +down, seated her on the grass beside him, saying, "Tell me, pretty +lady, who you are, and how you come to be living in this dreary +place." So she told him all her adventures, except that she did not +say the hundred crows were her hundred brothers. Then the Rajah said, +"Do not cry any more, fair Princess; you shall come home with me and +be my Ranee, and my father and mother shall be yours." + +At this she smiled and dried her eyes, but quickly added, "You will +let me take these crows with me, will you not? for I love them dearly, +and I cannot go away unless they may come too." + +"To be sure," he answered. "You may bring all the animals in the +jungle with you, if you like, if you will only come." + +So he took her home to his father's house, and the old Rajah and Ranee +wondered much at this jungle lady, when they saw her rare beauty, her +modest, gentle ways and her queenly grace. Then the young Rajah told +them how she was a persecuted Princess, and asked their leave to marry +her; and because her loving goodness had won all hearts, they gave +their consent as joyfully as if she had been daughter of the greatest +of Rajahs, and brought with her a splendid dower; and they called her +Draupadi Bai. + +Draupadi had some beautiful trees planted in front of her palace, in +which the crows, her brothers, used to live, and she daily with her +own hands boiled a quantity of rice, which she would scatter for them +to eat as they flocked around her. Now some time after this, Draupadi +Bai had a son, who was called Ramchundra. He was a very good boy, and +his mother, Draupadi Bai, used to take him to school every morning, +and go and fetch him home in the evening. But one day, when Ramchundra +was about fourteen years old, it happened that Draupadi Bai did not go +to fetch him home from school as she was wont; and on his return he +found her sitting under the trees in front of her palace, stroking the +glossy black crows that flocked around her, and weeping. + +Then Ramchundra threw down his bundle of books and said to his +mother, putting his elbows on her knees, and looking up in her face, +"Mammy, dear, tell me why you are now crying, and what it is that +makes you so often sad." + +"Oh, nothing, nothing," she answered. + +"Yes, dear mother," said he, "do tell me. Can I help you? If I can, I +will." + +Draupadi Bai shook her head. "Alas, no, my son," she said; "you are +too young to help me; and as for my grief, I have never told it to any +one. I cannot tell it to you now." But Ramchundra continued begging +and praying her to tell him, until at last she did; relating to him +all her own and his uncles' sad history; and lastly, how they had been +changed by a Rakshas into the black crows he saw around him. + +Then the boy sprang up and said, "Which way did your brothers take +when they met the Rakshas?" + +"How can I tell?" she asked. + +"Why," he answered, "I thought perhaps you might remember on which +side they returned that first night to you, after being bewitched." + +"Oh," she said, "they came toward the tree from that part of the +jungle which lies in a straight line behind the palace." + +"Very well," cried Ramchundra, joyfully, "I also will go there, and +find out this wicked old Rakshas, and learn by what means they may be +disenchanted." + +"No, no, my son," she answered, "I cannot let you go; see, I have lost +father and mother, and these my hundred brothers; and now, if you fall +into the Rakshas's clutches as well as they, and are lost to me, what +will life have worth living for?" + +To this he replied, "Do not fear for me, mother; I will be wary and +discreet." And going to his father, he said, "Father, it is time I +should see something of the world. I beg you to permit me to travel +and see other lands." + +The Rajah answered, "You shall go. Tell me what attendants you would +like to accompany you." + +"Give me," said Ramchundra, "a horse to ride, and a groom to take care +of it." The Rajah consented, and Ramchundra set off riding toward the +jungle; but as soon as he got there, he sent his horse back by the +groom with a message to his parents and proceeded alone, on foot. + +After wandering about for some time he came upon a small hut, in which +lay an ugly old woman fast asleep. She had long claws instead of +hands, and her hair hung down all around her in a thick black tangle. +Ramchundra knew, by the whole appearance of the place, that he must +have reached the Rakshas's abode of which he was in search; so, +stealing softly in, he sat down and began shampooing her head. At last +the Rakshas woke up. "You dear little boy," she said, "do not be +afraid; I am only a poor old woman, and will not hurt you. Stay with +me, and you shall be my servant." This she said not from any feeling +of kindness or pity for Ramchundra, but merely because she thought he +might be helpful to her. So the young Rajah remained in her service, +determining to stay there till he should have learned from her all +that he wished to know. + +Thus one day he said to her, "Good mother, what is the use of all +those little jars of water you have arranged round your house?" + +She answered, "That water possesses certain magical attributes; if any +of it is sprinkled on people enchanted by me, they instantly resume +their former shape." + +"And what," he continued, "is the use of your wand?" + +"That," she replied, "has many supernatural powers; for instance, by +simply uttering your wish and waving it in the air, you can conjure up +a mountain, a river or a forest in a moment of time." + +Another day Ramchundra said to her, "Your hair, good mother, is +dreadfully tangled; pray let me comb it." + +"No," she said, "you must not touch my hair; it would be dangerous; +for every hair has power to set the jungle on fire." + +"How is that?" he asked. + +She replied, "The least fragment of my hair thrown in the direction of +the jungle would instantly set it in a blaze." + +Having learned all this, one day when it was very hot, and the old +Rakshas was drowsy, Ramchundra begged leave to shampoo her head, +which speedily sent her to sleep; then, gently pulling out two or +three of her hairs, he got up, and taking in one hand her wand, and in +the other two jars of the magic water, he stealthily left the hut; but +he had not gone far before she woke up, and instantly divining what he +had done, pursued him with great rapidity. Ramchundra, looking back +and perceiving that she was gaining upon him, waved the enchanted wand +and created a great river, which suddenly rolled its tumultuous waves +between them; but, quick as thought, the Rakshas swam the river. + +Then he turned, and waving the wand again, caused a high mountain to +rise between them; but the Rakshas climbed the mountain. Nearer she +came, and yet nearer; each time he turned to use the wand and put +obstacles in her way, the delay gave her a few minutes' advantage, so +that he lost almost as much as he gained. Then, as a last resource, he +scattered the hairs he had stolen to the winds, and instantly the +jungle on the hill side, through which the Rakshas was coming, was set +in a blaze; the fire rose higher and higher, the wicked old Rakshas +was consumed by the flames, and Ramchundra pursued his journey in +safety until he reached his father's palace. Draupadi Bai was +overjoyed to see her son again, and he led her out into the garden, +and scattered the magic water on the hundred black crows, which +instantly recovered their human forms, and stood up one hundred fine, +handsome young men. + +Then were there rejoicings throughout the country, because the Ranee's +brothers had been disenchanted; and the Rajah sent out into all +neighbouring lands to invite their Rajahs and Ranees to a great feast +in honour of his brothers-in-law. + +Among others who came to the feast was the Rajah, Draupadi Bai's +father, and the twelve wicked Ranees, his wives. + +When they were all assembled, Draupadi arose and said to him, "Noble +sir, we had looked to see your wife Guzra Bai with you. Pray you tell +us wherefore she has not accompanied you." + +The Rajah was much surprised to learn that Draupadi Bai knew anything +about Guzra Bai, and he said, "Speak not of her: she is a wicked +woman; it is fit that she should end her days in prison." + +But Draupadi Bai and her husband, and her hundred brothers rose and +said, "We require, O Rajah, that you send home instantly and fetch +hither that much injured lady, which, if you refuse to do, your wives +shall be imprisoned, and you ignominiously expelled this kingdom." + +The Rajah could not guess what the meaning of this was, and thought +they merely wished to pick a quarrel with him; but not much caring +whether Guzra Bai came or not, he sent for her as was desired. When +she arrived, her daughter, Draupadi Bai, and her hundred sons, with +Draupadi Bai's husband and the young Ramchundra, went out to the gate +to meet her, and conducted her into the palace with all honour. Then, +standing around her, they turned to the Rajah, her husband, and +related to him the story of their lives; how that they were his +children, and Guzra Bai their mother; how she had been cruelly +calumniated by the twelve wicked Ranees, and they in constant peril of +their lives; but having miraculously escaped many terrible dangers, +still lived to pay him duteous service and to cheer and support his +old age. + +At this news the whole company was very much astonished. The Rajah, +overjoyed, embraced his wife, Guzra Bai, and it was agreed that she +and their hundred sons should return with him to his own land, which +accordingly was done. Ramchundra lived very happily with his father +and mother to the day of their death, when he ascended the throne, and +became a very popular Rajah; and the twelve wicked old Ranees, who had +conspired against Guzra Bai and her children, were, by order of the +Rajah, burned to death. Thus truth triumphed in the end; but so +unequally is human justice meted out that the old nurse, who worked +their evil will, and was in fact the most guilty wretch of all, is +said to have lived unpunished, to have died in the bosom of her +family, and to have had as big a funeral pile as any virtuous Hindoo. + + + + +_The Feast of the Lanterns_ + + +Wang Chih was only a poor man, but he had a wife and children to love, +and they made him so happy that he would not have changed places with +the Emperor himself. + +He worked in the fields all day, and at night his wife always had a +bowl of rice ready for his supper. And sometimes, for a treat, she +made him some bean soup, or gave him a little dish of fried pork. + +But they could not afford pork very often; he generally had to be +content with rice. + +One morning, as he was setting off to his work, his wife sent Han +Chung, his son, running after him to ask him to bring home some +firewood. + +"I shall have to go up into the mountain for it at noon," he said. "Go +and bring me my axe, Han Chung." + +Han Chung ran for his father's axe, and Ho-Seen-Ko, his little sister, +came out of the cottage with him. + +"Remember it is the Feast of Lanterns to-night, father," she said. +"Don't fall asleep up on the mountain; we want you to come back and +light them for us." + +She had a lantern in the shape of a fish, painted red and black and +yellow, and Han Chung had got a big round one, all bright crimson, to +carry in the procession; and, besides that, there were two large +lanterns to be hung outside the cottage door as soon at it grew dark. + +Wang Chih was not likely to forget the Feast of Lanterns, for the +children had talked of nothing else for a month, and he promised to +come home as early as he could. + +At noontide, when his fellow-labourers gave up working, and sat down +to rest and eat, Wang Chih took his axe and went up the mountain +slope to find a small tree he might cut down for fuel. + +He walked a long way, and at last saw one growing at the mouth of a +cave. + +"This will be just the thing," he said to himself. But, before +striking the first blow, he peeped into the cave to see if it were +empty. + +To his surprise, two old men, with long, white beards, were sitting +inside playing chess, as quietly as mice, with their eyes fixed on the +chessboard. + +Wang Chih knew something of chess, and he stepped in and watched them +for a few minutes. + +"As soon as they look up I can ask them if I may chop down a tree," he +said to himself. But they did not look up, and by and by Wang Chih got +so interested in the game that he put down his axe, and sat on the +floor to watch it better. + +The two old men sat cross-legged on the ground, and the chessboard +rested on a slab, like a stone table, between them. + +On one corner of the slab lay a heap of small, brown objects which +Wang Chih took at first to be date stones; but after a time the +chess-players ate one each, and put one in Wang Chih's mouth; and he +found it was not a date stone at all. + +It was a delicious kind of sweetmeat, the like of which he had never +tasted before; and the strangest thing about it was that it took his +hunger and thirst away. + +He had been both hungry and thirsty when he came into the cave, as he +had not waited to have his midday meal with the other field-workers; +but now he felt quite comforted and refreshed. + +He sat there some time longer, and noticed that as the old men frowned +over the chessboard, their beards grew longer and longer, until they +swept the floor of the cave, and even found their way out of the door. + +"I hope my beard will never grow as quickly," said Wang Chih, as he +rose and took up his axe again. + +Then one of the old men spoke, for the first time. "Our beards have +not grown quickly, young man. How long is it since you came here?" + +"About half an hour, I dare say," replied Wang Chih. But as he spoke, +the axe crumbled to dust beneath his fingers, and the second +chess-player laughed, and pointed to the little brown sweetmeats on +the table. + +"Half an hour, or half a century--aye, half a thousand years, are all +alike to him who tastes of these. Go down into your village and see +what has happened since you left it." + +So Wang Chih went down as quickly as he could from the mountain, and +found the fields where he had worked covered with houses, and a busy +town where his own little village had been. In vain he looked for his +house, his wife, and his children. + +There were strange faces everywhere; and although when evening came +the Feast of Lanterns was being held once more, there was no +Ho-Seen-Ko carrying her red and yellow fish, or Han Chung with his +flaming red ball. + +At last he found a woman, a very, very old woman, who told him that +when she was a tiny girl she remembered her grandmother saying how, +when _she_ was a tiny girl, a poor young man had been spirited away by +the Genii of the mountains, on the day of the Feast of Lanterns, +leaving his wife and little children with only a few handfuls of rice +in the house. + +"Moreover, if you wait while the procession passes, you will see two +children dressed to represent Han Chung and Ho-Seen-Ko, and their +mother carrying the empty rice-bowl between them; for this is done +every year to remind people to take care of the widow and fatherless," +she said. So Wang Chih waited in the street; and in a little while the +procession came to an end; and the last three figures in it were a boy +and a girl, dressed like his own two children, walking on either side +of a young woman carrying a rice-bowl. But she was not like his wife +in anything but her dress, and the children were not at all like Han +Chung and Ho-Seen-Ko; and poor Wang Chih's heart was very heavy as he +walked away out of the town. + +He slept out on the mountain, and early in the morning found his way +back to the cave where the two old men were playing chess. + +At first they said they could do nothing for him, and told him to go +away and not disturb them; but Wang Chih would not go, and they soon +found the only way to get rid of him was to give him some really good +advice. + +"You must go to the White Hare of the Moon, and ask him for a bottle +of the elixir of life. If you drink that you will live forever," said +one of them. + +"But I don't want to live forever," objected Wang Chih. "I wish to go +back and live in the days when my wife and children were here." + +"Ah, well! For that you must mix the elixir of life with some water +out of the sky-dragon's mouth." + +"And where is the sky-dragon to be found?" inquired Wang Chih. + +"In the sky, of course. You really ask very stupid questions. He lives +in a cloud-cave. And when he comes out of it he breathes fire, and +sometimes water. If he is breathing fire you will be burnt up, but if +it is only water, you will easily be able to catch some in a little +bottle. What else do you want?" + +For Wang Chih still lingered at the mouth of the cave. + +"I want a pair of wings to fly with, and a bottle to catch the water +in," he replied boldly. + +So they gave him a little bottle; and before he had time to say "Thank +you!" a white crane came sailing past, and lighted on the ground close +to the cave. + +"The crane will take you wherever you like," said the old men. "Go +now, and leave us in peace." + +So Wang Chih sat on the white crane's back, and was taken up, and up, +and up through the sky to the cloud-cave where the sky-dragon lived. +And the dragon had the head of a camel, the horns of a deer, the eyes +of a rabbit, the ears of a cow and the claws of a hawk. + +Besides this, he had whiskers and a beard, and in his beard was a +bright pearl. + +All these things show that he was a real, genuine dragon, and if you +ever meet a dragon who is not exactly like this, you will know he is +only a make-believe one. + +Wang Chih felt rather frightened when he perceived the cave in the +distance, and if it had not been for the thought of seeing his wife +again, and his little boy and girl, he would have been glad to turn +back. + +While he was far away the cloud-cave looked like a dark hole in the +midst of a soft, white, woolly mass, such as one sees in the sky on an +April day; but as he came nearer he found the cloud was as hard as a +rock, and covered with a kind of dry, white grass. + +When he got there, he sat down on a tuft of grass near the cave, and +considered what he should do next. + +The first thing was, of course, to bring the dragon out, and the next +to make him breathe water instead of fire. + +"I have it!" cried Wang Chih at last; and he nodded his head so many +times that the white crane expected to see it fall off. + +He struck a light, and set the grass on fire, and it was so dry that +the flames spread all around the entrance to the cave, and made such a +smoke and crackling that the sky-dragon put his head out to see what +was the matter. + +"Ho! ho!" cried the dragon, when he saw what Wang Chih had done, "I +can soon put this to rights." And he breathed once, and the water came +out his nose and mouth in three streams. + +But this was not enough to put the fire out. Then he breathed twice, +and the water came out in three mighty rivers, and Wang Chih, who had +taken care to fill his bottle when the first stream began to flow, +sailed away on the white crane's back as fast as he could, to escape +being drowned. + +The rivers poured over the cloud rock, until there was not a spark +left alight, and rushed down through the sky into the sea below. + +Fortunately, the sea lay right underneath the dragon's cave, or he +would have done some nice mischief. As it was, the people on the +coast looked out across the water toward Japan, and saw three +inky-black clouds stretching from the sky into the sea. + +"My word! There is a fine rain-storm out at sea!" they said to each +other. + +But, of course, it was nothing of the kind; it was only the sky-dragon +putting out the fire Wang Chih had kindled. + +Meanwhile, Wang Chih was on his way to the moon, and when he got there +he went straight to the hut where the Hare of the Moon lived, and +knocked at the door. + +The Hare was busy pounding the drugs which make up the elixir of life; +but he left his work, and opened the door, and invited Wang Chih to +come in. + +He was not ugly, like the dragon; his fur was quite white and soft and +glossy, and he had lovely, gentle brown eyes. + +The Hare of the Moon lives a thousand years, as you know, and when he +is five hundred years old he changes his colour, from brown to white, +and becomes, if possible, better tempered and nicer than he was +before. + +As soon as he heard what Wang Chih wanted, he opened two windows at +the back of the hut, and told him to look through each of them in +turn. + +"Tell me what you see," said the Hare, going back to the table where +he was pounding the drugs. + +"I can see a great many houses and people," said Wang Chih, "and +streets--why, this is the town I was in yesterday, the one which has +taken the place of my old village." + +Wang Chih stared, and grew more and more puzzled. Here he was up in +the moon, and yet he could have thrown a stone into the busy street of +the Chinese town below his window. + +"How does it come here?" he stammered, at last. + +"Oh, that is my secret," replied the wise old Hare. "I know how to do +a great many things which would surprise you. But the question is, do +you want to go back there?" + +Wang Chih shook his head. + +"Then close the window. It is the window of the Present. And look +through the other, which is the window of the Past." + +Wang Chih obeyed, and through this window he saw his own dear little +village, and his wife, and Han Chung and Ho-Seen-Ko jumping about her +as she hung up the coloured lanterns outside the door. + +"Father won't be in time to light them for us, after all," Han Chung +was saying. + +Wang Chih turned, and looked eagerly at the White Hare. + +"Let me go to them," he said. "I have got a bottle of water from the +sky-dragon's mouth, and--" + +"That's all right," said the White Hare. "Give it to me." + +He opened the bottle, and mixed the contents carefully with a few +drops of the elixir of life, which was clear as crystal, and of which +each drop shone like a diamond as he poured it in. + +"Now, drink this," he said to Wang Chih, "and it will give you the +power of living once more in the past, as you desire." + +Wang Chih held out his hand, and drank every drop. + +The moment he had done so, the window grew larger, and he saw some +steps leading from it down into the village street. + +Thanking the Hare, he rushed through it, and ran toward his own house, +arriving in time to take the taper from his wife's hand with which she +was about to light the red and yellow lanterns which swung over the +door. + +"What has kept you so long, father? Where have you been?" asked Han +Chung, while little Ho-Seen-Ko wondered why he kissed and embraced +them all so eagerly. + +But Wang Chih did not tell them his adventures just then; only when +darkness fell, and the Feast of Lanterns began, he took his part in it +with a merry heart. + + + + +_The Lake of Gems_ + + +Once upon a time, so very long ago that even the great-grandfathers of +our great-grandmothers had not been born, there lived in the city of +Kwen-lu a little Chinese boy named Pei-Hang. + +His father and mother loved him dearly, and did all they could to +shield him from the power of the evil Genii, or spirits, of whom there +were a great many in China. Of course, there were some good Genii too, +but most of them were very much the reverse, and Pei-Hang's mother was +always taking precautions against them. + +Now it is said that a wicked Geni will not come near a Chinese boy if +he has some red silk braided in with his pigtail, or if he wears a +silver chain round his neck. + +And the most daring Geni has a great dread of old fishing-nets. + +Pei-Hang's mother made him a little shirt out of an old fishing-net to +wear next to his skin, and she took care that his pigtail should be +plaited with the brightest red silk she could buy. + +She was particular in having his head shaved in exactly the right way, +too, and to have a tuft left sticking up in the luckiest place. + +With all these precautions Pei-Hang got safely over the troubles of +his babyhood, and grew from a little boy into a big one, and from a +boy to a tall and handsome youth; and he left off wearing his netted +shirt, although the silver chain still hung round his neck and there +was red silk in his pigtail. + +"It is time that Pei-Hang saw a little more," said his father. "He +must go to Chang-ngan, and study under the wise men there, and find +out what the world is thinking about." + +Chang-ngan was the old capital of China, a very great city indeed, +and Pin-Too, the master to whom Pei-Hang was sent was the wisest man +in it. + +And there Pei-Hang soon learned what the world was thinking about, and +many things besides. And as soon as he was eighteen he took the red +silk out of his pigtail and the silver chain from his neck; for +grown-up people do not need charms to protect them from the +Genii--they can generally protect themselves. + +When he was twenty, Pin-Too told him he could not teach him any more. + +"It is time for you to go back to your parents, and comfort them in +their old age," he said. + +He looked very sorry as he said it, for Pei-Hang had been his +favourite pupil. + +"I will start to-morrow, Master," replied Pei-Hang, obediently. "I +will leave the city by the Golden Bridge." + +"No, you must go by the Indigo Bridge, for there you will meet your +future wife," said Pin-Too. + +"I was not thinking of a wife," observed Pei-Hang, with some dismay. + +And Pin-Too wrinkled up his eyes and laughed. + +"All the better!" he said. "Because, when you have once seen her, you +will be able to think of nothing else." + +It was very hot weather, and Pei-Hang ought to have started early in +the morning; but he sat so long over his books the night before his +journey that he fell fast asleep just before sunrise, and slept all +through the coolest hours of the day. + +When he awoke, the sun was blazing down upon the streets of +Chang-ngan, and making the town like a furnace. + +However, Pei-Hang took up his stick and set off, because he had +promised his father and mother to start that day. + +"I will rest a little at the Indigo Bridge, and walk on again in the +cool of the evening," he said to himself. + +But on the bridge he fell asleep again, so tired was he with the many +sleepless nights he had spent in study. + +While he slept he had a dream, in which a tall and beautiful maiden +appeared to him, and showed him her right foot, round which a red cord +was bound. + +"What is the meaning of it?" asked Pei-Hang, who could hardly take his +eyes away from her face to look at her foot. + +"What is the meaning of the red cord around your foot, too?" replied +the girl. + +Then Pei-Hang glanced at his right foot, and saw that his foot and the +girl's were tied together by the same thin red cord; and by this he +knew that she must be his future wife. + +"I have heard my mother say," he said, "that when a boy is born, the +Fairy of the Moon ties an invisible red cord round his right foot, and +the other end of the cord round the foot of the girl-baby whom he is +to marry." + +"That is quite true," said the maiden; "and _this_ is an invisible +cord to people who are awake. Now I will tell you my name, and +remember it when you hear it again. It is Yun-Ying." + +"And I will tell you mine," began Pei-Hang, but Yun-Ying stopped him, +smiling. + +"Ah, I know yours, and all about you," she said. + +This surprised Pei-Hang very much; but he need not have been greatly +astonished, for everyone in Chang-ngan knew that Pei-Hang was the +handsomest and wisest and best loved pupil the wise Pin-Too had ever +had. + +And Yun-Ying lived quite close to the city, and had often seen +Pei-Hang walking through the streets with his books. + +When Pei-Hang awoke, he found, as she had said, that there was no red +cord around his foot, and no fair maiden looking down at him, either. + +"I wonder if she is real, or only a dream-maiden, after all," he said +to himself. + +But Yun-Ying was quite real; only her mother, who knew something of +magic, had given her the power of stepping in and out of people's +dreams just as she chose. + +Pei-Hang got up and went on his way, thinking of Yun-Ying all the +time. + +It was still very hot, and he grew so thirsty that he went to a little +hut by the roadside, and asked an old woman who was sitting in the +doorway to give him a drink. + +The old dame told her daughter to fill their best goblet with fresh +spring water, and bring it out to the stranger; and when the daughter +appeared, it was none other than Yun-Ying herself. + +"Oh!" cried Pei-Hang, "I thought perhaps I should never see you again, +and I have found you almost directly." + +"And what is my name?" asked the girl, laughing. + +"Yun-Ying," replied Pei-Hang. "Yun-Ying, Yun-Ying," he repeated, in a +singing tone, just as he had been saying it all the time as he walked +along, as if he loved the sound of it. + +Yun-Ying was dressed in white underneath, but her over-dress was +bright blue, embroidered with beautiful flowers which she had worked +herself; and she stood in the door of the hut, with a peach tree in +full bloom over her head, making such a picture of youth and +loveliness that Pei-Hang's heart seemed to jump up into his throat, +and beat there fast enough to choke him. + +"Who are you? And how do you come to know Yun-Ying?" asked the old +woman peering and blinking at him, with her hand over her eyes, to +shade them from the sun. + +And when she heard about the dream, and the red cord, and that +Pei-Hang wanted to marry her daughter, she did not look at all +pleased. + +"If I had two daughters you might have one of them, and welcome," she +grumbled. + +For Pei-Hang was not by any means a bad match. His parents were well +off, and he was their only child. + +But Yun-Ying was a very pretty girl, and a mandarin of Chang-ngan was +anxious to make her his wife. + +"He is four times her age, it is true," said her mother, explaining +this to Pei-Hang; "but he is very rich. All his dishes and plates are +gold, and they say his drinking-cups are gold, set with diamonds." + +"He is old and wrinkled, like a little brown monkey," said Yun-Ying. +"_I_ don't want to marry him! And, besides, the Fairy of the Moon +didn't tie my foot to his." + +"No, that's true enough," sighed her mother. + +She would have liked to tell Pei-Hang to go about his business, but +she knew if the red cord had really been tied between his foot and +Yun-Ying's, it would not be safe to do that. + +"Come inside," she said at last; "I'll see what I can promise." + +The inside of the hut was fragrant with the scent of herbs which were +strewn all over the floor, and on a wooden stool in the middle lay a +broken pestle and mortar. + +"Now," said Yun-Ying's mother, "on this stool I pound magic drugs +given to me by the Genii; but my pestle and mortar is broken. I want a +new one." + +"That I can easily buy in Chang-ngan," replied Pei-Hang. + +"No; for it is a pestle and mortar of jade, and you can only get one +like it by going to the home of the Genii, which is on a mountain +above the Lake of Gems. If you will do that, and bring it back to me, +you shall marry Yun-Ying." + +"Yes, I will do that," said Pei-Hang, after a moment's thought. "But I +must see my parents first." + +He had not the least idea where the home of the Genii was; but +Yun-Ying took him out into the garden, and showed him, in the far +distance, a range of snow-capped mountains, with one peak towering +above the rest. + +"That is Mount Sumi," she said, "and it is there the Genii live, +sitting on the snow-peaks, and looking down at the Lake of Gems." + +"But to reach it you must cross the Blue River, the White River, the +Red River, and the Black River, which are all full of monstrous +fishes. That is why my mother is sending you," sighed Yun-Ying. "She +thinks you will never come back alive." + +"I know how to swim," said Pei-Hang, "and fishes don't frighten me." + +"Promise me you won't try to swim," said Yun-Ying, earnestly. "You +would be devoured in a moment. Take this box with you. In it you will +find six red seeds. Throw one into each river as you come to it, and +it will shrink into a little brook, over which you can jump." + +Pei-Hang opened the box, and saw inside six round, red seeds, each +about the size of a pea; and he agreed to use them as Yun-Ying +directed. Then he kissed her, and set out on his journey to Mount +Sumi. + +But on his way across the plain he passed through the town where his +parents lived, and he went to see them, and told them all that had +happened since he left Chang-ngan. + +His mother, who was a very wise woman, as mothers generally are, told +him the Genii would be angry if he turned their four great rivers into +brooks, and would probably refuse to give him a pestle and mortar made +of jade. + +"I never thought of that," said Pei-Hang. + +"Never mind," said his mother, "I will give you a box containing six +white seeds. Cast one into each brook when you have crossed it on your +way home, and the brook will expand into a river again." + +Early the next morning Pei-Hang kissed her and went on his way. + +He rested during the midday heat, and continued his journey when it +grew cool again; and in this way, at the end of seven days, he came to +the Blue River. + +It was a quarter of a mile wide, and as blue as the sky of midsummer, +and fishes were popping their heads out of the water in every +direction. The head of every fish was twice as large as a football, +and had two rows of teeth. But Pei-Hang threw a red seed into the +waves which were lapping the shore, and in a moment, instead of the +wide blue river, a little brook lay at his feet. + +The huge fishes were changed into tiny creatures like tadpoles, and he +hopped across the brook on one foot. + +Soon afterward he came to the White River, which was half a mile wide, +so rapid that it was covered with foam, like new milk, and full of +immense sea serpents. "I shan't be able to hop over _this_ on one +foot," thought Pei-Hang, throwing his red seed into the water. + +But to his surprise the White River shrank just as rapidly as the Blue +River into a tiny rippling brook, with some wee wriggling eels at the +bottom. + +Pei-Hang leaped lightly over it, and walked a long way before he came +in sight of the Red River. + +This was three-quarters of a mile wide, and bright scarlet. It looked +like a flood of melted sealing-wax, and a row of alligators, with +their mouths wide open, stretched right across it like a bridge. + +"Now for my little red seed!" said Pei-Hang, opening his box quite +cheerfully. + +The nearest alligator made a snap at the seed as it sank in the river, +but he missed it, and the next minute he found himself no bigger than +a lizard, sitting at the bottom of a stream not half a yard across. At +the other side of it Pei-Hang was met by one of the Genii, who had +come down from his snow-peak to see who it was that had dared to play +such tricks with the three mighty rivers. + +Pei-Hang showed him the round white seeds in his other box. + +"It is all right," he said, "I can make them as large as they were +before, on my way back. But first I must find the home of the Genii, +and get a pestle and mortar of jade for my future mother-in-law to +pound her magic drugs in." + +"First you must cross the Black River," replied the Geni, with rather +a scornful laugh. "It is a mile wide, and the fish in it are six yards +long, and covered with spikes like porcupines." + +"How did you get across?" inquired Pei-Hang. + +"I? Oh, I can fly," said the Geni. + +"And I can jump," retorted Pei-Hang, sturdily. + +The Geni walked with him as far as the Black River, and when our hero +saw the great waste of water as black as ink, stretching away in front +of him, it must be confessed his heart sank a little. + +But he took out his fourth seed, and watched it disappear beneath a +coal-black wave. + +In an instant, to the Geni's astonishment, the river dried up, leaving +only a shallow stream running through the grass at their feet. + +The Geni was not altogether a bad-hearted fellow, and he was also much +impressed by the wonderful things Pei-Hang seemed able to do; so he +offered to show him the nearest way to the home of the Genii, on the +top of Mount Sumi. + +After a long and wearisome climb they got up there, and found eight of +the Genii sitting on eight snow-peaks, and looking down on the Lake of +Gems, as Yun-Ying had said. + +The Lake of Gems lay on the other side of Mount Sumi, and was a +beautiful sheet of water, flashing all the colours of the rainbow. + +Pei-Hang could not take his eyes off it. He forgot all about the +pestle and mortar as he watched the waves rippling along the shore, +and leaving behind them diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and pearls in +thousands. + +Every pebble on the margin of the lake was a precious stone, and +Pei-Hang wanted to go down and fill his pockets with them. + +He stood there while the Geni who had been his guide explained to the +others why he had come, and told them about the wonderful red and +white seeds he carried about with him. + +"We must let him have the pestle and mortar," he said, "or he won't +give us our rivers back again." The eight Genii nodded their eight +heads, and spoke all at once, with a noise which was like the rumble +of thunder among the hills. "Let him take it, if he can carry it," +they said. + +And they laughed until the snow-peaks shook beneath them; for the +mortar made of jade was six feet high and four feet wide and the +pestle was so heavy no mortal could lift it. + +Pei-Hang, when he had finished staring at the Lake of Gems, walked +round it, and wondered how he was to carry it down the mountain and +across the plains to Chang-ngan. + +Then he sat down on the ground to think the matter over, and the +Genii, even his own good-natured Geni, laughed at him again. + +"Come!" they said. "If you like to fill the mortar with precious +stones, you may do it. Any man who can carry it empty can carry it +full." + +"Because no one can carry it at all," concluded the good-natured Geni, +softly to himself. + +Pei-Hang folded his arms, and sat still, and thought, and thought, and +took no notice of their gibes and sneers. + +He had not studied three years with the wisest man in Chang-ngan for +nothing, and, besides, he was determined to marry Yun-Ying, and when +young men are very much in love, they sometimes accomplish things +which their friends--and enemies--think are impossible. + +At last a light came into his eyes; and he jumped up and asked the +friendly Geni if he would make a little heap of stones at one side of +the mortar. + +"I want to be able to look inside it, and I am not tall enough," said +he. + +"And why don't you do it yourself?" asked the Geni. + +"Because I must go down to the Lake of Gems and collect precious +stones," replied Pei-Hang. + +And he ran down to the shore of the lake and gathered diamonds, +rubies, emeralds, pearls, and sapphires, as many as he could carry. + +This he did again and again, emptying them into the mortar each time, +until it was quite full, and held gems enough to make Pei-Hang the +richest man in China. + +This was exactly what he wanted; for he knew that the yellow-faced +mandarin was only the richest man in Chang-ngan, and that the richest +man in China would have a far greater chance of marrying Yun-Ying. + +"Well, what next?" cried the eight Genii, when he had finished. "Will +you take it on your shoulder or on your head?" + +"I will just carry it under my arm," replied Pei-Hang, easily. + +And he took out his little box, and threw one of his red seeds on top +of the gems. + +In a moment the gigantic pestle and mortar shrank into one of the +ordinary size. + +Pei-Hang put the pestle in his pocket, and took up the mortar +carefully, because he did not wish to spill the precious stones, and +made a low bow to the Genii. + +"Good-bye, and thank you," he said. + +They did not laugh this time, but they pursued him with such a roar of +rage that it sounded as if eight lions were waiting for their dinner. + +But they did not dare to stop him, knowing that he had the power to +turn the four brooks into four rivers again. + +Pei-Hang hurried away, and on his journey did exactly what he had +promised. + +He jumped across the first brook, and threw a white seed into it, and +turned it into a terrible inky black waste of waters a mile wide, full +of fishes six yards long, and every fish covered with spikes. + +The Genii stopped roaring then; they were relieved to see the Black +River rolling once more between them and the outer world. + +When Pei-Hang came to the Red River, and the White River, and the Blue +River, he did the same thing; and from that day to this no one has +been able to find the home of the Genii, because no one but Pei-Hang +could ever cross the Blue River, much less the other three. + +Then Pei-Hang journeyed for seven days, and came to his father's and +mother's house, and told them all that had happened since he had left +them, and he gave them a ruby, a diamond, an emerald, a sapphire, a +pearl, and a pink topaz, a jewel for every white seed his mother had +given him, and each as large as a sparrow's egg. After that he went on +to Chang-ngan, and there he found that, although he had only been a +month away, Yun-Ying's mother had told everyone he was dead, and +invited all her friends to a wedding feast in honour of her daughter's +marriage with the yellow-faced old mandarin. The wedding had not taken +place when Pei-Hang arrived; but Yun-Ying stood under the peach tree, +in her wedding dress, which was of pink silk, all embroidered with +silver, and when she saw Pei-Hang, she threw herself into his arms and +the tears ran down her cheeks. + +Pei-Hang put down the pestle and mortar while he comforted her, and +her mother came running out to look at it. + +"You have come too late to marry Yun-Ying," she said. "But I'll buy +the pestle and mortar from you with some of the money the mandarin has +given me." + +"No, you will not," replied Pei-Hang. And he dropped one of his white +seeds into the mortar, which at once increased in size until it filled +the whole grass plat under the peach tree, and it was full to the brim +of glittering jewels. + +Pei-Hang climbed into one of the branches overhanging it, and from +there he threw down among the wedding guests diamonds, rubies, +emeralds, and all kinds of precious stones. + +And the yellow-faced mandarin was as busy picking them up as anyone. + +"Although he is so rich that his drinking-cups are made of gold!" +cried the others, indignantly. + +"One can never have too much of a good thing. He! he! he!" he +chuckled. + +And when Pei-Hang offered him three rubies, each as large as a +pigeon's egg, if he would go away and forget all about Yun-Ying, he +took them and went. + +Perhaps he knew that Yun-Ying's mother would not have much more to say +to him, now that she had a chance of a son-in-law who scattered jewels +about the grass like pearl barley. + +Or perhaps he really preferred the three great rubies to Yun-Ying. + +At any rate, he went back to Chang-ngan, and Pei-Hang married Yun +Ying, and took her away to the city where his father and mother lived; +and they were as happy as two young people deserve to be when they +love each other dearly. + +As for the pestle and mortar of jade, it stood under the peach tree; +and no one could lift it into the cottage, and no one could have +pounded magic drugs in it, if they could have got it inside. + +Pei-Hang had one red seed left in his box, and he meant to have thrown +it into the mortar as soon as he had taken all the precious stones +out, and made it small again. + +But while he was up in the peach tree the box flew open, and the seed +fell out, and was gobbled up by a turkey underneath. + +The turkey, of course, changed into a bantam cock; but the pestle and +mortar had to remain the size it was. + +And Yun-Ying's mother was very angry about it, although I do not think +she deserved anything else, after the unfair advantage she had tried +to take of her son-in-law. + + + + +_The Sea-Maiden_ + + +There was once a poor old fisherman, and one year he was not getting +much fish. On a day of days, while he was fishing, there rose a +sea-maiden at the side of his boat, and she asked him, "Are you +getting much fish?" The old man answered and said, "Not I." "What +reward would you give me for sending plenty of fish to you?" "Ach!" +said the old man, "I have not much to spare." "Will you give me the +first son you have?" said she. "I would give ye that, were I to have a +son," said he. "Then go home, and remember me when your son is twenty +years of age, and you yourself will get plenty of fish after this." +Everything happened as the sea-maiden said, and he himself got plenty +of fish; but when the end of the twenty years was nearing, the old man +was growing more and more sorrowful and heavy-hearted, while he +counted each day as it came. + +He had rest neither day nor night. The son asked his father one day, +"Is any one troubling you?" The old man said, "Someone is, but that's +nought to do with you nor anyone else." The lad said, "I _must_ know +what it is." His father told him at last how the matter was with him +and the sea-maiden. "Let not that put you in any trouble," said the +son; "I will not oppose you." "You shall not; you shall not go, my +son, though I never get fish any more." "If you will not let me go +with you, go to the smithy, and let the smith make me a great strong +sword, and I will go seek my fortune." + +His father went to the smithy, and the smith made a doughty sword for +him. His father came home with the sword. The lad grasped it and gave +it a shake or two, and it flew into a hundred splinters. He asked his +father to go to the smithy and get him another sword in which there +should be twice as much weight; and so his father did, and so likewise +it happened to the next sword--it broke in two halves. Back went the +old man to the smithy; and the smith made a great sword; its like he +never made before. "There's the sword for thee," said the smith, "and +the fist must be good that plays this blade." The old man gave the +sword to his son; he gave it a shake or two. "This will do," said he; +"it's high time now to travel on my way." + +On the next morning he put a saddle on a black horse that his father +had, and he took the world for his pillow. When he went on a bit, he +fell in with the carcass of a sheep beside the road. And there were a +great black dog, a falcon, and an otter, and they were quarrelling +over the spoil. So they asked him to divide it for them. He came down +off the horse, and he divided the carcass amongst the three, three +shares to the dog, two shares to the otter, and a share to the falcon. +"For this," said the dog, "if swiftness of foot or sharpness of tooth +will give thee aid, mind me, and I will be at thy side." Said the +otter, "If the swimming of foot on the ground of a pool will loose +thee, mind me, and I will be at thy side." Said the falcon, "If +hardship comes on thee, where swiftness of wing or crook of claw will +do good, mind me, and I will be at thy side." + +On this he went onward till he reached a king's house, and he took +service to be a herd, and his wages were to be according to the milk +of the cattle. He went away with the cattle, and the grazing was but +bare. In the evening when he took them home they had not much milk, +the place was so bare, and his meat and drink was but spare that +night. + +On the next day he went farther on with them; and at last he came to a +place exceedingly grassy, in a great glen, of which he never saw the +like. + +But about the time when he should drive the cattle home-wards, whom +should he see coming but a great giant with a sword in his hand? "HI! +HO!! HOGARACH!!!" says the giant. "Those cattle are mine; they are on +my land, and a dead man art thou." "I say not that," says the herd; +"there is no knowing, but that may be easier to say than to do." + +He drew the great clean-sweeping sword, and he neared the giant. The +herd drew back his sword, and the head was off the giant in a +twinkling. He leaped on the black horse, and he went to look for the +giant's house. In went the herd, and that's the place where there was +money in plenty, and dresses of each kind in the wardrobe with gold +and silver, and each thing finer than the other. At the mouth of night +he took himself to the king's house, but he took not a thing from the +giant's house. And when the cattle were milked this night there _was_ +milk! He got good feeding this night, meat and drink without stint, +and the king was hugely pleased that he had caught such a herd. He +went on for a time in this way, but at last the glen grew bare of +grass, and the grazing was not so good. + +So he thought he would go a little farther forward in on the giant's +land; and he sees a great park of grass. He returned for the cattle, +and he put them into the park. + +They were but a short time grazing in the park when a great wild giant +came, full of rage and madness. "HI! HAW!! HOGARAICH!!!" said the +giant; "it is a drink of thy blood that will quench my thirst this +night." "There is no knowing," said the herd, "but that's easier to +say than to do." And at each other went the men. _There_ was shaking +of blades! At length and at last it seemed as if the giant would get +the victory over the herd. Then he called on the dog, and with one +spring the black dog caught the giant by the neck, and swiftly the +herd struck off his head. + +He went home very tired this night, but it's a wonder if the king's +cattle had not milk. The whole family was delighted that they had got +such a herd. + +Next day he betakes himself to the castle. When he reached the door, a +little flattering carlin met him standing in the door. "All hail and +good luck to thee, fisher's son! 't is I myself am pleased to see +thee; great is the honour for this kingdom, for thy like to be come +into it--thy coming in is fame for this little bothy; go in first; +honour to the gentles; go in, and take breath." + +"In before me, thou crone; I like not flattery out of doors; go in and +let's hear thy speech." In went the crone, and when her back was to +him he drew his sword and whips off her head; but the sword flew out +of his hand. And swift the crone gripped her head with both hands, and +put it on her neck as it was before. The dog sprang on the crone, and +she struck the generous dog with the club of magic; and there he lay. +But the herd struggled for a hold of the club of magic, and with one +blow on the top of the head she was on earth in the twinkling of an +eye. He went forward, up a little, and there was spoil! Gold and +silver, and each thing more precious than another, in the crone's +castle. He went back to the king's house, and there was rejoicing. + +He followed herding in this way for a time; but one night after he +came home, instead of getting "All hail!" and "Good luck!" from the +dairymaid, all were at crying and woe. + +He asked what cause of woe there was that night. The dairymaid said, +"There is a great beast with three heads in the loch, and it must get +someone every year, and the lot had come this year on the king's +daughter, and at midday to-morrow she is to meet the Laidly Beast at +the upper end of the loch, but there is a great suitor yonder who is +going to rescue her." + +"What suitor is that?" said the herd. "Oh, he is a great general of +arms," said the dairymaid, "and when he kills the beast, he will marry +the king's daughter, for the king has said that he who could save his +daughter should get her to marry." + +But on the morrow, when the time grew near, the king's daughter and +this hero of arms went to give a meeting to the beast, and they +reached the black rock at the upper end of the loch. They were but a +short time there when the beast stirred in the midst of the loch; but +when the general saw this terror of a beast with three heads, he took +fright, and he slunk away, and he hid himself. And the king's +daughter was under fear and under trembling, with no one at all to +save her. Suddenly she sees a doughty, handsome youth, riding a black +horse, and coming where she was. He was marvellously arrayed and full +armed, and his black dog moved after him. "There is gloom on your +face, girl," said the youth; "what do you here?" + +"Oh! that's no matter," said the king's daughter. "It's not long I'll +be here at all events." + +"I say not that," said he. + +"A champion fled as likely as you, and not long since," said she. + +"He is a champion who stands the war," said the youth. And to meet the +beast he went with his sword and his dog. But there was a spluttering +and a splashing between himself and the beast! The dog kept doing all +he might, and the king's daughter was palsied by fear of the noise of +the beast! One of them would now be under, and now above. But at last +he cut one of the heads off it. It gave one roar, and the son of +earth, echo of the rocks, called to its screech, and it drove the loch +in spindrift from end to end, and in a twinkling it went out of sight. + +"Good luck and victory follow you, lad!" said the king's daughter. "I +am safe for one night, but the beast will come again and again, until +the other two heads come off it." He caught the beast's head, and he +drew a knot through it, and he told her to bring it with her there +to-morrow. She gave him a gold ring, and went home with the head on +her shoulder, and the herd betook himself to the cows. But she had not +gone far when this great general saw her, and he said to her, "I will +kill you if you do not say 't was I took the head off the beast." +"Oh!" says she, "'t is I will say it; who else took the head off the +beast but you!" They reached the king's house, and the head was on the +general's shoulder. But here was rejoicing, that she should come home +alive and whole, and this great captain with the beast's head full of +blood in hand. On the morrow they went away, and there was no +question at all but that this hero would save the king's daughter. + +They reached the same place, and they were not long there when the +fearful Laidly Beast stirred in the midst of the loch, and the hero +slunk away as he did on yesterday: but it was not long after this when +the man of the black horse came, with another dress on. No matter; she +knew that it was the very same lad. "It is I am pleased to see you," +said she. "I am in hopes you will handle your great sword to-day as +you did yesterday. Come up and take breath." But they were not long +there when they saw the beast steaming in the midst of the loch. + +At once he went to meet the beast, but _there_ was Cloopersteich and +Clapersteich, spluttering, splashing, raving, and roaring on the +beast! They kept at it thus for a long time, and about the mouth of +the night he cut another head off the beast. He put it on the knot and +gave it to her. She gave him one of her earrings, and he leaped on the +black horse, and he betook himself to the herding. The king's daughter +went home with the heads. The general met her, and took the heads from +her, and he said to her that she must tell that it was he who took the +head off of the beast this time also. "Who else took the head off the +beast but you?" said she. They reached the king's house with the +heads. Then there was joy and gladness. + +About the same time on the morrow, the two went away. The officer hid +himself as he usually did. The king's daughter betook herself to the +bank of the loch. The hero of the black horse came, and if roaring and +raving were on the beast on the days that were passed, this day it was +horrible. But no matter, he took the third head off the beast, and +drew it through the knot, and gave it to her. She gave him her other +earring, and then she went home with the heads. When they reached the +king's house, all were full of smiles, and the general was to marry +the king's daughter the next day. The wedding was going on, and +everyone about the castle longing till the priest should come. But +when the priest came, she would marry only the one who could take the +heads off the knot without cutting it. "Who should take the heads off +the knot but the man that put the heads on?" said the king. + +The general tried them, but he could not loose them, and at last there +was no one about the house but had tried to take the heads off the +knot, but they could not. The king asked if there was anyone else +about the house that would try to take the heads off the knot. They +said that the herd had not tried them yet. Word went for the herd; and +he was not long throwing them hither and thither. "But stop a bit, my +lad," said the king's daughter; "the man that took the heads off the +beast, he has my ring and my two earrings." The herd put his hand in +his pocket, and he threw them on the board. "Thou art my man," said +the king's daughter. The king was not so pleased when he saw that it +was a herd who was to marry his daughter, and he ordered that he +should be put in a better dress; but his daughter spoke, and she said +that he had a dress as fine as any that ever was in his castle; and +thus it happened. The herd put on the giant's golden dress, and they +were married that same day. + +They were now married, and everything went on well. But one day, and +it was the namesake of the day when his father had promised him to the +sea-maiden, they were sauntering by the side of the loch, and lo, and +behold! she came and took him away to the loch without leave or +asking. The king's daughter was now mournful, tearful, blind-sorrowful +for her married man; she was always with her eye on the loch. An old +soothsayer met her, and she told how it had befallen her married mate. +Then he told her the thing to do to save her mate, and that she did. + +She took her harp to the sea-shore, and sat and played; and the +sea-maiden came up to listen, for sea-maidens are fonder of music than +all other creatures. But when the wife saw the sea-maiden she stopped. +The sea-maiden said, "Play on!" but the princess said, "No, not till I +see my man again." So the sea-maiden put up his head out of the loch. +Then the princess played again, and stopped till the sea-maiden put +him up to the waist. Then the princess played and stopped again, and +this time the sea-maiden put him all out of the loch, and he called on +the falcon and became one, and flew on shore. But the sea-maiden took +the princess, his wife. + +Sorrowful was each one that was in the town on this night. Her man was +mournful, tearful, wandering down and up about the banks of the loch, +by day and night. The old soothsayer met him. The soothsayer told him +that there was no way of killing the sea-maiden but the one way, and +this is it: "In the island that is in the midst of the loch is the +white-footed hind of the slenderest legs and the swiftest step, and +though she be caught, there will spring a hoodie out of her, and +though the hoodie should be caught, there will spring a trout out of +her, but there is an egg in the mouth of the trout, and the soul of +the sea-maiden is in the egg and if the egg breaks she is dead." + +Now, there was no way of getting to this island, for the sea-maiden +would sink each boat and raft that would go on the loch. He thought he +would try to leap the strait with the black horse, and even so he did. +The black horse leaped the strait. He saw the hind; and he let the +black dog after her, but when he was on one side of the island, the +hind would be on the other side. "Oh! would the black dog of the +carcass of flesh were here!" No sooner spoke he the word than the +grateful dog was at his side; and after the hind he went, and they +were not long in bringing her to earth. But he no sooner caught her +than a hoodie sprang out of her. "Would that the falcon grey, of +sharpest eye and swiftest wing, were here!" No sooner said he this +than the falcon was after the hoodie, and she was not long putting her +to earth; and as the hoodie fell on the bank of the loch, out of her +jumps the trout. "Oh! that thou wert by me now, O otter!" No sooner +said than the otter was at his side, and out on the loch she leaped, +and brings the trout from the midst of the loch; but no sooner was the +otter on shore with the trout than the egg came from his mouth. He +sprang and he put his foot on it. 'T was then that the sea-maiden +appeared, and she said, "Break not the egg, and you shall get all you +ask." "Deliver to me my wife!" In the wink of an eye she was by his +side. When he got hold of her hand in both his hands, he let his foot +down on the egg, and the sea-maiden died. + + + + +_The Enchanted Waterfall_ + + +Once upon a time, there lived alone with his father and mother a +simple young wood-cutter. He worked all day on the lonely hillside, or +among the shady trees of the forest. But, work as hard as he might, he +was still very poor, and could bring home but little money to his old +father and mother. This grieved him very much, for he was an +affectionate and dutiful son. + +For himself he had but few wants and was easily pleased. His mother, +too, was always cheerful and contented. The old father, however, was +of a selfish disposition, and often grumbled at the poor supper of +rice, washed down with weak tea, or, if times were very bad, with a +cup of hot water. + +"If we had but a little saké, now," he would say, "it would warm one +up, and do one's heart good." And then he would reproach the simple +young fellow, vowing that in his young days he had always been able to +afford a cup of saké for himself and his friends. + +Grieved at heart, the young man would work harder than ever and think +to himself: "How shall I earn some more money? How shall I get a +little saké for my poor father, who really needs it in his weakness +and old age?" + +He was thinking in this way to himself one day as he was at work on +the wooded hills, when the sound of rushing water caught his ear. He +had often worked in the same spot before, and could not remember that +there was any torrent or waterfall near. So, feeling rather surprised, +he followed the sound, which got louder and louder until at last he +came upon a beautiful little cascade. + +The water looked so clear and cool that he stooped down where it was +flowing away in a quiet stream, and, using his hand as a cup, drank a +little of it. What was his amazement to find that instead of water it +was the most excellent saké! + +Overjoyed at this discovery, he quickly filled the gourd which was +hanging at his girdle, and made the best of his way home, rejoicing +that now at last he had something good to bring back to his poor old +father. The old man was so delighted with the saké that he drank cup +after cup. A neighbour happened to drop in, the story was told to him, +and a cup of saké offered and drunk with many words of astonishment +and gratitude. + +Soon the news spread through the village, and before night there was +hardly a man in the place who had not paid his visit of curiosity, +been told the tale of the magic fountain, and smelt the gourd, which, +alas! was now empty. + +Next morning the young wood-cutter set off to work earlier even than +usual, not forgetting to carry with him a large gourd, for of course +the enchanted waterfall was to be visited again. + +What was the surprise of the young man when he came to the spot, to +find several of his neighbours already there, and all armed with +buckets, jars, pitchers, anything that would carry a good supply of +the coveted saké. Each man had come secretly, believing that he alone +had found his way to the magic waterfall. + +The young wood-cutter was amused to see the looks of disappointment +and anger upon the faces of those who already stood near the water, as +they saw fresh arrivals every moment. Each one looked abashed and +uncomfortable in the presence of his neighbours; but, at last, one +bolder than the others broke the grim silence with a laugh, which soon +the others were fain to join in. + +"Here we are," said he, "all bent on the same errand. Let us fill our +jars and gourds and go home. But first--just one taste of the magic +saké." He stooped down and, filling his gourd, put it to his lips. +Once and yet again did he drink, with a face of astonishment which +soon gave place to anger. + +"Water!" he shouted in a rage; "nothing but cold water! We have been +tricked and deceived by a parcel of made-up stories--where is that +young fellow? Let us duck him in his fine waterfall!" + +But the young man had been wise enough to slip behind a big rock when +he saw the turn things were taking, and was nowhere to be found. + +First one and then another tasted of the stream. It was but too true; +no saké, but clear, cold water was there. Crestfallen and out of +temper, the covetous band returned to their homes. + +When they were fairly gone the good young wood-cutter crept from his +hiding-place. "Could this be true," he thought, "or was it all a +dream? At any rate," said he, "I must taste once more for myself." He +filled the gourd and drank. Sure enough, there was the same +fine-flavoured saké he had tasted yesterday. And so it remained. To +the good, dutiful son the cascade flowed with the finest saké, while +to all others it yielded only cold water. + +The emperor, hearing this wonderful story, sent for the good young +wood-cutter, rewarded him for his kindness to his father, and even +changed the name of the year in his honour as an encouragement to +children in all future time to honour and obey their parents. + + + + +_The Amadan of the Dough_ + + +There was a king, once on a time, that had a son that was an +Amadan.[7] The Amadan's mother died, and the king married again. + +[Footnote 7: Simpleton.] + +The Amadan's stepmother was always afraid of his beating her children, +he was growing so big and strong. So to keep him from growing and to +weaken him, she had him fed on dough made of raw meal and water, and +for that he was called "The Amadan of the Dough." But instead of +getting weaker, it was getting stronger the Amadan was on this fare, +and he was able to thrash all of his stepbrothers together. + +At length his stepmother told his father that he would have to drive +the Amadan away. The father consented to put him away; but the Amadan +refused to go till his father would give him a sword so sharp that it +would cut a pack of wool falling on it. + +After a great deal of time and trouble the father got such a sword and +gave it to the Amadan; and when the Amadan had tried it and found it +what he wanted, he bade them all good-bye and set off. + +For seven days and seven nights he travelled away before him without +meeting anything wonderful, but on the seventh night he came up to a +great castle. He went in and found no one there, but he found a great +dinner spread on the table in the hall. So to be making the most of +his time, down the Amadan sat at the table and whacked away. + +When he had finished with his dinner, up to the castle came three +young princes, stout, strong, able fellows, but very, very tired, and +bleeding from wounds all over them. + +They struck the castle with a flint, and all at once the whole castle +shone as if it were on fire. + +The Amadan sprang at the three of them to kill them. He said, "What +do you mean by putting the castle on fire?" + +"O Amadan!" they said, "don't interfere with us, for we are nearly +killed as it is. The castle isn't on fire. Every day we have to go out +to fight three giants--Slat Mor, Slat Marr, and Slat Beag. We fight +them all day long, and just as night is falling we have them killed. +But however it comes, in the night they always come to life again, and +if they didn't see this castle lit up, they'd come in on top of us and +murder us while we slept. So every night when we come back from the +fight, we light up the castle. Then we can sleep in peace until +morning, and in the morning go off and fight the giants again." + +When the Amadan heard this, he wondered; and he said he would like +very much to help them kill the giants. They said they would be very +glad to have such a fine fellow's help; and so it was agreed that the +Amadan should go with them to the fight next day. + +Then the three princes washed themselves and took their supper, and +they and the Amadan went to bed. + +In the morning all four of them set off, and travelled to the Glen of +the Echoes, where they met the three giants. + +"Now," says the Amadan, "if you three will engage the two smaller +giants, Slat Marr and Slat Beag, I'll engage Slat Mor myself and kill +him." + +They agreed to this. + +Now the smallest of the giants was far bigger and more terrible than +anything ever the Amadan had seen or heard of in his life before, so +you can fancy what Slat Mor must have been like. + +But the Amadan was little concerned at this. He went to meet Slat Mor, +and the two of them fell to the fight, and a great, great fight they +had. They made the hard ground into soft, and the soft into spring +wells; they made the rocks into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, +and the gravel fell over the country like hailstones. All the birds of +the air from the lower end of the world to the upper end of the +world, and all the wild beasts and tame from the four ends of the +earth, came flocking to see the fight; and in the end the Amadan ran +Slat Mor through with his sword and laid him down dead. + +Then he turned to help the three princes, and very soon he laid the +other two giants down dead for them also. + +Then the three princes said they would all go home. The Amadan told +them to go, but warned them not to light up the castle this night, and +said he would sit by the giants' corpses and watch if they came to +life again. + +The three princes begged of him not to do this, for the three giants +would come to life, and then he, having no help, would be killed. + +The Amadan was angry with them, and ordered them off instantly. Then +he sat down by the giants' corpses to watch. But he was so tired from +his great day's fighting that by and by he fell asleep. + +About twelve o'clock at night, when the Amadan was sleeping soundly, +up comes a _cailliach_ [old hag] and four _badachs_ [unwieldy big +fellows], and the cailliach carried with her a feather and a bottle of +_iocshlainte_ [ointment of health], with which she began to rub the +giants' wounds. + +Two of the giants were already alive when the Amadan awoke, and the +third was just opening his eyes. Up sprang the Amadan, and at him +leaped they all--Slat Mor, Slat Marr, Slat Beag, the cailliach, and +the four badachs. + +If the Amadan had had a hard fight during the day, this one was surely +ten times harder. But a brave and a bold fellow he was, and not to be +daunted by numbers of showers of blows. They fought for long and long. +They made the hard ground into soft, and the soft into spring wells; +they made the rocks into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, and the +gravel fell over the country like hailstones. All the birds of the air +from the lower end of the world to the upper end of of the world, and +all the wild beasts and tame from the four ends of the earth, came +flocking to see the fight; and one after the other of them the Amadan +ran his sword through, until he had every man of them stretched on the +ground, dying or dead. + +And when the old cailliach was dying, she called the Amadan to her and +put him under _geasa_ [an obligation that he could not shirk] to lose +the power of his feet, of his strength, of his sight, and of his +memory, if he did not go to meet and fight the Black Bull of the Brown +Wood. + +When the old hag died outright, the Amadan rubbed some of the +iocshlainte to his wounds with the feather, and at once he was as hale +and as fresh as when the fight began. Then he took the feather and the +bottle of iocshlainte, buckled on his sword, and started away before +him to fulfil his geasa. + +He travelled for the length of that lee-long day, and when night was +falling, he came to a little hut on the edge of a wood; and the hut +had no shelter inside or out but one feather over it, and there was a +rough, red woman standing in the door. + +"You're welcome!" says she, "Amadan of the Dough, the king of +Ireland's son. What have you been doing and where are you going?" + +"Last night," says the Amadan, "I fought a great fight, and killed +Slat Mor, Slat Marr, Slat Beag, the Cailliach of the Rocks, and four +badachs. Now I'm under geasa to meet and to fight the Black Bull of +the Brown Wood. Can you tell me where to find him?" + +"I can that," says she, "but it's now night. Come in and eat and +sleep." + +So she spread for the Amadan a fine supper, and made a soft bed, and +he ate heartily and slept heartily that night. + +In the morning she called him early, and she directed him on his way +to meet the Black Bull of the Brown Wood. "But, my poor Amadan," she +said, "no one has ever yet met that bull and come back alive." + +She told him that when he reached the place of meeting, the bull would +come tearing down the hill like a hurricane. + +"Here's a cloak," says she, "to throw upon the rock that is standing +there. You hide yourself behind the rock, and when the bull comes +tearing down, he will dash at the cloak, and blind himself with the +crash against the rock. Then you jump on the bull's back and fight for +life. If, after the fight, you are living, come back and see me; and +if you are dead, I'll go and see you." + +The Amadan took the cloak, thanked her and set off, and travelled on +and on until he came to the place of meeting. + +When the Amadan came there, he saw the Bull of the Brown Wood come +tearing down the hill like a hurricane, and he threw the cloak on the +rock and hid behind it, and with the fury of his dash against the +cloak the bull blinded himself, and the roar of his fury split the +rock. + +The Amadan lost no time jumping on his back, and with his sword began +hacking and slashing him; but he was no easy bull to conquer, and a +great fight the Amadan had. They made the hard ground into soft, and +the soft into spring wells; they made the rocks into pebbles, and the +pebbles into gravel, and the gravel fell over the country like +hailstones. All the birds of the air from the lower end of the world +to the upper end of the world, and all the wild beasts and tame from +the four ends of the earth, came flocking to see the fight; at length, +after a long time, the Amadan ran his sword right through the bull's +heart, and the bull fell down dead. But before he died he put the +Amadan under geasa to meet and to fight the White Wether of the Hill +of the Waterfalls. + +Then the Amadan rubbed his own wounds with the iocshlainte, and he was +as fresh and hale as when he went into the fight. Then he set out and +travelled back again to the little hut that had no shelter without or +within, only one feather over it, and the rough, red woman was +standing in the door: and she welcomed the Amadan and asked him the +news. + +He told her all about the fight, and that the Black Bull of the Woods +had put him under geasa to meet and to fight the White Wether of the +Hill of the Waterfalls. + +"I'm sorry for you, my poor Amadan," says she, "for no one ever met +before that White Wether and came back alive. But come in and eat and +rest, anyhow, for you must be both hungry and sleepy." + +So she spread him a hearty meal and made him a soft bed, and the +Amadan ate and slept heartily; and in the morning she directed him to +where he would meet the White Wether of the Hill of the Waterfalls. +And she told him that no steel was tougher than the hide of the White +Wether, that a sword was never yet made that could go through it, and +that there was only one place--a little white spot just over the +wether's heart--where he could be killed or sword could cut through. +And she told the Amadan that his only chance was to hit this spot. + +The Amadan thanked her, and set out. He travelled away and away before +him until he came to the Hill of the Waterfalls, and as soon as he +reached it he saw the White Wether coming tearing toward him in a +furious rage, and the earth he was throwing up with his horns was +shutting out the sun. + +And when the wether came up and asked the Amadan what great feats he +had done that made him impudent enough to dare to come there, the +Amadan said: "With this sword I have killed Slat Mor, Slatt Marr, +Slatt Beag, the Cailliach of the Rocks and her four badachs, and +likewise the Black Bull of the Brown Wood." + +"Then," said the White Wether, "you'll never kill any other." And at +the Amadan he sprang. + +The Amadan struck at him with his sword, and the sword glanced off as +it might off steel. Both of them fell to the fight with all their +hearts, and such a fight never was before or since. They made the hard +ground into soft, and the soft into spring wells; they made the rocks +into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, and the gravel fell over +the country like hailstones. All the birds of the air from the lower +end of the world to the upper end of the world, and all the wild +beasts and tame from the four ends of the earth, came flocking to see +the fight. But at length and at last, after a long and terrible fight, +the Amadan, seeing the little spot above the heart that the red woman +had told him of, struck for it and hit it, and drove his sword through +the White Wether's heart, and he fell down. And when he was dying, he +called the Amadan and put him under a geasa to meet and fight the +Beggarman of the King of Sweden. + +The Amadan took out his bottle of iocshlainte and rubbed himself with +the iocshlainte, and he was as fresh and hale as when he began the +fight. Then he set out again, and when night was falling, he reached +the hut that had no shelter within or without, only one feather over +it, and the rough, red woman was standing in the door. + +Right glad she was to see the Amadan coming back alive, and she +welcomed him heartily and asked him the news. + +He told her of the wonderful fight he had had, and that he was now +under geasa to meet and fight the Beggarman of the King of Sweden. + +She made him come in and eat and sleep, for he was tired and hungry. +And heartily the Amadan ate and heartily he slept; and in the morning +she called him early, and directed him on his way to meet the +Beggarman of the King of Sweden. + +She told him that when he reached a certain hill, the beggarman would +come down from the sky in a cloud; and that he would see the whole +world between the beggarman's legs and nothing above his head. "If +ever he finds himself beaten," she said, "he goes up into the sky in a +mist and stays there to refresh himself. You may let him go up once; +but if you let him go up the second time, he will surely kill you when +he comes down. Remember that. If you are alive when the fight is over, +come to see me. If you are dead, I will go to see you." + +The Amadan thanked her, parted with her, and travelled away and away +before him until he reached the hill which she had told him of. And +when he came there, he saw a great cloud that shot out of the sky, +descending on the hill, and when it came down on the hill and melted +away, there it left the Beggarman of the King of Sweden standing, and +between his legs the Amadan saw the whole world and nothing over his +head. + +And with a roar and a run the beggarman made for the Amadan, and the +roar of him rattled the stars in the sky. He asked the Amadan who he +was, and what he had done to have the impudence to come there and meet +him. + +The Amadan said: "They call me the Amadan of the Dough, and I have +killed Slat Mor, Slat Marr, Slat Beag, the Cailliach of the Rocks and +her four badachs, the Black Bull of the Brown Wood, and the White +Wether of the Hill of the Waterfalls, and before night I'll have +killed the Beggarman of the King of Sweden." + +"That you never will, you miserable object," says the beggarman. +"You're going to die now, and I'll give you your choice to die either +by a hard squeeze of wrestling, or a stroke of the sword." + +"Well," says the Amadan, "if I have to die, I'd sooner die by a stroke +of the sword." + +"All right," says the beggarman, and drew his sword. + +But the Amadan drew his sword at the same time, and both went at it. +And if his fights before had been hard, this one was harder and +greater and more terrible than the others put together. They made the +hard ground into soft, and the soft into spring wells; they made the +rocks into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, and the gravel fell +over the country like hailstones. All the birds of the air from the +lower end of the world to the upper end of the world, and all the wild +beasts and tame from the four ends of the earth, came flocking to see +the fight. And at length the fight was putting so hard upon the +beggarman, and he was getting so weak, that he whistled, and the mist +came around him, and he went up into the sky before the Amadan knew. +He remained there until he refreshed himself, and then came down +again, and at it again he went for the Amadan, and fought harder and +harder than before, and again it was putting too hard upon him, and he +whistled as before for the mist to come down and take him up. + +But the Amadan remembered what the red woman had warned him; he gave +one leap into the air, and coming down, drove his sword through the +beggarman's heart, and the beggarman fell dead. But before he died he +put geasa on the Amadan to meet and fight the Silver Cat of the Seven +Glens. + +The Amadan rubbed his wounds with the iocshlainte, and he was as fresh +and hale as when he began the fight; and then he set out, and when +night was falling, he reached the hut that had no shelter within or +without, only one feather over it, and the rough, red woman was +standing in the door. + +Right glad she was to see the Amadan coming back alive, and she +welcomed him right heartily, and asked him the news. + +He told her that he had killed the beggarman, and said he was now +under geasa to meet and fight the Silver Cat of the Seven Glens. + +"Well," she said, "I'm sorry for you, for no one ever before went to +meet the Silver Cat and came back alive. But," she says, "you're both +tired and hungry; come in and rest and sleep." + +So in the Amadan went, and had a hearty supper and a soft bed; and in +the morning she called him up early, and she gave him directions where +to meet the cat and how to find it, and she told him there was only +one vital spot on that cat, and it was a black speck on the bottom of +the cat's stomach, and unless he could happen to run his sword right +through this, the cat would surely kill him. She said: + +"My poor Amadan, I'm very much afraid you'll not come back alive. I +cannot go to help you myself, or I would; but there is a well in my +garden, and by watching that well I will know how the fight goes with +you. While there is honey on top of the well, I will know you are +getting the better of the cat; but if the blood comes on top, then the +cat is getting the better of you; and if the blood stays there, I will +know, my poor Amadan, that you are dead." + +The Amadan bade her good-bye, and set out to travel to where the Seven +Glens met at the sea. Here there was a precipice, and under the +precipice a cave. In this cave the Silver Cat lived, and once a day +she came out to sun herself on the rocks. + +The Amadan let himself down over the precipice by a rope, and he +waited until the cat came out to sun herself. + +When the cat came out at twelve o'clock and saw the Amadan, she let a +roar out of her that drove the waters back of the sea and piled them +up a quarter of a mile high, and she asked him who he was and how he +had the impudence to come there to meet her. + +The Amadan said: "They call me the Amadan of the Dough, and I have +killed Slat Mor, Slat Man, Slat Beag, the Cailliach of the Rocks and +her four badachs, the Black Bull of the Brown Woods, the White Wether +of the Hill of the Waterfalls, and the Beggarman of the King of +Sweden, and before night I will have killed the Silver Cat of the +Seven Glens." + +"That you never will," says she, "for a dead man you will be +yourself." And at him she sprang. + +But the Amadan raised his sword and struck at her, and both of them +fell to the fight, and a great, great fight they had. They made the +hard ground into soft, and the soft into spring wells; they made the +rocks into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, and the gravel fell +over the country like hailstones. All the birds of the air from the +lower end of the world to the upper end of the world, and all the wild +beasts and tame from the four ends of the earth, came flocking to see +the fight; and if the fights that the Amadan had had on the other days +were great and terrible, this one was far greater and far more +terrible than all the others put together, and the poor Amadan sorely +feared that before night fell he would be a dead man. + +The red woman was watching at the well in her garden, and she was +sorely distressed, for though at one time the honey was uppermost, at +another time it was all blood, and again the blood and the honey would +be mixed; so she felt bad for the poor Amadan. + +At length the blood and the honey got mixed again, and it remained +that way until night; so she cried, for she believed the Amadan +himself was dead, as well as the Silver Cat. + +And so he was. For when the fight had gone on for long and long, the +cat, with a great long nail which she had in the end of her tail, tore +him open from his mouth to his toes; and as she tore the Amadan open +and he was about to fall, she opened her mouth so wide that the Amadan +saw down to the very bottom of her stomach, and there he saw the black +speck that the red woman had told him of. And just before he dropped +he drove his sword through this spot, and the Silver Cat, too, fell +over dead. + +It was not long now till the red woman arrived at the place and found +both the Amadan and the cat lying side by side, dead. At this the poor +woman was frantic with sorrow, but suddenly she saw by the Amadan's +side the bottle of iocshlainte and the feather. She took them up and +rubbed the Amadan with the iocshlainte, and he jumped to his feet, +alive and well, and fresh as when he began the fight. + +He smothered her with kisses and drowned her with tears. He took the +red woman with him, and set out on his journey back, and travelled and +travelled on and on till he came to the Castle of Fire. + +Here he met the three young princes, who were now living happily with +no giants to molest them. They had one sister, the most beautiful +young maiden that the Amadan had ever beheld. They gave her to the +Amadan in marriage, and gave her half of all they owned for fortune. + +The marriage lasted nine days and nine nights. There were nine hundred +fiddlers, nine hundred fluters, and nine hundred pipers, and the last +day and night of the wedding were better than the first. + + + + +_The Rakshas's Palace_ + + +Once upon a time there lived a Rajah who was left a widower with two +little daughters. Not very long after his first wife died he married +again, and his second wife did not care for her stepchildren, and was +often unkind to them; and the Rajah, their father, never troubled +himself to look after them, but allowed his wife to treat them as she +liked. This made the poor girls very miserable, and one day one of +them said to the other, "Don't let us remain any longer here; come +away into the jungle, for nobody here cares whether we go or stay." So +they both walked off into the jungle, and lived for many days on the +jungle fruits. At last, after they had wandered on for a long while, +they came to a fine palace which belonged to a Rakshas, but both the +Rakshas and his wife were out when they got there. Then one of the +Princesses said to the other, "This fine palace, in the midst of the +jungle, can belong to no one but a Rakshas, but the owner has +evidently gone out; let us go in and see if we can find anything to +eat." So they went into the Rakshas's house, and finding some rice, +boiled, and ate it. Then they swept the room and arranged all the +furniture in the house tidily. But hardly had they finished doing so +when the Rakshas and his wife returned home. Then the two Princesses +were so frightened that they ran up to the top of the house and hid +themselves on the flat roof, from whence they could look down on one +side into the inner courtyard of the house, and from the other could +see the open country. The house-top was a favourite resort of the +Rakshas and his wife. Here they would sit upon the hot summer +evenings; here they winnowed the grain and hung out the clothes to +dry; and the two Princesses found a sufficient shelter behind some +sheaves of corn that were waiting to be threshed. When the Rakshas +came into the house, he looked round and said to his wife, "Somebody +has been arranging the house; everything in it is so clean and tidy. +Wife, did you do this?" "No," she said; "I don't know who can have +done all this." "Someone also has been sweeping the courtyard," +continued the Rakshas. "Wife, did you sweep the courtyard?" "No," she +answered; "I did not do it. I don't know who did." Then the Rakshas +walked round and round several times with his nose up in the air, +saying, "Someone is here now. I smell flesh and blood! Where can they +be?" "Stuff and nonsense!" cried his wife; "you smell blood indeed! +Why, you have just been killing and eating a hundred thousand people. +I should wonder if you didn't still smell flesh and blood!" They went +on quarrelling thus until the Rakshas said, "Well, never mind; I don't +know how it is, but I'm very thirsty; let's come and drink some +water." So both the Rakshas and his wife went to a well which was +close to the house, and began letting down jars into it, and drawing +up the water and drinking it. And the Princesses, who were on the top +of the house, saw them. Now the youngest of the two Princesses was a +very wise girl, and when she saw the Rakshas and his wife by the well, +she said to her sister, "I will do something now that will be good for +us both"; and, running down quickly from the top of the house, she +crept close behind the Rakshas and his wife as they stood on tip-toe +more than half over the side of the well, and, catching hold of one of +the Rakshas's heels and one of his wife's, gave each a little push, +and down they both tumbled into the well and were drowned--the Rakshas +and the Rakshas's wife! The Princess then returned to her sister and +said, "I have killed the Rakshas." "What! both?" cried her sister. +"Yes, both," she said. "Won't they come back?" said her sister. "No, +never," answered she. + +The Rakshas being thus killed, the two Princesses took possession of +the house, and lived there very happily for a long time. In it they +found heaps and heaps of rich clothes and jewels, and gold and silver, +which the Rakshas had taken from people he had murdered; and all +round the house were folds for the flocks and sheds for the herds of +cattle which the Rakshas owned. Every morning the youngest Princess +used to drive out the flocks and herds to pasturage, and return home +with them every night, while the eldest stayed at home, cooked the +dinner and kept the house; and the youngest Princess, who was the +cleverest, would often say to her sister, on going away for the day, +"Take care, if you see any stranger (be it man, woman or child) come +by the house, to hide, if possible, that nobody may know of our living +here; and if anyone should call out and ask for a drink of water, or +any poor beggar pray for food, before you give it to him be sure you +put on ragged clothes and cover your face with charcoal, and make +yourself look as ugly as possible, lest, seeing how fair you are, he +should steal you away, and we never meet again." "Very well," the +other Princess would answer, "I will do as you advise." + +But a long time passed, and no one ever came by that way. At last one +day, after the youngest Princess had gone out, a young Prince, the son +of a neighbouring Rajah, who had been hunting with his attendants for +many days in the jungles, came near the place, for he and his people +were tired with hunting, and had been seeking all through the jungle +for a stream of water, but could find none. When the Prince saw the +fine palace standing by itself, he was very much astonished, and said, +"It is a strange thing that any one should have built such a house as +this in the depths of the forest. Let us go in; the owners will +doubtless give us a drink of water." "No, no, do not go," cried his +attendants; "this is most likely the house of a Rakshas." "We can but +see," answered the Prince. "I should scarcely think anything very +terrible lived here, for there is not a sound stirring nor a living +creature to be seen." So he began tapping at the door, which was +bolted, and crying, "Will whoever owns this house give me and my +people some water to drink, for the sake of kind charity?" But nobody +answered, for the Princess, who heard him, was busy up in her room, +blacking her face with charcoal and covering her rich dress with +rags. Then the Prince got impatient and shook the door angrily, +saying, "Let me in, whoever you are! If you don't, I'll force the door +open." At this the poor little Princess got dreadfully frightened; and +having blacked her face and made herself look as ugly as possible, she +ran downstairs with a pitcher of water, and unbolting the door, gave +the Prince the pitcher to drink from; but she did not speak, for she +was afraid. Now, the Prince was a very clever man, and as he raised +the pitcher to his mouth to drink the water, he thought to himself, +"This is a very strange-looking creature who has brought me this jug +of water. She would be pretty, but that her face seems to want +washing, and her dress also is very untidy. What can that black stuff +be on her face and hands? It looks very unnatural." And so thinking to +himself, instead of drinking the water, he threw it in the Princess's +face! The Princess started back with a little cry, while the water, +trickling down, washed off the charcoal, and showed her delicate +features and beautiful, fair complexion. The Prince caught hold of her +hand, and said, "Now, tell me true, who are you? where do you come +from? Who are your father and mother? and why are you here alone by +yourself in the jungle? Answer me, or I'll cut your head off." And he +made as if he would draw his sword. The Princess was so terrified she +could hardly speak, but as best she could she told how she was the +daughter of a Rajah, and had run away into the jungle because of her +cruel stepmother, and, finding the house, had lived there ever since; +and having finished her story, she began to cry. Then the Prince said +to her, "Pretty lady, forgive me for my roughness; do not fear. I will +take you home with me, and you shall be my wife." But the more he +spoke to her the more frightened she got, so frightened that she did +not understand what he said, and could do nothing but cry. Now she had +said nothing to the Prince about her sister, nor even told him that +she had one, for she thought, "This man says he will kill me; if he +hears that I have a sister, he will kill her, too." So the Prince, who +was really kind-hearted, and would never have thought of separating +the two little sisters who had been together so long, knew nothing at +all of the matter, and only seeing she was too much alarmed even to +understand gentle words, said to his servants, "Place this lady in one +of the palkees, and let us set off home." And they did so. When the +Princess found herself shut up in the palkee, and being carried she +knew not where, she thought how terrible it would be for her sister to +return home and find her gone, and determined, if possible, to leave +some sign to show her which way she had been taken. Round her neck +were many strings of pearls. She untied them, and tearing her saree +into little bits, tied one pearl in each piece of the saree, that it +might be heavy enough to fall straight to the ground; and so she went +on, dropping one pearl and then another and another and another, all +the way she went along, until they reached the palace where the Rajah +and Ranee, the Prince's father and mother lived. She threw the last +remaining pearl down just as she reached the palace gate. The old +Rajah and Ranee were delighted to see the beautiful Princess their son +had brought home; and when they heard her tale they said, "Ah, poor +thing! what a sad story! but now she has come to live with us, we will +do all we can to make her happy." And they married her to their son +with great pomp and ceremony, and gave her rich dresses and jewels, +and were very kind to her. But the Princess remained sad and unhappy, +for she was always thinking about her sister, and yet she could not +summon courage to beg the Prince or his father to send and fetch her +to the palace. + +Meantime, the younger Princess, who had been out with her flocks and +herds when the Prince took her sister away, had returned home. When +she came back she found the door wide open and no one standing there. +She thought it very odd, for her sister always came every night to the +door to meet her on her return. She went upstairs; her sister was not +there; the whole house was empty and deserted. There she must stay all +alone, for the evening had closed in, and it was impossible to go +outside and seek her with any hope of success. So all the night long +she waited, crying, "Someone has been here, and they have stolen her +away; they have stolen my darling away! Oh, sister! sister!" Next +morning, very early, going out to continue the search, she found one +of the pearls belonging to her sister's necklace tied up in a small +piece of saree; a little farther on lay another, and yet another, all +along the road the Prince had gone. Then the Princess understood that +her sister had left this clue to guide her on her way, and she at once +set off to find her again. Very, very far she went--a six months' +journey through the jungle, for she could not travel fast, the many +days' walking tired her so much--and sometimes it took her two or +three days to find the next piece of saree with the pearl. At last she +came near a large town, to which it was evident her sister had been +taken. Now, this young Princess was very beautiful indeed--as +beautiful as she was wise--and when she got near the town she thought +to herself, "If people see me, they may steal me away, as they did my +sister, and then I shall never find her again. I will therefore +disguise myself." As she was thus thinking she saw by the side of the +road the corpse of a poor old beggar woman, who had evidently died +from want and poverty. The body was shrivelled up, and nothing of it +remained but the skin and bones. The Princess took the skin and washed +it, and drew it on over her own lovely face and neck, as one draws a +glove on one's hand. Then she took a long stick and began hobbling +along, leaning on it, toward the town. The old woman's skin was all +crumpled and withered, and people who passed by only thought, "What an +ugly old woman!" and never dreamed of the false skin and the beautiful +girl inside. So on she went, picking up the pearls--one here, one +there--until she found the last pearl just in front of the palace +gate. Then she felt certain her sister must be somewhere near, but +where she did not know. She longed to go into the palace and ask for +her, but no guards would have let such a wretched-looking old woman +enter, and she did not dare offer them any of the pearls she had with +her, lest they should think she was a thief. So she determined merely +to remain as close to the palace as possible, and wait till fortune +favoured her with the means of learning something further about her +sister. Just opposite the palace was a small house belonging to a +farmer, and the Princess went up to it and stood by the door. The +farmer's wife saw her and said, "Poor old woman, who are you? What do +you want? Why are you here? Have you no friends?" "Alas, no!" answered +the Princess. "I am a poor old woman, and have neither father nor +mother, son nor daughter, sister nor brother, to take care of me; all +are gone, and I can only beg my bread from door to door." + +"Do not grieve, good mother," answered the farmer's wife, kindly. "You +may sleep in the shelter of our porch, and I will give you some food." +So the Princess stayed there for that night and for many more; and +every day the good farmer's wife gave her food. But all this time she +could learn nothing of her sister. + +Now there was a large tank near the palace, on which grew some fine +lotus plants, covered with rich crimson lotuses--the royal flower--and +of these the Rajah was very fond indeed, and prized them very much. To +this tank (because it was the nearest to the farmer's house) the +Princess used to go every morning, very early, almost before it was +light, at about three o'clock, and take off the old woman's skin and +wash it, and hang it out to dry, and wash her face and hands, and +bathe her feet in the cool water, and comb her beautiful hair. Then +she would gather a lotus flower (such as she had been accustomed to +wear in her hair from a child) and put it on, so as to feel for a few +minutes like herself again! Thus she would amuse herself. Afterward, +as soon as the wind had dried the old woman's skin, she put it on +again, threw away the lotus flower, and hobbled back to the farmer's +door before the sun was up. + +After a time the Rajah discovered that someone had plucked some of his +favourite lotus flowers. People were set to watch, and all the wise +men in the kingdom put their heads together to try to discover the +thief, but without avail. At last, the excitement about this matter +being very great, the Rajah's second son, a brave and noble young +prince (brother to him who had found the eldest Princess in the +forest) said, "I will certainly discover this thief." It chanced that +several fine trees grew around the tank. Into one of these the young +Prince climbed one evening (having made a sort of light thatched roof +across two of the boughs, to keep off the heavy dews), and there he +watched all the night through, but with no more success than his +predecessors. There lay the lotus plants, still in the moonlight, +without so much as a thieving wind coming to break off one of the +flowers. The Prince began to get very sleepy, and thought the +delinquent, whoever he might be, could not intend to return, when, in +the very early morning, before it was light, who should come down to +the tank but an old woman he had often seen near the palace gate? +"Aha!" thought the Prince, "this, then, is the thief; but what can +this queer old woman want with lotus flowers?" Imagine his +astonishment when the old woman sat down on the steps of the tank and +began pulling the skin off her face and arms, and from underneath the +shrivelled yellow skin came the loveliest face he had ever beheld! So +fair, so fresh, so young, so gloriously beautiful, that, appearing +thus suddenly, it dazzled the Prince's eyes like a flash of golden +lightning. "Ah," thought he, "can this be a woman or a spirit? a devil +or an angel in disguise?" + +The Princess twisted up her glossy black hair, and, plucking a red +lotus, placed it in it, and dabbled her feet in the water, and amused +herself by putting round her neck a string of pearls that had been her +sister's necklace. Then, as the sun was rising, she threw away the +lotus, and covering her face and arms again with the withered skin, +went hastily away. When the Prince got home, the first thing he said +to his parents was, "Father! mother! I should like to marry that old +woman who stands all day at the farmer's gate, just opposite!" "What!" +they cried, "the boy is mad! Marry that skinny old thing! You +cannot--you are a King's son. Are there not enough Queens and +Princesses in the world, that you should wish to marry a wretched old +beggar-woman?" But he answered, "Above all things I should like to +marry that old woman. You know that I have ever been a dutiful and +obedient son. In this matter, I pray you, grant me my desire." Then, +seeing he was really in earnest about the matter, and that nothing +they could say would alter his mind, they listened to his urgent +entreaties--not, however, without much grief and vexation--and sent +out the guards, to fetch the old woman (who was really the Princess in +disguise) to the palace, where she was to be married to the Prince as +privately and with as little ceremony as possible, for the family was +ashamed of the match. + +As soon as the wedding was over, the Prince said to his wife, "Gentle +wife, tell me how much longer you intend to wear that old skin? You +had better take it off; do be so kind." The Princess wondered how he +knew of her disguise, or whether it was only a guess of his; and she +thought, "If I take this ugly skin off, my husband will think me +pretty, and shut me up in the palace and never let me go away, so that +I shall not be able to find my sister again. No, I had better not take +it off." So she answered, "I don't know what you mean. I am as all +these years have made me; nobody can change his skin." Then the Prince +pretended to be very angry, and said, "Take off that hideous disguise +this instant, or I'll kill you." But she only bowed her head, saying, +"Kill me then, but nobody can change his skin." And all this she +mumbled as if she were a very old woman indeed, and had lost all her +teeth and could not speak plain. At this the Prince laughed very much +to himself, and thought, "I'll wait and see how long this freak +lasts." But the Princess continued to keep on the old woman's skin; +only every morning, at about three o'clock, before it was light, she +would get up and wash it and put it on again. Then, some time +afterward, the Prince, having found this out, got up softly one +morning early, and followed her to the next room, where she had washed +the skin and placed it on the floor to dry, and stealing it, he ran +away with it and threw it on the fire. So the Princess, having no old +woman's skin to put on, was obliged to appear in her own likeness. As +she walked forth, very sad at missing her disguise, her husband ran to +meet her, smiling and saying, "How do you do, my dear? Where is your +skin now? Can't you take it off, dear?" Soon the whole palace had +heard the joyful news of the beautiful young wife that the Prince had +won; and all the people, when they saw her, cried, "Why, she is +exactly like the beautiful Princess our young Rajah married, the +jungle lady." The old Rajah and Ranee were prouder than all of their +daughter-in-law, and took her to introduce her to their eldest son's +wife Then no sooner did the Princess enter her sister-in-law's room +then she saw that in her she had found her lost sister, and they ran +into each other's arms. Great then, was the joy of all, but the +happiest of all these happy people were the two Princesses. + + + + +_Billy Beg and the Bull_ + + +Once upon a time when pigs were swine, there was a King and Queen, and +they had one son, Billy, and the Queen gave Billy a bull that he was +very fond of, and it was just as fond of him. After some time the +Queen died, and she put it as her last request on the King that he +would never part Billy and the bull, and the King promised that come +what might, come what may, he would not. After the Queen died the King +married again, and the new Queen didn't take to Billy Beg, and no more +did she like the bull, seeing himself and Billy so _thick_. But she +couldn't get the King on no account to part Billy and the Bull, so she +consulted with a hen-wife what they could do as regards separating +Billy and the bull. "What will you give me," says the hen-wife, "and +I'll very soon part them?" "Whatever you ask," says the Queen. "Well +and good then," says the hen-wife; "you are to take to your bed, +making pretend that you are bad with a complaint, and I'll do the rest +of it." And, well and good, to her bed she took, and none of the +doctors could do anything for her, or make out what was her complaint. +So the Queen asked for the hen-wife to be sent for. And sent for she +was, and when she came in and examined the Queen, she said there was +one thing, and only one, could cure her. The King asked what was that, +and the hen-wife said it was three mouthfuls of the blood of Billy +Beg's bull. But the King wouldn't on no account hear of this, and the +next day the Queen was worse, and the third day she was worse still, +and told the King she was dying, and he'd have her death on his head. +So, sooner nor this, the King had to consent to Billy Beg's bull being +killed. When Billy heard this he got very down in the heart entirely, +and he went doitherin' about, and the bull saw him, and asked him +what was wrong with him that he was so mournful; so Billy told the +bull what was wrong with him, and the bull told him to never mind, but +keep up his heart, the Queen would never taste a drop of his blood. +The next day, then, the bull was to be killed, and the Queen got up +and went out to have the delight of seeing his death. When the bull +was led up to be killed, says he to Billy, "Jump up on my back till we +see what kind of a horseman you are." Up Billy jumped on his back, and +with that the bull leapt nine mile high, nine mile deep, and nine mile +broad, and came down with Billy sticking between his horns. Hundreds +were looking on dazed at the sight, and through them the bull rushed, +and over the top of the Queen, killing her dead, and away he galloped +where you wouldn't know day by night, or night by day, over high +hills, low hills, sheep-walks, and bullock-traces, the Cove of Cork, +and old Tom Fox with his bugle horn. When at last they stopped, "Now +then," says the bull to Billy, "you and I must undergo great scenery, +Billy. Put your hand," says the bull, "in my left ear, and you'll get +a napkin, that, when you spread it out, will be covered with eating +and drinking of all sorts, fit for the King himself." Billy did this, +and then he spread out the napkin, and ate and drank to his heart's +content, and he rolled up the napkin and put it back in the bull's ear +again. "Then," says the bull, "now put your hand into my right ear and +you'll find a bit of a stick; if you wind it over your head three +times, it will be turned into a sword and give you the strength of a +thousand men besides your own, and when you have no more need of it as +a sword, it will change back into a stick again." Billy did all this. +Then says the bull, "At twelve o'clock the morrow I'll have to meet +and fight a great bull." Billy then got up again on the bull's back, +and the bull started off and away where you wouldn't know day by +night, or night by day, over low hills, high hills, sheep-walks, and +bullock-traces, the Cove of Cork, and old Tom Fox with his bugle horn. +There he met the other bull, and both of them fought, and the like of +their fight was never seen before or since. They knocked the soft +ground into hard, and the hard into soft; the soft into spring wells, +the spring wells into rocks, and the rocks into high hills. They +fought long, and Billy Beg's bull killed the other, and drank his +blood. Then Billy took the napkin out of his ear again and spread it +out and ate a hearty good dinner. Then says the bull to Billy, says +he, "At twelve o'clock to-morrow, I'm to meet the bull's brother that +I killed the day, and we'll have a hard fight." Billy got on the +bull's back again, and the bull started off and away where you +wouldn't know day by night, or night by day, over high hills, low +hills, sheep-walks and bulloch-traces, the Cove of Cork, and old Tom +Fox with his bugle horn. There he met the bull's brother that he +killed the day before, and they set to, and they fought, and the like +of the fight was never seen before or since. They knocked the soft +ground into hard, the hard into soft, the soft into spring wells, the +spring wells into rocks, and the rocks into high hills. They fought +long, and at last Billy's bull killed the other and drank his blood. +And then Billy took out the napkin out of the bull's ear again and +spread it out and ate another hearty dinner. Then says the bull to +Billy, says he, "The morrow at twelve o'clock I'm to fight the brother +to the two bulls I killed--he's a mighty great bull entirely, the +strongest of them all; he's called the Black Bull of the Forest, and +he'll be too able for me. When I'm dead!" says the bull, "you, Billy, +will take with you the napkin, and you'll never be hungry; and the +stick, and you'll be able to overcome everything that comes in your +way; and take out your knife and cut a strip of the hide off my back +and another strip off my belly, and make a belt of them, and as long +as you wear them you cannot be killed." Billy was very sorry to hear +this, but he got up on the bull's back again, and they started off and +away where you wouldn't know day by night or night by day, over high +hills, low hills, sheep-walks, and bulloch-traces, the Cove of Cork, +and Old Tom Fox with his bugle horn. And sure enough at twelve o'clock +the next day they met the great Black Bull of the Forest and both of +the bulls to it, and commenced to fight, and the like of the fight was +never seen before or since; they knocked the soft ground into hard +ground, and the hard ground into soft; and the soft into spring wells, +the spring wells into rocks, and the rocks into high hills. And they +fought long, but at length the Black Bull of the Forest killed Billy +Beg's bull and drank his blood. Billy Beg was so vexed at this that +for two days he sat over the bull neither eating nor drinking, but +crying salt tears all the time. Then he got up, and he spread out the +napkin, and ate a hearty dinner, for he was very hungry with his long +fast; and after that he cut a strip of the hide off the bull's back +and another off the belly, and made a belt for himself, and taking it +and the bit of stick, and the napkin, he set out to push his fortune, +and he travelled for three days and three nights till at last he came +to a great gentleman's place, Billy asked the gentleman if he could +give him employment, and the gentleman said he wanted just such a boy +as him for herding cattle. Billy asked what cattle would he have to +herd, and what wages would he get. The gentleman said he had three +goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses that he fed in an +orchard, but that no boy who went with them ever came back alive, for +there were three giants, brothers, that came to milk the cows and the +goats every day, and killed the boy that was herding; so if Billy +liked to try, they wouldn't fix the wages till they'd see if he would +come back alive. + +"Agreed, then," said Billy. So the next morning he got up and drove +out the three goats, the three cows, the three horses, and the three +asses to the orchard and commenced to feed them. About the middle of +the day Billy heard three terrible roars that shook the apples off the +bushes, shook the horns on the cows, and made the hair stand up on +Billy's head, and in comes a frightful big giant with three heads, and +begun to threaten Bill. "You're too big," says the giant, "for one +bite, and too small for two. What will I do with you?" "I'll fight +you," says Billy, says he, stepping out to him and swinging the bit of +stick three times over his head, when it changed into a sword and gave +him the strength of a thousand men besides his own. The giant laughed +at the size of him, and says he, "Well, how will I kill you? Will it +be by a swing by the back, a cut of the sword, or a square round of +boxing?" "With a swing by the back," says Billy, "if you can." So they +both laid holds, and Billy lifted the giant clean off the ground, and +fetching him down again sunk him in the earth up to his arm-pits. "Oh, +have mercy!" says the giant. But Billy, taking his sword, killed the +giant, and cut out his tongues. It was evening by this time, so Billy +drove home the three goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses, +and all the vessels in the house wasn't able to hold all the milk the +cows give that night. + +"Well," says the gentleman, "this beats me, for I never saw any one +coming back alive out of there before, nor the cows with a drop of +milk. Did you see anything in the orchard?" says he. "Nothing worse +nor myself," says Billy. "What about my wages, now?" says Billy. +"Well," says the gentleman, "you'll hardly come alive out of the +orchard the morrow. So we'll wait till after that." Next morning his +master told Billy that something must have happened to one of the +giants, for he used to hear cries of three every night, but last night +he only heard two crying. "I don't know," said Billy, "anything about +them." That morning after he got his breakfast Billy drove the three +goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses into the orchard +again, and began to feed them. About twelve o'clock he heard three +terrible roars that shook the apples off the bushes, the horns off the +cows, and made the hair stand up on Billy's head, and in comes a +frightful big giant, with six heads, and he told Billy he had killed +his brother yesterday, but he would make him pay for it the day. +"Ye're too big," says he, "for one bite, and too small for two, and +what will I do with you?" "I'll fight you," says Billy, swinging his +stick three times over his head, and turning it into a sword, and +giving him the strength of a thousand men besides his own. The giant +laughed at him, and says he, "How will I kill you--with a swing by the +back, a cut of the sword, or a square round of boxing?" "With a swing +by the back," says Billy, "if you can." So the both of them laid +holds, and Billy lifted the giant clean off the ground, and fetching +him down again, sunk him in it up to the arm-pits. "Oh, spare my +life!" says the giant. But Billy taking up his sword, killed him and +cut out his tongues. It was evening by this time, and Billy drove home +his three goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses, and what +milk the cows gave that night overflowed all the vessels in the house, +and, running out, turned a rusty mill that hadn't been turned before +for thirty years. If the master was surprised seeing Billy coming back +the night before, he was ten times more surprised now. + +"Did you see anything in the orchard the day?" says the gentleman. +"Nothing worse nor myself," says Billy. "What about my wages now?" +says Billy. "Well, never mind about your wages," says the gentleman, +"till the morrow, for I think you'll hardly come back alive again," +says he. Well and good, Billy went to his bed, and the gentleman went +to his bed, and when the gentleman rose in the morning, says he to +Billy "I don't know what's wrong with two of the giants; I only heard +one crying last night." "I don't know," says Billy, "they must be sick +or something." Well, when Billy got his breakfast that day, again he +set out to the orchard, driving before him the three goats, three +cows, three horses, and three asses, and sure enough about the middle +of the day he hears three terrible roars again, and in comes another +giant, this one with twelve heads on him, and if the other two were +frightful, surely this one was ten times more so. "You villain, you," +says he to Billy, "you killed my two brothers, and I'll have my +revenge on you now. Prepare till I kill you," says he; "you're too big +for one bite, and too small for two; what will I do with you?" "I'll +fight you," says Billy, shaping out and winding the bit of stick three +times over his head. The giant laughed heartily at the size of him, +and says he, "What way do you prefer being killed? Is it with a swing +by the back, a cut of the sword, or a square round of boxing?" "A +swing by the back," says Billy. So both of them again laid holds, and +my brave Billy lifts the giant clean off the ground, and fetching him +down again, sunk him down to his arm-pits in it. "Oh, have mercy! +Spare my life!" says the giant. But Billy took his sword, and, +killing him, cut out his tongues. That evening he drove home his three +goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses, and the milk of the +cows had to be turned into a valley where it made a lough three miles +long, three miles broad, and three miles deep, and that lough has been +filled with salmon and white trout ever since. The gentleman wondered +now more than ever to see Billy back the third day alive. "Did you see +nothing in the orchard the day, Billy?" says he. "No, nothing worse +nor myself," says Billy. "Well, that beats me," says the gentleman. +"What about my wages now?" says Billy. "Well, you're a good, mindful +boy, that I couldn't easy do without," says the gentleman, "and I'll +give you any wages you ask for the future." The next morning, says the +gentleman to Billy, "I heard none of the giants crying last night, +however it comes." "I don't know," says Billy, "they must be sick or +something." "Now, Billy," says the gentleman, "you must look after the +cattle the day again, while I go to see the fight." "What fight?" says +Billy. "Why," says the gentleman, "it's the king's daughter is going +to be devoured by a fiery dragon, if the greatest fighter in the land, +that they have been feeding specially for the last three months, isn't +able to kill the dragon first. And if he's able to kill the dragon the +king is to give him the daughter in marriage." "That will be fine!" +says Billy. Billy drove out his three goats, three cows, three horses, +and three asses to the orchard that day again, and the like of all +that passed that day to see the fight with the man and the fiery +dragon, Billy never witnessed before. They went in coaches and +carriages, on horses and jackasses, riding and walking, crawling and +creeping. "My tight little fellow," says a man that was passing to +Billy, "why don't you come to see the great fight?" "What would take +the likes of me there?" says Billy. But when Billy found them all gone +he saddled and bridled the best black horse his master had, and put on +the best suit of clothes he could get in his master's house, and rode +off to the fight after the rest. When Billy went there he saw the +king's daughter, with the whole court about her, on a platform before +the castle, and he thought he never saw anything half as beautiful, +and the great warrior that was to fight the dragon was walking up and +down on the lawn before her, with three men carrying his sword, and +every one in the whole country gathered there looking at him. But when +the fiery dragon came up with twelve heads on him, and every mouth of +him spitting fire, and let twelve roars out of him, the warrior ran +away and hid himself up to the neck in a well of water, and all they +could do they couldn't get him to come and face the dragon. Then the +king's daughter asked if there was no one there to save her from the +dragon, and get her in marriage. But no one stirred. When Billy saw +this, he tied the belt of the bull's hide round him, swung his stick +over his head, and went in, and after a terrible fight, entirely +killed the dragon. Everyone then gathered about to find who the +stranger was. Billy jumped on his horse and darted away sooner than +let them know; but just as he was getting away the king's daughter +pulled the shoe off his foot. When the dragon was killed the warrior +that had hid in the well of water came out, and cutting off the heads +of the dragon he brought them to the king, and said that it was he who +killed the dragon, in disguise; and he claimed the king's daughter. +But she tried the shoe on him and found it didn't fit him; so she said +it wasn't him, and that she would marry no one only the man the shoe +fitted. When Billy got home he changed his clothes again, and had the +horse in the stable, and the cattle all in before his master came. +When the master came, he began telling Billy about the wonderful day +they had entirely, and about the warrior hiding in the well of water, +and about the grand stranger that came down out of the sky in a cloud +on a black horse, and killed the fiery dragon, and then vanished in a +cloud again. "And now," says he, "Billy, wasn't that wonderful?" "It +was, indeed," says Billy, "very wonderful entirely." After that it was +given out over the country that all the people were to come to the +king's castle on a certain day, till the king's daughter would try the +shoe on them, and whoever it fitted she was to marry them. When the +day arrived Billy was in the orchard with the three goats, three +cows, three horses, and three asses, as usual, and the like of all the +crowds that passed that day going to the king's castle to get the shoe +tried on, he never saw before. They went in coaches and carriages, on +horses and jackasses, riding and walking, and crawling and creeping. +They all asked Billy was not he going to the king's castle, but Billy +said, "Arrah, what would be bringin' the likes of me there?" At last +when all the others had gone there passed an old man with a very +scarecrow suit of rags on him, and Billy stopped him and asked him +what boot would he take and swap clothes with him. "Just take care of +yourself, now," says the old man, "and don't be playing off your jokes +on my clothes, or maybe I'd make you feel the weight of this stick." +But Billy soon let him see it was in earnest he was, and both of them +swapped suits, Billy giving the old man boot. Then off to the castle +started Billy, with the suit of rags on his back and an old stick in +his hand, and when he come there he found all in great commotion, +trying on the shoe, and some of them cutting down their foot, trying +to get it to fit. But it was all of no use, the shoe could be got to +fit none of them at all, and the king's daughter was going to give up +in despair when the wee, ragged-looking boy, which was Billy, elbowed +his way through them, and says he, "Let me try it on; maybe it would +fit me." But the people when they saw him, all began to laugh at the +sight of him, and "Go along out of that, you example, you," says they, +shoving and pushing him back. But the king's daughter saw him, and +called on them by all manner of means to let him come up and try on +the shoe. So Billy went up, and all the people looked on, breaking +their hearts laughing at the conceit of it. But what would you have of +it, but to the dumfounding of them all, the shoe fitted Billy as nice +as if it was made on his foot for a last. So the king's daughter +claimed Billy as her husband. He then confessed that it was he that +killed the fiery dragon; and when the king had him dressed up in a +silk and satin suit, with plenty of gold and silver ornaments, +everyone gave in that his like they never saw afore. He was then +married to the king's daughter, and the wedding lasted nine days, nine +hours, nine minutes, nine half minutes, and nine quarter minutes, and +they lived happy and well from that day to this. I got brogues of +_brochan_[8] and breeches of glass, a bit of pie for telling a lie, +and then I came slithering home. + +[Footnote 8: Porridge.] + + + + +The Princes Fire-flash and Fire-fade + + +His Highness Fire-flash was a Prince who was fond of fishing; and so +great was his luck, that big fishes, and little fishes, and all kinds +of fishes came to his line. His younger brother, Prince Fire-fade, was +fond of hunting, and all his luck was on the hills, and in the woods, +where he caught birds and beasts of every kind. + +One day Prince Fire-fade said to his elder brother, Prince Fire-flash: +"Let us change. You go and hunt instead of me, and I will try my luck +at fishing, if you will lend me your line and hook." Prince Fire-flash +did not care much to change, and at first said "No"; but his brother +kept on teasing him about it, until at last he said, "Very well, then; +let us change." + +Then Prince Fire-fade tried his luck at fishing, but not a single fish +did he catch; and, what was worse, he lost his brother's fish-hook in +the sea. + +Prince Fire-flash asked him for the hook, saying: "Hunting is one +thing, and fishing is another. Let us both go back to our own ways." + +Then said Prince Fire-fade: "I did not catch a single fish with your +hook, and at last I lost it in the sea." + +But Prince Fire-flash said: "I must and shall have my fish-hook." So +the younger brother broke his long sword, that was girded on him, and, +of the pieces, made five hundred fish-hooks, and begged Prince +Fire-flash to take them, but he would not. Then Prince Fire-fade made +a thousand fish-hooks and said: "Please take them instead of the one +which I lost." But the elder brother said: "No, I must have my own +hook, and I will not take any other." + +Then Prince Fire-fade was very sorry, and sat down by the sea-shore, +crying bitterly. + +By and by the Wise Old Man of the Sea came to him and asked: "Why are +you crying so bitterly, Prince Fire-fade?" Fire-fade told him all the +story of the lost fish-hook, and how that his brother was angry, still +saying that he must have that very same hook and no other. Then the +Wise Old Man of the Sea built a stout little boat, and made Prince +Fire-fade sit in it. Having pushed it a little from the land, he said: +"Now go on for some time in the boat; it will be very pleasant, for +the sea is calm. Soon you will come to a palace built like fishes' +scales; this is the palace of the Sea-king. When you reach the gate, +you will see a fine cassia-tree growing above the well by the side of +the gate. If you will sit on the top of that tree, the Sea-king's +daughter will see you, and tell you what to do." + +So Prince Fire-fade did as he was told, and everything came to pass +just as the Wise Old Man of the Sea had told him. As soon as he was +come to the Sea-king's palace, he made haste, and climbed up into the +cassia-tree, and sat there. Then came the maidens of the Princess +Pearl, the Sea-king's daughter, carrying golden water-pots. They were +just going to draw water, when they saw a flood of light upon the +well. They looked up, and there in the cassia-tree was a beautiful +young man. Prince Fire-fade saw the maidens, and asked for some water. +The maidens drew some, and put it in a golden cup, and gave him to +drink. Without tasting the water, the Prince took the jewel that hung +at his neck, put it between his lips, and let it drop into the golden +cup. It stuck to the cup, so that the maidens could not take it off; +so they brought the cup, with the jewel on it, to the Princess Pearl. + +When she saw the jewel, the Princess asked her maidens: "Is there +anyone inside the gate?" So the maidens answered: "There is someone +sitting on the top of the cassia-tree, above our well. It is a +beautiful young man--more beautiful even than our King. He asked for +water, and we gave him some; but, without drinking it, he dropped this +jewel from his lips into the cup, and we have brought it to you." Then +Princess Pearl, thinking this very strange, went out to look. She was +delighted at the sight, but not giving the Prince time to take more +than one little peep at her, she ran to tell her father, saying: +"Father, there is a beautiful person at our gate." + +Then the Sea-king himself went out to look. When he saw the young man +on the top of the tree, he knew that it must be Prince Fire-fade. He +made him come down, and led him into the palace, where he seated him +upon a throne made of sea-asses' skins, and silk rugs, eight layers of +each. Then a great feast was spread, and every one was so kind to +Prince Fire-fade, that the end of it was, he married Princess Pearl, +and lived in that land for three years. + +Now, one night, when the three years had almost passed, Prince +Fire-fade thought of his home, and what had happened there, and heaved +one deep sigh. + +Princess Pearl was grieved, and told her father, saying: "We have been +so happy these three years, and he never sighed before, but, last +night, he heaved one deep sigh. What can the meaning of it be?" So the +Sea-king asked the Prince to tell him what ailed him, and also what +had been the reason of his coming to that land. Then Prince Fire-fade +told the Sea-king all the story of the lost fish-hook, and how his +elder brother had behaved. + +The Sea-king at once called together all the fishes of the sea, great +and small, and asked: "Has any fish taken this fish-hook?" So all the +fishes said: "The _tai_[9] has been complaining of something sticking +in his throat, and hurting him when he eats, so perhaps he has taken +the hook." + +[Footnote 9: A kind of fish.] + +So they made the _tai_ open his mouth, and looked in his throat, and +there, sure enough, was the fish-hook. Then the hook was washed and +given to Prince Fire-fade. The Sea-king also gave him two jewels. One +was called the tide-flowing jewel, and the other was called the +tide-ebbing jewel. And he said then to the Prince: "Go home now to +your own land, and take back the fish-hook to your brother. In this +way you shall plague him. If he plant rice-fields in the upland, make +you your rice-fields in the valley; and if he make rice-fields in the +valley, do you make your rice-fields in the upland. I will rule the +water so that it may do good to you, but harm to him. If Prince +Fire-flash should be angry with you for this, and try to kill you, +then put out the tide-flowing jewel, and the tide will come up to +drown him. But if he is sorry, and asks pardon, then put out the +tide-ebbing jewel, and the tide will go back, and let him live." + +Then the Sea-king called all the crocodiles, and said: "His Highness +Prince Fire-fade is going to the upper world; which of you will take +him there quickly, and bring me back word?" And one crocodile a fathom +long, answered: "I will take him to the upper world, and come back in +a day." + +"Do so, then," said the Sea-king, "and be sure that you do not +frighten him as you are crossing the middle of the sea." He then +seated the Prince upon the crocodile's head, and saw him off. + +The crocodile brought him safe home, in one day, as he had promised. +When the crocodile was going to start back again, Prince Fire-fade +untied the dirk from his own belt, and setting it on the creature's +neck, sent him away. + +Then Prince Fire-fade gave the fish-hook to his elder brother; and, in +all things, did as the Sea-king had told him to do. So from that time, +Prince Fire-flash became poor, and came with great fury to kill his +brother. But, just in time, Prince Fire-fade put forth the +tide-flowing jewel to drown him. When he found himself in such danger, +Prince Fire-flash said he was sorry. So his brother put forth the +tide-ebbing jewel to save him. + +When he had been plagued in this way for a long time, he bowed his +head, saying: "From this time forth, I submit to you, my younger +brother. I will be your guard by day and by night, and in all things +serve you." His struggles in the water, when he thought he was +drowning, are shown at the Emperor's Court even to this very day. + + + + +_Panch-Phul Ranee_ + + +A certain Rajah had two wives, of whom he preferred the second to the +first; the first Ranee had a son, but because he was not the child of +the second Ranee, his father took a great dislike to him, and treated +him so harshly that the poor boy was very unhappy. + +One day, therefore, he said to his mother: "Mother, my father does not +care for me, and my presence is only a vexation to him. I should be +happier anywhere than here; let me therefore go and seek my fortune in +other lands." + +So the Ranee asked her husband if he would allow their son to travel. +He said, "The boy is free to go, but I don't see how he is to live in +any other part of the world, for he is too stupid to earn his living, +and I will give him no money to squander on senseless pleasures." Then +the Ranee told her son that he had his father's permission to travel, +and said to him, "You are going out into the world now to try your +luck; take with you the food and clothes I have provided for your +journey." And she gave him a bundle of clothes and several small +loaves, and in each loaf she placed a gold mohur, that on opening it, +he might find money as well as food inside; and he started on his +journey. + +When the young Rajah had travelled a long way, and left his father's +kingdom far behind, he one day came upon the outskirts of a great +city, where, instead of taking the position due to his rank, and +sending to inform the Rajah of his arrival, he went to a poor +Carpenter's house, and begged of him a lodging for the night. The +Carpenter was busy making wooden clogs in the porch of his house, but +he looked up and nodded, saying, "Young man, you are welcome to any +assistance a stranger may need and we can give. If you are in want of +food, you will find my wife and daughter in the house; they will be +happy to cook for you." The Rajah went inside and said to the +Carpenter's daughter, "I am a stranger and have travelled a long way; +I am both tired and hungry; cook me some dinner as fast as you can, +and I will pay you for your trouble." She answered, "I would willingly +cook you some dinner at once, but I have no wood to light the fire, +and the jungle is some way off." "It matters not," said the Rajah; +"this will do to light the fire, and I'll make the loss good to your +father"; and taking a pair of new clogs which the Carpenter had just +finished making, he broke them up and lighted the fire with them. + +Next morning, he went into the jungle, cut wood, and, having made a +pair of new clogs--better than those with which he had lighted the +fire the evening before--placed them with the rest of the goods for +sale in the Carpenter's shop. Shortly afterward, one of the servants +of the Rajah of that country came to buy a pair of clogs for his +master, and seeing these new ones, said to the Carpenter, "Why, man, +these clogs are better than all the rest put together. I will take +none other to the Rajah. I wish you would always make such clogs as +these." And throwing down ten gold mohurs on the floor of the hut, he +took up the clogs and went away. + +The Carpenter was much surprised at the whole business. In the first +place, he usually received only two or three rupees for each pair of +clogs; and in the second, he knew that these which the Rajah's servant +had judged worth ten gold mohurs had not been made by him; and how +they had come there he could not think, for he felt certain they were +not with the rest of the clogs the night before. He thought and +thought, but the more he thought about the matter the more puzzled he +got, and he went to talk about it to his wife and daughter. Then his +daughter said, "Oh, those must have been the clogs the stranger made!" +And she told her father how he had lighted the fire the night before +with two of the clogs which were for sale, and had afterward fetched +wood from the jungle and made another pair to replace them. + +The Carpenter, at this news, was more astonished than ever, and he +thought to himself, "Since this stranger seems a quiet, peaceable sort +of man, and can make clogs so well, it is a great pity he should leave +this place; he would make a good husband for my daughter"; and, +catching hold of the young Rajah, he propounded his scheme to him. +(But all this time he had no idea that his guest was a Rajah.) + +Now the Carpenter's daughter was a very pretty girl--as pretty as any +Ranee you ever saw; she was also good-tempered, clever, and could cook +extremely well. So when the Carpenter asked the Rajah to be his +son-in-law, he looked at the father, the mother, and the girl, and +thinking to himself that many a better man had a worse fate, he said, +"Yes, I will marry your daughter, and stay here and make clogs." So +the Rajah married the Carpenter's daughter. + +This Rajah was very clever at making all sorts of things in wood. When +he had made all the clogs he wished to sell next day, he would amuse +himself in making toys; and in this way he made a thousand wooden +parrots. They were as like real parrots as possible. They had each two +wings, two legs, two eyes, and a sharp beak. And when the Rajah had +finished them all, he painted and varnished them and put them, one +afternoon, outside the house to dry. + +Night came on, and with it came Parbuttee and Mahdeo, flying round the +world to see the different races of men. Among the many places they +visited was the city where the Carpenter lived; and in the garden in +front of the house they saw the thousand wooden parrots which the +Rajah had made and painted and varnished, all placed out to dry. Then +Parbuttee turned to Mahdeo, and said, "These parrots are very well +made--they need nothing but life. Why should not we give them life?" +Mahdeo answered, "What would be the use of that? It would be a strange +freak, indeed!" "Oh," said Parbuttee, "I only meant you to do it as an +amusement. It would be so funny to see the wooden parrots flying +about! But do not do it if you don't like." "You would like it, +then?" answered Mahdeo. "Very well, I will do it." And he endowed the +thousand parrots with life. + +Parbuttee and Mahdeo then flew away. + +Next morning the Rajah got up early to see if the varnish he had put +on the wooden parrots was dry; but no sooner did he open the door +than--marvel of marvels!--the thousand wooden parrots all came walking +into the house, flapping their wings and chatting to each other. + +Hearing the noise, the Carpenter and the Carpenter's wife and daughter +came running out to see what was the matter, and were not less +astonished than the Rajah himself at the miracle which had taken +place. Then the Carpenter's wife turned to her son-in-law, and said, +"It is all very well that you should have made these wooden parrots; +but I don't know where we are to find food for them! Great, strong +parrots like these will eat not less than a pound of rice apiece every +day. Your father-in-law and I cannot afford to procure as much as that +for them in this poor house. If you wish to keep them, you must live +elsewhere, for we cannot provide for you all." + +"Very well," said the Rajah; "you shall not have cause to accuse me of +ruining you, for from henceforth I will have a house of my own." So he +and his wife went to live in a house of their own, and he took the +thousand parrots with him, and his mother-in-law gave her daughter +some corn and rice and money to begin housekeeping with. Moreover, he +found that the parrots, instead of being an expense, were the means of +increasing his fortune; for they flew away every morning early to get +food, and spent the whole day out in the fields; and every evening, +when they returned home, each parrot brought in his beak a stalk of +corn or rice, or whatever it had found good to eat. Their master +therefore was regularly supplied with more food than enough; and what +with selling what he did not require, and working at his trade, he +soon became quite a rich carpenter. + +After he had been living in this way very happily for some time, one +night, when he fell asleep, the Rajah dreamed a wonderful dream, and +this was the dream: + +He thought that very, very far away beyond the Red Sea was a beautiful +kingdom surrounded by seven other seas; and that it belonged to a +Rajah and Ranee who had one lovely daughter, named Panch-Phul Ranee +(the Five Flower Queen), after whom the whole kingdom was called +Panch-Phul Ranee's country; and that this Princess lived in the centre +of her father's kingdom, in a little house round which were seven wide +ditches, and seven great hedges made of spears; and that she was +called Panch-Phul Ranee because she was so light and delicate that she +weighed no more than five white lotus flowers! Moreover, he dreamed +that this Princess had vowed to marry no one who would not cross the +seven seas, and jump the seven ditches and seven hedges made of +spears. + +After dreaming this the young Rajah awoke, and feeling much puzzled, +got up, and sitting with his head in his hands, tried to think the +matter over and discover if he had ever heard anything like his dream +before; but he could make nothing of it. + +While he was thus thinking, his wife awoke and asked him what was the +matter. He told her, and she said, "That is a strange dream. If I were +you, I'd ask the old parrot about it; he is a wise bird, and perhaps +he knows." This parrot of which she spoke was the most wise of all the +thousand wooden parrots. The Rajah took his wife's advice, and when +all the birds came home that evening, he called the old parrot and +told him his dream, saying, "Can this be true?" To which the parrot +replied, "It is all true. The Panch-Phul Ranee's country lies beyond +the Red Sea, and is surrounded by seven seas, and she dwells in a +house built in the centre of her father's kingdom. Round her house are +seven ditches, and seven hedges made of spears, and she has vowed not +to marry any man who cannot jump these seven ditches and seven hedges; +and because she is very beautiful many great and noble men have tried +to do this, but in vain. + +"The Rajah and Ranee, her father and mother, are very fond of her and +proud of her. Every day she goes to the palace to see them, and they +weigh her in a pair of scales. They put her in one scale and five +lotus flowers in the other, and she's so delicate and fragile she +weighs no heavier than the five little flowers, so they call her the +Panch-Phul Ranee. Her father and mother are very proud of this." + +"I should like to go to that country and see the Panch-Phul Ranee," +said the Rajah; "but I don't know how I could cross the seven seas." +"I will show you how to manage that," replied the old parrot. "I and +another parrot will fly close together, I crossing my left over his +right wing; so that we will move along as if we were one bird (using +only our outside wings to fly with), and on the chair made of our +interlaced wings you shall sit, and we will carry you safely across +the seven seas. On the way we will every evening alight in some high +tree and rest, and every morning we can go on again." "That sounds a +good plan; I have a great desire to try it," said the Rajah. "Wife, +what should you think of my going to the Panch-Phul Ranee's country, +and seeing if I can jump the seven ditches, and seven hedges made of +spears. Will you let me try?" + +"Yes," she answered. "If you like to go and marry her, go; only take +care that you do not kill yourself; and mind you come back some day." +And she prepared food for him to take with him, and took off her gold +and silver bangles, which she placed in a bundle of warm things, that +he might be in need neither of money nor clothes on the journey. He +then charged the nine hundred and ninety-eight parrots he left behind +him to bring her plenty of corn and rice daily (that she might never +need food while he was away), and took her to the house of her father, +in whose care she was to remain during his absence; and he wished her +good-bye, saying, "Do not fear but that I will come back to you, even +if I do win the Panch-Phul Ranee, for you will always be my first +wife, though you are the Carpenter's daughter." + +The old parrot and another parrot then spread their wings, on which +the Rajah seated himself as on a chair, and rising up in the air, they +flew away with him out of sight. + +Far, far, far they flew, as fast as parrots can fly, over hills, over +forests, over rivers, over valleys, on, on, on, hour after hour, day +after day, week after week, only staying to rest every night when it +got too dark to see where they were going. At last they reached the +seven seas which surrounded the Panch-Phul Ranee's country. When once +they began crossing the seas they could not rest (for there was +neither rock nor island on which to alight), so they were obliged to +fly straight across them, night and day, until they gained the shore. + +By reason of this the parrots were too exhausted on their arrival to +go as far as the city where the Rajah, Panch-Phul Ranee's father, +lived, but they flew down to rest on a beautiful banyan tree, which +grew not far from the sea, close to a small village. The Rajah +determined to go into the village and get food and shelter there. He +told the parrots to stay in the banyan tree till his return; then, +leaving his bundle of clothes and most of his money in their charge, +he set off on foot toward the nearest house. + +After a little while he reached a Malee's cottage, and giving a gold +mohur to the Malee's wife, got her to provide him with food and +shelter for the night. + +Next morning he rose early, and said to his hostess, "I am a stranger +here, and know nothing of the place. What is the name of your +country?" "This," she said, "is Panch-Phul Ranee's country." + +"And what is the last news in your town?" he asked, "Very bad news +indeed," she replied. "You must know our Rajah has one only +daughter--a most beautiful Princess--and her name is Panch-Phul Ranee, +for she is so light and delicate that she weighs no heavier than five +lotus flowers. After her this whole country is called Panch-Phul +Ranee's country. She lives in a small bungalow in the centre of the +city you see yonder; but, unluckily for us, she has vowed to marry no +man who cannot jump on foot over the seven hedges made of spears, and +across the seven great ditches that surround her house. This cannot be +done, Babamah! I don't know how many hundreds of thousands of Rajahs +have tried to do it and died in the attempt! Yet the Princess will not +break her vow. Daily, worse and worse tidings come from the city of +fresh people having been killed in trying to jump the seven hedges and +seven ditches, and I see no end to the misfortunes that will arise +from it. Not only are so many brave men lost to the world, but, since +the Princess will marry no one who does not succeed in this, she +stands a chance of not marrying at all; and if that be so, when the +Rajah dies there will be no one to protect her and claim the right to +succeed to the throne. All the nobles will probably fight for the Raj, +and the whole kingdom be turned topsy-turvy." + +"Mahi," said the Rajah, "if that is all there is to do, I will try and +win your Princess, for I can jump right well." + +"Baba," answered the Malee's wife, "do not think of such a thing; are +you mad? I tell you, hundreds of thousands of men have said these +words before, and been killed for their rashness. What power do you +think you possess, to succeed where all before you have failed? Give +up all thought of this, for it is utter folly." + +"I will not do it," answered the Rajah, "before going to consult some +of my friends." + +So he left the Malee's cottage, and returned to the banyan tree to +talk over the matter with the parrots; for he thought they would be +able to carry him on their wings across the seven ditches and seven +hedges made of spears. When he reached the old tree the parrot said to +him, "It is two days since you left us; what news have you brought +from the village?" The Rajah answered, "The Panch-Phul Ranee still +lives in the house surrounded by the seven ditches, and seven hedges +made of spears, and has vowed to marry no man who cannot jump over +them; but cannot you parrots, who brought me all the way over the +seven seas, carry me on your wings across these great barriers?" + +"You stupid man!" answered the old parrot, "of course we could; but +what would be the good of doing so? If we carried you across, it would +not be at all the same thing as your jumping across, and the Princess +would no more consent to marry you than she would now; for she has +vowed to marry no one who has not jumped across _on foot_. If you want +to do the thing, why not do it yourself, instead of talking nonsense. +Have you forgotten how, when you were a little boy, you were taught to +jump by conjurors and tumblers (for the parrot knew all the Rajah's +history)? Now is the time to put their lessons in practice. If you can +jump the seven ditches, and seven hedges made of spears, you will have +done a good work, and be able to marry the Panch-Phul Ranee; but if +not, this is a thing in which we cannot help you." + +"You reason justly," replied the Rajah. "I will try to put in practice +the lessons I learnt when a boy; meantime, do you stay here till my +return." + +So saying, he went away to the city, which he reached by nightfall. +Next morning early he went to where the Princess's bungalow stood, to +try to jump the fourteen great barriers. He was strong and agile, and +he jumped the seven great ditches, and six of the seven hedges made of +spears; but in running to jump the seventh hedge he hurt his foot, +and, stumbling, fell upon the spears and died--run through and through +with the cruel iron spikes. + +When Panch-Phul Ranee's father and mother got up that morning and +looked out, as their custom was, toward their daughter's bungalow, +they saw something transfixed upon the seventh hedge of spears, but +what it was they could not make out, for it dazzled their eyes. So the +Rajah called his Wuzeer and said to him, "For some days I have seen no +one attempt to jump the seven hedges and seven ditches round +Panch-Phul Ranee's bungalow; but what is that which I now see upon the +seventh hedge of spears?" The Wuzeer answered, "That is a Rajah's son, +who has failed, like all who have gone before him." "But how is it," +asked the Rajah, "that he thus dazzles our eyes?" + +"It is," replied the Wuzeer, "because he is so beautiful. Of all that +have died for the sake of Panch-Phul Ranee, this youth is, beyond +doubt, the handsomest." "Alas!" cried the Rajah, "how many and how +many brave men has my daughter killed? I will have no more die for +her. Let us send her and the dead man together away into the jungle." + +Then he ordered the servants to fetch the young Rajah's body. There he +lay, still and beautiful, with a glory shining round him as the +moonlight shines round the clear bright moon, but without a spark of +life. + +When the Rajah saw him, he said, "Oh, pity, pity, that so brave and +handsome a boy should have come dying after this girl! Yet he is but +one of the thousands of thousands who have died thus to no purpose. +Pull up the spears and cast them into the seven ditches, for they +shall remain no longer." + +Then he commanded two palanquins to be prepared and men in readiness +to carry them, and said, "Let the girl be married to the young Rajah, +and let both be taken far away into the jungle, that we may never see +them more. Then there will be quiet in the land again." + +The Ranee, Panch-Phul Ranee's mother, cried bitterly at this, for she +was very fond of her daughter, and she begged her husband not to send +her away so cruelly--the living with the dead; but the Rajah was +inexorable. "That poor boy died," he said; "let my daughter die, too! +I'll have no more men killed here." + +So the two palanquins were prepared. Then he placed his daughter in +the one, and her dead husband in the other, and said to the +palkee-bearers, "Take these palkees and go out into the jungle until +you have reached a place so desolate that not so much as a sparrow is +to be seen, and there leave them both." + +And so they did. Deep down in the jungle, where no bright sun could +pierce the darkness, nor human voice be heard, far from any habitation +of man or means of supporting life, on the edge of a dank, stagnant +morass that was shunned by all but noisome reptiles and wandering +beasts of prey, they set them down and left them, the dead husband and +the living wife, alone to meet the horrors of the coming night--alone, +without a chance of rescue. + +Panch-Phul Ranee heard the bearers' retreating footsteps, and their +voices getting fainter and fainter in the distance, and felt that she +had nothing to hope for but death. + +Night seemed coming on apace, for though the sun had not set, the +jungle was dark so that but little light pierced the gloom; and she +thought she would take a last look at the husband her vow had killed, +and, sitting beside him, wait till starvation should make her as he +was, or some wild animal put a more speedy end to her sufferings. + +She left her palkee and went toward his. There he lay with closed eyes +and close-shut lips; black curling hair, which escaped from under his +turban, concealed a ghastly wound on his temple. There was no look of +pain on the face, and the long, sweeping eyelashes gave it such a +tender, softened expression she could hardly believe that he was dead. +He was, in truth, very beautiful; and, watching him, she said to +herself, "Alas, what a noble being is here lost to the world! what an +earth's joy is extinguished! Was it for this I was cold, and proud, +and stern--to break the cup of my own happiness and to be the death of +such as you? Must you now never know that you won your wife? Must you +never hear her ask your pardon for the past, nor know her cruel +punishment? Ah, if you had but lived, how dearly I would have loved +you! Oh, my husband! my husband!" And sinking down on the ground, she +buried her face in her hands and cried bitterly. + +While she was sitting thus, night closed over the jungle, and brought +with it wild beasts that had left their dens and lairs in search of +prey--to roam about, as the heat of the day was over. Tigers, lions, +elephants, and bison, all came by turns, crushing through the +underwood which surrounded the place where the palkees were, but they +did no harm to Panch-Phul Ranee, for she was so fair that not even the +cruel beasts of the forests would injure her. At last, about four +o'clock in the morning, all the wild animals had gone except two +little jackals, who had been very busy watching the rest and picking +the bones left by the tigers. Tired with running about, they lay down +to rest close to the palkees. Then one little jackal said to the +other, who was her husband, "Do tell me a little story." "Dear me!" +exclaimed he, "what people you women are for stories! Well, look just +in front of you; do you see those two?" "Yes," she answered; "what of +them?" "That woman you see sitting on the ground," he said, "is the +Panch-Phul Ranee." "And what son of a Rajah is the man in the palkee?" +asked she. "That," he replied, "is a very sorrowful son. His father +was so unkind to him that he left his own home, and went to live in +another country very far from this; and there he dreamed about the +Panch-Phul Ranee, and came to our land in order to marry her, but he +was killed in jumping the seventh hedge of spears, and all he gained +was to die for her sake." + +"That is very sad," said the first little jackal; "but could he never +by any chance come to life again?" "Yes," answered the other; "maybe +he could, if only someone knew how to apply the proper remedies." +"What are the proper remedies, and how could he be cured?" asked the +lady jackal. (Now, all this conversation had been heard by Panch-Phul +Ranee, and when this question was asked she listened very eagerly and +attentively for the answer.) + +"Do you see this tree?" replied her husband. "Well, if some of its +leaves were crushed, and a little of the juice put into the Rajah's +two ears and upon his upper lip, and some upon his temples, also, and +some upon the spear-wounds in his side, he would come to life again +and be as well as ever." + +At this moment day dawned, and the two little jackals ran away. +Panch-Phul Ranee did not forget their words. She, a Princess born, who +had never put her foot to the ground before (so delicately and +tenderly had she been reared), walked over the rough clods of earth +and the sharp stones till she reached the place where the tree grew of +which the jackals had spoken. She gathered a number of its leaves, +and, with hands and feet that had never before done coarse or common +work, beat and crushed them down. They were so stiff, and strong that +it took her a long time. At last, after tearing them, and stamping on +them, and pounding them between two stones, and biting the hardest +parts, she thought they were sufficiently crushed; and rolling them up +in a corner of her saree, she squeezed the juice through it on to her +husband's temples, and put a little on his upper lip and into his +ears, and some also on the spear-wound in his side. And when she had +done this, he awoke as if he had been only sleeping, and sat up, +wondering where he was. Before him stood Panch-Phul Ranee shining like +a glorious star, and all around them was the dark jungle. + +It would be hard to say which of them was the more astonished--the +Rajah or the Princess. She was surprised that the remedy should have +taken such speedy effect, and could hardly believe her eyes when she +saw her husband get up. And if he looked beautiful when dead, much +more handsome did he seem to her now, so full of life and animation +and power--the picture of health and strength. And he, in his turn, +was lost in amazement at the exquisite loveliness of the lady who +stood before him. He did not know who she could be, for he had never +seen her like, except in a dream. Could she be really the +world-renowned Panch-Phul Ranee, or was he dreaming still? He feared +to move lest he should break the spell. But as he sat there wondering, +she spoke, saying, "You marvel at what has taken place. You do not +know me--I am Panch-Phul Ranee, your wife." + +Then he said, "Ah, Princess, is it indeed you? You have been very hard +to me." "I know, I know," she answered; "I caused your death, but I +brought you to life again. Let the past be forgotten; come home with +me, and my father and mother will welcome you as a son." + +He replied, "No, I must return first to my own home a while. Do you +rather return there now with me, for it is a long time since I left +it, and afterward we will come again to your father's kingdom." + +To this Panch-Phul Ranee agreed. It took them, however, a long time to +find their way out of the jungle. At last they succeeded in doing so, +for none of the wild animals in it attempted to injure them, so +beautiful and royal did they both look. + +When they reached the banyan tree, where the Rajah had left the two +parrots, the old parrot called out to him, "So you have come back at +last! We thought you never would, you were such a long time away! +There you went, leaving us here all the time, and after all doing no +good, but only getting yourself killed. Why didn't you do as we +advised you, and jump up nicely?" + +"Well, I'm sure," said the Rajah, "yours is a hard case; but I beg +your pardon for keeping you waiting so long, and now I hope you'll +take me and my wife home." + +"Yes, we will do that," answered the parrots; "but you had better get +some dinner first, for it's a long journey over the seven seas." + +So the Rajah went to the village close by and bought food for himself +and the Panch-Phul Ranee. When he returned with it, he said to her, "I +fear the long journey before us for you; had you not better let me +make it alone, and return here for you when it is over?" But she +answered, "No! what could I, a poor weak woman, do here alone? and I +will not return to my father's house till you can come, too. Take me +with you, however far you go; only promise me you will never leave +me." So he promised her, and they both, mounting the parrots, were +carried up in the air across the seven seas, across the Red Sea, on, +on, on, a whole year's journey, until they reached his father's +kingdom, and alighted to rest at the foot of the palace garden. The +Rajah, however, did not know where he was, for all had much changed +since he left it some years before. + +Then a little son was born to the Rajah and Panch-Phul Ranee. He was a +beautiful child, but his father was grieved to think that in that +bleak place there was no shelter for the mother or the baby. So he +said to his wife, "I will go to fetch food for us both, and fire to +cook it with, and inquire what this country is, and seek out a place +of rest for you. Do not be afraid; I shall soon return." Now, far off +in the distance, smoke was to be seen rising from tents which belonged +to some conjurors and dancing-people, and thither the Rajah bent his +steps, feeling certain he should be able to get fire, and perhaps +food also, from the inhabitants. When he got there, he found the place +was much larger than he had expected--quite a good-sized village, in +fact--the abode of Nautch people and conjurors. In all the houses the +people were busy, some dancing, some singing, others trying various +conjuring tricks or practising beating the drum, and all seemed happy +and joyful. + +When the conjurors saw him, they were so much struck with his +appearance (for he was very handsome) that they determined to make +him, if possible, stay among them, and join their band. And they said +one to another, "How well he would look beating the drum for the +dancers! All the world would come to see us dance, if we had such a +handsome man as that to beat the drum." + +The Rajah, unconscious of their intentions, went into the largest hut +he saw, and said to a woman who was grinding corn, "Bai, give me a +little rice, and some fire from your hearth." She immediately +consented, and got up to fetch the burning sticks he asked for; but +before she gave them to him, she and her companions threw upon them a +certain powder, containing a very potent charm; and no sooner did the +Rajah receive them than he forgot about his wife and little child, his +journey, and all that had ever happened to him in his life before; +such was the peculiar property of the powder. And when the conjurors +said to him, "Why should you go away? stay with us, and be one of us," +he willingly consented to do so. + +All this time Panch-Phul Ranee waited and waited for her husband, but +he never came. Night approached without his having brought her any +food or news of having found a place of shelter for her and the baby. +At last, faint and weary, she swooned away. + +It happened that that very day the Ranee (Panch-Phul Ranee's husband's +mother) lost her youngest child, a fine little boy of only a day old; +and her servants took its body to the bottom of the garden to bury it. +Just as they were going to do so, they heard a low cry, and, looking +round, saw close by a beautiful woman lying on the ground, dead, or +apparently so, and beside her a fine little baby boy. The idea +immediately entered their heads of leaving the dead baby beside the +dead woman, and taking her living baby back with them to the palace; +and so they did. + +When they returned, they said to their mistress, "Your child did not +die; see, here it is--it got well again," and showed her Panch-Phul +Ranee's baby. But after a time, when the Ranee questioned them about +it, they told her the whole truth; but she had become meanwhile very +fond of the little boy, and so he continued in the palace and was +brought up as her son; being, in truth, her grandson, though she did +not know it. + +Meantime the palace Malee's wife went out, as her custom was every +morning and evening, to gather flowers. In search of them she wandered +as far as the jungle at the bottom of the garden, and there she found +the Panch-Phul Ranee lying as dead, and the dead baby beside her. + +The good woman felt very sorry, and rubbed the Ranee's cold hands and +gave her sweet flowers to smell in hopes that she might revive. At +last she opened her eyes, and seeing the Malee's wife, said, "Where am +I? Has not my husband come back? and who are you?" + +"My poor lady," answered the Malee's wife, "I do not know where your +husband is. I am the Malee's wife, and coming here to gather flowers, +I found you lying on the ground, and this your little baby, who is +dead; but come home with me, I will take care of you." + +Panch-Phul Ranee answered, "Kind friend, this is not my baby; he did +not die; he was the image of his father, and fairer than this child. +Someone must have taken him away, for but a little while ago, I held +him in my arms, and he was strong and well, while this one could never +have been more than a puny, weakly infant. Take me away; I will go +home with you." + +So the Malee's wife buried the dead child and took the Panch-Phul +Ranee to her house, where she lived for fourteen years; but all that +time she could gain no tidings of her husband or her lost little boy. +The child, meanwhile, grew up in the palace, and became a very +handsome youth. One day he was wandering round the garden and chanced +to pass the Malee's house. The Panch-Phul Ranee was sitting within, +watching the Malee's wife cook their dinner. + +The young Prince saw her, and calling the Malee's wife, said to her, +"What beautiful lady is that in your house? and how did she come +there?" She answered, "Little Prince, what nonsense you talk! there is +no lady here." He said again, "I know there is a beautiful lady here, +for I saw her as I passed the open door." She replied, "If you come +telling such tales about my house, I'll pull your tongue out." For she +thought to herself, "Unless I scold him well, the boy 'll go talking +about what he's seen in the palace, and then perhaps some of the +people from there will come and take the poor Panch-Phul Ranee away +from my care." But while the Malee's wife was talking to the young +Prince, the Panch-Phul Ranee came from the inner room to watch and +listen to him unobserved; and no sooner did she see him than she could +not forbear crying out, "Oh, how like he is to my husband! The same +eyes, the same shaped face and the same king-like bearing! Can he be +my son? He is just the age my son would have been had he lived." + +The young Prince heard her speaking and asked what she said, to which +the Malee's wife replied, "The woman you saw, and who just now spoke, +lost her child fourteen years ago, and she was saying to herself how +like you were to that child, and thinking you must be the same; but +she is wrong, for we know you are the Ranee's son." Then Panch-Phul +Ranee herself came out of the house, and said to him, "Young Prince, I +could not, when I saw you, help exclaiming how like you are to what my +lost husband was, and to what my son might have been; for it is now +fourteen years since I lost them both." And she told him how she had +been a great Princess, and was returning with her husband to his own +home and how her little baby had been born in the jungle, and her +husband had gone away to seek shelter for her and the child, and fire +and food, and had never returned; and also how, when she had fainted +away, someone had certainly stolen her baby and left a dead child in +its place; and how the good Malee's wife had befriended her, and taken +her ever since to live in her house. And when she had ended her story +she began to cry. + +But the Prince said to her, "Be of good cheer; I will endeavour to +recover your husband and child for you; who knows but I may indeed be +your son, beautiful lady?" And running home to the Ranee (his adopted +mother), he said to her, "Are you really my mother? Tell me truly; for +this I must know before the sun goes down." "Why do you ask foolish +questions?" she replied; "have I not always treated you as a son?" +"Yes," he said; "but tell me the very truth; am I your own child, or +the child of someone else, adopted as yours? If you do not tell me, I +will kill myself." And so saying, he drew his sword. She replied, +"Stay, stay, and I will tell you the whole truth; the day before you +were born I had a little baby, but it died; and my servants took it to +the bottom of the garden to bury it, and there they found a beautiful +woman lying as dead, and beside her a living infant. You were that +child. They brought you to the palace, and I adopted you as my son, +and left my baby in your stead." "What became of my mother?" he asked. +"I cannot tell," answered the Ranee; "for, two days afterward, when I +sent to the same place, she and the baby had both disappeared, and I +have never since heard of her." + +The young Prince, on hearing this, said, "There is in the head Malee's +house a beautiful lady, whom the Malee's wife found in the jungle, +fourteen years ago; that must be my mother. Let her be received here +this very day with all honour, for that is the only reparation that +can now be made to her." + +The Ranee consented, and the young Prince went down to the Malee's +house himself to fetch his mother to the palace. + +With him he took a great retinue of people, and a beautiful palanquin +for her to go in, covered with rich trappings; also costly things for +her to wear, and many jewels and presents for the good Malee's wife. + +When Panch-Phul Ranee had put on her son's gifts, and come out of the +Malee's poor cottage to meet him, all the people said there had never +been so royal-looking a queen. As gold and clear crystal are lovely, +as mother-of-pearl is exquisitely fair and delicate-looking, so +beautiful, so fair, so delicate appeared Panch-Phul Ranee. + +Her son conducted her with much pomp and state to the palace, and did +all in his power to honour her; and there she lived long, very +happily, and beloved by all. + +One day the young Prince begged her to tell him again, from the +beginning, the story of her life, and as much as she knew of his +father's life; and so she did. And after that, he said to her, "Be no +longer sad, dear mother, regarding my father's fate; for I will send +into all lands to gather tidings of him, and maybe in the end we shall +find him." And he sent people out to hunt for the Rajah all over the +kingdom, and in all neighbouring countries--to the north, to the +south, to the east and to the west--but they found him not. + +At last, after four years of unsuccessful search, when there seemed no +hope of ever learning what had become of him, Panch-Phul Ranee's son +came to see her, and said, "Mother, I have sent into all lands seeking +my father, but can hear no news of him. If there were only the +slightest clue as to the direction in which he went, there would still +be some chance of tracing him, but that, I fear, cannot be got. Do you +not remember his having said anything of the way which he intended to +go when he left you?" She answered, "When your father went away, his +words to me were, 'I will go to fetch food for us both, and fire to +cook it with, and inquire what this country is, and seek out a place +of shelter for you. Do not be afraid--I shall soon return.' That was +all he said, and then he went away, and I never saw him more." + +"In what direction did he go from the foot of the garden?" asked the +Prince. "He went," answered the Panch-Phul Ranee, "toward that village +of conjurors close by. I thought he was intending to ask some of them +to give us food. But had he done so, he would certainly have returned +in a very short time." + +"Do you think you should know my father, mother darling, if you were +to see him again?" asked the Prince. "Yes," answered she, "I should +know him again." "What!" he said, "even when eighteen years have gone +by since you saw him last? Even though age and sickness and want had +done their utmost to change him?" "Yes!" she replied; "his every +feature is so impressed on my heart that I should know him again +anywhere or in any disguise." + +"Then let us," he said, "send for all those people in the direction of +whose houses he went away. Maybe they have detained him among them to +this day. It is but a chance, but we can hope for nothing more +certain." + +So the Panch-Phul Ranee and her son sent down orders to the conjurors' +village that every one of the whole band should come up to the palace +that afternoon--not a soul was to stay behind. And the dancers were to +dance and the conjurors to play all their tricks for the amusement of +the palace inmates. + +The people came. The nautch girls began to dance--running, jumping, +and flying here, there and everywhere, some up, some down, some round +and round. The conjurors conjured and all began in different ways to +amuse the company. Among the rest was one wild, ragged-looking man, +whose business was to beat the drum. No sooner did the Panch-Phul +Ranee set eyes on him than she said to her son, "Boy, that is your +father!" "What, mother!" he said, "that wretched-looking man who is +beating the drum?" "The same," she answered. + +The Prince said to his servants, "Fetch that man here." And the Rajah +came toward them, so changed that not even his own mother knew him--no +one recognized him but his wife. For eighteen years he had been among +the nautch people; his hair was rough, his; beard untrimmed, his face +thin and worn, sunburnt and wrinkled; he wore a nose-ring and heavy +earrings, such as the nautch people have; and his dress was a rough, +common cumlee. All traces of his former self seemed to have +disappeared. They asked him if he did not remember he had been a Rajah +once, and about his journey to Panch-Phul Ranee's country. But he +said, No, he remembered nothing but how to beat the drum--Rub-a-dub! +tat-tat! tom-tum! tom-tum! He thought he must have beaten it all his +life. + +Then the young Prince gave orders that all the nautch people should be +put into jail until it could be discovered what part they had taken in +reducing his father to so pitiable a state. And sending for the wisest +doctors in the kingdom, he said to them, "Do your best and restore the +health of this Rajah, who has to all appearance lost both memory and +reason; and discover, if possible, what has caused these misfortunes +to befall him." The doctors said, "He has certainly had some potent +charm given to him, which has destroyed both his memory and reason, +but we will do our best to counteract its influence." + +And so they did. And their treatment succeeded so well that, after a +time, the Rajah entirely recovered his former senses. And they took +such good care of him that in a little while he regained his health +and strength also, and looked almost as well as ever. + +He then found to his surprise that he, Panch-Phul Ranee, and their +son, had all this time been living in his father's kingdom. His father +was so delighted to see him again that he was no longer unkind to him, +but treated him as a dearly beloved, long lost son. His mother also +was overjoyed at his return, and they said to him, "Since you have +been restored to us again, why should you wander any more? Your wife +and son are here; do you also remain here, and live among us for the +rest of your days." But he replied, "I have another wife--the +Carpenter's daughter--who first was kind to me in my adopted country. +I also have there nine hundred and ninety-eight talking wooden +parrots, which I greatly prize. Let me first go and fetch them." + +They said, "Very well; go quickly and then return." So he mounted the +two wooden parrots which had brought him from the Panch-Phul Ranee's +country (and which had for eighteen years lived in the jungle close to +the palace), and returned to the land where his first wife lived, and +fetched her and the nine hundred and ninety-eight remaining wooden +parrots to his father's kingdom. Then his father said to him, "Don't +have any quarrelling with your half-brother after I am dead" (for his +half-brother was son of the old Rajah's favourite wife). "I love you +both dearly, and will give each of you half of my kingdom." So he +divided the kingdom into two halves, and gave the one-half to the +Panch-Phul Ranee's husband, who was the son of his first wife, and the +other half to the eldest son of his second but favourite wife. + +A short time after this arrangement was made, Panch-Phul Ranee said to +her husband, "I wish to see my father and mother again before I die; +let me go and see them." He answered, "You shall go, and I and our son +will also go." So he called four of the wooden parrots--two to carry +himself and the Ranee, and two to carry their son. Each pair of +parrots crossed their wings; the young Prince sat upon the two wings +of one pair; and on the wings of the other pair sat his father and +mother. Then they all rose up in the air, and the parrots carried them +(as they had before carried the Rajah alone), up, up, up, on, on, on, +over the Red Sea, and across the seven seas, until they reached the +Panch-Phul Ranee's country. + +Panch-Phul Ranee's father saw them come flying through the air as +quickly as shooting stars, and much wondering who they were, he sent +out many of his nobles and chief officers to inquire. + +The nobles went out to meet them, and called out, "What great Rajah is +this who is dressed so royally, and comes flying through the air so +fast? Tell us, that we may tell our Rajah." + +The Rajah answered, "Go and tell your master that this is Panch-Phul +Ranee's husband, come to visit his father-in-law." So they took that +answer back to the palace, but when the Rajah heard it, he said, "I +cannot tell what this means, for the Panch-Phul Ranee's husband died +long ago. It is twenty years since he fell upon the iron spears and +died; let us, however, all go and discover who this great Rajah really +is." And he and all his court went out to meet the new-comers, just as +the parrots had alighted close to the palace gate. The Panch-Phul +Ranee took her son by the one hand and her husband by the other, and +walking to meet her father, said, "Father, I have come to see you +again. This is my husband who died, and this boy is my son." Then all +the land was glad to see the Panch-Phul Ranee back, and the people +said, "Our Princess is the most beautiful Princess in the world, and +her husband is as handsome as she is, and her son is a fair boy; we +will that they should always live among us and reign over us." + +When they had rested a little, the Panch-Phul Ranee told her father +and mother the story of all her adventures from the time she and her +husband were left in the palkees in the jungle. And when they had +heard it, her father said to the Rajah, her husband, "You must never +go away again; for see, I have no son but you. You and your son must +reign here after me. And behold, all this great kingdom will I now +give you, if you will only stay with us; for I am old and weary of +governing the land." + +But the Rajah answered, "I must return once again to my own country, +and then I will stay with you as long as I live." + +So, leaving the Panch-Phul Ranee and her son with the old Rajah and +Ranee, he mounted his parrots and once more returned to his father's +land. And when he had reached it, he said to his mother, "Mother, my +father-in-law has given me a kingdom ten thousand times larger than +this. So I have but returned to bid you farewell and fetch my first +wife, and then I must go back to live in that other land." She +answered, "Very well; so you are happy anywhere, I am happy, too." + +He then said to his half-brother, "Brother, my father-in-law has given +me all the Panch-Phul Ranee's country, which is very far away; +therefore I give up to you the half of this kingdom that my father +gave to me." Then, bidding his father farewell, he took the +Carpenter's daughter back with him (riding through the air on two of +the wooden parrots, and followed by the rest) to the Panch-Phul +Ranee's country, and there he and his two wives and his son lived very +happily all their mortal days. + + + + +_Schippeitaro_ + + +Long, long ago, in the days of fairies and giants, ogres, and dragons, +valiant knights and distressed damsels; in those good old days, a +brave young warrior went out into the wide world in search of +adventures. + +For some time he went on without meeting with anything out of the +common, but at length, after journeying through a thick forest, he +found himself, one evening, on a wild and lonely mountain side. No +village was in sight, no cottage, not even the hut of a charcoal +burner, so often to be found on the outskirts of the forest. He had +been following a faint and much overgrown path, but at length, even +that was lost sight of. Twilight was coming on, and in vain he strove +to recover the lost track. Each effort seemed only to entangle him +more hopelessly in the briers and tall grasses which grew thickly on +all sides. Faint and weary he stumbled on in the fast gathering +darkness, until suddenly he came upon a little temple, deserted and +half ruined, but which still contained a shrine. Here at least was +shelter from the chilly dews, and here he resolved to pass the night. +Food he had none, but, wrapped in his mantle, and with his good sword +by his side, he lay down, and was soon fast asleep. + +Toward midnight he was awakened by a dreadful noise, At first he +thought it must be a dream, but the noise continued, the whole place +resounding with the most terrible shrieks and yells. The young warrior +raised himself cautiously, and seizing his sword, looked through a +hole in the ruined wall. He beheld a strange and awful sight. A troop +of hideous cats were engaged in a wild and horrible dance, their yells +meanwhile echoing through the night. Mingled with their unearthly +cries the young warrior could clearly distinguish the words: + + Tell it not to Schippeitaro! + Listen for his bark! + Tell it not to Schippeitaro! + Keep it close and dark! + +A beautiful clear full moon shed its light upon this grew-some scene, +which the young warrior watched with amazement and horror. Suddenly, +the midnight hour being passed, the phantom cats disappeared, and all +was silence once more. The rest of the night passed undisturbed, and +the young warrior slept soundly until morning. When he awoke the sun +was already up, and he hastened to leave the scene of last night's +adventure. By the bright morning light he presently discovered traces +of a path which the evening before had been invisible. This he +followed, and found to his great joy, that it led, not as he had +feared, to the forest through which he had come the day before, but in +the opposite direction, toward an open plain. There he saw one or two +scattered cottages, and, a little farther on, a village. Pressed by +hunger, he was making the best of his way toward the village, when he +heard the tones of a woman's voice loud in lamentation and entreaty. +No sooner did these sounds of distress reach the warrior's ears, than +his hunger was forgotten, and he hurried on to the nearest cottage, to +find out what was the matter, and if he could give any help. The +people listened to his questions, and shaking their heads sorrowfully, +told him that all help was vain. "Every year," said they, "the +mountain spirit claims a victim. The time has come, and this very +night will he devour our loveliest maiden. This is the cause of the +wailing and lamentation." And when the young warrior, filled with +wonder, inquired further, they told him that at sunset the victim +would be put into a sort of cage, carried to that very ruined temple +where he had passed the night, and there left alone. In the morning +she would have vanished. So it was each year, and so it would be now; +there was no help for it. As he listened, the young warrior was filled +with an earnest desire to deliver the maiden. And, the mention of the +ruined shrine having brought back to his mind the adventure of the +night before, he asked the people whether they had ever heard the name +of Schippeitaro, and who and what he was. "Schippeitaro is a strong +and beautiful dog," was the reply; "he belongs to the head man of our +Prince who lives only a little way from here. We often see him +following his master; he is a fine, brave fellow." The young knight +did not stop to ask more questions, but hurried off to Schippeitaro's +master and begged him to lend his dog for one night. At first the man +was unwilling, but at length agreed to lend Schippeitaro on condition +that he should be brought back the next day. Overjoyed, the young +warrior led the dog away. + +Next he went to see the parents of the unhappy maiden, and told them +to keep her in the house and watch her carefully until his return. He +then placed the dog Schippeitaro in the cage which had been prepared +for the maiden; and, with the help of some of the young men of the +village, carried it to the ruined temple, and there set it down. The +young men refused to stay one moment on that haunted spot, but hurried +down the mountain as if the whole troop of hobgoblins had been at +their heels. The young warrior, with no companion but the dog, +remained to see what would happen. At midnight, when the full moon was +high in the heaven, and shed her light over the mountain, came the +phantom cats once more. This time they had in their midst a huge black +tom-cat, fiercer and more terrible than all the rest, which the young +warrior had no difficulty in knowing as the frightful mountain fiend +himself. No sooner did this monster catch sight of the cage than he +danced and sprang round it, with yells of triumph and hideous joy, +followed by his companions. When he had long enough jeered at and +taunted his victim, he threw open the door of the cage. + +But this time he met his match. The brave Schippeitaro sprang upon +him, and seizing him with his teeth, held him fast, while the young +warrior with one stroke of his good sword laid the monster dead at +his feet. As for the other cats, too much astonished to fly, they +stood gazing at the dead body of their leader, and were made short +work of by the knight and Schippeitaro. The young warrior brought back +the brave dog to his master, with a thousand thanks, told the father +and mother of the maiden that their daughter was free, and the people +of the village that the fiend had claimed his last victim and would +trouble them no more. "You owe all this to the brave Schippeitaro," he +said as he bade them farewell, and went his way in search of fresh +adventures. + + * * * * * + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Tales of Wonder Every Child Should Know, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF WONDER *** + +***** This file should be named 19461-8.txt or 19461-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/4/6/19461/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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 + + +Title: Tales of Wonder Every Child Should Know + +Author: Various + +Editor: Kate Douglas Wiggin and Nora Archibald Smith + +Release Date: October 4, 2006 [EBook #19461] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF WONDER *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + + +<p class="center"><img src="images/image_01.jpg" alt="Frontispiece. The three-headed monster belched forth flame" width="500" height="662" /><br /> +<span class="caption">The three-headed monster belched forth flame</span></p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="center"><img src="images/image_02.jpg" alt="Front page" width="400" height="614" /></p> +<p> </p> +<h3>What Every Child Should Know <span class="smcap">Library</span></h3> +<p> </p> +<h1>TALES<br /> +OF WONDER</h1> + +<h2>EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW</h2> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h4>Edited by</h4> +<p class=" center f2"><b>KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN</b></p> +<p class="center">and <span class="f2"><b>NORA ARCHIBALD SMITH</b></span></p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_03.jpg" alt="Seal" width="200" height="178" /></div> +<p> </p> +<h4>Published by Doubleday, Doran & Co., Inc., for</h4> + +<h3>THE PARENTS' INSTITUTE, INC.</h3> +<h4>Publishers of "<span class="smcap">The Parents' Magazine"</span></h4> +<h4><i>52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York</i></h4> + +<p> </p> +<p class="center f1">COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> +<h2>PUBLISHER'S NOTE</h2> + + +<p><i>Doubleday, Page & Company wish to make acknowledgment of their +indebtedness to the following publishers</i>:</p> + +<p><i>G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York and London, for permission to use "The +Five Queer Brothers," "The Two Melons" and "What the Birds Said," from +"Chinese Nights' Entertainment," by Adele M. Fielde; "The Lac of +Rupees," from "Indian Fairy Tales," by Joseph Jacobs; "The +Sea-maiden," from "Celtic Fairy Tales," by Joseph Jacobs; "The Black +Horse" and "The Farmer of Liddesdale," from "More Celtic Fairy Tales," +by Joseph Jacobs; and "The Buried Moon," from "More English Fairy +Tales," by Joseph Jacobs.</i></p> + +<p><i>T. Y. Crowell & Company, New York, for permission to use "The +Grateful Crane" from "The Fire-fly's Lovers," by William Elliot +Griffis.</i></p> + +<p><i>Joseph McDonough, Albany, for permission to use "Little Surya Bai," +"The Jackal, the Barber and the Brahmin," "Truth's Triumph," "The +Raksha's Palace," and "Panch-Phul Ranee," from "Old Deccan Days," by +M. Frere.</i></p> + +<p><i>Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, for permission to use "The +Deserter," "Steelpacha" and "The Watch-tower Between Earth and +Heaven," from "The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales," by L. S. +Houghton.</i></p> + +<p><i>Macmillan & Company, London, for permission to use "The Grateful +Foxes" and "The Badger's Money," from "Tales of Old Japan," by A. B. +Mitford.</i></p> + +<p><i>The Review of Reviews Company, London, for permission to use "The +Feast of Lanterns" and "The Lake of Gems," from "Books for the +Bairns," edited by W. T. Stead.</i></p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span></p> + +<p><i>We also wish to express our appreciation to Mr. Seumas MacManus for +the use of his stories, "The Amadan of the Dough," "Hookedy-Crookedy," +"Billy Beg and the Bull," and "The Queen of the Golden Mines," from +"Donegal Fairy Stories," and "In Chimney Corners," published by us.</i></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span></p> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + + + + + + + + + + +<table summary="Contents"> +<tr><td></td><td class="tocpg f1">PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#INTRODUCTION">INTRODUCTION</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_xi">xi</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#I_Wonder">I Wonder</a></span> (<i>Scandinavian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_3">3</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#What_the_Birds_Said">What the Birds Said</a></span> (<i>Chinese</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_8">8</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Smith_and_the_Fairies">The Smith and the Fairies</a></span> (<i>Gaelic</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_10">10</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Grateful_Crane">The Grateful Crane</a></span> (<i>Japanese</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#Little_Surya_Bai">Little Surya Bai</a></span> (<i>Southern Indian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_17">17</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Storks_and_the_Night_Owl">The Storks and the Night Owl</a></span> (<i>Persian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Five_Queer_Brothers">The Five Queer Brothers</a></span> (<i>Chinese</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_41">41</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Lac_of_Rupees">The Lac of Rupees</a></span> (<i>Southern Indian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_44">44</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Emperors_Nightingale">The Emperor's Nightingale.</a> H. C. Andersen</span></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#Hookedy-Crookedy">Hookedy-Crookedy.</a> Seumas MacManus</span> (<i>Celtic</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#Arndts_Night_Underground">Arndt's Night Underground.</a> D. M. Mulock</span></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_81">81</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Unicorn">The Unicorn</a></span> (<i>German</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#Destiny">Destiny.</a> E. Laboulaye</span> (<i>Dalmatian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_110">110</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Queen_of_the_Golden_Mines">The Queen of the Golden Mines.</a> Seumas MacManus</span> (<i>Celtic</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_116">116</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Deserter">The Deserter</a></span> (<i>Russian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_125">125</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Two_Melons">The Two Melons</a></span> (<i>Chinese</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Iron_Casket">The Iron Casket</a></span> (<i>Persian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_133">133</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Knights_of_the_Fish">The Knights of the Fish.</a> Fernan Caballero</span> (<i>Spanish</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_143">143</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#Dapplegrim">Dapplegrim</a></span> (<i>Scandinavian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_150">150</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Hermit">The Hermit.</a> Voltaire</span> (<i>French</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_160">160</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Watch-tower_Between_Earth_and_Heaven">The Watch-tower Between Earth and Heaven</a></span> (<i>Russian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_165">165</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Lucky_Coin">The Lucky Coin.</a> Francoso</span> (<i>Portuguese</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_169">169</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Jackal_the_Barber_and_the_Brahmin">The Jackal, the Barber and the Brahmin</a></span> (<i>Southern Indian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_174">174</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Bird_of_Truth">The Bird of Truth.</a> Caballero</span> (<i>Spanish</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_189">189</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Two_Genies">The Two Genies.</a> Voltaire</span> (<i>French</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_200">200</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#Steelpacha">Steelpacha</a></span> (<i>Russian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_212">212</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Buried_Moon">The Buried Moon</a></span> (<i>English</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_233">233</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Farmer_of_Liddesdale">The Farmer of Liddesdale</a></span> (<i>English</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_238">238</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Badgers_Money">The Badger's Money</a></span> (<i>Japanese</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_241">241</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Grateful_Foxes">The Grateful Foxes</a></span> (<i>Japanese</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_245">245</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Black_Horse">The Black Horse</a></span> (<i>Celtic</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_251">251</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#Truths_Triumph">Truth's Triumph</a></span> (<i>Southern Indian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_258">258</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Feast_of_the_Lanterns">The Feast of the Lanterns</a></span> (<i>Chinese</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_271">271</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Lake_of_Gems">The Lake of Gems</a></span> (<i>Chinese</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_278">278</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Sea-Maiden">The Sea-maiden</a></span> (<i>Celtic</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_290">290</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Enchanted_Waterfall">The Enchanted Waterfall</a></span> (<i>Japanese</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_299">299</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Amadan_of_the_Dough">The Amadan of the Dough.</a> Seumas MacManus</span> (<i>Celtic</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_302">302</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Rakshass_Palace">The Rakshas's Palace</a></span> (<i>Southern Indian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_313">313</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#Billy_Beg_and_the_Bull">Billy Beg and the Bull</a>. Seumas MacManus</span> (<i>Celtic</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_323">323</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#The_Princes_Fire-flash_and_Fire-fade">The Princes Fire-flash and Fire-fade</a></span> (<i>Japanese</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_333">333</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#Panch-Phul_Ranee">Panch-Phul Ranee</a></span> (<i>Southern Indian</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_337">337</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#Schippeitaro">Schippeitaro</a></span> (<i>Japanese</i>)</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_361">361</a></td></tr> +</table> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[ix]</a></span></p> + +<h2>I WONDER!</h2> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I wonder if in Samarcand<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Grave camels kneel in golden sand,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Still lading bales of magic spells<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And charms a lover's wisdom tells,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To fare across the desert main<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And bring the Princess home again—<br /></span> +<span class="i4">I wonder!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I wonder in Japan to-day<br /></span> +<span class="i0">If grateful beasts find out the way<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To those who succoured them in pain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And bring their blessings back again;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">If cranes and sparrows take the shape<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And all the ways of mortals ape—<br /></span> +<span class="i4">I wonder!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">In Bagdad, may there still be found<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That potent powder, finely ground,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Which changes all who on it feast,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Monarch or slave, to bird or beast?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Do Caliphs taste and unafraid,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Turn storks, and weeping night-owls aid?<br /></span> +<span class="i4">I wonder!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I wonder if in far Cathay<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The nightingale still trills her lay<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Beside the Porcelain Palace door,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And courtiers praise her as before I<br /></span> +<span class="i0">If emperors dream of bygone things<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And musing, weep the while she sings—<br /></span> +<span class="i4">I wonder!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Such things have never chanced to me.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I wonder if to eyes that see<br /></span> +<span class="i0">These magic visions still appear<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In daily living, now and here;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">If every flower is touched with glory,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">If e'en the grass-blades tell a story—<br /></span> +<span class="i4">I wonder!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="sig">N. A. S.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[xi]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="INTRODUCTION" id="INTRODUCTION"></a><i>INTRODUCTION</i></h2> + + +<p>There is a Chinese tale, known as "The Singing Prisoner," in which a +friendless man is bound hand and foot and thrown into a dungeon, where +he lies on the cold stones unfed and untended.</p> + +<p>He has no hope of freedom and as complaint will avail him nothing, he +begins to while away the hours by reciting poems and stories that he +had learned in youth. So happily does he vary the tones of the +speakers, feigning in turn the voices of kings and courtiers, lovers +and princesses, birds and beasts, that he speedily draws all his +fellow-prisoners around him, beguiling them by the spell of his +genius.</p> + +<p>Those who have food, eagerly press it upon him that his strength may +be replenished; the jailer, who has been drawn into the charmed +circle, loosens his bonds that he may move more freely, and finally +grants him better quarters that the stories may be heard to greater +advantage. Next the petty officers hear of the prisoner's marvellous +gifts and report them everywhere with such effect that the higher +authorities at last become interested and grant him a pardon.</p> + +<p>Tales like these, that draw children from play and old men from the +chimney-corner; that gain the freedom of a Singing Prisoner, and +enable a Scheherazade to postpone from night to night her hour of +death, are one and all pervaded by the same eternal magic. Pain, +grief, terror, care, and bondage are all forgotten for a time when +lakes of gems and enchanted waterfalls shimmer in the sunlight, when +Rakshas's palaces rise, full-built, before our very eyes, or when +Caballero's Knights of the Fish prance away on their magic chargers. +"I wonder when!" "I wonder how!" "I wonder where!" we say as we follow +them into the land of mystery.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[xii]</a></span> So Youngling said when he heard the +sound of the mysterious axe in the forest and asked himself who could +be chopping there.</p> + +<p>"I wonder!" he cried again when he listened to the faerie spade +digging and delving at the top of the rocks.</p> + +<p>"I wonder!" he questioned a third time when he drank from the +streamlet and sought its source, finding it at last in the enchanted +walnut. Axe and spade and walnut each gladly welcomed him, you +remember, saying, "It's long I've been looking for you, my lad!" for +the new world is always awaiting its Columbus.</p> + +<p>No such divine curiosity as that of Youngling's stirred the dull minds +of his elder brothers and to them came no such reward. They jeered at +the wanderer, reproaching him that he forever strayed from the beaten +path, but when Youngling issues from the forest with the magic axe, +the marvellous spade, and the miraculous nut to conquer his little +world, we begin to ask ourselves which of the roads in the wood are +indeed best worth following.</p> + +<p>"Childish wonder is the first step in human wisdom," said the greatest +of the world's showmen, but there are no wonders to the eyes that lack +real vision. In the story of "What the Birds Said," for instance, the +stolid jailer flatly denies that the feathered creatures have any +message of import to convey; it is the poor captive who by sympathy +and insight divines the meaning of their chatter and thus saves the +city and his own life.</p> + +<p>The tales in this book are of many kinds of wonder; of black magic, +white magic and gray; ranging from the recital of strange and +supernatural deeds and experiences to those that fore-shadow modern +conquests of nature and those that utilize the marvellous to teach a +moral lesson. Choose among them as you will, for as the Spaniards +might say, "The book is at your feet; whatever you admire is yours!"</p> + +<p>"Tales of Wonder" is the fourth and last of our Fairy Series in the +Children's Classics, so this preface is in the nature of an epilogue. +"The Fairy Ring," "Magic Casements," "Tales of Laughter"—each had its +separate message for its little public, and "Tales of Wonder" rings +down the curtain.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xiii" id="Page_xiii">[xiii]</a></span></p> + +<p>There was once a little brown nightingale that sang melodious strains +in the river-thickets of the Emperor's garden, but when she was +transported to the Porcelain Palace the courtiers soon tired of her +wild-wood notes and supplanted her with a wonderful bird-automaton, +fashioned of gold and jewels.</p> + +<p>Time went on, but the Emperor, wisest of the court, began at last to +languish, and to long unceasingly for the fresh, free note of the +little brown nightingale. It was sweeter by far than the machine-made +trills and roulades of the artificial songster, and he felt +instinctively that only by its return could death be charmed away.</p> + +<p>The old, yet ever new, tales in these four books are like the wild +notes of the nightingale in the river-thicket, and many are the +emperors to whom they have sung.</p> + +<p>Whenever we tire of what is trivial and paltry in the machine-made +fairy tale of to-day, let us open one of these crimson volumes and +hear again the note of the little brown bird in the thicket.</p> + +<p class="sig1"><span class="smcap">Kate Douglas Wiggin</span>.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><i>Tales of Wonder</i></h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="I_Wonder" id="I_Wonder"></a><i>I Wonder</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce on a time there was a man who had three sons—Peter, Paul, and +the least of all, whom they called Youngling. I can't say the man had +anything more than these three sons, for he hadn't one penny to rub +against another; and he told the lads, over and over again, that they +must go out into the world and try to earn their bread, for at home +there was nothing to be looked for but starving to death.</p> + +<p>Now near by the man's cottage was the King's palace, and, you must +know, just against the windows a great oak had sprung up, which was so +stout and tall that it took away all the light. The King had said he +would give untold treasure to the man who could fell the oak, but no +one was man enough for that, for as soon as one chip of the oak's +trunk flew off, two grew in its stead.</p> + +<p>A well, too, the King desired, which was to hold water for the whole +year; for all his neighbours had wells, but he hadn't any, and that he +thought a shame. So the King said he would give both money and goods +to anyone who could dig him such a well as would hold water for a +whole year round, but no one could do it, for the palace lay high, +high up on a hill, and they could only dig a few inches before they +came upon the living rock.</p> + +<p>But, as the King had set his heart on having these two things done, he +had it given out far and wide, in all the churches of his dominion, +that he who could fell the big oak in the King's courtyard, and get +him a well that would hold water the whole year round, should have the +Princess and half the kingdom.</p> + +<p>Well! you may easily know there was many a man who came to try his +luck; but all their hacking and hewing, all their digging and delving, +were of no avail. The oak grew taller and stouter at every stroke, and +the rock grew no softer.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> + +<p>So one day the three brothers thought they'd set off and try, too, and +their father hadn't a word against it; for, even if they didn't get +the Princess and half the kingdom, it might happen that they would get +a place somewhere with a good master, and that was all he wanted. So +when the brothers said they thought of going to the palace, their +father said "Yes" at once, and Peter, Paul, and Youngling went off +from their home.</p> + +<p>They had not gone far before they came to a fir-wood, and up along one +side of it rose a steep hillside, and as they went they heard +something hewing and hacking away up on the hill among the trees.</p> + +<p>"I wonder now what it is that is hewing away up yonder?" said +Youngling.</p> + +<p>"You are always so clever with your wonderings," said Peter and Paul, +both at once. "What wonder is it, pray, that a wood-cutter should +stand and hack up on a hillside?"</p> + +<p>"Still, I'd like to see what it is, after all," said Youngling, and up +he went.</p> + +<p>"Oh, if you're such a child, 't will do you good to go and take a +lesson," cried out his brothers after him.</p> + +<p>But Youngling didn't care for what they said; he climbed the steep +hillside toward where the noise came, and when he reached the place, +what do you think he saw?</p> + +<p>Why, an axe that stood there hacking and hewing, all of itself, at the +trunk of a fir.</p> + +<p>"Good day," said Youngling. "So you stand here all alone and hew, do +you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, here I've stood and hewed and hacked a long, long time, waiting +for you, my lad," said the Axe.</p> + +<p>"Well, here I am at last," said Youngling, as he took the Axe, pulled +it off its haft, and stuffed both head and haft into his wallet.</p> + +<p>So when he climbed down again to his brothers, they began to jeer and +laugh at him.</p> + +<p>"And now, what funny thing was it you saw up yonder on the hillside?" +they said.</p> + +<p>"Oh, it was only an axe we heard," said Youngling.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> + +<p>When they had gone a bit farther, they came under a steep spur of +rock, and up above they heard something digging and shovelling.</p> + +<p>"I wonder, now," said Youngling, "what it is digging and shovelling up +yonder at the top of the rock?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, you're always so clever with your wonderings," said Peter and +Paul again; "as if you'd never heard a woodpecker hacking and pecking +at a hollow tree."</p> + +<p>"Well, well," said Youngling, "I think it would be a piece of fun just +to see what it really is."</p> + +<p>And so off he set to climb the rock, while the others laughed and made +game of him. But he didn't care a bit for that; up he clambered, and +when he got near the top, what do you think he saw? Why, a spade that +stood there digging and delving.</p> + +<p>"Good day," said Youngling. "So you stand here all alone, and dig and +delve?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's what I do," said the Spade, "and that's what I've done +this many a long day, waiting for you, my lad."</p> + +<p>"Well, here I am," said Youngling again, as he took the Spade and +knocked off its handle, and put it into his wallet; and then he +climbed down again to his brothers.</p> + +<p>"Well, what was it, so strange and rare," said Peter and Paul, "that +you saw up there at the top of the rock?"</p> + +<p>"Oh," said Youngling, "nothing more than a spade; that was what we +heard."</p> + +<p>So they went on again a good bit, till they came to a brook. They were +thirsty all three, after their long walk, and so they lay down beside +the brook to have a drink.</p> + +<p>"I have a great fancy to see where this brook comes from," said +Youngling.</p> + +<p>So up alongside the brook he went, in spite of all that his brothers +shouted after him. Nothing could stop him. On he went. And as he went +up and up, the brook grew smaller and smaller, and at last, a little +way farther on, what do you think he saw? Why, a great walnut, and out +of that the water trickled.</p> + +<p>"Good day," said Youngling again. "So you lie here and trickle, and +run down all alone?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, I do," said the Walnut "and here have I trickled and run this +many a long day, waiting for you, my lad."</p> + +<p>"Well, here I am," said Youngling, as he took a lump of moss and +plugged up the hole, so that the water mightn't run out. Then he put +the Walnut into his wallet, and ran down to his brothers.</p> + +<p>"Well, now," said Peter and Paul, "have you found out where the water +comes from? A rare sight it must have been!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, after all, it was only a hole it ran out of," said Youngling, and +the others laughed and made game of him again, but Youngling didn't +mind that a bit.</p> + +<p>So when they had gone a little farther, they came to the King's +palace; but as every man in the kingdom had heard that he might win +the Princess and half the realm, if he could only fell the big oak and +dig the King's well, so many had come to try their luck that the oak +was now twice as stout and big as it had been at first, for you will +remember that two chips grew for every one they hewed out with their +axes.</p> + +<p>So the King had now laid it down as a punishment that if anyone tried +and couldn't fell the oak, he should be put on a barren island, and +both his ears were to be clipped off. But the two brothers didn't let +themselves be frightened by this threat; they were quite sure they +could fell the oak, and Peter, as he was the eldest, was to try his +hand first; but it went with him as with all the rest who had hewn at +the oak: for every chip he cut two grew in its place. So the King's +men seized him, and clipped off both his ears, and put him out on the +island.</p> + +<p>Now Paul was to try his luck, but he fared just the same! When he had +hewn two or three strokes, they began to see the oak grow, and so the +King's men seized him, too, and clipped his ears, and put him out on +the island; and his ears they clipped closer, because they said he +ought to have taken a lesson from his brother.</p> + +<p>So now Youngling was to try.</p> + +<p>"If you want to look like a marked sheep, we're quite ready to clip +your ears at once, and then you'll save yourself some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> trouble," said +the King, for he was angry with him for his brothers' sake.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'd just like to try first," said Youngling, and so he got +leave. Then he took his Axe out of his wallet and fitted it to its +handle.</p> + +<p>"Hew away!" said he to his Axe, and away it hewed, making the chips +fly again, so that it wasn't long before down came the oak.</p> + +<p>When that was done, Youngling pulled out his Spade and fitted it to +its handle.</p> + +<p>"Dig away!" said he to his Spade, and so the Spade began to dig and +delve till the earth and rock flew out in splinters, and he soon had +the well deep enough, you may believe.</p> + +<p>And when he had got it as big and deep as he chose, Youngling took out +his Walnut and laid it in one corner of the well, and pulled the plug +of moss out.</p> + +<p>"Trickle and run," said Youngling, and so the Nut trickled and ran +till the water gushed out of the hole in a stream, and in a short time +the well was brimful.</p> + +<p>So as Youngling had felled the oak which shaded the King's palace, and +dug a well in the palace-yard, he got the Princess and half the +kingdom, as the King had said; but it was lucky for Peter and Paul +that they had lost their ears, else they might have grown tired of +hearing how everyone said each hour of the day:</p> + +<p>"Well, after all, Youngling wasn't so much out of his mind when he +took to wondering."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="What_the_Birds_Said" id="What_the_Birds_Said"></a><i>What the Birds Said</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_05.jpg" alt="A" width="52" height="50" /></div> +<p> lad named Kong Hia Chiang, who lived with his parents among the +mountains, understood the language of the birds. One twilight, as he +sat at his books, a flock of birds alighted on a tree before his +window and sang:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Kong Hia Chiang, on the southern plain<br /></span> +<span class="i2">A sheep awaits you by a heap of stones,—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A fine fat wether, that the dogs have slain;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">You eat the flesh and we will pick the bones!"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Kong Hia Chiang went and brought in the torn sheep and cooked it +during the night. The next morning a shepherd came and said that one +of his sheep was missing; he had found blood on the meadow, had +followed the trail, and it had brought him to that house. Kong Hia +Chiang acknowledged that he had brought in the sheep, but declared +that the dogs had killed it, and that its death and the place where it +might be found had been made known to him by birds. His story was +considered to be an impudent fabrication, and he was haled away to +prison.</p> + +<p>While he was awaiting his trial before the magistrate, a bird, flying +eastward, perched on the wall, saw him, and piped:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Foes approach the western border,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Banners, bows, and spears in order,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">While the gate lacks watch or warder."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Kong Hia Chiang thereupon so vehemently besought his jailer to inform +the magistrate of the imminent danger of invasion through the +unprotected Western Pass, that the jailer, though wholly incredulous, +decided to test his power of comprehending the utterances of birds. He +took some rice, soaked a part of it in sweetened water, and a part in +brine, and then spread<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> the whole on the roof of a shed into which he +brought Kong Hia Chiang, and asked him if he knew why so many birds +were chirruping overhead. Kong Hia Chiang at once replied that those +on the roof were hailing those that were flying past, and saying:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Call a halt; call a halt;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Here is rice fresh and white;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Half is sweet, half is salt;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Stop a bit; take a bite."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The jailer was at once convinced that the prisoner understood the +speech of birds, and therefore hastened to the magistrate to report +the warning and the test. The magistrate sent a swift courier to +notify the military officers, and a scout was sent out to the west. He +soon confirmed the message of Kong Hia Chiang, and troops were +dispatched to strengthen the garrison at the pass, the invaders +thereby being successfully repelled. The great service rendered to the +country by Kong Hia Chiang was acknowledged by his sovereign, who +afterward made use of his remarkable talent, invited him to study with +the princes, and eventually raised him to a high rank among the nobles +of the empire.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Smith_and_the_Fairies" id="The_Smith_and_the_Fairies"></a><i>The Smith and the Fairies</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_06.jpg" alt="Y" width="47" height="50" /></div> +<p>ears ago there lived in Crossbrig a smith of the name of MacEachern. +This man had an only child, a boy of about thirteen or fourteen years +of age, cheerful, strong, and healthy. All of a sudden he fell ill; +took to his bed and moped whole days away. No one could tell what was +the matter with him, and the boy himself could not, or would not, tell +how he felt. He was wasting away fast; getting thin, old, and yellow; +and his father and all his friends were afraid that he would die.</p> + +<p>At last one day, after the boy had been lying in this condition for a +long time, getting neither better nor worse, always confined to bed, +but with an extraordinary appetite—one day, while sadly revolving +these things, and standing idly at his forge, with no heart to work, +the smith was agreeably surprised to see an old man, well known for +his sagacity and knowledge of out-of-the-way things, walk into his +workshop. Forthwith he told him the occurrence which had clouded his +life.</p> + +<p>The old man looked grave as he listened; and after sitting a long time +pondering over all he had heard, gave his opinion thus: "It is not +your son you have got. The boy has been carried away by the '<i>Daione +Sith</i>,' and they have left a <i>Sibhreach</i> in his place."</p> + +<p>"Alas! and what then am I to do?" said the smith. "How am I ever to +see my own son again?"</p> + +<p>"I will tell you how," answered the old man. "But, first, to make sure +that it is not your own son you have got, take as many empty +egg-shells as you can get, go into his room, spread them out carefully +before his sight, then proceed to draw water with them, carrying them +two and two in your hands as if they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> were a great weight, and arrange +them when full, with every sort of earnestness around the fire."</p> + +<p>The smith accordingly gathered as many broken egg-shells as he could +get, went into the room, and proceeded to carry out all his +instructions.</p> + +<p>He had not been long at work before there arose from the bed a shout +of laughter, and the voice of the seeming sick boy exclaimed, "I am +eight hundred years of age, and I have never seen the like of that +before." The smith returned and told the old man.</p> + +<p>"Well, now," said the sage to him, "did I not tell you that it was not +your son you had: your son is in Borracheill in a digh there (that is, +a round green hill frequented by fairies). Get rid as soon as possible +of this intruder, and I think I may promise you your son. You must +light a very large and bright fire before the bed on which this +stranger is lying. He will ask you, 'What is the use of such a fire as +that?' Answer him at once, 'You will see that presently!' and then +seize him, and throw him into the middle of it. If it is your own son +you have got, he will call out to you to save him; but if not, the +thing will fly through the roof."</p> + +<p>The smith again followed the old man's advice: kindled a large fire, +answered the question put to him as he had been directed to do, and +seizing the child flung him in without hesitation. The <i>Sibhreach</i> +gave an awful yell, and sprang through the roof, where a hole had been +left to let the smoke out.</p> + +<p>On a certain night the old man told him the green round hill, where +the fairies kept the boy, would be open, and on that date the smith, +having provided himself with a Bible, a dirk, and a crowing cock, was +to proceed to the hill. He would hear singing and dancing, and much +merriment going on, he had been told, but he was to advance boldly; +the Bible he carried would be a certain safeguard to him against any +danger from the fairies. On entering the hill he was to stick the dirk +in the threshold, to prevent the hill from closing upon him; "and +then," continued the old man, "on entering you will see a spacious +apartment before you, beautifully clean, and there, standing far +within, working at a forge, you will also see your own son. When you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +are questioned, say you come to seek him, and will not go without +him."</p> + +<p>Not long after this, the time came round, and the smith sallied forth, +prepared as instructed. Sure enough as he approached the hill, there +was a light where light was seldom seen before. Soon after, a sound of +piping, dancing, and joyous merriment reached the anxious father on +the night wind.</p> + +<p>Overcoming every impulse to fear, the smith approached the threshold +steadily, stuck the dirk into it as directed, and entered. Protected +by the Bible he carried on his breast, the fairies could not touch +him; but they asked him, with a good deal of displeasure, what he +wanted there. He answered, "I want my son, whom I see down there, and +I will not go without him."</p> + +<p>Upon hearing this the whole company before him gave a loud laugh, +which wakened up the cock he carried dozing in his arms, who at once +leaped up on his shoulders, clapped his wings lustily, and crowed loud +and long.</p> + +<p>The fairies, incensed, seized the smith and his son, and throwing them +out of the hill, flung the dirk after them, and in an instant all was +dark.</p> + +<p>For a year and a day the boy never did a turn of work, and hardly ever +spoke a word; but at last one day, sitting by his father and watching +him finishing a sword he was making for some chief, and which he was +very particular about, he suddenly exclaimed, "That is not the way to +do it;" and taking the tools from his father's hands he set to work +himself in his place, and soon fashioned a sword, the like of which +was never seen in the country before.</p> + +<p>From that day the young man wrought constantly with his father, and +became the inventor of a peculiarly fine and well-tempered weapon, the +making of which kept the two smiths, father and son, in constant +employment, spread their fame far and wide, and gave them the means in +abundance, as they before had the disposition, to live content with +all the world and very happily with each other.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Grateful_Crane" id="The_Grateful_Crane"></a><i>The Grateful Crane</i><a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_07.jpg" alt="F" width="53" height="50" /></div> +<p>ighting sparrows fear not man," as the old proverb says. Yet it was +not a sparrow but a crane that fell down out of the air. Near the feet +of Musai, the farmer's boy, it lay, as he waded in the ooze of his +rice field, working from daybreak to sundown.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> From "The Fire-fly's Lovers," by William Elliot Griffis, +copyright, 1008, by T. Y. Crowell & Co.</p></div> + +<p>The farmer's boy was used to cranes, for in the plough's furrow on the +dry land these long-legged birds walked close behind, not the least +afraid in the Mikado's dominions. For who would hurt the +white-breasted creature, that every one called the Honourable Lord +Crane? The graceful birds seemed to love to be near man, when he +worked in the wet or paddy fields, where under four inches of water +the seeds were planted and the rice plants grew. So graceful in all +its movements is the crane that many a dainty little maid who acts +politely hears herself spoken of as the "bird that rises from the +water without muddying the stream."</p> + +<p>Musai hurried to the grassy bank at the edge of the paddy field as +fast as he could wade through the liquid mud, to see what was the +matter with the crane. Throwing down his hoe, and looking in the +grass, he saw that an arrow was sticking in the crane's back, and that +red drops of blood dappled its white plumage. Instead of seeming +frightened when the man came near, the bird bent down its neck, as if +to submit to whatever the farmer's boy should do.</p> + +<p>Gently Musai plucked out the arrow and helped the bird to rise, +pushing back the undergrowth so that its broad white pinions could +have free play. After a few feeble attempts to fly it spread its +wings, rose up from the earth, and after circling <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span>several times round +its benefactor as though to thank him, it flew off to the mountain.</p> + +<p>Musai went back to his work, hoping that in season his labor would +yield a good crop. He had his widowed mother to support and must needs +toil every day. His one delight was to come home, weary after the long +hours of labour in the muddy rice field, and have a hot bath. This his +mother always had ready for him. Then, clean and with a fresh kimono, +and a little rest before supper-time, he was ready for a quiet evening +with the neighbours.</p> + +<p>So in routine the days passed by until autumn was near at hand. One +day, returning before the sun was fully set, he found seated beside +his mother a lovely girl. In spite of his contemptible appearance +after a day's toil, working barelegged in the mire, she welcomed him +with the grace of a princess.</p> + +<p>Not thinking of returning the salute in his unwashed condition, he +took off his head-kerchief, drew in his breath, and bowing to his +mother asked.</p> + +<p>"Who is the honourable That Side, and how comes she into this +miserable hut?"</p> + +<p>"My son," replied his mother, "though you are a man, you have as yet +no wife. Your virtues of obedience, filial reverence, fidelity, and +politeness have made you well known. Hence this fair damsel is not +unwilling to become your wife. But, without your consent, I could not +answer her proposal. What do you think about it?"</p> + +<p>The young farmer, though highly complimented, at first said little, +but he thought hard. "Daintily reared, and perhaps of noble birth is +she, but should I gratify her desire, how can she bear the poverty to +which we are accustomed? Will she be patient, when she has to suffer +hunger? Or, shall we be separated, and that which promises love and +happiness last only a little while, to pass away, leaving gloom and +sorrow behind?"</p> + +<p>But as the days slipped along, and when he saw how kind she was to her +new mother, ever patient and self-denying in loving reverence, all his +fears were driven away like clouds before the wind. So the young man +and woman were married.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></p> + +<p>But when the full autumn-time came for the rice ears to fill and round +out, nothing was found but husk and shell. The crop was a total +failure. With heavy taxes unpaid and no food in the house, starvation +loomed before them. By winter, all were in dire distress.</p> + +<p>Then the patient wife revealed new powers and cheered her husband, +saying,</p> + +<p>"I can spin such cloth as was never made in this province, if you will +build me a separate room. I cannot weave here, or make the fine +pattern of red and white except when alone and in perfect silence. +Build me a room, and the money you need will flow in."</p> + +<p>The old mother was doubtful as to her daughter-in-law's project and +even Musai was but half-hearted. Yet he went to work diligently. With +beam, and wattle, and thatch, floor of mats and window of latticed +paper, with walls made tight because well daubed with clay, he built +the room apart. There alone, day by day, secluded from all, the sweet +wife toiled unseen. The mother and husband patiently waited, until +after a week, the little woman rejoined the family circle. In her +hands she bore a roll of woven stuff, white and shining, as lustrous +and pure as fresh fallen snow. Yet here and there, a crimson thread in +the stuff did but intensify the purity of the otherwise unflecked +whiteness. Pure red and pure white were the only colours of this +wonderful fabric.</p> + +<p>"What shall we call it?" inquired the amazed husband.</p> + +<p>"It has no name, for there is none other in the world like it," said +the fair weaver.</p> + +<p>"But I must have a name. I shall take it to the Daimio. He will not +buy, if he does not know how it is called."</p> + +<p>"Then," said the wife, "tell him its name is 'White Crane's-down +cloth.'"</p> + +<p>Quickly passed the snowy fabric into the hands of the lord of the +castle, who sent it as a present to the Empress in Kioto. All were +amazed by it, and the Empress commanded the donor to be richly +rewarded. The farmer husband, bearing a thousand pieces of coin in his +bag, hastened home to spread the shin<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span>ing silver at his mother's feet +and to thank the wife who had brought him fortune. A feast followed, +and for many weeks the family lived easily on the money thus gained. +Then, when again on the edge of need, Musai asked his wife if she were +willing to weave another web of the wonderful Crane's-down cloth.</p> + +<p>Cheerfully she agreed, cautioning him to leave her in privacy, and not +to look upon her until she came forth with the cloth.</p> + +<p>But alas for the spirit of prying impertinence and wicked curiosity! +Not satisfied with having been delivered from starvation by a wife +that served him like a slave, Musai stealthily crept up to the paper +partition, touched his tongue to the latticed pane, and poked his +finger noiselessly through, thus making a round hole to which he glued +his eye and looked in.</p> + +<p>What a sight! There was no woman at work, but a noble white crane—the +same that he had seen in the field, and from whose back he had +extracted the hunter's arrow. Bending over the spinning wheel, the +bird pulled from her own breast the silky down, and by twining and +twisting made it into the finest thread which mortals ever beheld. +From time to time, she pressed from her heart's blood red drops with +which to dye some strands, and thus the weaving went on. The web of +the cloth was nearly finished.</p> + +<p>Musai astounded looked on without moving, until suddenly called by his +mother, he cried out in response, "Yes, I'm coming."</p> + +<p>The startled crane turned and saw the eye in the wall. Throwing down +thread and web she moved angrily to the door, gave a shrill scream and +flew out under the sky. Like a white speck against the blue hills, she +appeared for a little while and then was lost to sight.</p> + +<p>Son and mother once more faced poverty and loneliness, and Musai again +splashed barelegged in the rice field.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Little_Surya_Bai" id="Little_Surya_Bai"></a><i>Little Surya Bai</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_05.jpg" alt="A" width="52" height="50" /></div> +<p> poor Milkwoman was once going into the town with cans full of milk +to sell. She took with her her little daughter (a baby of about a year +old), having no one in whose charge to leave her at home. Being tired, +she sat down by the roadside, placing the child and the cans full of +milk beside her; when, on a sudden, two large eagles flew overhead; +and one, swooping down, seized the child, and flew away with her out +of the mother's sight.</p> + +<p>Very far, far away the eagles carried the little baby, even beyond the +borders of her native land, until they reached their home in a lofty +tree. There the old eagles had built a great nest; it was made of iron +and wood, and was as big as a little house; there was iron all round, +and to get in and out you had to go through seven iron doors.</p> + +<p>In this stronghold they placed the little baby, and because she was +like a young eaglet they called her Surya Bai (the Sun Lady). The +eagles both loved the child; and daily they flew into distant +countries to bring her rich and precious things—clothes that had been +made for princesses, precious jewels, wonderful playthings, all that +was most costly and rare.</p> + +<p>One day, when Surya Bai was twelve years old, the old husband Eagle +said to his wife, "Wife, our daughter has no diamond ring on her +little finger, such as princesses wear; let us go and fetch her one." +"Yes," said the other old Eagle; "but to fetch it we must go very +far." "True," rejoined he, "such a ring is not to be got nearer than +the Red Sea, and that is a twelve-month's journey from here; +nevertheless we will go." So the Eagles started off, leaving Surya Bai +in the strong nest, with twelve months' provisions (that she might not +be hungry whilst they were away), and a little dog and cat to take +care of her.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span></p> + +<p>Not long after they were gone, one day the naughty little cat stole +some food from the store, for doing which Surya Bai punished her. The +cat did not like being whipped, and she was still more annoyed at +having been caught stealing; so, in revenge, she ran to the fireplace +(they were obliged to keep a fire always burning in the Eagle's nest, +as Surya never went down from the tree, and would not otherwise have +been able to cook her dinner), and put out the fire. When the little +girl saw this she was much vexed, for the cat had eaten their last +cooked provisions, and she did not know what they were to do for food. +For three whole days Surya Bai puzzled over the difficulty, and for +three whole days she and the dog and the cat had nothing to eat. At +last she thought she would climb to the edge of the nest, and see if +she could see any fire in the country below; and, if so, she would go +down and ask the people who lighted it to give her a little with which +to cook her dinner. So she climbed to the edge of the nest. Then, very +far away on the horizon, she saw a thin curl of blue smoke. So she let +herself down from the tree, and all day long she walked in the +direction whence the smoke came. Toward evening she reached the place, +and found it rose from a small hut in which sat an old woman warming +her hands over a fire. Now, though Surya Bai did not know it, she had +reached the Rakshas's country, and this old woman was none other than +a wicked old Rakshas, who lived with her son in the little hut. The +young Rakshas, however, had gone out for the day. When the old Rakshas +saw Surya Bai, she was much astonished, for the girl was beautiful as +the sun, and her rich dress resplendent with jewels; and she said to +herself, "How lovely this child is; what a dainty morsel she would be! +Oh, if my son were only here we would kill her, and boil her, and eat +her. I will try and detain her till his return."</p> + +<p>Then, turning to Surya Bai, she said, "Who are you, and what do you +want?"</p> + +<p>Surya Bai answered, "I am the daughter of the great Eagles, but they +have gone a far journey, to fetch me a diamond ring, and the fire has +died out in the nest. Give me, I pray you, a little from your +hearth."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Rakshas replied, "You shall certainly have some, only first pound +this rice for me, for I am old, and have no daughter to help me."</p> + +<p>Then Surya Bai pounded the rice, but the young Rakshas had not +returned by the time she had finished; so the old Rakshas said to her, +"If you are kind, grind this corn for me, for it is hard work for my +old hands."</p> + +<p>Then she ground the corn, but still the young Rakshas came not; and +the old Rakshas said to her, "Sweep the house for me first, and then I +will give you the fire."</p> + +<p>So Surya Bai swept the house; but still the young Rakshas did not +come.</p> + +<p>Then his mother said to Surya Bai, "Why should you be in such a hurry +to go home? Fetch me some water from the well, and then you shall have +the fire."</p> + +<p>And she fetched the water. When she had done so, Surya Bai said, "I +have done all your bidding, now give me the fire, or I will go +elsewhere and seek it."</p> + +<p>The old Rakshas was grieved because her son had not returned home; but +she saw she could detain Surya Bai no longer, so she said, "Take the +fire and go in peace; take also some parched corn, and scatter it +along the road as you go, so as to make a pretty little pathway from +our house to yours"—and so saying, she gave Surya Bai several +handfuls of parched corn. The girl took them, fearing no evil, and as +she went she scattered the grains on the road. Then she climbed back +into the nest and shut the seven iron doors, and lighted the fire, and +cooked the food, and gave the dog and the cat some dinner, and took +some herself, and went to sleep.</p> + +<p>No sooner had Surya Bai left the Rakshas's hut, than the young Rakshas +returned, and his mother said to him, "Alas, alas, my son, why did not +you come sooner? Such a sweet little lamb has been here, and now we +have lost her." Then she told him all about Surya Bai.</p> + +<p>"Which way did she go?" asked the young Rakshas; "only tell me that, +and I'll have her before morning."</p> + +<p>His mother told him how she had given Surya Bai the parched<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> corn to +scatter on the road; and when he heard that, he followed up the track, +and ran, and ran, and ran, till he came to the foot of the tree.</p> + +<p>There, looking up, he saw the nest high in the branches above them.</p> + +<p>Quick as thought, up he climbed, and reached the great outer door; and +he shook it, and shook it, but he could not get in, for Surya Bai had +bolted it. Then he said, "Let me in, my child, let me in; I'm the +great Eagle, and I have come from very far, and brought you many +beautiful jewels; and here is a splendid diamond ring to fit your +little finger." But Surya Bai did not hear him—she was fast asleep.</p> + +<p>He next tried to force open the door again, but it was too strong for +him. In his efforts, however, he had broken off one of his finger +nails (now the nail of a Rakshas is most poisonous), which he left +sticking in the crack of the door when he went away.</p> + +<p>Next morning Surya Bai opened all the doors, in order to look down on +the world below; but when she came to the seventh door a sharp thing, +which was sticking in it, ran into her hand, and immediately she fell +down dead.</p> + +<p>At that same moment the two poor Eagles returned from their long, +wearisome journey, bringing a beautiful diamond ring, which they had +fetched for their little favourite from the Red Sea.</p> + +<p>There she lay on the threshold of the nest, beautiful as ever but cold +and dead.</p> + +<p>The Eagles could not bear the sight; so they placed the ring on her +finger, and then, with loud cries, flew off to return no more.</p> + +<p>But a little while after there chanced to come by a great Rajah, who +was out on a hunting expedition. He came with hawks, and hounds, and +attendants, and horses, and pitched his camp under the tree in which +the Eagles' nest was built. Then looking up, he saw, amongst the +topmost branches, what appeared like a queer little house; and he sent +some of his attendants to see what it was. They soon returned, and +told the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> Rajah that up in the tree was a curious thing like a cage, +having seven iron doors, and that on the threshold of the first door +lay a fair maiden, richly dressed; that she was dead, and that beside +her stood a little dog and a little cat.</p> + +<p>At this the Rajah commanded that they should be fetched down, and when +he saw Surya Bai he felt very sad to think that she was dead. And he +took her hand to feel if it were already stiff; but all her limbs were +supple, nor had she become cold, as the dead are cold; and, looking +again at her hand, the Rajah saw that a sharp thing, like a long +thorn, had run into the tender palm, almost far enough to pierce +through to the back of her hand.</p> + +<p>He pulled it out, and no sooner had he done so than Surya Bai opened +her eyes, and stood up, crying, "Where am I? and who are you? Is it a +dream, or true?"</p> + +<p>The Rajah answered, "It is all true, beautiful lady. I am the Rajah of +a neighbouring land; pray tell me who are you."</p> + +<p>She replied, "I am the Eagles' child."</p> + +<p>But he laughed. "Nay," he said, "that cannot be; you are some great +Princess."</p> + +<p>"No," she answered, "I am no royal lady; what I say is true. I have +lived all my life in this tree. I am only the Eagles' child."</p> + +<p>Then the Rajah said, "If you are not a Princess born, I will make you +one; say only you will be my Queen."</p> + +<p>Surya Bai consented, and the Rajah took her to his kingdom and made +her his Queen. But Surya Bai was not his only wife, and the first +Ranee, his other wife, was both envious and jealous of her.</p> + +<p>The Rajah gave Surya Bai many trustworthy attendants to guard her and +be with her; and one old woman loved Surya Bai more than all the rest, +and used to say to her, "Don't be too intimate with the first Ranee, +dear lady, for she wishes you no good, and she has power to do you +harm. Some day she may poison or otherwise injure you." But Surya Bai +would answer her, "Nonsense! what is there to be alarmed about? Why +cannot we both live happily together like two sisters?" Then the old +woman would rejoin, "Ah, dear lady, may you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> never live to rue your +confidence! I pray my fears may prove folly." So Surya Bai went often +to see the first Ranee, and the first Ranee also came often to see +her.</p> + +<p>One day they were standing in the palace courtyard, near a tank, where +the Rajah's people used to bathe, and the first Ranee said to Surya +Bai, "What pretty jewels you have, sister; let me try them on for a +minute, and see how I look in them."</p> + +<p>The old woman was standing beside Surya Bai, and she whispered to her, +"Do not lend her your jewels."</p> + +<p>"Hush, you silly old woman," answered she. "What harm will it do?" and +she gave the Ranee her jewels.</p> + +<p>Then the Ranee said, "How pretty all your things are! Do you not think +they look well even on me! Let us come down to the tank; it is as +clear as glass, and we can see ourselves reflected in it, and how +these jewels will shine in the clear water!"</p> + +<p>The old woman, hearing this, was much alarmed, and begged Surya Bai +not to venture near the tank, but she said, "I bid you be silent; I +will not distrust my sister." And she went down to the tank. Then, +when no one was near, and they were both leaning over, looking at +their reflections in the water, the first Ranee pushed Surya Bai into +the tank, who, sinking under the water, was drowned; and from the +place where her body fell there sprang up a bright golden sunflower.</p> + +<p>The Rajah shortly afterward inquired where Surya Bai was, but nowhere +could she be found. Then, very angry, he came to the first Ranee and +said, "Tell me where the child is. You have made away with her."</p> + +<p>But she answered, "You do me wrong; I know nothing of her. Doubtless +that old woman whom you allowed to be always with her, has done her +some harm." So the Rajah ordered the poor old woman to be thrown into +prison.</p> + +<p>He tried to forget Surya Bai and all her pretty ways, but it was no +good. Wherever he went he saw her face. Whatever he heard, he still +listened for her voice. Every day he grew more miserable; he would not +eat or drink; and as for the other Ranee, he could not bear to speak +to her. All his people said, "He will surely die."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> + +<p>When matters were in this state, the Rajah one day wandered to the +edge of the tank, and bending over the parapet, looked into the water. +Then he was surprised to see, growing out of the tank close beside him +a stately golden flower; and as he watched it, the sunflower gently +bent its head and leaned down toward him. The Rajah's heart was +softened, and he kissed its leaves and murmured, "This flower reminds +me of my lost wife. I love it, it is fair and gentle as she used to +be." And every day he would go down to the tank and sit and watch the +flower. When the Ranee heard this, she ordered her servants to go and +dig the sunflower up, and to take it far into the jungle and burn it. +Next time the Rajah went to the tank he found his flower gone, and he +was much grieved, but none dared say who had done it.</p> + +<p>Then, in the jungle, from the place where the ashes of the sunflower +had been thrown, there sprang up a young mango tree, tall and +straight, that grew so quickly, and became such a beautiful tree, that +it was the wonder of all the country round. At last, on its topmost +bough, came one fair blossom; and the blossom fell, and the little +mango grew rosier and rosier, and larger and larger, till so wonderful +was it both for size and shape that people flocked from far and near +only to look at it.</p> + +<p>But none ventured to gather it, for it was to be kept for the Rajah +himself.</p> + +<p>Now one day, the poor Milkwoman, Surya Bai's mother, was returning +homeward after her day's work with the empty milk cans, and being very +tired with her long walk to the bazaar, she lay down under the mango +tree and fell asleep. Then, right into her largest milk can, fell the +wonderful mango! When the poor woman awoke and saw what had happened, +she was dreadfully frightened, and thought to herself, "If any one +sees me with this wonderful fruit, that all the Rajah's people have +been watching for so many, many weeks, they will never believe that I +did not steal it, and I shall be put in prison. Yet it is no good +leaving it here; besides, it fell off of itself into my milk can. I +will therefore take it home as secretly as possible, and share it with +my children."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> + +<p>So the Milkwoman covered up the can in which the mango was, and took +it quickly to her home, where she placed it in the corner of the room, +and put over it a dozen other milk cans, piled one above another. +Then, as soon as it was dark, she called her husband and eldest son +(for she had six or seven children), and said to them, "What good +fortune do you think has befallen me to-day?"</p> + +<p>"We cannot guess," they said. "Nothing less," she went on, "than the +wonderful, wonderful mango falling into one of my milk cans while I +slept! I have brought it home with me; it is in that lowest can. Go, +husband, call all the children to have a slice; and you, my son, take +down that pile of cans and fetch me the mango." "Mother," he said, +when he got to the lowest can, "you were joking, I suppose, when you +told us there was a mango here."</p> + +<p>"No, not at all," she answered; "there is a mango there. I put it +there myself an hour ago."</p> + +<p>"Well, there's something quite different now," replied the son. "Come +and see."</p> + +<p>The Milkwoman ran to the place, and there, in the lowest can, she saw, +not the mango, but a little tiny wee lady, richly dressed in red and +gold, and no bigger than a mango! On her head shone a bright jewel +like a little sun.</p> + +<p>"This is very odd," said the mother. "I never heard of such a thing in +my life! But since she has been sent to us, I will take care of her, +as if she were my own child."</p> + +<p>Every day the little lady grew taller and taller, until she was the +size of an ordinary woman; she was gentle and lovable, but always sad +and quiet, and she said her name was "Surya Bai."</p> + +<p>The children were all very curious to know her history, but the +Milkwoman and her husband would not let her be teased to tell who she +was, and said to the children, "Let us wait. By and by, when she knows +us better, she will most likely tell us her story of her own accord."</p> + +<p>Now it came to pass that once, when Surya Bai was taking water from +the well for the old Milkwoman, the Rajah rode by, and as he saw her +walking along, he cried, "That is my wife,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> and rode after her as +fast as possible. Surya Bai hearing a great clatter of horses' hoofs, +was frightened, and ran home as fast as possible, and hid herself; and +when the Rajah reached the place there was only the old Milkwoman to +be seen standing at the door of her hut.</p> + +<p>Then the Rajah said to her, "Give her up, old woman, you have no right +to keep her; she is mine, she is mine!"</p> + +<p>But the old woman answered, "Are you mad? I don't know what you mean."</p> + +<p>The Rajah replied, "Do not attempt to deceive me. I saw my wife go in +at your door; she must be in the house."</p> + +<p>"Your wife?" screamed the old woman—"your wife? you mean my daughter, +who lately returned from the well! Do you think I am going to give my +child up at your command? You are Rajah in your palace, but I am Rajah +in my own house; and I won't give up my little daughter for any +bidding of yours. Be off with you, or I'll pull out your beard." And +so saying, she seized a long stick and attacked the Rajah, calling out +loudly to her husband and sons, who came running to her aid.</p> + +<p>The Rajah, seeing matters were against him, and having outridden his +attendants (and not being quite certain moreover whether he had seen +Surya Bai, or whether she might not have been really the poor +Milkwoman's daughter), rode off and returned to his palace.</p> + +<p>However, he determined to sift the matter. As a first step he went to +see Surya Bai's old attendant, who was still in prison. From her he +learned enough to make him believe she was not only entirely innocent +of Surya Bai's death, but gravely to suspect the first Ranee of having +caused it. He therefore ordered the old woman to be set at liberty, +still keeping a watchful eye on her, and bade her prove her devotion +to her long-lost mistress by going to the Milkwoman's house, and +bringing him as much information as possible about the family, and +more particularly about the girl he had seen returning from the well.</p> + +<p>So the attendant went to the Milkwoman's house, and made friends with +her, and bought some milk, and afterward she stayed and talked to +her.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span></p> + +<p>After a few days the Milkwoman ceased to be suspicious of her, and +became quite cordial.</p> + +<p>Surya Bai's attendant then told how she had been the late Ranee's +waiting-woman, and how the Rajah had thrown her into prison on her +mistress's death; in return for which intelligence the old Milkwoman +imparted to her how the wonderful mango had tumbled into her can as +she slept under the tree, and how it had miraculously changed in the +course of an hour into a beautiful little lady. "I wonder why she +should have chosen my poor house to live in, instead of any one +else's," said the old woman.</p> + +<p>Then Surya Bai's attendant said, "Have you ever asked her her history? +Perhaps she would not mind telling it to you now."</p> + +<p>So the Milkwoman called the girl, and as soon as the old attendant saw +her, she knew it was none other than Surya Bai, and her heart jumped +for joy; but she remained silent, wondering much, for she knew her +mistress had been drowned in the tank.</p> + +<p>The old Milkwoman turned to Surya Bai and said, "My child, you have +lived long with us, and been a good daughter to me; but I have never +asked you your history, because I thought it must be a sad one; but if +you do not fear to tell it to me now, I should like to hear it."</p> + +<p>Surya Bai answered, "Mother, you speak true; my story is sad. I +believe my real mother was a poor Milkwoman like you, and that she +took me with her one day when I was quite a little baby, as she was +going to sell milk in the bazaar. But being tired with the long walk, +she sat down to rest, and placed me also on the ground, when suddenly +a great Eagle flew down and carried me away. But all the father and +mother I ever knew were the two great Eagles."</p> + +<p>"Ah, my child! my child!" cried the Milkwoman, "I was that poor woman; +the Eagles flew away with my eldest girl when she was only a year old. +Have I found you after these many years?"</p> + +<p>And she ran and called all her children, and her husband, to tell them +the wonderful news.</p> + +<p>And there was great rejoicing among them all.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span></p> + +<p>When they were a little calmer, her mother said to Surya Bai, "Tell +us, dear daughter, how your life has been spent since first we lost +you." And Surya Bai went on:</p> + +<p>"The old Eagles took me away to their home, and there I lived happily +many years. They loved to bring me all the beautiful things they could +find, and at last one day they both went to fetch me a diamond ring +from the Red Sea; but while they were gone the fire went out in the +nest: so I went to an old woman's hut, and got her to give me some +fire; and next day (I don't know how it was), as I was opening the +outer door of the cage, a sharp thing, that was sticking in it, ran +into my hand and I fell down senseless.</p> + +<p>"I don't know how long I lay there, but when I came to myself, I found +the Eagles must have come back, and thought me dead, and gone away, +for the diamond ring was on my little finger; a great many people were +watching over me, and amongst them was a Rajah, who asked me to go +home with him and be his wife, and he brought me to this place, and I +was his Ranee.</p> + +<p>"But his other wife, the first Ranee, hated me (for she was jealous), +and desired to kill me; and one day she accomplished her purpose by +pushing me into the tank, for I was young and foolish, and disregarded +the warnings of my faithful old attendant, who begged me not to go +near the place. Ah! if I had only listened to her words I might have +been happy still."</p> + +<p>At these words the old attendant, who had been sitting in the +background, rushed forward and kissed Surya Bai's feet, crying; "Ah, +my lady! my lady! have I found you at last!" and, without staying to +hear more, she ran back to the palace to tell the Rajah the glad news.</p> + +<p>Then Surya Bai told her parents how she had not wholly died in the +tank, but become a sunflower; and how the first Ranee; seeing how fond +the Rajah was of the plant, had caused it to be thrown away; and then +how she had risen from the ashes of the sunflower, in the form of a +mango tree; and how when the tree blossomed all her spirit went into +the little mango flower, and she ended by saying: "And when the flower +became fruit,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> I know not by what irresistible impulse I was induced +to throw myself into your milk can. Mother—it was my destiny, and as +soon as you took me into your house, I began to recover my human +form."</p> + +<p>"Why, then," asked her brothers and sisters, "why do you not tell the +Rajah that you are living, and that you are the Ranee Surya Bai?"</p> + +<p>"Alas," she answered, "I could not do that. Who knows but that he may +be influenced by the first Ranee, and also desire my death. Let me +rather be poor like you, but safe from danger."</p> + +<p>Then her mother cried, "Oh, what a stupid woman I am! The Rajah one +day came seeking you here, but I and your father and brothers drove +him away, for we did not know you were indeed the lost Ranee."</p> + +<p>As she spoke these words a sound of horses' hoofs was heard in the +distance, and the Rajah himself appeared, having heard the good news +of Surya Bai's return from her old attendant.</p> + +<p>It is impossible to tell the joy of the Rajah at finding his long-lost +wife, but it was not greater than Surya Bai's at being restored to her +husband.</p> + +<p>Then the Rajah turned to the old Milkwoman, and said "Old woman, you +did not tell me true, for it was indeed my wife who was in your hut."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Protector of the Poor," answered the old Milkwoman, "but it was +also my daughter." Then they told him how Surya Bai was the +Milkwoman's child.</p> + +<p>At hearing this the Rajah commanded them all to return with him to the +palace. He gave Surya Bai's father a village and, ennobled the family; +and he said to Surya Bai's old attendant, "For the good service you +have done you shall be palace housekeeper," and he gave her great +riches; adding, "I can never repay the debt I owe you, nor make you +sufficient recompense for having caused you to be unjustly cast into +prison." But she replied, "Sire, even in your anger you were +temperate; if you had caused me to be put to death, as some would have +done,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> none of this good might have come upon you; it is yourself you +have to thank."</p> + +<p>The wicked first Ranee was cast, for the rest of her life, into the +prison in which the old attendant had been thrown; but Surya Bai lived +happily with her husband the rest of her days; and in memory of her +adventures, he planted round their palace a hedge of sunflowers and a +grove of mango trees.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Storks_and_the_Night_Owl" id="The_Storks_and_the_Night_Owl"></a><i>The Storks and the Night Owl</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_08.jpg" alt="C" width="42" height="50" /></div> +<p>hasid, Caliph of Bagdad, which, by the way, is on the river Tigris, +and was long, long ago the capital of the ancient Saracen Empire, was +comfortably seated upon his sofa one beautiful afternoon. He had slept +a little, for it was a very hot day, and he seemed cheerful after his +nap.</p> + +<p>He smoked from a long pipe made of rosewood; sipped now and then a +little coffee, which a slave poured out for him, and stroked his beard +very contentedly. So it was very plain that the Caliph was in a good +humour. This was generally the case at this hour, as it was the custom +of his Grand Vizier Manzor to visit him every day about this time. He +came this afternoon, but he seemed very thoughtful. The Caliph looked +at him, and said: "Grand Vizier, why is thy countenance so sad?"</p> + +<p>The Grand Vizier crossed his arms over his breast, bowed himself +before his lord, and said: "My lord, I am sad because in the court +below there is a merchant who has such fine wares that I am troubled +because I have so little money to spare to purchase them."</p> + +<p>The Caliph, who had for a long time past desired to confer a favour +upon his Grand Vizier, sent his black slave to bring up the merchant. +The slave soon returned with him. The merchant was a short stout man, +with a dark brown face, and in ragged attire. He carried a chest, in +which he had various kinds of wares, pearls and rings, richly inlaid +pistols, goblets and combs. The Caliph and his Vizier looked at them, +and the former purchased some beautiful pistols for himself and +Manzor. As the merchant was about to pack up his chest the Caliph saw +a small drawer, and asked what it contained. The merchant drew out the +drawer, and showed therein a box filled with blackish powder and a +paper with strange writing upon it, which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> neither the Caliph nor +Manzor could read. "I received these things from a merchant who found +them in the streets of Mecca," said he. "I know not what they contain. +They are at your service for a trifling price, for I can do nothing +with them."</p> + +<p>The Caliph, who was a great collector of old manuscripts for his +library, even if he could not read them, purchased box and writings, +and dismissed the merchant. But it occurred to the Caliph that he +would like to know the meaning of the writing, and he asked the Vizier +whether he knew anyone who could read it.</p> + +<p>"Most worthy lord and master," replied the Vizier, "near the great +Mosque there dwells a man who understands all languages; he is called +'Selim the Wise.' Send for him; perhaps he may be able to interpret +the writing."</p> + +<p>The learned Selim was soon brought. "Selim," said the Caliph, "they +say thou art very learned; peep now into this writing, and see if thou +canst read it. If thou canst, thou shalt have a rich new garment; if +thou canst not, thou shalt be beaten with five-and-twenty strokes upon +the soles of thy feet, for in that case thou art without the right to +be called 'Selim the Wise.'"</p> + +<p>Selim bowed himself and said: "Thy will be done, my lord." For a long +time he examined the writing, then suddenly exclaimed, "This is Latin, +my lord."</p> + +<p>"Say what it means," commanded the Caliph, "if it be Latin."</p> + +<p>Selim commenced to translate the documents. "Oh man, thou who findest +this, praise Allah for His great goodness to thee. Whoever snuffs of +the powder contained in this box, and says thereupon 'Mutabor,' will +have the power to change himself into any animal he may choose, and +will be able to understand the language of that animal and all others. +Should he wish to return to his human form he must bow himself three +times to the East, and in the direction of our holy Mecca, and repeat +the same word. But beware, when thou art transformed that thou +laughest not, otherwise the magic word will disappear completely from +thy memory and thou wilt remain a beast."</p> + +<p>When Selim the Wise had read this, the Caliph was delighted<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> beyond +measure. He bound over the sage that he would disclose the secret to +no one, presented him with the promised rich garment, and dismissed +him. But to his Grand Vizier he said: "That I call a good purchase, +Manzor. I can scarcely restrain my delight until I am a beast. Early +to-morrow morning come thou hither; we will go together into the +field, snuff a little out of the box, and then listen to what is said +in the air, and in the water, in the wood, and in the field."</p> + +<p>On the following morning the Caliph had scarcely breakfasted when the +Grand Vizier appeared to accompany him upon his walk, as he had +commanded him. The Caliph placed the box with the magic powder in his +girdle, and, having directed his train to remain behind, he set out +alone with his Grand Vizier. They went through the spacious gardens of +the Caliph, and looked around, but in vain, for some living thing, +that they might try their trick. The Vizier at length proposed that +they should go further on, to a pond where he had often seen many of +those beautiful creatures called Storks, which, by their grave +appearance and their continual clacking, had always excited his +attention.</p> + +<p>The Caliph approved the proposal of the Vizier, and they went together +to the pond. When they had arrived they saw a stork walking gravely up +and down looking for frogs, and now and then clacking something to +himself. At the same time they saw also, far above in the air, another +stork hovering over the pond.</p> + +<p>"I am pretty sure," said the Grand Vizier, "that these two long-legged +fellows are carrying on a fine conversation with each other. What if +we should become storks?"</p> + +<p>"Well said!" replied the Caliph. "But first let us consider, once +more, how we are to become men again. True! three times must we bend +toward the East and in the direction of Mecca, and say 'Mutabor,' then +I am Caliph again and thou Vizier. But we must take care whatever we +do, not to laugh, or we are lost."</p> + +<p>While the Caliph was thus speaking he saw the other stork hover over +their heads and slowly descend toward the earth.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> He drew the box +quickly from his girdle, took a good pinch, offered it to the Grand +Vizier, who also snuffed it, and both cried out "Mutabor!"</p> + +<p>At once their legs began to shrivel up, and soon became thin and red. +The beautiful yellow slippers of the Caliph and of his companion were +changed into the strange-shaped feet of the stork; their arms were +changed to wings; their necks were lengthened out from their shoulders +and became a yard long; their beards had disappeared, and their bodies +were covered with feathers which were soft, fine and graceful.</p> + +<p>"You have a beautiful beak," said the Caliph after a long pause of +astonishment. "By the beard of the Prophet, I have never seen anything +like it in my life."</p> + +<p>"I thank you most humbly," replied the Grand Vizier, while he made his +obeisance. "But if it were permitted I might say that your Highness +looks even more handsome as a stork than as a Caliph. But come, if it +please you, let us listen to our comrades yonder, and find out whether +we really understand the language of the storks."</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile the other stork had reached the ground. He trimmed +his feet with his beak, put his feathers in order, and advanced to his +companion. The two new storks hastened to get near them, and to their +great surprise heard the following conversation:—</p> + +<p>"Good morning, Lady Longlegs, already so early in the meadow."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, dear Clatterbeak, I have had only a slight breakfast."</p> + +<p>"Would you like, perhaps, a piece of a duck or the leg of a frog?"</p> + +<p>"Much obliged, but I have no appetite to-day. I have come into the +meadow for a very different purpose. I am to dance to-day before some +guests of my father's, and I wish to practise here a little quietly by +myself."</p> + +<p>The young stork immediately jumped about the field with singular +motions. The Caliph and Manzor looked on with wonder; but as she stood +in a picturesque attitude upon one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> foot, and fluttered her wings +gracefully, they could no longer contain themselves—an irresistible +laughter burst forth from their beaks, from which they could not +recover themselves for a long time. The Caliph first collected +himself. "That was a joke now," he exclaimed, "that is not to be +purchased with gold. Pity that the foolish creatures have been +frightened away by our laughter, otherwise perhaps they might even +have sung!"</p> + +<p>But it now occurred to the Grand Vizier that laughter had been +specially forbidden them during their transformation. He told his +anxiety to the Caliph. "Dear me, dear me, it would indeed be a +sorrowful joke if I must remain a stork. Pray bethink thyself of the +magic word. For the life of me I can't remember it."</p> + +<p>"Three times must we bow to the East and to Mecca, and then say, 'Mu, +mu, mu.'"</p> + +<p>They turned toward the East, and bowed and bowed, so that their beaks +almost touched the earth. But alas! alas! the magic word would not +come. However often the Caliph bowed himself and however anxiously the +Vizier called out "Mu, mu," all recollection of it had vanished, and +the poor Caliph and Vizier remained storks.</p> + +<p>Very mournfully did the enchanted ones wander through the fields. They +knew not what to do in their great distress. They could not rid +themselves of their storks' skin and feathers; they could not return +to the city to make themselves known, for who would have believed a +stork, if he had said he was the Caliph? And even if they should +believe it, the inhabitants of Bagdad would not have a stork for their +Caliph. Thus they wandered about for several days, and nourished +themselves with the fruits of the field, which they could not eat very +conveniently on account of their long beaks. For ducks and frogs they +had no appetite; they were afraid that with such food they might +fatally disorder their stomachs. It was their only pleasure in this +sad condition that they could fly, and so they often flew upon the +roofs of Bagdad to see what passed in the city.</p> + +<p>During the first days they observed great disorder and mourning in the +streets, but about the fourth day after their transforma<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span>tion, as they +stood upon the Caliph's palace, they saw in the street a splendid +procession. Drums and fifes sounded; a man in a scarlet mantle, +embroidered with gold, rode a richly caparisoned steed, surrounded by +a brilliant train of attendants.</p> + +<p>Half Bagdad leaped to meet him, and all cried: "Hail, Mirza, Lord of +Bagdad!" The two storks upon the roof of the palace looked at each +other, and the Caliph said: "Canst thou now divine, Grand Vizier, why +I am enchanted? This Mirza is the son of my deadly enemy, the mighty +magician Cachnur, who, in an evil hour, swore revenge upon me. But +still I will not give up hope. Come with me, thou true companion of my +misfortune! We will wander to the grave of the Prophet. Perhaps on +that holy spot this spell will vanish;" and they at once soared from +the roof of the palace and flew toward Mecca.</p> + +<p>But flying was no easy matter to them, for the two storks had as yet +but little practice. "Oh, my lord," sighed the Grand Vizier, after a +few hours, "with your permission I must stop, for I can bear it no +longer; you fly altogether too fast. Besides it is now evening, and we +should do well to seek a shelter for the night." Chasid at once +yielded to the prayer of the Vizier, and, as they at this moment +perceived a ruin in the valley below, they flew thither. The place in +which they had taken refuge for the night seemed formerly to have been +a castle. Beautiful columns overtopped the ruins, and several +chambers, which were still in a fair state of preservation, gave +evidence of the former splendour of the building. Chasid and his +companion wandered through the passages to find a dry spot for +themselves. Suddenly the stork Manzor stopped. "My Lord and master," +he whispered softly, "if it were not folly in a Grand Vizier, and +still more in a stork, to be afraid of spirits, I should feel much +alarmed, for something near by us sighed and groaned very plainly."</p> + +<p>The Caliph also stood still, and heard very distinctly a low weeping +that seemed rather to come from a human being than from an animal.</p> + +<p>Full of expectation, he was about to advance toward the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> place from +whence came the sounds of weeping and sighing, when the Vizier seized +him by the wing with his beak and begged him very earnestly not to +plunge into new and unknown dangers But in vain! The Caliph, who bore +a brave heart under his stork's wing, tore himself loose, with the +loss of some of his feathers, and hastened into a dark passage-way. He +soon arrived at a door which seemed to be partly open, and through +which he overheard distinct sighs, with a slight moaning. In the +ruined chamber, which was but dimly lighted by a small grated window, +he saw a large night owl upon the floor. Big tears rolled from her +large round eyes, and with a hoarse voice she sent forth her cries +from her curved beak. As soon, however, as she saw the Caliph and +Vizier she gave a loud scream of joy. Gracefully she wiped the tears +from her eyes with her brown-spotted wing, and to the great +astonishment of both she exclaimed, in good plain Arabic, "Welcome, ye +storks! Ye are a good sign of my rescue, for it has been told me that +by a stork I shall attain to great happiness."</p> + +<p>When the Caliph had recovered from his astonishment he bowed with his +long neck, brought his thin feet into a handsome position, and said:</p> + +<p>"Night owl, from thy words I think that thou art a companion in +suffering. But alas! the hope that thou wilt be rescued by us is vain. +Thou wilt see our helplessness when we have told thee our history."</p> + +<p>The night owl begged him to relate it. The Caliph commenced, and +repeated what we already know.</p> + +<p>When the Caliph had told the owl his history she thanked him and said:</p> + +<p>"Hear also my story, and you will see that I am not less unhappy than +you. My father is King of India; I, his only daughter, am called Lusa. +That magician Cachnur, who has enchanted you, has also plunged me into +this misery. He came one day to my father, and desired me for a wife +to his son. But my father, who is a quick-tempered man, ordered him to +be pushed down the stairs. The bad man contrived to meet me under +another form; and once, when taking refreshments in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> my garden, he +brought me, in the person of a slave, a draught in a cup, which +changed me into this frightful shape. Powerless from fright, he +brought me hither and cried in my ear: 'Here shalt thou remain, hated +and despised, even by the beasts, until thy death, or until someone, +with free will, shall desire thee for his wife, even in this horrible +shape. In this way I revenge myself upon thee and thy proud father!'</p> + +<p>"Since then many months have passed. Solitary and disconsolate, I +dwell within these walls, scorned by the world, a horror even to the +beasts. Beautiful nature is locked up from me, for, like all owls, I +am blind by day, and only when the moon pours her pale light over +these ruins does the veil fall from my eyes."</p> + +<p>The owl stopped speaking and wiped the tears again from her eyes, for +the telling of her sorrows had drawn them forth anew.</p> + +<p>During the story of the Princess, the Caliph appeared deep in thought. +"If everything does not deceive me," he said, "there is a secret +connection between our fates; but where can I find the key to this +riddle?"</p> + +<p>The owl replied: "Oh, my lord, I also have such a thought, for it was +once told me when I was a very little girl that a stork would one day +bring me great happiness, and I may know perhaps how we may be +rescued."</p> + +<p>The Caliph was much astonished, and asked her in what way she meant.</p> + +<p>"The magician who has made us both miserable," said she, "comes once +in every month to these ruins. Not far from this chamber is a hall. +There he is accustomed to feast with many of his companions. I have +often listened there already. They tell one another their histories, +and what they have been doing since last they met. Perhaps on the next +occasion they may talk over your story, and let fall the magic word +that you have forgotten."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dearest Princess," exclaimed the Caliph, "tell me when does he +come and where is the hall?"</p> + +<p>The owl was silent for a moment and then spoke. "Take it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> not +ungraciously, but only upon one condition can your wish be granted."</p> + +<p>"Speak out! speak out!" cried the Caliph. "Command, and whatever it is +I will obey?"</p> + +<p>"It is this: I also would gladly be free, and this can only happen if +one of you offer me his hand." The storks seemed somewhat confused at +this proposition, and the Caliph made a sign to his follower to +withdraw for a moment with him.</p> + +<p>They talked together for a long time, the Caliph urging the Vizier to +consent; but he said it was not possible, as he was already an old +man, "whilst you, my lord and master, are but young in years." The +Caliph at last saw that the Vizier would rather remain a stork than +accept the owl, so he resolved to fulfil the condition himself. The +owl was overjoyed, and she said they could not have come at a better +time, for the magicians would most likely meet that very night.</p> + +<p>She then left the chamber in company with the storks, in order to lead +them to the hall. They walked for a long time through a dark +passage-way, when at last a bright light shone upon them from an +opening in a ruined wall. When they had arrived thither the owl +advised them to keep perfectly quiet. From the opening near where they +stood they had a good view of the hall. It had many pillars, and the +whole apartment was richly decorated. In the middle was a round table +covered with rich food of various kinds; round the table were placed +seats, upon which sat eight men. In one of these men the storks +recognized the merchant who had sold them the magic powder. The one +who sat next him desired him to relate his history and what had been +done during the last few days. He did so, and among the other things +he told the story of his visit to the Caliph and Grand Vizier of +Bagdad.</p> + +<p>"What kind of a word hast thou given them," asked the other magician.</p> + +<p>"A very hard Latin one; it is Mutabor."</p> + +<p>As the storks heard this from their place of concealment they became +almost beside themselves for joy. They ran so quickly with their long +legs to the door of the ruin that the owl could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> scarcely follow them. +There, the Caliph addressed the owl with much emotion.</p> + +<p>"Saviour of my life, and the life of my friend, as an eternal thanks +for what thou hast done for us, accept me as thy husband"; then he +turned himself toward the east and toward Mecca. Three times the +storks bent their long necks toward the sun, which, by this time, was +rising above the distant hills: "Mutabor!" they exclaimed. In a +twinkling they were changed, and in the delight of newly restored +life, master and servant were laughing and weeping in each other's +arms. But who can describe their astonishment as they looked about +them?</p> + +<p>A beautiful maiden in a splendid dress stood before them. She held out +her hand to the Caliph saying: "Do you no longer recognize your night +owl?"</p> + +<p>Yes, it was indeed that bird. The Caliph looked with wonder at her +beauty and grace, and said: "It is my greatest happiness that I have +been a stork."</p> + +<p>The three now started to travel together for the city of Bagdad. The +Caliph found in his clothes not only the box with the magic powder, +but also his purse of gold. By this means he purchased at the nearest +village all that was necessary for their journey, so that they very +soon arrived at the gates of Bagdad. The arrival of the Caliph excited +the greatest wonder. They had supposed him dead, but the people were +overjoyed to have their beloved lord again.</p> + +<p>Their hatred was intense against the deceiver Mirza. They entered the +palace and took the old magician and his son prisoners. The Caliph +took the old man to that same chamber in which the Princess had lived +so long as an owl, and ordered him to be hung up there. But to the +son, who did not understand the wicked arts of his father, he offered +the choice of either to die or take snuff.</p> + +<p>He chose the latter when the Grand Vizier offered the box. A good +pinch, and the magic word of the Caliph changed him into a stork. The +Caliph then directed that he should be put into a cage and placed in +his garden.</p> + +<p>Long and happily the Caliph Chasid lived with his wife, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> Princess. +His happiest hours were when the Grand Vizier visited him in the +afternoon. They never tired of talking about their storks' adventure, +and when the Caliph was more than usually merry he would imitate the +Grand Vizier, and show how he looked when he was a stork. He walked +gravely up and down the chamber with slow and solemn steps, made a +clacking noise, flapped his arms like wings, and showed how he, to no +purpose, bowed himself to the east and called out: "Mu—Mu—Mu." This +was always a great delight to the Princess and the children, which +were afterward born to her, until they also took delight in calling +out to one another: "Mu—Mu—Mu."</p> + +<p>So for very many years happiness reigned in the palace, and not only +in the palace, but throughout the city of Bagdad, the capital of the +ancient Saracen Empire.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Five_Queer_Brothers" id="The_Five_Queer_Brothers"></a><i>The Five Queer Brothers</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_05.jpg" alt="A" width="52" height="50" /></div> +<p>n old woman had five grown-up sons that looked just alike. The eldest +could gulp up the ocean at a mouthful; the second was hard enough to +nick steel; the third had extensible legs; the fourth was unaffected +by fire; the fifth lived without breathing. They all concealed their +peculiar traits, and their neighbours did not even guess that they +were queer.</p> + +<p>The eldest supported the family by fishing, going alone to the sea, +and bringing back loads of spoil. The neighbours often besought him to +teach their sons how to fish, and he at last let all their boys go +with him, one day, to learn his art. On reaching the shore, he sucked +the sea into his mouth, and directed the boys to the dry bottom, to +collect the fish. When he was tired of holding the water, he beckoned +to the boys to return, but they were playing amongst strange objects, +and paid no heed to him. When he could contain the sea no longer, he +had to let it flow back into its former basin, and all the boys were +drowned.</p> + +<p>As he went homeward, he passed the doors of the parents, who inquired +how many fish their sons had caught, and how long they would be in +coming back. He told them the facts, yet they would not excuse him, +and they dragged him before the magistrate to account for the loss of +their children. He defended himself by saying that he had not invited +the boys to go with him, and had consented to their going only when +the parents had repeatedly urged him; that, after the boys were on the +ocean-bed, he had done his utmost to induce them to come ashore; that +he had held the water as long as he could, and had then thrown it in +the sea-basin solely because nothing else would contain it. +Notwithstanding this defence, the judge decided that, since he took +the boys away and did not bring them back, he was guilty<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> of murder, +and sentenced him to decapitation. He entreated leave to pay one visit +to his aged mother before his execution, and this was granted. He went +alone and told his brothers of his doom, and the second brother +returned in his stead to the judge, thanked him for having given him +permission to perform a duty required by filial piety, and said he was +then ready to die. He knelt with bowed head, and the headsman brought +the knife down across the back of his neck, but the knife was nicked +and the neck was left unscathed. A second knife, and a third of finer +steel, were brought and tried by headsmen who were accustomed to sever +heads clean off at one stroke. Having spoiled their best blades +without marring his neck, they took him back to prison and informed +the judge that the sentence could not be executed.</p> + +<p>The judge then decreed that he should be dropped into the sea which +covered his victims. When he heard this decision, he said that he had +taken leave of his mother supposing that his head was to be cut off, +and that, if he was to be drowned, he must go to her and make known +his fate, and get her blessing anew. Permission being given, he went +and told his brothers what had happened, and the third brother took +the place of the second, and presented himself before the judge as the +criminal that was to be sunk in the sea. He was carried far from shore +and thrown overboard, but he stretched his legs till his feet touched +bottom and he stood with his head in the air. They hauled him aboard +and took him farther from land, but still his extensible legs +supported him above the waters. Then they sailed to mid-ocean, and +cast him into its greatest depths, but his legs still lengthened so +that he was not drowned. They brought him back to the judge, reported +what had been done, and said that some other method of destroying him +must be followed.</p> + +<p>He was then condemned to death by being boiled in oil; and while the +caldron was being heated, he begged and obtained leave to go and tell +his mother of his late survival, and, of the manner in which he was +soon to be taken off. His brothers having heard the latest judgment, +the fourth one went to bear the penalty of the law, and was lowered +into the kettle of boiling<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> oil, where he disported himself as if in a +tepid bath, and even asked the executioners to stir up the fire a +little to increase the warmth. Finding that he could not be fried, he +was remanded to prison.</p> + +<p>Then the populace, the bereaved parents, and the magistrate joined in +effort to invent a sure method of putting him to death. Water, fire +and sword all having failed, they finally fixed upon smothering him in +a vast cream-cake. The whole country round made contributions of flour +for the tough pastry, sugar for the viscid filling, and bricks for a +huge oven; and it was made and baked on a plain outside the city +walls. Meanwhile the prisoner was allowed to go and bid his mother +farewell, and the fifth brother secretly became his substitute. When +the cake was done, a multitude of people, with oxen, horses, and +ropes, dragged it to the execution ground, and within it the culprit +was interred. As he was able to exist without air, he rested +peacefully till the next midnight. Then he safely crawled forth, and +returned to his home, where he dwelt happily for many years with his +remarkable brothers.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Lac_of_Rupees" id="The_Lac_of_Rupees"></a><i>The Lac of Rupees</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_05.jpg" alt="A" width="52" height="50" /></div> +<p> poor blind Brahman and his wife were dependent on their son for +their subsistence. Every day the young fellow used to go out and get +what he could by begging. This continued for some time, till at last +he became quite tired of such a wretched life, and determined to go +and try his luck in another country. He informed his wife of his +intention, and ordered her to manage somehow or other for the old +people during the few months that he would be absent. He begged her to +be industrious, lest his parents should be angry and curse him.</p> + +<p>One morning he started with some food in a bundle, and walked on day +after day, till he reached the chief city of the neighbouring country. +Here he went and sat down by a merchant's shop and asked alms. The +merchant inquired whence he had come, why he had come, and what was +his caste; to which he replied that he was a Brahman, and was +wandering hither and thither begging a livelihood for himself, his +wife and parents. Moved with pity for the man, the merchant advised +him to visit the kind and generous king of that country, and offered +to accompany him to the court. Now, at that time it happened that the +king was seeking for a Brahman to look after a golden temple which he +had just had built. His Majesty was very glad, therefore, when he saw +the Brahman and heard that he was good and honest. He at once deputed +him to the charge of this temple, and ordered fifty kharwars of rice +and one hundred rupees to be paid to him every year as wages.</p> + +<p>Two months after this, the Brahman's wife, not having heard any news +of her husband, left the house and went in quest of him. By a happy +fate she arrived at the very place that he had reached, where she +heard that every morning at the golden temple a golden rupee was given +in the king's name to any<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> beggar who chose to go for it. Accordingly, +on the following morning she went to the place and met her husband.</p> + +<p>"Why have you come here?" he asked. "Why have you left my parents? +Care you not whether they curse me and I die? Go back immediately, and +await my return."</p> + +<p>"No, no," said the woman. "I cannot go back to starve and see your old +father and mother die. There is not a grain of rice left in the +house."</p> + +<p>"O Bhagawant!" exclaimed the Brahman. "Here, take this," he continued, +scribbling a few lines on some paper, and then handing it to her, "and +give it to the king. You will see that he will give you a lac of +rupees for it." Thus saying he dismissed her, and the woman left.</p> + +<p>On this scrap of paper were written three pieces of advice—First, If +a person is travelling and reaches any strange place at night, let him +be careful where he puts up, and not close his eyes in sleep, lest he +close them in death. Secondly, If a man has a married sister, and +visits her in great pomp, she will receive him for the sake of what +she can obtain from him; but if he comes to her in poverty, she will +frown on him and disown him. Thirdly, If a man has to do any work, he +must do it himself, and do it with might and without fear.</p> + +<p>On reaching her home the Brahmani told her parents of her meeting with +her husband, and what a valuable piece of paper he had given her; but +not liking to go before the king herself, she sent one of her +relations. The king read the paper, and ordering the man to be +flogged, dismissed him. The next morning the Brahmani took the paper, +and while she was going along the road to the darbar reading it, the +king's son met her, and asked what she was reading, whereupon she +replied that she held in her hands a paper containing certain bits of +advice, for which she wanted a lac of rupees. The prince asked her to +show it to him, and when he had read it gave her a parwana for the +amount, and rode on. The poor Brahmani was very thankful. That day she +laid in a great store of provisions, sufficient to last them all for a +long time.</p> + +<p>In the evening the prince related to his father the meeting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> with the +woman, and the purchase of the piece of paper. He thought his father +would applaud the act. But it was not so. The king was more angry than +before, and banished his son from the country.</p> + +<p>So the prince bade adieu to his mother and relations and friends, and +rode off on his horse, whither he did not know. At nightfall he +arrived at some place, where a man met him, and invited him to lodge +at his house. The prince accepted the invitation, and was treated like +a prince. Matting was spread for him to squat on, and the best +provisions set before him.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" thought he, as he lay down to rest, "here is a case for the +first piece of advice that the Brahmani gave me. I will not sleep +to-night."</p> + +<p>It was well that he thus resolved, for in the middle of the night the +man rose up, and taking a sword in his hand, rushed to the prince with +the intention of killing him. But the prince arose and spoke.</p> + +<p>"Do not slay me," he said. "What profit would you get from my death? +If you killed me you would be sorry afterward like that man who killed +his dog."</p> + +<p>"What man? What dog?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I will tell you," said the prince, "if you will give me that sword."</p> + +<p>So he gave him the sword, and the prince began his story:</p> + +<p>"Once upon a time there lived a wealthy merchant who had a pet dog. He +was suddenly reduced to poverty, and had to part with his dog. He got +a loan of five thousand rupees from a brother merchant, leaving the +dog as a pledge, and with the money began business again. Not long +after this the other merchant's shop was broken into by thieves and +completely sacked. There was hardly ten rupees' worth left in the +place. The faithful dog, however, knew what was going on, and went and +followed the thieves, and saw where they deposited the things, and +then returned.</p> + +<p>"In the morning there was great weeping and lamentation in the +merchant's house when it was known what had happened.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> The merchant +himself nearly went mad. Meanwhile the dog kept on running to the +door, and pulling at his master's shirt and pajamas, as though wishing +him to go outside. At last a friend suggested that, perhaps, the dog +knew something of the whereabouts of the things, and advised the +merchant to follow its leadings. The merchant consented, and went +after the dog right up to the very place where the thieves had hidden +the goods. Here the animal scraped and barked, and showed in various +ways that the things were underneath. So the merchant and his friends +dug about the place, and soon came upon all the stolen property. +Nothing was missing. There were all the articles just as the thieves +had taken them.</p> + +<p>"The merchant was very glad. On returning to his house, he at once +sent the dog back to its old master with a letter rolled under the +collar, wherein he had written about the sagacity of the beast, and +begged his friend to forget the loan and to accept another five +thousand rupees as a present. When this merchant saw his dog coming +back again, he thought, 'Alas! my friend is wanting the money. How can +I pay him? I have not had sufficient time to recover myself from my +recent losses. I will slay the dog ere he reaches the threshold, and +say that another must have slain it. Thus there will be an end of my +debt. No dog, no loan.' Accordingly he ran out and killed the poor +dog, when the letter fell out of its collar. The merchant picked it up +and read it. How great was his grief and disappointment when he knew +the facts of the case!</p> + +<p>"Beware," continued the prince, "lest you do that which afterward you +would give your life not to have done."</p> + +<p>By the time the prince had concluded this story it was nearly morning, +and he went away, after rewarding the man.</p> + +<p>The prince then visited the country belonging to his brother-in-law. +He disguised himself as a jogi, and sitting down by a tree near the +palace, pretended to be absorbed in worship. News of the man and of +his wonderful piety reached the ears of the king. He felt interested +in him, as his wife was very ill; and he had sought for hakims to cure +her, but in vain. He thought that, perhaps, this holy man could do +something for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> her. So he sent to him. But the jogi refused to tread +the halls of a king, saying that his dwelling was the open air, and +that if his Majesty wished to see him he must come himself and bring +his wife to the place. Then the king took his wife and brought her to +the jogi. The holy man bade her prostrate herself before him, and when +she had remained in this position for about three hours, he told her +to rise and go, for she was cured.</p> + +<p>In the evening there was great consternation in the palace, because +the queen had lost her pearl rosary, and nobody knew anything about +it. At length some one went to the jogi, and found it on the ground by +the place where the queen had prostrated herself. When the king heard +this he was very angry and ordered the jogi to be executed. This stern +order, however, was not carried out, as the prince bribed the men and +escaped from the country. But he knew that the second bit of advice +was true.</p> + +<p>Clad in his own clothes, the prince was walking along one day when he +saw a potter crying and laughing, alternately, with his wife and +children. "O fool," said he, "what is the matter? If you laugh, why do +you weep? If you weep, why do you laugh?"</p> + +<p>"Do not bother me," said the potter. "What does it matter to you?"</p> + +<p>"Pardon me," said the prince, "but I should like to know the reason."</p> + +<p>"The reason is this, then," said the potter. "The king of this country +has a daughter whom he is obliged to marry every day, because all her +husbands die the first night of their stay with her. Nearly all the +young men of the place have thus perished, and our son will be called +on soon. We laugh at the absurdity of the thing—a potter's son +marrying a princess, and we cry at the terrible consequence of the +marriage. What can we do?"</p> + +<p>"Truly a matter for laughing and weeping. But weep no more," said the +prince. "I will exchange places with your son, and will be married to +the princess instead of him. Only give me suitable garments, and +prepare me for the occasion."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> + +<p>So the potter gave him beautiful raiment and ornaments, and the prince +went to the palace. At night he was conducted to the apartment of the +princess. "Dread hour!" thought he; "am I to die like the scores of +young men before me?" He clenched his sword with firm grip, and lay +down on his bed, intending to keep awake all the night and see what +would happen. In the middle of the night he saw two Shahmars come out +from the nostrils of the princess. They stole over toward him, +intending to kill him, like the others who had been before him; but he +was ready for them. He laid hold of his sword, and when the snakes +reached his bed he struck at them and killed them. In the morning the +king came as usual to inquire, and was surprised to hear his daughter +and the prince talking gaily together. "Surely," said he, "this man +must be her husband, as he only can live with her."</p> + +<p>"Where do you come from? Who are you?" asked the king, entering the +room.</p> + +<p>"Oh king!" replied the prince, "I am the son of a king who rules over +such-and-such a country."</p> + +<p>When he heard this the king was very glad, and bade the prince to +abide in his palace, and appointed him his successor to the throne. +The prince remained at the palace for more than a year, and then asked +permission to visit his own country, which was granted. The king gave +him elephants, horses, jewels, and abundance of money for the expenses +of the way and as presents for his father, and the prince started.</p> + +<p>On the way he had to pass through the country belonging to his +brother-in-law, whom we have already mentioned. Report of his arrival +reached the ears of the king, who came with rope-tied hands and +haltered neck to do him homage. He most humbly begged him to stay at +his palace, and to accept what little hospitality could be provided. +While the prince was staying at the palace he saw his sister, who +greeted him with smiles and kisses. On leaving he told her how she and +her husband had treated him at his first visit, and how he escaped; +and then gave them two elephants, two beautiful horses, fifteen +soldiers, and ten lacs of rupees' worth of jewels.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span></p> + +<p>Afterward he went to his own home, and informed his mother and father +of his arrival. Alas! his parents had both become blind from weeping +about the loss of their son. "Let him come in," said the king, "and +put his hands upon our eyes, and we shall see again." So the prince +entered, and was most affectionately greeted by his old parents; and +he laid his hands on their eyes, and they saw again.</p> + +<p>Then the prince told his father all that had happened to him, and how +he had been saved several times by attending to the advice that he had +purchased from the Brahmani. Whereupon the king expressed his sorrow +for having sent him away, and all was joy and peace again.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Emperors_Nightingale" id="The_Emperors_Nightingale"></a><i>The Emperor's Nightingale</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_08.jpg" alt="C" width="42" height="50" /></div> +<p>hina, as you know, is ruled over by an Emperor, who is a Chinaman, +and all his courtiers are Chinamen, too. Now, this little story that I +am going to tell you happened ever so long ago, and that is why you +ought to hear it now, before it is forgotten, for it is well worth +hearing.</p> + +<p>The Emperor lived in the most beautiful palace in the world and it was +a very costly one, for it was made of the finest porcelain, and was so +brittle that you had to be very careful if you touched it. It was +surrounded by such a large garden that the gardener himself did not +quite know where it ended. Lovely flowers grew in luxuriance, and, +lest people should pass the most beautiful without noticing them, +peals of silver bells were tied to their stems.</p> + +<p>Truly, everything was carefully planned in the Emperor's garden. If +you kept on far enough, you came to a mighty forest which stretched +down so close to the margin of the sea that the poor fishermen in +their boats could sail under the overhanging branches.</p> + +<p>In one of these boughs a nightingale lived, and so beautiful was its +song that the rough sailors would stop to listen on their way out to +spread their nets.</p> + +<p>"Ah, what beautiful music!" they would exclaim, and then they had to +sail on, for they had their work to do. And again, when nightfall +came, and the bird sang, and the boats came drifting home on the tide, +they would say:</p> + +<p>"Heavens! how gloriously that bird sings!"</p> + +<p>Travellers came from all over the world to see the Emperor's city and +his palace and garden; but when they heard the Nightingale, they would +say:</p> + +<p>"That is most beautiful of all."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> + +<p>And when the travellers reached their homes again, they told all their +friends of the wonderful things they had seen and heard; and wise +people wrote books, in which they did not forget to tell of the +Nightingale, which was pronounced the loveliest among many lovely +things. Even the poets wrote verses about this Nightingale that lived +in the wood by the sea.</p> + +<p>And then, one by one, the books travelled over the world, until some +at last reached the hands of the Emperor, who sat in his golden chair +and read them, nodding his head with pleasure; for he was charmed with +the beautiful descriptions of his city and castle and garden. Then he +read the words:</p> + +<p>"The Nightingale is the most lovely thing of all!"</p> + +<p>"What is this?" he said. "The Nightingale! I have never heard of such +a bird, yet there seems to be one in my empire—and in my own garden! +Imagine learning of such a thing for the first time from a book!"</p> + +<p>Thereupon he summoned his Chamberlain, who was a very important +person, and who never replied more than "Paugh!" to any inferior who +dared to ask him anything. This, of course, was no answer at all.</p> + +<p>"This book tells of a very remarkable bird called a Nightingale," said +the Emperor. "They say it is the finest thing in my empire. Why has no +one told me about it before?"</p> + +<p>"I have never heard anyone mention it before, myself," replied the +Chamberlain. "I don't remember that it has ever been presented at +Court."</p> + +<p>"I command it to appear at Court and sing before me to-night," said +the Emperor. "All the world knows what I possess, it appears, except +myself."</p> + +<p>"I have never heard of such a thing before," answered the Chamberlain +again, "but I will search until it is found."</p> + +<p>But where was it? The Chamberlain searched up and down the palace, +through corridors and up staircases, but he could not find anyone who +had even heard of a nightingale. Then he hastened back to the Emperor +to say that it must certainly be an invention of the man who had +written the book.</p> + +<p>"Your Imperial Majesty will scarcely credit the sort of things<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> these +people will write," he said. "It is all fiction and something called +Black Art."</p> + +<p>"But the great and mighty Mikado of Japan has sent me this book!" +shouted the Emperor, very much annoyed, "and, therefore, there cannot +be anything that is false in it. I must and shall hear the +Nightingale, and I command it to be present this evening. It has my +especial Royal favour, and if it is not here, the whole Court shall be +trampled upon by camels after supper."</p> + +<p>"Tching Pe!" exclaimed the Chamberlain, very much alarmed, and raced +up and down stairs and through all the corridors again, accompanied +now by half the Court, who were not at all anxious to be trampled +upon, even after supper. It was a great search after this wonderful +Nightingale, of which all the world had heard, except the Emperor and +his courtiers.</p> + +<p>At length they came to the kitchen, where a poor little scullery-maid +at once exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, I know it well; and it sings beautifully! Every evening I +have permission to take the kitchen scraps to my sick mother, who +lives down on the sea-shore, and often, as I come back, I rest in the +wood and listen to the Nightingale, Its song makes my eyes fill with +tears, and I seem to be able to feel my mother's kisses."</p> + +<p>"Little girl," the Chamberlain said, "if you will take us straight to +where the Nightingale lives you shall receive a high appointment in +the Royal kitchen, and be allowed to see the Emperor dine every night. +His Majesty has commanded it to sing before him this evening."</p> + +<p>So the girl led the Chamberlain and all the Court to the wood where +the Nightingale sang. When they were half-way there a cow began to +low.</p> + +<p>"Hark!" said all the courtiers. "What a beautiful note, and how +powerful for such a tiny creature! I have certainly heard it before."</p> + +<p>"No," said the maid, "that is only the lowing of a cow. We have a long +way to go yet."</p> + +<p>"Oh, how exquisite!" murmured the Chinese Court-chaplain,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> as he heard +the frogs croaking in a marsh. "Now I can hear it; why, it resembles +the chime of silver bells."</p> + +<p>"No, those are only the marsh frogs," said the little maid. "But we +shall soon be able to hear it now." And then, just as she spoke, the +Nightingale commenced to sing.</p> + +<p>"Ah, now!" said the girl. "Listen, listen! There it sits up in the +branches," and she pointed to a tiny gray bird clinging to a spray of +thorn.</p> + +<p>"I should never have believed it would look like that," exclaimed the +Chamberlain. "It looks so simple and so pale; it must be frightened at +the sight of so many grand people."</p> + +<p>"Dear Nightingale," called the little girl, "our most noble Emperor +desires you to sing to him."</p> + +<p>"Oh, certainly, with pleasure," replied the Nightingale; and it sang +so beautifully it was a treat to hear it.</p> + +<p>"It is like the sound of running water; and see how its tiny throat +quivers, too," the Chamberlain said. "How strange that we have never +heard it talked about before! It will be an immense success at Court."</p> + +<p>"Would the Emperor like to hear another song?" asked the bird, for it +thought the Emperor had been listening all the time.</p> + +<p>"Most worthy Nightingale," the Chamberlain replied, "it is with great +pleasure I command you to appear before his Majesty at a Court +reception to-night, when you will charm his Majesty with your +delightful singing."</p> + +<p>"It sounds so much more beautiful out in the wood," said the bird; but +still it promised willingly when it heard it was the Emperor's royal +desire.</p> + +<p>The palace was very elegant in its decorations. The porcelain walls +and floors glittered and shone with the reflection from many lamps. +Beautiful flowers, shaking their silvery bells, were banked in rich +profusion on each side of the great staircase. Indeed, what with the +passing of many feet and the great draught, the bells tinkled so +loudly you could hardly hear yourself speak.</p> + +<p>The Emperor sat on a jewelled throne in the centre of the great hall, +and close beside him stood a golden perch for the Nightin<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span>gale. All +the courtiers were assembled, and the little scullery-maid, now raised +to the rank of a real Court cook, had received permission to listen +behind the door. Everyone stood dressed in his very best and gazed on +the little gray bird, to whom the mighty Emperor had just nodded his +head.</p> + +<p>Then the Nightingale began to sing, and sang so gloriously that the +Emperor's eyes so filled with tears that they overflowed and ran down +his cheeks. And the bird sang on and on, till it reached one's very +heart. The Emperor was so delighted that he said the Nightingale +should wear his own golden slipper around its neck. But the +Nightingale thanked him very politely and said it had already received +sufficient reward.</p> + +<p>"For," it said, "I have caused the Emperor's eyes to fill with tears, +and an Emperor's tears have a mighty power. Heaven knows I have been +sufficiently repaid." And again it burst into its beautiful song.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what charming coquetry!" said the Court ladies, and each tried to +keep their mouths full of water so that they might gurgle like the +Nightingale when they spoke to anyone. Even the footmen and the +ladies' maids expressed their perfect satisfaction, and that was a +great deal, for they are generally the hardest to please. In short, +the Nightingale had scored a great success.</p> + +<p>It was so arranged that in future it should live at Court, in its own +cage, with permission to fly out twice a day, and once during the +night.</p> + +<p>On these trips it was accompanied by twelve servants, each of whom +held a silken cord attached to its leg, so that really there could not +be the slightest pleasure for it in such a flight. As for the city, +wherever you went, you met people talking of the wonderful bird. One +had only to say the word "Nightin" when the other would answer "gale," +and each would give a sigh and feel they perfectly understood each +other. Eleven babies belonging to poor people were christened after +the bird, and yet not one of them could sing a note.</p> + +<p>One day a parcel arrived at the palace, addressed to the Emperor, with +the words, "The Nightingale," written on the outside.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, this must be a fresh book about our famous bird," said the +Emperor.</p> + +<p>But it was not a book. A wonderful work of art lay within a casket, a +clockwork nightingale, encrusted in diamonds and rubies and pearls, +and fashioned in the shape of a real bird. When it had been wound up +it sang one of the same songs that the real nightingale sang, and its +glittering tail moved up and down in time to the notes. A ribbon hung +around its neck, and on it these words were written: "The Emperor of +Japan's Nightingale is nothing compared to that of the Emperor of +China."</p> + +<p>"How perfect!" everyone cried, and the Emperor immediately bestowed +the title of the King's-Imperial-Nightingale-Bringer on the courier +who had brought the bird.</p> + +<p>"Now we must hear them sing a duet together. How beautiful it will +sound!" they all said. But it did not sound so well as they had +expected, for the real bird sang in a natural way, and just whatever +came into its little throat, and the artificial bird could only sing +waltzes.</p> + +<p>"The new one sings quite correctly," said the chief Court musician. +"It keeps perfect time, and understands my own method, I can hear." So +then the new one had to sing by itself and obtained quite as much +applause as the real one had done. Besides, it looked so much +handsomer; glittering and glistening like bracelets and breast-pins.</p> + +<p>Over and over again, for quite thirty-three times, it sang the same +tune and yet was not tired. The courtiers would have liked to hear it +again even, only the Emperor said "No, it's the real bird's turn now, +let us ask it to sing."</p> + +<p>But where was the Nightingale? Not a soul had seen it fly out of the +open window back to its own green woods.</p> + +<p>"Well, well! whatever has become of it?" exclaimed the Emperor. And +all the courtiers united in saying it was a most ungrateful creature.</p> + +<p>"After all," they said, "we still have the better bird," and with that +the new one had to sing his song for the thirty-fourth time, and even +then the courtiers had not caught the tune quite correctly, for it was +very difficult and tricky. The Court musi<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span>cian, especially, praised +the bird, and said, not only was its plumage much more handsome, but +its inside was better made, too.</p> + +<p>"For your Imperial Highness, and you, my noble lords and ladies, must +see," he went on, "that with a real Nightingale you can never tell +what is coming next, but with an imitation one everything is settled. +One can open it and see exactly how it works, where the waltz comes +from, and why the notes follow one after the other."</p> + +<p>The courtiers all agreed with the Court musician, and the Emperor +commanded him to show it to the people on the following Saturday, and +let them hear it sing. This he did, and the Chinese people felt so +pleased and happy they all nodded their heads and shook their +forefingers and said "Ah!" Only the fishermen, who had heard the real +bird sing, shook their heads and said it all sounded very nice, and +very much alike, too; but somehow—they didn't quite know +how—something seemed lacking.</p> + +<p>And so the real Nightingale was sent into exile, and the imitation one +slept on a satin cushion close to the Emperor's bed. All the jewels +and precious stones that had been showered on it as presents were +arranged around the edge of the cushion, and it was given the title of +the Emperor's Own Court Singer and advanced to the very highest rank, +that of First on the Left; for the left was thought to be the highest +station, as the Emperor wore his heart on that side, just like +ordinary people.</p> + +<p>The Court musician wrote twenty-five volumes on the imitation bird. +The work was very tedious and dull, and full of the longest Chinese +words you can imagine; and people always said they had read it and +pretended to have enjoyed it, or else they would have been thought +stupid and have had their bodies trampled upon.</p> + +<p>A whole year passed by in this fashion, and at last the Emperor and +his Court and all the Chinese people knew every turn and trill of the +Nightingale's song by heart, and this pleased them more than ever. +They often sang with it, and the street-urchins,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> even, could sing +"Tchoochoohuh juggjugg jugg," and the Emperor just the same. It was +really delightful.</p> + +<p>One evening the Emperor lay in his bed listening to the bird which was +singing its very best. Suddenly it stopped with a jerk, and bang! +something had snapped in its inside, and all its wheels ran down with +a whirr, and then there was a dead silence.</p> + +<p>The Emperor sprang out of bed and sent for the Court physician, but he +could do nothing. Then a watchmaker was fetched in, and after he had +talked a lot, and poked and examined the inside a great deal, he +managed to put it in something like working order again.</p> + +<p>"You must not use it too much," he said, "it is nearly worn out, and +one can never put in fresh works again and be sure of the music being +as good as before."</p> + +<p>At this there was great mourning all over the country, for the +imitation bird must only be allowed to sing once a year in future, and +even that might prove too much for it.</p> + +<p>And when these performances were given the Court musician made a short +speech, full of very long words, proving that it sang as beautifully +as ever, and so the Court thought it did and were very well content.</p> + +<p>After five years had passed the Emperor fell very ill. All the people +felt sad, for they were really extremely fond of him, and now it was +said he could not possibly live. Already the new Emperor was selected, +and the people stood about in the streets and begged to know from the +Chamberlain how the old Emperor was.</p> + +<p>But "Paugh!" was all he would say as he nodded his head.</p> + +<p>White and cold the old Emperor lay in his great tall bed, and all the +courtiers thought he was dead, and ran away to greet their new King. +In the antechamber the pages gossiped with the maids-in-waiting as +they ate a splendid tea. The palace was wrapped in silence, for +carpets had been laid down in the hall and corridor, so that the noise +of footsteps might be deadened. It was very, very still and solemn. +And the Emperor, still alive, lay all cold and pale on the magnificent +bed, with its heavy velvet<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> draperies and gorgeous golden tassels. +High up, through the open window, the moon shone in upon him and the +imitation nightingale lying in its casket by the bed.</p> + +<p>The poor old Emperor lay panting for breath; a terrible weight seemed +pressing on his chest, and he opened his eyes at last to see Death +sitting there, with the Emperor's crown upon his head and his sword +and jewelled sceptre in his hands.</p> + +<p>The Emperor's gaze travelled round, and he saw faces—some ugly and +some smiling and gentle—peeping at him from among the velvet folds of +the curtains; these were the Emperor's good and bad deeds looking down +at him as Death pressed on his heart.</p> + +<p>"Don't you remember this?" and "Can you recall that?" they all seemed +to be whispering. And the cold sweat broke out on the Emperor's brow, +at the recollections they brought to his mind.</p> + +<p>"I do not remember—I cannot!" gasped the Emperor, then cried, "Music! +music! Bring the great Chinese drum, that I may not hear what they +say."</p> + +<p>But still they whispered together, and Death nodded his head, like a +Chinese mandarin, at all they said.</p> + +<p>"Music, music, I say!" shrieked the old Emperor. "Oh precious jewelled +bird, sing! I heaped upon you gold and precious stones, and even hung +my golden slippers around your neck. Ah, heavens! sing! I say, sing!"</p> + +<p>But the imitation bird was still and silent, for until someone wound +it up, it could not sing, and there was no one by to do it. And Death +still sat gazing at him with hollow, hungry eyes, and all around was +terribly still.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a silvery note floated in at the open window. It was the +voice of the real Nightingale as it sat upon a bough outside. It had +heard the Emperor was ill, and had come back to comfort him and fill +him with hope.</p> + +<p>And as its song gained strength and rose and fell in delicious trills, +the ghostly faces faded away and the warm life blood began to flow +anew in the Emperor's veins. Even Death raised his head and said, "Go +on, go on, little Nightingale."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Ah, but you will give me the Emperor's royal crown and his sword and +jewelled sceptre, if I do?" asked the bird.</p> + +<p>And Death exchanged each of these treasures for a song, and the +Nightingale went on singing—of a peaceful churchyard, heavy with the +scent of roses and elder blossom, where the grass lay thick with the +dew of many tears shed by mortals over dear ones lying sleeping there. +Then Death was filled with a yearning to be in his own garden, and +passed like a gray mist out of the open window.</p> + +<p>"Deep, deep thanks I give you," said the Emperor. "Merciful little +bird! I know you again. It was you I banished from my presence and my +kingdom. And yet, you have charmed the evil spectres from my bed and +Death from my heart. How can I ever repay you?"</p> + +<p>"I am already rewarded in that I drew tears from your eyes when first +I sang to you. Those tears were jewels to crown the heart of any +singer, and I shall never forget them. I will sing you to sleep now, a +sleep from which you will awake fresh and strong again."</p> + +<p>And the Emperor fell into a sweet, refreshing slumber, so deep and +peaceful that he awoke strong and well in the warm sunlight. None of +the courtiers were by him, for all believed he was dead, only the +Nightingale was still singing a gentle, sweet song.</p> + +<p>"You must never leave me," the Emperor said; "you shall only sing when +you desire, and I will break the artificial bird into a million +pieces."</p> + +<p>"No, spare it," said the Nightingale. "It did its best as long as it +was able, so keep it as before. I cannot build my nest within the +castle, but I will often come to you at evening and sing, on the bough +outside the window, songs that will make you glad, and at the same +time sweetly melancholy. I will sing of happiness and sorrow, of the +goodness and wickedness that lie close around you. The singing bird +loves the fisherman's hut, the peasant's cot, and all that is far +removed from palace and court. But I love your soul more than your +crown. I will fly to you and sing my songs, but you must promise me +one thing."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Emperor stood in his royal robes, which he had put on with his own +hands, and he pressed his sword-hilt to his breast as he said:</p> + +<p>"Anything that I can, I will grant."</p> + +<p>"I only ask of you this one thing. Do not let anyone know that you +have a little bird that tells you all; it will be for the best."</p> + +<p>So saying the Nightingale flew away.</p> + +<p>Then the servants entered to attend to their dead Emperor, and when +they saw him standing there strong and well, they started back aghast.</p> + +<p>But the Emperor only said:</p> + +<p>"Good morning!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Hookedy-Crookedy" id="Hookedy-Crookedy"></a><i>Hookedy-Crookedy</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce on a time there was a King and Queen in Ireland, and they had one +son named Jack, and when Jack grew up to be man big, he rose up one +day and said to his father and mother that he would go off and push +his fortune.</p> + +<p>All his father and mother could say to Jack, they could not keep him +from going. So with his staff in his hand and his father's and +mother's blessing on his head, off he started, and he travelled away +far, farther than I could tell you, and twice as far as you could tell +me. At length one day, coming up to a big wood, he met a gray-haired +old man. The old man asked him, "Jack, where are you going?"</p> + +<p>He says, "I am going to push my fortune."</p> + +<p>"Well," says the old man, says he, "If 't is looking for service you +are, there is a Giant who lives at the other side of that wood that +they call the Giant of the Hundred Hills, and I believe he wants a +fine strong, able, clever young fellow like you."</p> + +<p>"Very well," says Jack, "I will push on to him."</p> + +<p>Push on Jack did, away through the wood, until he got to the other +side, and then he saw a big castle, and going up he knocked at the +door, and a big Giant came out.</p> + +<p>"Welcome, Jack," says he, "the King of Ireland's Son! Where are you +going and what do you want?"</p> + +<p>"I come," says Jack, "to push my fortune, and am looking for honest +service. I have been told," he says to the Giant of the Hundred Hills, +"that you wanted a clean, clever boy like me."</p> + +<p>"Well," says the Giant, "I am the Giant of the Hundred Hills, and do +want such a fine fellow as you. I have to go away every day," he says, +"to battle with another giant at the other end of the world, and when +I am away I want somebody<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> to look after my house and place. If you +will be of good, faithful service to me, and do everything I tell you, +I will give you a bag of gold at the end of the time." Jack promised +he would do all that. The Giant then gave him a hearty supper and a +good bed, and well he slept that night. In the morning the Giant had +him called up before the first lark was in the sky.</p> + +<p>"Jack, my brave boy," says he, "I have got to be off to the other end +of the world to-day to fight the Giant of the Four Winds, and it is +time you were up and looking after your business. You have got to put +this house in order, and look after everything in it until I come back +to-night. To every room in the house and to every place about the +house you can go, except the stable. My stable door is closed, and on +the peril of your life, don't open it or go into the stable. Keep that +in mind."</p> + +<p>Jack said he certainly would. Then the Giant visited the stable, and +started off; and as soon as he was gone, Jack went fixing and +arranging the house and setting everything in order. And a wonderful +house it was to Jack, so big and so great; and after that he went to +the castle yard and into every house and building there, except the +stable: and when he had visited all the rest of them, he stood before +the stable and looked at it a long time. "And I wonder," says Jack, +says he, "I wonder what can be in there, and what is the reason he +wants me on the peril of my life not to go into it? I would like to go +and peep in, and there certainly would be no harm."</p> + +<p>Every door in and about the Giant's place was opened by a little ring +turning on a pivot in the middle of the door. Forward to the stable +door Jack then steps, turns the little ring, and the door flew open. +Inside what does Jack see but a mare and a bear standing by the +manger, and neither of them eating. There was hay before the bear and +meat before the mare.</p> + +<p>"Well," says Jack, "it is no wonder, poor creatures, you are not +eatin'. That was a nice blunder of the Giant," and he stepped in and +changed their food, putting hay before the mare and meat before the +bear, and at once both of them fell to it and Jack went out and closed +the stable door. As he did so his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> finger stuck in the ring, and he +pulled and struggled to get it away, but he could not.</p> + +<p>That was a fix for poor Jack, "And by this and by that," says he, "the +Giant will be back and find me stuck here;" so he whips out his knife, +and cuts off his finger, and leaves it there.</p> + +<p>And when the Giant came home that night, says he to Jack, "Well, Jack, +what sort of a day have you had this day, and how did you get along?"</p> + +<p>"I had a fine day," says Jack, "and got along very well indeed."</p> + +<p>"Jack," says he, "show me your two hands;" and when Jack held out his +two hands, the Giant saw one of his fingers gone. He got black in the +face with rage when he saw this, and he said, "Jack, did I not warn +you on the peril of your life not to go into that stable?"</p> + +<p>Poor Jack pleaded all he could, and said he did not mean to, but +curiosity got the best of him, and he thought he would open the door +and peep in.</p> + +<p>Says the Giant, "No man before ever opened that stable door and lived +to tell it, and you, too, would be a dead man this minute only for one +thing. Your father's father did my father a great service once. I am +the man who never forgets a good thing, and for that service," says +he, "I give you your life and pardon this time; but if you ever do the +like again, you won't live."</p> + +<p>Jack, he promised that surely and surely he would never do the like +again. His supper he got that night, and to bed. And at early morning +again the Giant had him up, and, "Jack," says he, "I must be off to +the other end of the world again and fight the Giant of the Four +Winds. You know your duty is to look after this house and place and +set everything in order about it, and go everywhere you like, only +don't open the stable door or go into the stable, on the peril of your +life."</p> + +<p>"I will mind all that," says Jack.</p> + +<p>Then that morning again the Giant visited the stable before he went +away. And after he had gone, to his work went Jack, wandering through +the house, cleaning and setting every<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span>thing in order about it, and out +into the yard he went, and fixed and arranged everything out there, +except the stable. He stood before the stable door a good while this +day, and says he to himself, "I wonder how the bear and the mare are +doing, and what the Giant did when he went in to see them? I would +give a great deal to know," says he. "I will take a peep in."</p> + +<p>Into the ring of the door he put his finger, and turned it, and looked +in, and there he saw the mare and the bear standing as on the day +before and neither of them eating. In Jack steps. "And no wonder, poor +creatures," says he, "you don't eat, when that is the way the Giant +blundered," he says, after he saw the meat before the mare and the hay +before the bear this time also.</p> + +<p>Jack then changed the food, putting the hay before the mare and the +meat before the bear, as it should be, and very soon both the mare and +the bear were eating heartily; and then Jack went out. He closed the +door, and when he did so, his finger stuck in the ring; and pull and +struggle though Jack did, he could not get it out.</p> + +<p>"Och, och, och," says Jack, says he, "I am a dead man to-day surely."</p> + +<p>He whips out his knife, and cuts off his finger, and leaves it there, +and 't was there when the Giant came home that night.</p> + +<p>"Well, Jack, my fine boy," says he, "how have you got on to-day?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, finely, finely," says Jack, says he, holding his hands behind his +back all the same.</p> + +<p>"Show me your hands, Jack," says the Giant, "till I see if you wash +them and keep them clean always." And when Jack showed his hands, the +Giant got black in the face with rage, and says he, "Didn't I forgive +you your life yesterday for going into that stable, and you promised +never to do it again, and here I find you out, once more?"</p> + +<p>The Giant ranted and raged for a long time, and then says he, "Because +your father's father did my father such a good turn, I suppose I will +have to spare your life this second time; but, Jack," says he, "if you +should live for a hundred years,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> and spend them all in my service, +and if you should then again open that door and put your foot into my +stable that day," says he, "you will be a dead man as sure as there is +a head on you. Mind that!"</p> + +<p>Jack, he thanked the Giant very much for sparing his life, and +promised that he never, never would again disobey him.</p> + +<p>The next morning the Giant had Jack up early, and told him he was +going off this day to fight the Giant at the other end of the world, +and gave Jack his directions, and warned him just as on the other +days. Then he went into the stable before he went away. And when he +was gone, Jack went through all the house, and through the whole yard, +setting everything in order, and when everything was done, he stood +before the stable door.</p> + +<p>"I wonder," says Jack, "how the poor mare and the poor bear are +getting along and what the Giant of the Hundred Hills was doing here +to-day? I should very much like," says he, "to take one wee, wee peep +in," and he opened the door.</p> + +<p>Jack peeped in, and there the mare and the bear stood looking at each +other again, and neither of them taking a morsel. And there was the +meat before the mare and the hay before the bear, just as on the other +days.</p> + +<p>"Poor creatures," says Jack, "it is no wonder you are not eating, and +hungry and hungry you must be." And forward he steps, and changes the +food, putting it as it should be, the hay before the mare and the meat +before the bear, and to it both of them fell.</p> + +<p>And when he had done this, up speaks the mare, and "Poor Jack," says +she, "I am sorry for you. This night you will be killed surely; and +sorry for us, too, I am, for we will be killed as well as you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh, oh!" says Jack, says he, "that is terrible. Is there nothing +we can do?"</p> + +<p>"Only one thing," says the mare.</p> + +<p>"What is that?" says Jack.</p> + +<p>"It's this," says the mare; "put that saddle and bridle on me, and let +us start off and be away, far, far from this country,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> when the Giant +comes back." And soon Jack had the saddle and bridle on the mare, and +on her back he got to start off.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" says the bear, speaking up, "both of you are going away to leave +me in for all the trouble."</p> + +<p>"No," says the mare, "we will not do that. Jack," says she, "take the +chains and tie me to the bear."</p> + +<p>Jack tied the mare to the bear with chains that were hanging by, and +then the three of them, the mare and the bear and Jack, started, and +on and on they went, as fast as they could gallop.</p> + +<p>After a long time, says the mare: "Jack, look behind you, and see what +you can see."</p> + +<p>Jack looked behind him, and "Oh!" says he, "I see the Giant of the +Hundred Hills coming like a raging storm. Very soon he will be on us, +and we will all three be murdered."</p> + +<p>Says the mare, says she, "We have a chance yet. Look in my left ear, +and see what you can see;" and in her left ear Jack looked, and saw a +little chestnut.</p> + +<p>"Throw it over your left shoulder," says the mare.</p> + +<p>Jack threw it over his left shoulder, and that minute there arose +behind them a chestnut wood ten miles wide. On and on they went that +day and that night; and till the middle of the next day, "Jack," says +the mare, "look behind you, and see what you can see."</p> + +<p>Jack looked behind him, and "Oh!" says he, "I see the Giant of the +Hundred Hills coming tearing after us like a harvest hurricane."</p> + +<p>"Do you see anything strange about him, Jack?" says the mare.</p> + +<p>"Yes," says Jack, says he, "there are as many bushes on the top of his +head, and as much fowl stuck about his feet and legs as will keep him +in firewood and flesh for years to come. We are done for this time, +entirely," says poor Jack.</p> + +<p>"Not yet," says the mare; "there is another chance. Look into my right +ear, and see what you can see."</p> + +<p>In the mare's right ear Jack looked, and found a drop of water.</p> + +<p>"Throw it over your left shoulder, Jack," says the mare, "and see what +will happen."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> + +<p>Over his left shoulder Jack threw it, and all at once a lough sprung +up between them and the Giant that was one hundred miles wide every +way and one hundred miles deep.</p> + +<p>"Now," says the mare, "he cannot reach us until he drinks his way +through the lough, and very likely he will drink until he bursts, and +then we shall be rid of him altogether."</p> + +<p>Jack thanked God, and on he went. It was not long now until he reached +the borders of Scotland, and there he saw a great wood.</p> + +<p>"Now," says the mare and the bear, "this wood must be our +hiding-place."</p> + +<p>"And what about me?" says Jack.</p> + +<p>"For you, Jack," says the mare, "you must push on and look for +employment. The castle of the King of Scotland is near by, and I think +you will be likely to get employment there; but first I must change +you into an ugly little hookedy-crookedy fellow, because the King of +Scotland has three beautiful daughters, and he won't take into his +service a handsome fellow like you, for fear his daughters would fall +in love with you."</p> + +<p>Then the mare put her nostrils to Jack's breast and blew her breath +over him, and Jack was turned into an ugly little hookedy-crookedy +fellow.</p> + +<p>"Jack," says the mare, "before you go, look into my left ear, and take +what you see there."</p> + +<p>Out of the mare's left ear Jack took a little cap.</p> + +<p>"Jack," says she, "that is a wishing-cap, and every time you put it on +and wish to have anything done, it will be done. Whenever you are in +any trouble," the mare says, "come back to me, and I will do what I +can for you, and now good-bye."</p> + +<p>So Jack said good-bye to the mare and to the bear, and set off. When +he got out of the wood, he soon saw a castle, and walked up to it and +went in by the kitchen. A servant was busy scouring knives. He told +her he wanted employment. She said the King of Scotland would employ +no man in his house, so he might as well push on. But Jack insisted +that the King would give him work, and at length the girl consented to +go and let the King know.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> + +<p>When the girl had gone away, Jack put on his wishing-cap and wished +the knives and forks scoured, and all at once the knives and forks, +that were piled in a stack ten yards high, were scoured as brightly as +new pins; and though the King of Scotland did not want to employ him, +when he found how quickly Jack had scoured all the big stack of knives +and forks, he agreed to keep him. But first he brought down his three +daughters to see Jack, so that he could observe what impression Jack +made upon them. When they came into the kitchen and saw the ugly +little fellow, every one of the three fainted and had to be carried +out.</p> + +<p>"It is all right," says the King; "we will surely keep you," and Jack +was employed, and sent out into the garden to work there.</p> + +<p>Now at this time the King of the East declared war on the King of +Scotland. The King of the East had a mighty army entirely, and he +threatened to wipe the King of Scotland off the face of the earth.</p> + +<p>The King of Scotland was very much troubled, and he consulted with his +Grand Adviser what was best to be done, and his Grand Adviser +counselled that he should at once give his three daughters in marriage +to sons of kings, and in that way get great help for the war. The King +said this was a grand idea.</p> + +<p>So he sent out messengers to all parts of the world to say that his +three beautiful daughters were ready for marriage. In a very short +time the son of the King of Spain came and married the eldest +daughter, and the son of the King of France came and married the +second, and a whole lot of princes came looking for the youngest, who +was the most beautiful of the three and whose name was Yellow Rose; +but she would not take one of them, and for this the King ordered her +never to come into his sight, nor into company, again.</p> + +<p>Yellow Rose got very downhearted, and spent almost all her time now +wandering in the garden, where the Hookedy-Crookedy lad was looking +after the flowers, and she used to come around again and again, +chatting to Hookedy-Crookedy. And so it was not long until he saw that +the Yellow Rose was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> in love with him, and he got just as deeply in +love with her, for she was a beautiful and charming girl.</p> + +<p>The next thing the Grand Adviser counselled the King was that he +should send his two new sons-in-law, the Prince of Spain and the +Prince of France, to the Well of the World's End for bottles of +Ioca<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> to take to battle with them, that they might cure the wounded +and dead men. So the King ordered his sons-in-law to go to the Well of +the World's End and bring him back two bottles of Ioca.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Ioca was a liquid that cured all wounds and restored the +dead to life.</p></div> + +<p>The Yellow Rose told Hookedy-Crookedy this, and when he had turned it +over in his mind, he said to himself, "I will go and have a chat with +the mare and the bear about this."</p> + +<p>So off to the woods he went, and right glad the mare and the bear were +to see him. He told them all that had happened, and then he told them +how the King's two sons-in-law were to start to the Well of the +World's End the next day, and asked the mare's advice about it.</p> + +<p>"Well, Jack," says the mare, "I want you to go with them. Take an old +hunter in the King's stable, an old bony, skinny animal that is past +all work, and put an old straw saddle on him, and dress yourself in +the most ragged dress you can get, and join the two men on the road, +and say that you are going with them. They will be heartily ashamed of +you, Jack, and your old horse, and they will do everything to get rid +of you. When you come to the crossroads, one of them will propose to +go in and have a drink; and while you are chatting over your drink, +they will propose that the three of you separate and every one take a +road by himself to go to the Well of the World's End, and that all +three shall meet at the crossroads again, and whoever is back first +with the bottle of water is to be the greatest hero of them all. You +agree to this. When they start on their roads, they will not go many +miles till they fill their bottles from spring wells by the roadside +and hurry back to the meeting-place, and then continue on home to the +King of Scotland and give him these bottles as bottles of Ioca from +the Well of the World's End. But you will be before them. After you +have set out on the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span>road, and when you have gone around the first +bend, put on your wishing-cap and wish for two bottles of Ioca from +the Well of the World's End, and at once you will have them." And then +the mare directed Jack fully all that he was to do after.</p> + +<p>Jack thanked the mare, and bade good-bye to her, and went away.</p> + +<p>The next day, when the King's two sons-in-law set out on their grand +steeds to go to the Well of the World's End, they had not gone far +when Jack, in a ragged old suit and sitting on a straw saddle on an +old white skinny horse, joined them and told them he too was going +with them for a bottle of Ioca. Right heartily ashamed were they of +Jack and ready to do anything to get rid of him.</p> + +<p>By and by, when they came to where the road divided into three, they +proposed to have a drink, and as they set off to drink they proposed +that each take a road for himself, and whoever got back first with a +bottle of Ioca would be the greatest hero. All agreed, and each chose +his own road and set out.</p> + +<p>When Jack had got around the first bend, he put on his wishing-cap and +wished for two bottles of Ioca from the Well of the World's End, and +no sooner had he wished than he had them; and back again he came, and +when the other two came riding up, surprised they were to find Jack +there before them. They said that Jack had not been to the Well of the +World's End and it was no Ioca he had with him, but some water from +the roadside.</p> + +<p>Said Jack, "Take care that is not your own story. Just test them; when +the servant comes in, you cut off his head and then cure him with +water from your bottles."</p> + +<p>But both refused to do this, for they knew the water in their bottles +could not cure anything, and they defied Jack to do it.</p> + +<p>"Very soon I will do it," said Jack.</p> + +<p>So when the servant came in with the bottles of Ioca, Jack drew his +sword and whipped his head off him, and in a minute's time, with two +drops from one of his bottles, he had the head on again.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span></p> + +<p>Says they to Hookedy-Crookedy, "What will you take for your two +bottles?"</p> + +<p>Says Jack, "I will take the golden balls of your marriage pledge, and +also you shall allow me to write something on your backs."</p> + +<p>And they agreed to this. They handed over to Jack the two golden balls +that were their marriage tokens, and they let Jack write on their bare +backs; and what Jack wrote on each of them was, "This is an unlawfully +married man." Then he gave them the bottles of Ioca, and they brought +them to the King, and Jack returned to his garden again.</p> + +<p>He did not tell the Yellow Rose where he had been and what doing, only +said he was away on a message for her father. As soon as the King got +the bottles of Ioca, he gave orders that his army should move to +battle the next day.</p> + +<p>The next morning early Jack was over to the wood to consult the mare. +He told her what was going to happen that day. Says the mare, "Look in +my left ear, Jack, and see what you will see."</p> + +<p>Jack looked in the mare's left ear, and took out of it a grand +soldier's dress. The mare told him to put it on and get on her back. +On he put the dress, and at once Hookedy-Crookedy was transformed into +a very handsome, dashing young fellow, and off went Jack and the mare +and the bear, the three of them, away to the war. Every one saw them, +and they admired Jack very much, he was such a handsome, +clever-looking fellow, and the word was passed on to the King about +the great Prince who was riding to the war—himself, the mare, and the +bear. The King came to see him, too, and asked him on which side he +was going to fight.</p> + +<p>"I will strike no stroke this day," says Jack, "except on the side of +the King of Scotland."</p> + +<p>The King thanked him very heartily, and said he was sure they would +win. So they went into the battle with Jack at their head, and Jack +struck east and west and in all directions and at every blow of his +sword the wind of his stroke tossed houses on the other side of the +world, and in a very short time<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> the King of the East ran off, with +all his soldiers that were still left alive. Then the King of Scotland +invited Jack to come home with him, as he was going to give a great +feast in his honor, but Jack said no, he could not go.</p> + +<p>"They don't know at home," said Jack, "where I am at all"—and neither +they did—"so I must be off to them as quickly as possible."</p> + +<p>"Then," says the King, "the least I can do is to give you a present. +Here is a tablecloth," says he, "and every time you spread it out you +will have it covered with eating and drinking of all sorts."</p> + +<p>Jack took it, and thanked him, and rode away. He left the mare and the +bear in their own wood, and became Hookedy-Crookedy again, and ran +back to his garden. The Yellow Rose told him of the brave soldier that +had won her father's battle that day.</p> + +<p>"Well, well," says Jack, says he, "he must have been a grand fellow +entirely. It is a pity I was not there, but I had to go on a message +for the King."</p> + +<p>"Poor Hookedy-Crookedy," says she, "what could you do if you were +there yourself?"</p> + +<p>Jack went to the wood again next morning, and consulted with the mare.</p> + +<p>"Jack," said the mare, "look in the inside of my left ear, and see +what you will see," and Jack took out of her left ear a soldier's +suit, done off with silver, the grandest ever seen, and at the mare's +advice he put the suit on, and mounted on her back, and the three of +them went off to the battle. Every one was admiring the beautiful, +dashing fellow that was riding to the battle this day, and word came +to the King, and the King came to speak to him and welcomed him +heartily.</p> + +<p>He said, "Your brother came with us the last day we went into the +battle. Your brother is a very handsome, fine-looking fellow. What +side are you going to fight on?"</p> + +<p>Says Jack, "I will strike no stroke on any side but yours this day."</p> + +<p>The King thanked him very heartily, and into the battle<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> they went +with Jack at their head, and Jack struck east and west and in all +directions, and the wind of the strokes blew down forests in the other +end of the world, and very soon the King of the East, with all his +soldiers that were still alive, drew off from the battle.</p> + +<p>Then the King thanked Jack and invited him to his castle; where he +would give a feast in his honor. But Jack said he could not go, for +they did not know at home where he was, and they would be uneasy about +him until he reached home again.</p> + +<p>"Then," says the King, "the least I can do for you is to give you a +present. Here is a purse, and no matter how often and how much you pay +out of it, it will never be empty."</p> + +<p>Jack took it, and thanked him, and rode away. In the wood he left the +mare and the bear, and was again changed into Hookedy-Crookedy, and +went home to his garden. The Yellow Rose came out, and told him about +the great victory a brave and beautiful soldier, brother to the fine +fellow of the day before, had won for her father.</p> + +<p>"Well, well," says Jack, says he, "that was very wonderful entirely. I +am sorry I was not there, but I had to be away on a message for your +father."</p> + +<p>"But, my poor Hookedy-Crookedy," says she, "it was better so, for what +could you do?"</p> + +<p>Three days after that the King of the East took courage to come to +battle again. The morning of the battle Jack went to the wood to +consult the mare.</p> + +<p>"Look into my left ear, Jack, and see what you will see," and from the +mare's left ear Jack drew out a most gorgeous soldier's suit, done off +with gold braiding and ornaments of every sort. By the mare's advice +he put it on, and himself, the mare, and the bear went off to the war.</p> + +<p>The King soon heard of the wonderfully grand fellow that was riding to +the war to-day with the mare and the bear, and he came to Jack and +welcomed him and told him how his two brothers had won the last two +victories for him. He asked Jack on what side he was going to fight.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I will strike no stroke this day," says Jack, "only on the King of +Scotland's side."</p> + +<p>The King thanked him heartily, and said, "We will surely win the +victory," and then into the battle they rode with Jack at their head, +and Jack struck east and west and in all directions, and the wind of +the strokes tumbled mountains at the other end of the world, and very +soon the King of the East with all his soldiers that were left alive +took to their heels and never stopped running until they went as far +as the world would let them.</p> + +<p>Then the King came to Jack and thanked him over and over again, and +said he would never be able to repay him. He then invited him to come +to his castle, where he would give a little feast in his honour, but +Jack said they didn't know at home where he was and they would be +uneasy about him, and so he could not go with the King.</p> + +<p>"But," says he, "I and my brothers will come to the feast with you at +any other time."</p> + +<p>"What day will the three of you come?" said the King.</p> + +<p>"Only one of us can leave home in one day," said Jack. "I will come to +feast with you to-morrow, and my second brother the day after, and my +third brother the day after that."</p> + +<p>The King agreed to this and thanked him. "And now," said the King, +"let me give you a present," and he gave him a comb, such that every +time he combed his hair with it he would comb out of it bushels of +gold and silver, and it would transform the ugliest man that ever was +into the nicest and handsomest. Jack took it and thanked the King and +rode away.</p> + +<p>On this day, as on the other two days after the battle, they cured the +dead and the wounded with the bottles of Ioca, and all were well +again. When Jack went to the wood, he left the mare and the bear in it +and became Hookedy-Crookedy again, and went home and to his garden. +The Yellow Rose came to him and had wonderful news for him this day +about the terrible grand fellow entirely, who had won the battle for +her father that day; brother to the two brave fellows who had won the +battles on the other two days.</p> + +<p>"Well," says Jack, says he, "those must be wonderful chaps.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> I wish I +had been there; but I had to be away on a message for your father all +day."</p> + +<p>"Oh, my poor Hookedy-Crookedy," says she, "it was better so, for what +could you do?"</p> + +<p>The next day, when it was near dinner time, he went off to the wood to +the mare and the bear and got on the suit he had worn the day before +in the battle, and mounted the mare and rode for the castle, and when +he came there all the gates happened to be closed, but he put the mare +at the walls, which were nine miles high, and leaped them.</p> + +<p>The King scolded the gate-keepers, but Jack said a trifle like that +didn't harm him or his mare. After dinner the King asked him what he +thought of his two daughters and their husbands. Jack said they were +very good and asked him if he had any more daughters in his family.</p> + +<p>The King said he used to have another, the youngest, but she would not +consent to marry as he wished, and he had banished her out of his +sight.</p> + +<p>Jack said he would like to see her.</p> + +<p>The King said he never wished to let her enter company again, but he +could not refuse Jack; so the Yellow Rose was sent for.</p> + +<p>Jack fell a-chatting with her and used all his arts to win her; and of +course, in this handsome Jack she did not recognize ugly little +Hookedy-Crookedy. He told her he had heard that she had the very bad +taste to fall in love with an ugly, crooked, wee fellow in her +father's garden.</p> + +<p>"I am a handsome fellow, and a rich prince," says Jack, "and I will +give you myself and all I possess if you will only say you will accept +me."</p> + +<p>She was highly insulted, and she showed him that very quickly. She +said, "I won't sit here and hear the man I love abused," and she got +up to leave.</p> + +<p>"Well," says Jack, "I admire your spirit; but before you go," says he, +"let me make you a little present," and he handed her a tablecloth. +"There," says he, "if you marry Hookedy-Crookedy, as long as you have +this tablecloth, you will never want eating and drinking of the +best."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span></p> + +<p>The other two sisters grabbed to get the tablecloth from her but Jack +put out his hands and pushed them back.</p> + +<p>At dinner time the next day Jack came in the dress in which he had +gone into the second battle, and with the mare he cleared the walls as +on the day before.</p> + +<p>The King was enraged at the gate-keepers and began to scold them, but +Jack laughed at them and said a trifle like that was nothing to him or +his mare.</p> + +<p>After dinner was over the King asked what he thought of his two +daughters and their husbands.</p> + +<p>Jack said they were very good, and asked him if he had any more +daughters in his family.</p> + +<p>The King said, "I have no more except one who won't do as I wish and +who has fallen in love with an ugly, crooked, wee fellow in my garden, +and I ordered her never to come into my sight."</p> + +<p>But Jack said he would very much like to see her.</p> + +<p>The King said that on Jack's account he would break his vow and let +her come in. So the Yellow Rose was brought in, and Jack fell to +chatting with her. He did all he could to make her fall in love with +him, and told her of all his great wealth and possessions and offered +himself to her, and said if she only would marry him she should live +in ease and luxury and happiness all the days of her life, as she +never could do with Hookedy-Crookedy.</p> + +<p>But Yellow Rose got very angry, and said: "I won't sit here and listen +to such things," and she got up to leave the room.</p> + +<p>"Well," says Jack, "I admire your spirit, and before you go let me +make you a little present."</p> + +<p>So he handed her a purse. "Here," says he, "is a purse, and all the +days yourself and Hookedy-Crookedy live you will never want for money, +for that purse will never be empty."</p> + +<p>Her sisters made a grab to snatch it from her, but Jack shoved them +back, and went out. And Jack rode away with the mare after dinner and +left her in the wood.</p> + +<p>When he came back to his garden he always came in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +Hookedy-Crookedy shape and always pretended he had been off on a +message for the King.</p> + +<p>The third day he went to the wood again. He dressed in the suit in +which he had gone to the first battle, and when he came back he went +to the castle and cleared the walls, and when the King scolded the +gate-keepers Jack told him never to mind, as that was a small trifle +to him and his mare.</p> + +<p>A very grand dinner indeed Jack had this day, and when they chatted +after dinner the King asked him how he liked his two daughters and +their husbands.</p> + +<p>He said he liked them very well, and asked him if he had any more +daughters in his family.</p> + +<p>The King said no, except one foolish one who wouldn't do as he wished, +and who had fallen in love with an ugly, crooked, wee fellow in his +garden, and she was never to come within his sight again.</p> + +<p>Says Jack, "I would like to see that girl."</p> + +<p>The King said he could not refuse Jack any request he made; so he sent +for the Yellow Rose. When she came in, Jack fell into chat with her, +and did his very, very best to make her fall in love with him. But it +was of no use. He told her of all his wealth and all his grand +possessions, and said if she would marry him she should own all these, +and all the days she should live she should be the happiest woman in +the wide world, but if she married Hookedy-Crookedy, he said, she +would never be free from want and hardships, besides having an ugly +husband.</p> + +<p>If the Yellow Rose was in a rage on the two days before, she was in a +far greater rage now. She said she wouldn't sit there to listen. She +told Jack that Hookedy-Crookedy was in her eyes a far more handsome +and beautiful man than he or than any king's son she had ever seen. +She said to Jack, that if he were ten times as handsome and a hundred +times as wealthy, she wouldn't give Hookedy-Crookedy's little finger +for himself or for all his wealth and possessions, and then she got up +to leave the room.</p> + +<p>"Well," says Jack, says he, "I admire your spirit very much and," says +he, "I would like to make you a little present. Here<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> is a comb," he +said, "and it will comb out of your hair a bushel of gold and a bushel +of silver every time you comb with it, and, besides," says he, "it +will make handsome the ugliest man that ever was."</p> + +<p>When the other sisters heard this they rushed to snatch the comb from +her, but Jack threw them backwards so very roughly that their husbands +sprang at him. With a back switch of his two hands Jack knocked the +husbands down senseless. The King flew into a rage, and said, "How +dare you do that to the two finest and bravest men of this world?"</p> + +<p>"Fine and brave, indeed!" said Jack. "One and the other are worthless +creatures, and not even your lawful sons-in-law."</p> + +<p>"How dare you say that?" says the King.</p> + +<p>"Strip their backs where they lie and see for yourself." And there the +King saw written, "An unlawfully married man."</p> + +<p>"What is the meaning of this?" says the King. "They were lawfully +married to my two daughters, and they have the golden tokens of the +marriage."</p> + +<p>Jack drew out from his pocket the golden balls and handed them to the +King, and said, "It is I who have the tokens."</p> + +<p>The Yellow Rose had gone off to the garden in the middle of all this. +Jack made the King sit down, and told him all his story, and how he +came by the golden balls. He told him how he was Hookedy-Crookedy, and +that it reflected a great deal of honour on his youngest daughter that +she whom the King thought so worthless should refuse to give up +Hookedy-Crookedy for the one she thought a wealthy prince. The King, +you may be sure, was now highly delighted to grant him all he desired. +A couple of drops of Ioca brought the King's two sons-in-law to their +senses again, and at Jack's request, they were ordered to go and live +elsewhere. Jack went off, left his mare in the wood, and came into the +garden as Hookedy-Crookedy. He told the Yellow Rose he had been +gathering bilberries.</p> + +<p>"Oh," says she, "I have something grand for you. Let me comb your hair +with this comb."</p> + +<p>Hookedy-Crookedy put his head in her lap, and she combed out a bushel +of gold and silver; and when he stood up again, she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> saw +Hookedy-Crookedy no more, but instead the beautiful prince that had +been trying to win her in her father's drawing-room for the last three +days; and then and there to her Jack told his whole story, and it's +Yellow Rose who was the delighted girl.</p> + +<p>With little delay they were married. The wedding lasted a year and a +day, and there were five hundred fiddlers, five hundred fluters and a +thousand fifers at it, and the last day was better than the first.</p> + +<p>Shortly after the marriage, Jack and his bride were out walking one +day. A beautiful young woman crossed their path. Jack addressed her, +but she gave him a very curt reply.</p> + +<p>"Your manners are not so handsome as your looks," said Jack to her.</p> + +<p>"And bad as they are, they are better than your memory, +Hookedy-Crookedy," says she.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" says Jack.</p> + +<p>She led Jack aside, and she told him, "I am the mare who was so good +to you. I was condemned to that shape for a number of years, and now +my enchantment is over. I had a brother who was enchanted into a bear, +and whose enchantment is over now also. I had hopes," she says, "that +some day you would be my husband, but I see," she says, "that you +quickly forgot all about me. No matter now," she says; "I couldn't +wish you a better and handsomer wife than you have got. Go home to +your castle, and be happy and live prosperous. I shall never see you, +and you will never see me again."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Arndts_Night_Underground" id="Arndts_Night_Underground"></a><i>Arndt's Night Underground</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_09.jpg" alt="I" width="35" height="50" /></div> +<p>t was on a dreary winter's night, just such a one as it may be +now—only you cannot see it for your closed shutters and +curtains—that two children were coming home from their daily work, +for their parents were poor, and Arndt and Reutha had already to use +their little hands in labour. They were very tired, and as they came +across the moor the wind blew in their faces, and the distant roaring +of the Baltic sea, on whose shore they lived, sounded gloomy and +terrible.</p> + +<p>"Dear Arndt, let me sit down and rest for a minute, I can go no +farther," said Reutha, as she sank down on a little mound that seemed +to rise up invitingly, with its shelter of bushes, from the midst of +the desolate moor.</p> + +<p>The elder brother tried to encourage his little sister, as all kind +brothers should do; he even tried to carry her a little way; but she +was too heavy for him, and they went back to the mound. Just then the +moon came out, and the little hillock looked such a nice +resting-place, that Reutha longed more than ever to stay. It was not a +cold night, so Arndt was not afraid; and at last he wrapped his sister +up in her woollen cloak, and she sat down.</p> + +<p>"I will just run a little farther and try if I can see the light in +father's window," said Arndt. "You will not be afraid, Reutha?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no! I am never afraid."</p> + +<p>"And you will not go to sleep?"</p> + +<p>"Not I," said Reutha; and all the while she rubbed her eyes to keep +them open, and leaned her head against a branch which seemed to her as +soft and inviting as a pillow.</p> + +<p>Arndt went a little way, until he saw the light which his father +always placed so as to guide the children over the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> moor. Then he felt +quite safe and at home, and went back cheerfully to his sister.</p> + +<p>Reutha was not there! Beside the little mound and among the bushes did +poor Arndt search in terror, but he could not find his sister. He +called her name loudly—there was no answer. Not a single trace of her +could be found; and yet he had not been five minutes away.</p> + +<p>"Oh! what shall I do?" sobbed the boy; "I dare not go home without +Reutha!" And there for a long time did Arndt sit by the hillock, +wringing his hands and vainly expecting that his sister would hear him +and come back. At last there passed by an old man, who travelled about +the country selling ribbons and cloths.</p> + +<p>"How you are grown since I saw you last, my little fellow!" said the +man. "And where is your sister Reutha?"</p> + +<p>Arndt burst into tears, and told his friend of all that had happened +that night. The peddler's face grew graver and graver as the boy told +him it was on this very spot that he lost his little sister.</p> + +<p>"Arndt," whispered he, "did you ever hear of the Hill-men? It is they +who have carried little Reutha away."</p> + +<p>And then the old man told how in his young days he had heard strange +tales of this same moor; for that the little mound was a fairy-hill, +where the underground dwarfs lived, and where they often carried off +young children to be their servants, taking them under the hill, and +only leaving behind their shoes. "For," said the peddler, "the +Hill-people are very particular, and will make all their servants wear +beautiful glass shoes instead of clumsy leather."</p> + +<p>So he and Arndt searched about the hill, and there, sure enough, they +found Reutha's tiny shoes hidden under the long grass. At this her +brother's tears burst forth afresh.</p> + +<p>"Oh! what shall I do to bring back my poor sister? The Hill-men and +women will kill her!"</p> + +<p>"No," said the old man, "they are very good little people, and they +live in a beautiful palace underground. Truly, you will never see +Reutha again, for they will keep her with them a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> hundred years; and +when she comes back you will be dead and buried, while she is still a +beautiful child."</p> + +<p>And then, to comfort the boy, the peddler told him wonderful stories +of the riches and splendour of the Hill-people, how that sometimes +they had been seen dancing at night on the mounds, and how they wore +green caps, which, if any mortal man could get possession of, the +dwarfs were obliged to serve him and obey him in everything. All this +Arndt drank in with eager ears; and when the peddler went away he sat +a long time thinking.</p> + +<p>"I will do it," at last he said aloud. "I will try to get my dear +Reutha safe back again."</p> + +<p>And the boy stole noiselessly to the mound which the Hill-men were +supposed to inhabit. He hid himself among the surrounding bushes, and +there he lay in the silence and darkness, his young heart beating +wildly, and only stilled by one thought that lay ever there, that of +the lost Reutha. At last a sudden brightness flashed upon the boy's +eyes; it could not be the moon, for she had long set. No; but it was a +sight more glorious than Arndt had ever dreamed of.</p> + +<p>The grassy hill opened, and through this aperture the boy saw a palace +underground, glittering with gold and gems. The Hill-men danced about +within it, dressed like tiny men and women. Arndt thought how +beautiful they were, though they seemed no bigger than his own baby +sister of six months old. One by one they rose out of the opening, and +gambolled on the snow-covered mound; but wherever they trod flowers +sprang up, and the air grew light and warm as summer. After a while +they ceased dancing and began ball-playing, tossing their little green +caps about in great glee. And lo and behold! one of these wonderful +caps, being tossed farther than usual, lighted on the very forehead of +the peeping boy!</p> + +<p>In a moment he snatched it and held it fast, with a cry of triumph. +The light faded—the scene vanished—only Arndt heard a small weak +voice whispering, humbly and beseechingly in his ear.</p> + +<p>"Please, noble gentleman, give me my cap again."</p> + +<p>"No, no, good Hill-man," answered the courageous boy;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> "you have got +my little sister, and I have got your cap, which I shall keep."</p> + +<p>"I will give you a better cap for it—all gold and jewels—oh, so +beautiful!" said the Hill-man, persuasively.</p> + +<p>"I will not have it. What good would it do me? No, no, I am your +master, good dwarf, as you very well know, and I command you to take +me down in the hill with you, for I want to see Reutha."</p> + +<p>There shone a dim light on the grass, like a glowworm, and then Arndt +saw the elfin mound open again; but this time the palace looked like a +dim, gloomy staircase. On the top stair stood the little Hill-man, +holding the glowworm lamp, and making many low bows to his new master. +Arndt glanced rather fearfully down the staircase; but then he thought +of Reutha, and his love for her made him grow bold. He took upon +himself a lordly air, and bade his little servant lead the way.</p> + +<p>The Hill-man took him through beautiful galleries, and halls, and +gardens, until the boy's senses were intoxicated with these lovely +things. Every now and then he stopped, and asked for Reutha: but then +there was always some new chamber to be seen, or some dainty banquet +to be tasted; until, by degrees, Arndt's memory of his little sister +grew dimmer, and he revelled in the delights of the fairy palace hour +after hour. When night came—if so it could be called in that lovely +place, where night was only day shadowed over and made more +delicious—the boy felt himself lulled by sweet music to a soft +dreaminess, which was all the sleep that was needed in that fairy +paradise.</p> + +<p>Thus, day after day passed in all gay delights, the elfin people were +the merriest in the world, and they did all their little master +desired. And Arndt knew not that while they surrounded him with +delights it was only to make him forget his errand. But one day, when +the boy lay on a green dell in the lovely fairy-garden, he heard a +low, wailing song, and saw a troop of little mortal children at work +in the distance. Some were digging ore, and others making jewellery, +while a few stood in the stream that ran by, beating linen, as it +seemed. And among<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> these poor little maidens, who worked so hard and +sang so mournfully, was his own sister Reutha.</p> + +<p>"No one cares for me," she murmured; and her song had in it a +plaintive sweetness, very different from the way in which the little +Danish maiden spoke on earth. "Reutha is alone—her hands are sore +with toil—her feet bleed—but no one pities her. Arndt sleeps in +gorgeous clothes, while Reutha toils in rags. Arndt is the +master—Reutha is the slave! Poor Reutha is quite alone!"</p> + +<p>Even amidst the spells of fairyland that voice went to the brother's +heart. He called the Hill-people, and bade them bring Reutha to him. +Then he kissed her, and wept over her, and dressed her in his own +beautiful robes, while the Hill-men dared not interfere. Arndt took +his sister by the hand, and said—</p> + +<p>"Now, let us go; we have stayed long enough. Good Hill-man, you shall +have your cap again when you have brought Reutha and me to our own +father's door."</p> + +<p>But the Hill-man shook his tiny head, and made his most obsequious +bow. "Noble master, anything but this! This little maid we found +asleep on our hill, and she is ours for a hundred years."</p> + +<p>Here Arndt got into a passion; for, convinced of the power the little +green cap gave him over the dwarfs, he had long lost all fear of them. +He stamped with his foot until the little man leaped up a yard high, +and begged his master to be more patient.</p> + +<p>"How dare you keep my sister? you ugly little creatures!" cried the +boy, his former pleasant companion becoming at once hateful to him. +But the Hill-people only gave him gentle answers; until at last he +grew ashamed of being so angry with such tiny creatures. They led him +to a palace, more beautiful than any he had yet seen, and showed him +pearls and diamonds heaped up in basketfuls.</p> + +<p>"You shall take all these away with you, noble sir!" said his little +servant. "They will make you a rich man all the days of your life, and +you will live in a palace as fine as ours. Is not that far better than +having a poor helpless sister to work for?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span></p> + +<p>But Arndt caught a glimpse of Reutha, as she sat outside; weeping—she +dared not enter with him—and he kicked the baskets over, and +scattered the jewels like so many pebbles.</p> + +<p>"Keep all your treasures, and give me my sister!" cried he.</p> + +<p>Then the Hill-man tried him with something else. Arndt was a very +handsome boy and everybody had told him so, until he was rather vain. +Many a time, when he worked in the field, he used to look at himself +in a clear, still pool, and think how golden his hair was, and how +lithe and graceful his figure. Now the Hill-man knew all this; and so +he led the boy to a crystal mirror and showed him his own beautiful +form, set off with every advantage of rich dress. And then, by fairy +spells, Arndt saw beside it the image of the little peasant as he was +when he entered the hill.</p> + +<p>"Think how different!" whispered the dwarf. He breathed on the mirror, +and the boy saw himself as he would be when he grew up—a +hard-working, labouring man; and opposite, the semblance of a young, +graceful nobleman, whose face was the same which the stream had often +told him was his own.</p> + +<p>"We can make thee always thus handsome. Choose which thou wilt be," +murmured the tempting voice.</p> + +<p>The boy hesitated; but the same moment came that melancholy voice—"My +brother is rich, and I am poor; he is clad in silk, and I in rags. +Alas, for me!"</p> + +<p>"It shall not be!" cried the noble boy. "I will go out of this place +as poor as I came; but I will take Reutha with me. I will work all the +days of my life; but Reutha shall not stay here. Hill-people! I want +none of your treasures; but I command you to give me my sister, and +let us go!"</p> + +<p>Arndt folded his arms around Reutha, and walked with her through all +the gorgeous rooms, the Hill-men and women following behind, and +luring him with their sweetest songs and most bewitching smiles. But +Reutha's voice and Reutha's smile had greatest power of all over her +brother's heart.</p> + +<p>They climbed the gloomy staircase, and stood at the opening in the +hillock. Then the little Hill-man appealed once more to his master<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span>—</p> + +<p>"Noble gentleman! remember, a life of labour with Reutha or one of +continual pleasure alone! Think again!"</p> + +<p>"No, not for a moment," said Arndt, as he felt the breezes of earth +playing on his cheek. How sweet they were, even after the fragrant +airs of elfin-land!</p> + +<p>"At least, kind master, give me my cap!" piteously implored the +Hill-man.</p> + +<p>"Take it; and good-bye for evermore!" cried Arndt, as he clasped his +sister in his arms and leaped out. The chasm closed, and the two +children found themselves lying in a snow-drift, with the gray dawn of +a winter's morning just breaking over them.</p> + +<p>"Where have you been all night, my children?" cried the anxious +mother, as they knocked at the door.</p> + +<p>Had it, indeed, been only a single night, the months that seemed to +have passed while they were under the hill? They could not tell, for +they were now like all other children, and their wisdom learned in +fairyland had passed away. It seemed only a dream, save that the +brother and sister loved each other better than ever, and so they +continued to do as long as they lived.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Unicorn" id="The_Unicorn"></a><i>The Unicorn</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_07.jpg" alt="F" width="53" height="50" /></div> +<p>ritz, Franz, and Hans were charcoal-burners. They lived with their +mother in the depths of a forest, where they very seldom saw the face +of another human being. Hans, the youngest, did not remember ever +having lived anywhere else, but Fritz and Franz could just call to +mind sunny meadows, in which they played as little children, plucking +the flowers and chasing the butterflies. Indeed, Fritz was able to +compare the present state of miserable poverty in which they lived +with the ease and comfort they had enjoyed in years gone by.</p> + +<p>Once upon a time they were well off. They had enough to eat every day; +they lived in a comfortable house, surrounded by a nice garden, and +with plenty of kind neighbours around them. Then came a change. Their +father lost his money and was forced to leave this pleasant home, and +to earn bread for his family by becoming a charcoal-burner. Everything +now became different. Their house was a poor hut, composed of a few +logs of wood knocked roughly together. Dry black bread with, +occasionally, a few potatoes and lentils, and now and then, as a great +treat, a little porridge, formed their food. And to secure even this +they had to work hard from morning till night at their grimy trade. +But their father was brave and patient, and, while he was alive, the +wolf was kept some distance from the door. Besides, he could always +put some heart into the boys when they began to flag, by a joke or a +pleasant story. But he had died a year ago, owing to an accident he +met with while chopping wood for the furnace, and since his death +matters had been going from bad to worse with the family.</p> + +<p>Fritz and Franz were, unfortunately, selfish, ill-conditioned lads, +who made the worst instead of the best of their troubles,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> and who +even grudged their mother and brother their share of the food. Hans, +on the other hand, was a capital fellow. He always had a cheerful +smile or word, and did all in his power to help his mother to keep in +good spirits. One day, at dinner time, they were startled by a knock +at the door. A knock at the door does not seem to us, perhaps, to be a +very startling thing, but they, as I said, so seldom saw a strange +face near their home that this knock at the door quite took away their +breath. When it came, Fritz and Franz were sitting over the fire +munching their last piece of black bread, and grumbling to each other +as was their custom, while Hans, seated on the bed beside his mother, +was telling her about what he saw and what he fancied when he was in +the forest. Fritz was the first to recover himself, and he growled +out, in his usual surly tone, "Come in." The door opened, and a +gentleman entered. From his green dress, the gun that he carried in +his hand, and the game-bag slung by his side, they saw that he was a +huntsman, who had been amusing himself with shooting the game with +which the forest abounded.</p> + +<p>"Good morning, good friends," he said, in a cheerful tone. "Could you +provide me with a cup of water and a mouthful of something to eat? I +have forgotten to bring anything with me, and am ravenously hungry, +and far from home."</p> + +<p>Fritz and Franz first threw a scowling glance from under their +eyebrows at the stranger by way of reply, then gave a grunt, and +continued munching at their hunks of bread. Hans, however, was more +polite. The only seats in the hut were occupied by Fritz and Franz, +and as they showed no disposition to move, Hans dragged a log of wood +from a corner and placed it before the visitor, and invited him to sit +down. Then he produced a cup, scrupulously clean indeed, but sadly +cracked and chipped, and, running outside, he filled it from a spring +of delicious, cool water, which rose near the hut. As he had been busy +talking to his mother, he had had no time to eat his share of the +black bread, and so he handed his coarse crust to the stranger, saying +he was sorry that there was nothing better to offer him.</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said the stranger, courteously. "Hunger is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> the best +sauce. There is no lunch I like so well as this." And he set to work +with such a good will that, in a very short time, poor Hans's crust +had vanished, and there was nothing left before the stranger but a few +crumbs of bread on the table, and a few drops of water in the cup. +These he kneaded carelessly together into a little pellet, about the +size of a pea, while Hans told him, in answer to his questions, all +about their lonely life in the forest, and the hardships which they +had to endure.</p> + +<p>When the stranger rose to go he said, "Well, I thank you heartily for +your hospitality—now I will give you a word of advice. One of you +lads should go and seek the sparkling golden water, which turns +everything it touches into gold."</p> + +<p>Fritz and Franz pricked up their ears at this, and both at once +demanded where this sparkling golden water was to be found. The +stranger turned toward them, courteously, although these were the +first words they had spoken since his entrance, and replied:</p> + +<p>"The sparkling golden water is to be found in the forest of dead +trees, on the farther side of those blue mountains, which you may see +on any clear day in the far distance. It is a three weeks' journey on +foot from here."</p> + +<p>Then, bowing to his hosts, he stepped toward the door. Hans, however, +was there first, and opened it for him. Obeying a sign from the +stranger, Hans followed him a little way from the hut. Then the +stranger, taking from his pocket the little black bread pellet, said, +"I know, because you gave me your dinner, that you will have to go +hungry. I have no money to offer you, but here is something that will +be of far greater value to you than money. Keep this pellet carefully, +and when you seek the sparkling golden water, as I know you will, +don't forget to bring it with you. Now go back: you must follow me no +farther." So saying, the stranger waved his hand to Hans, and, +plunging into the thicket, disappeared. Hans slipped the pellet into +his pocket and re-entered the hut, where he found his brothers in loud +dispute about the sparkling golden water. They were much too +interested in the matter to pay any attention to Hans or to ask him, +as he was afraid they would, whether the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> stranger had given him any +money before he left. As he came in, he heard Fritz saying in a loud +voice:</p> + +<p>"I'm the eldest, and I will go first to get the sparkling golden +water. When I've got it I will buy all the land hereabouts and become +Count. I will hunt every day, and have lots of good wine; and +sometimes, if I'm passing near here, I'll just look in to see how you +all are, and to show you my fine clothes, and horses, and dogs, and +servants." Fritz was, for him, almost gracious at the bright prospect +before him.</p> + +<p>"I don't care whether you're the eldest or not," growled Franz, +stubbornly, "I shall go, too, to find the sparkling golden water. When +I've found it I will buy the Burgomaster's office, and live in his +house in the town yonder, and wear his fur robes and gold chain; and, +best of all, walk at the head of all the grand processions. None of +your wild hunting for me—give me ease and comfort."</p> + +<p>At last it was decided, after a great deal of squabbling, that Fritz +as the eldest should go first in search of the sparkling golden water, +and accordingly next day he set out. Hans ventured to hint that the +first thing to be done with this sparkling golden water when it was +found should be to provide a comfortable home for their mother, but +Fritz's only answer to this was a blow, and an angry order to Hans to +mind his own business.</p> + +<p>We cannot follow Fritz all the way on his journey. As he had no money +he was forced to beg at the doors of the cottages and farmhouses which +he passed, for food and shelter for the night. Now, this proved to be +rather hard work, because nobody very much liked his looks or his +manner; and people only gave him spare scraps now and then in order to +get him to go away as soon as possible. However, he found himself, at +last, approaching the forest of dead trees. He knew that it was the +forest, although there was nobody there to tell him so. He had not, in +fact, seen any human being for the last three days, but he felt that +he could not be mistaken. A vast forest of enormous trees lifted +leafless, sapless branches to the sky, and every breath of wind +rattled them together like the bones of a skeleton. When he was about +twenty yards from the forest a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> terrible sound came from it. It was as +though a thousand horses were neighing and screaming all at once. +Fritz's heart stood still. He wanted to run away, but his legs refused +to move. As he stood there, shaking and quaking, there rushed out of +the forest a huge unicorn with a spiral golden horn on his forehead.</p> + +<p>"What seek you here?" asked the unicorn, in a voice of thunder. Fritz +stammered out that he sought the sparkling golden water.</p> + +<p>"What want you with the sparkling golden water, which is in my +charge?" thundered the unicorn.</p> + +<p>Fritz was almost too frightened to speak. He fell on his knees, put up +his hands, and cried: "Oh, good Mr. Unicorn, oh, kind Mr. Unicorn, +pray don't hurt me!"</p> + +<p>The unicorn stamped furiously on the ground with his right forefoot. +"Say this instant," he cried, "what it is that you want with the +sparkling golden water!"</p> + +<p>"I want to get money to buy land and become a Count," Fritz was just +able to gasp out. The unicorn said nothing; he simply lowered his +head, and with his golden horn tossed Fritz three hundred and +forty-five feet in the air. Up went Fritz like a sky-rocket, and down +he came like its stick, turning somersaults all the way. Fortunately +for him, his fall was broken by the branches of one of the dead trees. +If it had not been for this he would probably have been seriously +hurt. Through these branches he crashed until he reached the point +where they joined the trunk. The tree was hollow here, and Fritz +tumbled down to the bottom of the trunk and found himself a prisoner. +While he was feeling his arms and legs, to find out if any bones were +broken or not, he had the satisfaction of hearing the unicorn, as he +trotted back into the forest, muttering, loud enough for his words to +pierce the bark and wood of Fritz's prison:—</p> + +<p>"So much for you and your Countship!"</p> + +<p>Fritz tried to get out, but in vain. The tree was too smooth and +slippery and high for him to be able to clamber up, and he only hurt +himself every time he attempted to escape. There was nothing for it, +then, but for him to lie down and howl.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> He had to satisfy his hunger +as best he might, by eating the stray worms and woodlice and fungi, +which he found creeping, crawling, and growing round about the roots +of the tree. We will leave him there for the present and return to the +others.</p> + +<p>Franz, Hans, and their mother waited and waited for Fritz to come +back. Hans and his mother could not believe it possible that, when he +had secured the sparkling golden water, he would leave them in their +poverty. Franz, on the other hand, judging Fritz by himself, thought +that nothing was more likely. And Franz was most probably right. Six +weeks was the shortest time in which Fritz could be home again. +"Unless," said Hans, "he buys a horse and rides back, as he will be +very well able to do when he has got the sparkling golden water." But +six weeks passed, and two months, and three months, and no Fritz, +either on horseback or afoot. Then Franz's patience came to an end. He +must needs go, too.</p> + +<p>"I won't wait here starving any longer," said he; "Fritz has forgotten +all about us. I'll get the sparkling golden water and become +Burgomaster." So off he set, following the same road as Fritz, and +meeting with much the same difficulties. They were, however, rather +greater in his case than in his brother's. Folk remembered the +ill-conditioned Fritz only too well, and Franz was so like him in +looks and manner, that they shut the door in his face the moment he +appeared, and ran upstairs and called out from the top windows of +their houses, "Go away! There's nothing for you here. The big dog's +loose in the yard. Go away, charcoal-burner."</p> + +<p>However, by dint of perseverance, in which to say the truth he was not +lacking, Franz, very hungry and sulky, reached the verge of the forest +of dead trees. Out came the unicorn and asked his business. On Franz +replying that he wanted the sparkling golden water in order to buy the +house and post of Burgomaster, the unicorn tossed him into the air, +and he tumbled into the same tree as Fritz. Then the unicorn trotted +back into the forest, muttering, for Franz's benefit: "So much for you +and your Burgomastership!"</p> + +<p>When Fritz and Franz found themselves thus closely con<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span>fined in the +same prison, they, instead of making the best of each other's company, +as sensible brothers would have done, fell to quarrelling and +fighting, until at last neither would speak to the other, and that +state of sulky silence they maintained all the time of their +captivity.</p> + +<p>The months passed by, but no news came to Hans and his mother of Fritz +and Franz. Meanwhile Hans found that it became daily more difficult +for him to earn enough money to support two people. Moreover, he saw +that his mother was growing weaker, and he feared that she would die +unless she had proper food and nourishment. At last he said:</p> + +<p>"Mother, if there were only some one to take care of you, I would go +in search of Fritz and Franz. You may be sure they have got the +sparkling golden water by this time. They would never refuse me a few +guldern, if I were to ask them and tell them how ill you are."</p> + +<p>But Hans's mother did not at all like the idea of his leaving her, and +she begged and prayed him not to go. He felt obliged, therefore, to +submit, and stayed on for a little longer, until at last even his +mother saw that they must either starve or do as Hans suggested. Most +fortunately at this time there dropped in to see them another +charcoal-burner, whom Hans used to call "Uncle Stoltz," although he +was no uncle at all, but only a good-natured neighbour and an old +friend of Hans's father. Uncle Stoltz strongly urged the mother to let +her boy go in search of his brothers, adding, although he was nearly +as poor as they were themselves:</p> + +<p>"You come and live with me and my wife. While we have a crust to +divide you shan't want."</p> + +<p>So Hans's mother gave a reluctant consent, and went to live with Uncle +Stoltz, while Hans went out in search of his brothers. By making +inquiries he easily found the road which they had taken, but nobody +ever thought of shutting the door in his face. On the contrary, his +polite manners and cheerful looks made him a welcome guest at every +cottage and farmstead at which he stopped. At last he, too, found +himself on the verge of the forest of dead trees and face to face with +the golden-horned<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> unicorn. But Hans was not to be frightened as his +brothers had been by the terrible voice and awe-striking appearance of +the guardian of the fountain. In reply to the usual question, given in +the usual tone of thunder: "What seek you here?" Hans replied, coolly, +"I seek my brothers, Fritz and Franz."</p> + +<p>"They are where you will never find them," said the unicorn, "so go +home again."</p> + +<p>"If I cannot find my brothers," said Hans, firmly, "I will not go home +without the sparkling golden water."</p> + +<p>"What want you with the sparkling golden water, which is in my +charge?" asked the unicorn, in his terrible voice.</p> + +<p>"I want to buy food and wine and comforts for my mother; who is very +ill," answered Hans, undaunted. But his eyes filled with tears as he +thought of his mother.</p> + +<p>The unicorn spoke more gently.</p> + +<p>"Have you," he asked, "the crystal ball? Because without it I cannot +allow you to pass to the sparkling golden water."</p> + +<p>"The crystal ball!" echoed Hans. "I never heard of such a thing."</p> + +<p>"That's a pity," said the unicorn, gravely; "I'm afraid you will have +to go home without the water; but, stay, feel in your pockets. You may +have had the ball, and put it somewhere, and have forgotten all about +it."</p> + +<p>Hans smiled at the idea of the crystal ball lying, unknown to him, in +his pockets, but he followed the suggestion of the unicorn; and found, +as he knew he should find, nothing at all, except, indeed, the pellet +of black bread which the stranger-huntsman had given him, and which he +had not thought of from that day to this. "No," he said to the +unicorn, "I have nothing in my pocket, except this pellet," and he was +about to throw it away when the unicorn called out to him to stop.</p> + +<p>"Let me see it," he said. "Why," he went on, "this is the crystal +ball—look!"</p> + +<p>Hans did look, and sure enough he found in his hand a tiny globe of +crystal. He examined it with amazement. "Well," he said, "all I know +is that a second ago it was a black-bread pellet."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span></p> + +<p>"That may be," said the unicorn, carelessly; "anyhow, it is a crystal +ball now, and the possession of it makes me your servant. It is my +duty to carry you to the fountain of sparkling golden water, if you +wish to go. Have you brought a flask with you?"</p> + +<p>"No," said Hans. "Fritz took the only flask we had, and Franz an old +bottle."</p> + +<p>"Fritz, eh? Well, follow me a little way." So saying, the unicorn led +Hans to the tree in which his brothers were imprisoned and, motioning +him to be silent, cried out:</p> + +<p>"Ho! Master Count, throw out the flask you have with you, if you +please: it is wanted."</p> + +<p>"'Shan't," growled Fritz's voice in reply, "unless you promise to let +me out."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you won't, won't you?" said the unicorn; "well, we'll see."</p> + +<p>With that he drew back a few steps, and then, running forward, thrust +his sharp horn into the side of the hollow trunk from which Fritz's +voice had issued. A loud yell came from the spot, showing that the +horn had run into some tender part of Fritz's body, and at the same +instant, the flask appeared flying out of the hole in the tree by +which Fritz and Franz had entered.</p> + +<p>"That's right," said the unicorn, "now we shall do comfortably. Get on +my back, grasp my mane tightly, hold your breath, and shut your eyes."</p> + +<p>"If you please," said Hans, "will you set Fritz and Franz free first?"</p> + +<p>The unicorn looked annoyed. "They are doing very well there," he said; +"why should you disturb them? But you're my master, and I must do as +you please. Only, take my word, you will be sorry for this afterward."</p> + +<p>With that he went to the tree and, with one or two powerful blows with +his horn, made a hole large enough for the unhappy prisoners to creep +out. Two more sheepish, miserable wretches than those half-starved +brothers of his, Hans had never seen. They fell at his feet and +thanked him again and again for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> delivering them. They promised never +to do anything unkind or selfish again, and each assured Hans that he +had always liked him far more than he had liked the other brother.</p> + +<p>Their protestations of affection rather disgusted Hans, only, as he +was a good-hearted boy himself, he could not help being moved by them. +He then told his brothers in what state he had left his mother, and +how he was to be taken by the unicorn to get the sparkling golden +water.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried the brothers, "can't you take us, too?"</p> + +<p>The unicorn thought it time to interfere. "No one can be taken there, +but the owner of the crystal ball," he said. "Come, master, it is time +for you to mount."</p> + +<p>Hans clambered nimbly into his seat on the unicorn's back. "Wait for +me here," he called out to his brothers. "I shall not be long." Then +Hans shut his eyes, held his breath, and grasped the unicorn tightly +by the mane. It was as well that he did so, for the unicorn gave a +bound that carried him over the tops of the highest trees, and would +certainly have thrown him off unless he had been very firmly seated. +Three such bounds did he take, and then he paused and said to Hans, +"Now you may open your eyes." Hans found himself in a desolate, rocky +valley, without a trace of vegetation—unless the forest of dead +trees, which clothed the valley on every side, might be taken as +vegetation. In the midst of the valley there sprang up a fountain of +water, which sparked with such intense brilliancy that Hans was unable +at first to look upon it.</p> + +<p>"There, master," said the unicorn, turning his head, "this is the +fountain of sparkling golden water. Dismount, and fill your flask. But +take care that you do not allow your hand to touch the water. If it +does it will be turned into gold, and will never become flesh and +blood again."</p> + +<p>Hans slipped from his seat and, flask in hand, approached the +fountain. The ground on which he walked was sand, but as he drew +nearer the fountain, he noticed that the sand kept growing brighter +until he felt that he was walking upon what he guessed rightly to be +veritable gold dust Hans thrust a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> handful of this dust into his +pocket, and also one or two moderate-sized stones that he found, +which, like the sand, had been changed, by the spray coming from the +fountain, into pure gold. He tried to be as careful as possible in +filling the flask; but, notwithstanding all his care, the top joint of +his little finger touched the water, and in an instant became gold. +However, he had his flask full of sparkling golden water, the flask +itself now, of course, golden, and he felt that the top joint of his +little finger was a small price to pay for all this.</p> + +<p>"Now, master," said the unicorn when Hans got back, "do you still +intend to return to those brothers of yours? Or shall I put you out of +the forest at some other point?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly," replied Hans; "I intend to return to them. You heard them +say how sorry they were for all the unkindness they had shown to my +mother and me. I know they mean to do better for the future. Besides, +I promised them to come back."</p> + +<p>The unicorn said nothing, but grunted in a discouraging manner, and +motioned to Hans to get on his back. When he was seated the unicorn +said:</p> + +<p>"Since this is your wish, you must have it. I have, however, three +pieces of advice to give you. On your way home your brothers will +offer to carry the flask—do not let them do so; also do not let them +get behind you for a moment; and thirdly, guard the crystal ball with +the utmost care. I can't go with you beyond the verge of the forest of +dead trees. One visit, and only one, is permitted to the fountain. You +therefore can never come here again. But if ever you need me sorely, +crush the crystal ball, and I will be with you. Now shut your eyes, we +must be off."</p> + +<p>Three bounds brought them to the side of Fritz and Franz; and Hans +having thanked the unicorn warmly for his kindness, the three brothers +began to retrace their steps homeward. Now, during Hans's absence at +the fountain, Fritz and Franz had been devising how they might rob him +of the flask of sparkling golden water.</p> + +<p>"It is disgusting," they said to one another, "that this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> wretched +little Hans should beat us both. He will only waste the water in +buying things for his mother, while it would make us Count and +Burgomaster."</p> + +<p>As soon, therefore, as they were out of sight of the unicorn, Fritz +and Franz begged and prayed Hans to allow one of them to carry the +flask.</p> + +<p>"You've had all the trouble of getting the water," they said; "we +ought at least to be allowed the honour of helping you carry it. +Besides, are we not your servants now that you are so rich? It is not +suitable for you to do all the work." But Hans remembered the +unicorn's words, and held firmly to his flask.</p> + +<p>"No," he said, "thank you; but I'll carry it myself." Then Fritz and +Franz pretended to get sulky and tried to drop behind, but Hans would +not allow this, either. The consequence was that the three made very +slow progress homeward. Toward the evening they came to a deep stream, +which they had to re-cross. It was only fordable at one point, as they +all knew, because they had, of course, already crossed it before. Hans +stood aside to allow Fritz and Franz to go on first, but each of them +went in a little way, and ran back, saying that they were afraid of +being drowned.</p> + +<p>"What nonsense," said Hans, who was getting a little impatient at the +delay; "it's quite shallow," and, forgetting the unicorn's warning, he +entered the stream first. Fritz and Franz did not miss the +opportunity. Each took a large stone and struck Hans violently on the +head. Then as he fell back senseless into the water, Fritz snatched +the flask from off the belt to which it was attached, and Franz thrust +with his foot Hans's body farther into the river, so that the current +should carry it away, and, laughing at their own cleverness, the two +proceeded to cross the ford.</p> + +<p>Now, naturally enough, lads like Fritz and Franz do not care to trust +each other very far. As soon, therefore, as they reached the other +side of the stream, Franz produced his bottle, and demanded of Fritz +his share of the sparkling golden water. Fritz, who intended to keep +it all to himself, proposed that they should put off sharing it till +later. Franz would not hear<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> of this. He knew, only too well, what +Fritz intended. This led to a wrangle, which ended in a fight between +the two, in which the sparkling golden water was spilled, partly over +Fritz's right hand, and the remainder over Franz's left foot. The +brothers first realized what had happened to them by Fritz finding +that he could not close his fist to strike, and Franz finding that he +could not raise his foot to kick. The discovery sobered them in an +instant. There they stood, one with a hand and the other with a foot +of solid gold, and the golden flask with them; but the water, the +precious sparkling golden water, lost forever. Fritz was the first to +recover himself.</p> + +<p>"Well," he said, "thank goodness I have a couple of feet left me. I +shall be off, I can't wait for you. You must hobble on as best you +can, or stay here and starve," and he was on the point of leaving +Franz to his fate, when the latter caught him by the collar.</p> + +<p>"If I've only one foot, I have two hands," cried he, "and I don't +intend to let you leave me behind. No, no; we must go together or not +at all."</p> + +<p>Fritz was obliged to submit, as it was a case of two hands against +one; and he and Franz, arm in arm as though they were the most +affectionate brothers, made their way slowly to the nearest town. +There they had to submit to have hand and foot cut off. The operation +hurt them very much indeed, but they sold the gold for a good sum of +money to the goldsmith. With that, and with what they got for the +flask, Fritz was able to buy his Countship, although he could never +hunt owing to the loss of his right hand, and Franz was able to buy +his Burgomastership, although the loss of his foot prevented his +walking properly in processions. Neither of them, of course, gave a +thought to their mother.</p> + +<p>Now we must return to poor Hans, whom we left floating down the +stream—senseless, and to all appearance dead. He was not dead, +however, although the blows which his brothers had inflicted were very +severe ones. He was only stunned, and fortunately he did not float far +enough to be drowned. His<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> body came into a back eddy of the stream +and drifted gently on to a shelving bank of white sand. The cold water +soon had the effect of bringing him to his senses so far as to enable +him to crawl on to the land. It was, however, some hours before he was +able to recall the past events. When he remembered them he gave way to +despair. All the pains he had taken to win the sparkling golden water +were thrown away. He might not return to get more—the unicorn had +told him that. His mother would be as badly off as ever. Above all, he +had the bitter disappointment of feeling that his brothers had +deceived him. Then he bethought him of the crystal ball. Taking it +from his pocket, he placed it on a large stone, and taking another +stone struck it with all his force. A report like that of a cannon +followed, and at the same instant the unicorn stood before him.</p> + +<p>"I warned you of what would happen," he said to Hans. "You would have +done much better if you had left your brothers in the tree. Now let me +see what can be done for you. First of all, rub that dockleaf, which +is touching your right hand, on the wound in your head." Hans did as +he was told, and his head became as sound as ever. "Now," said the +unicorn, "you must go straight home to your mother and bring her to +the city of White Towers, and stay there till you hear from me again."</p> + +<p>"But," said Hans, with tears in his eyes, "how can I do that? My +mother is much too ill to move, and I have lost the sparkling golden +water which was to have made her well and strong."</p> + +<p>"Did not I see you," asked the unicorn, "put some sand and stones of +pure gold into your pocket as you went to the fountain? There will be +more than enough to meet all your expenses. Do as I tell you," and the +unicorn, saying this, disappeared.</p> + +<p>Hans, greatly cheered, set off once more, and finished his journey +home without any further adventures. The gold that he had with him, +not only enabled him to provide the comforts and necessaries which his +mother required, but he was able also to reward Uncle Stoltz for his +kindness. When his mother was strong enough to travel, Hans hired a +wagon, and they set off<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> by easy stages for the city of White Towers, +there to await further news from the unicorn.</p> + +<p>Now, the city of White Towers was at that time attracting from far and +wide every one who wanted to make his fortune. The Princess of the +city was the loveliest Princess in the world, and the richest and the +most powerful. She had given out that she would marry any one, whoever +it might be, king or beggar, who would tell her truly in the morning +the dream that she had dreamed in the night. But whoever should +compete and fail, was to forfeit all his fortune, be whipped through +the streets and out of the gate, and banished from the city on pain of +death. If, however, he had no fortune to forfeit, he was to be whipped +back again and sold into slavery. The terms were hard; but many tried +and failed, and many more, undeterred by the punishment which they +constantly saw being inflicted on the others, were waiting their turn +to compete. Among these latter were Count Fritz and Burgomaster Franz. +These two met very often in the streets of the city, but they could +never forget their quarrel over the sparkling golden water and when +they met they always looked in opposite directions. Now, Fritz and +Franz had made themselves hated by all with whom they had to deal; +Fritz by his tyranny over the poor in the district in which his +property lay, and Franz by his injustice as Burgomaster. The former +used to grind down his people so as to extract the last penny from +them; the latter used to make his judgments depend on the amount of +bribe he received from the suitors. Everybody, therefore, hoped that +both Fritz and Franz would fail to tell the Princess her dreams, and +would have to pay the penalty.</p> + +<p>Hans and his mother arrived at the city of White Towers on the evening +before the day on which Fritz was to try his fortune. They heard on +all sides that the "One-armed Count," as he was called, was to be the +next competitor; but, of course, they had no idea that this "One-armed +Count" was Fritz. The consequence was that, when they found themselves +next day in the great square, where the whole population of the city +assembled to see the trial, they were amazed beyond measure<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> to see +Fritz, marching jauntily along, quite confident of success, dressed in +his very smartest clothes, to the platform on which the Princess and +her ladies and her courtiers were assembled, Fritz felt sure that he +would win, for this reason: There was an old woman living in a cottage +near his castle, who was said to be a witch. Fritz had ordered her to +be seized and put to the most cruel tortures, in order to force her to +say what the Princess was going to dream on the night before the day +fixed for his trial. This was very silly of him, as the old woman +might be a witch ten times over, and yet not be able to tell him that. +But cruel, wicked people often are silly. This poor old woman screamed +out some nonsense in her agony which Fritz took to be the answer he +required. He smiled, therefore, in a self-confident fashion as he +bowed low before the princess and awaited her question. She asked it +in a clear bell-like voice, which somehow caused Hans's heart, when he +heard it, to beat a good deal quicker than before.</p> + +<p>"Sir Count, what did I dream last night?"</p> + +<p>"Your Highness dreamed," was the reply, "that the moon came down to +earth and kissed you."</p> + +<p>The princess gently shook her head, and in a moment Fritz found +himself in the hands of her guards, with his coat stripped off his +back, and his hands bound behind him. The first lash made him cry for +mercy; but the Princess had already gone, and the soldiers, whose duty +it was to inflict the whipping, were not much disposed to show mercy +to the "One-armed Count." They laid on their blows well, driving the +unlucky Fritz through the streets till the gate was reached, through +which, with a final shower of blows, he was thrust, with the warning +not to return thither, but to beg his way henceforth through the +world. Of all who watched the proceedings, none seemed so delighted +with the result as Franz. He followed, hobbling after his unhappy +brother as close as the soldiers would allow, and kept jeering and +laughing at him all the way. This was easy for him to do, +notwithstanding the fact that he had to go on crutches, because good +care was taken to make Fritz's progress through the streets as slow as +possible. In addition, therefore, to the blows, Fritz<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> had to endure +the sight of Franz's grinning face, and to listen to such remarks as: +"Who thought he was going to win the Princess?"—"Will your Highness +remember your poor brother, the Burgomaster?"—"Who lost the sparkling +golden water?"—and so on.</p> + +<p>With very different feelings had Hans watched the proceedings. When he +saw his brother stripped for beating, he forgot all about the wrongs +he had sustained, and only thought what he could do to help the +sufferer. He tried to bribe the soldiers to deal gently with Fritz; +but when he found it was of no avail, he hastened to the city gate so +as to meet his brother outside and comfort him when the punishment was +over. Hans found Fritz, as indeed was natural under the circumstances, +more surly and ill-tempered than ever. He appeared startled for a +moment at seeing Hans, whom he thought dead, alive and well; but he +set to work blubbering again immediately, and rubbing his back with +his one hand. Hans gave him what money he could afford, which Fritz +took without saying "Thank you," and went his way.</p> + +<p>Next day it was Franz's turn to try and win the Princess. Franz felt +just as certain of succeeding as Fritz had been. A certain necromancer +in Franz's town had been a party in a suit which came before the +Burgomaster's court. All the evidence which was brought forward told +against him, but the necromancer promised Franz, as a bribe, if he +would decide in his favour, to tell him by means of his art the true +secret of the Princess's dream. Franz swallowed the bait greedily, and +gave his unjust decision. Now, in order that the necromancer might not +fail him, Franz had determined not to let him out of his sight till +the day of trial. Very early in the morning of that day the +necromancer came to Franz and said: "Last night the Princess dreamed +so-and-so—will your worship allow me to go away now?" Franz, on +hearing the dream, skipped with delight, forgetting about his one +foot, and tumbled down on the floor. However, he did not mind that, +and gave the necromancer leave to depart; which that worthy did in +great haste. Franz was so impatient that he was in his place, in front +of the platform,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> long before the Princess arrived. He could hardly +wait for her to put the formal question before he blurted out:</p> + +<p>"Your Highness dreamed that you were walking in your garden, and that +all the trees and shrubs bore gold and silver leaves."</p> + +<p>The Princess shook her head. "A very pretty dream," she said; "but it +was not mine." So Franz had to suffer the same punishment as Fritz, +and nobody was at all sorry. He was likewise thrust out of the city +gate, bawling between his howls for some one to bring him the +necromancer. Hans found him there, and tried to comfort him, as he had +tried to comfort Fritz, and with about the same result. When Hans had +returned to the inn, where he and his mother were staying, he was met +with the news that a stranger was waiting to see him. He went in and +found the huntsman who had given him the pellet which turned into the +crystal ball.</p> + +<p>"Hans," said the huntsman, as soon as Hans entered the room, "the +unicorn has sent me to you. It's your turn now to try to win the +Princess."</p> + +<p>Hans turned pale at the thought.</p> + +<p>"I would give my life to win her," he said, earnestly, "but I am +certain to fail, and then what will my poor mother do? I have no +property to be confiscated, and, of course, I shall be sold into +slavery."</p> + +<p>"Don't talk of failure," said the huntsman cheerily; "the way to +success is to forget that there is such a word as failure. Now I'll +tell you my plan. The Princess, as you know, or as you very likely +don't know, is devoted to curious animals of all kinds. I will change +you into a white mouse with a gold claw, and will offer you to the +Princess for sale. She has never seen or heard of such a creature as a +white mouse with a gold claw before, and will be sure to buy you. Then +it will be your fault if matters don't go smoothly with you. You have +only to keep your ears open and use your wits. Now, first of all, we +must enter you for to-morrow's competition."</p> + +<p>Hans longed to try his luck with the Princess, and as this plan seemed +a promising one—indeed, it was the only one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> he could think of—he +agreed to try it. However, he determined not to tell his mother +anything about the matter, as he knew how terrified she would be at +the thought of his failure. The first thing, as the huntsman had said, +was for him to present himself to the Princess as candidate for her +hand. He accordingly did so, and found her seated on her throne, +surrounded by the lords and ladies of her court, glittering in jewels +and dressed in magnificent apparel. Hans felt rather shy as he marched +up the splendid room, amongst all these grandly dressed people, in his +shabby old clothes; but he put as good a face on it as he could, and +when he stopped before the throne and looked into the Princess's eyes, +all his shyness vanished. He was conscious of nothing but a strong +determination to win her for himself, or to perish in the attempt. The +court usher announced his name and purpose in a loud tone.</p> + +<p>"This is Hans, the charcoal-burner, who has undertaken to tell the +Princess her dream to-morrow morning, or to pay the penalty."</p> + +<p>When the Princess looked at Hans and saw what a nice, open-faced boy +he was, she did all she could to persuade him to give up the attempt. +She pointed out to him how many had tried and failed—how little +chance there was of his succeeding. She could not bear, she said, to +think of his being whipped publicly and sold into slavery. She offered +him, if he would withdraw, the important post of general manager of +the court menagerie. But neither this offer nor the prayers of the +Princess could move Hans.</p> + +<p>"Now, that I have seen you face to face, Princess," said he, "I would +rather die twenty times over than give up the undertaking."</p> + +<p>The Princess was obliged to allow Hans to enter his name for +to-morrow's trial, although it made her very unhappy. Her heart told +her that he was the one of all her suitors whom she would most wish to +succeed; but she felt that he would be certain to fare as the others +had done; and so when the formality was over, and Hans had left, she +dismissed the court; shut her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span>self up in her room, and said she would +be at home to nobody for the rest of the day.</p> + +<p>As soon as Hans got back, the huntsman took a cup of water, muttered +some strange words over it, and sprinkled Hans with the contents. He +was conscious of a curious change taking place in him, and before he +could quite make out what it was, he found that he was a white mouse +with a gold claw. The huntsman put him in a box and carried him to the +palace to sell him to the Princess. When he arrived there the porter +refused to admit him.</p> + +<p>"No!" he said, "the Princess had given out that she would see no one +that day. It was more than his place was worth to admit the stranger." +However, by dint of flattering words and a handsome present slipped +into his hands, the porter was persuaded to send for one of the +Princess's ladies. When she came and saw the white mouse with the gold +claw, she said she was sure that her mistress would be so delighted +with his beautiful little curiosity that she would pardon having her +orders disobeyed for once. Only, the huntsman must remain where he +was; she would take the white mouse to the Princess herself. To this +the Huntsman consented; and the long and short of it was that the +Princess sent him a handsome sum for the mouse; and Hans found himself +established as her newest favourite. The Princess was so pleased with +her pet that, when she went to bed, she placed him in a cabinet in her +room, the door of which she left open—because he was so tame that she +had no fear of his attempting to run away. Hans was wondering how he +was to find out the Princess's dream in this situation, when his +mistress woke up, laughing heartily, and called for her lady in +waiting to come to her.</p> + +<p>"I've had such a curious dream," she said. "I dreamed that I was +married to a man with a golden top-joint to his little finger. I +suppose that it was the white mouse with the gold claw which put the +idea into my head. But," and here the Princess's voice grew very sad, +"how will that poor boy ever guess this dream to-morrow?"</p> + +<p>Hans waited impatiently for all to be quiet, then he slipped out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> of +his cabinet, and finding the door shut, ran up the curtain of the +window, which was fortunately open, and getting on a rose which +clambered up outside the wall, ran down it and made the best of his +way to the inn. There he found the huntsman waiting for him, to whom +he told all that had taken place, and who in a few seconds changed him +back to his own shape.</p> + +<p>An enormous concourse of people was assembled next day to see the +trial. Very pale and sad the Princess looked as she sat prepared to +put the question to Hans. He waited respectfully till she had spoken, +and then, without saying a word, held out his hand to her. Her eye +fell on the golden top-joint of his little finger. She cried out with +delight, and, seizing his hand in hers, turned to the people and said: +"Hans has guessed right, and he shall be my husband."</p> + +<p>And all the people raised a glad shout, "Long live Prince Hans!"</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the Princess to Hans, "how I wish my brother were here to +share our happiness!"</p> + +<p>"He is here," said the huntsman, who had thrust his way to the front; +and, throwing off his huntsman's disguise, he appeared dressed as a +Prince. Then, turning to Hans, he said:</p> + +<p>"A mighty magician, the enemy of our family, condemned me, because I +would not give him my sister in marriage, to take the form of a +unicorn, and to guard the sparkling golden water. Twice every year, +for a fortnight at a time, I was allowed to resume my human shape. It +was then that I came to your hut in the forest, and gave you the token +by which to win your way to the fountain. The spell laid upon me was +only to be raised when some one guessed aright my sister's dream, and +so won her to wife. Thanks to you, brother Hans, the magician's power +is at an end."</p> + +<p>Hans and the Princess were married, and after the ceremony the Prince +went off to his own kingdom. Hans's mother had a beautiful suite of +apartments in the palace assigned to her, and Uncle Stoltz was not +forgotten, but was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> provided for comfortably for life; and they all +lived happily ever afterward.</p> + +<p>As for Fritz and Franz, they were so selfish and cruel, that there was +nothing to be done with them but to send them back into the forest +again to burn charcoal; and for all I know they are burning charcoal +there still.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Destiny" id="Destiny"></a><i>Destiny</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce upon a time there were two brothers who lived together in the +same household. One attended to everything, while the other was an +indolent fellow, who occupied himself only with eating and drinking. +Their harvests were always magnificent; they had cattle, horses, +sheep, pigs, bees, and all other things in great abundance.</p> + +<p>The elder, who did everything about the estate, said to himself one +day:</p> + +<p>"Why should I toil for this lazy fellow? It would be better that we +should separate. I will work for myself alone, and he can do whatever +he pleases." So he said to his brother:</p> + +<p>"Brother, it is unjust that I should take charge of all whilst thou +wilt aid me in nothing, and thinkest only of eating and drinking. It +is better that we should part."</p> + +<p>The other tried to turn him from his project, saying:</p> + +<p>"Brother, do not do this. We get on so well together. Thou hast all in +thy hands—not only what is thine, but what is mine, and thou knowest +that I am always contented with what thou doest, and with what thou +orderest."</p> + +<p>But the elder persisted in his resolution so firmly that the younger +was obliged to give up, and said:</p> + +<p>"Since it is so I have no ill-will toward thee. Make the division as +seemeth good to thee."</p> + +<p>The division made, each one ordered his life as he thought good. The +indolent brother took a herder for his cattle and horses, a shepherd +for his sheep, a goatherd for his goats, a swineherd for his pigs, a +keeper for his bees, and said to each of them:</p> + +<p>"I confide my goods to thee, and may God watch over thee."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span></p> + +<p>And he continued to live in his house without any more care he had +ever done.</p> + +<p>The elder on the contrary laboured for his half of the property as +much as he had ever done for the common good. He kept his herds +himself, having an eye on everything, but in spite of all his care he +had ill success on every side.</p> + +<p>From day to day everything turned out badly with him, so that at last +he became so poor that he had not even a pair of sandals, and was +obliged to go barefooted. Then he said to himself:</p> + +<p>"I will go to my brother's, and see how the world wags with him."</p> + +<p>His way led him across a meadow where a flock of sheep was grazing, +and as he drew near he saw that the sheep had no shepherd. Near them, +however, a beautiful young girl was seated, spinning a thread of gold.</p> + +<p>After having saluted the maiden with a "God protect thee," he asked +her whose were the sheep, and she answered:</p> + +<p>"To whom I belong, belong the sheep also."</p> + +<p>"And who art thou?" he continued.</p> + +<p>"I am thy brother's fortune," she answered.</p> + +<p>Then the traveller was seized with wrath and envy, and cried out:</p> + +<p>"And where is <i>my</i> fortune?"</p> + +<p>The maiden answered him: "Ah, she is far from thee."</p> + +<p>"Can I find her?" he asked.</p> + +<p>She answered: "Thou canst find her—only look for her."</p> + +<p>When he had heard these words, and saw that the sheep were so +beautiful that nothing finer could be imagined, he did not care to go +farther to see the other flocks, but went direct to his brother, who +as soon as he had seen him took pity on him, and said, weeping:</p> + +<p>"Why hast thou hidden thyself from me for so long a time?"</p> + +<p>Then seeing that he was in rags and barefooted he gave him a pair of +sandals and some money.</p> + +<p>After having remained three days with his brother the poor fellow +departed to return home, but once arrived at the house<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> he threw a +sack over his shoulders, put a morsel of bread in it, took a stick in +his hand, and set out into the world to seek his fortune.</p> + +<p>Having travelled a long time he found himself at last in a deep forest +where he met a wretched old woman asleep in a thicket. He began to +beat the ground with his stick to wake up the old woman, and at last +gave her a blow on the back. However, she scarcely moved even then, +and half opening her drowsy eyes, said to him:</p> + +<p>"Thou mayest thank God that I was asleep, for if I had been awake thou +wouldst not have had those sandals."</p> + +<p>Then he said to her: "Who art thou then, who wouldst have hindered me +from having these sandals?"</p> + +<p>The old hag answered him: "I am thy fortune."</p> + +<p>Hearing these words he beat his breast, crying: "What! thou art my +fortune! May God exterminate thee! Who gave thee to me?"</p> + +<p>And the old hag said to him: "It was Destiny."</p> + +<p>"Where is Destiny?"</p> + +<p>"Go and seek for him," she answered, going to sleep again.</p> + +<p>Then he departed and went to seek for Destiny.</p> + +<p>After a long, long journey he arrived at last at another wood, and in +this wood he found a hermit of whom he asked if he could not give him +some news of Destiny?</p> + +<p>The hermit answered him: "Climb that mountain, and thou wilt arrive at +his castle, but when thou reachest Destiny be careful not to speak to +him. Do only what thou seest him do, until he speaks to thee."</p> + +<p>The traveller thanked the hermit, took his way up the mountain, and +when he had arrived at the castle of Destiny what wonderful things he +saw!</p> + +<p>The luxury was absolutely royal. There was a crowd of servants, always +in motion and doing nothing. As for Destiny, he was supping at a +magnificent table. When the stranger saw this he seated himself also +at table and ate with the master of the house. After supper Destiny +went to bed and the traveller did the same. Toward midnight<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> terrible +noise was heard in the castle, and in the midst of the noise a voice +crying:</p> + +<p>"Destiny, Destiny—so many souls have come into the world to-day. Give +them something at thy good pleasure."</p> + +<p>And Destiny arose, opened a golden coffer, and threw into the room a +shower of shining ducats, saying:</p> + +<p>"Such as I am to-day, so shall you be all your lives."</p> + +<p>At daybreak the grand castle vanished, and there took its place an +ordinary house, but one in which nothing was wanting. When evening +came Destiny sat down to supper again, his guest did the same, and no +one spoke a word. After supper both went to bed as before.</p> + +<p>Toward midnight again commenced the terrible noise in the castle, and +in the midst of the tumult a voice crying:</p> + +<p>"Destiny, Destiny, so many souls have seen the light to-day. Give them +something at thy good pleasure."</p> + +<p>Destiny arose and opened a silver coffer, but this time there were no +ducats in it, only silver money mixed with a few pieces of gold. +Destiny threw this silver upon the ground, saying:</p> + +<p>"Such as I am to-day, so shall you be all your lives."</p> + +<p>At daybreak the house had vanished, and there appeared in its place +another smaller one. So passed each night; each morning the house +became smaller until at last it was only a miserable hut. Destiny then +took a spade and began to dig up the earth; his guest did the same, +and they dug all day long. When evening came Destiny took a crust of +hard bread, broke it in two, and gave half to his companion. This was +all their supper, and when they had eaten they went to bed.</p> + +<p>Toward midnight again commenced the terrible noise, and in the midst +of it a voice was heard, crying:</p> + +<p>"Destiny, Destiny, so many souls have come into the world this night. +Give them something at thy good pleasure."</p> + +<p>Destiny arose, opened a coffer, and began to throw out pebbles among +which were mixed some small money, saying as he did so:</p> + +<p>"Such as I am to-day, so shall you be all your lives."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span></p> + +<p>When morning came the hut was changed again to a grand palace as it +had been on the first day. Then for the first time Destiny spoke to +his guest, and said to him:</p> + +<p>"Why hast thou come to me?"</p> + +<p>The traveller then related his miseries in detail, and said that he +had come to ask of Destiny himself, why he had given him so evil a +fortune.</p> + +<p>Destiny answered him:</p> + +<p>"Thou didst see that the first night I sowed ducats and what followed +thereon. Such as I am on the night when a man is born, such that man +will be all his life. Thou wert born on a night of poverty, and thou +wilt remain always poor. Thy brother, on the contrary, came into the +world in a happy hour, and happy he will remain to the end. But since +thou hast taken so much trouble to find me I will tell thee how thou +mayst help thyself. Thy brother has a daughter named Miliza, who is as +fortunate as her father. Take her for thy wife when thou shalt return +to thine own country, and all that thou shalt acquire thereafter, be +careful to say belongs to her."</p> + +<p>The traveller thanked Destiny many times and departed.</p> + +<p>When he had returned to his own country he went straight to his +brother, and said to him:</p> + +<p>"Brother, give me Miliza. Thou seest that without her I am alone in +the world."</p> + +<p>And the brother answered: "It pleases me well. Miliza is thine."</p> + +<p>Straightway the bridegroom took his brother's daughter to his house, +and he became very rich, but he was always careful to say: "All that I +have belongs to Miliza."</p> + +<p>One day he went into the fields to see his wheat, which was so fine +that there was nothing like it in the whole country around. A +traveller passed along the way, and said to him:</p> + +<p>"Whose is this wheat?"</p> + +<p>And the elder brother, without thinking, answered: "It is mine."</p> + +<p>But scarcely had he spoken than a spark was seen in the wheat<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> and in +an instant it was all on fire. Quickly he ran after the traveller, and +cried out:</p> + +<p>"Stop, my friend, this wheat is not mine. It belongs to Miliza, my +brother's daughter."</p> + +<p>The fire was instantly extinguished, and thenceforth the elder brother +was happy—thanks to Miliza.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Queen_of_the_Golden_Mines" id="The_Queen_of_the_Golden_Mines"></a><i>The Queen of the Golden Mines</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce on a time there was a King of Ireland, and he had three sons, +Teddy, Billy, and Jack. Teddy and Billy were the two eldest, and they +were brave, able boys. But Jack was the youngest, a <i>gauchy</i>, <i>dawnie</i> +sort of a lad that was good for nothing only feeding fowls and doing +odd turns about the house. When they grew up to be men, Teddy and +Billy one day said they'd go away to travel and see the world, for +they'd only be good-for-nothing omadhauns if they'd stay here all +their lives. Their father said that was good, and so off the both of +them started. And that night when they halted from their travelling, +who does they see coming up after them, but Jack; for it seems he +commenced to think <i>long</i>, when he found them gone, and he was that +lonesome that he couldn't stay behind them. And there he was dressed +in his old tattered clothes, a spec-<i>tacle</i> for the world, and a +disgrace to them; for of course, they were done off with the best of +everything—rale gentlemen, as becomed their father's sons. They said +to themselves they'd be long sorry to let that picthur with them—for +he <i>was</i> a picthur, and no doubt of it—to be an upcast to them +wherever they'd go. So before they started on again next mornin' they +tied Jack to a millstone, and left him there. That night again, when +they went to stop from their travellin', what would you have of it but +there was me brave Jack once more, not a hundred parches behind them, +and he dragging the millstone after him. Teddy and Billy said this was +too bad entirely; and next day, before they started again, they tied +another millstone to him, and they said, "Well, you'll not get away +from here in a hurry anyhow, boy." So on they went again on their +journey, laughing and cracking jokes, and telling passages, to pass +the time; but that night again, when they went to stop<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> from their +journey, lo! and behold ye, who does they see coming tearing after +them but my poor Jack, once more, with the two millstones dragging +behind him. Then they were in a quandhary entirely, and they begun to +consider what was best to do with him, for they saw there was no +holdin' or tyin' of him, or keepin' him back at all, at all, for if +they were to tie him to a mountain in the mornin', he'd be afther them +with the mountain rattling at his heels again night. So they come to +the conclusion that it was best to take Jack with them, and purtend +him to be their hired boy, and not their brother at all. Of course, me +poor Jack, that was always agreeable, was only too ready to go on +these terms; and on the three of them went, afore them, till at length +they reached the King of England's castle. When the King of England +heard Teddy and Billy was the King of Ireland's two sons, he give them +<i>cead mile failte</i>,<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> was plaised and proud to see them, ordhered +them to be made much of, then opened his hall door, an' asked in the +nobility an' genthry of the whole counthry-side to a big dinner and +ball that he gave in their honour. But what do you have of it, but in +the middle of the ball doesn't Teddy have a fallout with the King of +England's son, and sthruck him, and then that was the play! The hubbub +and <i>hooroosh</i> got up, and the King ordhered the ball to be stopped, +and had Teddy taken pris'ner, and Billy and Jack ordhered away out of +the kingdom. Billy and Jack went away, vexed in their hearts at +leaving Teddy in jail, and they travelled away till they came to +France, and the King of France's castle. Here, when the King of France +heard that Billy, the King of Ireland's son, had come to see him, he +went out and welcomed him, an' asked in himself and Jack to come in +and make a visit with him. And, like the King of England, he thought +he couldn't make too much of the King of Ireland's sons, and threw +open his hall door and asked in the whole nobility and clergy and +genthry of all the counthry-side into a great dinner and ball given in +Billy's honour. But lo! and behould ye, doesn't it turn up at this +ball, too, that Billy had a squabble with the King of France's son and +struck him, and the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span>ball was stopped by the King's ordhers, and the +people sent home, and Billy taken prisoner, and there was poor Jack +now left all alone. The King of France, taking pity on Jack, employed +him as a boy. And Jack was getting along very well at Court, and the +king and him used to have very great yarns together entirely. At +length a great war broke out betwixt France and Germany; and the King +of France was in great trouble, for the Germans were slaughtering and +conquering all before them. Says Jack, says he, to the King one day, +"I wish I had only half a rajimint of your men, and you'd see what I +would do." Instead of this the King gave him a whole army, and in less +nor three days there wasn't a German alive in the whole kingdom of +France. It was the king was the thankful man to Jack for this good +action, and said he never could forget it to him. After that Jack got +into great favour at court, and used to have long chats with the Queen +herself. But Jack soon found that he never could come into the Queen's +presence that he didn't put her in tears. He asked her one day what +was the meaning of this, and she told him that it was because she +never looked on him that he didn't put her in mind of her infant son +that had, twelve months before, been carried away by the Queen of the +Golden Mines, and who she had never heard tale or tidings of from that +day to this.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Hundred thousand welcomes.</p></div> + +<p>"Well, be this and be that," says Jack, says he, "but I'm not the man +to leave ye in your trouble if I can help it; and be this and be that +over again," says he, "but I won't sleep two nights in the one bed, or +eat two meals' meat in the one house, till I find out the Queen of the +Golden Mines' Castle, and fetch back your infant son to ye—or else I +'ll not come back livin'."</p> + +<p>"Ah," says the Queen, "that would never do!" and "Ah," says the King, +"that would never do at all, at all!" They pointed out and showed to +him how a hundred great knights had gone on the same errand before +him, and not one of them ever come back livin', and there was no use +in him throwin' away his life, for they couldn't afford to lose him. +But it was all no use; Jack was bound on going, and go he would. So, +the very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> next morning he was up at cock-crow, and afther leavin' +good-bye with the whole of them, and leavin' the King and the Queen in +tears, he started on his journey. And he travelled away afore him, +inquiring his way to the Castle of the Queen of the Golden Mines; and +he travelled and tramped for many a weary day, and for many a weary +week, and for many a weary month; till at last, when it was drawing on +twelve months from the day he left the Castle of the King of France, +one day tor'st evening he was travelling through a thick wood, when he +fell in with an old man, resting, with a great bundle of sticks by his +side; and "Me poor old man," says Jack, says he, "that's a mighty +great load entirely for a poor man of your years to be carryin'. Sure, +if ye'll allow me, I'll just take them with me for ye, as far as +you're goin'."</p> + +<p>"Blissin's on ye!" says the ould man; "an' an ould man's blissin' atop +of that; an' thanky."</p> + +<p>"Nobbut, thanky, yerself, for your good wishes," says Jack, says he, +throwin' the bundle of sticks on his shoulder, an' marchin' on by the +ould man's side. And they thravelled away through the wood till they +come at last to the ould man's cabin. And the ould man axed Jack to +come in and put up with him for the night, and such poor +accommodations as he had, Jack was heartily welcome to them. Jack +thanked him and went in and put up for the night with him, and in the +morning Jack told the ould man the arrand he was on and axed if he'd +diract him on his way to the Queen of the Golden Mines' Castle. Then +the ould man took out Jack, and showed him a copper castle glancing in +the sun, on a hill opposite, and told him that was his journey's end.</p> + +<p>"But, me poor man," says he, "I would strongly advise ye not to go +next or near it. A hundred knights went there afore you on the +selfsame errand, and their heads are now stuck on a hundred spears +right afore the castle; for there's a fiery dragon guards it that +makes short work of the best of them."</p> + +<p>But seeing Jack wasn't to be persuaded off his entherprise nohow, he +took him in and gave him a sword that carried ten men's strength in it +along with that of the man that wielded it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> And he told Jack, if he +was alive again' night, and not killed by the dhragon, to come back to +his cabin. Jack thanked him for the sword, and promised this, and then +he set out for the castle. But lo! and behold ye, no sooner did Jack +come anear the castle than a terrible great monsther of a dhragon +entirely, the wildest ever Jack seen or heard tell of, come out from +the castle, and he opened his mouth as wide as the world from side to +side, and let out a roar that started the old gray eagle on top of +Croaghpathrick mountain at home in Ireland. Poor Jack thrimbled from +head to foot—and small wonder he did—but, not a bit daunted, he went +on to meet the dhragon, and no sooner were they met than he to it and +the dhragon to it, and they fought and sthrove long and hard, the +wildest fight by far that poor Jack ever entered into, and they fought +that way from early mornin' till the sun went down, at one time Jack +seemin' to be gettin' the betther of the dhragon, and the next minute +the dhragon gettin' the betther of Jack; and when the sun went down +they called a truce of peace till next day; and Jack dragged himself +back to the cabin in small hopes of being able to meet the dhragon +more, for he was covered over with wounds from head to foot. But when +he got to the cabin the ould man welcomed him back alive, and he took +down a little bottle of ointment and rubbed it over Jack, and no +sooner did he rub it over him than Jack's wounds were all healed as +well as ever again. And Jack went out a new man the next mornin' to +give the dhragon another try for it this day. And just as on the day +afore the fiery dhragon come down the hill meeting poor Jack, and the +dhragon opened his mouth as wide as the world, and gave a roar that +shook the nails on the toes of the great gray eagle on top of +Croaghpathrick mountain at home in Ireland, and then he fell on Jack, +and Jack fell on him, and the dhragon to it, and Jack to it; and the +dhragon gave Jack his fill, and Jack gave the dhragon his fill; and if +they fought hard the day afore they fought double as hard this day, +and the dhragon put very sore on Jack entirely till the sun went down. +Then again they agreed on a truce of peace till the next mornin', and +Jack dragged himself back as best he could to the cabin again, all +covered over with cuts and bruises,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> and streaming down with blood. +And when he came there the ould man took down a little bottle of +ointment and rubbed Jack over with it, and he was healed as well as +ever again. Next morning Jack was up quite fresh and ready for another +day's battling, and the ould man told Jack that, win or lose, this day +was like to end the battle. And he said if Jack happened (as God send) +to come off victorious, he was to go into the castle and there he +would find a great number of beautiful virgins running about in great +confusion to prevent Jack from discovering their mistress the Queen of +the Golden Mines, and every one of them axing, "Is it me ye want? Is +it me ye want?" But he told Jack he was to heed none of them, but +press through room after room till he come to the sixth room, and +there he would find the Queen herself asleep, with the little child by +her side. So Jack went meeting the dhragon this third day again, and +the dhragon come meeting Jack. And he opened his mouth as wide as the +world, and let a roar that rattled the eyes in the sockets of the +great gray eagle on top of Croaghpathrick mountain at home in Ireland, +and then fell on Jack, and Jack fell on him; and he to it, and Jack to +it, and both of them to it; and if the fight was wild and terrible the +first two days it was ten times wilder and terribler this day. And +harder and harder it was getting the more they warmed to the work; and +one time it was Jack was getting the better of the dhragon, and the +next time it was the dhragon was getting the better of poor Jack; and +at last coming on tor'st night the dhragon was putting very hard on +Jack entirely, and it was very nearly being all over with him, when he +stepped back, and gathering all his strength mounted into the air with +one spring, and come down atop of the dhragon's head, and struck his +sword into his heart, leaving him over dead. Then Jack went into the +castle, and no sooner did he go in than there was lots of the most +beautiful virgins, running in great commotion, and asking Jack, "Is it +me ye want?" "Is it me ye want?" But Jack never heeded thim till he +come into the sixth room, where he saw the beautiful Queen of the +Golden Mines asleep, with the Queen of France's child asleep beside +her. Jack bent over her and gave her one kiss, for she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> was a lovely +picthur. Then he took up the child in his arms, and picking up a +beautiful garter all glancing with diamonds, that was lying by the +Queen's bedside, and taking with him a loaf of bread that could never +be eaten out, a bottle of wine that could never be drunk out, and a +purse that could never be emptied, he started away. He stopped that +night with the ould man, who took down his bottle of ointment and +healed up all the wounds Jack got that day. In the morning Jack +started for France, leaving with the ould man to keep till the Queen +of the Golden Mines would call for it, the purse that never could be +emptied. When Jack reached France, and presented back to the Queen her +darling child, that was the rejoicement and the joy! There was a great +faist given, and at the faist Jack said he had a little wondher he +fetched with him, that he'd like to show; and he produced his bottle, +and sent it round the prences, and nobility, and genthry that were all +assembled at the faist, and axed them all to drink the Queen's health +out of it. This they all did; and lo! and behold ye, when they had +finished the bottle was as full as when they commenced; and they all +said that bate all ever they knew or heerd tell of; and the King said +it bate all ever he knew or heerd tell of, too, and that the same +bottle would be of mighty great sarvice to him, to keep his troops in +drink when he'd go to war, and axed Jack on what tarms he'd part with +it. Jack said he couldn't part with it entirely, as it wasn't his own, +but if the King relaised his brother he 'd leave the bottle with him +till such times as the Queen of the Golden Mines might call for it. +The Queen agreed to this. Jack's brother was relaised, and himself and +Jack started off for England. When they were come there the King of +England gave a great faist in their honour, too, and at this faist +Jack said he 'd like to show them a little wonder he fetched with him, +and he produced the loaf, and axed the King to divide all round. And +the King cut off the loaf, and divided all round, over all the prences +and nobility and gentry that was there; and when he had finished they +were all lost in wondherment, for the loaf was still as big as when +the King commenced to cut. The King said that would be the grand loaf +for feeding his troops whenever<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> he went to war, and axed Jack what +would he take to part with it. Jack said the loaf wasn't his to part +with, but if the King relaised his brother out of prison he'd give him +the loaf till such times as the Queen of the Golden Mines might call +for it. The King agreed to this, and relaised Jack's other brother, +and then the three of them started for home together. And when they +were come near home the two older brothers agreed that Jack, when he'd +tell his story, would disgrace them, and they'd put him to death. But +Jack agreed if they'd let him live he would go away and push his +fortune, and never go back near home. They let him live on these +conditions, and they pushed on home, where they were received with +great welcomes, and told mortial great things entirely of all the +great things they done while they were away. Jack come to the castle +in disguise and got hired as a boy and lived there.</p> + +<p>The Queen of the Golden Mines, when she woke up and learned of the +young gentleman that had killed the dhragon, and carried off the child +and the other things, and kissed her, said he must be a fine fellow +entirely, and she would never marry another man if she couldn't find +him out. She got no rest till she started, herself and her virgins, +and away to find out Jack. She first come to the old man, where she +got her purse, and he directed her to the King of France. When she +come to the Court of the King of France she got her bottle, and he +said Jack went from there to go to see the King of England. From the +King of England she got her loaf, and he diracted her to Ireland, +telling her that Jack was no other than the King of Ireland's son. She +lost no time then reaching the Court of the King of Ireland, where she +demanded his son who had killed the fiery dhragon. The King sent out +his eldest son, and he said it was him that had killed the fiery +dhragon, and she asked him for tokens, but he could give none, so she +said he wasn't the man she wanted. Then the King's second son come out +and said it was him killed the fiery dhragon. But he couldn't show her +no tokens either, so he wouldn't do. Then the King said he had no +other son, but a good-for-nothing <i>droich</i> who went away somewhere and +never come back; but that it wasn't<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> him anyhow, for he couldn't kill +a cockroach. She said she'd have to see him, and converse with him, or +otherwise she wouldn't go away till she'd pull down his castle. Then +the whole house was upside down, and they didn't know what to do. And +Jack, who was doing something about the yards axed what it was all +about; and they told him, and he axed to have a minute's convarsing +with her. But they all laughed at him; and one gave him a knock, and +another gave him a push, and another gave him a kick. And Jack never +minded them one bit, but went out and said it was him that kilt the +fiery dhragon. They all set up another big roar of a laugh at this. +Then the Queen asked him to show his tokens, and Jack fetched from his +pocket the beautiful garter, all shining with jewels, and held it up, +and the Queen came and threw her arms about Jack's neck and kissed +him, and said he was the brave man she'd marry, and no other. And me +brave Jack, to the astonishment of them all, confessed who he was, and +got married to her, and was ever afther the King of the Golden Mines.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Deserter" id="The_Deserter"></a><i>The Deserter</i><a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce upon a time there was a deserter who was three times faithless to +his colours. Twice had he undergone the punishment due to desertion; +the third time he knew he was face to face with death. So he resolved +to flee by night and hide himself by day in some ditch or thicket, for +he was afraid that in the daylight he might be recognized and +arrested.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> From "The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales." Copyright, +1906, by Charles Scribner's Sons.</p></div> + +<p>One night, as he was hastening onward, he saw a glimmer of light in +the distance, and thought to himself, "I will go toward that light; +perhaps it will somehow help me out of my trouble."</p> + +<p>When, however, he came up to that light all he saw was an opening just +wide enough for him to creep into. The moment he was inside thick +darkness fell upon him. He could find his way neither in nor out; but +on groping around he at last came upon a staircase, up which he +climbed and found himself in a passage-way. Through this passage-way +he went for a long, long time, until at last he stumbled upon a door. +He opened the door and stepped into a room, but it was pitch dark +there too; so he groped all about until at last he stumbled upon +another door and entered another room.</p> + +<p>So on he went through eleven rooms, and finally reached the twelfth, +where at last he found a lighted candle upon a table. The room was +beautifully fitted up, and he thought within himself, "Come what come +may, I shall make myself at home in this room."</p> + +<p>So he stretched himself upon a couch. He lay there for a while lost in +thought, when, lo and behold! the table began to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span>lay itself. When the +cloth was spread, all sorts of good cheer began to appear upon it.</p> + +<p>"Come what come may," he thought to himself again, "I am hungry." So +he fell to and ate to his heart's content. When he had eaten all that +he could swallow he threw himself upon the couch again and began to +consider.</p> + +<p>Suddenly three women entered, clothed entirely in black. One seated +herself at the piano, while the two others danced. Tired as he was, +when he saw this he arose and skipped about with them. After this +entertainment they began to talk with him, speaking of one thing and +another, and finally came round to the question how he might break the +spell that bound them.</p> + +<p>They told him the very way and manner of doing it, saying that he had +nothing more nor less to do than to pass the night in a certain room +which they would show him. A ghost would come there and pester him +with all sorts of questions—who he was, how he had come there, and +other things. But he must not say a mortal word to all these +questions, not though the ghost tormented him in all sorts of ways; if +he could only hold out in silence the ghost would vanish, and then he +would feel not the least pain from all the torments he had been +enduring.</p> + +<p>Our deserter fell in with the proposition without further words, and +the ladies escorted him, with the sound of music, to the fateful room +and left him there alone. When they were gone he undressed himself, +bolted the door securely, and lay down in bed. But he could not sleep, +for his head throbbed with expectation of what was about to happen.</p> + +<p>At eleven o'clock a sudden knock was heard at the door. He dared not +make a sound, for he was firmly resolved to ransom himself, the +ladies, and the enchanted castle; so he kept as still as a mouse. +Again the knocking came, but he made no answer. At the third knock the +door flew open, and in walked a gigantic form all clothed in flames.</p> + +<p>The giant placed himself at the bedside and began to ask the man who +he was and why he had come; but the deserter never uttered a word. +Then the giant seized him, threw him upon the floor, and began to +torment him; but no sound passed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> the sufferer's lips. At the stroke +of twelve the ghost departed, with the words:</p> + +<p>"Though you wouldn't tell to-day, you will to-morrow, when we all +three come."</p> + +<p>He spoke, the door flew open, closed again, and he was gone. The young +man arose from the floor, lay down upon his bed, and fell sweetly +asleep, without feeling the least harm.</p> + +<p>Next morning came the three ladies, all in white up to their knees, +and led him, with sound of music, back to the room where he had been +on the previous day. They placed a chair for him and set a delicious +breakfast before him. When he had plentifully breakfasted he fell +asleep and snored till evening.</p> + +<p>When he awoke he asked how late it was. The ladies replied that it was +nine o'clock; and they gave him a good supper and led him again to the +same room to sleep.</p> + +<p>At the stroke of eleven some one knocked at the door. He made no +sound, but at the third knock the door flew open and three ghosts +entered. The one who had been there the night before asked him the +same questions as before, but received no better answer. Then one of +them seized him and flung him into one corner, and another into +another, and so they tossed him about until the poor fellow lay +helpless against the wall, all covered with blood.</p> + +<p>When the clock struck twelve the spokesman said to him, "Though you +won't answer to-night, you will to-morrow, when we all four come." +With these words they disappeared.</p> + +<p>He again lifted himself up, lay down upon his bed, and felt no harm. +In the morning the three ladies came, all in white up to their +girdles, and escorted him, to the sound of music, into the other room, +where, after breakfast, he again fell asleep.</p> + +<p>At night they again escorted him to his chamber to sleep. When they +were gone he did not go to bed as usual, but began to consider how he +might avoid the fearful torment in store for him. First he looked out +at a window, but his gaze fell upon a frightful abyss enclosed by +rocky precipices. He went to the second window, but there it was no +better, but seemed to be even<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> more fearful. So nothing was left him +but to heap all the furniture of the room before the door, in hope +thus to escape his tormentors. But he soon gave up this hope, for +about midnight the knocking began. He made no answer, but at the third +knock the door flew open and all the furniture returned to its own +place.</p> + +<p>The ghost who had before questioned him now began to repeat his +questions, commanding him to tell who he was and how he came there; +but the young man was not to be made to speak. Then the spokesman +ordered one of his comrades to go below and bring up an anvil and four +hammers, and when these had been brought, one of the ghosts blew up a +fire and threw the young man upon it. When he was heated to a glow +they laid him upon the anvil and beat him with hammers until he was as +flat as paper. But with all this he was not to be forced to speak.</p> + +<p>The time was up and the ghosts must go. Before they went they told him +that he and all around him were blessed; and then the door flew open +and they vanished. He again arose, laid himself upon the bed, and sank +at once into slumber.</p> + +<p>Next morning the three ladies, all in white from head to foot, came, +with the sound of music, to thank him for ransoming them, and they +gave him to choose among them for a wife. Now the youngest of them had +grown nearest his heart, and he declared himself ready to marry her, +not at once, but later, for first he wished to see something of the +world.</p> + +<p>This being the case, they gave him a ham, a wooden flask of wine, a +loaf of bread, three dogs, and a pipe which hung by a golden chain, +and they told him that these dogs would come to his aid in every time +of need; he had only to call them by means of his pipe. And should he +be tired, he had only to seat himself upon one of them. So he took all +these things and went forth to see the world.</p> + +<p>One day when he was travelling through a forest he arrived at a castle +and turned aside to enter. But the steps which led up were of such a +kind that he could not climb them; so he seated himself upon one of +his dogs and the animal carried him up.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> As he passed through the +entrance he peeped through a window and saw a Tiger and his wife, who +was combing his hair.</p> + +<p>He went in to where they were, and the Tiger at once arose, led him +from room to room, and showed him many wonderful things. Everything +pleased the young man, except that the Tiger's wife kept the dogs shut +up in a room apart.</p> + +<p>When he entered the fourth room he went around it, gazing upon the +many statues and paintings; and while thus doing he stepped upon a +board which gave way and let him fall into a cellar where it was as +dark as pitch. He groped around for a way of escape, but a damp, heavy +wind seemed to sweep all around him, and first he would wound his hand +and then his foot. So he thought to himself, "You won't come safely +out of this!"</p> + +<p>After a while the Tiger let himself down by a rope, butcher-knife in +hand, intending to kill him. The young man begged for a half-hour's +respite, that he might do penance for his sins. This was granted, but +the time soon flew by, and the Tiger was already whetting his knife to +stab him, when the young man sprang aside, and his hand met the chain +upon which the pipe was hanging. He blew upon it, and quick as thought +the dogs were on the spot. He set them upon the Tiger, but as they +fell upon him the Tiger begged humbly for life, promising that his +wife would draw him and his dogs up out of the cellar.</p> + +<p>So it came to pass; but they were no sooner out than he again set the +dogs upon the Tiger, who again began to beg, promising to give him a +salve which had the power of fastening against the wall any one upon +whose back it was rubbed, and keeping him there fast and firm until he +chose to let him go.</p> + +<p>The youth took the salve and went on farther, till he reached a city +which was all shrouded in mourning. He entered and asked why every one +was in mourning, and received answer that a fearful Dragon was to come +that day and carry off the Emperor's daughter.</p> + +<p>At this he laughed heartily, and said, "That may easily be helped; +just go and announce to the Emperor that I am ready to ransom the +Princess, if it is agreeable to him." This was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> announced, and the +Emperor received him into the castle with great joy.</p> + +<p>As the appointed time for the Dragon's coming had arrived, the young +man placed himself in readiness. At the stroke of twelve the Dragon +suddenly appeared, driving four horses. The young man was waiting for +him, and as soon as the Dragon had taken the Princess by the hand to +carry her off he spread the salve upon his back, pressed him against +the wall, and set his dogs upon him. At the same time he belaboured +him with the butt-end of his musket, till the Dragon was quite +exhausted and began to beg off, promising to give a written agreement +never again to molest the Princess. When he had written the paper in +his own blood and signed it he vanished through the window.</p> + +<p>Then the Emperor knew not what to do for joy. He offered his daughter +to the soldier to wife, or, if he liked it better, the half of his +kingdom. But the young man declined both offers and returned to his +own ladies, where he married the youngest with the greatest +festivities. As they came out of church to go to their house a new +city sprang up along the roadside. The hilarity was great. I myself +was among the guests, and after I had made merry to my heart's content +I set out upon the way home to Varazdin.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Two_Melons" id="The_Two_Melons"></a><i>The Two Melons</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_05.jpg" alt="A" width="52" height="50" /></div> +<p>n honest and poor old woman was washing clothes at a pool, when a +bird that a hunter had disabled by a shot in the wing, fell down into +the water before her. She gently took up the bird, carried it home +with her, dressed its wound, and fed it until it was well, when it +soared away. Some days later it returned, put before her an oval seed, +and departed again. The woman planted the seed in her yard and when it +came up she recognized the leaf as that of a melon. She made a trellis +for it, and gradually a fruit formed on it, and grew to great size.</p> + +<p>Toward the end of the year, the old dame was unable to pay her debts, +and her poverty so weighed upon her that she became ill. Sitting one +day at her door, feverish and tired, she saw that the melon was ripe, +and looked luscious; so she determined to try its unknown quality. +Taking a knife, she severed the melon from its stalk, and was +surprised to hear it chink in her hands. On cutting it in two, she +found it full of silver and gold pieces, with which she paid her debts +and bought supplies for many days.</p> + +<p>Among her neighbours was a busybody who craftily found out how the old +woman had so suddenly become rich. Thinking there was no good reason +why she should not herself be equally fortunate, she washed clothes at +the pool, keeping a sharp lookout for birds until she managed to hit +and maim one of a flock that was flitting over the water. She then +took the disabled bird home, and treated it with care till its wing +healed and it flew away. Shortly afterward it came back with a seed in +its beak, laid it before her, and again took flight. The woman quickly +planted the seed, saw it come up and spread its leaves, made a trellis +for it, and had the gratification of seeing a melon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> form on its +stalk. In prospect of her future wealth, she ate rich food, bought +fine garments, and got so deeply into debt that, before the end of the +year, she was harried by duns. But the melon grew apace, and she was +delighted to find that, as it ripened, it became of vast size, and +that when she shook it there was a great rattling inside. At the end +of the year she cut it down, and divided it, expecting it to be a +coffer of coins; but there crawled out of it two old, lame, hungry +beggars, who told her they would remain and eat at her table as long +as they lived.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Iron_Casket" id="The_Iron_Casket"></a><i>The Iron Casket</i></h2> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_09.jpg" alt="I" width="35" height="50" /></div> + +<p>n Bagdad, in the little lane by the Golden Bridge, lived, ages ago, a +merchant named Kalif. He was a quiet, retiring man, who sat early and +late in his little shop, and went but once a year to Mosul or Shiraz, +where he bought embroidered robes in exchange for attar of roses.</p> + +<p>On one of these journeys, chancing to have fallen a little in the rear +of his caravan, he heard roarings and trampling of horse's hoofs in +the thicket close by the roadside. Drawing his sword, which he wore on +account of thieves, he entered the thicket. On a little green, +surrounded by trees, he saw a horseman in a light blue mantle and a +turban fastened by a flashing diamond. The horse, an Arab of purest +blood, seemed to have lost its senses. Rearing upright with a piercing +neigh, it struggled vainly to dislodge an enormous panther, which had +fixed its great claws in its flanks. The rider had lost all control +over it; blood and foam poured from its mouth and nostrils. Kalif +sprang boldly out, with a mighty stroke split the panther's skull, +and, flinging away his sword, ran to the horse's head, thereby +enabling the rider to dismount. Having calmed the trembling animal, +the horseman begged his rescuer to follow him.</p> + +<p>"I had lost my way in the chase," he said, "and should have fallen a +victim to the panther, if Allah had not sent you to my aid. I will +reward you well for your bravery. Come! let us seek my companions; +there, behind that wood, my camp must be."</p> + +<p>"I did what any other would have done in my place," answered Kalif +simply, "and expect no reward. But if you so will it, I will accompany +you to your tents."</p> + +<p>The stranger took his horse by the rein, and walked in silence at the +merchant's side till they arrived at an opening in the trees.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> Here, +surrounded by several smaller ones, stood one large tent of purple +linen. A number of richly clad men threw themselves on their faces +before the new-comer. Then Kalif knew whom he had saved: it was the +Shah himself. He was about to fall at his feet, but the Shah seized +his hand and led him into the tent. Inside, standing on five stools, +were five caskets, the first of gold set with jewels, the second of +gold alone, the third silver, the fourth copper, and the fifth of +iron.</p> + +<p>"Choose one of these caskets," said the Shah.</p> + +<p>Kalif hesitated. At length he said:</p> + +<p>"What I did is not worthy of any reward, but if you will it, O King of +Kings, I will take one of these caskets to remind me of the day when +my eyes were permitted to behold the Light of Asia."</p> + +<p>He stooped and took the iron casket.</p> + +<p>The Shah started. "Stranger," he said, "your modesty has met with its +own reward. You have chosen the most valuable casket; for, look! the +others are empty, but this one contains two jewels which possess the +magic gift of bestowing undreamed-of power to their owner." He raised +the lid and showed the wondering Kalif the two stones. "This one," he +said, "is a lapis lazuli. Whosoever winds it in the folds of his +turban, to him everything is known that has happened since the world +began, and no secret can be hidden from him. But this stone," and he +took a diamond the size of a dove's egg from the casket, "this stone +brings all the riches he can think of to its owner. He has but to rub +the stone and repeat his wish aloud." He replaced the stones in the +casket, closed the lid, and handed it to the merchant, who thanked the +Shah, hid the treasure in his robes, and hastened to rejoin his +caravan.</p> + +<p>Once again in his own house he often looked at the princely gift, and +one day as he was rubbing the lid he noticed an inscription upon it, +that had hitherto been unseen. It ran:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"'Tis Allah's will that he who cherishes<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The precious gift that never perishes.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shall make the East to bend as low<br /></span> +<span class="i0">As palms that in the whirlwind blow."<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span></div></div> + +<p>Kalif never spoke of his adventure in the Kalaat Mountains, neither +could he ever make up his mind to test the virtue of the stones, being +a frugal man on the one hand, and unwilling to surpass his neighbours +in wisdom on the other. But at length the news of the Shah's rescue by +the merchant reached even Bagdad, together with the account of the +Royal reward, and people jostled one another to call on the merchant +and see with their own eyes the wonderful casket. In consequence Kalif +had more customers in one day than he generally had in ten years, and +his daily receipts testified to the worth of the casket. For many +years he enjoyed the reward of his bravery, and at his death Ali +Haitam, the eldest son, proposed that they should draw lots for the +magic stones. He had great ideas of his own cleverness, and hoped from +the bottom of his heart to win the lapis lazuli. Ali Hassuf, the +second son, whose sole failing was insatiable greed, was quite +agreeable, though in secret he was revolving in his own mind how to +obtain the diamond in case it fell into the hands of the youngest son. +But just as they were about to draw, Abdul Kassim, the youngest son, +said: "Dear brothers, we are three, and there are but two stones. It +would be better, therefore, for one to renounce his claim in order +that no dispute may arise in our hitherto peace-loving family. I am +the youngest, and therefore can have least claim on the stones. Throw +to decide which stone shall fall to each. I resign!"</p> + +<p>The other two were delighted and, as it happened, each got the stone +he desired.</p> + +<p>"But in order that I may have a keepsake of my dear father," continued +Abdul Kassim, "permit me to take home the casket. It will be of no use +to you, since you have divided the contents."</p> + +<p>Ali Hassuf hesitated at first, but finally agreed to Kassim's wish.</p> + +<p>The three brothers left the empty house, and went each to seek his +fortune in his own way.</p> + +<p>Ali Haitam bought a piece of muslin, folded it into a turban, sewed +the lapis lazuli inside, and fixed it firmly on his head. Then he went +to the bazaar and waited for an influx of wisdom, And see! The power +of the stone set to work and his mind was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> filled with knowledge! He +knew the origin of all things, and his eyes could see through walls +five feet thick! He passed the Caliph's palace, and he could see that +in the recesses of the cellars were hidden 9,000 sacks of gold, and +that Fatma, the daughter of the Caliph, was the most lovely maiden in +the East; and an idea occurred to him that dazzled him. "How would it +be," he thought, "if I placed my wisdom at the Caliph's disposal, +became his first adviser, and finally married the lovely Fatma?" But +together with this dream came the longing to display to an admiring +crowd some proofs of his wisdom.</p> + +<p>He hurried back to the bazaar, mounted the highest steps at the gates, +and cried: "You people of Bagdad, who believe that the sun moves round +the earth, you are ignorant fools and sons of fools! Hear now what I +preach to you. The sun stands still, but the earth moves!"</p> + +<p>He intended to continue, but the cries of the bystanders interrupted +him.</p> + +<p>"Ali Haitam has gone mad," they cried; "listen to the nonsense he is +talking. Come, let us hold him head first under the lion's mouth at +the spring; that will restore him to reason!"</p> + +<p>And one, a fruit dealer, took an orange, and crying, "Ali Haitam is +right, the sun moves just as little as this orange!" flung the orange +at the philosopher on the steps. The juicy fruit knocked the turban +from Ali's head. He stooped to regain it, but in vain. The fruit +dealer's throw was the signal for a general onslaught, so that he was +obliged to take to his heels and fly for home. Dusty and panting he +reached his hut, deeply grieved at the loss of his precious stone, and +furious at the stupidity of the people, who showed so little +understanding of the first principles of science.</p> + +<p>The second brother started more cautiously. Since he had but seldom +been farther than the end of the narrow street by the Golden Bridge, +he was not in a position to think of anything very precious to wish +for; he therefore first visited the bazaar and asked the price of +everything he saw. At last he found something that, on account of its +high price, made a great impression on him. It was a Turkish sword +that a cunning jeweller<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> had studded thickly with diamonds on handle +and sheath. The dealer asked fifteen hundred golden coins for it, and +the bystanders stared with open eyes at the man who dared to bargain +for such costly possessions. Just as Ali Hassuf was weighing the +precious sword in his hand, a palanquin was borne through the crowd. +He turned, and through the drawn curtains caught sight of a maiden of +wondrous beauty. When he heard that she was the Caliph's daughter, the +desire awoke in his soul to marry this lovely creature, and it seemed +to him not unlikely that the Caliph would give his daughter to a man +of such note as he would become as the possessor of the magic diamond. +He decided to buy the sword, and, armed with the same, to visit the +Caliph the very next day.</p> + +<p>"I shall come again the very first thing to-morrow morning," he said +to the dealer. "I have not quite enough money with me now, but I shall +procure it this evening. I had quite expected," he added boastingly, +"that the sword would be expensive."</p> + +<p>He turned and went home, where he saddled the thin ass and hung across +its back two large panniers. When it grew dark he softly drove the +beast through the yard and led it out into the desert. For about an +hour he walked, and in imagination saw himself in possession of all +the glories the talisman would bring him. He had not noticed that he +was followed by three dark forms, who had never lost sight of him +since his visit to the bazaar. He halted by a group of stunted palms, +spread out a large cloth, and with trembling fingers began to rub the +diamond, crying at the same time, "Spirit of the Stone! send me at +once twenty shekels of golden coins!" He waited a moment, and listened +in the darkness, thinking he heard whispering voices. But as all was +silent he repeated his wish for the second and third time. He heard a +noise as of the falling of soft, heavy weights, and, on stooping, +found twenty well-filled sacks. He opened one, and felt inside. And, +truly! it was really gold in bright new coins! With feverish haste he +slung the sacks on the ass's back, and turned its head homeward. +Suddenly he heard once more the same mysterious whisperings, this time +in his immediate neighbourhood. He stood still and listened with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +bated breath. He felt himself seized by heavy hands and thrown to the +ground, and saw another form seize the ass. Two men with blackened +faces tore off his turban and robe and left him lying half-naked by +the roadside, after having warned him to keep quiet as to this attack +unless he wished to lose his life. Trembling with fright and rage, he +saw the robbers disappear with his ass in the direction of the +mountain. What pained him most was the loss of his diamond, which he +had concealed in his robe. He reached home, where he lay hidden for +weeks, too ashamed to show himself in the streets or at the bazaar. +But once as he sat on the Golden Bridge fishing, to try and provide +himself with a frugal meal, the weapon-dealer passed him by, and said: +"Well, Ali Hassuf, when are you coming for your sword?"</p> + +<p>But sword and Princess were forever lost to Ali Hassuf.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, as the two elder brothers were mourning their losses, +Abdul Kassim, the youngest, sat at home in his little house by the +gardens, thinking with regret of his father, and wondering what he +should do to earn himself his daily bread. Before him, on a little +stool, stood the iron casket. There came a knock at the door, and +Micha ben Jahzeel, the Jew, who had lent him money a month or two ago, +walked in. Micha looked grave and said, "Abdul Kassim, times are bad, +and ready money gets scarcer and scarcer. You know I lent you ten +golden coins, and I have come to ask"—his eyes fell on the casket and +he started, but collecting himself, went on: "I have come to tell you +that I am not in an immediate hurry for the return of the loan. If you +like you can keep it, or, as it is hardly worth mentioning, keep it +for some months, or even years if you like. I only wanted to tell you +you needn't trouble about it, there is no hurry at all." He bowed low +to his debtor and withdrew.</p> + +<p>Abdul Kassim marvelled at the change in the Jew's manner, but as he +thought of the looks he had cast at the casket he couldn't help +smiling.</p> + +<p>On the same evening came his neighbour, the clothes dealer, who had +not visited him for years, "Dear friend," he said, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> placed a +bundle on the floor before Kassim, "I have come to entreat your pardon +that my horse should have splashed your robe with mud the other day; +he is a young thing, and is not yet properly broken. I have brought +you a new robe to replace it, which I hope will please you." Then he +withdrew. The young man could not recollect having been splashed by +his neighbour's horse, still less could he account for the generosity +of one who was celebrated for his meanness, in presenting him with +such an elaborately embroidered robe.</p> + +<p>Next morning, just as he had put on his new robe, a distant relation +arrived, bringing a magnificently caparisoned horse.</p> + +<p>"Dear cousin," he said—formerly he had not even noticed him—"your +appearance grieves me. I feared you were giving way too much to grief +at the loss of your father, and it would give me great pleasure to +cheer you a little. I have ventured to bring you this horse, which is +overcrowding my stable; do me the favour to accept this little gift!"</p> + +<p>Abdul Kassim would have refused, but the cousin had hurried away. +There he stood, holding the beautiful animal by the bridle. He could +not resist the temptation to mount him. He swung himself into the +saddle and rode into the town. Every one bowed to him, and many stood +still, saying: "There, I told you so! Abdul Kassim was always the +favorite son, and he has inherited the casket!"</p> + +<p>Next morning, as the barber sharpened his razor and began to shave the +Caliph, the latter asked him: "Well, Harmos, what are my subjects +talking about just now?"</p> + +<p>The barber bowed to the ground and said: "What should they speak of, O +King of the Faithful, if not of your goodness and wisdom?"</p> + +<p>"Of your idiocy, very likely," shouted the Caliph, bored by the +eternal flatteries of the barber. "Tell me, what are the people +talking about?"</p> + +<p>"They talk," began Harmos hesitatingly; "they talk of the luck of your +servant, Abdul Kassim, whom they call the wisest and richest of your +subjects."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Abdul Kassim? I don't even know his name," said the Caliph.</p> + +<p>"He is the son and heir of Kalif," continued the barber, more +courageously; "the same Kalif whom the Shah once rewarded with a magic +casket."</p> + +<p>He related at length all about the magic stones. The Caliph listened +attentively, dismissed the barber, and sent a message to the Grand +Vizier to come at once. The Vizier came and confirmed the barber's +tale. "Abdul Kassim," he said, "knows everything that goes on in the +world, and whenever he has a wish, all he has to do to fulfil it is to +rub the diamond and say what he wants."</p> + +<p>The Caliph grew serious, "Do you think, Vizier, that this man could +usurp my throne? How would it be if I gave him a palace and raised him +to be the husband of my daughter?"</p> + +<p>The Grand Vizier agreed to the proposal of his ruler, and undertook +himself to convey to the astounded Abdul Kassim the tidings that the +Commander of the Faithful had given him a palace and awaited his +visit.</p> + +<p>The same evening the new favourite of the Caliph packed all his few +belongings on the horse's back, took the iron casket under his arm +and, amid the cheers of the crowd, entered the palace.</p> + +<p>A troop of negroes received him and threw themselves at his feet. An +especially gorgeously arrayed slave led him into a room, where a +banquet awaited him. Abdul Kassim had never fared so well in his life. +But he did not forget to praise Allah for his goodness. Next morning +he put on his gorgeous robe, bound on the magnificent sword he found +in the great hall, and rode, accompanied by the negroes, to visit the +Caliph.</p> + +<p>The Commander of the Faithful sat on the throne and awaited his +subject, who, when he appeared, was about to throw himself in the dust +at the ruler's feet, but the Caliph descended the three steps of the +throne, and took the young man's hand.</p> + +<p>"Are you Abdul Kassim," he said, "son of Kalif, the merchant who lived +by the Golden Bridge?"</p> + +<p>"I am he, Caliph," answered Abdul; "permit me to express<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> my thanks +for the palace with which you have endowed your most humble servant."</p> + +<p>"I have heard much good of you," said the Caliph, when he had ordered +his suite to retire; "and pray you to show me the magic jewels that +help you to such power and wisdom."</p> + +<p>"Of which jewels are you speaking?" asked Abdul Kassim, amazed.</p> + +<p>"Well," smiled the Caliph, "which jewels should I mean but those you +have inherited from your father?"</p> + +<p>The young man stared. So the Caliph, too, took him for the possessor +of the magic stones? Without reserve he confessed that, to avoid +disputes he had voluntarily retired and left the stones to his +brothers.</p> + +<p>"But," said the Caliph, "Micha ben Jahzeel, the Jew, saw the casket in +your house!"</p> + +<p>"The casket he may have seen," answered Abdul Kassim; "I begged it of +my brothers in memory of my father."</p> + +<p>The Caliph seemed still in doubt. He sent a slave to Abdul Kassim's +palace to bring the casket. The messenger brought it, gave it to the +Caliph, and retired. The Caliph opened the lid and looked inside. It +was in truth empty! His gaze fell on the inscription:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"'Tis Allah's will that he who cherishes<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The precious gift that never perishes,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shall make the East to bend as low<br /></span> +<span class="i0">As palms that in the whirlwind blow."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>He read the verse and looked at the youth. "Abdul Kassim," he said, +"you have jewels in your heart more precious than all the treasures of +the earth. For love of your brothers you gave up the stones, and for +love of your father you have preserved this seemingly worthless +casket. But Allah has blessed you for your virtues and has, by means +of this humble iron casket, raised you to power and wealth. I dare not +refuse to assist you. I will give you the most priceless gift at my +disposal—the hand of my only daughter."</p> + +<p>He called the chief overseer of the harem and bade him lead Fatma to +the throne-room. The maiden had passed the night<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> in weeping, for she +had heard that she was to be given in marriage to a strange man. She +shuddered at the thought, for as only child of the Caliph she had been +thoroughly spoiled, and hated the idea of leaving her father's roof.</p> + +<p>Abdul Kassim, who until now had been struck utterly dumb with +astonishment, could not refrain from a cry of admiration at the sight +of the lovely Fatma. She seemed to him a hundred times more beautiful +than any description he had heard of her in Bagdad.</p> + +<p>In the midst of her grief Fatma retained her woman's curiosity, and on +hearing the youth's voice, cast one glance at him over her father's +shoulder. The first impression seemed not unfavourable. She eyed his +slender form as he stood leaning on his sword, and gradually ceased +her sobbing. She even raised herself and took hold of the Caliph's +arm. "Father," she said, "do with me what you will; not without cause +do the people call you 'The Wise One'."</p> + +<p>So Fatma was married to Abdul. But neither she nor any other ever knew +that the iron casket connected with her young lord's rise and power +was empty. The Caliph advised his son-in-law to maintain the deepest +silence as to the absence of the magic jewels.</p> + +<p>In the fifth year of their wedded life the Caliph, feeling the weight +of advancing years, abdicated in Abdul Kassim's favour, so the verse +on the casket was fulfilled, and Abdul Kassim reigned many, many years +over Bagdad, the best and wisest ruler who had ever ascended the +throne. Allah's name be praised!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Knights_of_the_Fish" id="The_Knights_of_the_Fish"></a><i>The Knights of the Fish</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce upon a time there was a poor cobbler, who, being unable to live +by mending shoes, determined to buy a net and turn fisherman. He went +a-fishing for several days, but could draw up nothing in his net but +old boots and shoes, though few enough of them could he get hold of +when he was a cobbler. At last he thought:</p> + +<p>"This is the very last day I will go fishing. If I catch nothing I +will go and hang myself."</p> + +<p>He cast his net, and this time he found a fine fish in it. When he had +taken the fish in his hand, it opened its mouth and said to him:</p> + +<p>"Take me home to your house; cut me in six pieces and stew me with +salt and pepper, cinnamon and cloves, laurel leaves and mint. Give two +of the pieces to your wife, two to your mare, and the other two to the +plant in the garden."</p> + +<p>The cobbler did exactly what the fish had told him to do, such was the +faith he had in its words. And he was duly rewarded, for several +months afterward his wife presented him with two fine boys, and his +mare with two colts, whilst the plant in his garden grew two lances +which, instead of flowers, bore two shields, on which were to be seen +a silver fish on an azure ground.</p> + +<p>Everything went on so prosperously that in course of time, one fine +day, might be seen two gallant youths issuing from the cobbler's +house, mounted upon two superb chargers, and bearing slender lances +and brilliant shields.</p> + +<p>These two brothers were so much alike that they were known as The +Double Knight; and each of them wishing, as was just, to preserve his +own individuality, they determined to separate and each seek his own +fortune. After embracing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> affectionately, the one took his way toward +the West, and the other toward the East.</p> + +<p>After travelling for some days the first arrived at Madrid, and found +the royal city pouring bitter tears into the pure, sweet waters of her +cherished river, the Manzanares. Everybody was weeping when our +gallant youth arrived at the Spanish capital; he inquired the cause of +this universal lamentation, and was informed that every year a fiery +dragon came and carried off a beautiful maiden, and that this luckless +year the lot had fallen upon their princess, the king's good and +peerless daughter.</p> + +<p>The knight at once inquired where the princess was to be found, and +was informed, at about a quarter of a league's distance, where she was +expecting the fiery one to appear and carry her off to his den. Then +the knight started off at once to the place indicated, and found the +princess bathed in tears, and trembling from head to foot.</p> + +<p>"Fly away!" cried the princess, when she saw the Knight of the Fish +approach; "fly away, rash one! the monster is coming here, and if he +sees you, heaven help you!"</p> + +<p>"I shall not go away," responded the gallant youth, "because I have +come to save you."</p> + +<p>"To save me! Is that possible?"</p> + +<p>"I am going to see," responded the valiant champion. "Are there any +German merchants in the city?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered the princess in astonishment; "but why do you ask?"</p> + +<p>"You will see," said the knight, and galloped off to the city of +mourning.</p> + +<p>He speedily returned with an immense mirror which he had purchased +from a German dealer. This he rested against the trunk of a tree, and +covered it with the princess's veil, placing her in front of it, and +instructing her that when the dragon was near to her she was to pull +off the veil and slip behind the glass. So saying, the knight retired +behind an adjacent wall.</p> + +<p>In a little while the fiery dragon appeared, and gradually drew near +to the fair one, eying her with all the insolence and effrontery<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +possible. When he was quite close, the princess, as she had been +instructed by her champion, withdrew the veil, and slipping behind the +mirror, disappeared from before the eyes of the fiery dragon, which +remained stupefied at finding his amorous glances directed at a dragon +similar to himself. He made a movement; his resemblance did the same. +His eyes sparkled red and brilliant as two rubies; whilst those of his +opponent gleamed like two carbuncles. This increased his fury; he +erected his scales as a porcupine would its quills, and those of his +rival likewise stood up. He opened his tremendous mouth, which would +have been without parallel but for that of his opponent, who, far from +being intimidated, opened an identical one. The dragon dashed +furiously against his intrepid adversary, giving such an awful blow +with his head against the mirror that he was completely stunned; and +as he had broken the glass, and in every piece saw a piece of his own +body, he fancied that with one blow he had dashed his rival to atoms.</p> + +<p>The knight availed himself of this moment of confusion and +stupefaction, and dashing forth impetuously from his retreat, with his +good lance deprived the dragon of its life, and would have been ready +to deprive it of a hundred lives had it possessed so many.</p> + +<p>The delight and jubilation of the Madrid people may be imagined when +they beheld the Knight of the Fish bearing on his saddle the beautiful +princess, quite uninjured and as lively as a cricket, and the dragon, +fastened by its neck to his sturdy charger, hanging dead and bloodless +behind. It may, also, be readily guessed that after such an +achievement they were unable to reward the gallant knight with +anything but the princess's fair hand; and that they had wedding +festivities, and banquets, and bull fights, and tilting matches, and +all sorts of good things.</p> + +<p>Some days after the marriage the Knight of the Fish said to his wife +that he would like to look over the palace, which was so extensive +that it covered a league of ground. They inspected the place together, +and the task occupied them four days. On the fourth day they ascended +the roof, and the knight was struck with amazement at the prospect. +Never had he seen anything like it,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> nor ever could he have seen its +equal, even if he had visited all Spain and the Empire of Morocco as +well.</p> + +<p>"What castle is that?" inquired the Knight of the Fish, "which I see +standing in the distance, so solitary and sombre."</p> + +<p>"That," responded the princess, "is the castle of Albastretch; it is +enchanted, and no one is able to undo the enchantment; and no one of +all those who have gone to it has ever been known to return."</p> + +<p>The knight listened intently to this, and as he was valiant and +adventurous, on the following morning he mounted his horse, seized his +lance, and set out for the castle.</p> + +<p>The castle was enough to set one's hair on end with fright to look at +it; it was darker than a thunder-cloud, and as silent as death. But +the Knight of the Fish knew nothing of fear, save by hearsay, and +never turned his back on foe until he had conquered; so he took his +cornet and blew it lustily. The sound startled all the slumbering +echoes of the castle, so that they repeated it by heart, now nearer +and now farther, sometimes softer and then louder; but no one stirred +in the castle.</p> + +<p>"Ah! what a castle!" shouted the knight. "Is there no one to see to a +knight who craves shelter? Is there no governor, nor squire nor even a +groom, to take my horse away?"</p> + +<p>"Away! away! away!" clamoured the echoes.</p> + +<p>"Why should I go away?" said the Knight of the Fish. "I shall not go +back, no matter how much you sigh!"</p> + +<p>"Ay! ay! ay! (<i>Alas! alas! alas!</i>)" groaned the echoes.</p> + +<p>The knight grasped his spear and struck a loud blow on the door.</p> + +<p>Then the portcullis was raised, and in the opening appeared the tip of +an enormous nose, located between the sunken eyes and fallen-in mouth +of an old woman uglier than sin.</p> + +<p>"What do you want, impudent disturber?" she inquired, with a cracked +voice.</p> + +<p>"To enter," replied the knight. "Are you not able to afford me the +enjoyment of some rest at this hour of the night? Yes or no?"</p> + +<p>"No! no! no!" said the echoes.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> + +<p>Here the knight lifted his vizier, because he was warm; and the old +woman, seeing how handsome he was, said to him:</p> + +<p>"Come in, handsome youth; you shall be cared for and well looked +after."</p> + +<p>"After! after!" warned the echoes; but the knight was fear-less and +entered, the old woman promising that he should fare well.</p> + +<p>"Farewell, farewell!" sighed the echoes.</p> + +<p>"Go on, old lady," said the knight.</p> + +<p>"I am called Lady Berberisca," interposed the old woman, very crossly; +"and I am the mistress of Albastretch."</p> + +<p>"Wretch! wretch!" groaned the echoes.</p> + +<p>"Won't you be silent, cursed chatterers?" exclaimed Lady Berberisca. +"I am your humble servant," she continued, making a deep curtsey to +the knight, "and if you like I will be your wife, and you shall live +with me here as grand as a Pacha."</p> + +<p>"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the echoes.</p> + +<p>"Would you have me marry you? You must be a hundred. You are foolish, +and mad as well."</p> + +<p>"Well, well," said the echoes.</p> + +<p>"What I want," said the knight, "is the registry of the castle, to +examine and amend."</p> + +<p>"Amen! amen!" sighed the echoes.</p> + +<p>Lady Berberisca's pride was deeply wounded; she gave a hasty glance at +the Knight of the Fish, and intimating to him that he should follow +her, she showed him over the castle, where he beheld many strange +things, but she did not afford him any opportunity of referring to +them. The wicked old woman took him through an obscure corridor, where +there was a trap-door, into which he fell and disappeared into an +abyss, where his voice was added to the echoes, which were the voices +of many other gallant and accomplished knights, whom the shameless old +Berberisca had punished in the same manner for having despised her +venerable charms.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Let us now turn to the other Knight of the Fish, who, after long +travels, arrived at Madrid. As he entered the city gates<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> the +sentinels presented arms, the drums beat the royal march and several +of the palace servitors surrounded him, saying that the princess was +in constant tears through his prolonged absence, fearing that some +misfortune had happened to him in the enchanted castle of Albastretch.</p> + +<p>"It is necessary that I should pass for my brother," thought the +knight, "to whom, it would appear, some good fortune has occurred. I +must be quiet, and we shall see what will come to pass."</p> + +<p>They carried him almost in triumph to the palace, where he found it +easy to accept all the caresses and congratulations bestowed upon him +by the king and the princess. They were eager to learn about his +adventures, and what he had seen at the castle; but to the princess's +inquiries he answered:</p> + +<p>"I am not permitted to say a word about that until after I have been +there once more."</p> + +<p>"Are you thinking of revisiting that accursed castle? You are the only +one who has yet returned from it."</p> + +<p>"It is unavoidable; I am obliged to go there."</p> + +<p>When they retired to rest, the knight placed his sword in the bed.</p> + +<p>"Why do you do that?" inquired the princess.</p> + +<p>"Because I have sworn not to sleep in a bed until after I have +revisited Albastretch."</p> + +<p>And on the following day he mounted his steed and took his way to the +enchanted castle, much fearing that some misfortune had happened to +his brother there. He arrived at the castle, and quickly saw the old +woman's fiery nose appear at the portcullis.</p> + +<p>No sooner did she see the knight than she became livid with fright, +for she thought he was the dead knight come to life again. She began +to invoke the object of her devotions, Beelzebub, most devoutly, and +promised him all kinds of gifts if he would take from her view that +vision of flesh and blood, drawn up from the abode of the dead.</p> + +<p>"Ancient lady!" cried the recent arrival, "I have come to ask where a +knight is who has been here?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Here! here! here!" responded the echoes.</p> + +<p>"And what have you done with this knight, so accomplished in all +things, and so skilled?"</p> + +<p>"Killed! killed!" groaned the echoes.</p> + +<p>On hearing this, and seeing the old hag running off, the Knight of the +Fish, beside himself with rage, ran after her, and pierced her through +with his sword, which remained fast in her body, so that she jumped +about at the point of it like a parched pea in a frying-pan.</p> + +<p>"Where is my brother, ugly old traitress?" demanded the knight.</p> + +<p>"I can tell you," responded the witch, "but as I am at death's door, I +will not let you know until you have resuscitated me."</p> + +<p>"But how can I do this, perfidious witch?"</p> + +<p>"Go to the garden," responded the old woman, "cut some evergreens, +everlastings, and dragon's blood; with these plants make a decoction +in a caldron, and then sprinkle some of it over me."</p> + +<p>After saying this the old woman died, without uttering a prayer. The +knight did all that the witch instructed him to do, and effectually +resuscitated her, but uglier than ever, for her nose remained deadly +white, and looked like an elephant's tusk. Then she was forced to tell +the knight where his brother was; and down in the abyss he not only +found him, but many other victims of the wicked Berberisca. He +sprinkled them all with the decoction in the caldron, and they were +all brought to life again, and to each person came an echo which had +been his voice; and the first words they all uttered were:</p> + +<p>"Accursed witch, merciless Berberisca!"</p> + +<p>Then all those gallant knights, and many beautiful ladies whom the +fiery old dragon—who was the witch's son—had carried there, gave +thanks to the Knight of the Fish; and one of the most beautiful of the +ladies gave him her hand; on seeing which, the wicked Berberisca died +again with envy and spite.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Dapplegrim" id="Dapplegrim"></a><i>Dapplegrim</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce on a time there was a rich couple who had twelve sons; but the +youngest, when he was grown up, said he wouldn't stay any longer at +home, but be off into the world to try his luck. His father and mother +said he did very well at home, and had better stay where he was. But +no, he couldn't rest; away he must and would go.</p> + +<p>So at last they gave him leave. And when he had walked a good bit, he +came to a king's palace, where he asked for a place, and got it.</p> + +<p>Now, the daughter of the king of that land had been carried off into +the hill by a Troll, and the king had no other children; so he and all +his land were in great grief and sorrow, and the king gave his word +that anyone who could set her free should have the Princess and half +the kingdom. But there was no one who could do it, though many tried.</p> + +<p>When the lad had been there a year or so, he longed to go home again, +and see his father and mother, and back he went; but when he got home +his father and mother were dead, and his brothers had shared all that +the old people owned between them, so there was nothing left for the +lad.</p> + +<p>"Shan't I have anything at all, then, out of father's and mother's +goods?" asked the lad.</p> + +<p>"Who could tell you were still alive, when you've been wandering about +so long?" said his brothers. "But all the same there are twelve mares +up on the hill which we haven't yet shared amongst us; if you choose +to take them for your share, you're welcome."</p> + +<p>Yes, the lad was quite content; so he thanked his brothers, and went +at once up on the hill, where the twelve mares were out at grass. And +when he got up there he found them; and one of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> them had along with +her a big dapple-gray foal, which was so sleek that the sun shone from +its coat.</p> + +<p>"A fine fellow you are, my little foal," said the lad.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the foal, "but you wait until another year has passed, and +then see how big and sleek I'll be."</p> + +<p>So the lad went home again, and when he came back the next year to +look after his foal and mares, the foal was so sleek and fat that the +sun shone from its coat, and it had grown so big the lad had hard work +to mount it.</p> + +<p>"Well, it's quite plain I lost nothing by leaving you to graze for a +twelvemonth," said the lad to the yearling, "but now you're big enough +to come along with me."</p> + +<p>"No," said the colt, "I must bide here a year longer and then see how +big and sleek I'll be by summer."</p> + +<p>Yes, the lad did that; and next year when he went up on the hill to +look after his colt and mares, each mare had her foal, but the dapple +colt was so tall that the lad couldn't reach up to his crest when he +wanted to feel how fat he was; and so sleek he was, too, that his coat +glistened in the sunshine.</p> + +<p>"Big and beautiful you were last year, my colt," said the lad, "but +this year you're far grander. There's no such horse in the king's +stable. But now you must come along with me."</p> + +<p>"No," said Dapple again, "I must stay here one year more, to eat this +beautiful grass, then just come and look at me when the summer comes."</p> + +<p>So again the lad went away home.</p> + +<p>But when he went up next year to look after Dapple and the mares, he +was quite astonished. So tall, and stout, and sturdy, he never thought +a horse could be; for Dapple had to lie down before the lad could +bestride him, and it was hard work to climb up even then, although he +lay flat; and his coat was so smooth and sleek that the sunbeams shone +from it as from a looking-glass.</p> + +<p>This time Dapple was willing enough to follow the lad, so he jumped up +on his back, and when he came riding home to his brothers, they all +clapped their hands and shouted, for such a horse they had never heard +of or seen before.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span></p> + +<p>"If you will only get me the best shoes you can for my horse, and the +grandest saddle and bridle that are to be found," said the lad, "you +may have my twelve mares that graze up on the hill yonder, and their +twelve foals into the bargain." For you must know that this year every +mare had her foal.</p> + +<p>Yes, his brothers were ready to do that, and so the lad got such +strong shoes under his horse that the stones flew high aloft as he +rode away across the hills; and he had a golden saddle and a golden +bridle, which gleamed and glistened a long way off.</p> + +<p>"Now we're off to the king's palace," said Dapplegrim—that was his +name; "and mind you ask the king for a good stable and fodder for me."</p> + +<p>Yes, the lad said he would mind; he'd be sure not to forget; and when +he rode off from his brothers' house, you may be sure it wasn't long, +with such a horse under him, before he got to the king's palace.</p> + +<p>When he came there the king was standing on the steps, and stared and +stared at the man who came riding along.</p> + +<p>"Nay, nay," said he, "such a man and such a horse I never saw in all +my life."</p> + +<p>But when the lad asked if he could resume his place in the king's +household, the king was so glad he was ready to jump and dance as he +stood on the steps.</p> + +<p>There was no reason, the king said, why the lad should not come back.</p> + +<p>"Ay," said the lad, "but I must have good stable-room for my horse, +and fodder that one can trust."</p> + +<p>Yes, he should have meadow-hay and oats, as much as his horse could +cram, and all the other knights had to lead their steeds out of the +stable that Dapplegrim might stand alone, and have it all to himself.</p> + +<p>But it wasn't long before all the others in the king's household began +to be jealous of the lad, and there was no end to the bad things they +would have done to him, if they had only dared. At last they thought +of telling the king that he had been boasting he was man enough to set +the king's daughter free—whom the Troll had long since carried away +into the hill—if he only<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> chose. The king called the lad before him, +and said he had heard what the lad had said, so now he must go and do +it. If he succeeded, the king's daughter and half the kingdom should +be his, and that promise would be faithfully kept; if he didn't, he +should be killed.</p> + +<p>The lad kept on saying he never said any such thing; but it was no +good, the king wouldn't even listen to him; and so the end of it was +he was forced to say he'd go and try.</p> + +<p>So he went into the stable, down in the mouth and heavy-hearted, and +then Dapplegrim asked him at once why he was in such doleful dumps.</p> + +<p>Then the lad told him all, and how he couldn't tell which way to turn, +and he said:</p> + +<p>"As for setting the Princess free, that's downright nonsense."</p> + +<p>"Oh, but it might be done, perhaps," said Dapplegrim. "But you must +first have me well shod. You must go and ask for ten pounds of iron +and twelve pounds of steel for the shoes; and one smith to hammer and +another to hold."</p> + +<p>Yes, the lad did that, and got for answer, "Yes." He got both the iron +and the steel, and the smith, and so Dapplegrim was shod both strong +and well, and off went the lad from the courtyard in a cloud of dust.</p> + +<p>But when he came to the hill into which the Princess had been carried, +the pinch was how to get up the steep wall of rock where the Troll's +cave was in which the Princess had been hid. For you must know the +hill stood straight up and down right on end, as upright as a house +wall, and as smooth as a sheet of glass.</p> + +<p>The first time the lad went at it he got a little way up; but then +Dapple's forelegs slipped, and down they went again, with a sound like +thunder on the hill.</p> + +<p>The second time he rode at it he got some way further up; but then one +foreleg slipped, and down they went with a crash like a landslip.</p> + +<p>But the third time Dapple said:</p> + +<p>"Now we must show our mettle," and went at it again till the stones +flew heaven-high about them, and so they got up.</p> + +<p>Then the lad rode right into the cave at full speed, and caught<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> up +the Princess, and threw her over his saddle-bow, and out and down +again before the Troll had time even to get on his legs; and so the +Princess was freed.</p> + +<p>When the lad came back to the palace the king was both happy and glad +to get his daughter back, that you may well believe; but somehow or +other, though I don't know how, the others about the court had so +brought it about that the king was angry with the lad after all.</p> + +<p>"Thanks you shall have for freeing my Princess," said he to the lad, +when he brought the Princess into the hall and made his bow.</p> + +<p>"She ought to be mine as well as yours; for you're a word-fast man, I +hope," said the lad.</p> + +<p>"Ay, ay!" said the king, "have her you shall, since I said it, but +first of all you must make the sun shine into my palace hall."</p> + +<p>Now you must know there was a high, steep ridge of rock close outside +the windows, which threw such a shade over the hall that never a +sunbeam shone into it.</p> + +<p>"That wasn't in our bargain," answered the lad; "but I suppose I must +do what you command. I must e'en go and try my luck, for the Princess +I must and will have."</p> + +<p>So down he went to Dapple, and told him what the king wanted; and +Dapplegrim thought it might easily be done, but first of all he must +be newly shod; and for that, ten pounds of iron and twelve pounds of +steel besides were needed; and two smiths, one to hammer and the other +to hold, and then they'd soon get the sun to shine into the palace +hall.</p> + +<p>So when the lad asked for all these things, he got them at once—the +king couldn't say nay for very shame; and so Dapplegrim got new shoes, +and such shoes! Then the lad jumped upon his back, and off they went +again; and for every leap that Dapplegrim gave, down sank the ridge +fifteen feet into the earth, and so they went on till there was +nothing left of the ridge for the king to see.</p> + +<p>When the lad got back to the king's palace, he asked the king if the +Princess was not his now; for now no one could say that the sun didn't +shine into the hall. But then the others<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> whispered to the king again, +and he answered that the lad should have her, of course; he had never +thought of anything else; but first of all he must get as grand a +horse for the bride to ride on to church as the bridegroom had +himself.</p> + +<p>The lad said the king hadn't spoken a word about this before, and that +he thought he had now fairly earned the Princess; but the king held to +his own; and more, if the lad couldn't do that he should lose his +life; that was what the king said. So the lad went down to the stable +in doleful dumps, as you may well fancy, and there he told Dapplegrim +all about it; how the king had laid that task upon him, to find the +bride as good a horse as the bridegroom had himself, else he would +lose his life.</p> + +<p>"But that's not so easy," he said, "for your match isn't to be found +in the wide world."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I have a match," said Dapplegrim; "but he lives a long way +from here, and rules over a great country. Still, we'll try. And now +you must go up to the king and ask for new shoes for me, ten pounds of +iron and twelve pounds of steel; and two smiths, one to hammer and one +to hold; and mind you see that the points and ends of those shoes are +sharp; and twelve sacks of rye, and twelve sacks of barley, and twelve +roasted oxen we must have with us; and mind, we must have the twelve +ox-hides, with twelve hundred spikes driven into each; and, let me +see, a big tar-barrel—that's all we want."</p> + +<p>So the lad went up to the king and asked for all that Dapplegrim +required, and the king again thought he couldn't say nay, for shame's +sake, and so the lad got all he wanted.</p> + +<p>Well, he jumped up on Dapplegrim's back, and rode away from the +palace, and when he had ridden far over hill and heath, Dapple asked:</p> + +<p>"Do you hear anything?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I hear an awful hissing and rustling up in the air," said the +lad; "I think I'm getting afraid."</p> + +<p>"That's all the wild birds that fly through the wood. They are sent to +stop us; but just cut a hole in the corn sacks, and then they'll have +so much to do with the corn, they'll forget us, quite."</p> + +<p>Yes, the lad did that; he cut holes in the corn sacks, so that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> the +rye and the barley ran out on all sides. Then all the wild birds came +flying round them so thick that the sunbeams grew dark, but as soon as +they saw the corn they couldn't keep to their purpose, but flew down +and began to pick and scratch at the rye and barley; and after that +they began to fight amongst themselves. As for Dapplegrim and the lad, +they forgot all about them, and did them no harm.</p> + +<p>So the lad rode on and on—far, far over mountain and dale, over +sand-hills and moor. Then Dapplegrim began to prick up his ears again, +and at last he asked the lad if he heard anything.</p> + +<p>"Yes, now I hear such an ugly rushing and howling in the wood all +round, it makes me quite afraid."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said Dapplegrim, "that's all the wild beasts that range through +the wood, and they're sent out to stop us. But just cast out the +twelve carcasses of the oxen; that will give them enough to do, and so +they'll forget us outright."</p> + +<p>Yes, the lad cast out the carcasses, and then all the wild beasts in +the wood—bears and wolves and lions—came after them. But when they +saw the carcasses, they began to fight for them amongst themselves, +till blood flowed in streams; but Dapple and the lad they quite +forgot.</p> + +<p>So the lad rode far away, and they changed the landscape many, many +times, for Dapplegrim didn't let the grass grow under him, as you may +imagine. At last Dapple gave a great neigh.</p> + +<p>"Do you hear anything?" he said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I hear something like a colt neighing loudly a long, long way +off," answered the lad.</p> + +<p>"That's a full-grown colt, then," said Dapplegrim, "if we hear him +neigh so loud such a long way off."</p> + +<p>After that they travelled a good bit, changing the landscape once or +twice, maybe. Then Dapplegrim gave another neigh.</p> + +<p>"Now listen, and tell me if you hear anything," he said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, now I hear a neigh like a full-grown horse," answered the lad.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Ay, ay!" said Dapplegrim, "you'll hear him once again soon, and then +you'll hear he's got a voice of his own."</p> + +<p>So they travelled on and on, and changed the landscape once or twice, +perhaps, and then Dapplegrim neighed the third time; but before he +could ask the lad if he heard anything, something gave such a neigh +across the heathery hillside, the lad thought hill and rock would +surely be rent asunder.</p> + +<p>"Now he's here!" said Dapplegrim; "make haste, now, and throw the +ox-hides, with the spikes in them, over me, and throw down the +tar-barrel on the plain; then climb up into that great spruce-fir +yonder. When it comes, fire will flash out of both nostrils, and then +the tar-barrel will catch fire. Now, mind what I say. If the flame +rises, I win; if it falls, I lose; but if you see me winning, take and +cast the bridle—you must take it off me—over its head, and then it +will be tame enough."</p> + +<p>So just as the lad had done throwing the ox-hides, with the spikes, +over Dapplegrim, and had cast down the tar-barrel on the plain, and +had got well up into the spruce-fir, up galloped a horse, with fire +flashing out of its nostrils, and the flame caught the tar-barrel at +once. Then Dapplegrim and the strange horse began to fight till the +stones flew heaven-high. They fought and bit and kicked, both with +fore feet and hind feet, and sometimes the lad could see them, and +sometimes he couldn't; but at last the flame began to rise; for +wherever the strange horse kicked or bit, he met the spiked hides, and +at last he had to yield.</p> + +<p>When the lad saw that, he wasn't long getting down from the tree and +in throwing the bridle over its head, and then it was so tame you +could hold it with a pack-thread.</p> + +<p>And what do you think—that horse was dappled, too, and so like +Dapplegrim, you couldn't tell which was which. Then the lad bestrode +the new Dapple he had won, and rode home to the palace, and old +Dapplegrim ran loose by his side. So when he got home, there stood the +king out in the yard.</p> + +<p>"Can you tell me, now," said the lad, "which is the horse I have +caught and broken, and which is the one I had before? If you can't, I +think your daughter is fairly mine."</p> + +<p>Then the king went and looked at both Dapples, high and low,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> before +and behind, but there wasn't a hair on one which wasn't on the other +as well.</p> + +<p>"No," said the king, "that I can't; and since you've got my daughter +such a grand horse for her wedding, you shall have her with all my +heart. But still we'll have one trial more, just to see whether you're +fated to have her. First, she shall hide herself twice, and then you +shall hide yourself twice. If you can find out her hiding-place, and +she can't find out yours, why, then, you're fated to have her, and so +you shall have her."</p> + +<p>"That's not in the bargain, either," said the lad; "but we must try, +since it must be so;" and so the Princess went off to hide herself +first.</p> + +<p>So she turned herself into a duck, and lay swimming on a pond that was +close to the palace. But the lad only ran down to the stable, and +asked Dapplegrim what she had done with herself.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you only need take your gun," said Dapplegrim, "and go down to +the brink of the pond, and aim at the duck which lies swimming about +there, and she'll soon show herself."</p> + +<p>So the lad snatched his gun and ran off to the pond.</p> + +<p>"I'll just take a pop at this duck," he said, and began to aim at it.</p> + +<p>"Nay, nay, dear friend, don't shoot. It's I," said the Princess.</p> + +<p>So he found her once.</p> + +<p>The second time the Princess turned herself into a loaf of bread, and +laid herself on the table amongst four other loaves; and so like was +she to the others, no one could say which was which.</p> + +<p>But the lad went again down to the stable to Dapplegrim, and said how +the Princess had hidden herself again, and he couldn't tell at all +what had become of her.</p> + +<p>"Oh, just take and sharpen a good bread-knife," said Dapplegrim, "and +do as if you were going to cut in two the third loaf on the left hand +of those four loaves which are lying on the dresser in the king's +kitchen, and you'll find her soon enough."</p> + +<p>Yes, the lad was down in the kitchen in no time, and began to sharpen +the biggest bread-knife he could lay his hands on; then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> he caught +hold of the third loaf on the left hand, and put the knife to it, as +though he were going to cut it in two.</p> + +<p>"I'll just have a slice off this loaf," he said.</p> + +<p>"Nay, dear friend," said the Princess, "don't cut. It's I."</p> + +<p>So he found her twice.</p> + +<p>Then he was to go and hide but he and Dapplegrim had settled it so +well beforehand, it wasn't easy to find him. First he turned himself +into a fly, and hid himself in Dapplegrim's left nostril; and the +Princess went about hunting for him everywhere, high and low. At last +she wanted to go into Dapplegrim's stall, but he began to bite and +kick, so that she daren't go near him, and so she couldn't find the +lad.</p> + +<p>"Well," she said, "since I cannot find you, you must show where you +are yourself;" and in a trice the lad stood there on the stable floor.</p> + +<p>The second time Dapplegrim told him just what to do; and then he +turned into a clod of earth, and stuck himself between Dapple's hoof +and shoe on the near forefoot. So the Princess hunted up and down, out +and in, everywhere; at last she came into the stable, and wanted to go +into Dapplegrim's loose box. This time he let her come up to him, and +she pried high and low, but under his heels she couldn't come, for he +stood firm as a rock on his feet, and so she couldn't find the lad.</p> + +<p>"Well, you must just show yourself, for I'm sure I can't find you," +said the Princess, and as she spoke the lad stood by her side on the +stable floor.</p> + +<p>"Now you are mine indeed," said the lad; "for now you can see I'm +fated to have you." This he said both to the father and daughter.</p> + +<p>"Yes; it is so fated," said the king; "so it must be."</p> + +<p>Then everything was made ready for the wedding with great splendour +and promptitude; and the lad got on Dapplegrim, and the Princess on +Dapplegrim's match, and then you may guess they were not long on their +way to church.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Hermit" id="The_Hermit"></a><i>The Hermit</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_09.jpg" alt="I" width="35" height="50" /></div> +<p>n the reign of King Moabdar there lived at Babylon a young man named +Zadig. He was handsome, rich, and naturally good-hearted; and at the +moment when this story opens, he was travelling on foot to see the +world, and to learn philosophy and wisdom. But, hitherto, he had +encountered so much misery, and endured so many terrible disasters, +that he had become tempted to rebel against the will of Heaven, and to +believe that the Providence which rules the world neglects the good +and lets the evil prosper. In this unhappy spirit he was one day +walking on the banks of the Euphrates, when he chanced to meet a +venerable hermit, whose snowy beard descended to his girdle, and who +carried in his hand a scroll which he was reading with attention. +Zadig stopped, and made him a low bow. The hermit returned the +salutation with an air so kindly, and so noble, that Zadig felt a +curiosity to speak to him. He inquired what scroll was that which he +was reading.</p> + +<p>"It is the Book of Destiny," replied the hermit; "would you like to +read it?"</p> + +<p>He handed it to Zadig; but the latter, though he knew a dozen +languages, could not understand a word of it. His curiosity increased.</p> + +<p>"You appear to be in trouble," said the kindly hermit.</p> + +<p>"Alas!" said Zadig, "I have cause to be so."</p> + +<p>"If you will allow me," said the hermit, "I will accompany you. +Perhaps I may be useful to you. I am sometimes able to console the +sorrowful."</p> + +<p>Zadig felt a deep respect for the appearance, the white beard, and the +mysterious scroll of the old hermit, and perceived that his +conversation was that of a superior mind. The old man spoke of +destiny, of justice, of morality, of the chief good of life,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> of human +frailty, of virtue, and of vice, with so much power and eloquence, +that Zadig felt himself attracted by a kind of charm, and besought the +hermit not to leave him until they should return to Babylon.</p> + +<p>"I ask you the same favour," said the hermit. "Promise me that, +whatever I may do, you will keep me company for several days."</p> + +<p>Zadig gave the promise; and they set forth together.</p> + +<p>That night the travellers arrived at a grand mansion. The hermit +begged for food and lodging for himself and his companion. The porter, +who might have been mistaken for a prince, ushered them in with a +contemptuous air of welcome. The chief servant showed them the +magnificent apartments; and they were then admitted to the bottom of +the table, where the master of the mansion did not condescend to cast +a glance at them. They were, however, served with delicacies in +profusion, and, after dinner, washed their hands in a golden basin set +with emeralds and rubies. They were then conducted for the night into +a beautiful apartment; and the next morning, before they left the +castle, a servant brought them each a piece of gold.</p> + +<p>"The master of the house," said Zadig, as they went their way, +"appears to be a generous man, although a trifle haughty. He practises +a noble hospitality." As he spoke he perceived that a kind of large +pouch which the hermit carried appeared singularly distended; within +it was the golden basin, set with precious stones, which the old man +had purloined. Zadig was amazed; but he said nothing.</p> + +<p>At noon the hermit stopped before a little house, in which lived a +wealthy miser, and once more asked for hospitality. An old valet in a +shabby coat received them very rudely, showed them into the stable, +and set before them a few rotten olives, some moldy bread, and beer +which had turned sour. The hermit ate and drank with as much content +as he had shown the night before; then, addressing the old valet, who +had kept his eye upon them to make sure that they stole nothing, he +gave him the two gold pieces which they had received that morning, +and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> thanked him for his kind attention. "Be so good," he added, "as +to let me see your master."</p> + +<p>The astonished valet showed them in.</p> + +<p>"Most mighty signor," said the hermit, "I can only render you my +humble thanks for the noble manner in which you have received us. I +beseech you to accept this golden basin as a token of my gratitude."</p> + +<p>The miser almost fell backwards with amazement. The hermit, without +waiting for him to recover, set off with speed with his companion.</p> + +<p>"Holy Father," said Zadig, "what does all this mean? You seem to me to +resemble other men in nothing. You steal a golden basin set with +jewels from a signor who receives you with magnificence, and you give +it to a curmudgeon who treats you with indignity."</p> + +<p>"My son," replied the hermit, "this mighty lord, who only welcomes +travellers through vanity, and to display his riches, will henceforth +grow wiser, while the miser will be taught to practise hospitality. Be +amazed at nothing, and follow me."</p> + +<p>Zadig knew not whether he was dealing with the most foolish or the +wisest of all men. But the hermit spoke with such ascendancy that +Zadig, who, besides, was fettered by his promise, had no choice except +to follow him.</p> + +<p>That night they came to an agreeable house, of simple aspect, and +showing signs neither of prodigality nor avarice. The owner was a +philosopher, who had left the world, and who studied peacefully the +rules of virtue and of wisdom, and who yet was happy and contented. He +had built this calm retreat to please himself, and he received the +strangers in it with a frankness which displayed no sign of +ostentation. He conducted them himself to a comfortable chamber, where +he made them rest awhile; then he returned to lead them to a dainty +little supper. During their conversation they agreed that the affairs +of this world are not always regulated by the opinions of the wisest +men, but the hermit still maintained that the ways of Providence are +wrapped in mystery, and that men do wrong to pass judgment on a +universe of which they only see the smallest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> part. Zadig wondered how +a person who committed such mad acts could reason so correctly.</p> + +<p>At length, after a conversation as agreeable as instructive, the host +conducted the two travellers to their apartment, and thanked Heaven +for sending him two visitors so wise and virtuous. He offered them +some money, but so frankly that they could not feel offended. The old +man declined, and desired to say farewell, as he intended to depart +for Babylon at break of day. They therefore parted on the warmest +terms, and Zadig, above all, was filled with kindly feelings toward so +amiable a man.</p> + +<p>When the hermit and himself were in their chamber, they spent some +time in praises of their host. At break of day the old man woke his +comrade.</p> + +<p>"We must be going," he remarked. "But while every one is still asleep, +I wish to leave this worthy man a pledge of my esteem." With these +words he took a torch and set the house on fire.</p> + +<p>Zadig burst forth into cries of horror, and would have stopped the +frightful act. But the hermit, by superior strength, drew him away. +The house was in a blaze; and the old man, who was now a good way off +with his companion, looked back calmly at the burning pile.</p> + +<p>"Heaven be praised!" he cried, "our kind host's house is destroyed +from top to bottom."</p> + +<p>At these words Zadig knew not whether he should burst out laughing, +call the reverend father an old rascal, knock him down, or run away. +But he did neither. Still subdued by the superior manner of the +hermit, he followed him against his will to their next lodging.</p> + +<p>This was the dwelling of a good and charitable widow, who had a nephew +of fourteen, her only hope and joy. She did her best to use the +travellers well; and the next morning she bade her nephew guide them +safely past a certain bridge, which, having recently been broken, had +become dangerous to cross over. The youth, eager to oblige them, led +the way.</p> + +<p>"Come," said the hermit, when they were half across the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> bridge, "I +must show my gratitude toward your aunt;" and as he spoke he seized +the young man by the hair and threw him into the river. The youth +fell, reappeared for an instant on the surface, and then was swallowed +by the torrent.</p> + +<p>"Oh, monster!" exclaimed Zadig, "ah, most detestable of men—"</p> + +<p>"You promised me more patience," interrupted the old man. "Listen! +Beneath the ruins of that house which Providence saw fit to set on +fire, the owner will discover an enormous treasure; while this young +man, whose existence Providence cut short, would have killed his aunt +within a year, and you yourself in two."</p> + +<p>"Who told you so, barbarian?" cried Zadig; "and even if you read the +issue in your Book of Destiny, who gave you power to drown a youth who +never injured you?"</p> + +<p>While he spoke, he saw that the old man had a beard no longer, and +that his face had become fair and young; his hermit's frock had +disappeared; four white wings covered his majestic form, and shone +with dazzling lustre.</p> + +<p>"Angel of heaven," cried Zadig, "you are then descended from the skies +to teach an erring mortal to submit to the eternal laws."</p> + +<p>"Men," replied the angel Jezrael, "judge all things without knowledge; +and you, of all men, most deserved to be enlightened. The world +imagines that the youth who has just perished fell by chance into the +water, and that by a like chance the rich man's house was set on fire. +But there is no such thing as chance; all is trial, or punishment, or +foresight. Feeble mortal, cease to argue and rebel against what you +ought to adore!"</p> + +<p>As he spoke these words the angel took his flight to heaven, and Zadig +fell upon his knees.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Watch-tower_Between_Earth_and_Heaven" id="The_Watch-tower_Between_Earth_and_Heaven"></a><i>The Watch-tower Between Earth and Heaven</i><a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce upon a time there was a King who had three sons and one daughter. +He kept the daughter in a cage and guarded her as the eyes in his +head.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> From "The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales." Copyright, +1906, by Charles Scribner's Sons.</p></div> + +<p>When the maiden was grown up she begged her father one evening to let +her go out and take a walk before the castle with her brothers. The +father consented, but hardly was she out of the door when suddenly a +Dragon came swooping down from the sky, seized the maiden from among +her brothers, and carried her away with him high into the clouds.</p> + +<p>The brothers rushed headlong back to their father, told him of their +misfortune, and begged permission to go and seek their stolen sister. +The father consented, gave them each a horse and everything needful +for a journey, and they set out.</p> + +<p>After many wanderings they came across a watch-tower which stood +neither on earth nor in heaven. When they reached the place it +occurred to them that their sister might be within, and they at once +began to take counsel among themselves as to how they should reach it.</p> + +<p>After long consultation they decided to kill one of their horses, cut +his skin into a long strap, fasten the end to an arrow, and shoot it +up into some place in the watch-tower where it would hold securely. +Then they could easily climb up. The two younger brothers asked the +eldest to sacrifice his horse, but he would not; nor would the second +brother. So the youngest brother slew his horse, cut the hide into a +long strap, bound one end to his arrow, and with his bow shot it up +into the tower.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span></p><p>But now, when it came to climbing up by the strap, the eldest and +second brothers declined, whereupon the youngest undertook the +adventure. Arriving at the tower, he went from room to room, until at +last he came to one where he saw his sister sitting, with the Dragon's +head in her lap, the Dragon being fast asleep.</p> + +<p>When the sister perceived her brother she was greatly terrified, and +softly entreated him to flee before the Dragon should awake. This he +would not do, but seized his cudgel, struck out boldly, and dealt the +Dragon a heavy blow upon the head. The Dragon, without awaking, put +his hand up to the spot, murmuring, "Something hit me right here."</p> + +<p>As he said this the Prince fetched him a second blow upon the head, +and again the Dragon murmured, "Something hit me here." But now, as +the brother made ready to strike a third time, the sister made a sign +showing the Dragon's vulnerable spot; and the brother, giving a +powerful blow, killed him as dead as a mouse.</p> + +<p>Then the Princess pushed him from her, flew into her brother's arms, +and smothered him with kisses. After this she took him by the hand and +began to lead him through all the rooms. First she led him into a room +in which a black fox, with a harness of pure silver, was standing +before a manger. Then she led him into another room, where a white +horse, with a harness of pure gold, stood before another manger. +Finally she led him into a third room, where a brown horse stood +before a manger, his harness all studded with diamonds.</p> + +<p>When they had gone through these rooms, the sister led her brother +into a chamber where a maiden sat before a golden embroidery frame, +working with golden threads. From this room she led him into another, +where a second maiden was spinning gold thread, and at last into a +room where a third maiden was stringing pearls, while at her feet a +golden hen, with a brood of chickens, was picking up pearls from a +golden basin.</p> + +<p>When they had gone through all these rooms and seen all they wanted to +see, they went back into the room where the dead<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> Dragon lay, dragged +him out, and threw him head-foremost down to the earth. When the other +brothers saw him they were almost convulsed with terror. But now the +youngest brother let down to them first their sister and then the +three maidens, one after another, each with her work. As he let them +down he allotted one to each of his brothers, and when he let down the +third, that is, the one with the hen and chickens, he reserved her to +himself.</p> + +<p>But his brothers, filled with envy because he was the hero who had +discovered all these things and rescued their sister, cut the strap to +make it impossible for him to return. Then they rode away, and coming +upon a shepherd boy with his sheep, they dressed him like their +brother and brought him home to their father, forbidding their sister +and the maidens, with fearful threats, under any circumstances to +reveal the secret.</p> + +<p>After a time word came to the youngest brother in the tower that his +brothers and the shepherd were about to marry those three maidens. On +the day appointed for the eldest brother's wedding he mounted the +white horse and flew down into the midst of the wedding-guests just as +they were leaving the church, and struck his brother lightly upon the +back with his club. The brother fell from his horse and the other flew +back to his watch-tower.</p> + +<p>When the second brother's wedding-day came he again flew down upon his +steed, gave the second brother a blow upon the back, so that he fell +from his horse, and again flew away. But when he at last heard that +the shepherd was about to marry the third maiden he again mounted his +steed, flew among the wedding-guests just as they were coming out of +the church, and dealt the bridegroom such a blow upon the head with +his club that the fellow lay dead upon the spot.</p> + +<p>In a trice the Prince was surrounded by the wedding-guests, who were +determined that he should not escape this time. He made no attempt to +do so, however, but remained where he was, made himself known as the +King's youngest son, revealed the trick his brothers had played upon +him by means of the shepherd,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> and told how they had left him in the +watch-tower where he had found his sister and killed the Dragon.</p> + +<p>His sister and the maidens bore witness to the truth of his story, and +when the King heard all this he banished the two elder brothers from +his presence, married the youngest to the maiden of his choice, and +decreed that he should be heir to the throne after his own decease.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Lucky_Coin" id="The_Lucky_Coin"></a><i>The Lucky Coin</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_10.jpg" alt="M" width="69" height="50" /></div> +<p>any years ago there lived in a hermitage a holy monk. From all the +villages around, the people, mostly poor labourers, were in the habit +of coming to him on Sundays and festivals to hear him say mass for +them. These good people used to bring little offerings of food for the +support of the hermit during the week.</p> + +<p>One Sunday, after his congregation had departed, the monk perceived a +man, laden with traps and nets for catching birds, crossing the field +before the hermitage. The good monk went out to him.</p> + +<p>"Where do you come from?" he inquired; "and what are you going to do, +my son?"</p> + +<p>"I live some miles from here, good father," he replied, "and I have +borrowed a few nets and traps to try to catch some doves to sell, so +as to get a little butter for our bread; for with that and a draught +of water from the spring my wife and I are satisfied; or else to get +some work to do, that I may earn enough for our support, for we have +neither bread nor a single farthing to buy it."</p> + +<p>The hermit took the man into his hermitage, and gave him the little +offerings of food which had been brought that morning by the +villagers, leaving Providence to provide for his own simple wants.</p> + +<p>"Brother," he said, "take this for yourself and your wife; and if you +want money I will give you some. But you must first tell me which you +choose, to earn a single coin honestly, or a hundred, dishonestly."</p> + +<p>The poor man hesitated, for great was the temptation.</p> + +<p>"I will consult with my wife," he said at last, "and return to-morrow +to inform you."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span></p> + +<p>With the food in his hands he returned to his miserable home, where he +and his wife made an excellent meal, for which they returned thanks to +Heaven. They then consulted together about the money, and, though the +temptation was great to take the hundred coins, yet, being God-fearing +folks, they decided upon taking the one coin honestly acquired and let +alone the hundred.</p> + +<p>The man accordingly returned to the hermit, and told him what they had +decided.</p> + +<p>The good monk gave him two half <i>reals</i>.</p> + +<p>"Take this money," he said; "and may Heaven prosper you."</p> + +<p>Full of joy, the man departed. But on the road home, in a solitary +spot, he encountered two lads fighting desperately; they were dealing +each other terrible blows, and blood was streaming down their faces. +The man rushed up to separate them, but all his efforts only served to +make them fiercer.</p> + +<p>"Why do you fight like this?" he cried.</p> + +<p>"We are fighting for that stone," replied one of the lads; "I saw it +first!"</p> + +<p>"No, you didn't," replied the other; "it was I, and it belongs to me!" +and once more they fell to blows more desperate than before.</p> + +<p>The poor man, fearing that the quarrel might end fatally, cried out to +them—</p> + +<p>"Here, take each of you one of these coins, and let alone the stone; +it is of no value, for it is no bigger than a walnut. And be off with +you!"</p> + +<p>The lads were glad to take the money, and ran away, thinking +themselves lucky to make so good a bargain.</p> + +<p>His wife was at the cottage door impatiently awaiting her husband. +Great was her disappointment when all he brought her was a stone.</p> + +<p>"Well, to be sure!" she cried, after he had recounted what had taken +place, "I <i>am</i> disappointed." And, taking the little stone, she threw +it into a corner of the room.</p> + +<p>"Dear wife," replied the man, "do not take it so to heart.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> The money +was spent in a good work; in making peace between the children of our +neighbours."</p> + +<p>His wife at length became more reconciled to the loss, considering +that after all he had done right to make peace between their +neighbours' sons at any cost. Not many minutes after, the parents of +the two lads came to thank the man for having separated the boys. They +also thanked him for the money he had given to the boys, for they knew +he sorely needed it himself. Each of the parents gave him a present +for his friendly service; and from that day they always treated him +most kindly, and often gave him little jobs to do, so that the poor +couple never wanted bread.</p> + +<p>Not long afterwards, it happened that the King's Ambassador passed +that way, with a great retinue of officials, secretaries, and +servitors; and it fell out that, night coming on, the Ambassador +decided upon taking his quarters in the village.</p> + +<p>The village inns were small, and could not afford accommodation for so +large a retinue, and the various cottagers were asked to take in one +or more of the servants. Among those who gave lodgings to the retinue +were our good couple, who took in a lodger, for whom they were paid +handsomely. The wife quickly prepared a clean, tidy bed, and did her +best to make things comfortable.</p> + +<p>The guest, being tired, was soon fast asleep. Toward morning he awoke, +and was surprised to see the chamber bathed in a resplendent light. +Knowing well that the people of the house could not afford a lamp or +candles, he arose to find out whence proceeded this unusual +brilliancy. Great was his astonishment to find that it proceeded from +a small stone in the corner of the room, which, as the sun struck on +it, sent out rays of vivid light. He took up the stone, and, believing +it to be of great value, took it to the Ambassador.</p> + +<p>When the nobleman examined the stone, he admired it greatly, and +desired its owner to be sent for in order to learn all particulars +about it.</p> + +<p>"Please, your Excellency," said the poor man, "it is of no<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> use to us, +and if it pleases you, take it, for it cost me only a small coin"; and +he proceeded to relate how it had come into his possession.</p> + +<p>The Ambassador drew forth a heavy bag of money, and taking out a +handful of gold pieces, gave them to the man.</p> + +<p>"My good fellow," he said, "since you offer me the stone, I accept it +gladly; but as I am leaving the kingdom, and my expenses are very +heavy, I cannot give you all that it is worth. If it please Heaven, I +will return this way, and I will pay you then."</p> + +<p>The poor man did not like to accept so much gold for what he judged to +be a worthless stone; but on the nobleman's entreaty he took the +money, and ran back to his wife, full of joy at his good fortune. Both +husband and wife then went at once to the hermit to recount to him all +that had taken place, and to offer him a tenth of the money. This he +refused to take, but bade them return to the village and distribute it +in alms to the poor. They returned to the village accordingly and did +as the monk had bidden them. They also gave part of the money to the +parents of the lads who had fought so desperately for the possession +of the stone. The rest the man spent in purchasing a piece of land.</p> + +<p>This little plot of ground proved very fertile, and whatever the owner +planted produced a hundredfold. His trees were borne down by the +weight of the fruit, which always fetched a good price.</p> + +<p>Years passed ere the Ambassador returned from the foreign country, +where he had gained high honours and wealth. On passing the village +again where he had obtained the stone, he inquired for the good man, +and was told how he had prospered with the money he had given him, and +that he was now a person of importance.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the Court of his sovereign he recounted to the King all +that had taken place. The King was greatly pleased with the history of +the honestly earned coin, and had the stone valued by the first +jewellers of the kingdom, who all pronounced it to be a singularly +valuable gem. A large sum was given to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> Ambassador for it, and he +was loaded with distinctions and honours. The nobleman, wishing to +show his gratitude for the honours conferred on him, sent handsome +presents to the good man and his wife.</p> + +<p>And so it came to pass that they who had been honest were now +prosperous as well.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Jackal_the_Barber_and_the_Brahmin" id="The_Jackal_the_Barber_and_the_Brahmin"></a><i>The Jackal, the Barber and the Brahmin</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_05.jpg" alt="A" width="52" height="50" /></div> +<p> barber and a Jackal once struck up a great friendship, which might +have continued to this day, had not the Jackal been so clever that the +Barber never felt quite on equal terms with him, and suspected his +friend of playing him many tricks. But this he was not able to prove.</p> + +<p>One day the Jackal said to the Barber, "It would be a nice thing for +us to have a garden of our own, in which we might grow as many +cucumbers, pumpkins and melons as we like. Why should we not buy one?"</p> + +<p>The Barber answered, "Very well; here is money. Do you go and buy us a +garden." So the Jackal took the Barber's money, and with it bought a +fine garden, in which were cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, figs, and many +other good fruits and vegetables. And he used to go there every day +and feast to his heart's content. When, however, the Barber said to +him, "What is the garden like which you bought with the money I gave +you?" he answered, "There are very fine plants in it, but there is no +fruit upon them; when the fruit is ripe I will let you know." This +reply satisfied the Barber, who inquired no further at that time.</p> + +<p>A little while afterward, the Barber again asked the Jackal about the +garden, saying, "I see you go down to that garden every day; is the +fruit getting ripe?"</p> + +<p>"Oh dear no, not yet," answered the Jackal; "why, the plants are only +just coming into blossom."</p> + +<p>But all this time there was a great deal of fruit in the garden, and +the Jackal went there every day and ate as much as he could.</p> + +<p>Again, a third time, when some weeks had passed, the Barber said to +him, "Is there no ripe fruit in our garden yet?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No," said the Jackal; "the blossoms have only just fallen, but the +fruit is forming. In time we shall have a fine show of melons and figs +there."</p> + +<p>Then the Barber began to think the Jackal was deceiving him, and +determined to see and judge for himself. So next day, without saying +anything about it, he followed him down to the garden.</p> + +<p>Now it happened that very day the Jackal had invited all his friends +to come and feast there. All the animals in the neighbouring jungle +had accepted the invitation; there they came trooping by hundreds and +dozens, and were very merry indeed—running here and there, and eating +all the melons and cucumbers and figs and pumpkins in the place.</p> + +<p>The Barber peeped over the hedge, and saw the assembled wild beasts, +and his friend the Jackal entertaining them—talking to this one, +laughing with that, and eating with all. The good man did not dare to +attack the intruders, as they were many and powerful. But he went home +at once, very angry, muttering to himself, "I'll be the death of that +young jackanapes; he shall play no more pranks in my garden." And, +watching his opportunity, he returned there when the Jackal and all +his friends had left, and tied a long knife to the largest of the +cucumbers that still remained; then he went home and said nothing of +what he had seen.</p> + +<p>Early next morning the Jackal thought to himself, "I'll just run down +to the garden and see if there are no cucumbers or melons left." So he +went there, and, picking out the largest of the cucumbers, began to +eat it. Quick as thought, the long knife, that was concealed by the +cucumber leaves, ran into him, cutting his muzzle, his neck and his +side.</p> + +<p>"Ah, that nasty Barber!" he cried; "this must be his doing!" And +instead of going home, he ran as fast as he could, very far, far, away +into the jungle, and stretching himself out on a great flat rock, +prepared to die.</p> + +<p>But he did not die. Only for three whole days the pain in his neck and +side was so great that he could not move; moreover, he felt very weak +from loss of blood.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span></p> + +<p>At the end of the third day he tried to get up, but his own blood had +sealed him to the stone! He endeavoured to move it by his struggles, +but could not succeed. "Oh dear! oh dear!" he murmured; "to think that +I should recover from my wound, only to die such a horrible death as +this! Ah, me! here is the punishment of dishonesty!" And, having said +this, he began to weep. It chanced, however, that the god of Rain +heard his lamentations, and taking pity on the unfortunate animal, he +sent a kindly shower, which, wetting the stone, effected his release.</p> + +<p>No sooner was the Jackal set free than he began to think what he could +do to earn a livelihood, since he did not dare return to the Barber's +house. It was not long before a feasible plan struck him: all around +was the mud made by the recent rain; he placed a quantity of it in a +small chattee, covered the top over carefully with leaves (as people +do jars of fresh butter), and took it into a neighbouring village to +sell.</p> + +<p>At the door of one of the first houses to which he came stood a woman, +to whom the Jackal said, "Mahi, here is butter—beautiful fresh +butter! won't you buy some fresh butter?"</p> + +<p>She answered, "Are you sure it is quite fresh? Let me see it."</p> + +<p>But he replied, "It is perfectly fresh; but if you open the chattee +now, it will be all spoiled by the time you want it. If you like to +buy it, you may take it; if not, I will sell it to some one else."</p> + +<p>The woman did want some fresh butter, and the chattee the Jackal +carried on his head was carefully fastened up, as if what it contained +was of the best; and she knew if she opened it, it might spoil before +her husband returned home; besides, she thought, if the Jackal had +intended to deceive her, he would have been more pressing in asking +her to buy it. So she said, "Very well, give me the chattee; here is +money for you. You are sure it is the best butter?"</p> + +<p>"It is the best of its kind," answered the Jackal; "only be sure you +put it in some cool place, and don't open it till it is wanted." And +taking the money, he ran away.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span></p> + +<p>A short time afterward the woman discovered how she had been cheated, +and was very angry, but the Jackal was by that time far away, out of +reach of punishment.</p> + +<p>When his money was spent, the Jackal felt puzzled as to how to get a +living, since no one would give him food and he could buy none. +Fortunately for him, just then one of the bullocks belonging to the +village died. The Jackal found it lying dead by the roadside, and he +began to eat it, and ate, and ate so much that at last he had got too +far into the animal's body to be seen by passers-by. Now, the weather +was hot and dry. Whilst the Jackal was in it, the bullock's skin +crinkled up so tightly with the heat that it became too hard for him +to bite through, and so he could not get out again.</p> + +<p>The Mahars of the village all came out to bury the dead bullock. The +Jackal, who was inside it, feared that if they caught him they would +kill him, and that if they did not discover him, he would be buried +alive; so on their approach he called out, "People, people, take care +how you touch me, for I am a great saint." The poor people were very +much frightened when they heard the dead bullock talking, and thought +that some mighty spirit must indeed possess it.</p> + +<p>"Who are you, sir, and what do you want?" they cried.</p> + +<p>"I," answered the Jackal, "am a very holy saint. I am also the god of +your village, and I am very angry with you because you never worship +me nor bring me offerings."</p> + +<p>"O my Lord," they cried, "what offerings will please you? Tell us +only, and we will bring you whatever you like."</p> + +<p>"Good," he replied. "Then you must fetch here plenty of rice, plenty +of flowers and a nice fat chicken; place them as an offering beside +me, and pour a great deal of water over them, as you do at your most +solemn feasts, and I will forgive you your sins." The Mahars did as +they were commanded. They placed some rice and flowers, and the best +chicken they could procure, beside the bullock, and poured water over +it and the offering. Then, no sooner did the dry, hard Bullock's skin +get wetted than it split in many places, and to the surprise of all +his worshippers, the Jackal jumped out, seized the chicken in his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +mouth, and ran away with it through the midst of them into the jungle. +The Mahars ran after him over hedges and ditches for many, many miles, +but he got away in spite of them all.</p> + +<p>On, on he ran—on, on, for a very long way—until at last he came to a +place where a little kid lived under a little sicakai tree. All her +relations and friends were away, and when she saw him coming she +thought to herself, "Unless I frighten this Jackal, he will eat me." +So she ran as hard as she could up against the sicakai tree, which +made all the branches shake and the leaves go rustle, rustle, rustle. +And when the Jackal heard the rustling noise he got frightened, and +thought it was all the little kid's friends coming to help her. And +she called out to him, "Run away, Jackal, run away. Thousands and +thousands of Jackals have run away at that sound—run away for your +life." And the Jackal was so frightened that he ran away. So, he who +had deceived so many was outwitted by a simple little kid!</p> + +<p>After this the Jackal found his way back to his own village, where the +Barber lived, and there for some time he used to prowl round the +houses every night and live upon any bones he could find. The +villagers did not like his coming, but did not know how to catch him, +until one night his old friend the Barber (who had never forgiven him +for stealing the fruit from the garden) caught him in a great net, +having before made many unsuccessful attempts to do so. "Aha!" cried +the Barber, "I've got you at last, my friend. You did not escape death +from the cucumber-knife for nothing! you won't get away this time. +Here, wife! wife! see what a prize I've got." The Barber's wife came +running to the door, and the Barber gave her the Jackal (after he had +tied all his four legs firmly together with a strong rope), and said +to her, "Take this animal into the house, and be sure you don't let +him escape, while I go and get a knife to kill him with."</p> + +<p>The Barber's wife did as she was bid, and taking the Jackal into the +house, laid him down on the floor. But no sooner had the Barber gone +than the Jackal said to her, "Ah, good woman, your husband will return +directly and put me to death. For<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> the love of heaven, loosen the rope +round my feet before he comes, for one minute only, and let me drink a +little water from that puddle by the door, for my throat is parched +with thirst."</p> + +<p>"No, no, friend Jackal," answered the Barber's wife. "I know well +enough what you'll do. No sooner shall I have untied your feet than +you will run away, and when my husband returns and finds you are gone, +he will beat me."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, indeed, I will not run away," he replied. "Ah, kind mother, +have pity on me, only for one little moment."</p> + +<p>Then the Barber's wife thought, "Well, it is hard not to grant the +poor beast's last request; he will not live long enough to have many +more pleasures." So she untied the Jackal's legs and held him by a +rope, that he might drink from the puddle. But quick as possible, he +gave a jump and a twist and a pull, and, jerking the rope out of her +hand, escaped once more into the jungle.</p> + +<p>For some time he roamed up and down, living on what he could get in +this village or that, until he had wandered very far away from the +country where the Barber lived. At last one day, by chance, he passed +a certain cottage, in which there dwelt a very poor Brahmin, who had +seven daughters.</p> + +<p>As the Jackal passed by, the Brahmin was saying to himself, "Oh, dear +me! what can I do for my seven daughters? I shall have to support them +all my life, for they are much too poor ever to get married. If a dog +or a jackal were to offer to take one off my hands, he should have +her."</p> + +<p>Next day the Jackal called on the Brahmin, and said to him, "You said +yesterday, if a Jackal or a dog were to offer to marry one of your +daughters, you would let him have her; will you, therefore accept me +as a son-in-law?"</p> + +<p>The poor Brahmin felt very much embarrassed, but it was certain he had +said the words, and therefore he felt in honour bound not to retract, +although he had little dreamed of ever being placed in such a +predicament. Just at that moment all the seven daughters began crying +for bread, and the father had no bread to give them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span></p> + +<p>Observing this, the Jackal continued, "Let me marry one of your seven +daughters and I will take care of her. It will at least leave you one +less to provide for, and I will see that she never needs food."</p> + +<p>Then the Brahmin's heart was softened, and he gave the Jackal his +eldest daughter in marriage, and the Jackal took her home to his den +in the high rocks.</p> + +<p>Now you will say there never was a Jackal so clever as this. Very +true, for this was not a common Jackal, or he could never have done +all that I have told you. This Jackal was, in fact, a great Rajah in +disguise, who, to amuse himself, took the form of a Jackal; for he was +a great magician as well as a great prince.</p> + +<p>The den to which he took the Brahmin's daughter looked like quite a +common hole in the rocks on the outside, but inside it was a splendid +palace, adorned with silver, and gold, and ivory and precious stones. +But even his own wife did not know that he was not always a Jackal, +for the Rajah never took his human form except every morning very +early, when he used to take off the Jackal skin and wash it and brush +it, and put it on again.</p> + +<p>After he and his wife, the Brahmin's daughter, had lived up in their +home in the rocks happily for some time, who should the Jackal see one +day but his father-in-law, the old Brahmin, climbing up the hill to +come and pay him a visit. The Jackal was vexed to see the Brahmin, for +he knew he was very poor, and thought he had most likely come to beg; +and so it was. The Brahmin said to him, "Son-in-law, let me come into +your cave and rest a little while. I want to ask you to help me, for I +am very poor and much in need of help."</p> + +<p>"Don't go into my cave," said the Jackal; "it is but a poor hole, not +fit for you to enter" (for he did not wish his father-in-law to see +his fine palace); "but I will call my wife, that you may see I have +not eaten her up, and she and you and I will talk over the matter, and +see what we can do for you."</p> + +<p>So the Brahmin, the Brahmin's daughter and the Jackal all sat down on +the hillside together, and the Brahmin said, "I don't know what to do +to get food for myself, my wife, and my six daughters. Son-in-law +Jackal, cannot you help me?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It is a difficult business," answered the Jackal, "but I'll do what I +can for you;" and he ran to his cave and fetched a large melon, and +gave it to the Brahmin, saying, "Father-in-law, you must take this +melon, and plant it in your garden, and when it grows up sell all the +fruit you find upon it, and that will bring you in some money." So the +Brahmin took the melon home with him and planted it in his garden.</p> + +<p>By next day the melon that the Jackal had given him had grown up in +the Brahmin's garden into a fine plant, covered with hundreds of +beautiful ripe melons. The Brahmin, his wife and family were overjoyed +at the sight. And all the neighbours were astonished, and said, "How +fast that fine melon plant has grown in the Brahmin's garden!"</p> + +<p>Now it chanced that a woman who lived in a house close by wanted some +melons, and seeing what fine ones these were, she went down at once to +the Brahmin's house and bought two or three from the Brahmin's wife. +She took them home with her and cut them open; but then, lo and +behold! marvel of marvels! what a wonderful sight astonished her! +Instead of the thick white pulp she expected to see, the whole of the +inside of the melon was composed of diamonds, rubies and emeralds; and +all the seeds were enormous pearls. She immediately locked her door, +and taking with her all the money she had, ran back to the Brahmin's +wife and said to her, "Those were very good melons you sold me; I like +them so much that I will buy all the others on your melon plant." And +giving her the money she took home all the rest of the melons. Now +this cunning woman told none of her friends of the treasure she had +found, and the poor, stupid Brahmin and his family did not know what +they had lost, for they had never thought of opening any of the +melons; so that for all the precious stones they sold they only got a +few pice, which was very hard. Next day, when they looked out of the +window, the melon plant was again covered with fine ripe melons, and +again the woman who had bought those which had grown the day before +came and bought them all. And this went on for several days. There +were so many melons; and all the melons were so full of precious +stones, that the woman<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> who bought them had enough to fill the whole +of one room in her house with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and pearls.</p> + +<p>At last, however, the wonderful melon plant began to wither, and when +the woman came to buy melons one morning, the Brahmin's wife was +obliged to say to her, in a sad voice, "Alas! there are no more melons +on our melon plant." And the woman went back to her own house very +much disappointed.</p> + +<p>That day the Brahmin and his wife and children had no money in the +house to buy food with, and they all felt very unhappy to think that +the fine melon plant had withered. But the Brahmin's youngest +daughter, who was a clever girl, thought, "Though there are no more +melons fit to sell on our melon plant, perhaps I may be able to find +one or two shriveled ones, which, if cooked, will give us something +for dinner." So she went out to look, and searching carefully amongst +the thick leaves, found two or three withered little melons still +remaining. These she took into the house and began cutting them up to +cook, when—more wonderful than wonderful!—within each little melon +she found a number of small emeralds, rubies, diamonds and pearls! The +girl called her father and mother and her five sisters, crying, "See +what I have found! See these precious stones and pearls. I dare say, +inside all the melons we sold there were as good or better than these. +No wonder that woman was so anxious to buy them all! See, father—see, +mother—see, sisters!"</p> + +<p>Then they were all overjoyed to see the treasure, but the Brahmin +said, "What a pity we have lost all the benefit of my son-in-law the +Jackal's good gift by not knowing its worth! I will go at once to that +woman, and try and make her give us back the melons she took."</p> + +<p>So he went to the melon-buyer's house, and said to her, "Give me back +the melons you took from me, who did not know their worth."</p> + +<p>She answered, "I don't know what you mean."</p> + +<p>He replied. "You were very deceitful; you bought melons full of +precious stones from us poor people, who did not know<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> what they were +worth, and you only paid for them the price of common melons; give me +some of them back, I pray you."</p> + +<p>But she said, "I bought common melons from your wife, and made them +all into common soup long ago; therefore talk no further nonsense +about jewels, but go about your business." And she turned him out of +the house. Yet all this time she had a whole roomful of the emeralds, +diamonds, rubies and pearls that she had found in the melons the +Brahmin's wife had sold her.</p> + +<p>The Brahmin returned home and said to his wife, "I cannot make that +woman give me back any of the melons you sold her; but give me the +precious stones our daughter has just found, and I will sell them to a +jeweller and bring home some money." So he went to the town, and took +the precious stones to a jeweller, and said to him, "What will you +give me for these?"</p> + +<p>But no sooner did the jeweller see them than he said, "How could such +a poor man as you become possessed of such precious stones? You must +have stolen them: you are a thief! You have stolen these from my shop, +and now come to sell them to me!"</p> + +<p>"No, no, sir; indeed no, sir," cried the Brahmin.</p> + +<p>"Thief, thief!" shouted the jeweller.</p> + +<p>"In truth, no sir," said the Brahmin; "my son-in-law, the Jackal, gave +me a melon plant, and in one of the melons I found these jewels."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe a word you say," screamed the jeweller (and he began +beating the Brahmin, whom he held by the arm); "give up those jewels +which you have stolen from my shop."</p> + +<p>"No, I won't," roared the Brahmin; "oh! oh-o! oh-o-o! don't beat me +so; I didn't steal them." But the jeweller was determined to get the +jewels; so he beat the Brahmin and called the police, who came running +up to his assistance, and shouted till a great crowd of people had +collected round his shop. Then he said to the Brahmin, "Give me up the +jewels you stole from me, or I'll give you to the police, and you +shall be put in jail." The Brahmin tried to tell his story about his +son-in-law, the Jackal but of course nobody believed him; and he was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +obliged to give the precious stones to the jeweller in order to escape +the police, and to run home as fast as he could. And every one thought +the jeweller was very kind to let him off so easily.</p> + +<p>All his family were very unhappy when they heard what had befallen +him. But his wife said, "You had better go again to our son-in-law, +the Jackal, and see what he can do for us."</p> + +<p>So next day the Brahmin climbed the hill again, as he had done before, +and went to call upon the Jackal. When the Jackal saw him coming he +was not very well pleased. So he went to meet him, and said, +"Father-in-law, I did not expect to see you again so soon."</p> + +<p>"I merely came to see how you were," answered the Brahmin, "and to +tell you how poor we are; and how glad we should be of any help you +can give us."</p> + +<p>"What have you done with all the melons I gave you?" asked the Jackal.</p> + +<p>"Ah," answered the Brahmin, "that is a sad story!" And beginning at +the beginning, he related how they had sold almost all the melons +without knowing their value; and how the few precious stones they had +found had been taken from him by the jeweller.</p> + +<p>When the Jackal heard this he laughed very much, and said; "I see it +is no use giving such unfortunate people as you gold or jewels, for +they will only bring you into trouble. Come, I'll give you a more +useful present."</p> + +<p>So, running into his cave, he fetched thence a small chattee, and gave +it to the Brahmin, saying, "Take this chattee; whenever you or any of +the family are hungry, you will always find in it as good a dinner as +this." And putting his paw into the chattee, he extracted thence +currie and rice, pilau, and all sorts of good things, enough to feast +a hundred men; and the more he took out of the chattee, the more +remained inside.</p> + +<p>When the Brahmin saw the chattee and smelt the good dinner, his eyes +glistened for joy; and he embraced the Jackal, saying, "Dear +son-in-law, you are the only support of our house." And he took his +new present carefully home with him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span></p> + +<p>After this, for some time, the whole family led a very happy life, for +they never wanted good food; every day the Brahmin, his wife and his +six daughters found inside the chattee a most delicious dinner; and +every day, when they had dined, they placed it on a shelf, to find it +replenished when next it was needed.</p> + +<p>But it happened that hard by there lived another Brahmin, a very great +man, who was much in the Rajah's confidence; and this man smelt daily +the smell of a very nice dinner, which puzzled him a great deal. The +rich Brahmin thought it smelt even nicer than his own dinner, for +which he paid so much, and yet it seemed to come from the poor +Brahmin's little cottage. So one day he determined to find out all +about it; and, going to call on his neighbour, he said to him, "Every +day, at about twelve o'clock, I smell such a very nice dinner—much +nicer than my own; and it seems to come from your house. You must live +on very good things, I think, although you seem to every one to be so +very poor."</p> + +<p>Then, in the pride of his heart, the poor Brahmin invited his rich +neighbour to come and dine with him, and lifting the magic chattee +down from the shelf, took out of it such delicate fare as the other +had never before tasted. And in an evil hour he proceeded to tell his +friend of the wondrous properties of the chattee, which his +son-in-law, the Jackal, had given him, and how it never was empty. No +sooner had the great man learned all this than he went to the Rajah, +and said to him, "There is a poor Brahmin in the town who possesses a +wonderful chattee, which is always filled with the most delicious +dinner. I should not feel authorized to deprive him of it; but if it +pleased your Highness to take it from him, he could not complain."</p> + +<p>The Rajah, hearing this, determined to see and taste for himself. So +he said, "I should very much like to see this chattee with my own +eyes." And he accompanied the rich Brahmin to the poor Brahmin's +house. The poor Brahmin was overjoyed at being noticed by the Rajah +himself, and gladly exhibited the various excellences of the chattee; +but no sooner did the Rajah taste the dinner it contained than he +ordered his guards<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> to seize it and take it away to the palace, in +spite of the Brahmin's tears and protestations. Thus, for a second +time, he lost the benefit of his son-in-law's gift.</p> + +<p>When the Rajah had gone, the Brahmin said to his wife; "There is +nothing to be done but to go again to the Jackal, and see if he can +help us."</p> + +<p>"If you don't take care, you'll put him out of all patience at last," +answered she. "I can't think why you need have gone talking about our +chattee!"</p> + +<p>When the Jackal heard the Brahmin's story, he became very cross, and +said, "What a stupid old man you were to say anything about the +chattee! But see, here is another, which may aid you to get back the +first. Take care of it, for this is the last time I will help you." +And he gave the Brahmin a chattee, in which was a stout stick tied to +a very strong rope. "Take this," he said, "into the presence of those +who deprived you of my other gifts, and when you open the chattee, +command the stick to beat them; this it will do so effectually that +they will gladly return you what you have lost; only take care not to +open the chattee when you are alone, or the stick that is in it will +punish your rashness."</p> + +<p>The Brahmin thanked his son-in-law, and took away the chattee, but he +found it hard to believe all that had been said. So, going through the +jungle on his way home, he uncovered it, just to peep in and see if +the stick were really there. No sooner had he done this than out +jumped the rope, out jumped the stick; the rope seized him and bound +him to a tree, and the stick beat him, and beat him, and beat him, +until he was nearly killed.</p> + +<p>"Oh dear! oh dear!" screamed the Brahmin; "what an unlucky man I am! +Oh dear! oh dear! stop, please, stop! good stick, stop! what a very +good stick this is!" But the stick would not stop, but beat him so +much that he could hardly crawl home again.</p> + +<p>Then the Brahmin put the rope and stick back again into the chattee, +and sent to his rich neighbour and to the Rajah, and said to them, "I +have a new chattee, much better than the old one; do come and see what +a fine one it is." And the rich<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> Brahmin and the Rajah thought, "This +is something good; doubtless there is a choice dinner in this chattee +also, and we will take it from this foolish man, as we did the other." +So they went down to meet the Brahmin in the jungle, taking with them +all their followers and attendants. Then the Brahmin uncovered his +chattee, saying, "Beat, stick, beat! beat them every one!" and the +stick jumped out, and the rope jumped out, and the rope caught hold of +the Rajah and the rich Brahmin and all their attendants, and tied them +fast to the trees that grew around, and the stick ran from one to +another, beating, beating, beating—beating the Rajah, beating his +courtiers—beating the rich Brahmin, beating his attendants, and +beating all their followers; while the poor Brahmin cried with all his +might, "Give me back my chattee! give me back my chattee!"</p> + +<p>At this the Rajah and his people were very much frightened, and +thought they were going to be killed. And the Rajah said to the +Brahmin, "Take away your stick, only take away your stick, and you +shall have back your chattee." So the Brahmin put the stick and rope +back into the chattee, and the Rajah returned him the dinner-making +chattee. And all the people felt very much afraid of the Brahmin, and +respected him very much.</p> + +<p>Then he took the chattee containing the rope and stick to the house of +the woman who had bought the melons, and the rope caught her and the +stick beat her; and the Brahmin cried, "Return me those melons! return +me those melons!"</p> + +<p>And the woman said, "Only make your stick stop beating me and you +shall have back all the melons." So he ordered the stick back into the +chattee, and she returned them to him forthwith—a whole roomful of +melons full of diamonds, pearls, emeralds, and rubies.</p> + +<p>The Brahmin took them home to his wife, and going into the town, with +the help of his good stick, forced the jeweller who had deprived him +of the little emeralds, rubies, diamonds and pearls he had taken to +sell to give them back to him again, and having accomplished this, he +returned to his family, and from that time they all lived very +happily. Then, one day, the Jackal's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> wife invited her six sisters to +come and pay her a visit. Now the youngest sister was more clever than +any of the others; and it happened that, very early in the morning, +she saw her brother-in-law, the Jackal, take off the Jackal skin and +wash it and brush it, and hang it up to dry; and when he had taken off +the jackal-skin coat, he looked the handsomest prince that ever was +seen. Then his little sister-in-law ran, quickly and quietly, and +stole away the Jackal-skin coat, and threw it on the fire and burned +it. And she awoke her sister, and said, "Sister, sister, your husband +is no longer a jackal: see, that is he standing by the door."</p> + +<p>So the Jackal Rajah's wife ran to the door to meet her husband, and +because the jackal's skin was burned, and he could wear it no longer, +he continued to be a man for the rest of his life, and gave up playing +all jackal-like pranks; and he and his wife, and his father and mother +and sisters-in-law, lived very happily all the rest of their days.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Bird_of_Truth" id="The_Bird_of_Truth"></a><i>The Bird of Truth</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce upon a time there was a very poor fisherman, who lived in a +little hut on the banks of a river. This river, although deep, was +calm and clear, and, gliding from the sun and noise, would hide itself +among the trees, reeds, and brambles, in order to listen to the birds +who delighted it with their songs.</p> + +<p>One day when the fisherman went out in his boat to cast his nets, he +saw a casket of crystal slowly drifting along with the stream. He +rowed toward it, but what was his horror at seeing two little babies, +apparently twins, lying in it upon a bundle of cotton! The poor +fisherman pitied them, took them out, and carried them home to his +wife.</p> + +<p>"What have you got there?" she exclaimed, as he presented them to her. +"We have eight children already, and as if that were not enough, you +must bring me some more!"</p> + +<p>"Wife," replied the poor fisherman, "what could I do? I found these +dear little creatures floating on the river below, and they would have +died of hunger, or have been drowned, if I had not rescued them. +Heaven, which has sent us these two more children, will assist us to +provide for them."</p> + +<p>And so it proved; and the little ones, a boy and a girl, grew up +healthy and robust, together with the eight other children. They were +both so good, so docile, and so peaceable, that the fisherman and his +wife loved them exceedingly, and always held them up as examples to +the other children; but they, envious and enraged, did them a thousand +injustices and injuries. To escape from these cruelties, the twins +would take refuge together among the thickets and on the river's +banks; there they would divert themselves with the birds, and carry<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> +crumbs of bread to them; and the birds, grateful to them for their +kindness, would fly to meet them, and teach them the bird-language. +The children learned to converse with the birds very quickly, and thus +they could amuse themselves with their feathered friends, who also +taught them many other very good and useful things, one of them being +how to get up early in the morning, and another, how to sing. One day +when the fisherman's children were more annoying than they had ever +been before, they said to the twins:</p> + +<p>"We are the true-born children of Christians, but you, with all your +neatness and superiority, are but castaways, without any other father +or mother than the river, and belong to the toads and frogs!"</p> + +<p>Upon receiving this insult the poor brother and sister were so filled +with shame and distress that they determined to go right away from +home and travel in search of their real parents At the early dawn next +day they got up and went forth without any one knowing it, and began +their journey, travelling they knew not whither.</p> + +<p>Half the day passed by, and they had not perceived as yet any abode, +nor seen a single living being. They were hungry, thirsty, and tired, +when on turning round a hillside, they discovered a little house and, +on reaching it, they found it empty and its inhabitants absent.</p> + +<p>Thoroughly disheartened, they seated themselves on a bench in the +doorway to rest. After a little while they noticed a number of +swallows collected together under the eaves of the roof, and as these +birds are such chatter-boxes, they began to prattle with one another. +Having learned the language of birds, the children knew what the +swallows said.</p> + +<p>"Holloa! my lady friend," said one of the birds, who had a somewhat +rustic air about it, to another that was of a very elegant and +distinguished mien, "my eyes are glad to see you once more! I thought +you had forgotten your country friends. How do you live in the +palace?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I possess the nest of my ancestors," replied the other, "and as yet +they have not disinherited me, although, like yours, it is a century +old. But tell me before all," continued she with admirable finesse, +"how you and all your family are."</p> + +<p>"Well, thank heaven, for although I have had my little Mariguita laid +up with an inflammation of the eyes that was within an ace of leaving +her blind, when I obtained our old remedy, the <i>pito-real</i>, it cured +her as if by magic."</p> + +<p>"But what news have you to relate to me, friend Beatrice? Does the +nightingale still sing well? Does the lark soar as high as of yore? +Does the linnet still prune itself?"</p> + +<p>"Sister," responded the swallow, "I have nothing but downright +scandals to tell you of. Our flock, which formerly was so innocent and +temperate, is utterly lost, and has quite taken to the manners of +mankind. It is heartbreaking!"</p> + +<p>"What! Simple customs and innocence not to be found in the country, +nor among birds? My dear friend, what do you tell me?"</p> + +<p>"The pure truth and nothing more. Just figure to yourself that on our +arrival here, whom should we meet but those chattering linnets, who +went off in search of cold and storm when the spring came with long +days and bright flowers! We tried to dissuade the crazy creatures, but +they answered us with the utmost insolence."</p> + +<p>"What did they say?"</p> + +<p>"They said to us—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Whither do we go?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Whence come <i>you</i>, gossips,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Who travel so little<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And talk so much?'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>This was their reply to us, and on hearing it, we made them march to +double-quick time."</p> + +<p>"What do I hear!" exclaimed the interlocutor. "That any one has dared +to accuse us, the most truthful and discreet of birds, of being +gossips?"</p> + +<p>"Then what will you think when I tell you," said the first<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> speaker, +"that the lark, who was so timid and ladylike, has become an insolent +pilferer, and that—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The lady lark upon her flight<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Pilfers pulse and pilfers maize<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Before the very sower's sight,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And at his anger pertly says,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">'Sower, sower, more seed sow,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">As that sown can never grow'?"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"I am astounded!"</p> + +<p>"That is only half my story. When we arrived here, and I wished to +enter my nest, I found a shameless sparrow making himself quite at +home in it. 'This nest is mine,' I said to him. 'Yours?' he answered +rudely, and began to laugh. 'Mine and mine only.' 'Property is +robbery,' piped he quite coolly. 'Sir, are you crazy?' I said to him. +'My ancestors built this nest, my parents educated me in it, and in it +I mean to bring up my children.' Then at seeing me fainting, all my +companions began to weep. By the time I recovered my consciousness; +our husbands had put an end to the thieving rascal. But you, sister, +never see such scandals in the palace."</p> + +<p>"Don't we! Ah, if you only knew!"</p> + +<p>"Do tell us! do tell us!" exclaimed all the swallows with one voice. +When silence had been re-established, thanks to a loud and prolonged +hus-s-s-sh, uttered by an elder, the court dame began her story in +these terms.</p> + +<p>"You must know that the king fell in love with the youngest daughter +of a tailor who lived near the palace, and married her; the girl +deserved his love, for she was as good as she was beautiful, and as +modest as she was discreet. It so happened that the king had to go to +the wars and leave his poor wife in the saddest and most perplexed +position, for his ministers and courtiers who were very indignant at +having a tailor's daughter for their queen, conspired to ruin her. And +they availed themselves of the first opportunity. During the king's +absence beautiful twins were born, a boy and a girl; but the wicked +conspirators sent to tell him that the queen had for children a cat +and a serpent.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span></p> + +<p>"When the king received this intelligence, he was furious and sent off +a royal mandate that the queen should be entombed alive, and the +children cast into the river. This was done: the beautiful queen was +shut up in a stone vault, and her little darling twins were placed in +a crystal coffer, and left to the mercy of the stream."</p> + +<p>When they heard the fate of the poor queen and her innocent babes, the +swallows, who are very kind and affectionate, began to lament most +heartily, whilst the twins looked at each other in amazement, +suspecting it to be very probable that they themselves were the +castaway children.</p> + +<p>The city swallow continued her narrative:</p> + +<p>"But now hear how God frustrated the plots of these traitors. The +queen was entombed; but her attendant, who was very devoted to her, +contrived to make a hole in the wall, and supplied her with food +through it, as we do to our little ones through our nests, and thus +the lady lives, although a life of misery. Her children were rescued +by a good fisherman, who has brought them up, so a friend of mine, +Martin Fisher, who lives on the banks of the river, has informed me."</p> + +<p>The twins, who had heard the whole story, were delighted that they had +learned the language of birds; which indeed, is a proof that we should +never neglect any opportunity of learning for, when least we think it, +what we have learned may prove of great utility to us.</p> + +<p>"So then," said the swallows joyfully, "when these children are older, +they will be able to regain their place at their father's side, and +liberate their mother."</p> + +<p>"That is not so easy," said the narrator, "because they will not be +able to prove their identity, nor prove their mother's innocence, nor +the malice of the Ministry. There is only one method by which they +would be able to undeceive the king."</p> + +<p>"And what is that? What is that?" cried all the swallows together. +"And how do you know it?"</p> + +<p>"I know it," responded the narrator, "because one day when I was +passing by the palace garden, I met and had a chat with a cuckoo, who, +as you know, is a conjuror, and can foretell what<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> will happen. As we +were discoursing with each other on the affairs of the palace, he said +to me—"</p> + +<p>The children and the swallows were listening now with redoubled +attention, and even the young swallows were thrusting their little +bald heads so far out of their nests, that they were in great peril of +falling.</p> + +<p>"'The only one who is able to persuade the king,' said the cuckoo to +me, 'is the Bird of Truth, who speaks the language of men, although +they for the most part do not know truth, and do not wish to +understand it.' 'And this bird, where is it?' I asked the cuckoo. +'This bird,' he answered, 'is in the castle of Go and Return Not; the +castle is guarded by a ferocious giant who only sleeps one quarter of +an hour in the day. If when he wakes up any one should be within reach +of his tremendous arm, he seizes and swallows him as we should a +mosquito.'"</p> + +<p>"And where is this castle?" inquired the inquisitive Beatrice.</p> + +<p>"That is what I do not know," responded her friend; "all that I know +about it is, that not far from it is a tower in which dwells a wicked +witch, who knows the way and will point it out to any one who will +bring her from the fountain that flows there, the Water of Many +Colours, which water she makes use of in her enchantments. But I +should also tell you that she would like to destroy the Bird of Truth, +though as no one is able to kill this bird, what she and her friend, +the giant, do is to keep it a prisoner guarded by the Birds of +Falsehood who will not let it speak a single word."</p> + +<p>"Then will nobody be able to inform the poor queen's son where they +have hidden the Bird of Truth?" inquired the country swallows.</p> + +<p>"Nobody," replied the city bird, "but a pious red owl, who lives as a +hermit in the desert, but who knows no more of the language of men +then the word 'Cross,' which he learned when, at Calvary, he beheld +the Crucifixion of the Redeemer, and which he has never ceased from +sorrowfully repeating. And thus he will not be able to understand the +prince, even supposing the impossible event should ever happen of the +boy finding him out. But, my dear friends, I must say good-bye, for I +have spent the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> whole afternoon in this pleasant chat. The sun is +seeking his nest in the depths of the sea, and I am going to seek +mine, where my little ones will be wondering what has happened to me. +Good-bye, friend Beatrice."</p> + +<p>So saying, the swallow took to flight, and the children in their joy, +feeling neither hunger nor fatigue, got up and pursued their way in +the same direction that the bird had flown.</p> + +<p>At the hour of evening service the children arrived at a city which +they imagined must be that in which the king, their father, dwelt. +They begged a good woman to give them shelter for the night, and this, +seeing they were so well-spoken and well-mannered, she kindly granted.</p> + +<p>The following morning had scarcely dawned when the girl arose and +tidied the house, and the boy drew the water and watered the garden, +so that when the good woman got up she found all the housework done. +She was so pleased with this that she proposed to the children that +they should remain and live with her. The boy said that his sister +might, but that it was necessary for him to arrange some business +matters, for which he had come to the city. So he departed, and +followed a chance road, praying to heaven to guide his steps and bring +his enterprise to a successful ending.</p> + +<p>For three days he followed various byways, but without seeing any +vestige of the tower; on the fourth, sad and weary he seated himself +under the shadow of a tree. After a short time he saw a little +turtle-dove arrive and rest among the branches of the tree; so he said +to it in its own language:</p> + +<p>"Little turtle-dove, I wish you could tell me where the castle of Go +and Return Not is?"</p> + +<p>"Poor boy," responded the turtle-dove, "who bore you such ill-will as +to send you there?"</p> + +<p>"It is my good or my evil fortune," replied the boy.</p> + +<p>"Then if you wish to know it," said the bird, "follow the Wind, which +to-day blows toward it!"</p> + +<p>Then the boy thanked the turtle-dove and recommenced his journey, +following the course of the wind as it changed and chopped about to +different points of the compass. The country<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> gradually grew sadder +and more arid; and, as night approached, the path led between bare and +sombre rocks, a vast black mass among them being the tower wherein +dwelt the witch whom the boy was in search of. The sight of the +hideous place terrified him at first; but as he was brave—like every +one whose aim is the furtherance of a good work—he advanced boldly. +When he reached the tower, he picked up a big stone and struck the +gate with it three times; the hollows of the rocks reverberated with +the sounds, as if sighs were uttered from their very entrails.</p> + +<p>Then the door opened, and there appeared in the doorway an old woman +carrying a candle that lit up her face, which was so wrinkled and so +frightful that the poor boy recoiled in horror. Quite an army of +beetles, lizards, salamanders, spiders and other vermin surrounded the +witch.</p> + +<p>"How dare you disturb me, impudent beggar," she exclaimed, "by coming +to knock at my door? What do you want? Speak quickly!"</p> + +<p>"Madam," said the boy, "knowing that you alone know the way which +leads to the castle of Go and Return Not, I come to ask you, if you +please, to point it out to me."</p> + +<p>The old woman made a grimace, intended for a mocking smile, and +answered:</p> + +<p>"Very well; but now it is too late. You shall go to-morrow. Come in, +and you shall sleep with these little insects."</p> + +<p>"I am not able to stay," replied the boy. "It is necessary that I +should go at once, as I have to return by daybreak to the place whence +I came."</p> + +<p>"May dogs worry you, and cats tear you, you stubborn boy," growled the +old witch angrily. "If I tell you the way," she added, "it will only +be upon condition that you bring me this jar full of the Water of Many +Colours, which flows from the fountain in the courtyard of the castle; +and if you do not bring it to me, I will change you into a lizard for +all eternity."</p> + +<p>"Agreed!" cried the boy in return.</p> + +<p>Then the old woman called a poor dog, which looked very thin and +wretched, and said to it:</p> + +<p>"Up! conduct this good-for-naught to the castle of Go and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> Return Not, +and be careful that you inform my friend of his arrival."</p> + +<p>The dog snarled, shook himself savagely, and set forth. At the end of +about two hours they arrived in front of a very black, enormous, and +gloomy castle, whose portals stood wide open, though neither light nor +sound gave any indication that it was inhabited; even the rays of the +moon, as they were reflected upon the sombre and lifeless mass, seemed +to make it still more horrible.</p> + +<p>As he went forward the dog began to howl; but the boy, who knew not +whether this was the giant's hour for sleep, stopped and rested +himself timorously against the trunk of a withered and leafless wild +olive, which was the only tree to be found in that parched and naked +district.</p> + +<p>"Heaven help me!" exclaimed the boy.</p> + +<p>"Cross! cross!" responded a sad voice among the branches of the olive. +Joyfully the boy recognized the hermit owl which the swallow had +mentioned, and said to it in the language of birds:</p> + +<p>"Poor little owl, I beg you will help and guide me. I am come in +search of the Bird of Truth, and I have to carry the Water of Many +Colours to the witch of the tower."</p> + +<p>"Do not do that," responded the owl; "but when you have filled the jar +with the clear, pure water that flows from a spring at the foot of the +fountain of Water of Many Colours, go in quickly to the aviary, which +you will find in front of the doorway; do not take any notice of the +various coloured birds that will come to meet you and deafen you by +all shouting out together that they are the Bird of Truth; then seize +a little white bird which the others thrust on one side and persecute +ceaselessly, but cannot kill, because it cannot die. But go quickly, +for at this moment the giant is just going to sleep, and his sleep +only lasts for a quarter of an hour!"</p> + +<p>The boy began to run; he entered into the courtyard, where he found +that the fountain had many spouts whence poured waters of different +colours, but he did not look at them; he filled his jar at the spring +of pure, clear water which flowed from the spring at the foot of the +fountain, and then made his way<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> to the aviary. Scarcely had he +entered it, when he was surrounded by a troop of birds, some plovers, +some black ravens, and others gorgeous peacocks, each one declaring +itself to be the Bird of Truth. The boy did not linger with them, but +went right forward, and finding the white bird he was in search of +huddled in the corner, he took it, placed it in his bosom, and went +forth, not however, without distributing a few good blows among the +enemies of the Bird of Truth.</p> + +<p>The boy did not cease running until he reached the witch's tower. When +he arrived, the old wretch seized the jar and flung all the contents +at him, thinking that it was the water of many colours, and that he +would be changed by it into a parrot; but as it was pure and clear +water, the boy only became handsomer than he was before.</p> + +<p>At the same time she had drenched all the insects, who were really +people that had arrived there with the same intention as the little +prince, and who were immediately changed back into their original +forms—the beetles into knights errant, the lizards into princesses, +grasshoppers into dancers, crickets into musicians, flies into +journalists, spiders into young ladies, <i>curianas</i> (black flies) into +students, the weevils into boys, and so forth. When the old witch saw +this, she seized a broom and flew away. Then the disenchanted people, +the ladies, gentlemen, girls and boys thanked their liberator and +accompanied him on his way back to the city.</p> + +<p>You may imagine how delighted his sister was when she saw the young +prince return with the Bird of Truth. But a very great difficulty +still remained, and that was, how the bird could be got into the +presence of the king without the knowledge of the courtiers, who were +interested in preventing him from discovering the crime which they had +committed. And what was more, the Court having learned that the Bird +of Truth had been found, the news inspired such dread that few were +able to sleep tranquilly in their beds. All kinds of weapons were +prepared against it; some sharpened, others envenomed; hawks were +trained to pursue it; cages were prepared in which to imprison it, if +it were found impossible to kill<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> it; they slandered it, saying that +its whiteness was an artificial paint, with which it coated its black +plumage; they satirized and ridiculed it in every possible manner. At +last so much was said about the Bird of Truth, that it reached the +king's ears, who wished to see it; and the more that the courtiers +intrigued to prevent it, the more he desired to view the bird. +Finally, his Majesty issued a proclamation, that whoever had the Bird +of Truth in his possession, was to present himself without delay to +the king.</p> + +<p>This was the very thing that the boy had wished for. So he hastened to +the palace, carrying the Bird of Truth in his bosom; but, as you can +imagine, the courtiers would not allow him to enter. Then the bird, +taking flight, entered into the royal household by a window, and +presenting itself before the king, said:</p> + +<p>"Sir, I am the Bird of Truth; the boy who brought me here in his bosom +has not been allowed by the courtiers to enter."</p> + +<p>The king commanded that the boy should be brought in at once, and he +entered with his sister, who had accompanied him to the palace. When +they came into the royal presence the king inquired who they were.</p> + +<p>"That the Bird of Truth can tell your Majesty," said the boy.</p> + +<p>And, questioned by the king, the bird answered that the children were +his Majesty's own, and informed him of all that had happened. As soon +as the king heard the story of the treason, with tears of joy he +clasped the children in his arms, and ordered masons to open the vault +in which the good queen had been so many years entombed. When the poor +lady came forth she was so white that she looked like a statue of +marble; but as soon as she beheld her children, the blood rushed from +her heart to her cheeks, and she became again as beautiful as she had +ever been before. The king embraced her, and seated her on the throne +with her children by her side. Then he ordered the good fisherman to +be fetched, and created him chief of the Ministry of Fishing; and the +queen's faithful attendant, who had saved her mistress's life, he +pensioned off, and created a duchess, and he distributed many other +gifts and benefits to celebrate the most joyful occasion of his life.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Two_Genies" id="The_Two_Genies"></a><i>The Two Genies</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_11.jpg" alt="E" width="51" height="50" /></div> + +<p>very one in the province of Candahar knows the adventures of young +Rustem. He was the only son of a Mirza of that country—or as we might +say, a lord. His father, the Mirza, had a good estate. Rustem was to +be married to the daughter of a Mirza of his own rank, as both +families ardently desired. He was intended to be the comfort of his +parents, to make his wife happy, and to be happy with her.</p> + +<p>But, unfortunately, he had seen the Princess of Cashmere at the great +fair at Cabul, which is the most important fair in the whole world. +And this was the reason why the old Prince of Cashmere had brought his +daughter to the fair: he had lost the two most precious objects in his +treasury; one was a diamond as big as my thumb, on which, by an art +then known to the Indians, but now forgotten, a portrait of his +daughter was engraved; the other was a javelin, which of its own +accord would strike whatever mark the owner wished.</p> + +<p>A fakir in his Highness's train had stolen these treasures, and +carried them to the Princess. "Take the greatest care of these two +things," said he; "your fate depends upon them." Then he went away, +and was seen no more.</p> + +<p>The Prince of Cashmere, in great despair at his loss, determined to +travel to the fair at Cabul, to see whether among all the merchants +who collected there from the four quarters of the earth, there might +not be one who had his diamond or his weapon. He took his daughter +with him wherever he went, and unknown to him she carried the diamond +safe in her girdle; but as for the javelin, which she could not +conveniently hide, she left it in Cashmere, safely locked up in a +large Chinese chest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span></p> + +<p>At Cabul she and Rustem saw each other, and they fell in love, with +all the ardour of their nation. As a love-token the Princess gave him +the diamond; and, at parting, Rustem promised to go to see her +secretly in Cashmere.</p> + +<p>The young Mirza had two favourite attendants who served him as +secretaries, stewards and body-servants. One was named Topaz; he was +handsome and well-made, as fair as a Circassian beauty, as gentle and +obliging as an Armenian, and as wise as a Parsee. The other was called +Ebony; a good-looking Negro, more active and more industrious than +Topaz, and one who never made objections. To them he spoke about his +journey. Topaz tried to dissuade him with the cautious zeal of a +servant who is anxious not to offend, and reminded him of all the +risks. How could he leave two families in despair, and cut his parents +to the heart? He shook Rustem's purpose; but Ebony once more confirmed +it, and removed his scruples.</p> + +<p>The young man had not money enough for so long a journey. Wise Topaz +would have refused to get it for him. Ebony provided it. He quietly +stole his master's diamond, and had a false one made exactly like it, +which he put in its place, pledging the real one to an Armenian for +many thousands of rupees.</p> + +<p>As soon as Rustem had the rupees he was ready to start An elephant was +loaded with his baggage, and they set out on horseback.</p> + +<p>"I took the liberty," said Topaz to his master, "of remonstrating +against your enterprise; but after speaking it was my duty to obey. I +am your slave. I love you, and will follow you to the end of the +world. But let us consult the oracle which is on our way."</p> + +<p>Rustem agreed. The answer of the oracle was this: "If you turn to the +east you will turn to the west." Rustem could not understand this. +Topaz maintained that it boded no good; Ebony, always accommodating, +persuaded him that it was very favourable.</p> + +<p>There was yet another oracle in Cabul, which they consulted also. The +Cabul oracle replied as follows: "If you possess you will not possess; +if you get the best of it, you will get the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> worst; if you are Rustem +you will not be Rustem." This saying seemed still more incomprehensible +than the other.</p> + +<p>"Beware," said Topaz.</p> + +<p>"Fear nothing," said Ebony. And he, as may be supposed, seemed to his +master to be always in the right, since he encouraged his passion and +his hopes.</p> + +<p>On leaving Cabul they marched through a great forest. Here they sat +down on the grass to eat, while the horses were turned loose to feed. +They were about to unload the elephant, which carried the dinner and +the service, when it was discovered that Topaz and Ebony were no +longer with the party. They called them loudly: the forest echoed with +the names of Topaz and Ebony; the men sought them in every direction +and filled the woods with their shouts, but they came back having seen +no one and heard no answer. "We saw nothing," they said to Rustem, +"but a vulture fighting with an eagle and plucking out all its +feathers."</p> + +<p>The history of this struggle excited Rustem's curiosity; he went to +the spot on foot. He saw no vulture or eagle, but he found that his +elephant, still loaded with baggage, had been attacked by a huge +rhinoceros. One was fighting with his horn, the other with his trunk. +On seeing Rustem the rhinoceros retreated, and the elephant was led +back. But now the horses were gone. "Strange things happen to +travellers in the forest!" exclaimed Rustem. The servants were +dismayed, and their master was in despair at having lost his horses, +his favourite negro, and the sage Topaz, for whom he had always had a +regard, though he did not always agree with his opinion.</p> + +<p>He was comforting himself with the hope of soon finding himself at the +feet of the beautiful Princess of Cashmere, when he met a fine striped +ass, which a vigorous peasant was beating violently with a stick. +There is nothing rarer, swifter, or more beautiful than an ass of this +kind. This one retorted on the rustic for his thrashing by kicks which +might have uprooted an oak. The young Mirza very naturally took the +ass's part, for it was a beautiful beast. The peasant ran off, crying +out to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> ass: "I will pay you out yet!" The ass thanked its +liberator after its fashion, went up to him, fawned on him, and +received his caresses.</p> + +<p>Having dined, Rustem mounted him, and took the road to Cashmere with +his servants, some on foot and some riding the elephant.</p> + +<p>Hardly had he mounted his ass, when the animal turned toward Cabul, +instead of proceeding on the way to Cashmere. In vain his rider tugged +at the bridle, jerked at the bit, squeezed his ribs with his knees, +drove the spurs into his flanks, gave him his head, pulled him up, +whipped him right and left. The obstinate beast still made direct to +Cabul.</p> + +<p>Rustem was growing desperate, when he met a camel-driver, who said to +him:</p> + +<p>"You have a very stubborn ass there, master, which insists on carrying +you where you do not want to go. If you will let me have him, I will +give you four of my camels, which you may choose for yourself."</p> + +<p>Rustem thanked Providence for having sent so good a bargain in his +way. "Topaz was all wrong," thought he, "to say that my journey would +be unlucky." He mounted the finest of the camels, and the others +followed. He soon rejoined his little caravan, and went on his way +toward happiness.</p> + +<p>He had not marched more than four miles, when he was stopped by a +torrent, wide, deep and impetuous, tumbling over rocks all white with +foam. On each shore rose precipitous cliffs, which bewildered the eyes +and chilled the heart of man. There was no way of getting across, of +turning to the right hand or to the left.</p> + +<p>"I am beginning to fear," said Rustem, "that Topaz may have been right +to reprehend me for this journey, and I very wrong to undertake it. If +he were but here he might give me some good advice, and if I had +Ebony, he at any rate would comfort me, and suggest some expedient. As +it is I have no one left to help me."</p> + +<p>His dismay was increased by that of his followers. The night was very +dark, and they spent it in lamentations. At last<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> fatigue and +dejection brought sleep to the love-sick traveller. He awoke, however, +at daybreak, and saw a fine marble bridge built across the torrent +from shore to shore.</p> + +<p>Then what exclamations, what cries of astonishment and delight! "Is it +possible? Is it a dream? What a marvel! It is magic! Dare we cross +it?" All the Mirza's train fell on their knees, got up again, went to +the bridge, kissed the ground, looked up to heaven, lifted their +hands; then tremulously set foot on it, went over, and came back in +perfect ecstasy, and Rustem said, "Heaven is on my side this time. +Topaz did not know what he was saying. The oracles were in my favour. +Ebony was right; but why is he not here?"</p> + +<p>Hardly had the caravan crossed in safety, when the bridge fell into +the torrent with an appalling crash.</p> + +<p>"So much the better!" cried Rustem. "God be praised! He does not +intend me to return to my own country, where I should be only a +private gentleman. He means me to marry the Princess. I shall be +Prince of Cashmere. In that way, when I possess my Princess, I shall +not possess my humble rank in Candahar; I shall be Rustem, and I shall +not, since I shall be a great prince. There is a great deal of the +oracle interpreted in my favour. The rest will be explained in the +same way. I am too happy! But why is not Ebony at my side? I regret +him a thousand times more than Topaz!"</p> + +<p>He rode a few miles farther in great glee; but as evening fell, a +chain of mountains, steeper than a rampart, and higher than the Tower +of Babel would have been when finished, entirely closed the road +against the travellers, who were filled with fears.</p> + +<p>Every one exclaimed: "It is the will of God that we should perish +here. He has broken down the bridge that we may have no hope of +returning; He has raised up this mountain to hinder our going forward. +Oh, Rustem! Oh, hapless Mirza! We shall never see Cashmere, we shall +never return to the land of Candahar!"</p> + +<p>In Rustem's soul the keenest anguish and most complete dejection +succeeded the immoderate joy and hopes which had intoxicated him. He +was now very far from interpreting the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> oracles to his advantage: "O +merciful heaven!" he cried. "Have I really lost my friend Topaz?"</p> + +<p>As he spoke the words, heaving deep sighs and shedding bitter tears in +the sight of his despairing followers, behold, the base of the +mountain opened, and a long, vaulted gallery lighted by a hundred +thousand torches was revealed to his dazzled eyes!</p> + +<p>Rustem broke into exclamations of joy; his people fell on their knees +or dropped down with amazement, crying out that it was a miracle, and +that Rustem was destined to govern the world. Rustem himself believed +it, and was uplifted beyond measure. "Ah! Ebony, my dear Ebony, where +are you?" he cried. "Why are you not here to see all these wonders? +How did I come to lose you? Fair Princess of Cashmere, when shall I +again behold your charms?"</p> + +<p>He marched forward with his servants, his elephant and his camels, +into the tunnel under the mountain, and, at the end of it came out +upon a meadow enameled with flowers and watered by brooks. Beyond this +meadow avenues of trees stretched into the far distance; at the end of +them was a river bordered by delightful houses in the loveliest +gardens. On every side he heard concerts of voices and instruments, +and saw dancing. He hurried across one of the bridges over the river, +and asked the first man he met what was this beautiful country.</p> + +<p>The man to whom he spoke replied: "You are in the province of +Cashmere; the inhabitants, as you see, are holding great rejoicings. +We are doing honour to the wedding of our beautiful Princess, who is +about to marry a certain lord named Barbabou, to whom her father has +plighted her. May heaven prolong their happiness!"</p> + +<p>On hearing these words Rustem fell down in a swoon. The gentleman of +Cashmere, supposing that he was liable to fits, had him carried to his +own house, where he lay some time unconscious. The two cleverest +physicians of the district were called in; they felt their patient's +pulse: and he, having somewhat recovered, sobbed and sighed, and +rolled his eyes, exclaiming, "Topaz, Topaz, you were right after all!"</p> + +<p>One of the physicians said to the gentleman of Cashmere,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> "I perceive +by his accent that this young man comes from Candahar; the air of this +country does not agree with him, and he must be sent home again. I can +see by his eyes that he is mad; leave him in my hands; I will take him +back to his own country and cure him." The other physician declared +that his only complaint was melancholy, and that he ought to be taken +to the Princess's wedding and compelled to dance.</p> + +<p>While they were discussing his case the sick man recovered his powers; +the two physicians were sent away, and Rustem remained alone with his +host.</p> + +<p>"Sir," said he, "I ask your pardon for fainting in your presence; I +know that it is not good manners, and I entreat you to accept my +elephant in acknowledgment of all the kindness with which you have +received me."</p> + +<p>He then related his adventures, taking good care not to mention the +object of his journey. "But, in the name of Brahma," said he, "tell me +who is this happy Barbabou who is to be married to the Princess of +Cashmere, and why her father has chosen him for his son-in-law, and +why the Princess has accepted him for her husband."</p> + +<p>"My lord," replied the gentleman of Cashmere, "the Princess is far +from having accepted him. On the contrary, she is drowned in tears, +while the province rejoices over her marriage. She is shut up in the +Palace Tower, and refuses to see any of the festivities prepared in +her honour."</p> + +<p>Rustem, on hearing this, felt new life in his soul, and the colour +which sorrow had faded came again into his cheeks.</p> + +<p>"Then pray tell me," he continued, "why the Prince of Cashmere +persists in marrying her to Barbabou against her will."</p> + +<p>"The facts are these," replied his friend. "Do you know that our +august Prince lost some time ago a diamond and a javelin, on which his +heart was greatly set?"</p> + +<p>"I know it well," said Rustem.</p> + +<p>"Then I must tell you," said his host, "that the Prince in despair at +hearing nothing of his two treasures, after searching for them all the +world over, promised his daughter in marri<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span>age to any one who would +bring him either of them. Then Barbabou arrived and brought the +diamond with him; and he is to marry the Princess to-morrow."</p> + +<p>Rustem turned pale. He muttered his thanks, took leave of his host, +and went off on his dromedary to the capital where the ceremony was to +take place. He reached the palace of the sovereign, announced that he +had matters of importance to communicate to him, and craved an +audience. He was told that the Prince was engaged in preparing for the +wedding. "That is the very reason," said he, "why I wish to speak to +him." In short, he was so urgent that he was admitted.</p> + +<p>"My lord," said he, "may heaven crown your days with glory and +magnificence! Your son-in-law is a rascal."</p> + +<p>"A rascal! How dare you say so? Is that the way to speak to a Prince +of Cashmere of the son-in-law he has chosen?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, a rascal," said Rustem. "And to prove it to your Highness, here +is your diamond, which I have brought back to you."</p> + +<p>The Prince, in much amazement, compared the two diamonds and, as he +knew nothing about gems, he could not tell which was the true one.</p> + +<p>"Here are two diamonds," said he, "but I have only one daughter. I am +in a strange dilemma!"</p> + +<p>Then he sent for Barbabou, and asked him whether he had not deceived +him. Barbabou swore that he had bought the diamond of an Armenian. +Rustem did not say from whom he had got his, but he proposed, as a +solution, that his Highness should allow him and his rival to fight in +single combat on the spot.</p> + +<p>"It is not enough that your son-in-law should possess a diamond," said +he, "he ought also to show proof of valour. Do you not think it fair +that the one who kills the other should marry the Princess?"</p> + +<p>"Very good," said the Prince; "it will be a fine show for all the +court. You two shall fight it out at once. The conqueror shall have +the armour of the conquered man, after the custom of Cashmere: and he +shall marry the Princess."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span></p> + +<p>The rivals immediately descended to the palace court. On the stairs +they saw a magpie and a raven. The raven cried; "Fight it out, fight +it out!" the magpie, "Do not fight!" This made the Prince laugh. The +rivals scarcely noticed the two birds.</p> + +<p>The combat began. All the courtiers stood round them in a circle. The +Princess still shut herself up in her tower, and would see nothing of +it. She had no suspicion that her lover could be in Cashmere, and she +had such a horror of Barbabou that she would not look on. The fight +went off as well as possible. Barbabou was left stone dead, and the +populace were delighted, for he was ugly and Rustem very handsome—a +fact which always turns the scale of public favour.</p> + +<p>The conqueror put on the dead man's coat of mail, his scarf and his +helmet, and approached the window of his mistress to the sound of +trumpets, followed by all the Court. Every one was shouting: "Fair +Princess, come and see your handsome bridegroom who has killed his +hideous rival!" and the ladies repeated the words. The Princess +unfortunately looked out of the window, and seeing the armour of the +man she abhorred, she flew in despair to the Chinese trunk, and took +out the fatal javelin, which darted, at her wish, to pierce her dear +Rustem through a joint in his cuirass. He gave a bitter cry, and in +that cry the Princess thought that she recognized the voice of her +hapless lover.</p> + +<p>She flew into the courtyard, her hair all disheveled, death in her +eyes and in her heart. Rustem was lying in her father's arms. She saw +him! What a moment, what a sight! Who can express the anguish, the +tenderness, the horror of that meeting? She threw herself upon him and +embraced him.</p> + +<p>"These," she cried, "are the first and last kisses of your lover and +destroyer." Then snatching the dart from his wound, she plunged it +into her own heart, and died on the breast of the lover she adored.</p> + +<p>Her father, horror-stricken and heartbroken, strove in vain to bring +her back to life; she was no more. He broke the fatal weapon into +fragments, and flung away the ill-starred diamonds:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> and while +preparations were proceeding for his daughter's funeral instead of her +wedding, he had the bleeding but still living Rustem carried into his +palace.</p> + +<p>Rustem was laid upon a couch. The first thing he saw, one on each side +of his death-bed, were Topaz and Ebony. Surprise gave him strength. +"Cruel that you were," said he; "why did you desert me? The Princess +might still perhaps be living if you had been at hand!"</p> + +<p>"I have never left you for a moment," said Topaz.</p> + +<p>"I have been always at your side," said Ebony.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean? Why do you insult me in my last moments?" replied +Rustem, in a weak voice.</p> + +<p>"Believe me, it is true," said Topaz. "You know I never approved of +this ill-advised journey, for I foresaw its disastrous end. I was the +eagle which struggled with the vulture, and which the vulture plucked; +I was the elephant which made off with your baggage to compel you to +return home; I was the striped ass which would fain have carried you +back to your father; it was I who led your horses astray, who produced +the torrent which you could not cross, who raised the mountain which +checked your unlucky advance; I was the physician who advised your +return to your native air, and the magpie which urged you not to +fight."</p> + +<p>"I," said Ebony, "was the vulture who plucked the eagle, the +rhinoceros which thrust its horn into the elephant, the peasant who +beat the ass, the merchant who gave you the camels to hasten you to +your ruin; I raised the bridge you crossed; I bored the mountains for +you to pass; I was the physician who advised you to proceed, and the +raven which encouraged you to fight."</p> + +<p>"Alas! And remember the Oracle," added Topaz; "If you turn to the east +you will turn to the west."</p> + +<p>"Yes, here they bury the dead with their faces turned westward," said +Ebony. "The Oracle was plain; why did not you understand it? You +possessed and you possessed not; for you had the diamond, but it was a +false one, and you did not know it; you got the best of it in battle, +but you also got the worst,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> for you must die; you are Rustem, but you +will soon cease to be so. The Oracle is fulfilled."</p> + +<p>Even as he spoke two white wings appeared on the shoulders of Topaz, +and two black wings on those of Ebony.</p> + +<p>"What is this that I see?" cried Rustem. And Topaz and Ebony replied: +"We are your two genies." "I," added Topaz, "am your good genie."</p> + +<p>"And you, Ebony, with your black wings, are apparently my evil genie."</p> + +<p>"As you say," replied Ebony.</p> + +<p>Then suddenly everything vanished. Rustem found himself in his +father's house, which he had not quitted, and in his bed where he had +been sleeping just an hour.</p> + +<p>He awoke with a start, bathed in sweat and greatly scared. He shouted, +he called, he rang. His servant Topaz hurried up in his night-cap, +yawning.</p> + +<p>"Am I dead or alive?" cried Rustem. "Will the beautiful Princess of +Cashmere recover?"</p> + +<p>"Is your Highness dreaming?" said Topaz calmly.</p> + +<p>"And what," cried Rustem, "has become of that cruel Ebony, with his +two black wings? Is it his fault that I am dying so dreadful a death?"</p> + +<p>"Sir, I left him upstairs, snoring. Shall I call him down?"</p> + +<p>"The villain! He has been tormenting me these six months. It was he +who took me to that fatal fair at Cabul; it was he who stole the +diamond the Princess gave me; he is the sole cause of my journey, of +the death of my Princess, and of the javelin-wound of which I am dying +in the prime of youth."</p> + +<p>"Make yourself easy," said Topaz. "You have never been to Cabul. There +is no Princess of Cashmere; the Prince has but two sons, and they are +now at school. You never had any diamond. The Princess cannot be dead +since she never was born; and you are perfectly sound and well."</p> + +<p>"What! Is it not true that you became in turn an eagle, an elephant, +an ass, a doctor, and a magpie, to protect me from ill?"</p> + +<p>"It is all a dream, sir. Our ideas are no more under our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> control when +sleeping than when awake. The Almighty sent that string of ideas +through your head, as it would seem, to give you some lesson which you +may lay to heart."</p> + +<p>"You are making game of me," said Rustem. "How long have I been +sleeping?"</p> + +<p>"Sir, you have only slept one hour."</p> + +<p>"Well, I cannot understand it," said Rustem.</p> + +<p>But perhaps he took the lesson to heart, and learned to doubt whether +all he wished for was right and good for him.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Steelpacha" id="Steelpacha"></a><i>Steelpacha</i><a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce upon a time there was an Emperor who had three sons and three +daughters. As he was very old, his last hour drew nigh. He therefore +called his children to his bedside and laid earnest command upon his +sons to give their sisters, without hesitation, to the first suitors +who asked for them in marriage. "Marry them off," he said to the sons, +"or my curse will be upon you!" These were his last words.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> From "The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales," copyright, +1906, by Charles Scribner's Sons.</p></div> + +<p>After his death, day passed quietly after day for a while. Then one +evening there came a loud knocking at the door. The whole palace began +to rock amid a wild roaring, howling, crashing; the castle was bathed +in a sea of flame. Every heart was terrified, and trembling took +possession of every soul.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a voice cried, "Open the door, ye princes!"</p> + +<p>Up spoke the Emperor's eldest son, "Do not open!" And the second said, +"On no account open!" But the youngest said, "Then I will open the +door myself."</p> + +<p>He sprang up and drew the bolts. Hardly was the door opened when a +fearful Being rushed in, the outline of whose form was hidden in +encircling flames.</p> + +<p>"I am come," he exclaimed, "to take your eldest sister for my wife, +and that at once. So give a short answer—yes or no; I insist upon +it!"</p> + +<p>Said the eldest brother, "I will not give her to you. Why should I, +when I know neither who nor whence you are? You come here by night, +demand my sister's hand upon the instant, and I do not even hear which +way I am to turn when I wish to visit her."</p> + +<p>Said the second brother, "Nor do I permit you to take away my sister +thus in the dead of night."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span></p><p>But the youngest interposed, "Then I will give her away if you two +refuse. Have you already forgotten our father's command?" And taking +his sister by the hand he gave her to the stranger, saying, "May she +live happily with you and be ever faithful!"</p> + +<p>As the sister crossed the threshold every one in the building fell to +the ground in fear and horror. It lightened, it thundered, it crashed, +it quaked, the whole fortress swayed heavily, as if heaven and earth +were falling together. Gradually the uproar died away, and the rosy +eastern light announced the coming morning.</p> + +<p>As soon as day had broken the brothers searched for the traces which +they supposed would have been left by their tremendous nocturnal +visitor; but not a trace, not a footprint had he left behind. All was +swept away.</p> + +<p>On the following night, at the selfsame hour, the selfsame flashing, +crashing din was heard around the imperial fortress, and a voice +without cried loudly, "Open the door, you princes!"</p> + +<p>Paralyzed with terror, they threw open the door and a fearful Form +rushed in, crying in a loud voice, "Give me here the maiden, your +second sister! I have come to marry her!"</p> + +<p>Said the eldest brother, "I will not give you my sister!"</p> + +<p>Said the second, "I will not let my sister—"</p> + +<p>But the youngest broke in with, "Then I will! Will you never remember +what our father commanded?"</p> + +<p>He took his sister by the hand and led her to the wooer. "Take her; +she will be happy with you and always good."</p> + +<p>At this the powerful apparition vanished, and the maiden with him.</p> + +<p>As soon as morning dawned the brothers sought around the castle for +traces of the direction which the apparition had taken; but they found +nothing under the blessed sun, nor was there the slightest clue from +which they could make any sort of guess any more than if no one had +been there!</p> + +<p>On the third night, at the same hour, the whole castle was again +shaken to the foundation by a horrible uproar and earthquake, and a +voice called out, "Open the door, ye princes!"</p> + +<p>The Emperor's sons sprang nimbly to their feet and drew<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> the bolts, +upon which a monstrous Form entered, exclaiming "We are come to demand +the hand of your youngest sister!"</p> + +<p>"Never!" shrieked the eldest and second brothers with one voice. "We +will not let this one go away thus by night. Surely we must at least +know of this our youngest sister whom she marries and where she goes, +that we may be able to visit her!"</p> + +<p>But up spoke the youngest brother, "Then I will give her away if you +refuse. Have you quite forgotten what our father charged us on his +dying bed? It is not so long ago."</p> + +<p>He took the sister by the hand and said, "Here she is; take her home +and live happily and joyfully with her!"</p> + +<p>In a twinkling the terrible Being disappeared in the midst of a +fearful uproar.</p> + +<p>When the morning dawned the brothers felt oppressed by anxiety, being +all uncertain as to the fate of their sisters. After a long interval, +during which no light had been thrown upon this matter, the three +brothers took counsel together:</p> + +<p>"Good heavens, did ever one know of anything so mysterious? What has +become of our sisters? We have not the least idea of their +abiding-place, nor any clue which can lead to their discovery."</p> + +<p>At length one said to the others, "Let us go forth to seek our +sisters."</p> + +<p>So the three brothers made ready without losing a moment. They took +money enough for a long journey and went out into the wide world to +seek their sisters.</p> + +<p>In the course of their wanderings they lost their way among the +mountains, where they wandered for a whole day. When night fell they +decided, on account of their horses, to encamp near a piece of water.</p> + +<p>And so they did. They reached the shore of a lake, pitched their +tents, and sat down to supper. When they lay down to sleep the eldest +brother said, "You may sleep, but I will stand guard."</p> + +<p>So the two younger brothers went peacefully to sleep, while the eldest +brother kept watch. At a certain hour of the night the lake became +agitated with a swaying motion which startled the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> watcher not a +little. He soon observed a shapeless form arising out of the midst of +the water and rushing straight toward him. It was a frightful monster +of a Dragon, with two great flapping ears, which was rushing so +fiercely upon him. The Prince bravely drew his sword, and seizing the +Dragon, cut off his head. Then he sliced off the ears and put them +into his wallet, and threw the head and the body back into the lake.</p> + +<p>Meantime the day had dawned, and the brothers still lay in profound +slumber, little dreaming of their eldest brother's heroic exploit. He +now waked them, but said not a syllable about his nocturnal adventure. +They left that place and continued their journey, and when twilight +began to fall they once more agreed to seek a halting-place near some +piece of water. But they were much terrified to find themselves quite +lost in a lonely wilderness. At last, however, they came upon a tiny +lake, where they decided to spend the night. They kindled a fire, +unpacked cooking utensils and food, and took their evening meal. After +that they disposed themselves to sleep. Then said the second brother, +"Do you two go to rest; I will mount guard to-night."</p> + +<p>The two brothers therefore lay down to sleep, but the third cheerfully +sat up and kept watch. Suddenly a rustling sound from the lake met his +ears, and he saw a sight which curdled the blood in his veins. A +two-headed Dragon rushed tumultuously upon the brothers as if to +annihilate them all three.</p> + +<p>Quick as thought the watcher sprang up, drew his glittering sword, +avoided the Dragon's attack, and cut off his two heads. Then he sliced +off the ears and put them into his wallet, throwing the other parts of +the monster back into the lake. The brothers knew nothing of the +affair, for both slept soundly until dawn.</p> + +<p>When day broke the second brother called to them, "Wake up, brothers, +the morning dawns!"</p> + +<p>Immediately they sprang up, packed their goods, and set forth upon +their way; but they had not the least idea where they were or in what +country.</p> + +<p>A great fear overwhelmed them that they might perish of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> hunger in +this wilderness, and they besought God to guide them at least to some +inhabited village or city, or to permit them to meet some human being, +for they had already wandered three days in this inhospitable +wilderness without coming to the end or finding any way out.</p> + +<p>It was rather early in the day when they came to a pretty large lake +and decided to go no farther, but to make their camp on this +lake-side. For they said, "If we go farther we shall very probably not +find any more water near which to make our camp."</p> + +<p>They remained, therefore, in this place, built a great fire, supped, +and made ready to sleep. Then said the youngest brother.</p> + +<p>"Do you two go to rest. I will take the watch to-night."</p> + +<p>So the two lay down and soon fell asleep, but the youngest brother +kept a sharp lookout, and often threw a glance over the shining +surface of the lake.</p> + +<p>Thus passed away a portion of the night, when suddenly the lake boiled +up, surged, foaming, upon the fire and half-extinguished it. But the +watcher whipped out his sword and took his position close to the fire. +Suddenly a three-headed Dragon rushed forth and made as if to kill the +brothers.</p> + +<p>Now was the hero-spirit of the youth tested. He waked not his +brothers, but went forth alone to meet the Dragon. Three times he +raised his sword, and each time he smote off one of the monster's +heads. Then he sliced off the ears, and threw the shapeless remains +into the water.</p> + +<p>While this tremendous conflict was going on the fire died out, having +been flooded by the water. The Prince would not waken his brothers, +although he had no tinder-box of his own to rekindle the flame, but +resolved to search around a little in the wilderness in hope of +stumbling upon some one who could help him.</p> + +<p>But nowhere was there a mortal soul! At last he climbed into a high +tree and looked around in all directions to see what he might see.</p> + +<p>As he was thus gazing far and wide his eyes were suddenly attracted by +a flash of light which seemed to be very near him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> He descended the +tree and went in the direction of the light; hoping to get some fire +wherewith to rekindle the fire for his brothers.</p> + +<p>He went on for a long stretch, the light seeming always to be just +before him, when suddenly he found himself standing before a cave in a +rock in which nine Giants, gathered around an immense fire, were +roasting two men upon a spit, one on one side of the fire, the other +on the other. An enormous copper caldron, full to the brim with human +flesh, was bubbling over the fire.</p> + +<p>The imperial Prince was horrified at this sight. He would have turned +back, but whither should he go? Where was there a way of escape for +him? He quickly recovered his self-possession, however, and cried out, +"Good-morning, valiant comrades, I have long been seeking you!"</p> + +<p>They received him most cordially, answering, "God be with thee, if +thou art a true comrade."</p> + +<p>He replied, "Indeed I am, and shall be all my life long. I would risk +my head for you."</p> + +<p>"All right," they answered. "If you wish to be one of us, are you +ready to eat human flesh and take a share in our Adventures?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that I will," said the Prince. "What you do, that will I do +also."</p> + +<p>"Faith, then all is well!" they said. "Sit down among us."</p> + +<p>They settled themselves around the fire. The caldron was taken off, +its contents served, and the meal began. The Prince received his +share, but he knew how to manage, and, instead of eating, he slyly +threw the meat, bit by bit, behind him. He did the same with the +roast. Then the Giants said:</p> + +<p>"Come, now, we must go a-hunting, for we must eat to-morrow as well as +to-day."</p> + +<p>So the nine Giants set out, with the Prince for a tenth.</p> + +<p>"Come," they said to him, "not far from here is a town in which reigns +an Emperor. His city has fed us for several years."</p> + +<p>As they drew near to the city they pulled up two fir-trees by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> the +roots and carried them along. When they reached the town they set one +of the trees against the wall and called to the Prince, "Come on, +climb up the wall here, and we will hand you the second tree. Seize it +by the point and let it down on the other side, but keep hold of the +top so that we may climb down by the trunk."</p> + +<p>The Prince accordingly scrambled up, but on receiving the second tree +he called out, "I don't know where to stand it; I am not familiar with +the place and dare not shove it over. Do one of you come up and show +me, and then I will make it all right."</p> + +<p>One of the Giants climbed up to him, seized the fir-tree by the point, +and let it down on the other side of the wall. As he stood thus bent +over, the Prince drew his sword and struck off his head, and the dead +Giant tumbled off the wall into the city.</p> + +<p>Then the Prince cried to the others, "All right! Come on now, one at a +time, that I may help you along in the same way."</p> + +<p>One after another unsuspiciously climbed up, only to meet death at the +hand of the Prince. When he had made an end of all the nine he let +himself down by the fir-tree into the city, which he explored in every +direction. No sound of human voice reached his ear. All was a drear, +horrible desolation. "Has the whole population been robbed and +murdered by the Giants?" he thought to himself.</p> + +<p>For a long time he wandered about the desolate city, until he came to +a very high tower, from one window of which shone out the light of a +taper. He threw open the door, rushed up the tower stair, and hastened +straight to that room.</p> + +<p>On the threshold he stood still in amazement. The room was richly hung +and decorated with gold, silk, and velvet, and not a soul within +except a maiden who lay upon a couch, out-stretched in deep slumber. +The Prince was rooted to the spot at the sight of the maiden, for she +was wonderfully beautiful. But at that moment he became aware of a +great serpent which, sliding along the wall, stretched out its head +directly over the head of the maiden, coiling itself up in readiness +to spring and strike her upon the brow, between the eyes.</p> + +<p>Then the Prince sprang quickly with his pocket-knife, which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> in a +trice he had drawn from his pocket, and pinned the serpent's head to +the wall. Then saying these words: "God grant that no hand but mine +may draw this knife out from the wall," he went quickly away. He +climbed up by one fir-tree and down by the other, and so got over the +wall. Arrived at the Giants' cave, he took some fire and ran back to +his brothers, who were still buried in profound slumber. As he kindled +the fire day began to dawn in the east. He wakened the brothers, and +they set forth upon their journey.</p> + +<p>That same day they came to the highway leading to the before-mentioned +city. A mighty Emperor reigned there who used to go about the city +every morning shedding bitter tears because his people were +exterminated and eaten by the Giants, and because of his constant fear +that his only daughter would fall a sacrifice to their gluttony. On +this morning he was going about the city as usual. It lay empty and +deserted; the inhabitants had dwindled away to a mere remnant; most of +them had found a grave in the giants' maws.</p> + +<p>As I have said, the Emperor was thus reviewing his city when suddenly +his eyes fell upon the uprooted fir-tree which still leaned against +the wall, and as he drew nearer he beheld a wonderful sight; there lay +the nine Giants, the very pests of the city, with their heads all cut +off!</p> + +<p>This sight gave the King unspeakable joy. The people also gathered +together to pray God that blessing and happiness might descend upon +the giant-slayer. At that very moment a servant came from the imperial +citadel to say that a serpent had nearly been the death of the +Emperor's daughter. Upon this the Emperor betook himself straightway +to the citadel, and to the very chamber of his daughter. Arrived +there, he saw upon the wall the impaled serpent, and tried with his +own hand to draw out the knife, but in vain.</p> + +<p>Then the Emperor sent a proclamation through his whole empire: +"Whoever has slain the Giants and impaled the serpent, let him make +himself known, that the Emperor may richly reward him and bestow upon +him the hand of his daughter."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span></p> + +<p>This proclamation was issued in every province of the empire. The +Emperor also gave command that great inns should be erected upon the +principal highways, where all travellers should be stopped and asked +whether they knew who had overcome the giants; and whoever should +discover the man, let him hasten with utmost speed to the Emperor to +receive a rich reward.</p> + +<p>According to the imperial proclamation, great inns were erected upon +the principal highways, and every traveller was stopped, examined, and +the whole affair explained to him.</p> + +<p>After a while the three Princes who were seeking their sisters came to +pass the night at one of these inns. After supper the landlord joined +the company, and began to boast of his wonderful exploits. At last he +turned to the three brothers with the question, "And what doughty +deeds have you done up to this time?"</p> + +<p>Then the eldest brother began, "As I and my brothers were upon our +travels it came to pass one night that we made our halt on the border +of a lake in a great wilderness. While my brothers were asleep and I +keeping watch, a Dragon came up out of the lake to destroy me. I drew +my sword out of the scabbard and struck off his head. If you don't +believe me, here are his ears." And he drew the ears out of his wallet +and threw them upon the table.</p> + +<p>When the second brother heard this, he began, "I had the watch on the +second night, and I killed a two-headed Dragon. If you don't believe +me, here are the ears which I cut from his two heads for a witness." +He said it and showed the two pairs of ears.</p> + +<p>The youngest brother heard the whole in silence. The landlord now +turned to him.</p> + +<p>"By heaven, youngster, your brothers are valiant heroes! Come let us +hear if you can also boast of any doughty deeds!"</p> + +<p>Hesitatingly the youngest began his story: "Well, I also did a trifle. +It was on the third night, beside the lake in the wilderness. You, my +brothers, were asleep. I kept watch. At a certain hour of the night +the lake surged up and a three-headed Dragon arose from it, who would +have annihilated us.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> Then I drew a sword and cut off all three of his +heads. If you don't believe it, here are the three pairs of ears!"</p> + +<p>Upon this the two brothers were dumb with astonishment. But the +youngest went on with his story: "In the meantime the fire had gone +out, and I went forth to seek a light. While straying around among the +hills I stumbled upon nine giants in a cave"; and so he went on and +told all his adventures in order, and every one was struck with +amazement at the wonderful tale.</p> + +<p>No sooner had the landlord heard the story than he ran secretly to the +Emperor and told him the whole affair. The Emperor gave him a great +sum of money, and sent his people at once to bring the three princes +before him.</p> + +<p>When they came into the Emperor's presence he put the following +question to the youngest: "Is it you who performed the wonders in our +city, killing the Giants and saving my only daughter from +destruction?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it was I, mighty Emperor," replied the Prince. Here-upon the +Emperor married his daughter to the young Prince and raised him to the +highest office in the kingdom.</p> + +<p>Then the Emperor said to the two elder brothers, "If it please you to +remain in my empire, I will give you each a wife and will permit you +to build strongholds for yourselves."</p> + +<p>But they told him they were already married, and explained that they +had undertaken this journey merely to seek out their sisters. When the +Emperor heard this he detained only the youngest brother, his +son-in-law, and to the two other brothers he gave two mules laden with +gold. So the two brothers returned home to their own kingdom.</p> + +<p>Still the youngest brother thought continually of his sisters, and +kept always in mind the hope of yet seeking them out But on the other +hand he was pained at the thought of parting from his young wife, and +besides he knew that the Emperor would never consent to his leaving +him. So he was continually racked with anxiety about his sisters.</p> + +<p>One day the Emperor went hunting, and before setting out he said to +his son-in-law, "Do you remain in the castle during my absence. I give +to you nine keys which you must keep carefully<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> by you. I give you +free leave to open three or four rooms. You will find in them silver +and gold in abundance; there is also no lack of weapons, or of any +kind of treasure. You may even, if you feel inclined, open eight of +the rooms. But beware of unlocking the ninth. Leave that one alone; +for," he added, "if you do not it will be the worse for you." Upon +this the Emperor departed, leaving his son-in-law at home alone.</p> + +<p>Hardly was the Emperor gone when the Prince began to open one door +after another, until he had examined eight rooms in succession. His +eyes beheld in them treasures of all kinds. When at last he came to +the door of the ninth room he said to himself, "I have seen and done +so many wonderful things, and shall it be forbidden me to enter a +certain room?"</p> + +<p>So he unlocked the door and went in. What a sight! There was a man +whose legs up to his knees and whose arms up to the elbows were +incased in iron; from his neck hung heavy iron chains, the ends of +which were fastened to stakes driven into the floor on all sides, +holding him so securely that he could not stir. Before him a stream of +water gushed from a golden vessel and flowed into a golden basin which +stood near; beside it was a golden jug, beautifully adorned with +jewels. The man longed to drink the water, but he could not reach the +jug.</p> + +<p>When the imperial Prince saw this he started backward; but the +fettered man cried, "Oh, come to me, I beseech you, in the name of the +living God!"</p> + +<p>The Prince drew nearer, and the man continued, "Oh, do a pious act; +let me drain a jug of water! Be assured I will reward you for it with +an additional life."</p> + +<p>The Prince considered the proposition. "Can there be anything better +for me than to secure for myself an additional life?" He took the jug, +filled it, and raised it to the man's lips, who emptied it at a single +draught. Upon this the Prince asked him, "In the name of heaven, who +are you?"</p> + +<p>The man answered, "My name is Steelpacha."</p> + +<p>The prince now turned toward the door, but the man implored him, "Give +me another jug of water, and I will give you a second life."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Prince thought, "He will give me a second life; I have one into +the bargain. This will be a prodigy indeed!" and he filled the jug +again and put it to the man's lips.</p> + +<p>He then turned away and already held the door-latch in his hand when +Steelpacha called to him, "Oh, sir, come back to me! You have twice +acted nobly by me; prove yourself a man a third time and I will give +you a third life. Take this jug, fill it to the brim, and pour it over +my head; and for this labour of love I will give you a third life."</p> + +<p>When the Prince heard this he turned back, took the jug, filled it +with water, and poured it over the man's head. The moment the water +touched him the chains about his neck fell asunder and all the bonds +which held him were unloosed. Quick as lightning Steelpacha sprang up, +spread a pair of wings, flew out of the window, snatched up the +Princess, the wife of his deliverer, took flight with her under his +wing, and in a moment had disappeared from view. That was a prodigy +indeed!</p> + +<p>The Prince now looked forward with deepest dread to the Emperor's +return. However, when the Emperor came home, the Prince told the whole +story exactly as it had happened. The Emperor was beside himself with +grief. "Why did you do thus?" said he reproachfully. "Did I not +expressly forbid you to enter the ninth room?"</p> + +<p>The Prince answered soothingly, "Don't be angry with me. I will go at +once to seek Steelpacha and rescue my wife from him."</p> + +<p>The Emperor tried to dissuade him from this plan. "Don't do that," +said he; "you shall on no account move a step from this place. You +have no idea who Steelpacha is. Many an army and much treasure did I +waste before I got him in my power. So remain quietly with me. I will +provide another wife for you. And don't be unhappy; I love you as my +own son."</p> + +<p>But the Prince was deaf to all these persuasions, and adhered to his +first resolution. He provided himself with the necessary money, +mounted his horse, and went forth into the world to seek Steelpacha. +For a long time he wandered about, and at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> last he arrived at a city. +He was gazing around with some curiosity, when suddenly a woman called +to him from a balcony, "You Prince, get down from your horse and come +into the court!"</p> + +<p>As the Prince entered the court the woman came to meet him. He looked +narrowly at her and recognized his eldest sister. They flew into each +other's arms and lavished sweet kisses upon each other.</p> + +<p>The sister was the first to speak. "Come out upon the balcony with me, +brother."</p> + +<p>When they were upon the balcony the Prince asked his sister whom she +had married, and she answered, "I am married to the Emperor of the +Dragons. My husband is himself a Dragon. So, brother, it would be +worth your while to hide, for my husband often says he would cut his +brothers-in-law in small bits if he ever laid eyes upon them. Let me +first question him; if he promises to do you no harm I will tell him +of your arrival."</p> + +<p>So said and so done. The sister concealed her brother and his horse. +The evening drew on. The Dragon's supper was ready; they were awaiting +his arrival, when at last he came. When he flew in the whole earth was +bathed in blinding light; but he had hardly entered when he called to +his wife:</p> + +<p>"Wife, I smell men's bones. Who is here? Tell me quick!"</p> + +<p>"No one is here," she answered.</p> + +<p>"That is not possible," said he.</p> + +<p>Upon this the wife said, "I want to ask you a question, and do you +answer me truly and honestly. Would you do any harm to my brothers if +they happened to come here?"</p> + +<p>The Dragon-emperor answered, "I would have the eldest and the second +killed and roasted, but I would do nothing to the youngest."</p> + +<p>Upon this she said, "My youngest brother, your brother-in-law, is +arrived."</p> + +<p>When the Dragon-emperor heard this he cried, "Out with him, then!" And +when the sister brought her brother from his hiding-place the Emperor +ran to meet him and showered kisses upon him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Welcome here, brother-in-law!"</p> + +<p>"God be with you, sister's husband!"</p> + +<p>"Where were you hiding?"</p> + +<p>"Here I am!" And he told him the object of his journey, from beginning +to end.</p> + +<p>The Dragon-emperor said to him, "You are running the greatest risk, +God help you! The day before yesterday Steelpacha flew past with your +wife. I was awaiting him with seven thousand dragons, but we could not +overcome him. I adjure you, let that fiend alone. I will give you +money to your heart's desire; just go quietly home."</p> + +<p>But the Prince would not hear a word of this advice, and emphatically +declared that he would continue his journey on the morrow. When the +Emperor saw that he could not prevent him, nor induce him to turn +back, he drew a feather out of his wing and gave it to his +brother-in-law, with these words:</p> + +<p>"Give good heed to what I now tell you. Take this feather of mine, and +if you come across Steelpacha and find yourself in great danger, then +burn my feather; that very moment I will come to your aid with the +whole strength of my army."</p> + +<p>The Prince concealed the feather in a safe place and went his way. He +travelled on and on until he reached a second great city. Here again, +as he was going through the city, a woman called to him from a +balcony.</p> + +<p>"Ho, there, you Prince, dismount from your horse and come into the +court!"</p> + +<p>The Prince rode into the court. Behold, who comes to meet him? It is +his second sister! They rush into each other's arms and kiss each +other heartily. Then the sister led her brother into the castle.</p> + +<p>When she had put the horse into the stable she asked the object of his +journey, and he told her the whole story of his adventures, finally +asking her, "And whom have you married, dear sister?"</p> + +<p>She answered, "I am married to the Emperor of the Falcons. He will +come home to-night. But I must carefully conceal you, for he is +furious against my brothers." So saying, she concealed the Prince.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span></p> + +<p>In a little while the Falcon-emperor came home, and the whole city +quaked with the tumult of his approach. Supper was served at once, but +not before he had cried to his wife, "I smell men's flesh!"</p> + +<p>The wife answered, "What are you thinking of, husband?"</p> + +<p>At last, after talking for some time of this thing and that, she asked +him, "Would you do any harm to my brothers if they were to come here?"</p> + +<p>The Emperor said, "It would surely go hard with the eldest and the +second, but I would do nothing to the youngest." Then she told him of +her youngest brother's arrival.</p> + +<p>The Falcon-emperor commanded his wife to bring her brother before him, +and as soon as he beheld him he fell upon his neck and kissed him. +"Welcome, dear brother-in-law!"</p> + +<p>"A lucky and joyful meeting, dear sister's husband!" answered the +Prince; upon which they sat down to supper.</p> + +<p>After supper the Emperor asked his brother-in-law concerning the +object of his journey, and the Prince replied that he was seeking +Steelpacha, and told him all his adventures. But the Emperor began to +counsel him.</p> + +<p>"Give up your journey," said he. "Just let me tell you something about +Steelpacha. That very day on which he stole your wife I was awaiting +him with five thousand falcons, and waged a fearful battle with him. +Blood flowed knee-deep around us, yet we could not prevail against +him. And how shall you, a single man, overmaster him? So I give you +this well-meant advice: Go back home. So much of my treasure as your +heart desires is yours; take it and go."</p> + +<p>But the Prince answered, "Hearty thanks for your offer, but go back +with my task unperformed I will not. No, never! I must yet find +Steelpacha." For he thought to himself, "Why should I not? Have I not +three lives?"</p> + +<p>When the Falcon-emperor became convinced that he could not move him +from his purpose he drew a feather out of his wing and gave it to him, +with these words, "Here, take this feather of mine, and if you come +into great danger strike a fire and burn it I will come at once to +your aid with all my forces."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span></p> + +<p>So the Prince took the feather and set forth to seek Steelpacha.</p> + +<p>For a long time he went up and down through the wide world, until at +last he reached a third city. He had hardly entered it when a woman +called to him from a balcony, "Dismount and come into the court!"</p> + +<p>The Prince turned his horse and rode into the court. Behold, there was +his youngest sister! They fell into each other's arms and lavished +kisses upon each other. She led the horse into the stable, the brother +into the castle. Then the Prince asked, "Sister, whom have you +married?"</p> + +<p>And she answered, "My consort is the Emperor of the Eagles; it is he +whom I have married."</p> + +<p>When the Eagle-emperor came home that night his wife met him +affectionately; but he paid no attention to her greeting, but asked +her, "What man has come into my castle? Tell me at once!"</p> + +<p>She answered, "There is no one here," and they sat down to supper. +During supper she asked him, as if by chance, "Would you do any harm +to my brothers if they should suddenly arrive?"</p> + +<p>The Emperor answered, "The eldest and the second I should kill without +hesitation, but not the youngest. On the contrary, I would hasten to +his aid at any time, as far as it was in my power."</p> + +<p>Then she said to the Emperor, "My youngest brother is come to pay us a +visit."</p> + +<p>The Emperor commanded that he should be presented at once, went to +meet him and greeted him with "Welcome, dear brother-in-law!"</p> + +<p>The other answered, "A lucky and joyful meeting, dear sister's +husband!"</p> + +<p>So they sat down to the table.</p> + +<p>After supper they talked of one thing and another, and at last the +Prince told them that he was seeking for Steelpacha. When the +Eagle-emperor heard this he said everything he could think of to +dissuade him from this idea.</p> + +<p>"Dear brother-in-law," said he, "leave that fiend alone and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> give up +your journey. Stay, rather, here with me; you shall be made happy in +every respect."</p> + +<p>But the Prince paid no heed to his words, and as soon as morning +dawned he made ready and set off to seek Steelpacha. But before he +went away the Eagle-emperor, who saw that he could not turn him from +his purpose, drew forth a feather from his wing and said:</p> + +<p>"Take this feather, brother-in-law, and if ever you are in need or +danger, strike a fire and burn it. I will come at once with my eagles +to help you."</p> + +<p>The Prince put the feather in his pocket and set forth.</p> + +<p>Thus he roved around the world from city to city, going ever farther +and farther till at last one day he discovered his wife in a cavern. +She was not a little surprised to see him, and cried out to him, "In +the name of heaven, husband, how came you here?"</p> + +<p>He hastily told her his adventures, and added, "Wife, my wife! Quick, +let us flee!"</p> + +<p>But she hesitated. "Where shall we go, since Steelpacha can overtake +us in a moment? He will kill you on the spot, and bring me back here +again."</p> + +<p>But the Prince, being mindful of the three lives which Steelpacha had +given him, still coaxed his wife to flee, and they set out. Hardly had +they started when Steelpacha heard of it, gave rapid chase, and +overtook them.</p> + +<p>"Oho, little Prince!" he cried out, "you would steal my wife, would +you?"</p> + +<p>He tore her away from the Prince, and continued, "This time I give you +your life, for I have not forgotten that I promised you three lives; +but go now, and never come back again after her, for if you do your +life is at stake."</p> + +<p>With these words Steelpacha took the woman away, while the Prince +remained alone, in doubt what to do next. At last he resolved to go +after his wife again.</p> + +<p>When he arrived near the cavern he waited for his opportunity till +Steelpacha should be gone away; and once more he fled, taking his wife +with him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span></p> + +<p>Steelpacha soon heard of it, pursued after them, overtook them, fitted +an arrow to his bow, and cried out, "Would you rather that I kill you +with this arrow, or shall I cut you down with my sword?"</p> + +<p>The Prince began to beg with all his might, and Steelpacha said to +him, "This second time I give you your life, but let me tell you one +thing: don't you try again to carry away this woman, for I will not +again give you your life, but will kill you on the spot as dead as a +mouse."</p> + +<p>With these words he seized the woman and carried her away, while the +Prince again remained alone, always planning how to rescue his wife. +Finally he said to himself, "After all, why should I be afraid? I +still have two lives—that one which he gave me and the one I had +before."</p> + +<p>So he resolved to go back to his wife the next day when Steelpacha was +absent.</p> + +<p>"Come," he said to her, "let us flee!" She objected that it was +useless to flee, since they would be at once overtaken; but he +constrained her to go with him.</p> + +<p>But very soon Steelpacha overtook them, and cried out to the Prince, +"Wait, just wait! I will never forgive you this!" The Prince was +terrified and began to beg for mercy, but Steelpacha silenced him.</p> + +<p>"You remember that I gave you three lives? All right; now I give you +the third, and you have nothing more to expect from me. So go home in +peace, and beware of hazarding the life which God lent you."</p> + +<p>When the Prince saw that he was powerless against the might of +Steelpacha he turned back homeward with a heavy heart. Suddenly he +remembered what his brothers-in-law had said to him when they gave him +the feathers, and he said to himself, "Come what come may, I will go +once more to rescue my wife, and in case of need I will burn the +feathers and call my brothers-in-law to my assistance."</p> + +<p>So said and so done.</p> + +<p>He went back to the cavern and saw his wife in Steelpacha's arms. He +waited around till the latter had gone away, and then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> showed himself +to his wife. She was not a little frightened, and cried out in terror, +"In the name of heaven! Is life so hateful that you come back again +for me?"</p> + +<p>He calmed her and told her that his brothers-in-law had promised to +help him in utmost need. "And therefore," said he, "I am come for you +once more; make ready to flee."</p> + +<p>She did so, and they hastened away; but Steelpacha soon got news of +their flight, and cried to them from afar, "Just wait, little Prince; +you haven't escaped me yet!"</p> + +<p>But as soon as the Prince saw Steelpacha he drew the three feathers +and his tinder-box out of his pocket, struck a light, and kindled the +feathers one by one. But while they were kindling Steelpacha overtook +him, drew his sword, and cleft the Prince in half.</p> + +<p>That very moment what a prodigy occurred! There came flying the +Dragon-emperor with his dragons, the Falcon-emperor with his falcons, +and the Eagle-emperor with all his eagles, and waged battle with +Steelpacha. Blood flowed in streams, but fortune favoured Steelpacha, +and he made off safely, carrying his prize, the Princess, with him.</p> + +<p>The three emperors now took counsel over their brother-in-law's body, +and decided to recall him to life. So they summoned three of the +swiftest dragons and asked which one of them could most speedily bring +some water from the river Jordan. The first one said, "I can do it +within half an hour;" the second said, "I can do it in a quarter of an +hour;" the third said, "I will have it here in nine minutes." The +emperors said to this one, "Then set out, Dragon, as fast as +possible."</p> + +<p>The Dragon put forth all his impetuous strength, and truly within nine +minutes he brought back the water from the Jordan. The emperors took +the water, poured it over the two portions of the Prince's body and +scarcely had the water touched them when the young man sprang upon his +feet, safe and sound, as if nothing had happened to him.</p> + +<p>The emperors then counselled him, "Now go back home, since you have +been restored to life!"</p> + +<p>But the Prince answered that he must once more try his luck,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> and, by +one means or another, free his wife from the clutches of that fiend. +His imperial brothers-in-law remonstrated:</p> + +<p>"Do give it up! You will surely perish this time, for you have no life +at command except the one God lent you!"</p> + +<p>But for all answer the Prince remained dumb.</p> + +<p>Then the emperors said, "All right; if you are bent upon trying again, +come what come may, at least don't attempt to get your wife away by +flight, but beg her to wheedle Steelpacha into telling her wherein his +strength lies. Then bring us word, that we may help you to get the +best of him."</p> + +<p>So the Prince stole secretly to his wife and told her how she should +coax Steelpacha to tell her the secret of his strength. Then he betook +himself to some place of safety.</p> + +<p>When Steelpacha came home the Princess beset him with questions. "In +heaven's name, do tell me wherein your strength lies!"</p> + +<p>Steelpacha answered, "My pretty wife, my strength lies in my sword."</p> + +<p>Then the Princess prayed to the sword as if to God. At sight of this +Steelpacha burst into a mocking laugh and said to her, "Oh, you simple +woman! my strength lies not in my sword but in my arrow."</p> + +<p>Therefore she fell upon her knees before the arrow and began to pray +to it. Then Steelpacha said, "My wife, some one must have well taught +you how to coax from me the secret of my strength. If your husband +were alive I should say it was he who had taught you."</p> + +<p>But she swore by body and soul that no one had taught her, no one had +been there.</p> + +<p>After several days her husband came again, and she told him that thus +far it had been impossible to learn from Steelpacha wherein his +strength lay. But the Prince answered, "Try again," and went away.</p> + +<p>When Steelpacha came home she asked him anew wherein his strength lay. +Upon which he answered her, "Since I see that you have a high respect +for my strength, I will confess the truth about it."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then he told her: "Far from here is a mountain-peak. On this +mountain-peak lives a Fox. The Fox has a heart in which a bird is +concealed; this bird holds my strength. But that Fox is very hard to +catch, for he has many transformations."</p> + +<p>The next day, when Steelpacha was away from home, the Prince came +again to his wife to learn what he had told her. She repeated +everything carefully, and the Prince went straight away to his +brothers-in-law with the much-longed-for news. They received it with +joy, and at once set out with the Prince to go to that mountain-peak.</p> + +<p>Arrived there, they set the eagles upon the Fox, which immediately +took refuge in a lake and there changed himself into a gull with six +wings. But the falcons gave battle to the gull and drove him thence. +He flew high amid the clouds, the falcons ever following. In a trice +the gull changed himself into a fox again and tried to escape into the +earth; but, falling into the power of the eagles and all the rest of +the mighty host, he was surrounded and taken prisoner.</p> + +<p>Then the emperors commanded that the Fox should be cut open and his +heart taken out. A fire was kindled, the heart cut open, and the bird +taken out and cast into the flames. As soon as the bird was burned +Steelpacha vanished forever.</p> + +<p>So the Prince took his wife and went happily home.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Buried_Moon" id="The_Buried_Moon"></a><i>The Buried Moon</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_12.jpg" alt="L" width="42" height="50" /></div> +<p>ong ago in my grandmother's time, the Carland was all in bogs, great +pools of black water, and creeping trickles of green water, and +squishy mools which squirted when you stepped on them.</p> + +<p>Well, granny used to say how long before her time the Moon herself was +once dead and buried in the marshes, and as she used to tell me, I'll +tell you all about it.</p> + +<p>The Moon up yonder shone and shone just as she does now, and when she +shone she lighted up the bogpools, so that one could walk about almost +as safe as in the day.</p> + +<p>But when she didn't shine, out came the Things that dwelt in the +darkness and went about seeking to do evil and harm; Bogles and +Crawling Horrors, all came out when the Moon didn't shine.</p> + +<p>Well, the Moon heard of this, and being kind and good—as she surely +is, shining for us in the night instead of taking her natural +rest—she was main troubled. "I'll see for myself, I will," said she, +"maybe it's not so bad as folks make out."</p> + +<p>Sure enough, at the month's end down she stepped, wrapped up in a +black cloak, and a black hood over her yellow shining hair. Straight +she went to the bog edge and looked about her. Water here and water +there; waving tussocks and trembling mools, and great black snags all +twisted and bent. Before her all was dark—dark but for the glimmer of +the stars in the pools, and the light that came from her own white +feet, stealing out of her black cloak.</p> + +<p>The Moon drew her cloak faster about her and trembled, but she +wouldn't go back without seeing all there was to be seen; so on she +went, stepping as light as the wind in summer from tuft to tuft +between the muddy, gurgling water holes. Just as she came<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> near a big +black pool her foot slipped and she was nigh tumbling in. She grabbed +with both hands at a snag near by, to steady herself with, but as she +touched it, it twined itself round her wrists, like a pair of +handcuffs, and gripped her so that she couldn't move. She pulled and +twisted and fought, but it was no good. She was fast, and must stay +fast.</p> + +<p>Presently as she stood trembling in the dark, wondering if help would +come, she heard something calling in the distance, calling, calling, +and then dying away with a sob, till the marshes were full of this +pitiful crying sound; then she heard steps floundering along, +squishing in the mud and slipping on the tufts, and through the +darkness she saw a white face with great feared eyes.</p> + +<p>'T was a man strayed in the bogs. Mazed with fear he struggled on +toward the flickering light that looked like help and safety. And when +the poor Moon saw that he was coming nigher and nigher to the deep +hole, farther and farther from the path, she was so mad and so sorry +that she struggled and fought and pulled harder than ever. And though +she couldn't get loose she twisted and turned, till her black hood +fell back off her shining yellow hair, and the beautiful light that +came from it drove away the darkness.</p> + +<p>Oh, but the man cried with joy to see the light again. And at once all +evil things fled back into the dark corners, for they cannot abide the +light. So he could see where he was, and where the path was, and how +he could get out of the marsh. And he was in such haste to get away +from the Quicks, and Bogles, and Things that dwelt there, that he +scarce looked at the brave light that came from the beautiful shining +yellow hair, streaming out over the black cloak and falling to the +water at his feet. And the Moon herself was so taken up with saving +him, and with rejoicing that he was back on the right path, that she +clean forgot that she needed help herself, and that she was held fast +by the Black Snag.</p> + +<p>So off he went, spent and gasping, and stumbling and sobbing with joy, +flying for his life out of the terrible bogs. Then it came over the +Moon, she would main like to go with him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> So she pulled and fought as +if she were mad, till she fell on her knees, spent with tugging, at +the foot of the snag. And as she lay there, gasping for breath, the +black hood fell forward over her head. So out went the blessed light +and back came the darkness, with all its Evil Things, with a screech +and a howl. They came crowding round her, mocking and snatching and +beating; shrieking with rage and spite, and swearing and snarling, for +they knew her for their old enemy, that drove them back into the +corners, and kept them from working their wicked wills.</p> + +<p>"Drat thee!" yelled the witch-bodies, "thou 'st spoiled our spells +this year agone!"</p> + +<p>"And us thou sent'st to brood in the corners!" howled the Bogles.</p> + +<p>And all the Things joined in with a great "Ho, ho!" till the very +tussocks shook and the water gurgled. And they began again.</p> + +<p>"We'll poison her—poison her!" shrieked the witches.</p> + +<p>And "Ho, ho!" howled the Things again.</p> + +<p>"We'll smother her—smother her!" whispered the Crawling Horrors, and +twined themselves round her knees.</p> + +<p>And "Ho, ho!" mocked the rest of them.</p> + +<p>And again they all shouted with spite and ill-will. And the poor Moon +crouched down, and wished she was dead and done with.</p> + +<p>And they fought and squabbled what they should do with her, till a pale +gray light began to come in the sky; and it drew nigh the dawning. And +when they saw that, they were feared lest they shouldn't have time to +work their will; and they caught hold of her, with horrid bony fingers, +and laid her deep in the water at the foot of the snag. And the Bogles +fetched a strange big stone and rolled it on top of her, to keep her +from rising. And they told two of the Will-o-the-wykes to take turns in +watching on the black snag, to see that she lay safe and still, and +couldn't get out to spoil their sport.</p> + +<p>And there lay the poor Moon, dead and buried in the bog; till some one +would set her loose; and who'd know where to look for her?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span></p> + +<p>Well, the days passed, and 't was the time for the new moon's coming, +and the folk put pennies in their pockets and straws in their caps so +as to be ready for her, and looked about, for the Moon was a good +friend to the marsh folk, and they were main glad when the dark time +was gone, and the paths were safe again, and the Evil Things were +driven back by the blessed Light into the darkness and the waterholes.</p> + +<p>But days and days passed, and the new Moon never came, and the nights +were aye dark, and the Evil Things were worse than ever. And still the +days went on, and the new Moon never came. Naturally the poor folk +were strangely feared and mazed, and a lot of them went to the Wise +Woman who dwelt in the old mill, and asked if so be she could find out +where the Moon was gone.</p> + +<p>"Well," said she, after looking in the brewpot, and in the mirror, and +in the Book, "it be main queer, but I can't rightly tell ye what's +happened to her. If ye hear aught, come and tell me."</p> + +<p>So they went their ways; and as days went by, and never a Moon came, +naturally they talked—my word! I reckon they <i>did</i> talk! their +tongues wagged at home, and at the inn, and in the garth. But so came +one day, as they sat on the great settle in the Inn, a man from the +far end of the bog lands was smoking and listening, when all at once +he sat up and slapped his knee. "My faicks!" said he, "I'd clean +forgot, but I reckon I kens where the Moon be!" and he told them of +how he was lost in the bogs, and how, when he was nigh dead with +fright, the light shone out, and he found the path and got home safe.</p> + +<p>So off they all went to the Wise Woman, and told her about it, and she +looked long in the pot and the Book again, and then she nodded her +head.</p> + +<p>"It's dark still, childer, dark!" says she, "and I can't rightly see, +but do as I tell ye, and ye'll find out for yourselves. Go, all of ye, +just afore the night gathers, put a stone in your mouth, and take a +hazel-twig in your hands, and say never a word till you're safe home +again. Then walk on and fear not, far into the midst of the marsh, +till ye find a coffin, a candle, and a cross.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> Then ye'll not be far +from your Moon; look, and m'appen ye'll find her."</p> + +<p>So come the next night in the darklings, out they went all together, +every man with a stone in his mouth, and a hazel-twig in his hand, and +feeling, thou may'st reckon, main feared and creepy. And they stumbled +and stottered along the paths into the midst of the bogs; they saw +naught, though they heard sighings and flutterings in their ears, and +felt cold wet fingers touching them; but all together, looking around +for the coffin, the candle, and the cross, while they came nigh to the +pool beside the great snag, where the Moon lay buried. And all at once +they stopped, quaking and mazed and skeery, for there was the great +stone, half in, half out of the water, for all the world like a +strange big coffin; and at the head was the black snag, stretching out +its two arms in a dark gruesome cross, and on it a tiddy light +flickered, like a dying candle. And they all knelt down in the mud, +and said, "Our Lord," first forward, because of the cross, and then +backward, to keep off the Bogles; but without speaking out, for they +knew that the Evil Things would catch them, if they didn't do as the +Wise Woman told them.</p> + +<p>Then they went nigher, and took hold of the big stone, and shoved it +up, and afterward they said that for one tiddy minute they saw a +strange and beautiful face looking up at them glad-like out of the +black water; but the Light came so quick and so white and shining, +that they stepped back mazed with it, and the very next minute, when +they could see again, there was the full Moon in the sky, bright and +beautiful and kind as ever, shining and smiling down at them, and +making the bogs and the paths as clear as day, and stealing into the +very corners, as though she'd have driven the darkness and the Bogles +clean away if she could.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Farmer_of_Liddesdale" id="The_Farmer_of_Liddesdale"></a><i>The Farmer of Liddesdale</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_13.jpg" alt="T" width="45" height="50" /></div> +<p>here was in Liddesdale (in Morven) a Farmer who suffered great loss +within the space of one year. In the first place, his wife and +children died, and shortly after their death the Ploughman left him. +The hiring-markets were then over, and there was no way of getting +another Ploughman in the place of the one that left. When spring came +his neighbours began ploughing; but he had not a man to hold the +plough, and he knew not what he should do. The time was passing, and +he was, therefore, losing patience. At last he said to himself, in a +fit of passion, that he would engage the first man that came his way, +whoever he should be.</p> + +<p>Shortly after that a man came to the house. The Farmer met him at the +door, and asked him whither was he going, or what was he seeking? He +answered that he was a Ploughman, and that he wanted an engagement. "I +want a Ploughman, and if we agree about the wages, I will engage thee. +What dost thou ask from this day to the day when the crop will be +gathered in?"</p> + +<p>"Only as much of the corn when it shall be dry as I can carry with me +in one burden-withe."</p> + +<p>"Thou shalt get that," said the Farmer, and they agreed.</p> + +<p>Next morning the Farmer went out with the Ploughman, and showed him +the fields which he had to plough. Before they returned, the Ploughman +went to the wood, and having cut three stakes, came back with them, +and placed one of them at the head of each one of the fields. After he +had done that he said to the Farmer, "I will do the work now alone, +and the ploughing need no longer give thee anxiety."</p> + +<p>Having said this, he went home and remained idle all that day. The +next day came, but he remained idle as on the day<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> before. After he +had spent a good while in that manner, the Farmer said to him that it +was time for him to begin to work now, because the spring was passing +away, and the neighbours had half their work finished.</p> + +<p>He replied, "Oh, our land is not ready yet."</p> + +<p>"How dost thou think that?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know it by the stakes."</p> + +<p>If the delay of the Ploughman made the Farmer wonder, this answer made +him wonder more. He resolved that he would keep his eye on him, and +see what he was doing.</p> + +<p>The Farmer rose early next morning, and saw the Ploughman going to the +first field. When he reached the field, he pulled the stake at its end +out of the ground, and put it to his nose. He shook his head and put +the stake back in the ground, He then left the first field and went to +the rest. He tried the stakes, shook his head, and returned home. In +the dusk he went out the second time to the fields, tried the stakes, +shook his head, and after putting them again in the ground, went home. +Next morning he went out to the fields the third time. When he reached +the first stake he pulled it out of the ground and put it to his nose +as he did on the foregoing days. But no sooner had he done that than +he threw the stake from him, and stretched away for the horses with +all his might.</p> + +<p>He got the horses, the withes, and the plough, and when he reached the +end of the first field with them, he thrust the plough into the +ground, and cried:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"My horses and my leather-traces, and mettlesome lads,<br /></span> +<span class="i6">The earth is coming up!"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>He then began ploughing, kept at it all day at a terrible rate and +before the sun went down that night there was not a palm-breadth of +the three fields which he had not ploughed, sowed, and harrowed. When +the Farmer saw this he was exceedingly well pleased, for he had his +work finished as soon as his neighbours.</p> + +<p>The Ploughman was quick and ready to do everything that he was told, +and so he and the Farmer agreed well until the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> harvest came. But on a +certain day when the reaping was over the Farmer said to him that he +thought the corn was dry enough for putting in. The Ploughman tried a +sheaf or two, and answered that it was not dry yet. But shortly after +that day he said that it was now ready. "If it is," said the Farmer, +"we'd better begin putting it in."</p> + +<p>"We will not until I get my share out of it first," said the +Ploughman. He then went off to the wood, and in a short time returned, +having in his hand a withe scraped and twisted. He stretched the withe +on the field, and began to put the corn in it. He continued putting +sheaf after sheaf in the withe until he had taken almost all the +sheaves that were on the field. The Farmer asked of him what he meant? +"Thou didst promise me as wages as much corn as I could carry with me +in one burden-withe, and here I have it now," said the Ploughman, as +he was shutting the withe.</p> + +<p>The Farmer saw that he would be ruined by the Ploughman, and therefore +said:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"'T was in the Mart I sowed,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">'T was in the Mart I baked,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">'T was in the Mart I harrowed.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thou Who hast ordained the three Marts,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Let not my share go in one burden-withe.'"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Instantly the withe broke, and it made a loud report, which echo +answered from every rock far and near. Then the corn spread over the +field, and the Ploughman went away in a white mist in the skies, and +was seen no more.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Badgers_Money" id="The_Badgers_Money"></a><i>The Badger's Money</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce upon a time, in a hut at a place called Namékata, in Hitache, +there lived an old priest, famous neither for learning nor wisdom, but +bent only on passing his days in prayer and meditation. He had not +even a child to wait upon him, but prepared his food with his own +hands. Night and morning he recited the prayer, "Namu Amida Butsu," +intent upon that alone. Although the fame of his virtue did not reach +far, yet his neighbours respected and revered him, and often brought +him food and raiment; and when his roof or his walls fell out of +repair, they would mend them for him; so for the things of this world +he took no thought.</p> + +<p>One very cold night, when he little thought any one was outside, he +heard a voice calling, "Your reverence! your reverence!" So he rose +and went out to see who it was, and there he beheld an old badger +standing. Any ordinary man would have been greatly alarmed at the +apparition; but the priest, being such as he has been described above, +showed no sign of fear, but asked the creature his business. Upon this +the badger respectfully bent its knees, and said:</p> + +<p>"Hitherto, sir, my lair has been in the mountains, and of snow or +frost I have taken no heed; but now I am growing old, and this severe +cold is more that I can bear. I pray you to let me enter and warm +myself at the fire of your cottage, that I may live through this +bitter night."</p> + +<p>When the priest heard what a helpless state the beast was reduced to, +he was filled with pity, and said:</p> + +<p>"That's a very slight matter; make haste and come in and warm +yourself."</p> + +<p>The badger, delighted with so good a reception, went into the hut, and +squatting down by the fire began to warm itself; and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> the priest, with +renewed fervour, recited his prayers and struck his bell before the +image of Buddha, looking straight before him. After two hours the +badger took its leave, with profuse expressions of thanks, and went +out; and from that time forth it came every night to the hut. As the +badger would collect and bring with it dried branches and dead leaves +from the hills for firewood, the priest at last became very friendly +with it, and got used to its company; so that if ever, as the night +wore on, the badger did not arrive, he used to miss it, and wonder why +it did not come. When the winter was over, and the spring-time came at +the end of the second month, the badger gave up its visits, and was no +more seen; but, on the return of the winter, the beast resumed its old +habit of coming to the hut. When this practice had gone on for ten +years, one day the badger said to the priest, "Through your +reverence's kindness for all these years, I have been able to pass the +winter nights in comfort. Your favours are such that, during all my +life, and even after my death, I must remember them. What can I do to +requite them? If there is anything that you wish for, pray tell me."</p> + +<p>The priest, smiling at this speech, answered, "Being such as I am, I +have no desire and no wishes. Glad as I am to hear your kind +intentions, there is nothing that I can ask you to do for me. You need +feel no anxiety on my account. As long as I live, when the winter +comes, you shall be welcome here." The badger, on hearing this, could +not conceal its admiration at the depth of the old man's benevolence; +but having so much to be grateful for, it felt hurt at not being able +to requite it. As this subject was often renewed between them, the +priest at last, touched by the goodness of the badger's heart, said, +"Since I have shaven my head, renounced the world, and forsaken the +pleasures of this life, I have no desire to gratify, yet I own I +should like to possess three riyos in gold. Food and raiment I receive +by the favour of the villagers, so I take no heed for those things. +Were I to die to-morrow, and attain my wish of being born again into +the next world, the same kind folk have promised to meet and bury my +body. Thus, although I have no other reason to wish for money, still +if I had three riyos I would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> offer them up at some holy shrine, that +masses and prayers might be said for me, whereby I might enter into +salvation. Yet I would not get this money by violent or unlawful +means; I only think of what might be if I had it. So you see, since +you have expressed such kind feelings toward me, I have told you what +is on my mind." When the priest had done speaking, the badger leaned +its head on one side with a puzzled and anxious look, so much so that +the old man was sorry he had expressed a wish which seemed to give the +beast trouble, and tried to retract what he had said. "Posthumous +honours, after all, are the wish of ordinary men, I, who am a priest, +ought not to entertain such thoughts, or to want money; so pray pay no +attention to what I have said;" and the badger, feigning assent to +what the priest had impressed upon it, returned to the hills as usual.</p> + +<p>From that time forth the badger came no more to the hut. The priest +thought this very strange, but imagined either that the badger stayed +away because it did not like to come without the money, or that it had +been killed in an attempt to steal it; and he blamed himself for +having added to his sins for no purpose, repenting when it was too +late: persuaded, however, that the badger must have been killed, he +passed his time in putting up prayers upon prayers for it.</p> + +<p>After three years had gone by, one night the old man heard a voice +near his door calling out, "Your reverence! your reverence!"</p> + +<p>As the voice was like that of the badger, he jumped up as soon as he +heard it, and ran out to open the door; and there, sure enough, was +the badger. The priest, in great delight, cried out, "And so you are +safe and sound, after all! Why have you been so long without coming +here? I have been expecting you anxiously this long while."</p> + +<p>So the badger came into the hut, and said, "If the money which you +required had been for unlawful purposes, I could easily have procured +as much as ever you might have wanted; but when I heard that it was to +be offered to a temple for masses for your soul, I thought that, if I +were to steal the hidden treasure of some other man, you could not +apply to a sacred purpose<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> money which had been obtained at the +expense of his sorrow. So I went to the island of Sado, and gathering +the sand and earth which had been cast away as worthless by the +miners, fused it afresh in the fire; and at this work I spent months +and days." As the badger finished speaking, the priest looked at the +money which it had produced, and sure enough he saw that it was bright +and new and clean; so he took the money, and received it respectfully, +raising it to his head.</p> + +<p>"And so you have had all this toil and labour on account of a foolish +speech of mine? I have obtained my heart's desire, and am truly +thankful."</p> + +<p>As he was thanking the badger with great politeness and ceremony, the +beast said, "In doing this I have but fulfilled my own wish; still I +hope that you will tell this thing to no man."</p> + +<p>"Indeed," replied the priest, "I cannot choose but tell this story. +For if I keep the money in my poor hut, it will be stolen by thieves: +I must either give it to some one to keep for me, or else at once +offer it up at the temple. And when I do this, when people see a poor +old priest with a sum of money quite unsuited to his station, they +will think it very suspicious, and I shall have to tell the tale as it +occurred; but as I shall say that the badger that gave me the money +has ceased coming to my hut, you need not fear being waylaid, but can +come, as of old, and shelter yourself from the cold." To this the +badger nodded assent, and as long as the old priest lived, it came and +spent the winter nights with him.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Grateful_Foxes" id="The_Grateful_Foxes"></a><i>The Grateful Foxes</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>ne fine spring day, two friends went out to a moor to gather fern, +attended by a boy with a bottle of wine and a box of provisions. As +they were straying about, they saw at the foot of a hill a fox that +had brought out its cub to play; and whilst they looked on, struck by +the strangeness of the sight, three children came up from a +neighbouring village with baskets in their hands, on the same errand +as themselves. As soon as the children saw the foxes, they picked up a +bamboo stick and took the creatures stealthily in the rear; and when +the old foxes took to flight, they surrounded them and beat them with +the stick, so that they ran away as fast as their legs could carry +them; but two of the boys held down the cub, and, seizing it by the +scruff of the neck, went off in high glee.</p> + +<p>The two friends were looking on all the while, and one of them, +raising his voice, shouted out, "Hallo! you boys! what are you doing +with that fox?"</p> + +<p>The eldest of the boys replied, "We're going to take him home and sell +him to a young man in our village. He'll buy him, and then he'll boil +him in a pot and eat him."</p> + +<p>"Well," replied the other, after considering the matter attentively, +"I suppose it's all the same to you whom you sell him to. You'd better +let me have him."</p> + +<p>"Oh, but the young man from our village promised us a good round sum +if we could find a fox, and got us to come out to the hills and catch +one; and so we can't sell him to you at any price."</p> + +<p>"Well, I suppose it cannot be helped, then; but how much would the +young man give you for the cub?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, he'll give us three hundred cash at least."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll give you half a bu; and so you'll gain five hundred cash by +the transaction."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, we'll sell him for that, sir. How shall we hand him over to you?"</p> + +<p>"Just tie him up here," said the other; and so he made fast the cub +round the neck with the string of the napkin in which the luncheon box +was wrapped, and gave half a bu to the three boys, who ran away +delighted.</p> + +<p>The man's friend, upon this, said to him, "Well, certainly you have +got queer tastes. What on earth are you going to keep that fox for?"</p> + +<p>"How very unkind of you to speak of my tastes like that. If we had not +interfered just now, the fox's cub would have lost its life. If we had +not seen the affair, there would have been no help for it. How could I +stand by and see life taken? It was but a little I spent—only half a +bu—to save the cub, but had it cost a fortune I should not have +grudged it. I thought you were intimate enough with me to know my +heart; but to-day you have accused me of being eccentric, and I see +how mistaken I have been in you. However, our friendship shall cease +from this day forth."</p> + +<p>And when he had said this with a great deal of firmness, the other, +retiring backward and bowing with his hands on his knees, replied:</p> + +<p>"Indeed, indeed, I am filled with admiration at the goodness of your +heart. When I hear you speak thus, I feel more than ever how great is +the love I owe you. I thought that you might wish to use the cub as a +sort of decoy to lead the old ones to you, that you might pray them to +bring prosperity and virtue to your house. When I called you eccentric +just now, I was but trying your heart, because I had some suspicions +of you; and now I am truly ashamed of myself."</p> + +<p>And as he spoke, still bowing, the other replied, "Really! was that +indeed your thought? Then I pray you to forgive me for my violent +language."</p> + +<p>When the two friends had thus become reconciled, they examined the +cub, and saw that it had a slight wound in its foot, and could not +walk; and while they were thinking what they should do, they spied out +the herb called "Doctor's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> Nakasé," which was just sprouting; so they +rolled up a little of it in their fingers and applied it to the part. +Then they pulled out some boiled rice from their luncheon box and +offered it to the cub, but it showed no sign of wanting to eat; so +they stroked it gently on the back, and petted it; and as the pain of +the wound seemed to have subsided, they were admiring the properties +of the herb, when, opposite to them, they saw the old foxes sitting +watching them by the side of some stacks of rice straw.</p> + +<p>"Look there! the old foxes have come back, out of fear for their cub's +safety. Come, we will set it free!" And with these words they untied +the string round the cub's neck, and turned its head toward the spot +where the old foxes sat; and as the wounded foot was no longer +painful, with one bound it dashed to its parents' side and licked them +all over for joy, while they seemed to bow their thanks, looking +toward the two friends. So, with peace in their hearts, the latter +went off to another place, and, choosing a pretty spot, produced the +wine bottle and ate their noon-day meal; and after a pleasant day, +they returned to their homes, and became firmer friends than ever.</p> + +<p>Now the man who had rescued the fox's cub was a tradesman in good +circumstances: he had three or four agents and two maid-servants, +besides men-servants; and altogether he lived in a liberal manner. He +was married, and this union had brought him one son, who had reached +his tenth year, but had been attacked by a strange disease which +defied all the physicians' skill and drugs. At last a famous physician +prescribed the liver taken from a live fox, which, as he said, would +certainly effect a cure. If that were not forthcoming, the most +expensive medicine in the world would not restore the boy to health. +When the parents heard this, they were at their wits' end. However, +they told the state of the case to a man who lived on the mountains. +"Even though our child should die for it," they said, "we will not +ourselves deprive other creatures of their lives; but you, who live +among the hills, are sure to hear when your neighbours go out +fox-hunting. We don't care what price we might have to pay for a fox's +liver; pray, buy one for us at any expense." So they pressed him to +exert himself on their behalf;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> and he, having promised faithfully to +execute the commission went his way.</p> + +<p>In the night of the following day there came a messenger, who +announced himself as coming from the person who had undertaken to +procure the fox's liver; so the master of the house went out to see +him.</p> + +<p>"I have come from Mr. So-and-so. Last night the fox's liver that you +required fell into his hands; so he sent me to bring it to you." With +these words the messenger produced a small jar, adding, "In a few days +he will let you know the price."</p> + +<p>When he had delivered his message, the master of the house was greatly +pleased and said, "Indeed, I am deeply grateful for this kindness, +which will save my son's life."</p> + +<p>Then the good wife came out, and received the jar with every mark of +politeness.</p> + +<p>"We must make a present to the messenger."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, sir, I've already been paid for my trouble."</p> + +<p>"Well, at any rate, you must stop the night here."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, sir: I've a relation in the next village whom I have not +seen for a long while, and I will pass the night with him;" and so he +took his leave, and went away.</p> + +<p>The parents lost no time in sending to let the physician know that +they had procured the fox's liver. The next day the doctor came and +compounded a medicine for the patient, which at once produced a good +effect, and there was no little joy in the household. As luck would +have it, three days after this the man whom they had commissioned to +buy the fox's liver came to the house; so the good wife hurried out to +meet him and welcome him.</p> + +<p>"How quickly you fulfilled our wishes, and how kind of you to send at +once! The doctor prepared the medicine, and now our boy can get up and +walk about the room; and it's all owing to your goodness."</p> + +<p>"Wait a bit!" cried the guest, who did not know what to make of the +joy of the two parents. "The commission with which you entrusted me +about the fox's liver turned out to be a matter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> of impossibility, so +I came to-day to make my excuses; and now I really can't understand +what you are so grateful to me for."</p> + +<p>"We are thanking you, sir," replied the master of the house, bowing +with his hands on the ground, "for the fox's liver which we asked you +to procure for us."</p> + +<p>"I really am perfectly unaware of having sent you a fox's liver; there +must be some mistake here. Pray inquire carefully into the matter."</p> + +<p>"Well, this is very strange. Four nights ago, a man of some five or +six and thirty years of age came with a verbal message from you, to +the effect that you had sent him with a fox's liver, which you had +just procured, and said that he would come and tell us the price +another day. When we asked him to spend the night here, he answered +that he would lodge with a relation in the next village, and went +away."</p> + +<p>The visitor was more and more lost in amazement, and, leaning his head +on one side in deep thought, confessed that he could make nothing of +it. As for the husband and wife, they felt out of countenance at +having thanked a man so warmly for favours of which he denied all +knowledge; and so the visitor took his leave, and went home.</p> + +<p>That night there appeared at the pillow of the master of the house a +woman of about one or two and thirty years of age, who said, "I am the +fox that lives at such-and-such a mountain. Last spring, when I was +taking out my cub to play, it was carried off by some boys, and only +saved by your goodness. The desire to requite this kindness pierced me +to the quick. At last, when calamity attacked your house, I thought +that I might be of use to you. Your son's illness could not be cured +without a liver taken from a live fox, so to repay your kindness I +killed my cub and took out its liver; then its sire, disguising +himself as a messenger, brought it to your house."</p> + +<p>And as she spoke, the fox shed tears; and the master of the house, +wishing to thank her, moved in bed, upon which his wife awoke and +asked him what was the matter; but he, too, to her great astonishment, +was biting the pillow and weeping bitterly.</p> + +<p>"Why are you weeping thus?" asked she.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span></p> + +<p>At last he sat up in bed, and said, "Last spring, when I was out on a +pleasure excursion, I was the means of saving the life of a fox's cub, +as I told you at the time. The other day I told Mr. So-and-so that, +although my son were to die before my eyes, I would not be the means +of killing a fox on purpose; but asked him in case he heard of any +hunter killing a fox, to buy it for me. How the foxes came to hear of +this I don't know; but the foxes to whom I had shown kindness killed +their own cub and took out the liver; and the old dog-fox, disguising +himself as a messenger from the person to whom we had confided the +commission, came here with it. His mate has just been at my +pillow-side and told me all about it; hence it was that, in spite of +myself, I was moved to tears."</p> + +<p>When she heard this, the good wife likewise was blinded by her tears, +and for a while they lay lost in thought; but at last, coming to +themselves, they lighted the lamp on the shelf on which the family +idol stood, and spent the night in reciting prayers and praises, and +the next day they published the matter to the household and to their +relations and friends. Now, although there are instances of men +killing their own children to requite a favour, there is no other +example of foxes having done such a thing; so the story became the +talk of the whole country.</p> + +<p>Now, the boy who had recovered through the efficacy of this medicine +selected the prettiest spot on the premises to erect a shrine to Inari +Sama, the Fox God, and offered sacrifice to the two old foxes, for +whom he purchased the highest rank at court of the Mikado.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Black_Horse" id="The_Black_Horse"></a><i>The Black Horse</i></h2> + + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce there was a king, and he had three sons, and when the king died, +they did not give a shade of anything to the youngest son, but an old +white limping garron.</p> + +<p>"If I get but this," quoth he, "it seems that I had best go with this +same."</p> + +<p>He was going with it right before him, sometimes walking, sometimes +riding. When he had been riding a good while he thought that the +garron would need a while of eating, so he came down to earth, and +what should he see coming out of the heart of the western air toward +him but a rider riding high, well, and right well.</p> + +<p>"All hail, my lad," said he.</p> + +<p>"Hail, king's son," said the other.</p> + +<p>"What's your news?" said the king's son.</p> + +<p>"I've got that," said the lad who came. "I am after breaking my heart +riding this ass of a horse; but will you give me the limping white +garron for him?"</p> + +<p>"No," said the prince; "it would be a bad business for me."</p> + +<p>"You need not fear," said the man that came, "there is no saying but +that you might make better use of him than I. He has one value, there +is no single place that you can think of in the four parts of the +wheel of the world that the black horse will not take you there."</p> + +<p>So the king's son got the black horse, and he gave the limping white +garron.</p> + +<p>Where should he think of being when he mounted but in the Realm +Underwaves. He went, and before sunrise on the morrow he was there. +What should he find when he got there but the son of the King +Underwaves holding a court, and the people of the realm gathered to +see if there was any one who would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> undertake to go to seek the +daughter of the King of the Greeks to be the prince's wife. No one +came forward, when who should come up but the rider of the black +horse.</p> + +<p>"You rider of the black horse," said the prince, "I lay you under +crosses and under spells to have the daughter of the King of the +Greeks here before the sun rises to-morrow."</p> + +<p>The lad went out and he reached the black horse and leaned his elbow +on his mane, and he heaved a sigh.</p> + +<p>"Sigh of a king's son under spells!" said the horse; "but have no +care; we shall do the thing that was set before you." And so off they +went.</p> + +<p>"Now," said the horse, "when we get near the great town of the Greeks, +you will notice that the four feet of a horse never went to the town +before. The king's daughter will see me from the top of the castle +looking out of a window, and she will not be content without a turn of +a ride upon me. Say that she may have that, but the horse will suffer +no man but you to ride before a woman on him."</p> + +<p>They came near the big town, and he fell to horsemanship; and the +princess was looking out of the windows, and noticed the horse. The +horsemanship pleased her, and she came out just as the horse had come.</p> + +<p>"Give me a ride on the horse," said she.</p> + +<p>"You shall have that," said he, "but the horse will let no man ride +him before a woman but me."</p> + +<p>"I have a horseman of my own," said she.</p> + +<p>"If so, set him in front," said he.</p> + +<p>Before the horseman mounted at all, when he tried to get up, the horse +lifted his legs and kicked him off.</p> + +<p>"Come then, yourself, and mount before me," said she; "I won't leave +the matter so."</p> + +<p>He mounted the horse and she behind him, and before she glanced from +her she was nearer sky than earth. He was in Realm Underwaves with her +before sunrise.</p> + +<p>"You are come," said Prince Underwaves.</p> + +<p>"I am come," said he.</p> + +<p>"There you are, my hero," said the prince. "You are the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> son of a +king, but I am a son of success. Anyhow, we shall have no delay or +neglect now, but a wedding."</p> + +<p>"Just gently," said the princess; "your wedding is not so short a way +off as you suppose. Till I get the silver cup that my grandmother had +at her wedding, and that my mother had as well, I will not marry, for +I need to have it at my own wedding."</p> + +<p>"You rider of the black horse," said the Prince Underwaves, "I set you +under spells and under crosses unless the silver cup is here before +dawn to-morrow."</p> + +<p>Out the lad went and reached the horse and leaned his elbow on his +mane, and he heaved a sigh.</p> + +<p>"Sigh of a king's son under spells!" said the horse; "mount and you +shall get the silver cup. The people of the realm are gathered about +the king to-night, for he has missed his daughter, and when you get to +the palace go in and leave me without; they will have the cup there +going round the company. Go in and sit in their midst. Say nothing, +and seem to be as one of the people of the place. But when the cup +comes round to you, take it under your oxter, and come out to me with +it, and we'll go."</p> + +<p>Away they went and they got to Greece, and he went into the palace and +did as the black horse bade. He took the cup and came out and mounted, +and before sunrise he was in the Realm Underwaves.</p> + +<p>"You are come," said Prince Underwaves.</p> + +<p>"I am come," said he.</p> + +<p>"We had better get married now," said the prince to the Greek +princess.</p> + +<p>"Slowly and softly," said she. "I will not marry till I get the silver +ring that my grandmother and my mother wore when they were wedded."</p> + +<p>"You rider of the black horse," said the Prince Underwaves, "do that. +Let's have that ring here to-morrow at sunrise."</p> + +<p>The lad went to the black horse and put his elbow on his crest and +told him how it was.</p> + +<p>"There never was a matter set before me harder than this matter which +has now been set in front of me," said the horse,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> "but there is no +help for it at any rate. Mount me. There is a snow mountain and an ice +mountain and a mountain of fire between us and the winning of that +ring. It is right hard for us to pass them."</p> + +<p>Thus they went as they were, and about a mile from the snow mountain +they were in a bad case with cold. As they came near it the lad struck +the horse, and with the bound he gave the black horse was on the top +of the snow mountain; at the next bound he was on the top of the ice +mountain; at the third bound he went through the mountain of fire. +When he had passed the mountains the lad was dragging at the horse's +neck, as though he were about to lose himself. He went on before him +down to a town below.</p> + +<p>"Go down," said the black horse, "to a smithy; make an iron spike for +every bone end in me."</p> + +<p>Down he went as the horse desired, and he got the spikes made, and +back he came with them.</p> + +<p>"Stick them into me," said the horse, "every spike of them in every +bone end that I have."</p> + +<p>That he did; he stuck the spikes into the horse.</p> + +<p>"There is a loch here," said the horse, "four miles long and four +miles wide, and when I go out into it the loch will take fire and +blaze. If you see the Loch of Fire going out before the sun rises, +expect me, and if not, go your way."</p> + +<p>Out went the black horse into the lake, and the lake became flame. +Long was he stretched about the lake, beating his palms and roaring. +Day came, and the loch did not go out.</p> + +<p>But at the hour when the sun was rising out of the water the lake went +out.</p> + +<p>And the black horse rose in the middle of the water with one single +spike in him, and the ring upon its end.</p> + +<p>He came on shore, and down he fell beside the loch.</p> + +<p>Then down went the rider. He got the ring, and he dragged the horse +down to the side of a hill. He fell to sheltering him with his arms +about him, and as the sun was rising he got better and better, till +about midday, when he rose on his feet.</p> + +<p>"Mount," said the horse, "and let us be gone."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span></p> + +<p>He mounted on the black horse, and away they went.</p> + +<p>He reached the mountains, and he leaped the horse at the fire mountain +and was on the top. From the mountain of fire he leaped to the +mountain of ice, and from the mountain of ice to the mountain of snow. +He put the mountains past him, and by morning he was in Realm +Underwaves.</p> + +<p>"You are come," said the prince.</p> + +<p>"I am," said he.</p> + +<p>"That's true," said Prince Underwaves. "A king's son are you, but a +son of success am I. We shall have no more mistakes and delays, but a +wedding this time."</p> + +<p>"Go easy," said the Princess of the Greeks. "Your wedding is not so +near as you think yet. Till you make a castle, I won't marry you. Not +to your father's castle nor to your mother's will I go to dwell; but +make me a castle for which your father's castle will not make washing +water."</p> + +<p>"You rider of the black horse, make that," said Prince Underwaves, +"before the morrow's sun rises."</p> + +<p>The lad went out to the horse and leaned his elbow on his neck and +sighed, thinking that this castle never could be made for ever.</p> + +<p>"There never came a turn in my road yet that is easier for me to pass +than this," said the black horse.</p> + +<p>The lad gave a glance from him and saw all that were there, and ever +so many wrights and stone masons at work, and the castle was ready +before the sun rose.</p> + +<p>He shouted at the Prince Underwaves, and he saw the castle. He tried +to pluck out his eye, thinking that it was a false sight.</p> + +<p>"Son of King Underwaves," said the rider of the black horse, "don't +think that you have a false sight; this is a true sight."</p> + +<p>"That's true," said the prince. "You are a son of success, but I am a +son of success, too. There will be no more mistakes and delays, but a +wedding now."</p> + +<p>"No," said she. "The time is come. Should we not go to look at the +castle? There's time enough to get married before the night comes."</p> + +<p>They went to the castle and the castle was without a fault.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I see one," said the prince. "One want at least to be made good. A +well must be made inside, so that water may not be far to fetch when +there is a feast or a wedding in the castle."</p> + +<p>"That won't be long undone," said the rider of the black horse.</p> + +<p>The well was made, and it was seven fathoms deep and two or three +fathoms wide, and they looked at the well on the way to the wedding.</p> + +<p>"It is all very good," said she, "but for one little fault yonder."</p> + +<p>"Where is it?" said Prince Underwaves.</p> + +<p>"There," said she.</p> + +<p>He bent him down to look. She came out, and she put her two hands at +his back, and cast him in.</p> + +<p>"Be thou there," said she. "If I go to be married, thou art not the +man; but the man who did each exploit that has been done, and, if he +chooses, him will I have."</p> + +<p>Away she went with the rider of the little black horse to the wedding.</p> + +<p>And at the end of three years after that, so it was that he first +remembered the black horse or where he left him.</p> + +<p>He got up and went out, and he was very sorry for his neglect of the +black horse. He found him just where he left him.</p> + +<p>"Good luck to you, gentleman," said the horse. "You seem as if you had +got something that you like better than me."</p> + +<p>"I have not got that, and I won't; but it came over me to forget you," +said he.</p> + +<p>"I don't mind," said the horse, "it will make no difference. Raise +your sword and smite off my head."</p> + +<p>"Fortune will not allow that I should do that," said he.</p> + +<p>"Do it instantly, or I will do it to you," said the horse.</p> + +<p>So the lad drew his sword and smote off the horse's head; then he +lifted his two palms and uttered a doleful cry.</p> + +<p>What should he hear behind him but "All hail, my brother-in-law!"?</p> + +<p>He looked behind him, and there was the finest man he ever set eyes +upon.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What set you weeping for the black horse?" said he.</p> + +<p>"This," said the lad, "that there never was born of man or beast a +creature in this world that I was fonder of."</p> + +<p>"Would you take me for him?" said the stranger.</p> + +<p>"If I could think you the horse I would; but if not, I would rather +have the horse," said the rider.</p> + +<p>"I am the black horse," said the lad, "and if I were not, how should +you have all these things that you went to seek in my father's house. +Since I went under spells, many a man have I ran at before you met me. +They had but one word amongst them: they could not keep me, nor manage +me, and they never kept me a couple of days. But when I fell in with +you, you kept me till the time ran out that was to come from the +spells. And now you shall go home with me, and we will make a wedding +in my father's house."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Truths_Triumph" id="Truths_Triumph"></a><i>Truth's Triumph</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_14.jpg" alt="S" width="39" height="50" /></div> +<p>everal hundred years ago there was a certain Rajah who had twelve +wives, but no children, and though he caused many prayers to be said, +and presents made in temples far and near, never a son nor a daughter +had he. Now this Rajah had a Wuzeer who was a very, very wise old man, +and it came to pass that one day, when he was travelling in a distant +part of his kingdom, accompanied by this Wuzeer and the rest of his +court, he came upon a large garden, in walking round which he was +particularly struck by a little tree which grew there. It was a +bringal tree, not above two feet in height. It had no leaves, but on +it grew a hundred and one bringals. The Rajah stopped to count them, +and then turning to the Wuzeer in great astonishment, said, "It is to +me a most unaccountable thing, that this little tree should have no +leaves, but a hundred and one bringals growing on it. You are a wise +man—can you guess what this means?"</p> + +<p>The Wuzeer replied, "I can interpret this marvel to you, but if I do, +you will most likely not believe me; promise therefore that if I tell +you, you will not cause me to be killed as having told (as you +imagine) a lie."</p> + +<p>The Rajah promised, and the Wuzeer continued: "The meaning of this +little bringal tree, with the hundred and one bringals growing on it, +is this. Whoever marries the daughter of the Malee in charge of this +garden will have a hundred and one children—a hundred sons and one +daughter."</p> + +<p>The Rajah said. "Where is the maiden to be seen?"</p> + +<p>The Wuzeer answered, "When a number of great people like you and all +your court come into a little village like this, the poor people, and +especially the children, are frightened and run away and hide +themselves; therefore, as long as you stay here as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> Rajah you cannot +hope to see her. Your only means will be to send away your suite, and +cause it to be announced that you have left the place. Then, if you +walk daily in this garden, you may some morning meet the pretty Guzra +Bai, of whom I speak."</p> + +<p>Upon this advice the Rajah acted; and one day whilst walking in the +garden he saw the Malee's young daughter, a girl of twelve years old, +busy gathering flowers. He went forward to accost her, but she, seeing +that he was not one of the villagers, but a stranger, was shy, and ran +home to her father's house.</p> + +<p>The Rajah followed, for he was very much struck with her grace and +beauty; in fact, he fell in love with her as soon as he saw her, and +thought he had never seen a king's daughter half so charming.</p> + +<p>When he got to the Malee's house the door was shut; so he called out, +"Let me in, good Malee; I am the Rajah, and I wish to marry your +daughter."</p> + +<p>The Malee only laughed, and answered, "A pretty tale to tell a simple +man, indeed! You a Rajah! why the Rajah is miles away. You had better +go home, my good fellow, for there's no welcome for you here!" But the +Rajah continued calling till the Malee opened the door; who then was +indeed surprised, seeing it was truly no other than the Rajah, and he +asked what he could do for him.</p> + +<p>The Rajah said, "I wish to marry your beautiful daughter, Guzra Bai."</p> + +<p>"No, no," said the Malee, "this joke won't do. None of your Princes in +disguise for me. You may think you are a great Rajah and I only a poor +Malee, but I tell you that makes no difference at all to me. Though +you were king of all the earth, I would not permit you to come here +and amuse yourself chattering to my girl, only to fill her head with +nonsense, and to break her heart."</p> + +<p>"In truth, good man, you do me wrong," answered the Rajah humbly: "I +mean what I say; I wish to marry your daughter."</p> + +<p>"Do not think," retorted the Malee, "that I'll make a fool of myself +because I'm only a Malee, and believe what you've got to say, because +you're a great Rajah. Rajah or no Rajah<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> is all one to me. If you mean +what you say, if you care for my daughter and wish to be married to +her, come and be married; but I'll have none of your new-fangled forms +and court ceremonies hard to be understood; let the girl be married by +her father's hearth and under her father's roof, and let us invite to +the wedding our old friends and acquaintances whom we've known all our +lives, and before we ever thought of you."</p> + +<p>The Rajah was not angry, but amused, and rather pleased than otherwise +at the old man's frankness, and he consented to all that was desired.</p> + +<p>The village beauty, Guzra Bai, was therefore married with as much pomp +as they could muster, but in village fashion, to the great Rajah, who +took her home with him, followed by the tears and blessings of her +parents and playmates.</p> + +<p>The twelve kings' daughters were by no means pleased at this addition +to the number of the Ranees; and they agreed amongst themselves that +it would be highly derogatory to their dignity to permit Guzra Bai to +associate with them, and that the Rajah their husband, had offered +them an unpardonable insult in marrying a Malee's daughter, which was +to be revenged upon her the very first opportunity.</p> + +<p>Having made this league, they tormented poor Guzra Bai so much that, +to save her from their persecutions, the Rajah built her a little +house of her own, where she lived very, very happily for a short time.</p> + +<p>At last one day he had occasion to go and visit a distant part of his +dominions, but fearing his high-born wives might ill-use Guzra Bai in +his absence, at parting he gave her a little golden bell, saying, "If +while I am away you are in any trouble, or any one should be unkind to +you, ring this little bell, and wherever I am I shall instantly hear +it, and will return to your aid."</p> + +<p>No sooner had the Rajah gone, than Guzra Bai thought she would try the +power of the bell. So she rang it.</p> + +<p>The Rajah instantly appeared. "What do you want?" he said.</p> + +<p>"Oh, nothing," she replied. "I was foolish. I could hardly believe +what you told me could be true, and thought I would try."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now you will believe, I hope," he said, and went away. A second time +she rang the bell. Again the Rajah returned.</p> + +<p>"Oh, pardon me, husband," she said; "it was wrong of me not to trust +you, but I hardly thought you could return again from so far."</p> + +<p>And again he went away. A third time she rang the golden bell. "Why do +you ring again, Guzra Bai?" asked the Rajah sternly, as for a third +time he returned.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, indeed; indeed I beg your pardon," she said; "but I +know not why, I felt so frightened."</p> + +<p>"Have any of the Ranees been unkind to you?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"No, none," she answered; "in fact, I have seen none of them."</p> + +<p>"You are a silly child," said he, stroking her hair. "Affairs of the +state call me away. You must try and keep a good heart till my +return;" and for the fourth time he disappeared.</p> + +<p>A little while after this, wonderful to relate, Guzra Bai had a +hundred and one children—a hundred boys and one girl. When the Ranees +heard this, they said to each other, "Guzra Bai, the Malee's daughter, +will rank higher than us; she will have great power and influence as +mother to the heir to the Raj; let us kill these children, and tell +our husband that she is a sorceress; then will he love her no longer, +and his old affection for us will return." So these twelve wicked +Ranees all went over to Guzra Bai's house. When Guzra Bai saw them +coming, she feared they meant to do her some harm, so she seized her +little golden bell, and rang, and rang, and rang—but no Rajah came. +She had called him back so often that he did not believe she really +needed his help. And thus the poor woman was left to the mercy of her +implacable enemies.</p> + +<p>Now the nurse who had charge of the hundred and one babies was an old +servant of the twelve Ranees, and moreover a very wicked woman, able +and willing to do whatever her twelve wicked old mistresses ordered. +So when they said to her, "Can you kill these children?" she answered, +"Nothing is easier; I will throw them out upon the dust-heap behind +the palace, where the rats and hawks and vultures will have left none +of them remaining by to-morrow morning."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span></p> + +<p>"So be it," said the Ranees. Then the nurse took the hundred and one +little innocent children—the hundred little boys and the one little +girl—and threw them behind the palace on the dust-heap, close to some +large rat-holes; and after that, she and the twelve Ranees placed a +very large stone in each of the babies' cradles, and said to Guzra +Bai, "Oh, you evil witch in disguise, do not hope any longer to impose +by your arts on the Rajah's credulity. See, your children have all +turned into stones. See these, your pretty babies!"—and with that +they tumbled the hundred and one stones down in a great heap on the +floor. Then Guzra Bai began to cry, for she knew it was not true; but +what could one poor woman do against thirteen? At the Rajah's return +the twelve Ranees accused Guzra Bai of being a witch, and the nurse +testified that the hundred and one children she had charge of had +turned into stones, and the Rajah believed them rather than Guzra Bai, +and he ordered her to be imprisoned for life.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile a Bandicote had heard the pitiful cries of the children, and +taking pity on them, dragged them all, one by one, into her hole, out +of the way of kites and vultures. She assembled all the Bandicotes +from far and near, and told them what she had done, begging them to +assist in finding food for the children. Then every day a hundred and +one Bandicotes would come, each bringing a little bit of food in his +mouth, and give it to one of the children; and so day by day they grew +stronger and stronger, until they were able to run about, and then +they used to play of a morning at the mouth of the Bandicote's hole, +running in there to sleep every night. But one fine day who should +come by but the wicked old nurse! Fortunately all the boys were in the +hole, and the little girl, who was playing outside, on seeing her ran +in there too, but not before the nurse had seen her. She immediately +went to the twelve Ranees and related this, saying, "I cannot help +thinking some of the children may still be living in those rat-holes. +You had better send and have them dug out and killed."</p> + +<p>"We dare not do that," answered they, "for fear of causing suspicion; +but we will order some labourers to dig up that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> ground and make it +into a field, and that will effectually smother any of the children +who may still be alive."</p> + +<p>This plan was approved and forthwith carried into execution; but the +good Bandicote, who happened that day to be out on a foraging +expedition in the palace, heard all about it there, and immediately +running home, took all the children from her hole to a large well some +distance off, where she hid them in the hollows behind the steps +leading down to the well, laying one child under each step.</p> + +<p>Here they would have been quite safe, had not the Dhobee happened to +go down to the well that day to wash some clothes, taking with him his +little girl. While her father was drawing up water, the child amused +herself running up and down the steps of the well. Now each time her +weight pressed down a step it gave the child hidden underneath a +little squeeze. All the hundred boys bore this without uttering a +sound; but when the Dhobee's child trod on the step under which the +little girl was hidden, she cried out, "How can you be so cruel to me, +trampling on me in this way? Have pity on me, for I am a little girl +as well as you."</p> + +<p>When the child heard these words proceeding from the stone, she ran in +great alarm to her father, saying, "Father, I don't know what's the +matter, but something alive is certainly under those stones. I heard +it speak; but whether it is a Rakshas or an angel or a human being I +cannot tell." Then the Dhobee went to the twelve Ranees to tell them +the wonderful news about the voice in the well; and they said to each +other, "Maybe it's some of Guzra Bai's children; let us send and have +this inquired into." So they sent some people to pull down the well +and see if some evil spirits were not there.</p> + +<p>Then labourers went to pull down the well. Now, close to the well was +a little temple dedicated to Gunputti, containing a small shrine and a +little clay image of the god. When the children felt the well being +pulled down they called out for help and protection to Gunputti, who +took pity on them and changed them into trees growing by his temple—a +hundred little mango trees all round in a circle (which were the +hundred little boys), and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> a little rose bush in the middle, covered +with red and white roses, which was the little girl.</p> + +<p>The labourers pulled down the well, but they found nothing there but a +poor old Bandicote, which they killed. Then, by order of the twelve +wicked Ranees, they sacrilegiously destroyed the little temple. But +they found no children there, either. However, the Dhobee's +mischievous little daughter had gone with her father to witness the +work of destruction, and as they were looking on, she said, "Father, +do look at all those funny little trees; I never remember noticing +them here before." And being very inquisitive, she started off to have +a nearer look at them. There in a circle grew the hundred little mango +trees, and in the centre of all the little rose bush, bearing the red +and white roses.</p> + +<p>The girl rushed by the mango trees, who uttered no words, and running +up to the rose bush, began gathering some of the flowers. At this the +rose bush trembled very much, and sighed and said, "I am a little girl +as well as you; how can you be so cruel? You are breaking all my +ribs."</p> + +<p>Then the child ran back to her father and said, "Come and listen to +what the rose bush says." And the father repeated the news to the +twelve Ranees, who ordered that a great fire should be made, and the +hundred and one little trees be burned in it, root and branch, till +not a stick remained.</p> + +<p>The fire was made, and the hundred and one little trees were dug up +and just going to be put into it, when Gunputti, taking pity on them, +caused a tremendous storm to come on, which put out the fire and +flooded the country and swept the hundred and one trees into the +river, where they were carried down a long, long way by the torrent, +until at last the children were landed, restored to their own shapes, +on the river bank, in the midst of a wild jungle, very far from any +human habitation.</p> + +<p>Here these children lived for ten years, happy in their mutual love +and affection. Generally every day fifty of the boys would go out to +collect roots and berries for their food, leaving fifty at home to +take care of their little sister; but sometimes they put her in some +safe place, and all would go out together for the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> day; nor were they +ever molested in their excursions by bear, panther, snake, scorpion, +or other noxious creature. One day all the brothers put their little +sister safely up in a fine shady tree, and went out together to hunt. +After rambling on for some time they came to the hut of a savage +Rakshas, who in the disguise of an old woman had lived for many years +in the jungle.</p> + +<p>The Rakshas, angry at this invasion of her domain, no sooner saw them +than she changed them all into crows. Night came on, and their little +sister was anxiously awaiting her brothers' return, when on a sudden +she heard a loud whirring sound in the air, and round the tree flocked +a hundred black crows, cawing and offering her berries and roots which +they had dug up with their sharp bills. Then the little sister guessed +too truly what must have happened—that some malignant spirit had +metamorphosed her brothers into this hideous shape; and at the sad +sight she began to cry.</p> + +<p>Time wore on; every morning the crows flew away to collect food for +her and for themselves, and every evening they returned to roost in +the branches of the high tree where she sat the livelong day, crying +as if her heart would break.</p> + +<p>At last so many bitter tears had she shed that they made a little +stream which flowed from the foot of the tree right down through the +jungle.</p> + +<p>Some months after this, one fine day, a young Rajah from a +neighbouring country happened to be hunting in this very jungle; but +he had not been very successful. Toward the close of the day he found +himself faint and weary, having missed his way and lost his comrades, +with no companion save his dogs, who, being thirsty, ran hurriedly +hither and thither in search of water. After some time, they saw in +the distance what looked like a clear stream; the dogs rushed there +and the tired prince, following them, flung himself down on the grass +by the water's brink, thinking to sleep there for the night; and, with +his hands under his head, stared up into the leafy branches of the +tree above him. Great was his astonishment to see high up in in the +air an immense number of crows, and above them all a most lovely young +girl, who was feeding them with berries and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span> wild fruits. Quick as +thought, he climbed the tree, and bringing her carefully and gently +down, seated her on the grass beside him, saying, "Tell me, pretty +lady, who you are, and how you come to be living in this dreary +place." So she told him all her adventures, except that she did not +say the hundred crows were her hundred brothers. Then the Rajah said, +"Do not cry any more, fair Princess; you shall come home with me and +be my Ranee, and my father and mother shall be yours."</p> + +<p>At this she smiled and dried her eyes, but quickly added, "You will +let me take these crows with me, will you not? for I love them dearly, +and I cannot go away unless they may come too."</p> + +<p>"To be sure," he answered. "You may bring all the animals in the +jungle with you, if you like, if you will only come."</p> + +<p>So he took her home to his father's house, and the old Rajah and Ranee +wondered much at this jungle lady, when they saw her rare beauty, her +modest, gentle ways and her queenly grace. Then the young Rajah told +them how she was a persecuted Princess, and asked their leave to marry +her; and because her loving goodness had won all hearts, they gave +their consent as joyfully as if she had been daughter of the greatest +of Rajahs, and brought with her a splendid dower; and they called her +Draupadi Bai.</p> + +<p>Draupadi had some beautiful trees planted in front of her palace, in +which the crows, her brothers, used to live, and she daily with her +own hands boiled a quantity of rice, which she would scatter for them +to eat as they flocked around her. Now some time after this, Draupadi +Bai had a son, who was called Ramchundra. He was a very good boy, and +his mother, Draupadi Bai, used to take him to school every morning, +and go and fetch him home in the evening. But one day, when Ramchundra +was about fourteen years old, it happened that Draupadi Bai did not go +to fetch him home from school as she was wont; and on his return he +found her sitting under the trees in front of her palace, stroking the +glossy black crows that flocked around her, and weeping.</p> + +<p>Then Ramchundra threw down his bundle of books and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span> said to his +mother, putting his elbows on her knees, and looking up in her face, +"Mammy, dear, tell me why you are now crying, and what it is that +makes you so often sad."</p> + +<p>"Oh, nothing, nothing," she answered.</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear mother," said he, "do tell me. Can I help you? If I can, I +will."</p> + +<p>Draupadi Bai shook her head. "Alas, no, my son," she said; "you are +too young to help me; and as for my grief, I have never told it to any +one. I cannot tell it to you now." But Ramchundra continued begging +and praying her to tell him, until at last she did; relating to him +all her own and his uncles' sad history; and lastly, how they had been +changed by a Rakshas into the black crows he saw around him.</p> + +<p>Then the boy sprang up and said, "Which way did your brothers take +when they met the Rakshas?"</p> + +<p>"How can I tell?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Why," he answered, "I thought perhaps you might remember on which +side they returned that first night to you, after being bewitched."</p> + +<p>"Oh," she said, "they came toward the tree from that part of the +jungle which lies in a straight line behind the palace."</p> + +<p>"Very well," cried Ramchundra, joyfully, "I also will go there, and +find out this wicked old Rakshas, and learn by what means they may be +disenchanted."</p> + +<p>"No, no, my son," she answered, "I cannot let you go; see, I have lost +father and mother, and these my hundred brothers; and now, if you fall +into the Rakshas's clutches as well as they, and are lost to me, what +will life have worth living for?"</p> + +<p>To this he replied, "Do not fear for me, mother; I will be wary and +discreet." And going to his father, he said, "Father, it is time I +should see something of the world. I beg you to permit me to travel +and see other lands."</p> + +<p>The Rajah answered, "You shall go. Tell me what attendants you would +like to accompany you."</p> + +<p>"Give me," said Ramchundra, "a horse to ride, and a groom to take care +of it." The Rajah consented, and Ramchundra set off riding toward the +jungle; but as soon as he got there, he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> sent his horse back by the +groom with a message to his parents and proceeded alone, on foot.</p> + +<p>After wandering about for some time he came upon a small hut, in which +lay an ugly old woman fast asleep. She had long claws instead of +hands, and her hair hung down all around her in a thick black tangle. +Ramchundra knew, by the whole appearance of the place, that he must +have reached the Rakshas's abode of which he was in search; so, +stealing softly in, he sat down and began shampooing her head. At last +the Rakshas woke up. "You dear little boy," she said, "do not be +afraid; I am only a poor old woman, and will not hurt you. Stay with +me, and you shall be my servant." This she said not from any feeling +of kindness or pity for Ramchundra, but merely because she thought he +might be helpful to her. So the young Rajah remained in her service, +determining to stay there till he should have learned from her all +that he wished to know.</p> + +<p>Thus one day he said to her, "Good mother, what is the use of all +those little jars of water you have arranged round your house?"</p> + +<p>She answered, "That water possesses certain magical attributes; if any +of it is sprinkled on people enchanted by me, they instantly resume +their former shape."</p> + +<p>"And what," he continued, "is the use of your wand?"</p> + +<p>"That," she replied, "has many supernatural powers; for instance, by +simply uttering your wish and waving it in the air, you can conjure up +a mountain, a river or a forest in a moment of time."</p> + +<p>Another day Ramchundra said to her, "Your hair, good mother, is +dreadfully tangled; pray let me comb it."</p> + +<p>"No," she said, "you must not touch my hair; it would be dangerous; +for every hair has power to set the jungle on fire."</p> + +<p>"How is that?" he asked.</p> + +<p>She replied, "The least fragment of my hair thrown in the direction of +the jungle would instantly set it in a blaze."</p> + +<p>Having learned all this, one day when it was very hot, and the old +Rakshas was drowsy, Ramchundra begged leave to shampoo<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span> her head, +which speedily sent her to sleep; then, gently pulling out two or +three of her hairs, he got up, and taking in one hand her wand, and in +the other two jars of the magic water, he stealthily left the hut; but +he had not gone far before she woke up, and instantly divining what he +had done, pursued him with great rapidity. Ramchundra, looking back +and perceiving that she was gaining upon him, waved the enchanted wand +and created a great river, which suddenly rolled its tumultuous waves +between them; but, quick as thought, the Rakshas swam the river.</p> + +<p>Then he turned, and waving the wand again, caused a high mountain to +rise between them; but the Rakshas climbed the mountain. Nearer she +came, and yet nearer; each time he turned to use the wand and put +obstacles in her way, the delay gave her a few minutes' advantage, so +that he lost almost as much as he gained. Then, as a last resource, he +scattered the hairs he had stolen to the winds, and instantly the +jungle on the hill side, through which the Rakshas was coming, was set +in a blaze; the fire rose higher and higher, the wicked old Rakshas +was consumed by the flames, and Ramchundra pursued his journey in +safety until he reached his father's palace. Draupadi Bai was +overjoyed to see her son again, and he led her out into the garden, +and scattered the magic water on the hundred black crows, which +instantly recovered their human forms, and stood up one hundred fine, +handsome young men.</p> + +<p>Then were there rejoicings throughout the country, because the Ranee's +brothers had been disenchanted; and the Rajah sent out into all +neighbouring lands to invite their Rajahs and Ranees to a great feast +in honour of his brothers-in-law.</p> + +<p>Among others who came to the feast was the Rajah, Draupadi Bai's +father, and the twelve wicked Ranees, his wives.</p> + +<p>When they were all assembled, Draupadi arose and said to him, "Noble +sir, we had looked to see your wife Guzra Bai with you. Pray you tell +us wherefore she has not accompanied you."</p> + +<p>The Rajah was much surprised to learn that Draupadi Bai knew anything +about Guzra Bai, and he said, "Speak not of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> her: she is a wicked +woman; it is fit that she should end her days in prison."</p> + +<p>But Draupadi Bai and her husband, and her hundred brothers rose and +said, "We require, O Rajah, that you send home instantly and fetch +hither that much injured lady, which, if you refuse to do, your wives +shall be imprisoned, and you ignominiously expelled this kingdom."</p> + +<p>The Rajah could not guess what the meaning of this was, and thought +they merely wished to pick a quarrel with him; but not much caring +whether Guzra Bai came or not, he sent for her as was desired. When +she arrived, her daughter, Draupadi Bai, and her hundred sons, with +Draupadi Bai's husband and the young Ramchundra, went out to the gate +to meet her, and conducted her into the palace with all honour. Then, +standing around her, they turned to the Rajah, her husband, and +related to him the story of their lives; how that they were his +children, and Guzra Bai their mother; how she had been cruelly +calumniated by the twelve wicked Ranees, and they in constant peril of +their lives; but having miraculously escaped many terrible dangers, +still lived to pay him duteous service and to cheer and support his +old age.</p> + +<p>At this news the whole company was very much astonished. The Rajah, +overjoyed, embraced his wife, Guzra Bai, and it was agreed that she +and their hundred sons should return with him to his own land, which +accordingly was done. Ramchundra lived very happily with his father +and mother to the day of their death, when he ascended the throne, and +became a very popular Rajah; and the twelve wicked old Ranees, who had +conspired against Guzra Bai and her children, were, by order of the +Rajah, burned to death. Thus truth triumphed in the end; but so +unequally is human justice meted out that the old nurse, who worked +their evil will, and was in fact the most guilty wretch of all, is +said to have lived unpunished, to have died in the bosom of her +family, and to have had as big a funeral pile as any virtuous Hindoo.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Feast_of_the_Lanterns" id="The_Feast_of_the_Lanterns"></a><i>The Feast of the Lanterns</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_15.jpg" alt="W" width="78" height="50" /></div> +<p>ang Chih was only a poor man, but he had a wife and children to love, +and they made him so happy that he would not have changed places with +the Emperor himself.</p> + +<p>He worked in the fields all day, and at night his wife always had a +bowl of rice ready for his supper. And sometimes, for a treat, she +made him some bean soup, or gave him a little dish of fried pork.</p> + +<p>But they could not afford pork very often; he generally had to be +content with rice.</p> + +<p>One morning, as he was setting off to his work, his wife sent Han +Chung, his son, running after him to ask him to bring home some +firewood.</p> + +<p>"I shall have to go up into the mountain for it at noon," he said. "Go +and bring me my axe, Han Chung."</p> + +<p>Han Chung ran for his father's axe, and Ho-Seen-Ko, his little sister, +came out of the cottage with him.</p> + +<p>"Remember it is the Feast of Lanterns to-night, father," she said. +"Don't fall asleep up on the mountain; we want you to come back and +light them for us."</p> + +<p>She had a lantern in the shape of a fish, painted red and black and +yellow, and Han Chung had got a big round one, all bright crimson, to +carry in the procession; and, besides that, there were two large +lanterns to be hung outside the cottage door as soon at it grew dark.</p> + +<p>Wang Chih was not likely to forget the Feast of Lanterns, for the +children had talked of nothing else for a month, and he promised to +come home as early as he could.</p> + +<p>At noontide, when his fellow-labourers gave up working, and sat down +to rest and eat, Wang Chih took his axe and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span> went up the mountain +slope to find a small tree he might cut down for fuel.</p> + +<p>He walked a long way, and at last saw one growing at the mouth of a +cave.</p> + +<p>"This will be just the thing," he said to himself. But, before +striking the first blow, he peeped into the cave to see if it were +empty.</p> + +<p>To his surprise, two old men, with long, white beards, were sitting +inside playing chess, as quietly as mice, with their eyes fixed on the +chessboard.</p> + +<p>Wang Chih knew something of chess, and he stepped in and watched them +for a few minutes.</p> + +<p>"As soon as they look up I can ask them if I may chop down a tree," he +said to himself. But they did not look up, and by and by Wang Chih got +so interested in the game that he put down his axe, and sat on the +floor to watch it better.</p> + +<p>The two old men sat cross-legged on the ground, and the chessboard +rested on a slab, like a stone table, between them.</p> + +<p>On one corner of the slab lay a heap of small, brown objects which +Wang Chih took at first to be date stones; but after a time the +chess-players ate one each, and put one in Wang Chih's mouth; and he +found it was not a date stone at all.</p> + +<p>It was a delicious kind of sweetmeat, the like of which he had never +tasted before; and the strangest thing about it was that it took his +hunger and thirst away.</p> + +<p>He had been both hungry and thirsty when he came into the cave, as he +had not waited to have his midday meal with the other field-workers; +but now he felt quite comforted and refreshed.</p> + +<p>He sat there some time longer, and noticed that as the old men frowned +over the chessboard, their beards grew longer and longer, until they +swept the floor of the cave, and even found their way out of the door.</p> + +<p>"I hope my beard will never grow as quickly," said Wang Chih, as he +rose and took up his axe again.</p> + +<p>Then one of the old men spoke, for the first time. "Our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span> beards have +not grown quickly, young man. How long is it since you came here?"</p> + +<p>"About half an hour, I dare say," replied Wang Chih. But as he spoke, +the axe crumbled to dust beneath his fingers, and the second +chess-player laughed, and pointed to the little brown sweetmeats on +the table.</p> + +<p>"Half an hour, or half a century—aye, half a thousand years, are all +alike to him who tastes of these. Go down into your village and see +what has happened since you left it."</p> + +<p>So Wang Chih went down as quickly as he could from the mountain, and +found the fields where he had worked covered with houses, and a busy +town where his own little village had been. In vain he looked for his +house, his wife, and his children.</p> + +<p>There were strange faces everywhere; and although when evening came +the Feast of Lanterns was being held once more, there was no +Ho-Seen-Ko carrying her red and yellow fish, or Han Chung with his +flaming red ball.</p> + +<p>At last he found a woman, a very, very old woman, who told him that +when she was a tiny girl she remembered her grandmother saying how, +when <i>she</i> was a tiny girl, a poor young man had been spirited away by +the Genii of the mountains, on the day of the Feast of Lanterns, +leaving his wife and little children with only a few handfuls of rice +in the house.</p> + +<p>"Moreover, if you wait while the procession passes, you will see two +children dressed to represent Han Chung and Ho-Seen-Ko, and their +mother carrying the empty rice-bowl between them; for this is done +every year to remind people to take care of the widow and fatherless," +she said. So Wang Chih waited in the street; and in a little while the +procession came to an end; and the last three figures in it were a boy +and a girl, dressed like his own two children, walking on either side +of a young woman carrying a rice-bowl. But she was not like his wife +in anything but her dress, and the children were not at all like Han +Chung and Ho-Seen-Ko; and poor Wang Chih's heart was very heavy as he +walked away out of the town.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span></p> + +<p>He slept out on the mountain, and early in the morning found his way +back to the cave where the two old men were playing chess.</p> + +<p>At first they said they could do nothing for him, and told him to go +away and not disturb them; but Wang Chih would not go, and they soon +found the only way to get rid of him was to give him some really good +advice.</p> + +<p>"You must go to the White Hare of the Moon, and ask him for a bottle +of the elixir of life. If you drink that you will live forever," said +one of them.</p> + +<p>"But I don't want to live forever," objected Wang Chih. "I wish to go +back and live in the days when my wife and children were here."</p> + +<p>"Ah, well! For that you must mix the elixir of life with some water +out of the sky-dragon's mouth."</p> + +<p>"And where is the sky-dragon to be found?" inquired Wang Chih.</p> + +<p>"In the sky, of course. You really ask very stupid questions. He lives +in a cloud-cave. And when he comes out of it he breathes fire, and +sometimes water. If he is breathing fire you will be burnt up, but if +it is only water, you will easily be able to catch some in a little +bottle. What else do you want?"</p> + +<p>For Wang Chih still lingered at the mouth of the cave.</p> + +<p>"I want a pair of wings to fly with, and a bottle to catch the water +in," he replied boldly.</p> + +<p>So they gave him a little bottle; and before he had time to say "Thank +you!" a white crane came sailing past, and lighted on the ground close +to the cave.</p> + +<p>"The crane will take you wherever you like," said the old men. "Go +now, and leave us in peace."</p> + +<p>So Wang Chih sat on the white crane's back, and was taken up, and up, +and up through the sky to the cloud-cave where the sky-dragon lived. +And the dragon had the head of a camel, the horns of a deer, the eyes +of a rabbit, the ears of a cow and the claws of a hawk.</p> + +<p>Besides this, he had whiskers and a beard, and in his beard was a +bright pearl.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span></p> + +<p>All these things show that he was a real, genuine dragon, and if you +ever meet a dragon who is not exactly like this, you will know he is +only a make-believe one.</p> + +<p>Wang Chih felt rather frightened when he perceived the cave in the +distance, and if it had not been for the thought of seeing his wife +again, and his little boy and girl, he would have been glad to turn +back.</p> + +<p>While he was far away the cloud-cave looked like a dark hole in the +midst of a soft, white, woolly mass, such as one sees in the sky on an +April day; but as he came nearer he found the cloud was as hard as a +rock, and covered with a kind of dry, white grass.</p> + +<p>When he got there, he sat down on a tuft of grass near the cave, and +considered what he should do next.</p> + +<p>The first thing was, of course, to bring the dragon out, and the next +to make him breathe water instead of fire.</p> + +<p>"I have it!" cried Wang Chih at last; and he nodded his head so many +times that the white crane expected to see it fall off.</p> + +<p>He struck a light, and set the grass on fire, and it was so dry that +the flames spread all around the entrance to the cave, and made such a +smoke and crackling that the sky-dragon put his head out to see what +was the matter.</p> + +<p>"Ho! ho!" cried the dragon, when he saw what Wang Chih had done, "I +can soon put this to rights." And he breathed once, and the water came +out his nose and mouth in three streams.</p> + +<p>But this was not enough to put the fire out. Then he breathed twice, +and the water came out in three mighty rivers, and Wang Chih, who had +taken care to fill his bottle when the first stream began to flow, +sailed away on the white crane's back as fast as he could, to escape +being drowned.</p> + +<p>The rivers poured over the cloud rock, until there was not a spark +left alight, and rushed down through the sky into the sea below.</p> + +<p>Fortunately, the sea lay right underneath the dragon's cave, or he +would have done some nice mischief. As it was, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> people on the +coast looked out across the water toward Japan, and saw three +inky-black clouds stretching from the sky into the sea.</p> + +<p>"My word! There is a fine rain-storm out at sea!" they said to each +other.</p> + +<p>But, of course, it was nothing of the kind; it was only the sky-dragon +putting out the fire Wang Chih had kindled.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, Wang Chih was on his way to the moon, and when he got there +he went straight to the hut where the Hare of the Moon lived, and +knocked at the door.</p> + +<p>The Hare was busy pounding the drugs which make up the elixir of life; +but he left his work, and opened the door, and invited Wang Chih to +come in.</p> + +<p>He was not ugly, like the dragon; his fur was quite white and soft and +glossy, and he had lovely, gentle brown eyes.</p> + +<p>The Hare of the Moon lives a thousand years, as you know, and when he +is five hundred years old he changes his colour, from brown to white, +and becomes, if possible, better tempered and nicer than he was +before.</p> + +<p>As soon as he heard what Wang Chih wanted, he opened two windows at +the back of the hut, and told him to look through each of them in +turn.</p> + +<p>"Tell me what you see," said the Hare, going back to the table where +he was pounding the drugs.</p> + +<p>"I can see a great many houses and people," said Wang Chih, "and +streets—why, this is the town I was in yesterday, the one which has +taken the place of my old village."</p> + +<p>Wang Chih stared, and grew more and more puzzled. Here he was up in +the moon, and yet he could have thrown a stone into the busy street of +the Chinese town below his window.</p> + +<p>"How does it come here?" he stammered, at last.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that is my secret," replied the wise old Hare. "I know how to do +a great many things which would surprise you. But the question is, do +you want to go back there?"</p> + +<p>Wang Chih shook his head.</p> + +<p>"Then close the window. It is the window of the Present. And look +through the other, which is the window of the Past."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span></p> + +<p>Wang Chih obeyed, and through this window he saw his own dear little +village, and his wife, and Han Chung and Ho-Seen-Ko jumping about her +as she hung up the coloured lanterns outside the door.</p> + +<p>"Father won't be in time to light them for us, after all," Han Chung +was saying.</p> + +<p>Wang Chih turned, and looked eagerly at the White Hare.</p> + +<p>"Let me go to them," he said. "I have got a bottle of water from the +sky-dragon's mouth, and—"</p> + +<p>"That's all right," said the White Hare. "Give it to me."</p> + +<p>He opened the bottle, and mixed the contents carefully with a few +drops of the elixir of life, which was clear as crystal, and of which +each drop shone like a diamond as he poured it in.</p> + +<p>"Now, drink this," he said to Wang Chih, "and it will give you the +power of living once more in the past, as you desire."</p> + +<p>Wang Chih held out his hand, and drank every drop.</p> + +<p>The moment he had done so, the window grew larger, and he saw some +steps leading from it down into the village street.</p> + +<p>Thanking the Hare, he rushed through it, and ran toward his own house, +arriving in time to take the taper from his wife's hand with which she +was about to light the red and yellow lanterns which swung over the +door.</p> + +<p>"What has kept you so long, father? Where have you been?" asked Han +Chung, while little Ho-Seen-Ko wondered why he kissed and embraced +them all so eagerly.</p> + +<p>But Wang Chih did not tell them his adventures just then; only when +darkness fell, and the Feast of Lanterns began, he took his part in it +with a merry heart.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Lake_of_Gems" id="The_Lake_of_Gems"></a><i>The Lake of Gems</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce upon a time, so very long ago that even the great-grandfathers of +our great-grandmothers had not been born, there lived in the city of +Kwen-lu a little Chinese boy named Pei-Hang.</p> + +<p>His father and mother loved him dearly, and did all they could to +shield him from the power of the evil Genii, or spirits, of whom there +were a great many in China. Of course, there were some good Genii too, +but most of them were very much the reverse, and Pei-Hang's mother was +always taking precautions against them.</p> + +<p>Now it is said that a wicked Geni will not come near a Chinese boy if +he has some red silk braided in with his pigtail, or if he wears a +silver chain round his neck.</p> + +<p>And the most daring Geni has a great dread of old fishing-nets.</p> + +<p>Pei-Hang's mother made him a little shirt out of an old fishing-net to +wear next to his skin, and she took care that his pigtail should be +plaited with the brightest red silk she could buy.</p> + +<p>She was particular in having his head shaved in exactly the right way, +too, and to have a tuft left sticking up in the luckiest place.</p> + +<p>With all these precautions Pei-Hang got safely over the troubles of +his babyhood, and grew from a little boy into a big one, and from a +boy to a tall and handsome youth; and he left off wearing his netted +shirt, although the silver chain still hung round his neck and there +was red silk in his pigtail.</p> + +<p>"It is time that Pei-Hang saw a little more," said his father. "He +must go to Chang-ngan, and study under the wise men there, and find +out what the world is thinking about."</p> + +<p>Chang-ngan was the old capital of China, a very great city<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span> indeed, +and Pin-Too, the master to whom Pei-Hang was sent was the wisest man +in it.</p> + +<p>And there Pei-Hang soon learned what the world was thinking about, and +many things besides. And as soon as he was eighteen he took the red +silk out of his pigtail and the silver chain from his neck; for +grown-up people do not need charms to protect them from the +Genii—they can generally protect themselves.</p> + +<p>When he was twenty, Pin-Too told him he could not teach him any more.</p> + +<p>"It is time for you to go back to your parents, and comfort them in +their old age," he said.</p> + +<p>He looked very sorry as he said it, for Pei-Hang had been his +favourite pupil.</p> + +<p>"I will start to-morrow, Master," replied Pei-Hang, obediently. "I +will leave the city by the Golden Bridge."</p> + +<p>"No, you must go by the Indigo Bridge, for there you will meet your +future wife," said Pin-Too.</p> + +<p>"I was not thinking of a wife," observed Pei-Hang, with some dismay.</p> + +<p>And Pin-Too wrinkled up his eyes and laughed.</p> + +<p>"All the better!" he said. "Because, when you have once seen her, you +will be able to think of nothing else."</p> + +<p>It was very hot weather, and Pei-Hang ought to have started early in +the morning; but he sat so long over his books the night before his +journey that he fell fast asleep just before sunrise, and slept all +through the coolest hours of the day.</p> + +<p>When he awoke, the sun was blazing down upon the streets of +Chang-ngan, and making the town like a furnace.</p> + +<p>However, Pei-Hang took up his stick and set off, because he had +promised his father and mother to start that day.</p> + +<p>"I will rest a little at the Indigo Bridge, and walk on again in the +cool of the evening," he said to himself.</p> + +<p>But on the bridge he fell asleep again, so tired was he with the many +sleepless nights he had spent in study.</p> + +<p>While he slept he had a dream, in which a tall and beautiful maiden +appeared to him, and showed him her right foot, round which a red cord +was bound.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What is the meaning of it?" asked Pei-Hang, who could hardly take his +eyes away from her face to look at her foot.</p> + +<p>"What is the meaning of the red cord around your foot, too?" replied +the girl.</p> + +<p>Then Pei-Hang glanced at his right foot, and saw that his foot and the +girl's were tied together by the same thin red cord; and by this he +knew that she must be his future wife.</p> + +<p>"I have heard my mother say," he said, "that when a boy is born, the +Fairy of the Moon ties an invisible red cord round his right foot, and +the other end of the cord round the foot of the girl-baby whom he is +to marry."</p> + +<p>"That is quite true," said the maiden; "and <i>this</i> is an invisible +cord to people who are awake. Now I will tell you my name, and +remember it when you hear it again. It is Yun-Ying."</p> + +<p>"And I will tell you mine," began Pei-Hang, but Yun-Ying stopped him, +smiling.</p> + +<p>"Ah, I know yours, and all about you," she said.</p> + +<p>This surprised Pei-Hang very much; but he need not have been greatly +astonished, for everyone in Chang-ngan knew that Pei-Hang was the +handsomest and wisest and best loved pupil the wise Pin-Too had ever +had.</p> + +<p>And Yun-Ying lived quite close to the city, and had often seen +Pei-Hang walking through the streets with his books.</p> + +<p>When Pei-Hang awoke, he found, as she had said, that there was no red +cord around his foot, and no fair maiden looking down at him, either.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if she is real, or only a dream-maiden, after all," he said +to himself.</p> + +<p>But Yun-Ying was quite real; only her mother, who knew something of +magic, had given her the power of stepping in and out of people's +dreams just as she chose.</p> + +<p>Pei-Hang got up and went on his way, thinking of Yun-Ying all the +time.</p> + +<p>It was still very hot, and he grew so thirsty that he went to a little +hut by the roadside, and asked an old woman who was sitting in the +doorway to give him a drink.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span></p> + +<p>The old dame told her daughter to fill their best goblet with fresh +spring water, and bring it out to the stranger; and when the daughter +appeared, it was none other than Yun-Ying herself.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried Pei-Hang, "I thought perhaps I should never see you again, +and I have found you almost directly."</p> + +<p>"And what is my name?" asked the girl, laughing.</p> + +<p>"Yun-Ying," replied Pei-Hang. "Yun-Ying, Yun-Ying," he repeated, in a +singing tone, just as he had been saying it all the time as he walked +along, as if he loved the sound of it.</p> + +<p>Yun-Ying was dressed in white underneath, but her over-dress was +bright blue, embroidered with beautiful flowers which she had worked +herself; and she stood in the door of the hut, with a peach tree in +full bloom over her head, making such a picture of youth and +loveliness that Pei-Hang's heart seemed to jump up into his throat, +and beat there fast enough to choke him.</p> + +<p>"Who are you? And how do you come to know Yun-Ying?" asked the old +woman peering and blinking at him, with her hand over her eyes, to +shade them from the sun.</p> + +<p>And when she heard about the dream, and the red cord, and that +Pei-Hang wanted to marry her daughter, she did not look at all +pleased.</p> + +<p>"If I had two daughters you might have one of them, and welcome," she +grumbled.</p> + +<p>For Pei-Hang was not by any means a bad match. His parents were well +off, and he was their only child.</p> + +<p>But Yun-Ying was a very pretty girl, and a mandarin of Chang-ngan was +anxious to make her his wife.</p> + +<p>"He is four times her age, it is true," said her mother, explaining +this to Pei-Hang; "but he is very rich. All his dishes and plates are +gold, and they say his drinking-cups are gold, set with diamonds."</p> + +<p>"He is old and wrinkled, like a little brown monkey," said Yun-Ying. +"<i>I</i> don't want to marry him! And, besides, the Fairy of the Moon +didn't tie my foot to his."</p> + +<p>"No, that's true enough," sighed her mother.</p> + +<p>She would have liked to tell Pei-Hang to go about his business,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span> but +she knew if the red cord had really been tied between his foot and +Yun-Ying's, it would not be safe to do that.</p> + +<p>"Come inside," she said at last; "I'll see what I can promise."</p> + +<p>The inside of the hut was fragrant with the scent of herbs which were +strewn all over the floor, and on a wooden stool in the middle lay a +broken pestle and mortar.</p> + +<p>"Now," said Yun-Ying's mother, "on this stool I pound magic drugs +given to me by the Genii; but my pestle and mortar is broken. I want a +new one."</p> + +<p>"That I can easily buy in Chang-ngan," replied Pei-Hang.</p> + +<p>"No; for it is a pestle and mortar of jade, and you can only get one +like it by going to the home of the Genii, which is on a mountain +above the Lake of Gems. If you will do that, and bring it back to me, +you shall marry Yun-Ying."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I will do that," said Pei-Hang, after a moment's thought. "But I +must see my parents first."</p> + +<p>He had not the least idea where the home of the Genii was; but +Yun-Ying took him out into the garden, and showed him, in the far +distance, a range of snow-capped mountains, with one peak towering +above the rest.</p> + +<p>"That is Mount Sumi," she said, "and it is there the Genii live, +sitting on the snow-peaks, and looking down at the Lake of Gems."</p> + +<p>"But to reach it you must cross the Blue River, the White River, the +Red River, and the Black River, which are all full of monstrous +fishes. That is why my mother is sending you," sighed Yun-Ying. "She +thinks you will never come back alive."</p> + +<p>"I know how to swim," said Pei-Hang, "and fishes don't frighten me."</p> + +<p>"Promise me you won't try to swim," said Yun-Ying, earnestly. "You +would be devoured in a moment. Take this box with you. In it you will +find six red seeds. Throw one into each river as you come to it, and +it will shrink into a little brook, over which you can jump."</p> + +<p>Pei-Hang opened the box, and saw inside six round, red seeds,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span> each +about the size of a pea; and he agreed to use them as Yun-Ying +directed. Then he kissed her, and set out on his journey to Mount +Sumi.</p> + +<p>But on his way across the plain he passed through the town where his +parents lived, and he went to see them, and told them all that had +happened since he left Chang-ngan.</p> + +<p>His mother, who was a very wise woman, as mothers generally are, told +him the Genii would be angry if he turned their four great rivers into +brooks, and would probably refuse to give him a pestle and mortar made +of jade.</p> + +<p>"I never thought of that," said Pei-Hang.</p> + +<p>"Never mind," said his mother, "I will give you a box containing six +white seeds. Cast one into each brook when you have crossed it on your +way home, and the brook will expand into a river again."</p> + +<p>Early the next morning Pei-Hang kissed her and went on his way.</p> + +<p>He rested during the midday heat, and continued his journey when it +grew cool again; and in this way, at the end of seven days, he came to +the Blue River.</p> + +<p>It was a quarter of a mile wide, and as blue as the sky of midsummer, +and fishes were popping their heads out of the water in every +direction. The head of every fish was twice as large as a football, +and had two rows of teeth. But Pei-Hang threw a red seed into the +waves which were lapping the shore, and in a moment, instead of the +wide blue river, a little brook lay at his feet.</p> + +<p>The huge fishes were changed into tiny creatures like tadpoles, and he +hopped across the brook on one foot.</p> + +<p>Soon afterward he came to the White River, which was half a mile wide, +so rapid that it was covered with foam, like new milk, and full of +immense sea serpents. "I shan't be able to hop over <i>this</i> on one +foot," thought Pei-Hang, throwing his red seed into the water.</p> + +<p>But to his surprise the White River shrank just as rapidly as the Blue +River into a tiny rippling brook, with some wee wriggling eels at the +bottom.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span></p> + +<p>Pei-Hang leaped lightly over it, and walked a long way before he came +in sight of the Red River.</p> + +<p>This was three-quarters of a mile wide, and bright scarlet. It looked +like a flood of melted sealing-wax, and a row of alligators, with +their mouths wide open, stretched right across it like a bridge.</p> + +<p>"Now for my little red seed!" said Pei-Hang, opening his box quite +cheerfully.</p> + +<p>The nearest alligator made a snap at the seed as it sank in the river, +but he missed it, and the next minute he found himself no bigger than +a lizard, sitting at the bottom of a stream not half a yard across. At +the other side of it Pei-Hang was met by one of the Genii, who had +come down from his snow-peak to see who it was that had dared to play +such tricks with the three mighty rivers.</p> + +<p>Pei-Hang showed him the round white seeds in his other box.</p> + +<p>"It is all right," he said, "I can make them as large as they were +before, on my way back. But first I must find the home of the Genii, +and get a pestle and mortar of jade for my future mother-in-law to +pound her magic drugs in."</p> + +<p>"First you must cross the Black River," replied the Geni, with rather +a scornful laugh. "It is a mile wide, and the fish in it are six yards +long, and covered with spikes like porcupines."</p> + +<p>"How did you get across?" inquired Pei-Hang.</p> + +<p>"I? Oh, I can fly," said the Geni.</p> + +<p>"And I can jump," retorted Pei-Hang, sturdily.</p> + +<p>The Geni walked with him as far as the Black River, and when our hero +saw the great waste of water as black as ink, stretching away in front +of him, it must be confessed his heart sank a little.</p> + +<p>But he took out his fourth seed, and watched it disappear beneath a +coal-black wave.</p> + +<p>In an instant, to the Geni's astonishment, the river dried up, leaving +only a shallow stream running through the grass at their feet.</p> + +<p>The Geni was not altogether a bad-hearted fellow, and he was also much +impressed by the wonderful things Pei-Hang seemed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span> able to do; so he +offered to show him the nearest way to the home of the Genii, on the +top of Mount Sumi.</p> + +<p>After a long and wearisome climb they got up there, and found eight of +the Genii sitting on eight snow-peaks, and looking down on the Lake of +Gems, as Yun-Ying had said.</p> + +<p>The Lake of Gems lay on the other side of Mount Sumi, and was a +beautiful sheet of water, flashing all the colours of the rainbow.</p> + +<p>Pei-Hang could not take his eyes off it. He forgot all about the +pestle and mortar as he watched the waves rippling along the shore, +and leaving behind them diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and pearls in +thousands.</p> + +<p>Every pebble on the margin of the lake was a precious stone, and +Pei-Hang wanted to go down and fill his pockets with them.</p> + +<p>He stood there while the Geni who had been his guide explained to the +others why he had come, and told them about the wonderful red and +white seeds he carried about with him.</p> + +<p>"We must let him have the pestle and mortar," he said, "or he won't +give us our rivers back again." The eight Genii nodded their eight +heads, and spoke all at once, with a noise which was like the rumble +of thunder among the hills. "Let him take it, if he can carry it," +they said.</p> + +<p>And they laughed until the snow-peaks shook beneath them; for the +mortar made of jade was six feet high and four feet wide and the +pestle was so heavy no mortal could lift it.</p> + +<p>Pei-Hang, when he had finished staring at the Lake of Gems, walked +round it, and wondered how he was to carry it down the mountain and +across the plains to Chang-ngan.</p> + +<p>Then he sat down on the ground to think the matter over, and the +Genii, even his own good-natured Geni, laughed at him again.</p> + +<p>"Come!" they said. "If you like to fill the mortar with precious +stones, you may do it. Any man who can carry it empty can carry it +full."</p> + +<p>"Because no one can carry it at all," concluded the good-natured Geni, +softly to himself.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span></p> + +<p>Pei-Hang folded his arms, and sat still, and thought, and thought, and +took no notice of their gibes and sneers.</p> + +<p>He had not studied three years with the wisest man in Chang-ngan for +nothing, and, besides, he was determined to marry Yun-Ying, and when +young men are very much in love, they sometimes accomplish things +which their friends—and enemies—think are impossible.</p> + +<p>At last a light came into his eyes; and he jumped up and asked the +friendly Geni if he would make a little heap of stones at one side of +the mortar.</p> + +<p>"I want to be able to look inside it, and I am not tall enough," said +he.</p> + +<p>"And why don't you do it yourself?" asked the Geni.</p> + +<p>"Because I must go down to the Lake of Gems and collect precious +stones," replied Pei-Hang.</p> + +<p>And he ran down to the shore of the lake and gathered diamonds, +rubies, emeralds, pearls, and sapphires, as many as he could carry.</p> + +<p>This he did again and again, emptying them into the mortar each time, +until it was quite full, and held gems enough to make Pei-Hang the +richest man in China.</p> + +<p>This was exactly what he wanted; for he knew that the yellow-faced +mandarin was only the richest man in Chang-ngan, and that the richest +man in China would have a far greater chance of marrying Yun-Ying.</p> + +<p>"Well, what next?" cried the eight Genii, when he had finished. "Will +you take it on your shoulder or on your head?"</p> + +<p>"I will just carry it under my arm," replied Pei-Hang, easily.</p> + +<p>And he took out his little box, and threw one of his red seeds on top +of the gems.</p> + +<p>In a moment the gigantic pestle and mortar shrank into one of the +ordinary size.</p> + +<p>Pei-Hang put the pestle in his pocket, and took up the mortar +carefully, because he did not wish to spill the precious stones, and +made a low bow to the Genii.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, and thank you," he said.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span></p> + +<p>They did not laugh this time, but they pursued him with such a roar of +rage that it sounded as if eight lions were waiting for their dinner.</p> + +<p>But they did not dare to stop him, knowing that he had the power to +turn the four brooks into four rivers again.</p> + +<p>Pei-Hang hurried away, and on his journey did exactly what he had +promised.</p> + +<p>He jumped across the first brook, and threw a white seed into it, and +turned it into a terrible inky black waste of waters a mile wide, full +of fishes six yards long, and every fish covered with spikes.</p> + +<p>The Genii stopped roaring then; they were relieved to see the Black +River rolling once more between them and the outer world.</p> + +<p>When Pei-Hang came to the Red River, and the White River, and the Blue +River, he did the same thing; and from that day to this no one has +been able to find the home of the Genii, because no one but Pei-Hang +could ever cross the Blue River, much less the other three.</p> + +<p>Then Pei-Hang journeyed for seven days, and came to his father's and +mother's house, and told them all that had happened since he had left +them, and he gave them a ruby, a diamond, an emerald, a sapphire, a +pearl, and a pink topaz, a jewel for every white seed his mother had +given him, and each as large as a sparrow's egg. After that he went on +to Chang-ngan, and there he found that, although he had only been a +month away, Yun-Ying's mother had told everyone he was dead, and +invited all her friends to a wedding feast in honour of her daughter's +marriage with the yellow-faced old mandarin. The wedding had not taken +place when Pei-Hang arrived; but Yun-Ying stood under the peach tree, +in her wedding dress, which was of pink silk, all embroidered with +silver, and when she saw Pei-Hang, she threw herself into his arms and +the tears ran down her cheeks.</p> + +<p>Pei-Hang put down the pestle and mortar while he comforted her, and +her mother came running out to look at it.</p> + +<p>"You have come too late to marry Yun-Ying," she said.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span> "But I'll buy +the pestle and mortar from you with some of the money the mandarin has +given me."</p> + +<p>"No, you will not," replied Pei-Hang. And he dropped one of his white +seeds into the mortar, which at once increased in size until it filled +the whole grass plat under the peach tree, and it was full to the brim +of glittering jewels.</p> + +<p>Pei-Hang climbed into one of the branches overhanging it, and from +there he threw down among the wedding guests diamonds, rubies, +emeralds, and all kinds of precious stones.</p> + +<p>And the yellow-faced mandarin was as busy picking them up as anyone.</p> + +<p>"Although he is so rich that his drinking-cups are made of gold!" +cried the others, indignantly.</p> + +<p>"One can never have too much of a good thing. He! he! he!" he +chuckled.</p> + +<p>And when Pei-Hang offered him three rubies, each as large as a +pigeon's egg, if he would go away and forget all about Yun-Ying, he +took them and went.</p> + +<p>Perhaps he knew that Yun-Ying's mother would not have much more to say +to him, now that she had a chance of a son-in-law who scattered jewels +about the grass like pearl barley.</p> + +<p>Or perhaps he really preferred the three great rubies to Yun-Ying.</p> + +<p>At any rate, he went back to Chang-ngan, and Pei-Hang married Yun +Ying, and took her away to the city where his father and mother lived; +and they were as happy as two young people deserve to be when they +love each other dearly.</p> + +<p>As for the pestle and mortar of jade, it stood under the peach tree; +and no one could lift it into the cottage, and no one could have +pounded magic drugs in it, if they could have got it inside.</p> + +<p>Pei-Hang had one red seed left in his box, and he meant to have thrown +it into the mortar as soon as he had taken all the precious stones +out, and made it small again.</p> + +<p>But while he was up in the peach tree the box flew open,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> and the seed +fell out, and was gobbled up by a turkey underneath.</p> + +<p>The turkey, of course, changed into a bantam cock; but the pestle and +mortar had to remain the size it was.</p> + +<p>And Yun-Ying's mother was very angry about it, although I do not think +she deserved anything else, after the unfair advantage she had tried +to take of her son-in-law.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Sea-Maiden" id="The_Sea-Maiden"></a><i>The Sea-Maiden</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_13.jpg" alt="T" width="45" height="50" /></div> +<p>here was once a poor old fisherman, and one year he was not getting +much fish. On a day of days, while he was fishing, there rose a +sea-maiden at the side of his boat, and she asked him, "Are you +getting much fish?" The old man answered and said, "Not I." "What +reward would you give me for sending plenty of fish to you?" "Ach!" +said the old man, "I have not much to spare." "Will you give me the +first son you have?" said she. "I would give ye that, were I to have a +son," said he. "Then go home, and remember me when your son is twenty +years of age, and you yourself will get plenty of fish after this." +Everything happened as the sea-maiden said, and he himself got plenty +of fish; but when the end of the twenty years was nearing, the old man +was growing more and more sorrowful and heavy-hearted, while he +counted each day as it came.</p> + +<p>He had rest neither day nor night. The son asked his father one day, +"Is any one troubling you?" The old man said, "Someone is, but that's +nought to do with you nor anyone else." The lad said, "I <i>must</i> know +what it is." His father told him at last how the matter was with him +and the sea-maiden. "Let not that put you in any trouble," said the +son; "I will not oppose you." "You shall not; you shall not go, my +son, though I never get fish any more." "If you will not let me go +with you, go to the smithy, and let the smith make me a great strong +sword, and I will go seek my fortune."</p> + +<p>His father went to the smithy, and the smith made a doughty sword for +him. His father came home with the sword. The lad grasped it and gave +it a shake or two, and it flew into a hundred splinters. He asked his +father to go to the smithy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span> and get him another sword in which there +should be twice as much weight; and so his father did, and so likewise +it happened to the next sword—it broke in two halves. Back went the +old man to the smithy; and the smith made a great sword; its like he +never made before. "There's the sword for thee," said the smith, "and +the fist must be good that plays this blade." The old man gave the +sword to his son; he gave it a shake or two. "This will do," said he; +"it's high time now to travel on my way."</p> + +<p>On the next morning he put a saddle on a black horse that his father +had, and he took the world for his pillow. When he went on a bit, he +fell in with the carcass of a sheep beside the road. And there were a +great black dog, a falcon, and an otter, and they were quarrelling +over the spoil. So they asked him to divide it for them. He came down +off the horse, and he divided the carcass amongst the three, three +shares to the dog, two shares to the otter, and a share to the falcon. +"For this," said the dog, "if swiftness of foot or sharpness of tooth +will give thee aid, mind me, and I will be at thy side." Said the +otter, "If the swimming of foot on the ground of a pool will loose +thee, mind me, and I will be at thy side." Said the falcon, "If +hardship comes on thee, where swiftness of wing or crook of claw will +do good, mind me, and I will be at thy side."</p> + +<p>On this he went onward till he reached a king's house, and he took +service to be a herd, and his wages were to be according to the milk +of the cattle. He went away with the cattle, and the grazing was but +bare. In the evening when he took them home they had not much milk, +the place was so bare, and his meat and drink was but spare that +night.</p> + +<p>On the next day he went farther on with them; and at last he came to a +place exceedingly grassy, in a great glen, of which he never saw the +like.</p> + +<p>But about the time when he should drive the cattle home-wards, whom +should he see coming but a great giant with a sword in his hand? "<span class="smcap">Hi! +Ho!! Hogarach</span>!!!" says the giant. "Those cattle are mine; they are on +my land, and a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> dead man art thou." "I say not that," says the herd; +"there is no knowing, but that may be easier to say than to do."</p> + +<p>He drew the great clean-sweeping sword, and he neared the giant. The +herd drew back his sword, and the head was off the giant in a +twinkling. He leaped on the black horse, and he went to look for the +giant's house. In went the herd, and that's the place where there was +money in plenty, and dresses of each kind in the wardrobe with gold +and silver, and each thing finer than the other. At the mouth of night +he took himself to the king's house, but he took not a thing from the +giant's house. And when the cattle were milked this night there <i>was</i> +milk! He got good feeding this night, meat and drink without stint, +and the king was hugely pleased that he had caught such a herd. He +went on for a time in this way, but at last the glen grew bare of +grass, and the grazing was not so good.</p> + +<p>So he thought he would go a little farther forward in on the giant's +land; and he sees a great park of grass. He returned for the cattle, +and he put them into the park.</p> + +<p>They were but a short time grazing in the park when a great wild giant +came, full of rage and madness. "<span class="smcap">Hi! Haw!! Hogaraich</span>!!!" said the +giant; "it is a drink of thy blood that will quench my thirst this +night." "There is no knowing," said the herd, "but that's easier to +say than to do." And at each other went the men. <i>There</i> was shaking +of blades! At length and at last it seemed as if the giant would get +the victory over the herd. Then he called on the dog, and with one +spring the black dog caught the giant by the neck, and swiftly the +herd struck off his head.</p> + +<p>He went home very tired this night, but it's a wonder if the king's +cattle had not milk. The whole family was delighted that they had got +such a herd.</p> + +<p>Next day he betakes himself to the castle. When he reached the door, a +little flattering carlin met him standing in the door. "All hail and +good luck to thee, fisher's son! 't is I myself am pleased to see +thee; great is the honour for this kingdom, for thy like to be come +into it—thy coming in is fame for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span> this little bothy; go in first; +honour to the gentles; go in, and take breath."</p> + +<p>"In before me, thou crone; I like not flattery out of doors; go in and +let's hear thy speech." In went the crone, and when her back was to +him he drew his sword and whips off her head; but the sword flew out +of his hand. And swift the crone gripped her head with both hands, and +put it on her neck as it was before. The dog sprang on the crone, and +she struck the generous dog with the club of magic; and there he lay. +But the herd struggled for a hold of the club of magic, and with one +blow on the top of the head she was on earth in the twinkling of an +eye. He went forward, up a little, and there was spoil! Gold and +silver, and each thing more precious than another, in the crone's +castle. He went back to the king's house, and there was rejoicing.</p> + +<p>He followed herding in this way for a time; but one night after he +came home, instead of getting "All hail!" and "Good luck!" from the +dairymaid, all were at crying and woe.</p> + +<p>He asked what cause of woe there was that night. The dairymaid said, +"There is a great beast with three heads in the loch, and it must get +someone every year, and the lot had come this year on the king's +daughter, and at midday to-morrow she is to meet the Laidly Beast at +the upper end of the loch, but there is a great suitor yonder who is +going to rescue her."</p> + +<p>"What suitor is that?" said the herd. "Oh, he is a great general of +arms," said the dairymaid, "and when he kills the beast, he will marry +the king's daughter, for the king has said that he who could save his +daughter should get her to marry."</p> + +<p>But on the morrow, when the time grew near, the king's daughter and +this hero of arms went to give a meeting to the beast, and they +reached the black rock at the upper end of the loch. They were but a +short time there when the beast stirred in the midst of the loch; but +when the general saw this terror of a beast with three heads, he took +fright, and he slunk away,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span> and he hid himself. And the king's +daughter was under fear and under trembling, with no one at all to +save her. Suddenly she sees a doughty, handsome youth, riding a black +horse, and coming where she was. He was marvellously arrayed and full +armed, and his black dog moved after him. "There is gloom on your +face, girl," said the youth; "what do you here?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! that's no matter," said the king's daughter. "It's not long I'll +be here at all events."</p> + +<p>"I say not that," said he.</p> + +<p>"A champion fled as likely as you, and not long since," said she.</p> + +<p>"He is a champion who stands the war," said the youth. And to meet the +beast he went with his sword and his dog. But there was a spluttering +and a splashing between himself and the beast! The dog kept doing all +he might, and the king's daughter was palsied by fear of the noise of +the beast! One of them would now be under, and now above. But at last +he cut one of the heads off it. It gave one roar, and the son of +earth, echo of the rocks, called to its screech, and it drove the loch +in spindrift from end to end, and in a twinkling it went out of sight.</p> + +<p>"Good luck and victory follow you, lad!" said the king's daughter. "I +am safe for one night, but the beast will come again and again, until +the other two heads come off it." He caught the beast's head, and he +drew a knot through it, and he told her to bring it with her there +to-morrow. She gave him a gold ring, and went home with the head on +her shoulder, and the herd betook himself to the cows. But she had not +gone far when this great general saw her, and he said to her, "I will +kill you if you do not say 't was I took the head off the beast." +"Oh!" says she, "'t is I will say it; who else took the head off the +beast but you!" They reached the king's house, and the head was on the +general's shoulder. But here was rejoicing, that she should come home +alive and whole, and this great captain with the beast's head full of +blood in hand. On the morrow they went away, and there<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span> was no +question at all but that this hero would save the king's daughter.</p> + +<p>They reached the same place, and they were not long there when the +fearful Laidly Beast stirred in the midst of the loch, and the hero +slunk away as he did on yesterday: but it was not long after this when +the man of the black horse came, with another dress on. No matter; she +knew that it was the very same lad. "It is I am pleased to see you," +said she. "I am in hopes you will handle your great sword to-day as +you did yesterday. Come up and take breath." But they were not long +there when they saw the beast steaming in the midst of the loch.</p> + +<p>At once he went to meet the beast, but <i>there</i> was Cloopersteich and +Clapersteich, spluttering, splashing, raving, and roaring on the +beast! They kept at it thus for a long time, and about the mouth of +the night he cut another head off the beast. He put it on the knot and +gave it to her. She gave him one of her earrings, and he leaped on the +black horse, and he betook himself to the herding. The king's daughter +went home with the heads. The general met her, and took the heads from +her, and he said to her that she must tell that it was he who took the +head off of the beast this time also. "Who else took the head off the +beast but you?" said she. They reached the king's house with the +heads. Then there was joy and gladness.</p> + +<p>About the same time on the morrow, the two went away. The officer hid +himself as he usually did. The king's daughter betook herself to the +bank of the loch. The hero of the black horse came, and if roaring and +raving were on the beast on the days that were passed, this day it was +horrible. But no matter, he took the third head off the beast, and +drew it through the knot, and gave it to her. She gave him her other +earring, and then she went home with the heads. When they reached the +king's house, all were full of smiles, and the general was to marry +the king's daughter the next day. The wedding was going on, and +everyone about the castle longing till the priest should come. But +when the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span> priest came, she would marry only the one who could take the +heads off the knot without cutting it. "Who should take the heads off +the knot but the man that put the heads on?" said the king.</p> + +<p>The general tried them, but he could not loose them, and at last there +was no one about the house but had tried to take the heads off the +knot, but they could not. The king asked if there was anyone else +about the house that would try to take the heads off the knot. They +said that the herd had not tried them yet. Word went for the herd; and +he was not long throwing them hither and thither. "But stop a bit, my +lad," said the king's daughter; "the man that took the heads off the +beast, he has my ring and my two earrings." The herd put his hand in +his pocket, and he threw them on the board. "Thou art my man," said +the king's daughter. The king was not so pleased when he saw that it +was a herd who was to marry his daughter, and he ordered that he +should be put in a better dress; but his daughter spoke, and she said +that he had a dress as fine as any that ever was in his castle; and +thus it happened. The herd put on the giant's golden dress, and they +were married that same day.</p> + +<p>They were now married, and everything went on well. But one day, and +it was the namesake of the day when his father had promised him to the +sea-maiden, they were sauntering by the side of the loch, and lo, and +behold! she came and took him away to the loch without leave or +asking. The king's daughter was now mournful, tearful, blind-sorrowful +for her married man; she was always with her eye on the loch. An old +soothsayer met her, and she told how it had befallen her married mate. +Then he told her the thing to do to save her mate, and that she did.</p> + +<p>She took her harp to the sea-shore, and sat and played; and the +sea-maiden came up to listen, for sea-maidens are fonder of music than +all other creatures. But when the wife saw the sea-maiden she stopped. +The sea-maiden said, "Play on!" but the princess said, "No, not till I +see my man again." So the sea-maiden put up his head out of the loch.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span> +Then the princess played again, and stopped till the sea-maiden put +him up to the waist. Then the princess played and stopped again, and +this time the sea-maiden put him all out of the loch, and he called on +the falcon and became one, and flew on shore. But the sea-maiden took +the princess, his wife.</p> + +<p>Sorrowful was each one that was in the town on this night. Her man was +mournful, tearful, wandering down and up about the banks of the loch, +by day and night. The old soothsayer met him. The soothsayer told him +that there was no way of killing the sea-maiden but the one way, and +this is it: "In the island that is in the midst of the loch is the +white-footed hind of the slenderest legs and the swiftest step, and +though she be caught, there will spring a hoodie out of her, and +though the hoodie should be caught, there will spring a trout out of +her, but there is an egg in the mouth of the trout, and the soul of +the sea-maiden is in the egg and if the egg breaks she is dead."</p> + +<p>Now, there was no way of getting to this island, for the sea-maiden +would sink each boat and raft that would go on the loch. He thought he +would try to leap the strait with the black horse, and even so he did. +The black horse leaped the strait. He saw the hind; and he let the +black dog after her, but when he was on one side of the island, the +hind would be on the other side. "Oh! would the black dog of the +carcass of flesh were here!" No sooner spoke he the word than the +grateful dog was at his side; and after the hind he went, and they +were not long in bringing her to earth. But he no sooner caught her +than a hoodie sprang out of her. "Would that the falcon grey, of +sharpest eye and swiftest wing, were here!" No sooner said he this +than the falcon was after the hoodie, and she was not long putting her +to earth; and as the hoodie fell on the bank of the loch, out of her +jumps the trout. "Oh! that thou wert by me now, O otter!" No sooner +said than the otter was at his side, and out on the loch she leaped, +and brings the trout from the midst of the loch; but no sooner was the +otter on shore with the trout than the egg came from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span> his mouth. He +sprang and he put his foot on it. 'T was then that the sea-maiden +appeared, and she said, "Break not the egg, and you shall get all you +ask." "Deliver to me my wife!" In the wink of an eye she was by his +side. When he got hold of her hand in both his hands, he let his foot +down on the egg, and the sea-maiden died.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Enchanted_Waterfall" id="The_Enchanted_Waterfall"></a><i>The Enchanted Waterfall</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce upon a time, there lived alone with his father and mother a +simple young wood-cutter. He worked all day on the lonely hillside, or +among the shady trees of the forest. But, work as hard as he might, he +was still very poor, and could bring home but little money to his old +father and mother. This grieved him very much, for he was an +affectionate and dutiful son.</p> + +<p>For himself he had but few wants and was easily pleased. His mother, +too, was always cheerful and contented. The old father, however, was +of a selfish disposition, and often grumbled at the poor supper of +rice, washed down with weak tea, or, if times were very bad, with a +cup of hot water.</p> + +<p>"If we had but a little saké, now," he would say, "it would warm one +up, and do one's heart good." And then he would reproach the simple +young fellow, vowing that in his young days he had always been able to +afford a cup of saké for himself and his friends.</p> + +<p>Grieved at heart, the young man would work harder than ever and think +to himself: "How shall I earn some more money? How shall I get a +little saké for my poor father, who really needs it in his weakness +and old age?"</p> + +<p>He was thinking in this way to himself one day as he was at work on +the wooded hills, when the sound of rushing water caught his ear. He +had often worked in the same spot before, and could not remember that +there was any torrent or waterfall near. So, feeling rather surprised, +he followed the sound, which got louder and louder until at last he +came upon a beautiful little cascade.</p> + +<p>The water looked so clear and cool that he stooped down where it was +flowing away in a quiet stream, and, using his hand<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span> as a cup, drank a +little of it. What was his amazement to find that instead of water it +was the most excellent saké!</p> + +<p>Overjoyed at this discovery, he quickly filled the gourd which was +hanging at his girdle, and made the best of his way home, rejoicing +that now at last he had something good to bring back to his poor old +father. The old man was so delighted with the saké that he drank cup +after cup. A neighbour happened to drop in, the story was told to him, +and a cup of saké offered and drunk with many words of astonishment +and gratitude.</p> + +<p>Soon the news spread through the village, and before night there was +hardly a man in the place who had not paid his visit of curiosity, +been told the tale of the magic fountain, and smelt the gourd, which, +alas! was now empty.</p> + +<p>Next morning the young wood-cutter set off to work earlier even than +usual, not forgetting to carry with him a large gourd, for of course +the enchanted waterfall was to be visited again.</p> + +<p>What was the surprise of the young man when he came to the spot, to +find several of his neighbours already there, and all armed with +buckets, jars, pitchers, anything that would carry a good supply of +the coveted saké. Each man had come secretly, believing that he alone +had found his way to the magic waterfall.</p> + +<p>The young wood-cutter was amused to see the looks of disappointment +and anger upon the faces of those who already stood near the water, as +they saw fresh arrivals every moment. Each one looked abashed and +uncomfortable in the presence of his neighbours; but, at last, one +bolder than the others broke the grim silence with a laugh, which soon +the others were fain to join in.</p> + +<p>"Here we are," said he, "all bent on the same errand. Let us fill our +jars and gourds and go home. But first—just one taste of the magic +saké." He stooped down and, filling his gourd, put it to his lips. +Once and yet again did he drink, with a face of astonishment which +soon gave place to anger.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Water!" he shouted in a rage; "nothing but cold water! We have been +tricked and deceived by a parcel of made-up stories—where is that +young fellow? Let us duck him in his fine waterfall!"</p> + +<p>But the young man had been wise enough to slip behind a big rock when +he saw the turn things were taking, and was nowhere to be found.</p> + +<p>First one and then another tasted of the stream. It was but too true; +no saké, but clear, cold water was there. Crestfallen and out of +temper, the covetous band returned to their homes.</p> + +<p>When they were fairly gone the good young wood-cutter crept from his +hiding-place. "Could this be true," he thought, "or was it all a +dream? At any rate," said he, "I must taste once more for myself." He +filled the gourd and drank. Sure enough, there was the same +fine-flavoured saké he had tasted yesterday. And so it remained. To +the good, dutiful son the cascade flowed with the finest saké, while +to all others it yielded only cold water.</p> + +<p>The emperor, hearing this wonderful story, sent for the good young +wood-cutter, rewarded him for his kindness to his father, and even +changed the name of the year in his honour as an encouragement to +children in all future time to honour and obey their parents.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Amadan_of_the_Dough" id="The_Amadan_of_the_Dough"></a><i>The Amadan of the Dough</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_13.jpg" alt="T" width="45" height="50" /></div> +<p>here was a king, once on a time, that had a son that was an +Amadan.<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> The Amadan's mother died, and the king married again.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> Simpleton.</p></div> + +<p>The Amadan's stepmother was always afraid of his beating her children, +he was growing so big and strong. So to keep him from growing and to +weaken him, she had him fed on dough made of raw meal and water, and +for that he was called "The Amadan of the Dough." But instead of +getting weaker, it was getting stronger the Amadan was on this fare, +and he was able to thrash all of his stepbrothers together.</p> + +<p>At length his stepmother told his father that he would have to drive +the Amadan away. The father consented to put him away; but the Amadan +refused to go till his father would give him a sword so sharp that it +would cut a pack of wool falling on it.</p> + +<p>After a great deal of time and trouble the father got such a sword and +gave it to the Amadan; and when the Amadan had tried it and found it +what he wanted, he bade them all good-bye and set off.</p> + +<p>For seven days and seven nights he travelled away before him without +meeting anything wonderful, but on the seventh night he came up to a +great castle. He went in and found no one there, but he found a great +dinner spread on the table in the hall. So to be making the most of +his time, down the Amadan sat at the table and whacked away.</p> + +<p>When he had finished with his dinner, up to the castle came three +young princes, stout, strong, able fellows, but very, very tired, and +bleeding from wounds all over them.</p> + +<p>They struck the castle with a flint, and all at once the whole castle +shone as if it were on fire.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span></p><p>The Amadan sprang at the three of them to kill them. He said, "What +do you mean by putting the castle on fire?"</p> + +<p>"O Amadan!" they said, "don't interfere with us, for we are nearly +killed as it is. The castle isn't on fire. Every day we have to go out +to fight three giants—Slat Mor, Slat Marr, and Slat Beag. We fight +them all day long, and just as night is falling we have them killed. +But however it comes, in the night they always come to life again, and +if they didn't see this castle lit up, they'd come in on top of us and +murder us while we slept. So every night when we come back from the +fight, we light up the castle. Then we can sleep in peace until +morning, and in the morning go off and fight the giants again."</p> + +<p>When the Amadan heard this, he wondered; and he said he would like +very much to help them kill the giants. They said they would be very +glad to have such a fine fellow's help; and so it was agreed that the +Amadan should go with them to the fight next day.</p> + +<p>Then the three princes washed themselves and took their supper, and +they and the Amadan went to bed.</p> + +<p>In the morning all four of them set off, and travelled to the Glen of +the Echoes, where they met the three giants.</p> + +<p>"Now," says the Amadan, "if you three will engage the two smaller +giants, Slat Marr and Slat Beag, I'll engage Slat Mor myself and kill +him."</p> + +<p>They agreed to this.</p> + +<p>Now the smallest of the giants was far bigger and more terrible than +anything ever the Amadan had seen or heard of in his life before, so +you can fancy what Slat Mor must have been like.</p> + +<p>But the Amadan was little concerned at this. He went to meet Slat Mor, +and the two of them fell to the fight, and a great, great fight they +had. They made the hard ground into soft, and the soft into spring +wells; they made the rocks into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, +and the gravel fell over the country like hailstones. All the birds of +the air from the lower end of the world to the upper end of the +world,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span> and all the wild beasts and tame from the four ends of the +earth, came flocking to see the fight; and in the end the Amadan ran +Slat Mor through with his sword and laid him down dead.</p> + +<p>Then he turned to help the three princes, and very soon he laid the +other two giants down dead for them also.</p> + +<p>Then the three princes said they would all go home. The Amadan told +them to go, but warned them not to light up the castle this night, and +said he would sit by the giants' corpses and watch if they came to +life again.</p> + +<p>The three princes begged of him not to do this, for the three giants +would come to life, and then he, having no help, would be killed.</p> + +<p>The Amadan was angry with them, and ordered them off instantly. Then +he sat down by the giants' corpses to watch. But he was so tired from +his great day's fighting that by and by he fell asleep.</p> + +<p>About twelve o'clock at night, when the Amadan was sleeping soundly, +up comes a <i>cailliach</i> [old hag] and four <i>badachs</i> [unwieldy big +fellows], and the cailliach carried with her a feather and a bottle of +<i>iocshlainte</i> [ointment of health], with which she began to rub the +giants' wounds.</p> + +<p>Two of the giants were already alive when the Amadan awoke, and the +third was just opening his eyes. Up sprang the Amadan, and at him +leaped they all—Slat Mor, Slat Marr, Slat Beag, the cailliach, and +the four badachs.</p> + +<p>If the Amadan had had a hard fight during the day, this one was surely +ten times harder. But a brave and a bold fellow he was, and not to be +daunted by numbers of showers of blows. They fought for long and long. +They made the hard ground into soft, and the soft into spring wells; +they made the rocks into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, and the +gravel fell over the country like hailstones. All the birds of the air +from the lower end of the world to the upper end of of the world, and +all the wild beasts and tame from the four ends of the earth, came +flocking to see the fight; and one after the other of them the Amadan +ran his sword through, until he had every man of them stretched on the +ground, dying or dead<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[305]</a></span>.</p> + +<p>And when the old cailliach was dying, she called the Amadan to her and +put him under <i>geasa</i> [an obligation that he could not shirk] to lose +the power of his feet, of his strength, of his sight, and of his +memory, if he did not go to meet and fight the Black Bull of the Brown +Wood.</p> + +<p>When the old hag died outright, the Amadan rubbed some of the +iocshlainte to his wounds with the feather, and at once he was as hale +and as fresh as when the fight began. Then he took the feather and the +bottle of iocshlainte, buckled on his sword, and started away before +him to fulfil his geasa.</p> + +<p>He travelled for the length of that lee-long day, and when night was +falling, he came to a little hut on the edge of a wood; and the hut +had no shelter inside or out but one feather over it, and there was a +rough, red woman standing in the door.</p> + +<p>"You're welcome!" says she, "Amadan of the Dough, the king of +Ireland's son. What have you been doing and where are you going?"</p> + +<p>"Last night," says the Amadan, "I fought a great fight, and killed +Slat Mor, Slat Marr, Slat Beag, the Cailliach of the Rocks, and four +badachs. Now I'm under geasa to meet and to fight the Black Bull of +the Brown Wood. Can you tell me where to find him?"</p> + +<p>"I can that," says she, "but it's now night. Come in and eat and +sleep."</p> + +<p>So she spread for the Amadan a fine supper, and made a soft bed, and +he ate heartily and slept heartily that night.</p> + +<p>In the morning she called him early, and she directed him on his way +to meet the Black Bull of the Brown Wood. "But, my poor Amadan," she +said, "no one has ever yet met that bull and come back alive."</p> + +<p>She told him that when he reached the place of meeting, the bull would +come tearing down the hill like a hurricane.</p> + +<p>"Here's a cloak," says she, "to throw upon the rock that is standing +there. You hide yourself behind the rock, and when the bull comes +tearing down, he will dash at the cloak, and blind himself with the +crash against the rock. Then you jump on the bull's back and fight for +life. If, after the fight,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[306]</a></span> you are living, come back and see me; and +if you are dead, I'll go and see you."</p> + +<p>The Amadan took the cloak, thanked her and set off, and travelled on +and on until he came to the place of meeting.</p> + +<p>When the Amadan came there, he saw the Bull of the Brown Wood come +tearing down the hill like a hurricane, and he threw the cloak on the +rock and hid behind it, and with the fury of his dash against the +cloak the bull blinded himself, and the roar of his fury split the +rock.</p> + +<p>The Amadan lost no time jumping on his back, and with his sword began +hacking and slashing him; but he was no easy bull to conquer, and a +great fight the Amadan had. They made the hard ground into soft, and +the soft into spring wells; they made the rocks into pebbles, and the +pebbles into gravel, and the gravel fell over the country like +hailstones. All the birds of the air from the lower end of the world +to the upper end of the world, and all the wild beasts and tame from +the four ends of the earth, came flocking to see the fight; at length, +after a long time, the Amadan ran his sword right through the bull's +heart, and the bull fell down dead. But before he died he put the +Amadan under geasa to meet and to fight the White Wether of the Hill +of the Waterfalls.</p> + +<p>Then the Amadan rubbed his own wounds with the iocshlainte, and he was +as fresh and hale as when he went into the fight. Then he set out and +travelled back again to the little hut that had no shelter without or +within, only one feather over it, and the rough, red woman was +standing in the door: and she welcomed the Amadan and asked him the +news.</p> + +<p>He told her all about the fight, and that the Black Bull of the Woods +had put him under geasa to meet and to fight the White Wether of the +Hill of the Waterfalls.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry for you, my poor Amadan," says she, "for no one ever met +before that White Wether and came back alive. But come in and eat and +rest, anyhow, for you must be both hungry and sleepy."</p> + +<p>So she spread him a hearty meal and made him a soft bed, and the +Amadan ate and slept heartily; and in the morning<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[307]</a></span> she directed him to +where he would meet the White Wether of the Hill of the Waterfalls. +And she told him that no steel was tougher than the hide of the White +Wether, that a sword was never yet made that could go through it, and +that there was only one place—a little white spot just over the +wether's heart—where he could be killed or sword could cut through. +And she told the Amadan that his only chance was to hit this spot.</p> + +<p>The Amadan thanked her, and set out. He travelled away and away before +him until he came to the Hill of the Waterfalls, and as soon as he +reached it he saw the White Wether coming tearing toward him in a +furious rage, and the earth he was throwing up with his horns was +shutting out the sun.</p> + +<p>And when the wether came up and asked the Amadan what great feats he +had done that made him impudent enough to dare to come there, the +Amadan said: "With this sword I have killed Slat Mor, Slatt Marr, +Slatt Beag, the Cailliach of the Rocks and her four badachs, and +likewise the Black Bull of the Brown Wood."</p> + +<p>"Then," said the White Wether, "you'll never kill any other." And at +the Amadan he sprang.</p> + +<p>The Amadan struck at him with his sword, and the sword glanced off as +it might off steel. Both of them fell to the fight with all their +hearts, and such a fight never was before or since. They made the hard +ground into soft, and the soft into spring wells; they made the rocks +into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, and the gravel fell over +the country like hailstones. All the birds of the air from the lower +end of the world to the upper end of the world, and all the wild +beasts and tame from the four ends of the earth, came flocking to see +the fight. But at length and at last, after a long and terrible fight, +the Amadan, seeing the little spot above the heart that the red woman +had told him of, struck for it and hit it, and drove his sword through +the White Wether's heart, and he fell down. And when he was dying, he +called the Amadan and put him under a geasa to meet and fight the +Beggarman of the King of Sweden.</p> + +<p>The Amadan took out his bottle of iocshlainte and rubbed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[308]</a></span> himself with +the iocshlainte, and he was as fresh and hale as when he began the +fight. Then he set out again, and when night was falling, he reached +the hut that had no shelter within or without, only one feather over +it, and the rough, red woman was standing in the door.</p> + +<p>Right glad she was to see the Amadan coming back alive, and she +welcomed him heartily and asked him the news.</p> + +<p>He told her of the wonderful fight he had had, and that he was now +under geasa to meet and fight the Beggarman of the King of Sweden.</p> + +<p>She made him come in and eat and sleep, for he was tired and hungry. +And heartily the Amadan ate and heartily he slept; and in the morning +she called him early, and directed him on his way to meet the +Beggarman of the King of Sweden.</p> + +<p>She told him that when he reached a certain hill, the beggarman would +come down from the sky in a cloud; and that he would see the whole +world between the beggarman's legs and nothing above his head. "If +ever he finds himself beaten," she said, "he goes up into the sky in a +mist and stays there to refresh himself. You may let him go up once; +but if you let him go up the second time, he will surely kill you when +he comes down. Remember that. If you are alive when the fight is over, +come to see me. If you are dead, I will go to see you."</p> + +<p>The Amadan thanked her, parted with her, and travelled away and away +before him until he reached the hill which she had told him of. And +when he came there, he saw a great cloud that shot out of the sky, +descending on the hill, and when it came down on the hill and melted +away, there it left the Beggarman of the King of Sweden standing, and +between his legs the Amadan saw the whole world and nothing over his +head.</p> + +<p>And with a roar and a run the beggarman made for the Amadan, and the +roar of him rattled the stars in the sky. He asked the Amadan who he +was, and what he had done to have the impudence to come there and meet +him.</p> + +<p>The Amadan said: "They call me the Amadan of the Dough,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[309]</a></span> and I have +killed Slat Mor, Slat Marr, Slat Beag, the Cailliach of the Rocks and +her four badachs, the Black Bull of the Brown Wood, and the White +Wether of the Hill of the Waterfalls, and before night I'll have +killed the Beggarman of the King of Sweden."</p> + +<p>"That you never will, you miserable object," says the beggarman. +"You're going to die now, and I'll give you your choice to die either +by a hard squeeze of wrestling, or a stroke of the sword."</p> + +<p>"Well," says the Amadan, "if I have to die, I'd sooner die by a stroke +of the sword."</p> + +<p>"All right," says the beggarman, and drew his sword.</p> + +<p>But the Amadan drew his sword at the same time, and both went at it. +And if his fights before had been hard, this one was harder and +greater and more terrible than the others put together. They made the +hard ground into soft, and the soft into spring wells; they made the +rocks into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, and the gravel fell +over the country like hailstones. All the birds of the air from the +lower end of the world to the upper end of the world, and all the wild +beasts and tame from the four ends of the earth, came flocking to see +the fight. And at length the fight was putting so hard upon the +beggarman, and he was getting so weak, that he whistled, and the mist +came around him, and he went up into the sky before the Amadan knew. +He remained there until he refreshed himself, and then came down +again, and at it again he went for the Amadan, and fought harder and +harder than before, and again it was putting too hard upon him, and he +whistled as before for the mist to come down and take him up.</p> + +<p>But the Amadan remembered what the red woman had warned him; he gave +one leap into the air, and coming down, drove his sword through the +beggarman's heart, and the beggarman fell dead. But before he died he +put geasa on the Amadan to meet and fight the Silver Cat of the Seven +Glens.</p> + +<p>The Amadan rubbed his wounds with the iocshlainte, and he was as fresh +and hale as when he began the fight; and then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[310]</a></span> he set out, and when +night was falling, he reached the hut that had no shelter within or +without, only one feather over it, and the rough, red woman was +standing in the door.</p> + +<p>Right glad she was to see the Amadan coming back alive, and she +welcomed him right heartily, and asked him the news.</p> + +<p>He told her that he had killed the beggarman, and said he was now +under geasa to meet and fight the Silver Cat of the Seven Glens.</p> + +<p>"Well," she said, "I'm sorry for you, for no one ever before went to +meet the Silver Cat and came back alive. But," she says, "you're both +tired and hungry; come in and rest and sleep."</p> + +<p>So in the Amadan went, and had a hearty supper and a soft bed; and in +the morning she called him up early, and she gave him directions where +to meet the cat and how to find it, and she told him there was only +one vital spot on that cat, and it was a black speck on the bottom of +the cat's stomach, and unless he could happen to run his sword right +through this, the cat would surely kill him. She said:</p> + +<p>"My poor Amadan, I'm very much afraid you'll not come back alive. I +cannot go to help you myself, or I would; but there is a well in my +garden, and by watching that well I will know how the fight goes with +you. While there is honey on top of the well, I will know you are +getting the better of the cat; but if the blood comes on top, then the +cat is getting the better of you; and if the blood stays there, I will +know, my poor Amadan, that you are dead."</p> + +<p>The Amadan bade her good-bye, and set out to travel to where the Seven +Glens met at the sea. Here there was a precipice, and under the +precipice a cave. In this cave the Silver Cat lived, and once a day +she came out to sun herself on the rocks.</p> + +<p>The Amadan let himself down over the precipice by a rope, and he +waited until the cat came out to sun herself.</p> + +<p>When the cat came out at twelve o'clock and saw the Amadan, she let a +roar out of her that drove the waters back of the sea and piled them +up a quarter of a mile high, and she asked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[311]</a></span> him who he was and how he +had the impudence to come there to meet her.</p> + +<p>The Amadan said: "They call me the Amadan of the Dough, and I have +killed Slat Mor, Slat Man, Slat Beag, the Cailliach of the Rocks and +her four badachs, the Black Bull of the Brown Woods, the White Wether +of the Hill of the Waterfalls, and the Beggarman of the King of +Sweden, and before night I will have killed the Silver Cat of the +Seven Glens."</p> + +<p>"That you never will," says she, "for a dead man you will be +yourself." And at him she sprang.</p> + +<p>But the Amadan raised his sword and struck at her, and both of them +fell to the fight, and a great, great fight they had. They made the +hard ground into soft, and the soft into spring wells; they made the +rocks into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, and the gravel fell +over the country like hailstones. All the birds of the air from the +lower end of the world to the upper end of the world, and all the wild +beasts and tame from the four ends of the earth, came flocking to see +the fight; and if the fights that the Amadan had had on the other days +were great and terrible, this one was far greater and far more +terrible than all the others put together, and the poor Amadan sorely +feared that before night fell he would be a dead man.</p> + +<p>The red woman was watching at the well in her garden, and she was +sorely distressed, for though at one time the honey was uppermost, at +another time it was all blood, and again the blood and the honey would +be mixed; so she felt bad for the poor Amadan.</p> + +<p>At length the blood and the honey got mixed again, and it remained +that way until night; so she cried, for she believed the Amadan +himself was dead, as well as the Silver Cat.</p> + +<p>And so he was. For when the fight had gone on for long and long, the +cat, with a great long nail which she had in the end of her tail, tore +him open from his mouth to his toes; and as she tore the Amadan open +and he was about to fall, she opened her mouth so wide that the Amadan +saw down to the very bottom of her stomach, and there he saw the black +speck that the red woman had told him of. And just before he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[312]</a></span> dropped +he drove his sword through this spot, and the Silver Cat, too, fell +over dead.</p> + +<p>It was not long now till the red woman arrived at the place and found +both the Amadan and the cat lying side by side, dead. At this the poor +woman was frantic with sorrow, but suddenly she saw by the Amadan's +side the bottle of iocshlainte and the feather. She took them up and +rubbed the Amadan with the iocshlainte, and he jumped to his feet, +alive and well, and fresh as when he began the fight.</p> + +<p>He smothered her with kisses and drowned her with tears. He took the +red woman with him, and set out on his journey back, and travelled and +travelled on and on till he came to the Castle of Fire.</p> + +<p>Here he met the three young princes, who were now living happily with +no giants to molest them. They had one sister, the most beautiful +young maiden that the Amadan had ever beheld. They gave her to the +Amadan in marriage, and gave her half of all they owned for fortune.</p> + +<p>The marriage lasted nine days and nine nights. There were nine hundred +fiddlers, nine hundred fluters, and nine hundred pipers, and the last +day and night of the wedding were better than the first.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[313]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Rakshass_Palace" id="The_Rakshass_Palace"></a><i>The Rakshas's Palace</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce upon a time there lived a Rajah who was left a widower with two +little daughters. Not very long after his first wife died he married +again, and his second wife did not care for her stepchildren, and was +often unkind to them; and the Rajah, their father, never troubled +himself to look after them, but allowed his wife to treat them as she +liked. This made the poor girls very miserable, and one day one of +them said to the other, "Don't let us remain any longer here; come +away into the jungle, for nobody here cares whether we go or stay." So +they both walked off into the jungle, and lived for many days on the +jungle fruits. At last, after they had wandered on for a long while, +they came to a fine palace which belonged to a Rakshas, but both the +Rakshas and his wife were out when they got there. Then one of the +Princesses said to the other, "This fine palace, in the midst of the +jungle, can belong to no one but a Rakshas, but the owner has +evidently gone out; let us go in and see if we can find anything to +eat." So they went into the Rakshas's house, and finding some rice, +boiled, and ate it. Then they swept the room and arranged all the +furniture in the house tidily. But hardly had they finished doing so +when the Rakshas and his wife returned home. Then the two Princesses +were so frightened that they ran up to the top of the house and hid +themselves on the flat roof, from whence they could look down on one +side into the inner courtyard of the house, and from the other could +see the open country. The house-top was a favourite resort of the +Rakshas and his wife. Here they would sit upon the hot summer +evenings; here they winnowed the grain and hung out the clothes to +dry; and the two Princesses found a sufficient shelter behind some +sheaves of corn that were waiting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[314]</a></span> to be threshed. When the Rakshas +came into the house, he looked round and said to his wife, "Somebody +has been arranging the house; everything in it is so clean and tidy. +Wife, did you do this?" "No," she said; "I don't know who can have +done all this." "Someone also has been sweeping the courtyard," +continued the Rakshas. "Wife, did you sweep the courtyard?" "No," she +answered; "I did not do it. I don't know who did." Then the Rakshas +walked round and round several times with his nose up in the air, +saying, "Someone is here now. I smell flesh and blood! Where can they +be?" "Stuff and nonsense!" cried his wife; "you smell blood indeed! +Why, you have just been killing and eating a hundred thousand people. +I should wonder if you didn't still smell flesh and blood!" They went +on quarrelling thus until the Rakshas said, "Well, never mind; I don't +know how it is, but I'm very thirsty; let's come and drink some +water." So both the Rakshas and his wife went to a well which was +close to the house, and began letting down jars into it, and drawing +up the water and drinking it. And the Princesses, who were on the top +of the house, saw them. Now the youngest of the two Princesses was a +very wise girl, and when she saw the Rakshas and his wife by the well, +she said to her sister, "I will do something now that will be good for +us both"; and, running down quickly from the top of the house, she +crept close behind the Rakshas and his wife as they stood on tip-toe +more than half over the side of the well, and, catching hold of one of +the Rakshas's heels and one of his wife's, gave each a little push, +and down they both tumbled into the well and were drowned—the Rakshas +and the Rakshas's wife! The Princess then returned to her sister and +said, "I have killed the Rakshas." "What! both?" cried her sister. +"Yes, both," she said. "Won't they come back?" said her sister. "No, +never," answered she.</p> + +<p>The Rakshas being thus killed, the two Princesses took possession of +the house, and lived there very happily for a long time. In it they +found heaps and heaps of rich clothes and jewels, and gold and silver, +which the Rakshas had taken<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[315]</a></span> from people he had murdered; and all +round the house were folds for the flocks and sheds for the herds of +cattle which the Rakshas owned. Every morning the youngest Princess +used to drive out the flocks and herds to pasturage, and return home +with them every night, while the eldest stayed at home, cooked the +dinner and kept the house; and the youngest Princess, who was the +cleverest, would often say to her sister, on going away for the day, +"Take care, if you see any stranger (be it man, woman or child) come +by the house, to hide, if possible, that nobody may know of our living +here; and if anyone should call out and ask for a drink of water, or +any poor beggar pray for food, before you give it to him be sure you +put on ragged clothes and cover your face with charcoal, and make +yourself look as ugly as possible, lest, seeing how fair you are, he +should steal you away, and we never meet again." "Very well," the +other Princess would answer, "I will do as you advise."</p> + +<p>But a long time passed, and no one ever came by that way. At last one +day, after the youngest Princess had gone out, a young Prince, the son +of a neighbouring Rajah, who had been hunting with his attendants for +many days in the jungles, came near the place, for he and his people +were tired with hunting, and had been seeking all through the jungle +for a stream of water, but could find none. When the Prince saw the +fine palace standing by itself, he was very much astonished, and said, +"It is a strange thing that any one should have built such a house as +this in the depths of the forest. Let us go in; the owners will +doubtless give us a drink of water." "No, no, do not go," cried his +attendants; "this is most likely the house of a Rakshas." "We can but +see," answered the Prince. "I should scarcely think anything very +terrible lived here, for there is not a sound stirring nor a living +creature to be seen." So he began tapping at the door, which was +bolted, and crying, "Will whoever owns this house give me and my +people some water to drink, for the sake of kind charity?" But nobody +answered, for the Princess, who heard him, was busy up in her room, +blacking her face with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[316]</a></span> charcoal and covering her rich dress with +rags. Then the Prince got impatient and shook the door angrily, +saying, "Let me in, whoever you are! If you don't, I'll force the door +open." At this the poor little Princess got dreadfully frightened; and +having blacked her face and made herself look as ugly as possible, she +ran downstairs with a pitcher of water, and unbolting the door, gave +the Prince the pitcher to drink from; but she did not speak, for she +was afraid. Now, the Prince was a very clever man, and as he raised +the pitcher to his mouth to drink the water, he thought to himself, +"This is a very strange-looking creature who has brought me this jug +of water. She would be pretty, but that her face seems to want +washing, and her dress also is very untidy. What can that black stuff +be on her face and hands? It looks very unnatural." And so thinking to +himself, instead of drinking the water, he threw it in the Princess's +face! The Princess started back with a little cry, while the water, +trickling down, washed off the charcoal, and showed her delicate +features and beautiful, fair complexion. The Prince caught hold of her +hand, and said, "Now, tell me true, who are you? where do you come +from? Who are your father and mother? and why are you here alone by +yourself in the jungle? Answer me, or I'll cut your head off." And he +made as if he would draw his sword. The Princess was so terrified she +could hardly speak, but as best she could she told how she was the +daughter of a Rajah, and had run away into the jungle because of her +cruel stepmother, and, finding the house, had lived there ever since; +and having finished her story, she began to cry. Then the Prince said +to her, "Pretty lady, forgive me for my roughness; do not fear. I will +take you home with me, and you shall be my wife." But the more he +spoke to her the more frightened she got, so frightened that she did +not understand what he said, and could do nothing but cry. Now she had +said nothing to the Prince about her sister, nor even told him that +she had one, for she thought, "This man says he will kill me; if he +hears that I have a sister, he will kill her, too." So the Prince, who +was really kind-hearted, and would never have thought<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[317]</a></span> of separating +the two little sisters who had been together so long, knew nothing at +all of the matter, and only seeing she was too much alarmed even to +understand gentle words, said to his servants, "Place this lady in one +of the palkees, and let us set off home." And they did so. When the +Princess found herself shut up in the palkee, and being carried she +knew not where, she thought how terrible it would be for her sister to +return home and find her gone, and determined, if possible, to leave +some sign to show her which way she had been taken. Round her neck +were many strings of pearls. She untied them, and tearing her saree +into little bits, tied one pearl in each piece of the saree, that it +might be heavy enough to fall straight to the ground; and so she went +on, dropping one pearl and then another and another and another, all +the way she went along, until they reached the palace where the Rajah +and Ranee, the Prince's father and mother lived. She threw the last +remaining pearl down just as she reached the palace gate. The old +Rajah and Ranee were delighted to see the beautiful Princess their son +had brought home; and when they heard her tale they said, "Ah, poor +thing! what a sad story! but now she has come to live with us, we will +do all we can to make her happy." And they married her to their son +with great pomp and ceremony, and gave her rich dresses and jewels, +and were very kind to her. But the Princess remained sad and unhappy, +for she was always thinking about her sister, and yet she could not +summon courage to beg the Prince or his father to send and fetch her +to the palace.</p> + +<p>Meantime, the younger Princess, who had been out with her flocks and +herds when the Prince took her sister away, had returned home. When +she came back she found the door wide open and no one standing there. +She thought it very odd, for her sister always came every night to the +door to meet her on her return. She went upstairs; her sister was not +there; the whole house was empty and deserted. There she must stay all +alone, for the evening had closed in, and it was impossible to go +outside and seek her with any hope of success. So all the night long +she waited, crying, "Someone has been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[318]</a></span> here, and they have stolen her +away; they have stolen my darling away! Oh, sister! sister!" Next +morning, very early, going out to continue the search, she found one +of the pearls belonging to her sister's necklace tied up in a small +piece of saree; a little farther on lay another, and yet another, all +along the road the Prince had gone. Then the Princess understood that +her sister had left this clue to guide her on her way, and she at once +set off to find her again. Very, very far she went—a six months' +journey through the jungle, for she could not travel fast, the many +days' walking tired her so much—and sometimes it took her two or +three days to find the next piece of saree with the pearl. At last she +came near a large town, to which it was evident her sister had been +taken. Now, this young Princess was very beautiful indeed—as +beautiful as she was wise—and when she got near the town she thought +to herself, "If people see me, they may steal me away, as they did my +sister, and then I shall never find her again. I will therefore +disguise myself." As she was thus thinking she saw by the side of the +road the corpse of a poor old beggar woman, who had evidently died +from want and poverty. The body was shrivelled up, and nothing of it +remained but the skin and bones. The Princess took the skin and washed +it, and drew it on over her own lovely face and neck, as one draws a +glove on one's hand. Then she took a long stick and began hobbling +along, leaning on it, toward the town. The old woman's skin was all +crumpled and withered, and people who passed by only thought, "What an +ugly old woman!" and never dreamed of the false skin and the beautiful +girl inside. So on she went, picking up the pearls—one here, one +there—until she found the last pearl just in front of the palace +gate. Then she felt certain her sister must be somewhere near, but +where she did not know. She longed to go into the palace and ask for +her, but no guards would have let such a wretched-looking old woman +enter, and she did not dare offer them any of the pearls she had with +her, lest they should think she was a thief. So she determined merely +to remain as close to the palace as possible, and wait till fortune +favoured<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[319]</a></span> her with the means of learning something further about her +sister. Just opposite the palace was a small house belonging to a +farmer, and the Princess went up to it and stood by the door. The +farmer's wife saw her and said, "Poor old woman, who are you? What do +you want? Why are you here? Have you no friends?" "Alas, no!" answered +the Princess. "I am a poor old woman, and have neither father nor +mother, son nor daughter, sister nor brother, to take care of me; all +are gone, and I can only beg my bread from door to door."</p> + +<p>"Do not grieve, good mother," answered the farmer's wife, kindly. "You +may sleep in the shelter of our porch, and I will give you some food." +So the Princess stayed there for that night and for many more; and +every day the good farmer's wife gave her food. But all this time she +could learn nothing of her sister.</p> + +<p>Now there was a large tank near the palace, on which grew some fine +lotus plants, covered with rich crimson lotuses—the royal flower—and +of these the Rajah was very fond indeed, and prized them very much. To +this tank (because it was the nearest to the farmer's house) the +Princess used to go every morning, very early, almost before it was +light, at about three o'clock, and take off the old woman's skin and +wash it, and hang it out to dry, and wash her face and hands, and +bathe her feet in the cool water, and comb her beautiful hair. Then +she would gather a lotus flower (such as she had been accustomed to +wear in her hair from a child) and put it on, so as to feel for a few +minutes like herself again! Thus she would amuse herself. Afterward, +as soon as the wind had dried the old woman's skin, she put it on +again, threw away the lotus flower, and hobbled back to the farmer's +door before the sun was up.</p> + +<p>After a time the Rajah discovered that someone had plucked some of his +favourite lotus flowers. People were set to watch, and all the wise +men in the kingdom put their heads together to try to discover the +thief, but without avail. At last, the excitement about this matter +being very great, the Rajah's second son, a brave and noble young +prince (brother to him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[320]</a></span> who had found the eldest Princess in the +forest) said, "I will certainly discover this thief." It chanced that +several fine trees grew around the tank. Into one of these the young +Prince climbed one evening (having made a sort of light thatched roof +across two of the boughs, to keep off the heavy dews), and there he +watched all the night through, but with no more success than his +predecessors. There lay the lotus plants, still in the moonlight, +without so much as a thieving wind coming to break off one of the +flowers. The Prince began to get very sleepy, and thought the +delinquent, whoever he might be, could not intend to return, when, in +the very early morning, before it was light, who should come down to +the tank but an old woman he had often seen near the palace gate? +"Aha!" thought the Prince, "this, then, is the thief; but what can +this queer old woman want with lotus flowers?" Imagine his +astonishment when the old woman sat down on the steps of the tank and +began pulling the skin off her face and arms, and from underneath the +shrivelled yellow skin came the loveliest face he had ever beheld! So +fair, so fresh, so young, so gloriously beautiful, that, appearing +thus suddenly, it dazzled the Prince's eyes like a flash of golden +lightning. "Ah," thought he, "can this be a woman or a spirit? a devil +or an angel in disguise?"</p> + +<p>The Princess twisted up her glossy black hair, and, plucking a red +lotus, placed it in it, and dabbled her feet in the water, and amused +herself by putting round her neck a string of pearls that had been her +sister's necklace. Then, as the sun was rising, she threw away the +lotus, and covering her face and arms again with the withered skin, +went hastily away. When the Prince got home, the first thing he said +to his parents was, "Father! mother! I should like to marry that old +woman who stands all day at the farmer's gate, just opposite!" "What!" +they cried, "the boy is mad! Marry that skinny old thing! You +cannot—you are a King's son. Are there not enough Queens and +Princesses in the world, that you should wish to marry a wretched old +beggar-woman?" But he answered, "Above all things I should like to +marry that old woman.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[321]</a></span> You know that I have ever been a dutiful and +obedient son. In this matter, I pray you, grant me my desire." Then, +seeing he was really in earnest about the matter, and that nothing +they could say would alter his mind, they listened to his urgent +entreaties—not, however, without much grief and vexation—and sent +out the guards, to fetch the old woman (who was really the Princess in +disguise) to the palace, where she was to be married to the Prince as +privately and with as little ceremony as possible, for the family was +ashamed of the match.</p> + +<p>As soon as the wedding was over, the Prince said to his wife, "Gentle +wife, tell me how much longer you intend to wear that old skin? You +had better take it off; do be so kind." The Princess wondered how he +knew of her disguise, or whether it was only a guess of his; and she +thought, "If I take this ugly skin off, my husband will think me +pretty, and shut me up in the palace and never let me go away, so that +I shall not be able to find my sister again. No, I had better not take +it off." So she answered, "I don't know what you mean. I am as all +these years have made me; nobody can change his skin." Then the Prince +pretended to be very angry, and said, "Take off that hideous disguise +this instant, or I'll kill you." But she only bowed her head, saying, +"Kill me then, but nobody can change his skin." And all this she +mumbled as if she were a very old woman indeed, and had lost all her +teeth and could not speak plain. At this the Prince laughed very much +to himself, and thought, "I'll wait and see how long this freak +lasts." But the Princess continued to keep on the old woman's skin; +only every morning, at about three o'clock, before it was light, she +would get up and wash it and put it on again. Then, some time +afterward, the Prince, having found this out, got up softly one +morning early, and followed her to the next room, where she had washed +the skin and placed it on the floor to dry, and stealing it, he ran +away with it and threw it on the fire. So the Princess, having no old +woman's skin to put on, was obliged to appear in her own likeness. As +she walked forth, very sad at missing her disguise, her husband ran to +meet her, smiling and saying, "How<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[322]</a></span> do you do, my dear? Where is your +skin now? Can't you take it off, dear?" Soon the whole palace had +heard the joyful news of the beautiful young wife that the Prince had +won; and all the people, when they saw her, cried, "Why, she is +exactly like the beautiful Princess our young Rajah married, the +jungle lady." The old Rajah and Ranee were prouder than all of their +daughter-in-law, and took her to introduce her to their eldest son's +wife Then no sooner did the Princess enter her sister-in-law's room +then she saw that in her she had found her lost sister, and they ran +into each other's arms. Great then, was the joy of all, but the +happiest of all these happy people were the two Princesses.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[323]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Billy_Beg_and_the_Bull" id="Billy_Beg_and_the_Bull"></a><i>Billy Beg and the Bull</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_04.jpg" alt="O" width="40" height="50" /></div> +<p>nce upon a time when pigs were swine, there was a King and Queen, and +they had one son, Billy, and the Queen gave Billy a bull that he was +very fond of, and it was just as fond of him. After some time the +Queen died, and she put it as her last request on the King that he +would never part Billy and the bull, and the King promised that come +what might, come what may, he would not. After the Queen died the King +married again, and the new Queen didn't take to Billy Beg, and no more +did she like the bull, seeing himself and Billy so <i>thick</i>. But she +couldn't get the King on no account to part Billy and the Bull, so she +consulted with a hen-wife what they could do as regards separating +Billy and the bull. "What will you give me," says the hen-wife, "and +I'll very soon part them?" "Whatever you ask," says the Queen. "Well +and good then," says the hen-wife; "you are to take to your bed, +making pretend that you are bad with a complaint, and I'll do the rest +of it." And, well and good, to her bed she took, and none of the +doctors could do anything for her, or make out what was her complaint. +So the Queen asked for the hen-wife to be sent for. And sent for she +was, and when she came in and examined the Queen, she said there was +one thing, and only one, could cure her. The King asked what was that, +and the hen-wife said it was three mouthfuls of the blood of Billy +Beg's bull. But the King wouldn't on no account hear of this, and the +next day the Queen was worse, and the third day she was worse still, +and told the King she was dying, and he'd have her death on his head. +So, sooner nor this, the King had to consent to Billy Beg's bull being +killed. When Billy heard this he got very down in the heart entirely, +and he went doitherin' about, and the bull saw him, and asked him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[324]</a></span> +what was wrong with him that he was so mournful; so Billy told the +bull what was wrong with him, and the bull told him to never mind, but +keep up his heart, the Queen would never taste a drop of his blood. +The next day, then, the bull was to be killed, and the Queen got up +and went out to have the delight of seeing his death. When the bull +was led up to be killed, says he to Billy, "Jump up on my back till we +see what kind of a horseman you are." Up Billy jumped on his back, and +with that the bull leapt nine mile high, nine mile deep, and nine mile +broad, and came down with Billy sticking between his horns. Hundreds +were looking on dazed at the sight, and through them the bull rushed, +and over the top of the Queen, killing her dead, and away he galloped +where you wouldn't know day by night, or night by day, over high +hills, low hills, sheep-walks, and bullock-traces, the Cove of Cork, +and old Tom Fox with his bugle horn. When at last they stopped, "Now +then," says the bull to Billy, "you and I must undergo great scenery, +Billy. Put your hand," says the bull, "in my left ear, and you'll get +a napkin, that, when you spread it out, will be covered with eating +and drinking of all sorts, fit for the King himself." Billy did this, +and then he spread out the napkin, and ate and drank to his heart's +content, and he rolled up the napkin and put it back in the bull's ear +again. "Then," says the bull, "now put your hand into my right ear and +you'll find a bit of a stick; if you wind it over your head three +times, it will be turned into a sword and give you the strength of a +thousand men besides your own, and when you have no more need of it as +a sword, it will change back into a stick again." Billy did all this. +Then says the bull, "At twelve o'clock the morrow I'll have to meet +and fight a great bull." Billy then got up again on the bull's back, +and the bull started off and away where you wouldn't know day by +night, or night by day, over low hills, high hills, sheep-walks, and +bullock-traces, the Cove of Cork, and old Tom Fox with his bugle horn. +There he met the other bull, and both of them fought, and the like of +their fight was never seen before or since. They knocked the soft +ground into hard,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[325]</a></span> and the hard into soft; the soft into spring wells, +the spring wells into rocks, and the rocks into high hills. They +fought long, and Billy Beg's bull killed the other, and drank his +blood. Then Billy took the napkin out of his ear again and spread it +out and ate a hearty good dinner. Then says the bull to Billy, says +he, "At twelve o'clock to-morrow, I'm to meet the bull's brother that +I killed the day, and we'll have a hard fight." Billy got on the +bull's back again, and the bull started off and away where you +wouldn't know day by night, or night by day, over high hills, low +hills, sheep-walks and bulloch-traces, the Cove of Cork, and old Tom +Fox with his bugle horn. There he met the bull's brother that he +killed the day before, and they set to, and they fought, and the like +of the fight was never seen before or since. They knocked the soft +ground into hard, the hard into soft, the soft into spring wells, the +spring wells into rocks, and the rocks into high hills. They fought +long, and at last Billy's bull killed the other and drank his blood. +And then Billy took out the napkin out of the bull's ear again and +spread it out and ate another hearty dinner. Then says the bull to +Billy, says he, "The morrow at twelve o'clock I'm to fight the brother +to the two bulls I killed—he's a mighty great bull entirely, the +strongest of them all; he's called the Black Bull of the Forest, and +he'll be too able for me. When I'm dead!" says the bull, "you, Billy, +will take with you the napkin, and you'll never be hungry; and the +stick, and you'll be able to overcome everything that comes in your +way; and take out your knife and cut a strip of the hide off my back +and another strip off my belly, and make a belt of them, and as long +as you wear them you cannot be killed." Billy was very sorry to hear +this, but he got up on the bull's back again, and they started off and +away where you wouldn't know day by night or night by day, over high +hills, low hills, sheep-walks, and bulloch-traces, the Cove of Cork, +and Old Tom Fox with his bugle horn. And sure enough at twelve o'clock +the next day they met the great Black Bull of the Forest and both of +the bulls to it, and commenced to fight, and the like of the fight was +never seen before or since; they knocked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[326]</a></span> the soft ground into hard +ground, and the hard ground into soft; and the soft into spring wells, +the spring wells into rocks, and the rocks into high hills. And they +fought long, but at length the Black Bull of the Forest killed Billy +Beg's bull and drank his blood. Billy Beg was so vexed at this that +for two days he sat over the bull neither eating nor drinking, but +crying salt tears all the time. Then he got up, and he spread out the +napkin, and ate a hearty dinner, for he was very hungry with his long +fast; and after that he cut a strip of the hide off the bull's back +and another off the belly, and made a belt for himself, and taking it +and the bit of stick, and the napkin, he set out to push his fortune, +and he travelled for three days and three nights till at last he came +to a great gentleman's place, Billy asked the gentleman if he could +give him employment, and the gentleman said he wanted just such a boy +as him for herding cattle. Billy asked what cattle would he have to +herd, and what wages would he get. The gentleman said he had three +goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses that he fed in an +orchard, but that no boy who went with them ever came back alive, for +there were three giants, brothers, that came to milk the cows and the +goats every day, and killed the boy that was herding; so if Billy +liked to try, they wouldn't fix the wages till they'd see if he would +come back alive.</p> + +<p>"Agreed, then," said Billy. So the next morning he got up and drove +out the three goats, the three cows, the three horses, and the three +asses to the orchard and commenced to feed them. About the middle of +the day Billy heard three terrible roars that shook the apples off the +bushes, shook the horns on the cows, and made the hair stand up on +Billy's head, and in comes a frightful big giant with three heads, and +begun to threaten Bill. "You're too big," says the giant, "for one +bite, and too small for two. What will I do with you?" "I'll fight +you," says Billy, says he, stepping out to him and swinging the bit of +stick three times over his head, when it changed into a sword and gave +him the strength of a thousand men besides his own. The giant laughed +at the size of him, and says he, "Well, how will I kill you? Will it +be by a swing by the back, a cut<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[327]</a></span> of the sword, or a square round of +boxing?" "With a swing by the back," says Billy, "if you can." So they +both laid holds, and Billy lifted the giant clean off the ground, and +fetching him down again sunk him in the earth up to his arm-pits. "Oh, +have mercy!" says the giant. But Billy, taking his sword, killed the +giant, and cut out his tongues. It was evening by this time, so Billy +drove home the three goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses, +and all the vessels in the house wasn't able to hold all the milk the +cows give that night.</p> + +<p>"Well," says the gentleman, "this beats me, for I never saw any one +coming back alive out of there before, nor the cows with a drop of +milk. Did you see anything in the orchard?" says he. "Nothing worse +nor myself," says Billy. "What about my wages, now?" says Billy. +"Well," says the gentleman, "you'll hardly come alive out of the +orchard the morrow. So we'll wait till after that." Next morning his +master told Billy that something must have happened to one of the +giants, for he used to hear cries of three every night, but last night +he only heard two crying. "I don't know," said Billy, "anything about +them." That morning after he got his breakfast Billy drove the three +goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses into the orchard +again, and began to feed them. About twelve o'clock he heard three +terrible roars that shook the apples off the bushes, the horns off the +cows, and made the hair stand up on Billy's head, and in comes a +frightful big giant, with six heads, and he told Billy he had killed +his brother yesterday, but he would make him pay for it the day. +"Ye're too big," says he, "for one bite, and too small for two, and +what will I do with you?" "I'll fight you," says Billy, swinging his +stick three times over his head, and turning it into a sword, and +giving him the strength of a thousand men besides his own. The giant +laughed at him, and says he, "How will I kill you—with a swing by the +back, a cut of the sword, or a square round of boxing?" "With a swing +by the back," says Billy, "if you can." So the both of them laid +holds, and Billy lifted the giant clean off the ground, and fetching +him down<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[328]</a></span> again, sunk him in it up to the arm-pits. "Oh, spare my +life!" says the giant. But Billy taking up his sword, killed him and +cut out his tongues. It was evening by this time, and Billy drove home +his three goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses, and what +milk the cows gave that night overflowed all the vessels in the house, +and, running out, turned a rusty mill that hadn't been turned before +for thirty years. If the master was surprised seeing Billy coming back +the night before, he was ten times more surprised now.</p> + +<p>"Did you see anything in the orchard the day?" says the gentleman. +"Nothing worse nor myself," says Billy. "What about my wages now?" +says Billy. "Well, never mind about your wages," says the gentleman, +"till the morrow, for I think you'll hardly come back alive again," +says he. Well and good, Billy went to his bed, and the gentleman went +to his bed, and when the gentleman rose in the morning, says he to +Billy "I don't know what's wrong with two of the giants; I only heard +one crying last night." "I don't know," says Billy, "they must be sick +or something." Well, when Billy got his breakfast that day, again he +set out to the orchard, driving before him the three goats, three +cows, three horses, and three asses, and sure enough about the middle +of the day he hears three terrible roars again, and in comes another +giant, this one with twelve heads on him, and if the other two were +frightful, surely this one was ten times more so. "You villain, you," +says he to Billy, "you killed my two brothers, and I'll have my +revenge on you now. Prepare till I kill you," says he; "you're too big +for one bite, and too small for two; what will I do with you?" "I'll +fight you," says Billy, shaping out and winding the bit of stick three +times over his head. The giant laughed heartily at the size of him, +and says he, "What way do you prefer being killed? Is it with a swing +by the back, a cut of the sword, or a square round of boxing?" "A +swing by the back," says Billy. So both of them again laid holds, and +my brave Billy lifts the giant clean off the ground, and fetching him +down again, sunk him down to his arm-pits in it. "Oh, have mercy! +Spare my life!" says the giant. But<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[329]</a></span> Billy took his sword, and, +killing him, cut out his tongues. That evening he drove home his three +goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses, and the milk of the +cows had to be turned into a valley where it made a lough three miles +long, three miles broad, and three miles deep, and that lough has been +filled with salmon and white trout ever since. The gentleman wondered +now more than ever to see Billy back the third day alive. "Did you see +nothing in the orchard the day, Billy?" says he. "No, nothing worse +nor myself," says Billy. "Well, that beats me," says the gentleman. +"What about my wages now?" says Billy. "Well, you're a good, mindful +boy, that I couldn't easy do without," says the gentleman, "and I'll +give you any wages you ask for the future." The next morning, says the +gentleman to Billy, "I heard none of the giants crying last night, +however it comes." "I don't know," says Billy, "they must be sick or +something." "Now, Billy," says the gentleman, "you must look after the +cattle the day again, while I go to see the fight." "What fight?" says +Billy. "Why," says the gentleman, "it's the king's daughter is going +to be devoured by a fiery dragon, if the greatest fighter in the land, +that they have been feeding specially for the last three months, isn't +able to kill the dragon first. And if he's able to kill the dragon the +king is to give him the daughter in marriage." "That will be fine!" +says Billy. Billy drove out his three goats, three cows, three horses, +and three asses to the orchard that day again, and the like of all +that passed that day to see the fight with the man and the fiery +dragon, Billy never witnessed before. They went in coaches and +carriages, on horses and jackasses, riding and walking, crawling and +creeping. "My tight little fellow," says a man that was passing to +Billy, "why don't you come to see the great fight?" "What would take +the likes of me there?" says Billy. But when Billy found them all gone +he saddled and bridled the best black horse his master had, and put on +the best suit of clothes he could get in his master's house, and rode +off to the fight after the rest. When Billy went there he saw the +king's daughter, with the whole court about her, on a platform<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[330]</a></span> before +the castle, and he thought he never saw anything half as beautiful, +and the great warrior that was to fight the dragon was walking up and +down on the lawn before her, with three men carrying his sword, and +every one in the whole country gathered there looking at him. But when +the fiery dragon came up with twelve heads on him, and every mouth of +him spitting fire, and let twelve roars out of him, the warrior ran +away and hid himself up to the neck in a well of water, and all they +could do they couldn't get him to come and face the dragon. Then the +king's daughter asked if there was no one there to save her from the +dragon, and get her in marriage. But no one stirred. When Billy saw +this, he tied the belt of the bull's hide round him, swung his stick +over his head, and went in, and after a terrible fight, entirely +killed the dragon. Everyone then gathered about to find who the +stranger was. Billy jumped on his horse and darted away sooner than +let them know; but just as he was getting away the king's daughter +pulled the shoe off his foot. When the dragon was killed the warrior +that had hid in the well of water came out, and cutting off the heads +of the dragon he brought them to the king, and said that it was he who +killed the dragon, in disguise; and he claimed the king's daughter. +But she tried the shoe on him and found it didn't fit him; so she said +it wasn't him, and that she would marry no one only the man the shoe +fitted. When Billy got home he changed his clothes again, and had the +horse in the stable, and the cattle all in before his master came. +When the master came, he began telling Billy about the wonderful day +they had entirely, and about the warrior hiding in the well of water, +and about the grand stranger that came down out of the sky in a cloud +on a black horse, and killed the fiery dragon, and then vanished in a +cloud again. "And now," says he, "Billy, wasn't that wonderful?" "It +was, indeed," says Billy, "very wonderful entirely." After that it was +given out over the country that all the people were to come to the +king's castle on a certain day, till the king's daughter would try the +shoe on them, and whoever it fitted she was to marry them. When the +day arrived Billy was in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[331]</a></span> the orchard with the three goats, three +cows, three horses, and three asses, as usual, and the like of all the +crowds that passed that day going to the king's castle to get the shoe +tried on, he never saw before. They went in coaches and carriages, on +horses and jackasses, riding and walking, and crawling and creeping. +They all asked Billy was not he going to the king's castle, but Billy +said, "Arrah, what would be bringin' the likes of me there?" At last +when all the others had gone there passed an old man with a very +scarecrow suit of rags on him, and Billy stopped him and asked him +what boot would he take and swap clothes with him. "Just take care of +yourself, now," says the old man, "and don't be playing off your jokes +on my clothes, or maybe I'd make you feel the weight of this stick." +But Billy soon let him see it was in earnest he was, and both of them +swapped suits, Billy giving the old man boot. Then off to the castle +started Billy, with the suit of rags on his back and an old stick in +his hand, and when he come there he found all in great commotion, +trying on the shoe, and some of them cutting down their foot, trying +to get it to fit. But it was all of no use, the shoe could be got to +fit none of them at all, and the king's daughter was going to give up +in despair when the wee, ragged-looking boy, which was Billy, elbowed +his way through them, and says he, "Let me try it on; maybe it would +fit me." But the people when they saw him, all began to laugh at the +sight of him, and "Go along out of that, you example, you," says they, +shoving and pushing him back. But the king's daughter saw him, and +called on them by all manner of means to let him come up and try on +the shoe. So Billy went up, and all the people looked on, breaking +their hearts laughing at the conceit of it. But what would you have of +it, but to the dumfounding of them all, the shoe fitted Billy as nice +as if it was made on his foot for a last. So the king's daughter +claimed Billy as her husband. He then confessed that it was he that +killed the fiery dragon; and when the king had him dressed up in a +silk and satin suit, with plenty of gold and silver ornaments, +everyone gave in that his like they never saw afore. He was then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[332]</a></span> +married to the king's daughter, and the wedding lasted nine days, nine +hours, nine minutes, nine half minutes, and nine quarter minutes, and +they lived happy and well from that day to this. I got brogues of +<i>brochan</i><a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> and breeches of glass, a bit of pie for telling a lie, +and then I came slithering home.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> Porridge.</p></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[333]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="The_Princes_Fire-flash_and_Fire-fade" id="The_Princes_Fire-flash_and_Fire-fade"></a>The Princes Fire-flash and Fire-fade</h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_16.jpg" alt="H" width="67" height="50" /></div> +<p>is Highness Fire-flash was a Prince who was fond of fishing; and so +great was his luck, that big fishes, and little fishes, and all kinds +of fishes came to his line. His younger brother, Prince Fire-fade, was +fond of hunting, and all his luck was on the hills, and in the woods, +where he caught birds and beasts of every kind.</p> + +<p>One day Prince Fire-fade said to his elder brother, Prince Fire-flash: +"Let us change. You go and hunt instead of me, and I will try my luck +at fishing, if you will lend me your line and hook." Prince Fire-flash +did not care much to change, and at first said "No"; but his brother +kept on teasing him about it, until at last he said, "Very well, then; +let us change."</p> + +<p>Then Prince Fire-fade tried his luck at fishing, but not a single fish +did he catch; and, what was worse, he lost his brother's fish-hook in +the sea.</p> + +<p>Prince Fire-flash asked him for the hook, saying: "Hunting is one +thing, and fishing is another. Let us both go back to our own ways."</p> + +<p>Then said Prince Fire-fade: "I did not catch a single fish with your +hook, and at last I lost it in the sea."</p> + +<p>But Prince Fire-flash said: "I must and shall have my fish-hook." So +the younger brother broke his long sword, that was girded on him, and, +of the pieces, made five hundred fish-hooks, and begged Prince +Fire-flash to take them, but he would not. Then Prince Fire-fade made +a thousand fish-hooks and said: "Please take them instead of the one +which I lost." But the elder brother said: "No, I must have my own +hook, and I will not take any other."</p> + +<p>Then Prince Fire-fade was very sorry, and sat down by the sea-shore, +crying bitterly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[334]</a></span></p> + +<p>By and by the Wise Old Man of the Sea came to him and asked: "Why are +you crying so bitterly, Prince Fire-fade?" Fire-fade told him all the +story of the lost fish-hook, and how that his brother was angry, still +saying that he must have that very same hook and no other. Then the +Wise Old Man of the Sea built a stout little boat, and made Prince +Fire-fade sit in it. Having pushed it a little from the land, he said: +"Now go on for some time in the boat; it will be very pleasant, for +the sea is calm. Soon you will come to a palace built like fishes' +scales; this is the palace of the Sea-king. When you reach the gate, +you will see a fine cassia-tree growing above the well by the side of +the gate. If you will sit on the top of that tree, the Sea-king's +daughter will see you, and tell you what to do."</p> + +<p>So Prince Fire-fade did as he was told, and everything came to pass +just as the Wise Old Man of the Sea had told him. As soon as he was +come to the Sea-king's palace, he made haste, and climbed up into the +cassia-tree, and sat there. Then came the maidens of the Princess +Pearl, the Sea-king's daughter, carrying golden water-pots. They were +just going to draw water, when they saw a flood of light upon the +well. They looked up, and there in the cassia-tree was a beautiful +young man. Prince Fire-fade saw the maidens, and asked for some water. +The maidens drew some, and put it in a golden cup, and gave him to +drink. Without tasting the water, the Prince took the jewel that hung +at his neck, put it between his lips, and let it drop into the golden +cup. It stuck to the cup, so that the maidens could not take it off; +so they brought the cup, with the jewel on it, to the Princess Pearl.</p> + +<p>When she saw the jewel, the Princess asked her maidens: "Is there +anyone inside the gate?" So the maidens answered: "There is someone +sitting on the top of the cassia-tree, above our well. It is a +beautiful young man—more beautiful even than our King. He asked for +water, and we gave him some; but, without drinking it, he dropped this +jewel from his lips into the cup, and we have brought it to you." Then +Princess Pearl, thinking this very strange, went out to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[335]</a></span> look. She was +delighted at the sight, but not giving the Prince time to take more +than one little peep at her, she ran to tell her father, saying: +"Father, there is a beautiful person at our gate."</p> + +<p>Then the Sea-king himself went out to look. When he saw the young man +on the top of the tree, he knew that it must be Prince Fire-fade. He +made him come down, and led him into the palace, where he seated him +upon a throne made of sea-asses' skins, and silk rugs, eight layers of +each. Then a great feast was spread, and every one was so kind to +Prince Fire-fade, that the end of it was, he married Princess Pearl, +and lived in that land for three years.</p> + +<p>Now, one night, when the three years had almost passed, Prince +Fire-fade thought of his home, and what had happened there, and heaved +one deep sigh.</p> + +<p>Princess Pearl was grieved, and told her father, saying: "We have been +so happy these three years, and he never sighed before, but, last +night, he heaved one deep sigh. What can the meaning of it be?" So the +Sea-king asked the Prince to tell him what ailed him, and also what +had been the reason of his coming to that land. Then Prince Fire-fade +told the Sea-king all the story of the lost fish-hook, and how his +elder brother had behaved.</p> + +<p>The Sea-king at once called together all the fishes of the sea, great +and small, and asked: "Has any fish taken this fish-hook?" So all the +fishes said: "The <i>tai</i><a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> has been complaining of something sticking +in his throat, and hurting him when he eats, so perhaps he has taken +the hook."</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> A kind of fish.</p></div> + +<p>So they made the <i>tai</i> open his mouth, and looked in his throat, and +there, sure enough, was the fish-hook. Then the hook was washed and +given to Prince Fire-fade. The Sea-king also gave him two jewels. One +was called the tide-flowing jewel, and the other was called the +tide-ebbing jewel. And he said then to the Prince: "Go home now to +your own land, and take back the fish-hook to your brother. In this +way you shall plague him. If he plant rice-fields in the upland, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[336]</a></span>make +you your rice-fields in the valley; and if he make rice-fields in the +valley, do you make your rice-fields in the upland. I will rule the +water so that it may do good to you, but harm to him. If Prince +Fire-flash should be angry with you for this, and try to kill you, +then put out the tide-flowing jewel, and the tide will come up to +drown him. But if he is sorry, and asks pardon, then put out the +tide-ebbing jewel, and the tide will go back, and let him live."</p> + +<p>Then the Sea-king called all the crocodiles, and said: "His Highness +Prince Fire-fade is going to the upper world; which of you will take +him there quickly, and bring me back word?" And one crocodile a fathom +long, answered: "I will take him to the upper world, and come back in +a day."</p> + +<p>"Do so, then," said the Sea-king, "and be sure that you do not +frighten him as you are crossing the middle of the sea." He then +seated the Prince upon the crocodile's head, and saw him off.</p> + +<p>The crocodile brought him safe home, in one day, as he had promised. +When the crocodile was going to start back again, Prince Fire-fade +untied the dirk from his own belt, and setting it on the creature's +neck, sent him away.</p> + +<p>Then Prince Fire-fade gave the fish-hook to his elder brother; and, in +all things, did as the Sea-king had told him to do. So from that time, +Prince Fire-flash became poor, and came with great fury to kill his +brother. But, just in time, Prince Fire-fade put forth the +tide-flowing jewel to drown him. When he found himself in such danger, +Prince Fire-flash said he was sorry. So his brother put forth the +tide-ebbing jewel to save him.</p> + +<p>When he had been plagued in this way for a long time, he bowed his +head, saying: "From this time forth, I submit to you, my younger +brother. I will be your guard by day and by night, and in all things +serve you." His struggles in the water, when he thought he was +drowning, are shown at the Emperor's Court even to this very day.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[337]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Panch-Phul_Ranee" id="Panch-Phul_Ranee"></a><i>Panch-Phul Ranee</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_05.jpg" alt="A" width="52" height="50" /></div> +<p> certain Rajah had two wives, of whom he preferred the second to the +first; the first Ranee had a son, but because he was not the child of +the second Ranee, his father took a great dislike to him, and treated +him so harshly that the poor boy was very unhappy.</p> + +<p>One day, therefore, he said to his mother: "Mother, my father does not +care for me, and my presence is only a vexation to him. I should be +happier anywhere than here; let me therefore go and seek my fortune in +other lands."</p> + +<p>So the Ranee asked her husband if he would allow their son to travel. +He said, "The boy is free to go, but I don't see how he is to live in +any other part of the world, for he is too stupid to earn his living, +and I will give him no money to squander on senseless pleasures." Then +the Ranee told her son that he had his father's permission to travel, +and said to him, "You are going out into the world now to try your +luck; take with you the food and clothes I have provided for your +journey." And she gave him a bundle of clothes and several small +loaves, and in each loaf she placed a gold mohur, that on opening it, +he might find money as well as food inside; and he started on his +journey.</p> + +<p>When the young Rajah had travelled a long way, and left his father's +kingdom far behind, he one day came upon the outskirts of a great +city, where, instead of taking the position due to his rank, and +sending to inform the Rajah of his arrival, he went to a poor +Carpenter's house, and begged of him a lodging for the night. The +Carpenter was busy making wooden clogs in the porch of his house, but +he looked up and nodded, saying, "Young man, you are welcome to any +assistance a stranger may need and we can give. If you are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[338]</a></span> in want of +food, you will find my wife and daughter in the house; they will be +happy to cook for you." The Rajah went inside and said to the +Carpenter's daughter, "I am a stranger and have travelled a long way; +I am both tired and hungry; cook me some dinner as fast as you can, +and I will pay you for your trouble." She answered, "I would willingly +cook you some dinner at once, but I have no wood to light the fire, +and the jungle is some way off." "It matters not," said the Rajah; +"this will do to light the fire, and I'll make the loss good to your +father"; and taking a pair of new clogs which the Carpenter had just +finished making, he broke them up and lighted the fire with them.</p> + +<p>Next morning, he went into the jungle, cut wood, and, having made a +pair of new clogs—better than those with which he had lighted the +fire the evening before—placed them with the rest of the goods for +sale in the Carpenter's shop. Shortly afterward, one of the servants +of the Rajah of that country came to buy a pair of clogs for his +master, and seeing these new ones, said to the Carpenter, "Why, man, +these clogs are better than all the rest put together. I will take +none other to the Rajah. I wish you would always make such clogs as +these." And throwing down ten gold mohurs on the floor of the hut, he +took up the clogs and went away.</p> + +<p>The Carpenter was much surprised at the whole business. In the first +place, he usually received only two or three rupees for each pair of +clogs; and in the second, he knew that these which the Rajah's servant +had judged worth ten gold mohurs had not been made by him; and how +they had come there he could not think, for he felt certain they were +not with the rest of the clogs the night before. He thought and +thought, but the more he thought about the matter the more puzzled he +got, and he went to talk about it to his wife and daughter. Then his +daughter said, "Oh, those must have been the clogs the stranger made!" +And she told her father how he had lighted the fire the night before +with two of the clogs which were for sale, and had afterward fetched +wood from the jungle and made another pair to replace them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[339]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Carpenter, at this news, was more astonished than ever, and he +thought to himself, "Since this stranger seems a quiet, peaceable sort +of man, and can make clogs so well, it is a great pity he should leave +this place; he would make a good husband for my daughter"; and, +catching hold of the young Rajah, he propounded his scheme to him. +(But all this time he had no idea that his guest was a Rajah.)</p> + +<p>Now the Carpenter's daughter was a very pretty girl—as pretty as any +Ranee you ever saw; she was also good-tempered, clever, and could cook +extremely well. So when the Carpenter asked the Rajah to be his +son-in-law, he looked at the father, the mother, and the girl, and +thinking to himself that many a better man had a worse fate, he said, +"Yes, I will marry your daughter, and stay here and make clogs." So +the Rajah married the Carpenter's daughter.</p> + +<p>This Rajah was very clever at making all sorts of things in wood. When +he had made all the clogs he wished to sell next day, he would amuse +himself in making toys; and in this way he made a thousand wooden +parrots. They were as like real parrots as possible. They had each two +wings, two legs, two eyes, and a sharp beak. And when the Rajah had +finished them all, he painted and varnished them and put them, one +afternoon, outside the house to dry.</p> + +<p>Night came on, and with it came Parbuttee and Mahdeo, flying round the +world to see the different races of men. Among the many places they +visited was the city where the Carpenter lived; and in the garden in +front of the house they saw the thousand wooden parrots which the +Rajah had made and painted and varnished, all placed out to dry. Then +Parbuttee turned to Mahdeo, and said, "These parrots are very well +made—they need nothing but life. Why should not we give them life?" +Mahdeo answered, "What would be the use of that? It would be a strange +freak, indeed!" "Oh," said Parbuttee, "I only meant you to do it as an +amusement. It would be so funny to see the wooden parrots flying +about! But do not do it if you don't like." "You would like it, +then?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[340]</a></span> answered Mahdeo. "Very well, I will do it." And he endowed the +thousand parrots with life.</p> + +<p>Parbuttee and Mahdeo then flew away.</p> + +<p>Next morning the Rajah got up early to see if the varnish he had put +on the wooden parrots was dry; but no sooner did he open the door +than—marvel of marvels!—the thousand wooden parrots all came walking +into the house, flapping their wings and chatting to each other.</p> + +<p>Hearing the noise, the Carpenter and the Carpenter's wife and daughter +came running out to see what was the matter, and were not less +astonished than the Rajah himself at the miracle which had taken +place. Then the Carpenter's wife turned to her son-in-law, and said, +"It is all very well that you should have made these wooden parrots; +but I don't know where we are to find food for them! Great, strong +parrots like these will eat not less than a pound of rice apiece every +day. Your father-in-law and I cannot afford to procure as much as that +for them in this poor house. If you wish to keep them, you must live +elsewhere, for we cannot provide for you all."</p> + +<p>"Very well," said the Rajah; "you shall not have cause to accuse me of +ruining you, for from henceforth I will have a house of my own." So he +and his wife went to live in a house of their own, and he took the +thousand parrots with him, and his mother-in-law gave her daughter +some corn and rice and money to begin housekeeping with. Moreover, he +found that the parrots, instead of being an expense, were the means of +increasing his fortune; for they flew away every morning early to get +food, and spent the whole day out in the fields; and every evening, +when they returned home, each parrot brought in his beak a stalk of +corn or rice, or whatever it had found good to eat. Their master +therefore was regularly supplied with more food than enough; and what +with selling what he did not require, and working at his trade, he +soon became quite a rich carpenter.</p> + +<p>After he had been living in this way very happily for some time, one +night, when he fell asleep, the Rajah dreamed a wonderful dream, and +this was the dream:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[341]</a></span></p> + +<p>He thought that very, very far away beyond the Red Sea was a beautiful +kingdom surrounded by seven other seas; and that it belonged to a +Rajah and Ranee who had one lovely daughter, named Panch-Phul Ranee +(the Five Flower Queen), after whom the whole kingdom was called +Panch-Phul Ranee's country; and that this Princess lived in the centre +of her father's kingdom, in a little house round which were seven wide +ditches, and seven great hedges made of spears; and that she was +called Panch-Phul Ranee because she was so light and delicate that she +weighed no more than five white lotus flowers! Moreover, he dreamed +that this Princess had vowed to marry no one who would not cross the +seven seas, and jump the seven ditches and seven hedges made of +spears.</p> + +<p>After dreaming this the young Rajah awoke, and feeling much puzzled, +got up, and sitting with his head in his hands, tried to think the +matter over and discover if he had ever heard anything like his dream +before; but he could make nothing of it.</p> + +<p>While he was thus thinking, his wife awoke and asked him what was the +matter. He told her, and she said, "That is a strange dream. If I were +you, I'd ask the old parrot about it; he is a wise bird, and perhaps +he knows." This parrot of which she spoke was the most wise of all the +thousand wooden parrots. The Rajah took his wife's advice, and when +all the birds came home that evening, he called the old parrot and +told him his dream, saying, "Can this be true?" To which the parrot +replied, "It is all true. The Panch-Phul Ranee's country lies beyond +the Red Sea, and is surrounded by seven seas, and she dwells in a +house built in the centre of her father's kingdom. Round her house are +seven ditches, and seven hedges made of spears, and she has vowed not +to marry any man who cannot jump these seven ditches and seven hedges; +and because she is very beautiful many great and noble men have tried +to do this, but in vain.</p> + +<p>"The Rajah and Ranee, her father and mother, are very fond of her and +proud of her. Every day she goes to the palace to see them, and they +weigh her in a pair of scales. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[342]</a></span> put her in one scale and five +lotus flowers in the other, and she's so delicate and fragile she +weighs no heavier than the five little flowers, so they call her the +Panch-Phul Ranee. Her father and mother are very proud of this."</p> + +<p>"I should like to go to that country and see the Panch-Phul Ranee," +said the Rajah; "but I don't know how I could cross the seven seas." +"I will show you how to manage that," replied the old parrot. "I and +another parrot will fly close together, I crossing my left over his +right wing; so that we will move along as if we were one bird (using +only our outside wings to fly with), and on the chair made of our +interlaced wings you shall sit, and we will carry you safely across +the seven seas. On the way we will every evening alight in some high +tree and rest, and every morning we can go on again." "That sounds a +good plan; I have a great desire to try it," said the Rajah. "Wife, +what should you think of my going to the Panch-Phul Ranee's country, +and seeing if I can jump the seven ditches, and seven hedges made of +spears. Will you let me try?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," she answered. "If you like to go and marry her, go; only take +care that you do not kill yourself; and mind you come back some day." +And she prepared food for him to take with him, and took off her gold +and silver bangles, which she placed in a bundle of warm things, that +he might be in need neither of money nor clothes on the journey. He +then charged the nine hundred and ninety-eight parrots he left behind +him to bring her plenty of corn and rice daily (that she might never +need food while he was away), and took her to the house of her father, +in whose care she was to remain during his absence; and he wished her +good-bye, saying, "Do not fear but that I will come back to you, even +if I do win the Panch-Phul Ranee, for you will always be my first +wife, though you are the Carpenter's daughter."</p> + +<p>The old parrot and another parrot then spread their wings, on which +the Rajah seated himself as on a chair, and rising up in the air, they +flew away with him out of sight.</p> + +<p>Far, far, far they flew, as fast as parrots can fly, over hills, over +forests, over rivers, over valleys, on, on, on, hour after<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[343]</a></span> hour, day +after day, week after week, only staying to rest every night when it +got too dark to see where they were going. At last they reached the +seven seas which surrounded the Panch-Phul Ranee's country. When once +they began crossing the seas they could not rest (for there was +neither rock nor island on which to alight), so they were obliged to +fly straight across them, night and day, until they gained the shore.</p> + +<p>By reason of this the parrots were too exhausted on their arrival to +go as far as the city where the Rajah, Panch-Phul Ranee's father, +lived, but they flew down to rest on a beautiful banyan tree, which +grew not far from the sea, close to a small village. The Rajah +determined to go into the village and get food and shelter there. He +told the parrots to stay in the banyan tree till his return; then, +leaving his bundle of clothes and most of his money in their charge, +he set off on foot toward the nearest house.</p> + +<p>After a little while he reached a Malee's cottage, and giving a gold +mohur to the Malee's wife, got her to provide him with food and +shelter for the night.</p> + +<p>Next morning he rose early, and said to his hostess, "I am a stranger +here, and know nothing of the place. What is the name of your +country?" "This," she said, "is Panch-Phul Ranee's country."</p> + +<p>"And what is the last news in your town?" he asked, "Very bad news +indeed," she replied. "You must know our Rajah has one only +daughter—a most beautiful Princess—and her name is Panch-Phul Ranee, +for she is so light and delicate that she weighs no heavier than five +lotus flowers. After her this whole country is called Panch-Phul +Ranee's country. She lives in a small bungalow in the centre of the +city you see yonder; but, unluckily for us, she has vowed to marry no +man who cannot jump on foot over the seven hedges made of spears, and +across the seven great ditches that surround her house. This cannot be +done, Babamah! I don't know how many hundreds of thousands of Rajahs +have tried to do it and died in the attempt! Yet the Princess will not +break her vow. Daily, worse and worse tidings come from the city<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[344]</a></span> of +fresh people having been killed in trying to jump the seven hedges and +seven ditches, and I see no end to the misfortunes that will arise +from it. Not only are so many brave men lost to the world, but, since +the Princess will marry no one who does not succeed in this, she +stands a chance of not marrying at all; and if that be so, when the +Rajah dies there will be no one to protect her and claim the right to +succeed to the throne. All the nobles will probably fight for the Raj, +and the whole kingdom be turned topsy-turvy."</p> + +<p>"Mahi," said the Rajah, "if that is all there is to do, I will try and +win your Princess, for I can jump right well."</p> + +<p>"Baba," answered the Malee's wife, "do not think of such a thing; are +you mad? I tell you, hundreds of thousands of men have said these +words before, and been killed for their rashness. What power do you +think you possess, to succeed where all before you have failed? Give +up all thought of this, for it is utter folly."</p> + +<p>"I will not do it," answered the Rajah, "before going to consult some +of my friends."</p> + +<p>So he left the Malee's cottage, and returned to the banyan tree to +talk over the matter with the parrots; for he thought they would be +able to carry him on their wings across the seven ditches and seven +hedges made of spears. When he reached the old tree the parrot said to +him, "It is two days since you left us; what news have you brought +from the village?" The Rajah answered, "The Panch-Phul Ranee still +lives in the house surrounded by the seven ditches, and seven hedges +made of spears, and has vowed to marry no man who cannot jump over +them; but cannot you parrots, who brought me all the way over the +seven seas, carry me on your wings across these great barriers?"</p> + +<p>"You stupid man!" answered the old parrot, "of course we could; but +what would be the good of doing so? If we carried you across, it would +not be at all the same thing as your jumping across, and the Princess +would no more consent to marry you than she would now; for she has +vowed to marry no one who has not jumped across <i>on foot</i>. If you want +to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[345]</a></span> do the thing, why not do it yourself, instead of talking nonsense. +Have you forgotten how, when you were a little boy, you were taught to +jump by conjurors and tumblers (for the parrot knew all the Rajah's +history)? Now is the time to put their lessons in practice. If you can +jump the seven ditches, and seven hedges made of spears, you will have +done a good work, and be able to marry the Panch-Phul Ranee; but if +not, this is a thing in which we cannot help you."</p> + +<p>"You reason justly," replied the Rajah. "I will try to put in practice +the lessons I learnt when a boy; meantime, do you stay here till my +return."</p> + +<p>So saying, he went away to the city, which he reached by nightfall. +Next morning early he went to where the Princess's bungalow stood, to +try to jump the fourteen great barriers. He was strong and agile, and +he jumped the seven great ditches, and six of the seven hedges made of +spears; but in running to jump the seventh hedge he hurt his foot, +and, stumbling, fell upon the spears and died—run through and through +with the cruel iron spikes.</p> + +<p>When Panch-Phul Ranee's father and mother got up that morning and +looked out, as their custom was, toward their daughter's bungalow, +they saw something transfixed upon the seventh hedge of spears, but +what it was they could not make out, for it dazzled their eyes. So the +Rajah called his Wuzeer and said to him, "For some days I have seen no +one attempt to jump the seven hedges and seven ditches round +Panch-Phul Ranee's bungalow; but what is that which I now see upon the +seventh hedge of spears?" The Wuzeer answered, "That is a Rajah's son, +who has failed, like all who have gone before him." "But how is it," +asked the Rajah, "that he thus dazzles our eyes?"</p> + +<p>"It is," replied the Wuzeer, "because he is so beautiful. Of all that +have died for the sake of Panch-Phul Ranee, this youth is, beyond +doubt, the handsomest." "Alas!" cried the Rajah, "how many and how +many brave men has my daughter killed? I will have no more die for +her. Let us send her and the dead man together away into the jungle."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[346]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then he ordered the servants to fetch the young Rajah's body. There he +lay, still and beautiful, with a glory shining round him as the +moonlight shines round the clear bright moon, but without a spark of +life.</p> + +<p>When the Rajah saw him, he said, "Oh, pity, pity, that so brave and +handsome a boy should have come dying after this girl! Yet he is but +one of the thousands of thousands who have died thus to no purpose. +Pull up the spears and cast them into the seven ditches, for they +shall remain no longer."</p> + +<p>Then he commanded two palanquins to be prepared and men in readiness +to carry them, and said, "Let the girl be married to the young Rajah, +and let both be taken far away into the jungle, that we may never see +them more. Then there will be quiet in the land again."</p> + +<p>The Ranee, Panch-Phul Ranee's mother, cried bitterly at this, for she +was very fond of her daughter, and she begged her husband not to send +her away so cruelly—the living with the dead; but the Rajah was +inexorable. "That poor boy died," he said; "let my daughter die, too! +I'll have no more men killed here."</p> + +<p>So the two palanquins were prepared. Then he placed his daughter in +the one, and her dead husband in the other, and said to the +palkee-bearers, "Take these palkees and go out into the jungle until +you have reached a place so desolate that not so much as a sparrow is +to be seen, and there leave them both."</p> + +<p>And so they did. Deep down in the jungle, where no bright sun could +pierce the darkness, nor human voice be heard, far from any habitation +of man or means of supporting life, on the edge of a dank, stagnant +morass that was shunned by all but noisome reptiles and wandering +beasts of prey, they set them down and left them, the dead husband and +the living wife, alone to meet the horrors of the coming night—alone, +without a chance of rescue.</p> + +<p>Panch-Phul Ranee heard the bearers' retreating footsteps, and their +voices getting fainter and fainter in the distance, and felt that she +had nothing to hope for but death.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[347]</a></span></p> + +<p>Night seemed coming on apace, for though the sun had not set, the +jungle was dark so that but little light pierced the gloom; and she +thought she would take a last look at the husband her vow had killed, +and, sitting beside him, wait till starvation should make her as he +was, or some wild animal put a more speedy end to her sufferings.</p> + +<p>She left her palkee and went toward his. There he lay with closed eyes +and close-shut lips; black curling hair, which escaped from under his +turban, concealed a ghastly wound on his temple. There was no look of +pain on the face, and the long, sweeping eyelashes gave it such a +tender, softened expression she could hardly believe that he was dead. +He was, in truth, very beautiful; and, watching him, she said to +herself, "Alas, what a noble being is here lost to the world! what an +earth's joy is extinguished! Was it for this I was cold, and proud, +and stern—to break the cup of my own happiness and to be the death of +such as you? Must you now never know that you won your wife? Must you +never hear her ask your pardon for the past, nor know her cruel +punishment? Ah, if you had but lived, how dearly I would have loved +you! Oh, my husband! my husband!" And sinking down on the ground, she +buried her face in her hands and cried bitterly.</p> + +<p>While she was sitting thus, night closed over the jungle, and brought +with it wild beasts that had left their dens and lairs in search of +prey—to roam about, as the heat of the day was over. Tigers, lions, +elephants, and bison, all came by turns, crushing through the +underwood which surrounded the place where the palkees were, but they +did no harm to Panch-Phul Ranee, for she was so fair that not even the +cruel beasts of the forests would injure her. At last, about four +o'clock in the morning, all the wild animals had gone except two +little jackals, who had been very busy watching the rest and picking +the bones left by the tigers. Tired with running about, they lay down +to rest close to the palkees. Then one little jackal said to the +other, who was her husband, "Do tell me a little story." "Dear me!" +exclaimed he, "what<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[348]</a></span> people you women are for stories! Well, look just +in front of you; do you see those two?" "Yes," she answered; "what of +them?" "That woman you see sitting on the ground," he said, "is the +Panch-Phul Ranee." "And what son of a Rajah is the man in the palkee?" +asked she. "That," he replied, "is a very sorrowful son. His father +was so unkind to him that he left his own home, and went to live in +another country very far from this; and there he dreamed about the +Panch-Phul Ranee, and came to our land in order to marry her, but he +was killed in jumping the seventh hedge of spears, and all he gained +was to die for her sake."</p> + +<p>"That is very sad," said the first little jackal; "but could he never +by any chance come to life again?" "Yes," answered the other; "maybe +he could, if only someone knew how to apply the proper remedies." +"What are the proper remedies, and how could he be cured?" asked the +lady jackal. (Now, all this conversation had been heard by Panch-Phul +Ranee, and when this question was asked she listened very eagerly and +attentively for the answer.)</p> + +<p>"Do you see this tree?" replied her husband. "Well, if some of its +leaves were crushed, and a little of the juice put into the Rajah's +two ears and upon his upper lip, and some upon his temples, also, and +some upon the spear-wounds in his side, he would come to life again +and be as well as ever."</p> + +<p>At this moment day dawned, and the two little jackals ran away. +Panch-Phul Ranee did not forget their words. She, a Princess born, who +had never put her foot to the ground before (so delicately and +tenderly had she been reared), walked over the rough clods of earth +and the sharp stones till she reached the place where the tree grew of +which the jackals had spoken. She gathered a number of its leaves, +and, with hands and feet that had never before done coarse or common +work, beat and crushed them down. They were so stiff, and strong that +it took her a long time. At last, after tearing them, and stamping on +them, and pounding them between two stones, and biting the hardest +parts, she thought they were sufficiently crushed; and rolling them up +in a corner<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[349]</a></span> of her saree, she squeezed the juice through it on to her +husband's temples, and put a little on his upper lip and into his +ears, and some also on the spear-wound in his side. And when she had +done this, he awoke as if he had been only sleeping, and sat up, +wondering where he was. Before him stood Panch-Phul Ranee shining like +a glorious star, and all around them was the dark jungle.</p> + +<p>It would be hard to say which of them was the more astonished—the +Rajah or the Princess. She was surprised that the remedy should have +taken such speedy effect, and could hardly believe her eyes when she +saw her husband get up. And if he looked beautiful when dead, much +more handsome did he seem to her now, so full of life and animation +and power—the picture of health and strength. And he, in his turn, +was lost in amazement at the exquisite loveliness of the lady who +stood before him. He did not know who she could be, for he had never +seen her like, except in a dream. Could she be really the +world-renowned Panch-Phul Ranee, or was he dreaming still? He feared +to move lest he should break the spell. But as he sat there wondering, +she spoke, saying, "You marvel at what has taken place. You do not +know me—I am Panch-Phul Ranee, your wife."</p> + +<p>Then he said, "Ah, Princess, is it indeed you? You have been very hard +to me." "I know, I know," she answered; "I caused your death, but I +brought you to life again. Let the past be forgotten; come home with +me, and my father and mother will welcome you as a son."</p> + +<p>He replied, "No, I must return first to my own home a while. Do you +rather return there now with me, for it is a long time since I left +it, and afterward we will come again to your father's kingdom."</p> + +<p>To this Panch-Phul Ranee agreed. It took them, however, a long time to +find their way out of the jungle. At last they succeeded in doing so, +for none of the wild animals in it attempted to injure them, so +beautiful and royal did they both look.</p> + +<p>When they reached the banyan tree, where the Rajah had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[350]</a></span> left the two +parrots, the old parrot called out to him, "So you have come back at +last! We thought you never would, you were such a long time away! +There you went, leaving us here all the time, and after all doing no +good, but only getting yourself killed. Why didn't you do as we +advised you, and jump up nicely?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm sure," said the Rajah, "yours is a hard case; but I beg +your pardon for keeping you waiting so long, and now I hope you'll +take me and my wife home."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we will do that," answered the parrots; "but you had better get +some dinner first, for it's a long journey over the seven seas."</p> + +<p>So the Rajah went to the village close by and bought food for himself +and the Panch-Phul Ranee. When he returned with it, he said to her, "I +fear the long journey before us for you; had you not better let me +make it alone, and return here for you when it is over?" But she +answered, "No! what could I, a poor weak woman, do here alone? and I +will not return to my father's house till you can come, too. Take me +with you, however far you go; only promise me you will never leave +me." So he promised her, and they both, mounting the parrots, were +carried up in the air across the seven seas, across the Red Sea, on, +on, on, a whole year's journey, until they reached his father's +kingdom, and alighted to rest at the foot of the palace garden. The +Rajah, however, did not know where he was, for all had much changed +since he left it some years before.</p> + +<p>Then a little son was born to the Rajah and Panch-Phul Ranee. He was a +beautiful child, but his father was grieved to think that in that +bleak place there was no shelter for the mother or the baby. So he +said to his wife, "I will go to fetch food for us both, and fire to +cook it with, and inquire what this country is, and seek out a place +of rest for you. Do not be afraid; I shall soon return." Now, far off +in the distance, smoke was to be seen rising from tents which belonged +to some conjurors and dancing-people, and thither the Rajah bent his +steps, feeling certain he should be able to get fire,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[351]</a></span> and perhaps +food also, from the inhabitants. When he got there, he found the place +was much larger than he had expected—quite a good-sized village, in +fact—the abode of Nautch people and conjurors. In all the houses the +people were busy, some dancing, some singing, others trying various +conjuring tricks or practising beating the drum, and all seemed happy +and joyful.</p> + +<p>When the conjurors saw him, they were so much struck with his +appearance (for he was very handsome) that they determined to make +him, if possible, stay among them, and join their band. And they said +one to another, "How well he would look beating the drum for the +dancers! All the world would come to see us dance, if we had such a +handsome man as that to beat the drum."</p> + +<p>The Rajah, unconscious of their intentions, went into the largest hut +he saw, and said to a woman who was grinding corn, "Bai, give me a +little rice, and some fire from your hearth." She immediately +consented, and got up to fetch the burning sticks he asked for; but +before she gave them to him, she and her companions threw upon them a +certain powder, containing a very potent charm; and no sooner did the +Rajah receive them than he forgot about his wife and little child, his +journey, and all that had ever happened to him in his life before; +such was the peculiar property of the powder. And when the conjurors +said to him, "Why should you go away? stay with us, and be one of us," +he willingly consented to do so.</p> + +<p>All this time Panch-Phul Ranee waited and waited for her husband, but +he never came. Night approached without his having brought her any +food or news of having found a place of shelter for her and the baby. +At last, faint and weary, she swooned away.</p> + +<p>It happened that that very day the Ranee (Panch-Phul Ranee's husband's +mother) lost her youngest child, a fine little boy of only a day old; +and her servants took its body to the bottom of the garden to bury it. +Just as they were going to do so, they heard a low cry, and, looking +round, saw close<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[352]</a></span> by a beautiful woman lying on the ground, dead, or +apparently so, and beside her a fine little baby boy. The idea +immediately entered their heads of leaving the dead baby beside the +dead woman, and taking her living baby back with them to the palace; +and so they did.</p> + +<p>When they returned, they said to their mistress, "Your child did not +die; see, here it is—it got well again," and showed her Panch-Phul +Ranee's baby. But after a time, when the Ranee questioned them about +it, they told her the whole truth; but she had become meanwhile very +fond of the little boy, and so he continued in the palace and was +brought up as her son; being, in truth, her grandson, though she did +not know it.</p> + +<p>Meantime the palace Malee's wife went out, as her custom was every +morning and evening, to gather flowers. In search of them she wandered +as far as the jungle at the bottom of the garden, and there she found +the Panch-Phul Ranee lying as dead, and the dead baby beside her.</p> + +<p>The good woman felt very sorry, and rubbed the Ranee's cold hands and +gave her sweet flowers to smell in hopes that she might revive. At +last she opened her eyes, and seeing the Malee's wife, said, "Where am +I? Has not my husband come back? and who are you?"</p> + +<p>"My poor lady," answered the Malee's wife, "I do not know where your +husband is. I am the Malee's wife, and coming here to gather flowers, +I found you lying on the ground, and this your little baby, who is +dead; but come home with me, I will take care of you."</p> + +<p>Panch-Phul Ranee answered, "Kind friend, this is not my baby; he did +not die; he was the image of his father, and fairer than this child. +Someone must have taken him away, for but a little while ago, I held +him in my arms, and he was strong and well, while this one could never +have been more than a puny, weakly infant. Take me away; I will go +home with you."</p> + +<p>So the Malee's wife buried the dead child and took the Panch-Phul +Ranee to her house, where she lived for fourteen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[353]</a></span> years; but all that +time she could gain no tidings of her husband or her lost little boy. +The child, meanwhile, grew up in the palace, and became a very +handsome youth. One day he was wandering round the garden and chanced +to pass the Malee's house. The Panch-Phul Ranee was sitting within, +watching the Malee's wife cook their dinner.</p> + +<p>The young Prince saw her, and calling the Malee's wife, said to her, +"What beautiful lady is that in your house? and how did she come +there?" She answered, "Little Prince, what nonsense you talk! there is +no lady here." He said again, "I know there is a beautiful lady here, +for I saw her as I passed the open door." She replied, "If you come +telling such tales about my house, I'll pull your tongue out." For she +thought to herself, "Unless I scold him well, the boy 'll go talking +about what he's seen in the palace, and then perhaps some of the +people from there will come and take the poor Panch-Phul Ranee away +from my care." But while the Malee's wife was talking to the young +Prince, the Panch-Phul Ranee came from the inner room to watch and +listen to him unobserved; and no sooner did she see him than she could +not forbear crying out, "Oh, how like he is to my husband! The same +eyes, the same shaped face and the same king-like bearing! Can he be +my son? He is just the age my son would have been had he lived."</p> + +<p>The young Prince heard her speaking and asked what she said, to which +the Malee's wife replied, "The woman you saw, and who just now spoke, +lost her child fourteen years ago, and she was saying to herself how +like you were to that child, and thinking you must be the same; but +she is wrong, for we know you are the Ranee's son." Then Panch-Phul +Ranee herself came out of the house, and said to him, "Young Prince, I +could not, when I saw you, help exclaiming how like you are to what my +lost husband was, and to what my son might have been; for it is now +fourteen years since I lost them both." And she told him how she had +been a great Princess, and was returning with her husband to his own +home and how her little baby had been born in the jungle, and her +husband had gone<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[354]</a></span> away to seek shelter for her and the child, and fire +and food, and had never returned; and also how, when she had fainted +away, someone had certainly stolen her baby and left a dead child in +its place; and how the good Malee's wife had befriended her, and taken +her ever since to live in her house. And when she had ended her story +she began to cry.</p> + +<p>But the Prince said to her, "Be of good cheer; I will endeavour to +recover your husband and child for you; who knows but I may indeed be +your son, beautiful lady?" And running home to the Ranee (his adopted +mother), he said to her, "Are you really my mother? Tell me truly; for +this I must know before the sun goes down." "Why do you ask foolish +questions?" she replied; "have I not always treated you as a son?" +"Yes," he said; "but tell me the very truth; am I your own child, or +the child of someone else, adopted as yours? If you do not tell me, I +will kill myself." And so saying, he drew his sword. She replied, +"Stay, stay, and I will tell you the whole truth; the day before you +were born I had a little baby, but it died; and my servants took it to +the bottom of the garden to bury it, and there they found a beautiful +woman lying as dead, and beside her a living infant. You were that +child. They brought you to the palace, and I adopted you as my son, +and left my baby in your stead." "What became of my mother?" he asked. +"I cannot tell," answered the Ranee; "for, two days afterward, when I +sent to the same place, she and the baby had both disappeared, and I +have never since heard of her."</p> + +<p>The young Prince, on hearing this, said, "There is in the head Malee's +house a beautiful lady, whom the Malee's wife found in the jungle, +fourteen years ago; that must be my mother. Let her be received here +this very day with all honour, for that is the only reparation that +can now be made to her."</p> + +<p>The Ranee consented, and the young Prince went down to the Malee's +house himself to fetch his mother to the palace.</p> + +<p>With him he took a great retinue of people, and a beautiful palanquin +for her to go in, covered with rich trappings; also<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[355]</a></span> costly things for +her to wear, and many jewels and presents for the good Malee's wife.</p> + +<p>When Panch-Phul Ranee had put on her son's gifts, and come out of the +Malee's poor cottage to meet him, all the people said there had never +been so royal-looking a queen. As gold and clear crystal are lovely, +as mother-of-pearl is exquisitely fair and delicate-looking, so +beautiful, so fair, so delicate appeared Panch-Phul Ranee.</p> + +<p>Her son conducted her with much pomp and state to the palace, and did +all in his power to honour her; and there she lived long, very +happily, and beloved by all.</p> + +<p>One day the young Prince begged her to tell him again, from the +beginning, the story of her life, and as much as she knew of his +father's life; and so she did. And after that, he said to her, "Be no +longer sad, dear mother, regarding my father's fate; for I will send +into all lands to gather tidings of him, and maybe in the end we shall +find him." And he sent people out to hunt for the Rajah all over the +kingdom, and in all neighbouring countries—to the north, to the +south, to the east and to the west—but they found him not.</p> + +<p>At last, after four years of unsuccessful search, when there seemed no +hope of ever learning what had become of him, Panch-Phul Ranee's son +came to see her, and said, "Mother, I have sent into all lands seeking +my father, but can hear no news of him. If there were only the +slightest clue as to the direction in which he went, there would still +be some chance of tracing him, but that, I fear, cannot be got. Do you +not remember his having said anything of the way which he intended to +go when he left you?" She answered, "When your father went away, his +words to me were, 'I will go to fetch food for us both, and fire to +cook it with, and inquire what this country is, and seek out a place +of shelter for you. Do not be afraid—I shall soon return.' That was +all he said, and then he went away, and I never saw him more."</p> + +<p>"In what direction did he go from the foot of the garden?" asked the +Prince. "He went," answered the Panch-Phul Ranee, "toward that village +of conjurors close by. I thought<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[356]</a></span> he was intending to ask some of them +to give us food. But had he done so, he would certainly have returned +in a very short time."</p> + +<p>"Do you think you should know my father, mother darling, if you were +to see him again?" asked the Prince. "Yes," answered she, "I should +know him again." "What!" he said, "even when eighteen years have gone +by since you saw him last? Even though age and sickness and want had +done their utmost to change him?" "Yes!" she replied; "his every +feature is so impressed on my heart that I should know him again +anywhere or in any disguise."</p> + +<p>"Then let us," he said, "send for all those people in the direction of +whose houses he went away. Maybe they have detained him among them to +this day. It is but a chance, but we can hope for nothing more +certain."</p> + +<p>So the Panch-Phul Ranee and her son sent down orders to the conjurors' +village that every one of the whole band should come up to the palace +that afternoon—not a soul was to stay behind. And the dancers were to +dance and the conjurors to play all their tricks for the amusement of +the palace inmates.</p> + +<p>The people came. The nautch girls began to dance—running, jumping, +and flying here, there and everywhere, some up, some down, some round +and round. The conjurors conjured and all began in different ways to +amuse the company. Among the rest was one wild, ragged-looking man, +whose business was to beat the drum. No sooner did the Panch-Phul +Ranee set eyes on him than she said to her son, "Boy, that is your +father!" "What, mother!" he said, "that wretched-looking man who is +beating the drum?" "The same," she answered.</p> + +<p>The Prince said to his servants, "Fetch that man here." And the Rajah +came toward them, so changed that not even his own mother knew him—no +one recognized him but his wife. For eighteen years he had been among +the nautch people; his hair was rough, his; beard untrimmed, his face +thin and worn, sunburnt and wrinkled; he wore a nose-ring and heavy +earrings, such as the nautch people have; and his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[357]</a></span> dress was a rough, +common cumlee. All traces of his former self seemed to have +disappeared. They asked him if he did not remember he had been a Rajah +once, and about his journey to Panch-Phul Ranee's country. But he +said, No, he remembered nothing but how to beat the drum—Rub-a-dub! +tat-tat! tom-tum! tom-tum! He thought he must have beaten it all his +life.</p> + +<p>Then the young Prince gave orders that all the nautch people should be +put into jail until it could be discovered what part they had taken in +reducing his father to so pitiable a state. And sending for the wisest +doctors in the kingdom, he said to them, "Do your best and restore the +health of this Rajah, who has to all appearance lost both memory and +reason; and discover, if possible, what has caused these misfortunes +to befall him." The doctors said, "He has certainly had some potent +charm given to him, which has destroyed both his memory and reason, +but we will do our best to counteract its influence."</p> + +<p>And so they did. And their treatment succeeded so well that, after a +time, the Rajah entirely recovered his former senses. And they took +such good care of him that in a little while he regained his health +and strength also, and looked almost as well as ever.</p> + +<p>He then found to his surprise that he, Panch-Phul Ranee, and their +son, had all this time been living in his father's kingdom. His father +was so delighted to see him again that he was no longer unkind to him, +but treated him as a dearly beloved, long lost son. His mother also +was overjoyed at his return, and they said to him, "Since you have +been restored to us again, why should you wander any more? Your wife +and son are here; do you also remain here, and live among us for the +rest of your days." But he replied, "I have another wife—the +Carpenter's daughter—who first was kind to me in my adopted country. +I also have there nine hundred and ninety-eight talking wooden +parrots, which I greatly prize. Let me first go and fetch them."</p> + +<p>They said, "Very well; go quickly and then return." So<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[358]</a></span> he mounted the +two wooden parrots which had brought him from the Panch-Phul Ranee's +country (and which had for eighteen years lived in the jungle close to +the palace), and returned to the land where his first wife lived, and +fetched her and the nine hundred and ninety-eight remaining wooden +parrots to his father's kingdom. Then his father said to him, "Don't +have any quarrelling with your half-brother after I am dead" (for his +half-brother was son of the old Rajah's favourite wife). "I love you +both dearly, and will give each of you half of my kingdom." So he +divided the kingdom into two halves, and gave the one-half to the +Panch-Phul Ranee's husband, who was the son of his first wife, and the +other half to the eldest son of his second but favourite wife.</p> + +<p>A short time after this arrangement was made, Panch-Phul Ranee said to +her husband, "I wish to see my father and mother again before I die; +let me go and see them." He answered, "You shall go, and I and our son +will also go." So he called four of the wooden parrots—two to carry +himself and the Ranee, and two to carry their son. Each pair of +parrots crossed their wings; the young Prince sat upon the two wings +of one pair; and on the wings of the other pair sat his father and +mother. Then they all rose up in the air, and the parrots carried them +(as they had before carried the Rajah alone), up, up, up, on, on, on, +over the Red Sea, and across the seven seas, until they reached the +Panch-Phul Ranee's country.</p> + +<p>Panch-Phul Ranee's father saw them come flying through the air as +quickly as shooting stars, and much wondering who they were, he sent +out many of his nobles and chief officers to inquire.</p> + +<p>The nobles went out to meet them, and called out, "What great Rajah is +this who is dressed so royally, and comes flying through the air so +fast? Tell us, that we may tell our Rajah."</p> + +<p>The Rajah answered, "Go and tell your master that this is Panch-Phul +Ranee's husband, come to visit his father-in-law." So they took that +answer back to the palace, but when the Rajah heard it, he said, "I +cannot tell what this means, for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[359]</a></span> the Panch-Phul Ranee's husband died +long ago. It is twenty years since he fell upon the iron spears and +died; let us, however, all go and discover who this great Rajah really +is." And he and all his court went out to meet the new-comers, just as +the parrots had alighted close to the palace gate. The Panch-Phul +Ranee took her son by the one hand and her husband by the other, and +walking to meet her father, said, "Father, I have come to see you +again. This is my husband who died, and this boy is my son." Then all +the land was glad to see the Panch-Phul Ranee back, and the people +said, "Our Princess is the most beautiful Princess in the world, and +her husband is as handsome as she is, and her son is a fair boy; we +will that they should always live among us and reign over us."</p> + +<p>When they had rested a little, the Panch-Phul Ranee told her father +and mother the story of all her adventures from the time she and her +husband were left in the palkees in the jungle. And when they had +heard it, her father said to the Rajah, her husband, "You must never +go away again; for see, I have no son but you. You and your son must +reign here after me. And behold, all this great kingdom will I now +give you, if you will only stay with us; for I am old and weary of +governing the land."</p> + +<p>But the Rajah answered, "I must return once again to my own country, +and then I will stay with you as long as I live."</p> + +<p>So, leaving the Panch-Phul Ranee and her son with the old Rajah and +Ranee, he mounted his parrots and once more returned to his father's +land. And when he had reached it, he said to his mother, "Mother, my +father-in-law has given me a kingdom ten thousand times larger than +this. So I have but returned to bid you farewell and fetch my first +wife, and then I must go back to live in that other land." She +answered, "Very well; so you are happy anywhere, I am happy, too."</p> + +<p>He then said to his half-brother, "Brother, my father-in-law has given +me all the Panch-Phul Ranee's country, which is very far away; +therefore I give up to you the half of this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[360]</a></span> kingdom that my father +gave to me." Then, bidding his father farewell, he took the +Carpenter's daughter back with him (riding through the air on two of +the wooden parrots, and followed by the rest) to the Panch-Phul +Ranee's country, and there he and his two wives and his son lived very +happily all their mortal days.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[361]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Schippeitaro" id="Schippeitaro"></a><i>Schippeitaro</i></h2> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_12.jpg" alt="L" width="42" height="50" /></div> +<p>ong, long ago, in the days of fairies and giants, ogres, and dragons, +valiant knights and distressed damsels; in those good old days, a +brave young warrior went out into the wide world in search of +adventures.</p> + +<p>For some time he went on without meeting with anything out of the +common, but at length, after journeying through a thick forest, he +found himself, one evening, on a wild and lonely mountain side. No +village was in sight, no cottage, not even the hut of a charcoal +burner, so often to be found on the outskirts of the forest. He had +been following a faint and much overgrown path, but at length, even +that was lost sight of. Twilight was coming on, and in vain he strove +to recover the lost track. Each effort seemed only to entangle him +more hopelessly in the briers and tall grasses which grew thickly on +all sides. Faint and weary he stumbled on in the fast gathering +darkness, until suddenly he came upon a little temple, deserted and +half ruined, but which still contained a shrine. Here at least was +shelter from the chilly dews, and here he resolved to pass the night. +Food he had none, but, wrapped in his mantle, and with his good sword +by his side, he lay down, and was soon fast asleep.</p> + +<p>Toward midnight he was awakened by a dreadful noise, At first he +thought it must be a dream, but the noise continued, the whole place +resounding with the most terrible shrieks and yells. The young warrior +raised himself cautiously, and seizing his sword, looked through a +hole in the ruined wall. He beheld a strange and awful sight. A troop +of hideous cats were engaged in a wild and horrible dance, their yells +meanwhile echoing through the night. Mingled<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[362]</a></span> with their unearthly +cries the young warrior could clearly distinguish the words:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Tell it not to Schippeitaro!<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Listen for his bark!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Tell it not to Schippeitaro!<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Keep it close and dark!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>A beautiful clear full moon shed its light upon this grew-some scene, +which the young warrior watched with amazement and horror. Suddenly, +the midnight hour being passed, the phantom cats disappeared, and all +was silence once more. The rest of the night passed undisturbed, and +the young warrior slept soundly until morning. When he awoke the sun +was already up, and he hastened to leave the scene of last night's +adventure. By the bright morning light he presently discovered traces +of a path which the evening before had been invisible. This he +followed, and found to his great joy, that it led, not as he had +feared, to the forest through which he had come the day before, but in +the opposite direction, toward an open plain. There he saw one or two +scattered cottages, and, a little farther on, a village. Pressed by +hunger, he was making the best of his way toward the village, when he +heard the tones of a woman's voice loud in lamentation and entreaty. +No sooner did these sounds of distress reach the warrior's ears, than +his hunger was forgotten, and he hurried on to the nearest cottage, to +find out what was the matter, and if he could give any help. The +people listened to his questions, and shaking their heads sorrowfully, +told him that all help was vain. "Every year," said they, "the +mountain spirit claims a victim. The time has come, and this very +night will he devour our loveliest maiden. This is the cause of the +wailing and lamentation." And when the young warrior, filled with +wonder, inquired further, they told him that at sunset the victim +would be put into a sort of cage, carried to that very ruined temple +where he had passed the night, and there left alone. In the morning +she would have vanished. So it was each year, and so it would be now; +there was no help for it. As he listened, the young warrior was filled +with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[363]</a></span> an earnest desire to deliver the maiden. And, the mention of the +ruined shrine having brought back to his mind the adventure of the +night before, he asked the people whether they had ever heard the name +of Schippeitaro, and who and what he was. "Schippeitaro is a strong +and beautiful dog," was the reply; "he belongs to the head man of our +Prince who lives only a little way from here. We often see him +following his master; he is a fine, brave fellow." The young knight +did not stop to ask more questions, but hurried off to Schippeitaro's +master and begged him to lend his dog for one night. At first the man +was unwilling, but at length agreed to lend Schippeitaro on condition +that he should be brought back the next day. Overjoyed, the young +warrior led the dog away.</p> + +<p>Next he went to see the parents of the unhappy maiden, and told them +to keep her in the house and watch her carefully until his return. He +then placed the dog Schippeitaro in the cage which had been prepared +for the maiden; and, with the help of some of the young men of the +village, carried it to the ruined temple, and there set it down. The +young men refused to stay one moment on that haunted spot, but hurried +down the mountain as if the whole troop of hobgoblins had been at +their heels. The young warrior, with no companion but the dog, +remained to see what would happen. At midnight, when the full moon was +high in the heaven, and shed her light over the mountain, came the +phantom cats once more. This time they had in their midst a huge black +tom-cat, fiercer and more terrible than all the rest, which the young +warrior had no difficulty in knowing as the frightful mountain fiend +himself. No sooner did this monster catch sight of the cage than he +danced and sprang round it, with yells of triumph and hideous joy, +followed by his companions. When he had long enough jeered at and +taunted his victim, he threw open the door of the cage.</p> + +<p>But this time he met his match. The brave Schippeitaro sprang upon +him, and seizing him with his teeth, held him fast, while the young +warrior with one stroke of his good<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[364]</a></span> sword laid the monster dead at +his feet. As for the other cats, too much astonished to fly, they +stood gazing at the dead body of their leader, and were made short +work of by the knight and Schippeitaro. The young warrior brought back +the brave dog to his master, with a thousand thanks, told the father +and mother of the maiden that their daughter was free, and the people +of the village that the fiend had claimed his last victim and would +trouble them no more. "You owe all this to the brave Schippeitaro," he +said as he bade them farewell, and went his way in search of fresh +adventures.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Tales of Wonder Every Child Should Know, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF WONDER *** + +***** This file should be named 19461-h.htm or 19461-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/4/6/19461/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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 + + +Title: Tales of Wonder Every Child Should Know + +Author: Various + +Editor: Kate Douglas Wiggin and Nora Archibald Smith + +Release Date: October 4, 2006 [EBook #19461] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF WONDER *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + [Illustration: The three-headed monster belched forth flame] + + + What Every Child Should Know LIBRARY + + + + TALES + + OF WONDER + + + EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW + + + + + Edited by + + KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN + + and NORA ARCHIBALD SMITH + + + + + + + Published by DOUBLEDAY, DORAN & CO., INC., for + + THE PARENTS' INSTITUTE, INC. + + Publishers of "THE PARENTS' MAGAZINE" + + _52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York_ + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY + + * * * * * + + + + +PUBLISHER'S NOTE + + +_Doubleday, Page & Company wish to make acknowledgment of their +indebtedness to the following publishers_: + +_G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York and London, for permission to use "The +Five Queer Brothers," "The Two Melons" and "What the Birds Said," from +"Chinese Nights' Entertainment," by Adele M. Fielde; "The Lac of +Rupees," from "Indian Fairy Tales," by Joseph Jacobs; "The +Sea-maiden," from "Celtic Fairy Tales," by Joseph Jacobs; "The Black +Horse" and "The Farmer of Liddesdale," from "More Celtic Fairy Tales," +by Joseph Jacobs; and "The Buried Moon," from "More English Fairy +Tales," by Joseph Jacobs._ + +_T. Y. Crowell & Company, New York, for permission to use "The +Grateful Crane" from "The Fire-fly's Lovers," by William Elliot +Griffis._ + +_Joseph McDonough, Albany, for permission to use "Little Surya Bai," +"The Jackal, the Barber and the Brahmin," "Truth's Triumph," "The +Raksha's Palace," and "Panch-Phul Ranee," from "Old Deccan Days," by +M. Frere._ + +_Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, for permission to use "The +Deserter," "Steelpacha" and "The Watch-tower Between Earth and +Heaven," from "The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales," by L. S. +Houghton._ + +_Macmillan & Company, London, for permission to use "The Grateful +Foxes" and "The Badger's Money," from "Tales of Old Japan," by A. B. +Mitford._ + +_The Review of Reviews Company, London, for permission to use "The +Feast of Lanterns" and "The Lake of Gems," from "Books for the +Bairns," edited by W. T. Stead._ + +_We also wish to express our appreciation to Mr. Seumas MacManus for +the use of his stories, "The Amadan of the Dough," "Hookedy-Crookedy," +"Billy Beg and the Bull," and "The Queen of the Golden Mines," from +"Donegal Fairy Stories," and "In Chimney Corners," published by us._ + + * * * * * + + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +I WONDER (_Scandinavian_) + +WHAT THE BIRDS SAID (_Chinese_) + +THE SMITH AND THE FAIRIES (_Gaelic_) + +THE GRATEFUL CRANE (_Japanese_) + +LITTLE SURYA BAI (_Southern Indian_) + +THE STORKS AND THE NIGHT OWL (_Persian_) + +THE FIVE QUEER BROTHERS (_Chinese_) + +THE LAC OF RUPEES (_Southern Indian_) + +THE EMPEROR'S NIGHTINGALE. H. C. ANDERSEN + +HOOKEDY-CROOKEDY. SEUMAS MACMANUS (_Celtic_) + +ARNDT'S NIGHT UNDERGROUND. D. M. MULOCK + +THE UNICORN (_German_) + +DESTINY. E. LABOULAYE (_Dalmatian_) + +THE QUEEN OF THE GOLDEN MINES. SEUMAS MACMANUS (_Celtic_) + +THE DESERTER (_Russian_) + +THE TWO MELONS (_Chinese_) + +THE IRON CASKET (_Persian_) + +THE KNIGHTS OF THE FISH. FERNAN CABALLERO (_Spanish_) + +DAPPLEGRIM (_Scandinavian_) + +THE HERMIT. VOLTAIRE (_French_) + +THE WATCH-TOWER BETWEEN EARTH AND HEAVEN (_Russian_) + +THE LUCKY COIN. FRANCOSO (_Portuguese_) + +THE JACKAL, THE BARBER AND THE BRAHMIN (_Southern Indian_) + +THE BIRD OF TRUTH. CABALLERO (_Spanish_) + +THE TWO GENIES. VOLTAIRE (_French_) + +STEELPACHA (_Russian_) + +THE BURIED MOON (_English_) + +THE FARMER OF LIDDESDALE (_English_) + +THE BADGER'S MONEY (_Japanese_) + +THE GRATEFUL FOXES (_Japanese_) + +THE BLACK HORSE (_Celtic_) + +TRUTH'S TRIUMPH (_Southern Indian_) + +THE FEAST OF THE LANTERNS (_Chinese_) + +THE LAKE OF GEMS (_Chinese_) + +THE SEA-MAIDEN (_Celtic_) + +THE ENCHANTED WATERFALL (_Japanese_) + +THE AMADAN OF THE DOUGH. SEUMAS MACMANUS (_Celtic_) + +THE RAKSHAS'S PALACE (_Southern Indian_) + +BILLY BEG AND THE BULL. SEUMAS MACMANUS (_Celtic_) + +THE PRINCES FIRE-FLASH AND FIRE-FADE (_Japanese_) + +PANCH-PHUL RANEE (_Southern Indian_) + +SCHIPPEITARO (_Japanese_) + + * * * * * + + + + +I WONDER! + + + I wonder if in Samarcand + Grave camels kneel in golden sand, + Still lading bales of magic spells + And charms a lover's wisdom tells, + To fare across the desert main + And bring the Princess home again-- + I wonder! + + I wonder in Japan to-day + If grateful beasts find out the way + To those who succoured them in pain, + And bring their blessings back again; + If cranes and sparrows take the shape + And all the ways of mortals ape-- + I wonder! + + In Bagdad, may there still be found + That potent powder, finely ground, + Which changes all who on it feast, + Monarch or slave, to bird or beast? + Do Caliphs taste and unafraid, + Turn storks, and weeping night-owls aid? + I wonder! + + I wonder if in far Cathay + The nightingale still trills her lay + Beside the Porcelain Palace door, + And courtiers praise her as before I + If emperors dream of bygone things + And musing, weep the while she sings-- + I wonder! + + Such things have never chanced to me. + I wonder if to eyes that see + These magic visions still appear + In daily living, now and here; + If every flower is touched with glory, + If e'en the grass-blades tell a story-- + I wonder + N. A. S. + + * * * * * + + + + +_INTRODUCTION_ + + +There is a Chinese tale, known as "The Singing Prisoner," in which a +friendless man is bound hand and foot and thrown into a dungeon, where +he lies on the cold stones unfed and untended. + +He has no hope of freedom and as complaint will avail him nothing, he +begins to while away the hours by reciting poems and stories that he +had learned in youth. So happily does he vary the tones of the +speakers, feigning in turn the voices of kings and courtiers, lovers +and princesses, birds and beasts, that he speedily draws all his +fellow-prisoners around him, beguiling them by the spell of his +genius. + +Those who have food, eagerly press it upon him that his strength may +be replenished; the jailer, who has been drawn into the charmed +circle, loosens his bonds that he may move more freely, and finally +grants him better quarters that the stories may be heard to greater +advantage. Next the petty officers hear of the prisoner's marvellous +gifts and report them everywhere with such effect that the higher +authorities at last become interested and grant him a pardon. + +Tales like these, that draw children from play and old men from the +chimney-corner; that gain the freedom of a Singing Prisoner, and +enable a Scheherazade to postpone from night to night her hour of +death, are one and all pervaded by the same eternal magic. Pain, +grief, terror, care, and bondage are all forgotten for a time when +lakes of gems and enchanted waterfalls shimmer in the sunlight, when +Rakshas's palaces rise, full-built, before our very eyes, or when +Caballero's Knights of the Fish prance away on their magic chargers. +"I wonder when!" "I wonder how!" "I wonder where!" we say as we follow +them into the land of mystery. So Youngling said when he heard the +sound of the mysterious axe in the forest and asked himself who could +be chopping there. + +"I wonder!" he cried again when he listened to the faerie spade +digging and delving at the top of the rocks. + +"I wonder!" he questioned a third time when he drank from the +streamlet and sought its source, finding it at last in the enchanted +walnut. Axe and spade and walnut each gladly welcomed him, you +remember, saying, "It's long I've been looking for you, my lad!" for +the new world is always awaiting its Columbus. + +No such divine curiosity as that of Youngling's stirred the dull minds +of his elder brothers and to them came no such reward. They jeered at +the wanderer, reproaching him that he forever strayed from the beaten +path, but when Youngling issues from the forest with the magic axe, +the marvellous spade, and the miraculous nut to conquer his little +world, we begin to ask ourselves which of the roads in the wood are +indeed best worth following. + +"Childish wonder is the first step in human wisdom," said the greatest +of the world's showmen, but there are no wonders to the eyes that lack +real vision. In the story of "What the Birds Said," for instance, the +stolid jailer flatly denies that the feathered creatures have any +message of import to convey; it is the poor captive who by sympathy +and insight divines the meaning of their chatter and thus saves the +city and his own life. + +The tales in this book are of many kinds of wonder; of black magic, +white magic and gray; ranging from the recital of strange and +supernatural deeds and experiences to those that fore-shadow modern +conquests of nature and those that utilize the marvellous to teach a +moral lesson. Choose among them as you will, for as the Spaniards +might say, "The book is at your feet; whatever you admire is yours!" + +"Tales of Wonder" is the fourth and last of our Fairy Series in the +Children's Classics, so this preface is in the nature of an epilogue. +"The Fairy Ring," "Magic Casements," "Tales of Laughter"--each had its +separate message for its little public, and "Tales of Wonder" rings +down the curtain. + +There was once a little brown nightingale that sang melodious strains +in the river-thickets of the Emperor's garden, but when she was +transported to the Porcelain Palace the courtiers soon tired of her +wild-wood notes and supplanted her with a wonderful bird-automaton, +fashioned of gold and jewels. + +Time went on, but the Emperor, wisest of the court, began at last to +languish, and to long unceasingly for the fresh, free note of the +little brown nightingale. It was sweeter by far than the machine-made +trills and roulades of the artificial songster, and he felt +instinctively that only by its return could death be charmed away. + +The old, yet ever new, tales in these four books are like the wild +notes of the nightingale in the river-thicket, and many are the +emperors to whom they have sung. + +Whenever we tire of what is trivial and paltry in the machine-made +fairy tale of to-day, let us open one of these crimson volumes and +hear again the note of the little brown bird in the thicket. + +KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN. + + * * * * * + + + + +_Tales of Wonder_ + +_I Wonder_ + + +Once on a time there was a man who had three sons--Peter, Paul, and +the least of all, whom they called Youngling. I can't say the man had +anything more than these three sons, for he hadn't one penny to rub +against another; and he told the lads, over and over again, that they +must go out into the world and try to earn their bread, for at home +there was nothing to be looked for but starving to death. + +Now near by the man's cottage was the King's palace, and, you must +know, just against the windows a great oak had sprung up, which was so +stout and tall that it took away all the light. The King had said he +would give untold treasure to the man who could fell the oak, but no +one was man enough for that, for as soon as one chip of the oak's +trunk flew off, two grew in its stead. + +A well, too, the King desired, which was to hold water for the whole +year; for all his neighbours had wells, but he hadn't any, and that he +thought a shame. So the King said he would give both money and goods +to anyone who could dig him such a well as would hold water for a +whole year round, but no one could do it, for the palace lay high, +high up on a hill, and they could only dig a few inches before they +came upon the living rock. + +But, as the King had set his heart on having these two things done, he +had it given out far and wide, in all the churches of his dominion, +that he who could fell the big oak in the King's courtyard, and get +him a well that would hold water the whole year round, should have the +Princess and half the kingdom. + +Well! you may easily know there was many a man who came to try his +luck; but all their hacking and hewing, all their digging and delving, +were of no avail. The oak grew taller and stouter at every stroke, and +the rock grew no softer. + +So one day the three brothers thought they'd set off and try, too, and +their father hadn't a word against it; for, even if they didn't get +the Princess and half the kingdom, it might happen that they would get +a place somewhere with a good master, and that was all he wanted. So +when the brothers said they thought of going to the palace, their +father said "Yes" at once, and Peter, Paul, and Youngling went off +from their home. + +They had not gone far before they came to a fir-wood, and up along one +side of it rose a steep hillside, and as they went they heard +something hewing and hacking away up on the hill among the trees. + +"I wonder now what it is that is hewing away up yonder?" said +Youngling. + +"You are always so clever with your wonderings," said Peter and Paul, +both at once. "What wonder is it, pray, that a wood-cutter should +stand and hack up on a hillside?" + +"Still, I'd like to see what it is, after all," said Youngling, and up +he went. + +"Oh, if you're such a child, 't will do you good to go and take a +lesson," cried out his brothers after him. + +But Youngling didn't care for what they said; he climbed the steep +hillside toward where the noise came, and when he reached the place, +what do you think he saw? + +Why, an axe that stood there hacking and hewing, all of itself, at the +trunk of a fir. + +"Good day," said Youngling. "So you stand here all alone and hew, do +you?" + +"Yes, here I've stood and hewed and hacked a long, long time, waiting +for you, my lad," said the Axe. + +"Well, here I am at last," said Youngling, as he took the Axe, pulled +it off its haft, and stuffed both head and haft into his wallet. + +So when he climbed down again to his brothers, they began to jeer and +laugh at him. + +"And now, what funny thing was it you saw up yonder on the hillside?" +they said. + +"Oh, it was only an axe we heard," said Youngling. + +When they had gone a bit farther, they came under a steep spur of +rock, and up above they heard something digging and shovelling. + +"I wonder, now," said Youngling, "what it is digging and shovelling up +yonder at the top of the rock?" + +"Ah, you're always so clever with your wonderings," said Peter and +Paul again; "as if you'd never heard a woodpecker hacking and pecking +at a hollow tree." + +"Well, well," said Youngling, "I think it would be a piece of fun just +to see what it really is." + +And so off he set to climb the rock, while the others laughed and made +game of him. But he didn't care a bit for that; up he clambered, and +when he got near the top, what do you think he saw? Why, a spade that +stood there digging and delving. + +"Good day," said Youngling. "So you stand here all alone, and dig and +delve?" + +"Yes, that's what I do," said the Spade, "and that's what I've done +this many a long day, waiting for you, my lad." + +"Well, here I am," said Youngling again, as he took the Spade and +knocked off its handle, and put it into his wallet; and then he +climbed down again to his brothers. + +"Well, what was it, so strange and rare," said Peter and Paul, "that +you saw up there at the top of the rock?" + +"Oh," said Youngling, "nothing more than a spade; that was what we +heard." + +So they went on again a good bit, till they came to a brook. They were +thirsty all three, after their long walk, and so they lay down beside +the brook to have a drink. + +"I have a great fancy to see where this brook comes from," said +Youngling. + +So up alongside the brook he went, in spite of all that his brothers +shouted after him. Nothing could stop him. On he went. And as he went +up and up, the brook grew smaller and smaller, and at last, a little +way farther on, what do you think he saw? Why, a great walnut, and out +of that the water trickled. + +"Good day," said Youngling again. "So you lie here and trickle, and +run down all alone?" + +"Yes, I do," said the Walnut "and here have I trickled and run this +many a long day, waiting for you, my lad." + +"Well, here I am," said Youngling, as he took a lump of moss and +plugged up the hole, so that the water mightn't run out. Then he put +the Walnut into his wallet, and ran down to his brothers. + +"Well, now," said Peter and Paul, "have you found out where the water +comes from? A rare sight it must have been!" + +"Oh, after all, it was only a hole it ran out of," said Youngling, and +the others laughed and made game of him again, but Youngling didn't +mind that a bit. + +So when they had gone a little farther, they came to the King's +palace; but as every man in the kingdom had heard that he might win +the Princess and half the realm, if he could only fell the big oak and +dig the King's well, so many had come to try their luck that the oak +was now twice as stout and big as it had been at first, for you will +remember that two chips grew for every one they hewed out with their +axes. + +So the King had now laid it down as a punishment that if anyone tried +and couldn't fell the oak, he should be put on a barren island, and +both his ears were to be clipped off. But the two brothers didn't let +themselves be frightened by this threat; they were quite sure they +could fell the oak, and Peter, as he was the eldest, was to try his +hand first; but it went with him as with all the rest who had hewn at +the oak: for every chip he cut two grew in its place. So the King's +men seized him, and clipped off both his ears, and put him out on the +island. + +Now Paul was to try his luck, but he fared just the same! When he had +hewn two or three strokes, they began to see the oak grow, and so the +King's men seized him, too, and clipped his ears, and put him out on +the island; and his ears they clipped closer, because they said he +ought to have taken a lesson from his brother. + +So now Youngling was to try. + +"If you want to look like a marked sheep, we're quite ready to clip +your ears at once, and then you'll save yourself some trouble," said +the King, for he was angry with him for his brothers' sake. + +"Well, I'd just like to try first," said Youngling, and so he got +leave. Then he took his Axe out of his wallet and fitted it to its +handle. + +"Hew away!" said he to his Axe, and away it hewed, making the chips +fly again, so that it wasn't long before down came the oak. + +When that was done, Youngling pulled out his Spade and fitted it to +its handle. + +"Dig away!" said he to his Spade, and so the Spade began to dig and +delve till the earth and rock flew out in splinters, and he soon had +the well deep enough, you may believe. + +And when he had got it as big and deep as he chose, Youngling took out +his Walnut and laid it in one corner of the well, and pulled the plug +of moss out. + +"Trickle and run," said Youngling, and so the Nut trickled and ran +till the water gushed out of the hole in a stream, and in a short time +the well was brimful. + +So as Youngling had felled the oak which shaded the King's palace, and +dug a well in the palace-yard, he got the Princess and half the +kingdom, as the King had said; but it was lucky for Peter and Paul +that they had lost their ears, else they might have grown tired of +hearing how everyone said each hour of the day: + +"Well, after all, Youngling wasn't so much out of his mind when he +took to wondering." + + + + +_What the Birds Said_ + + +A lad named Kong Hia Chiang, who lived with his parents among the +mountains, understood the language of the birds. One twilight, as he +sat at his books, a flock of birds alighted on a tree before his +window and sang: + + "Kong Hia Chiang, on the southern plain + A sheep awaits you by a heap of stones,-- + A fine fat wether, that the dogs have slain; + You eat the flesh and we will pick the bones!" + +Kong Hia Chiang went and brought in the torn sheep and cooked it +during the night. The next morning a shepherd came and said that one +of his sheep was missing; he had found blood on the meadow, had +followed the trail, and it had brought him to that house. Kong Hia +Chiang acknowledged that he had brought in the sheep, but declared +that the dogs had killed it, and that its death and the place where it +might be found had been made known to him by birds. His story was +considered to be an impudent fabrication, and he was haled away to +prison. + +While he was awaiting his trial before the magistrate, a bird, flying +eastward, perched on the wall, saw him, and piped: + + "Foes approach the western border, + Banners, bows, and spears in order, + While the gate lacks watch or warder." + +Kong Hia Chiang thereupon so vehemently besought his jailer to inform +the magistrate of the imminent danger of invasion through the +unprotected Western Pass, that the jailer, though wholly incredulous, +decided to test his power of comprehending the utterances of birds. He +took some rice, soaked a part of it in sweetened water, and a part in +brine, and then spread the whole on the roof of a shed into which he +brought Kong Hia Chiang, and asked him if he knew why so many birds +were chirruping overhead. Kong Hia Chiang at once replied that those +on the roof were hailing those that were flying past, and saying: + + "Call a halt; call a halt; + Here is rice fresh and white; + Half is sweet, half is salt; + Stop a bit; take a bite." + +The jailer was at once convinced that the prisoner understood the +speech of birds, and therefore hastened to the magistrate to report +the warning and the test. The magistrate sent a swift courier to +notify the military officers, and a scout was sent out to the west. He +soon confirmed the message of Kong Hia Chiang, and troops were +dispatched to strengthen the garrison at the pass, the invaders +thereby being successfully repelled. The great service rendered to the +country by Kong Hia Chiang was acknowledged by his sovereign, who +afterward made use of his remarkable talent, invited him to study with +the princes, and eventually raised him to a high rank among the nobles +of the empire. + + + + +_The Smith and the Fairies_ + + +Years ago there lived in Crossbrig a smith of the name of MacEachern. +This man had an only child, a boy of about thirteen or fourteen years +of age, cheerful, strong, and healthy. All of a sudden he fell ill; +took to his bed and moped whole days away. No one could tell what was +the matter with him, and the boy himself could not, or would not, tell +how he felt. He was wasting away fast; getting thin, old, and yellow; +and his father and all his friends were afraid that he would die. + +At last one day, after the boy had been lying in this condition for a +long time, getting neither better nor worse, always confined to bed, +but with an extraordinary appetite--one day, while sadly revolving +these things, and standing idly at his forge, with no heart to work, +the smith was agreeably surprised to see an old man, well known for +his sagacity and knowledge of out-of-the-way things, walk into his +workshop. Forthwith he told him the occurrence which had clouded his +life. + +The old man looked grave as he listened; and after sitting a long time +pondering over all he had heard, gave his opinion thus: "It is not +your son you have got. The boy has been carried away by the '_Daione +Sith_,' and they have left a _Sibhreach_ in his place." + +"Alas! and what then am I to do?" said the smith. "How am I ever to +see my own son again?" + +"I will tell you how," answered the old man. "But, first, to make sure +that it is not your own son you have got, take as many empty +egg-shells as you can get, go into his room, spread them out carefully +before his sight, then proceed to draw water with them, carrying them +two and two in your hands as if they were a great weight, and arrange +them when full, with every sort of earnestness around the fire." + +The smith accordingly gathered as many broken egg-shells as he could +get, went into the room, and proceeded to carry out all his +instructions. + +He had not been long at work before there arose from the bed a shout +of laughter, and the voice of the seeming sick boy exclaimed, "I am +eight hundred years of age, and I have never seen the like of that +before." The smith returned and told the old man. + +"Well, now," said the sage to him, "did I not tell you that it was not +your son you had: your son is in Borracheill in a digh there (that is, +a round green hill frequented by fairies). Get rid as soon as possible +of this intruder, and I think I may promise you your son. You must +light a very large and bright fire before the bed on which this +stranger is lying. He will ask you, 'What is the use of such a fire as +that?' Answer him at once, 'You will see that presently!' and then +seize him, and throw him into the middle of it. If it is your own son +you have got, he will call out to you to save him; but if not, the +thing will fly through the roof." + +The smith again followed the old man's advice: kindled a large fire, +answered the question put to him as he had been directed to do, and +seizing the child flung him in without hesitation. The _Sibhreach_ +gave an awful yell, and sprang through the roof, where a hole had been +left to let the smoke out. + +On a certain night the old man told him the green round hill, where +the fairies kept the boy, would be open, and on that date the smith, +having provided himself with a Bible, a dirk, and a crowing cock, was +to proceed to the hill. He would hear singing and dancing, and much +merriment going on, he had been told, but he was to advance boldly; +the Bible he carried would be a certain safeguard to him against any +danger from the fairies. On entering the hill he was to stick the dirk +in the threshold, to prevent the hill from closing upon him; "and +then," continued the old man, "on entering you will see a spacious +apartment before you, beautifully clean, and there, standing far +within, working at a forge, you will also see your own son. When you +are questioned, say you come to seek him, and will not go without +him." + +Not long after this, the time came round, and the smith sallied forth, +prepared as instructed. Sure enough as he approached the hill, there +was a light where light was seldom seen before. Soon after, a sound of +piping, dancing, and joyous merriment reached the anxious father on +the night wind. + +Overcoming every impulse to fear, the smith approached the threshold +steadily, stuck the dirk into it as directed, and entered. Protected +by the Bible he carried on his breast, the fairies could not touch +him; but they asked him, with a good deal of displeasure, what he +wanted there. He answered, "I want my son, whom I see down there, and +I will not go without him." + +Upon hearing this the whole company before him gave a loud laugh, +which wakened up the cock he carried dozing in his arms, who at once +leaped up on his shoulders, clapped his wings lustily, and crowed loud +and long. + +The fairies, incensed, seized the smith and his son, and throwing them +out of the hill, flung the dirk after them, and in an instant all was +dark. + +For a year and a day the boy never did a turn of work, and hardly ever +spoke a word; but at last one day, sitting by his father and watching +him finishing a sword he was making for some chief, and which he was +very particular about, he suddenly exclaimed, "That is not the way to +do it;" and taking the tools from his father's hands he set to work +himself in his place, and soon fashioned a sword, the like of which +was never seen in the country before. + +From that day the young man wrought constantly with his father, and +became the inventor of a peculiarly fine and well-tempered weapon, the +making of which kept the two smiths, father and son, in constant +employment, spread their fame far and wide, and gave them the means in +abundance, as they before had the disposition, to live content with +all the world and very happily with each other. + + + + +_The Grateful Crane_[1] + + +"Fighting sparrows fear not man," as the old proverb says. Yet it was +not a sparrow but a crane that fell down out of the air. Near the feet +of Musai, the farmer's boy, it lay, as he waded in the ooze of his +rice field, working from daybreak to sundown. + +[Footnote 1: From "The Fire-fly's Lovers," by William Elliot Griffis, +copyright, 1008, by T. Y. Crowell & Co.] + +The farmer's boy was used to cranes, for in the plough's furrow on the +dry land these long-legged birds walked close behind, not the least +afraid in the Mikado's dominions. For who would hurt the +white-breasted creature, that every one called the Honourable Lord +Crane? The graceful birds seemed to love to be near man, when he +worked in the wet or paddy fields, where under four inches of water +the seeds were planted and the rice plants grew. So graceful in all +its movements is the crane that many a dainty little maid who acts +politely hears herself spoken of as the "bird that rises from the +water without muddying the stream." + +Musai hurried to the grassy bank at the edge of the paddy field as +fast as he could wade through the liquid mud, to see what was the +matter with the crane. Throwing down his hoe, and looking in the +grass, he saw that an arrow was sticking in the crane's back, and that +red drops of blood dappled its white plumage. Instead of seeming +frightened when the man came near, the bird bent down its neck, as if +to submit to whatever the farmer's boy should do. + +Gently Musai plucked out the arrow and helped the bird to rise, +pushing back the undergrowth so that its broad white pinions could +have free play. After a few feeble attempts to fly it spread its +wings, rose up from the earth, and after circling several times round +its benefactor as though to thank him, it flew off to the mountain. + +Musai went back to his work, hoping that in season his labor would +yield a good crop. He had his widowed mother to support and must needs +toil every day. His one delight was to come home, weary after the long +hours of labour in the muddy rice field, and have a hot bath. This his +mother always had ready for him. Then, clean and with a fresh kimono, +and a little rest before supper-time, he was ready for a quiet evening +with the neighbours. + +So in routine the days passed by until autumn was near at hand. One +day, returning before the sun was fully set, he found seated beside +his mother a lovely girl. In spite of his contemptible appearance +after a day's toil, working barelegged in the mire, she welcomed him +with the grace of a princess. + +Not thinking of returning the salute in his unwashed condition, he +took off his head-kerchief, drew in his breath, and bowing to his +mother asked. + +"Who is the honourable That Side, and how comes she into this +miserable hut?" + +"My son," replied his mother, "though you are a man, you have as yet +no wife. Your virtues of obedience, filial reverence, fidelity, and +politeness have made you well known. Hence this fair damsel is not +unwilling to become your wife. But, without your consent, I could not +answer her proposal. What do you think about it?" + +The young farmer, though highly complimented, at first said little, +but he thought hard. "Daintily reared, and perhaps of noble birth is +she, but should I gratify her desire, how can she bear the poverty to +which we are accustomed? Will she be patient, when she has to suffer +hunger? Or, shall we be separated, and that which promises love and +happiness last only a little while, to pass away, leaving gloom and +sorrow behind?" + +But as the days slipped along, and when he saw how kind she was to her +new mother, ever patient and self-denying in loving reverence, all his +fears were driven away like clouds before the wind. So the young man +and woman were married. + +But when the full autumn-time came for the rice ears to fill and round +out, nothing was found but husk and shell. The crop was a total +failure. With heavy taxes unpaid and no food in the house, starvation +loomed before them. By winter, all were in dire distress. + +Then the patient wife revealed new powers and cheered her husband, +saying, + +"I can spin such cloth as was never made in this province, if you will +build me a separate room. I cannot weave here, or make the fine +pattern of red and white except when alone and in perfect silence. +Build me a room, and the money you need will flow in." + +The old mother was doubtful as to her daughter-in-law's project and +even Musai was but half-hearted. Yet he went to work diligently. With +beam, and wattle, and thatch, floor of mats and window of latticed +paper, with walls made tight because well daubed with clay, he built +the room apart. There alone, day by day, secluded from all, the sweet +wife toiled unseen. The mother and husband patiently waited, until +after a week, the little woman rejoined the family circle. In her +hands she bore a roll of woven stuff, white and shining, as lustrous +and pure as fresh fallen snow. Yet here and there, a crimson thread in +the stuff did but intensify the purity of the otherwise unflecked +whiteness. Pure red and pure white were the only colours of this +wonderful fabric. + +"What shall we call it?" inquired the amazed husband. + +"It has no name, for there is none other in the world like it," said +the fair weaver. + +"But I must have a name. I shall take it to the Daimio. He will not +buy, if he does not know how it is called." + +"Then," said the wife, "tell him its name is 'White Crane's-down +cloth.'" + +Quickly passed the snowy fabric into the hands of the lord of the +castle, who sent it as a present to the Empress in Kioto. All were +amazed by it, and the Empress commanded the donor to be richly +rewarded. The farmer husband, bearing a thousand pieces of coin in his +bag, hastened home to spread the shining silver at his mother's feet +and to thank the wife who had brought him fortune. A feast followed, +and for many weeks the family lived easily on the money thus gained. +Then, when again on the edge of need, Musai asked his wife if she were +willing to weave another web of the wonderful Crane's-down cloth. + +Cheerfully she agreed, cautioning him to leave her in privacy, and not +to look upon her until she came forth with the cloth. + +But alas for the spirit of prying impertinence and wicked curiosity! +Not satisfied with having been delivered from starvation by a wife +that served him like a slave, Musai stealthily crept up to the paper +partition, touched his tongue to the latticed pane, and poked his +finger noiselessly through, thus making a round hole to which he glued +his eye and looked in. + +What a sight! There was no woman at work, but a noble white crane--the +same that he had seen in the field, and from whose back he had +extracted the hunter's arrow. Bending over the spinning wheel, the +bird pulled from her own breast the silky down, and by twining and +twisting made it into the finest thread which mortals ever beheld. +From time to time, she pressed from her heart's blood red drops with +which to dye some strands, and thus the weaving went on. The web of +the cloth was nearly finished. + +Musai astounded looked on without moving, until suddenly called by his +mother, he cried out in response, "Yes, I'm coming." + +The startled crane turned and saw the eye in the wall. Throwing down +thread and web she moved angrily to the door, gave a shrill scream and +flew out under the sky. Like a white speck against the blue hills, she +appeared for a little while and then was lost to sight. + +Son and mother once more faced poverty and loneliness, and Musai again +splashed barelegged in the rice field. + + + + +_Little Surya Bai_ + + +A poor Milkwoman was once going into the town with cans full of milk +to sell. She took with her her little daughter (a baby of about a year +old), having no one in whose charge to leave her at home. Being tired, +she sat down by the roadside, placing the child and the cans full of +milk beside her; when, on a sudden, two large eagles flew overhead; +and one, swooping down, seized the child, and flew away with her out +of the mother's sight. + +Very far, far away the eagles carried the little baby, even beyond the +borders of her native land, until they reached their home in a lofty +tree. There the old eagles had built a great nest; it was made of iron +and wood, and was as big as a little house; there was iron all round, +and to get in and out you had to go through seven iron doors. + +In this stronghold they placed the little baby, and because she was +like a young eaglet they called her Surya Bai (the Sun Lady). The +eagles both loved the child; and daily they flew into distant +countries to bring her rich and precious things--clothes that had been +made for princesses, precious jewels, wonderful playthings, all that +was most costly and rare. + +One day, when Surya Bai was twelve years old, the old husband Eagle +said to his wife, "Wife, our daughter has no diamond ring on her +little finger, such as princesses wear; let us go and fetch her one." +"Yes," said the other old Eagle; "but to fetch it we must go very +far." "True," rejoined he, "such a ring is not to be got nearer than +the Red Sea, and that is a twelve-month's journey from here; +nevertheless we will go." So the Eagles started off, leaving Surya Bai +in the strong nest, with twelve months' provisions (that she might not +be hungry whilst they were away), and a little dog and cat to take +care of her. + +Not long after they were gone, one day the naughty little cat stole +some food from the store, for doing which Surya Bai punished her. The +cat did not like being whipped, and she was still more annoyed at +having been caught stealing; so, in revenge, she ran to the fireplace +(they were obliged to keep a fire always burning in the Eagle's nest, +as Surya never went down from the tree, and would not otherwise have +been able to cook her dinner), and put out the fire. When the little +girl saw this she was much vexed, for the cat had eaten their last +cooked provisions, and she did not know what they were to do for food. +For three whole days Surya Bai puzzled over the difficulty, and for +three whole days she and the dog and the cat had nothing to eat. At +last she thought she would climb to the edge of the nest, and see if +she could see any fire in the country below; and, if so, she would go +down and ask the people who lighted it to give her a little with which +to cook her dinner. So she climbed to the edge of the nest. Then, very +far away on the horizon, she saw a thin curl of blue smoke. So she let +herself down from the tree, and all day long she walked in the +direction whence the smoke came. Toward evening she reached the place, +and found it rose from a small hut in which sat an old woman warming +her hands over a fire. Now, though Surya Bai did not know it, she had +reached the Rakshas's country, and this old woman was none other than +a wicked old Rakshas, who lived with her son in the little hut. The +young Rakshas, however, had gone out for the day. When the old Rakshas +saw Surya Bai, she was much astonished, for the girl was beautiful as +the sun, and her rich dress resplendent with jewels; and she said to +herself, "How lovely this child is; what a dainty morsel she would be! +Oh, if my son were only here we would kill her, and boil her, and eat +her. I will try and detain her till his return." + +Then, turning to Surya Bai, she said, "Who are you, and what do you +want?" + +Surya Bai answered, "I am the daughter of the great Eagles, but they +have gone a far journey, to fetch me a diamond ring, and the fire has +died out in the nest. Give me, I pray you, a little from your +hearth." + +The Rakshas replied, "You shall certainly have some, only first pound +this rice for me, for I am old, and have no daughter to help me." + +Then Surya Bai pounded the rice, but the young Rakshas had not +returned by the time she had finished; so the old Rakshas said to her, +"If you are kind, grind this corn for me, for it is hard work for my +old hands." + +Then she ground the corn, but still the young Rakshas came not; and +the old Rakshas said to her, "Sweep the house for me first, and then I +will give you the fire." + +So Surya Bai swept the house; but still the young Rakshas did not +come. + +Then his mother said to Surya Bai, "Why should you be in such a hurry +to go home? Fetch me some water from the well, and then you shall have +the fire." + +And she fetched the water. When she had done so, Surya Bai said, "I +have done all your bidding, now give me the fire, or I will go +elsewhere and seek it." + +The old Rakshas was grieved because her son had not returned home; but +she saw she could detain Surya Bai no longer, so she said, "Take the +fire and go in peace; take also some parched corn, and scatter it +along the road as you go, so as to make a pretty little pathway from +our house to yours"--and so saying, she gave Surya Bai several +handfuls of parched corn. The girl took them, fearing no evil, and as +she went she scattered the grains on the road. Then she climbed back +into the nest and shut the seven iron doors, and lighted the fire, and +cooked the food, and gave the dog and the cat some dinner, and took +some herself, and went to sleep. + +No sooner had Surya Bai left the Rakshas's hut, than the young Rakshas +returned, and his mother said to him, "Alas, alas, my son, why did not +you come sooner? Such a sweet little lamb has been here, and now we +have lost her." Then she told him all about Surya Bai. + +"Which way did she go?" asked the young Rakshas; "only tell me that, +and I'll have her before morning." + +His mother told him how she had given Surya Bai the parched corn to +scatter on the road; and when he heard that, he followed up the track, +and ran, and ran, and ran, till he came to the foot of the tree. + +There, looking up, he saw the nest high in the branches above them. + +Quick as thought, up he climbed, and reached the great outer door; and +he shook it, and shook it, but he could not get in, for Surya Bai had +bolted it. Then he said, "Let me in, my child, let me in; I'm the +great Eagle, and I have come from very far, and brought you many +beautiful jewels; and here is a splendid diamond ring to fit your +little finger." But Surya Bai did not hear him--she was fast asleep. + +He next tried to force open the door again, but it was too strong for +him. In his efforts, however, he had broken off one of his finger +nails (now the nail of a Rakshas is most poisonous), which he left +sticking in the crack of the door when he went away. + +Next morning Surya Bai opened all the doors, in order to look down on +the world below; but when she came to the seventh door a sharp thing, +which was sticking in it, ran into her hand, and immediately she fell +down dead. + +At that same moment the two poor Eagles returned from their long, +wearisome journey, bringing a beautiful diamond ring, which they had +fetched for their little favourite from the Red Sea. + +There she lay on the threshold of the nest, beautiful as ever but cold +and dead. + +The Eagles could not bear the sight; so they placed the ring on her +finger, and then, with loud cries, flew off to return no more. + +But a little while after there chanced to come by a great Rajah, who +was out on a hunting expedition. He came with hawks, and hounds, and +attendants, and horses, and pitched his camp under the tree in which +the Eagles' nest was built. Then looking up, he saw, amongst the +topmost branches, what appeared like a queer little house; and he sent +some of his attendants to see what it was. They soon returned, and +told the Rajah that up in the tree was a curious thing like a cage, +having seven iron doors, and that on the threshold of the first door +lay a fair maiden, richly dressed; that she was dead, and that beside +her stood a little dog and a little cat. + +At this the Rajah commanded that they should be fetched down, and when +he saw Surya Bai he felt very sad to think that she was dead. And he +took her hand to feel if it were already stiff; but all her limbs were +supple, nor had she become cold, as the dead are cold; and, looking +again at her hand, the Rajah saw that a sharp thing, like a long +thorn, had run into the tender palm, almost far enough to pierce +through to the back of her hand. + +He pulled it out, and no sooner had he done so than Surya Bai opened +her eyes, and stood up, crying, "Where am I? and who are you? Is it a +dream, or true?" + +The Rajah answered, "It is all true, beautiful lady. I am the Rajah of +a neighbouring land; pray tell me who are you." + +She replied, "I am the Eagles' child." + +But he laughed. "Nay," he said, "that cannot be; you are some great +Princess." + +"No," she answered, "I am no royal lady; what I say is true. I have +lived all my life in this tree. I am only the Eagles' child." + +Then the Rajah said, "If you are not a Princess born, I will make you +one; say only you will be my Queen." + +Surya Bai consented, and the Rajah took her to his kingdom and made +her his Queen. But Surya Bai was not his only wife, and the first +Ranee, his other wife, was both envious and jealous of her. + +The Rajah gave Surya Bai many trustworthy attendants to guard her and +be with her; and one old woman loved Surya Bai more than all the rest, +and used to say to her, "Don't be too intimate with the first Ranee, +dear lady, for she wishes you no good, and she has power to do you +harm. Some day she may poison or otherwise injure you." But Surya Bai +would answer her, "Nonsense! what is there to be alarmed about? Why +cannot we both live happily together like two sisters?" Then the old +woman would rejoin, "Ah, dear lady, may you never live to rue your +confidence! I pray my fears may prove folly." So Surya Bai went often +to see the first Ranee, and the first Ranee also came often to see +her. + +One day they were standing in the palace courtyard, near a tank, where +the Rajah's people used to bathe, and the first Ranee said to Surya +Bai, "What pretty jewels you have, sister; let me try them on for a +minute, and see how I look in them." + +The old woman was standing beside Surya Bai, and she whispered to her, +"Do not lend her your jewels." + +"Hush, you silly old woman," answered she. "What harm will it do?" and +she gave the Ranee her jewels. + +Then the Ranee said, "How pretty all your things are! Do you not think +they look well even on me! Let us come down to the tank; it is as +clear as glass, and we can see ourselves reflected in it, and how +these jewels will shine in the clear water!" + +The old woman, hearing this, was much alarmed, and begged Surya Bai +not to venture near the tank, but she said, "I bid you be silent; I +will not distrust my sister." And she went down to the tank. Then, +when no one was near, and they were both leaning over, looking at +their reflections in the water, the first Ranee pushed Surya Bai into +the tank, who, sinking under the water, was drowned; and from the +place where her body fell there sprang up a bright golden sunflower. + +The Rajah shortly afterward inquired where Surya Bai was, but nowhere +could she be found. Then, very angry, he came to the first Ranee and +said, "Tell me where the child is. You have made away with her." + +But she answered, "You do me wrong; I know nothing of her. Doubtless +that old woman whom you allowed to be always with her, has done her +some harm." So the Rajah ordered the poor old woman to be thrown into +prison. + +He tried to forget Surya Bai and all her pretty ways, but it was no +good. Wherever he went he saw her face. Whatever he heard, he still +listened for her voice. Every day he grew more miserable; he would not +eat or drink; and as for the other Ranee, he could not bear to speak +to her. All his people said, "He will surely die." + +When matters were in this state, the Rajah one day wandered to the +edge of the tank, and bending over the parapet, looked into the water. +Then he was surprised to see, growing out of the tank close beside him +a stately golden flower; and as he watched it, the sunflower gently +bent its head and leaned down toward him. The Rajah's heart was +softened, and he kissed its leaves and murmured, "This flower reminds +me of my lost wife. I love it, it is fair and gentle as she used to +be." And every day he would go down to the tank and sit and watch the +flower. When the Ranee heard this, she ordered her servants to go and +dig the sunflower up, and to take it far into the jungle and burn it. +Next time the Rajah went to the tank he found his flower gone, and he +was much grieved, but none dared say who had done it. + +Then, in the jungle, from the place where the ashes of the sunflower +had been thrown, there sprang up a young mango tree, tall and +straight, that grew so quickly, and became such a beautiful tree, that +it was the wonder of all the country round. At last, on its topmost +bough, came one fair blossom; and the blossom fell, and the little +mango grew rosier and rosier, and larger and larger, till so wonderful +was it both for size and shape that people flocked from far and near +only to look at it. + +But none ventured to gather it, for it was to be kept for the Rajah +himself. + +Now one day, the poor Milkwoman, Surya Bai's mother, was returning +homeward after her day's work with the empty milk cans, and being very +tired with her long walk to the bazaar, she lay down under the mango +tree and fell asleep. Then, right into her largest milk can, fell the +wonderful mango! When the poor woman awoke and saw what had happened, +she was dreadfully frightened, and thought to herself, "If any one +sees me with this wonderful fruit, that all the Rajah's people have +been watching for so many, many weeks, they will never believe that I +did not steal it, and I shall be put in prison. Yet it is no good +leaving it here; besides, it fell off of itself into my milk can. I +will therefore take it home as secretly as possible, and share it with +my children." + +So the Milkwoman covered up the can in which the mango was, and took +it quickly to her home, where she placed it in the corner of the room, +and put over it a dozen other milk cans, piled one above another. +Then, as soon as it was dark, she called her husband and eldest son +(for she had six or seven children), and said to them, "What good +fortune do you think has befallen me to-day?" + +"We cannot guess," they said. "Nothing less," she went on, "than the +wonderful, wonderful mango falling into one of my milk cans while I +slept! I have brought it home with me; it is in that lowest can. Go, +husband, call all the children to have a slice; and you, my son, take +down that pile of cans and fetch me the mango." "Mother," he said, +when he got to the lowest can, "you were joking, I suppose, when you +told us there was a mango here." + +"No, not at all," she answered; "there is a mango there. I put it +there myself an hour ago." + +"Well, there's something quite different now," replied the son. "Come +and see." + +The Milkwoman ran to the place, and there, in the lowest can, she saw, +not the mango, but a little tiny wee lady, richly dressed in red and +gold, and no bigger than a mango! On her head shone a bright jewel +like a little sun. + +"This is very odd," said the mother. "I never heard of such a thing in +my life! But since she has been sent to us, I will take care of her, +as if she were my own child." + +Every day the little lady grew taller and taller, until she was the +size of an ordinary woman; she was gentle and lovable, but always sad +and quiet, and she said her name was "Surya Bai." + +The children were all very curious to know her history, but the +Milkwoman and her husband would not let her be teased to tell who she +was, and said to the children, "Let us wait. By and by, when she knows +us better, she will most likely tell us her story of her own accord." + +Now it came to pass that once, when Surya Bai was taking water from +the well for the old Milkwoman, the Rajah rode by, and as he saw her +walking along, he cried, "That is my wife," and rode after her as +fast as possible. Surya Bai hearing a great clatter of horses' hoofs, +was frightened, and ran home as fast as possible, and hid herself; and +when the Rajah reached the place there was only the old Milkwoman to +be seen standing at the door of her hut. + +Then the Rajah said to her, "Give her up, old woman, you have no right +to keep her; she is mine, she is mine!" + +But the old woman answered, "Are you mad? I don't know what you mean." + +The Rajah replied, "Do not attempt to deceive me. I saw my wife go in +at your door; she must be in the house." + +"Your wife?" screamed the old woman--"your wife? you mean my daughter, +who lately returned from the well! Do you think I am going to give my +child up at your command? You are Rajah in your palace, but I am Rajah +in my own house; and I won't give up my little daughter for any +bidding of yours. Be off with you, or I'll pull out your beard." And +so saying, she seized a long stick and attacked the Rajah, calling out +loudly to her husband and sons, who came running to her aid. + +The Rajah, seeing matters were against him, and having outridden his +attendants (and not being quite certain moreover whether he had seen +Surya Bai, or whether she might not have been really the poor +Milkwoman's daughter), rode off and returned to his palace. + +However, he determined to sift the matter. As a first step he went to +see Surya Bai's old attendant, who was still in prison. From her he +learned enough to make him believe she was not only entirely innocent +of Surya Bai's death, but gravely to suspect the first Ranee of having +caused it. He therefore ordered the old woman to be set at liberty, +still keeping a watchful eye on her, and bade her prove her devotion +to her long-lost mistress by going to the Milkwoman's house, and +bringing him as much information as possible about the family, and +more particularly about the girl he had seen returning from the well. + +So the attendant went to the Milkwoman's house, and made friends with +her, and bought some milk, and afterward she stayed and talked to +her. + +After a few days the Milkwoman ceased to be suspicious of her, and +became quite cordial. + +Surya Bai's attendant then told how she had been the late Ranee's +waiting-woman, and how the Rajah had thrown her into prison on her +mistress's death; in return for which intelligence the old Milkwoman +imparted to her how the wonderful mango had tumbled into her can as +she slept under the tree, and how it had miraculously changed in the +course of an hour into a beautiful little lady. "I wonder why she +should have chosen my poor house to live in, instead of any one +else's," said the old woman. + +Then Surya Bai's attendant said, "Have you ever asked her her history? +Perhaps she would not mind telling it to you now." + +So the Milkwoman called the girl, and as soon as the old attendant saw +her, she knew it was none other than Surya Bai, and her heart jumped +for joy; but she remained silent, wondering much, for she knew her +mistress had been drowned in the tank. + +The old Milkwoman turned to Surya Bai and said, "My child, you have +lived long with us, and been a good daughter to me; but I have never +asked you your history, because I thought it must be a sad one; but if +you do not fear to tell it to me now, I should like to hear it." + +Surya Bai answered, "Mother, you speak true; my story is sad. I +believe my real mother was a poor Milkwoman like you, and that she +took me with her one day when I was quite a little baby, as she was +going to sell milk in the bazaar. But being tired with the long walk, +she sat down to rest, and placed me also on the ground, when suddenly +a great Eagle flew down and carried me away. But all the father and +mother I ever knew were the two great Eagles." + +"Ah, my child! my child!" cried the Milkwoman, "I was that poor woman; +the Eagles flew away with my eldest girl when she was only a year old. +Have I found you after these many years?" + +And she ran and called all her children, and her husband, to tell them +the wonderful news. + +And there was great rejoicing among them all. + +When they were a little calmer, her mother said to Surya Bai, "Tell +us, dear daughter, how your life has been spent since first we lost +you." And Surya Bai went on: + +"The old Eagles took me away to their home, and there I lived happily +many years. They loved to bring me all the beautiful things they could +find, and at last one day they both went to fetch me a diamond ring +from the Red Sea; but while they were gone the fire went out in the +nest: so I went to an old woman's hut, and got her to give me some +fire; and next day (I don't know how it was), as I was opening the +outer door of the cage, a sharp thing, that was sticking in it, ran +into my hand and I fell down senseless. + +"I don't know how long I lay there, but when I came to myself, I found +the Eagles must have come back, and thought me dead, and gone away, +for the diamond ring was on my little finger; a great many people were +watching over me, and amongst them was a Rajah, who asked me to go +home with him and be his wife, and he brought me to this place, and I +was his Ranee. + +"But his other wife, the first Ranee, hated me (for she was jealous), +and desired to kill me; and one day she accomplished her purpose by +pushing me into the tank, for I was young and foolish, and disregarded +the warnings of my faithful old attendant, who begged me not to go +near the place. Ah! if I had only listened to her words I might have +been happy still." + +At these words the old attendant, who had been sitting in the +background, rushed forward and kissed Surya Bai's feet, crying; "Ah, +my lady! my lady! have I found you at last!" and, without staying to +hear more, she ran back to the palace to tell the Rajah the glad news. + +Then Surya Bai told her parents how she had not wholly died in the +tank, but become a sunflower; and how the first Ranee; seeing how fond +the Rajah was of the plant, had caused it to be thrown away; and then +how she had risen from the ashes of the sunflower, in the form of a +mango tree; and how when the tree blossomed all her spirit went into +the little mango flower, and she ended by saying: "And when the flower +became fruit, I know not by what irresistible impulse I was induced +to throw myself into your milk can. Mother--it was my destiny, and as +soon as you took me into your house, I began to recover my human +form." + +"Why, then," asked her brothers and sisters, "why do you not tell the +Rajah that you are living, and that you are the Ranee Surya Bai?" + +"Alas," she answered, "I could not do that. Who knows but that he may +be influenced by the first Ranee, and also desire my death. Let me +rather be poor like you, but safe from danger." + +Then her mother cried, "Oh, what a stupid woman I am! The Rajah one +day came seeking you here, but I and your father and brothers drove +him away, for we did not know you were indeed the lost Ranee." + +As she spoke these words a sound of horses' hoofs was heard in the +distance, and the Rajah himself appeared, having heard the good news +of Surya Bai's return from her old attendant. + +It is impossible to tell the joy of the Rajah at finding his long-lost +wife, but it was not greater than Surya Bai's at being restored to her +husband. + +Then the Rajah turned to the old Milkwoman, and said "Old woman, you +did not tell me true, for it was indeed my wife who was in your hut." + +"Yes, Protector of the Poor," answered the old Milkwoman, "but it was +also my daughter." Then they told him how Surya Bai was the +Milkwoman's child. + +At hearing this the Rajah commanded them all to return with him to the +palace. He gave Surya Bai's father a village and, ennobled the family; +and he said to Surya Bai's old attendant, "For the good service you +have done you shall be palace housekeeper," and he gave her great +riches; adding, "I can never repay the debt I owe you, nor make you +sufficient recompense for having caused you to be unjustly cast into +prison." But she replied, "Sire, even in your anger you were +temperate; if you had caused me to be put to death, as some would have +done, none of this good might have come upon you; it is yourself you +have to thank." + +The wicked first Ranee was cast, for the rest of her life, into the +prison in which the old attendant had been thrown; but Surya Bai lived +happily with her husband the rest of her days; and in memory of her +adventures, he planted round their palace a hedge of sunflowers and a +grove of mango trees. + + + + +_The Storks and the Night Owl_ + + +Chasid, Caliph of Bagdad, which, by the way, is on the river Tigris, +and was long, long ago the capital of the ancient Saracen Empire, was +comfortably seated upon his sofa one beautiful afternoon. He had slept +a little, for it was a very hot day, and he seemed cheerful after his +nap. + +He smoked from a long pipe made of rosewood; sipped now and then a +little coffee, which a slave poured out for him, and stroked his beard +very contentedly. So it was very plain that the Caliph was in a good +humour. This was generally the case at this hour, as it was the custom +of his Grand Vizier Manzor to visit him every day about this time. He +came this afternoon, but he seemed very thoughtful. The Caliph looked +at him, and said: "Grand Vizier, why is thy countenance so sad?" + +The Grand Vizier crossed his arms over his breast, bowed himself +before his lord, and said: "My lord, I am sad because in the court +below there is a merchant who has such fine wares that I am troubled +because I have so little money to spare to purchase them." + +The Caliph, who had for a long time past desired to confer a favour +upon his Grand Vizier, sent his black slave to bring up the merchant. +The slave soon returned with him. The merchant was a short stout man, +with a dark brown face, and in ragged attire. He carried a chest, in +which he had various kinds of wares, pearls and rings, richly inlaid +pistols, goblets and combs. The Caliph and his Vizier looked at them, +and the former purchased some beautiful pistols for himself and +Manzor. As the merchant was about to pack up his chest the Caliph saw +a small drawer, and asked what it contained. The merchant drew out the +drawer, and showed therein a box filled with blackish powder and a +paper with strange writing upon it, which neither the Caliph nor +Manzor could read. "I received these things from a merchant who found +them in the streets of Mecca," said he. "I know not what they contain. +They are at your service for a trifling price, for I can do nothing +with them." + +The Caliph, who was a great collector of old manuscripts for his +library, even if he could not read them, purchased box and writings, +and dismissed the merchant. But it occurred to the Caliph that he +would like to know the meaning of the writing, and he asked the Vizier +whether he knew anyone who could read it. + +"Most worthy lord and master," replied the Vizier, "near the great +Mosque there dwells a man who understands all languages; he is called +'Selim the Wise.' Send for him; perhaps he may be able to interpret +the writing." + +The learned Selim was soon brought. "Selim," said the Caliph, "they +say thou art very learned; peep now into this writing, and see if thou +canst read it. If thou canst, thou shalt have a rich new garment; if +thou canst not, thou shalt be beaten with five-and-twenty strokes upon +the soles of thy feet, for in that case thou art without the right to +be called 'Selim the Wise.'" + +Selim bowed himself and said: "Thy will be done, my lord." For a long +time he examined the writing, then suddenly exclaimed, "This is Latin, +my lord." + +"Say what it means," commanded the Caliph, "if it be Latin." + +Selim commenced to translate the documents. "Oh man, thou who findest +this, praise Allah for His great goodness to thee. Whoever snuffs of +the powder contained in this box, and says thereupon 'Mutabor,' will +have the power to change himself into any animal he may choose, and +will be able to understand the language of that animal and all others. +Should he wish to return to his human form he must bow himself three +times to the East, and in the direction of our holy Mecca, and repeat +the same word. But beware, when thou art transformed that thou +laughest not, otherwise the magic word will disappear completely from +thy memory and thou wilt remain a beast." + +When Selim the Wise had read this, the Caliph was delighted beyond +measure. He bound over the sage that he would disclose the secret to +no one, presented him with the promised rich garment, and dismissed +him. But to his Grand Vizier he said: "That I call a good purchase, +Manzor. I can scarcely restrain my delight until I am a beast. Early +to-morrow morning come thou hither; we will go together into the +field, snuff a little out of the box, and then listen to what is said +in the air, and in the water, in the wood, and in the field." + +On the following morning the Caliph had scarcely breakfasted when the +Grand Vizier appeared to accompany him upon his walk, as he had +commanded him. The Caliph placed the box with the magic powder in his +girdle, and, having directed his train to remain behind, he set out +alone with his Grand Vizier. They went through the spacious gardens of +the Caliph, and looked around, but in vain, for some living thing, +that they might try their trick. The Vizier at length proposed that +they should go further on, to a pond where he had often seen many of +those beautiful creatures called Storks, which, by their grave +appearance and their continual clacking, had always excited his +attention. + +The Caliph approved the proposal of the Vizier, and they went together +to the pond. When they had arrived they saw a stork walking gravely up +and down looking for frogs, and now and then clacking something to +himself. At the same time they saw also, far above in the air, another +stork hovering over the pond. + +"I am pretty sure," said the Grand Vizier, "that these two long-legged +fellows are carrying on a fine conversation with each other. What if +we should become storks?" + +"Well said!" replied the Caliph. "But first let us consider, once +more, how we are to become men again. True! three times must we bend +toward the East and in the direction of Mecca, and say 'Mutabor,' then +I am Caliph again and thou Vizier. But we must take care whatever we +do, not to laugh, or we are lost." + +While the Caliph was thus speaking he saw the other stork hover over +their heads and slowly descend toward the earth. He drew the box +quickly from his girdle, took a good pinch, offered it to the Grand +Vizier, who also snuffed it, and both cried out "Mutabor!" + +At once their legs began to shrivel up, and soon became thin and red. +The beautiful yellow slippers of the Caliph and of his companion were +changed into the strange-shaped feet of the stork; their arms were +changed to wings; their necks were lengthened out from their shoulders +and became a yard long; their beards had disappeared, and their bodies +were covered with feathers which were soft, fine and graceful. + +"You have a beautiful beak," said the Caliph after a long pause of +astonishment. "By the beard of the Prophet, I have never seen anything +like it in my life." + +"I thank you most humbly," replied the Grand Vizier, while he made his +obeisance. "But if it were permitted I might say that your Highness +looks even more handsome as a stork than as a Caliph. But come, if it +please you, let us listen to our comrades yonder, and find out whether +we really understand the language of the storks." + +In the meanwhile the other stork had reached the ground. He trimmed +his feet with his beak, put his feathers in order, and advanced to his +companion. The two new storks hastened to get near them, and to their +great surprise heard the following conversation:-- + +"Good morning, Lady Longlegs, already so early in the meadow." + +"Thank you, dear Clatterbeak, I have had only a slight breakfast." + +"Would you like, perhaps, a piece of a duck or the leg of a frog?" + +"Much obliged, but I have no appetite to-day. I have come into the +meadow for a very different purpose. I am to dance to-day before some +guests of my father's, and I wish to practise here a little quietly by +myself." + +The young stork immediately jumped about the field with singular +motions. The Caliph and Manzor looked on with wonder; but as she stood +in a picturesque attitude upon one foot, and fluttered her wings +gracefully, they could no longer contain themselves--an irresistible +laughter burst forth from their beaks, from which they could not +recover themselves for a long time. The Caliph first collected +himself. "That was a joke now," he exclaimed, "that is not to be +purchased with gold. Pity that the foolish creatures have been +frightened away by our laughter, otherwise perhaps they might even +have sung!" + +But it now occurred to the Grand Vizier that laughter had been +specially forbidden them during their transformation. He told his +anxiety to the Caliph. "Dear me, dear me, it would indeed be a +sorrowful joke if I must remain a stork. Pray bethink thyself of the +magic word. For the life of me I can't remember it." + +"Three times must we bow to the East and to Mecca, and then say, 'Mu, +mu, mu.'" + +They turned toward the East, and bowed and bowed, so that their beaks +almost touched the earth. But alas! alas! the magic word would not +come. However often the Caliph bowed himself and however anxiously the +Vizier called out "Mu, mu," all recollection of it had vanished, and +the poor Caliph and Vizier remained storks. + +Very mournfully did the enchanted ones wander through the fields. They +knew not what to do in their great distress. They could not rid +themselves of their storks' skin and feathers; they could not return +to the city to make themselves known, for who would have believed a +stork, if he had said he was the Caliph? And even if they should +believe it, the inhabitants of Bagdad would not have a stork for their +Caliph. Thus they wandered about for several days, and nourished +themselves with the fruits of the field, which they could not eat very +conveniently on account of their long beaks. For ducks and frogs they +had no appetite; they were afraid that with such food they might +fatally disorder their stomachs. It was their only pleasure in this +sad condition that they could fly, and so they often flew upon the +roofs of Bagdad to see what passed in the city. + +During the first days they observed great disorder and mourning in the +streets, but about the fourth day after their transformation, as they +stood upon the Caliph's palace, they saw in the street a splendid +procession. Drums and fifes sounded; a man in a scarlet mantle, +embroidered with gold, rode a richly caparisoned steed, surrounded by +a brilliant train of attendants. + +Half Bagdad leaped to meet him, and all cried: "Hail, Mirza, Lord of +Bagdad!" The two storks upon the roof of the palace looked at each +other, and the Caliph said: "Canst thou now divine, Grand Vizier, why +I am enchanted? This Mirza is the son of my deadly enemy, the mighty +magician Cachnur, who, in an evil hour, swore revenge upon me. But +still I will not give up hope. Come with me, thou true companion of my +misfortune! We will wander to the grave of the Prophet. Perhaps on +that holy spot this spell will vanish;" and they at once soared from +the roof of the palace and flew toward Mecca. + +But flying was no easy matter to them, for the two storks had as yet +but little practice. "Oh, my lord," sighed the Grand Vizier, after a +few hours, "with your permission I must stop, for I can bear it no +longer; you fly altogether too fast. Besides it is now evening, and we +should do well to seek a shelter for the night." Chasid at once +yielded to the prayer of the Vizier, and, as they at this moment +perceived a ruin in the valley below, they flew thither. The place in +which they had taken refuge for the night seemed formerly to have been +a castle. Beautiful columns overtopped the ruins, and several +chambers, which were still in a fair state of preservation, gave +evidence of the former splendour of the building. Chasid and his +companion wandered through the passages to find a dry spot for +themselves. Suddenly the stork Manzor stopped. "My Lord and master," +he whispered softly, "if it were not folly in a Grand Vizier, and +still more in a stork, to be afraid of spirits, I should feel much +alarmed, for something near by us sighed and groaned very plainly." + +The Caliph also stood still, and heard very distinctly a low weeping +that seemed rather to come from a human being than from an animal. + +Full of expectation, he was about to advance toward the place from +whence came the sounds of weeping and sighing, when the Vizier seized +him by the wing with his beak and begged him very earnestly not to +plunge into new and unknown dangers But in vain! The Caliph, who bore +a brave heart under his stork's wing, tore himself loose, with the +loss of some of his feathers, and hastened into a dark passage-way. He +soon arrived at a door which seemed to be partly open, and through +which he overheard distinct sighs, with a slight moaning. In the +ruined chamber, which was but dimly lighted by a small grated window, +he saw a large night owl upon the floor. Big tears rolled from her +large round eyes, and with a hoarse voice she sent forth her cries +from her curved beak. As soon, however, as she saw the Caliph and +Vizier she gave a loud scream of joy. Gracefully she wiped the tears +from her eyes with her brown-spotted wing, and to the great +astonishment of both she exclaimed, in good plain Arabic, "Welcome, ye +storks! Ye are a good sign of my rescue, for it has been told me that +by a stork I shall attain to great happiness." + +When the Caliph had recovered from his astonishment he bowed with his +long neck, brought his thin feet into a handsome position, and said: + +"Night owl, from thy words I think that thou art a companion in +suffering. But alas! the hope that thou wilt be rescued by us is vain. +Thou wilt see our helplessness when we have told thee our history." + +The night owl begged him to relate it. The Caliph commenced, and +repeated what we already know. + +When the Caliph had told the owl his history she thanked him and said: + +"Hear also my story, and you will see that I am not less unhappy than +you. My father is King of India; I, his only daughter, am called Lusa. +That magician Cachnur, who has enchanted you, has also plunged me into +this misery. He came one day to my father, and desired me for a wife +to his son. But my father, who is a quick-tempered man, ordered him to +be pushed down the stairs. The bad man contrived to meet me under +another form; and once, when taking refreshments in my garden, he +brought me, in the person of a slave, a draught in a cup, which +changed me into this frightful shape. Powerless from fright, he +brought me hither and cried in my ear: 'Here shalt thou remain, hated +and despised, even by the beasts, until thy death, or until someone, +with free will, shall desire thee for his wife, even in this horrible +shape. In this way I revenge myself upon thee and thy proud father!' + +"Since then many months have passed. Solitary and disconsolate, I +dwell within these walls, scorned by the world, a horror even to the +beasts. Beautiful nature is locked up from me, for, like all owls, I +am blind by day, and only when the moon pours her pale light over +these ruins does the veil fall from my eyes." + +The owl stopped speaking and wiped the tears again from her eyes, for +the telling of her sorrows had drawn them forth anew. + +During the story of the Princess, the Caliph appeared deep in thought. +"If everything does not deceive me," he said, "there is a secret +connection between our fates; but where can I find the key to this +riddle?" + +The owl replied: "Oh, my lord, I also have such a thought, for it was +once told me when I was a very little girl that a stork would one day +bring me great happiness, and I may know perhaps how we may be +rescued." + +The Caliph was much astonished, and asked her in what way she meant. + +"The magician who has made us both miserable," said she, "comes once +in every month to these ruins. Not far from this chamber is a hall. +There he is accustomed to feast with many of his companions. I have +often listened there already. They tell one another their histories, +and what they have been doing since last they met. Perhaps on the next +occasion they may talk over your story, and let fall the magic word +that you have forgotten." + +"Oh, dearest Princess," exclaimed the Caliph, "tell me when does he +come and where is the hall?" + +The owl was silent for a moment and then spoke. "Take it not +ungraciously, but only upon one condition can your wish be granted." + +"Speak out! speak out!" cried the Caliph. "Command, and whatever it is +I will obey?" + +"It is this: I also would gladly be free, and this can only happen if +one of you offer me his hand." The storks seemed somewhat confused at +this proposition, and the Caliph made a sign to his follower to +withdraw for a moment with him. + +They talked together for a long time, the Caliph urging the Vizier to +consent; but he said it was not possible, as he was already an old +man, "whilst you, my lord and master, are but young in years." The +Caliph at last saw that the Vizier would rather remain a stork than +accept the owl, so he resolved to fulfil the condition himself. The +owl was overjoyed, and she said they could not have come at a better +time, for the magicians would most likely meet that very night. + +She then left the chamber in company with the storks, in order to lead +them to the hall. They walked for a long time through a dark +passage-way, when at last a bright light shone upon them from an +opening in a ruined wall. When they had arrived thither the owl +advised them to keep perfectly quiet. From the opening near where they +stood they had a good view of the hall. It had many pillars, and the +whole apartment was richly decorated. In the middle was a round table +covered with rich food of various kinds; round the table were placed +seats, upon which sat eight men. In one of these men the storks +recognized the merchant who had sold them the magic powder. The one +who sat next him desired him to relate his history and what had been +done during the last few days. He did so, and among the other things +he told the story of his visit to the Caliph and Grand Vizier of +Bagdad. + +"What kind of a word hast thou given them," asked the other magician. + +"A very hard Latin one; it is Mutabor." + +As the storks heard this from their place of concealment they became +almost beside themselves for joy. They ran so quickly with their long +legs to the door of the ruin that the owl could scarcely follow them. +There, the Caliph addressed the owl with much emotion. + +"Saviour of my life, and the life of my friend, as an eternal thanks +for what thou hast done for us, accept me as thy husband"; then he +turned himself toward the east and toward Mecca. Three times the +storks bent their long necks toward the sun, which, by this time, was +rising above the distant hills: "Mutabor!" they exclaimed. In a +twinkling they were changed, and in the delight of newly restored +life, master and servant were laughing and weeping in each other's +arms. But who can describe their astonishment as they looked about +them? + +A beautiful maiden in a splendid dress stood before them. She held out +her hand to the Caliph saying: "Do you no longer recognize your night +owl?" + +Yes, it was indeed that bird. The Caliph looked with wonder at her +beauty and grace, and said: "It is my greatest happiness that I have +been a stork." + +The three now started to travel together for the city of Bagdad. The +Caliph found in his clothes not only the box with the magic powder, +but also his purse of gold. By this means he purchased at the nearest +village all that was necessary for their journey, so that they very +soon arrived at the gates of Bagdad. The arrival of the Caliph excited +the greatest wonder. They had supposed him dead, but the people were +overjoyed to have their beloved lord again. + +Their hatred was intense against the deceiver Mirza. They entered the +palace and took the old magician and his son prisoners. The Caliph +took the old man to that same chamber in which the Princess had lived +so long as an owl, and ordered him to be hung up there. But to the +son, who did not understand the wicked arts of his father, he offered +the choice of either to die or take snuff. + +He chose the latter when the Grand Vizier offered the box. A good +pinch, and the magic word of the Caliph changed him into a stork. The +Caliph then directed that he should be put into a cage and placed in +his garden. + +Long and happily the Caliph Chasid lived with his wife, the Princess. +His happiest hours were when the Grand Vizier visited him in the +afternoon. They never tired of talking about their storks' adventure, +and when the Caliph was more than usually merry he would imitate the +Grand Vizier, and show how he looked when he was a stork. He walked +gravely up and down the chamber with slow and solemn steps, made a +clacking noise, flapped his arms like wings, and showed how he, to no +purpose, bowed himself to the east and called out: "Mu--Mu--Mu." This +was always a great delight to the Princess and the children, which +were afterward born to her, until they also took delight in calling +out to one another: "Mu--Mu--Mu." + +So for very many years happiness reigned in the palace, and not only +in the palace, but throughout the city of Bagdad, the capital of the +ancient Saracen Empire. + + + + +_The Five Queer Brothers_ + + +An old woman had five grown-up sons that looked just alike. The eldest +could gulp up the ocean at a mouthful; the second was hard enough to +nick steel; the third had extensible legs; the fourth was unaffected +by fire; the fifth lived without breathing. They all concealed their +peculiar traits, and their neighbours did not even guess that they +were queer. + +The eldest supported the family by fishing, going alone to the sea, +and bringing back loads of spoil. The neighbours often besought him to +teach their sons how to fish, and he at last let all their boys go +with him, one day, to learn his art. On reaching the shore, he sucked +the sea into his mouth, and directed the boys to the dry bottom, to +collect the fish. When he was tired of holding the water, he beckoned +to the boys to return, but they were playing amongst strange objects, +and paid no heed to him. When he could contain the sea no longer, he +had to let it flow back into its former basin, and all the boys were +drowned. + +As he went homeward, he passed the doors of the parents, who inquired +how many fish their sons had caught, and how long they would be in +coming back. He told them the facts, yet they would not excuse him, +and they dragged him before the magistrate to account for the loss of +their children. He defended himself by saying that he had not invited +the boys to go with him, and had consented to their going only when +the parents had repeatedly urged him; that, after the boys were on the +ocean-bed, he had done his utmost to induce them to come ashore; that +he had held the water as long as he could, and had then thrown it in +the sea-basin solely because nothing else would contain it. +Notwithstanding this defence, the judge decided that, since he took +the boys away and did not bring them back, he was guilty of murder, +and sentenced him to decapitation. He entreated leave to pay one visit +to his aged mother before his execution, and this was granted. He went +alone and told his brothers of his doom, and the second brother +returned in his stead to the judge, thanked him for having given him +permission to perform a duty required by filial piety, and said he was +then ready to die. He knelt with bowed head, and the headsman brought +the knife down across the back of his neck, but the knife was nicked +and the neck was left unscathed. A second knife, and a third of finer +steel, were brought and tried by headsmen who were accustomed to sever +heads clean off at one stroke. Having spoiled their best blades +without marring his neck, they took him back to prison and informed +the judge that the sentence could not be executed. + +The judge then decreed that he should be dropped into the sea which +covered his victims. When he heard this decision, he said that he had +taken leave of his mother supposing that his head was to be cut off, +and that, if he was to be drowned, he must go to her and make known +his fate, and get her blessing anew. Permission being given, he went +and told his brothers what had happened, and the third brother took +the place of the second, and presented himself before the judge as the +criminal that was to be sunk in the sea. He was carried far from shore +and thrown overboard, but he stretched his legs till his feet touched +bottom and he stood with his head in the air. They hauled him aboard +and took him farther from land, but still his extensible legs +supported him above the waters. Then they sailed to mid-ocean, and +cast him into its greatest depths, but his legs still lengthened so +that he was not drowned. They brought him back to the judge, reported +what had been done, and said that some other method of destroying him +must be followed. + +He was then condemned to death by being boiled in oil; and while the +caldron was being heated, he begged and obtained leave to go and tell +his mother of his late survival, and, of the manner in which he was +soon to be taken off. His brothers having heard the latest judgment, +the fourth one went to bear the penalty of the law, and was lowered +into the kettle of boiling oil, where he disported himself as if in a +tepid bath, and even asked the executioners to stir up the fire a +little to increase the warmth. Finding that he could not be fried, he +was remanded to prison. + +Then the populace, the bereaved parents, and the magistrate joined in +effort to invent a sure method of putting him to death. Water, fire +and sword all having failed, they finally fixed upon smothering him in +a vast cream-cake. The whole country round made contributions of flour +for the tough pastry, sugar for the viscid filling, and bricks for a +huge oven; and it was made and baked on a plain outside the city +walls. Meanwhile the prisoner was allowed to go and bid his mother +farewell, and the fifth brother secretly became his substitute. When +the cake was done, a multitude of people, with oxen, horses, and +ropes, dragged it to the execution ground, and within it the culprit +was interred. As he was able to exist without air, he rested +peacefully till the next midnight. Then he safely crawled forth, and +returned to his home, where he dwelt happily for many years with his +remarkable brothers. + + + + +_The Lac of Rupees_ + + +A poor blind Brahman and his wife were dependent on their son for +their subsistence. Every day the young fellow used to go out and get +what he could by begging. This continued for some time, till at last +he became quite tired of such a wretched life, and determined to go +and try his luck in another country. He informed his wife of his +intention, and ordered her to manage somehow or other for the old +people during the few months that he would be absent. He begged her to +be industrious, lest his parents should be angry and curse him. + +One morning he started with some food in a bundle, and walked on day +after day, till he reached the chief city of the neighbouring country. +Here he went and sat down by a merchant's shop and asked alms. The +merchant inquired whence he had come, why he had come, and what was +his caste; to which he replied that he was a Brahman, and was +wandering hither and thither begging a livelihood for himself, his +wife and parents. Moved with pity for the man, the merchant advised +him to visit the kind and generous king of that country, and offered +to accompany him to the court. Now, at that time it happened that the +king was seeking for a Brahman to look after a golden temple which he +had just had built. His Majesty was very glad, therefore, when he saw +the Brahman and heard that he was good and honest. He at once deputed +him to the charge of this temple, and ordered fifty kharwars of rice +and one hundred rupees to be paid to him every year as wages. + +Two months after this, the Brahman's wife, not having heard any news +of her husband, left the house and went in quest of him. By a happy +fate she arrived at the very place that he had reached, where she +heard that every morning at the golden temple a golden rupee was given +in the king's name to any beggar who chose to go for it. Accordingly, +on the following morning she went to the place and met her husband. + +"Why have you come here?" he asked. "Why have you left my parents? +Care you not whether they curse me and I die? Go back immediately, and +await my return." + +"No, no," said the woman. "I cannot go back to starve and see your old +father and mother die. There is not a grain of rice left in the +house." + +"O Bhagawant!" exclaimed the Brahman. "Here, take this," he continued, +scribbling a few lines on some paper, and then handing it to her, "and +give it to the king. You will see that he will give you a lac of +rupees for it." Thus saying he dismissed her, and the woman left. + +On this scrap of paper were written three pieces of advice--First, If +a person is travelling and reaches any strange place at night, let him +be careful where he puts up, and not close his eyes in sleep, lest he +close them in death. Secondly, If a man has a married sister, and +visits her in great pomp, she will receive him for the sake of what +she can obtain from him; but if he comes to her in poverty, she will +frown on him and disown him. Thirdly, If a man has to do any work, he +must do it himself, and do it with might and without fear. + +On reaching her home the Brahmani told her parents of her meeting with +her husband, and what a valuable piece of paper he had given her; but +not liking to go before the king herself, she sent one of her +relations. The king read the paper, and ordering the man to be +flogged, dismissed him. The next morning the Brahmani took the paper, +and while she was going along the road to the darbar reading it, the +king's son met her, and asked what she was reading, whereupon she +replied that she held in her hands a paper containing certain bits of +advice, for which she wanted a lac of rupees. The prince asked her to +show it to him, and when he had read it gave her a parwana for the +amount, and rode on. The poor Brahmani was very thankful. That day she +laid in a great store of provisions, sufficient to last them all for a +long time. + +In the evening the prince related to his father the meeting with the +woman, and the purchase of the piece of paper. He thought his father +would applaud the act. But it was not so. The king was more angry than +before, and banished his son from the country. + +So the prince bade adieu to his mother and relations and friends, and +rode off on his horse, whither he did not know. At nightfall he +arrived at some place, where a man met him, and invited him to lodge +at his house. The prince accepted the invitation, and was treated like +a prince. Matting was spread for him to squat on, and the best +provisions set before him. + +"Ah!" thought he, as he lay down to rest, "here is a case for the +first piece of advice that the Brahmani gave me. I will not sleep +to-night." + +It was well that he thus resolved, for in the middle of the night the +man rose up, and taking a sword in his hand, rushed to the prince with +the intention of killing him. But the prince arose and spoke. + +"Do not slay me," he said. "What profit would you get from my death? +If you killed me you would be sorry afterward like that man who killed +his dog." + +"What man? What dog?" he asked. + +"I will tell you," said the prince, "if you will give me that sword." + +So he gave him the sword, and the prince began his story: + +"Once upon a time there lived a wealthy merchant who had a pet dog. He +was suddenly reduced to poverty, and had to part with his dog. He got +a loan of five thousand rupees from a brother merchant, leaving the +dog as a pledge, and with the money began business again. Not long +after this the other merchant's shop was broken into by thieves and +completely sacked. There was hardly ten rupees' worth left in the +place. The faithful dog, however, knew what was going on, and went and +followed the thieves, and saw where they deposited the things, and +then returned. + +"In the morning there was great weeping and lamentation in the +merchant's house when it was known what had happened. The merchant +himself nearly went mad. Meanwhile the dog kept on running to the +door, and pulling at his master's shirt and pajamas, as though wishing +him to go outside. At last a friend suggested that, perhaps, the dog +knew something of the whereabouts of the things, and advised the +merchant to follow its leadings. The merchant consented, and went +after the dog right up to the very place where the thieves had hidden +the goods. Here the animal scraped and barked, and showed in various +ways that the things were underneath. So the merchant and his friends +dug about the place, and soon came upon all the stolen property. +Nothing was missing. There were all the articles just as the thieves +had taken them. + +"The merchant was very glad. On returning to his house, he at once +sent the dog back to its old master with a letter rolled under the +collar, wherein he had written about the sagacity of the beast, and +begged his friend to forget the loan and to accept another five +thousand rupees as a present. When this merchant saw his dog coming +back again, he thought, 'Alas! my friend is wanting the money. How can +I pay him? I have not had sufficient time to recover myself from my +recent losses. I will slay the dog ere he reaches the threshold, and +say that another must have slain it. Thus there will be an end of my +debt. No dog, no loan.' Accordingly he ran out and killed the poor +dog, when the letter fell out of its collar. The merchant picked it up +and read it. How great was his grief and disappointment when he knew +the facts of the case! + +"Beware," continued the prince, "lest you do that which afterward you +would give your life not to have done." + +By the time the prince had concluded this story it was nearly morning, +and he went away, after rewarding the man. + +The prince then visited the country belonging to his brother-in-law. +He disguised himself as a jogi, and sitting down by a tree near the +palace, pretended to be absorbed in worship. News of the man and of +his wonderful piety reached the ears of the king. He felt interested +in him, as his wife was very ill; and he had sought for hakims to cure +her, but in vain. He thought that, perhaps, this holy man could do +something for her. So he sent to him. But the jogi refused to tread +the halls of a king, saying that his dwelling was the open air, and +that if his Majesty wished to see him he must come himself and bring +his wife to the place. Then the king took his wife and brought her to +the jogi. The holy man bade her prostrate herself before him, and when +she had remained in this position for about three hours, he told her +to rise and go, for she was cured. + +In the evening there was great consternation in the palace, because +the queen had lost her pearl rosary, and nobody knew anything about +it. At length some one went to the jogi, and found it on the ground by +the place where the queen had prostrated herself. When the king heard +this he was very angry and ordered the jogi to be executed. This stern +order, however, was not carried out, as the prince bribed the men and +escaped from the country. But he knew that the second bit of advice +was true. + +Clad in his own clothes, the prince was walking along one day when he +saw a potter crying and laughing, alternately, with his wife and +children. "O fool," said he, "what is the matter? If you laugh, why do +you weep? If you weep, why do you laugh?" + +"Do not bother me," said the potter. "What does it matter to you?" + +"Pardon me," said the prince, "but I should like to know the reason." + +"The reason is this, then," said the potter. "The king of this country +has a daughter whom he is obliged to marry every day, because all her +husbands die the first night of their stay with her. Nearly all the +young men of the place have thus perished, and our son will be called +on soon. We laugh at the absurdity of the thing--a potter's son +marrying a princess, and we cry at the terrible consequence of the +marriage. What can we do?" + +"Truly a matter for laughing and weeping. But weep no more," said the +prince. "I will exchange places with your son, and will be married to +the princess instead of him. Only give me suitable garments, and +prepare me for the occasion." + +So the potter gave him beautiful raiment and ornaments, and the prince +went to the palace. At night he was conducted to the apartment of the +princess. "Dread hour!" thought he; "am I to die like the scores of +young men before me?" He clenched his sword with firm grip, and lay +down on his bed, intending to keep awake all the night and see what +would happen. In the middle of the night he saw two Shahmars come out +from the nostrils of the princess. They stole over toward him, +intending to kill him, like the others who had been before him; but he +was ready for them. He laid hold of his sword, and when the snakes +reached his bed he struck at them and killed them. In the morning the +king came as usual to inquire, and was surprised to hear his daughter +and the prince talking gaily together. "Surely," said he, "this man +must be her husband, as he only can live with her." + +"Where do you come from? Who are you?" asked the king, entering the +room. + +"Oh king!" replied the prince, "I am the son of a king who rules over +such-and-such a country." + +When he heard this the king was very glad, and bade the prince to +abide in his palace, and appointed him his successor to the throne. +The prince remained at the palace for more than a year, and then asked +permission to visit his own country, which was granted. The king gave +him elephants, horses, jewels, and abundance of money for the expenses +of the way and as presents for his father, and the prince started. + +On the way he had to pass through the country belonging to his +brother-in-law, whom we have already mentioned. Report of his arrival +reached the ears of the king, who came with rope-tied hands and +haltered neck to do him homage. He most humbly begged him to stay at +his palace, and to accept what little hospitality could be provided. +While the prince was staying at the palace he saw his sister, who +greeted him with smiles and kisses. On leaving he told her how she and +her husband had treated him at his first visit, and how he escaped; +and then gave them two elephants, two beautiful horses, fifteen +soldiers, and ten lacs of rupees' worth of jewels. + +Afterward he went to his own home, and informed his mother and father +of his arrival. Alas! his parents had both become blind from weeping +about the loss of their son. "Let him come in," said the king, "and +put his hands upon our eyes, and we shall see again." So the prince +entered, and was most affectionately greeted by his old parents; and +he laid his hands on their eyes, and they saw again. + +Then the prince told his father all that had happened to him, and how +he had been saved several times by attending to the advice that he had +purchased from the Brahmani. Whereupon the king expressed his sorrow +for having sent him away, and all was joy and peace again. + + + + +_The Emperor's Nightingale_ + + +China, as you know, is ruled over by an Emperor, who is a Chinaman, +and all his courtiers are Chinamen, too. Now, this little story that I +am going to tell you happened ever so long ago, and that is why you +ought to hear it now, before it is forgotten, for it is well worth +hearing. + +The Emperor lived in the most beautiful palace in the world and it was +a very costly one, for it was made of the finest porcelain, and was so +brittle that you had to be very careful if you touched it. It was +surrounded by such a large garden that the gardener himself did not +quite know where it ended. Lovely flowers grew in luxuriance, and, +lest people should pass the most beautiful without noticing them, +peals of silver bells were tied to their stems. + +Truly, everything was carefully planned in the Emperor's garden. If +you kept on far enough, you came to a mighty forest which stretched +down so close to the margin of the sea that the poor fishermen in +their boats could sail under the overhanging branches. + +In one of these boughs a nightingale lived, and so beautiful was its +song that the rough sailors would stop to listen on their way out to +spread their nets. + +"Ah, what beautiful music!" they would exclaim, and then they had to +sail on, for they had their work to do. And again, when nightfall +came, and the bird sang, and the boats came drifting home on the tide, +they would say: + +"Heavens! how gloriously that bird sings!" + +Travellers came from all over the world to see the Emperor's city and +his palace and garden; but when they heard the Nightingale, they would +say: + +"That is most beautiful of all." + +And when the travellers reached their homes again, they told all their +friends of the wonderful things they had seen and heard; and wise +people wrote books, in which they did not forget to tell of the +Nightingale, which was pronounced the loveliest among many lovely +things. Even the poets wrote verses about this Nightingale that lived +in the wood by the sea. + +And then, one by one, the books travelled over the world, until some +at last reached the hands of the Emperor, who sat in his golden chair +and read them, nodding his head with pleasure; for he was charmed with +the beautiful descriptions of his city and castle and garden. Then he +read the words: + +"The Nightingale is the most lovely thing of all!" + +"What is this?" he said. "The Nightingale! I have never heard of such +a bird, yet there seems to be one in my empire--and in my own garden! +Imagine learning of such a thing for the first time from a book!" + +Thereupon he summoned his Chamberlain, who was a very important +person, and who never replied more than "Paugh!" to any inferior who +dared to ask him anything. This, of course, was no answer at all. + +"This book tells of a very remarkable bird called a Nightingale," said +the Emperor. "They say it is the finest thing in my empire. Why has no +one told me about it before?" + +"I have never heard anyone mention it before, myself," replied the +Chamberlain. "I don't remember that it has ever been presented at +Court." + +"I command it to appear at Court and sing before me to-night," said +the Emperor. "All the world knows what I possess, it appears, except +myself." + +"I have never heard of such a thing before," answered the Chamberlain +again, "but I will search until it is found." + +But where was it? The Chamberlain searched up and down the palace, +through corridors and up staircases, but he could not find anyone who +had even heard of a nightingale. Then he hastened back to the Emperor +to say that it must certainly be an invention of the man who had +written the book. + +"Your Imperial Majesty will scarcely credit the sort of things these +people will write," he said. "It is all fiction and something called +Black Art." + +"But the great and mighty Mikado of Japan has sent me this book!" +shouted the Emperor, very much annoyed, "and, therefore, there cannot +be anything that is false in it. I must and shall hear the +Nightingale, and I command it to be present this evening. It has my +especial Royal favour, and if it is not here, the whole Court shall be +trampled upon by camels after supper." + +"Tching Pe!" exclaimed the Chamberlain, very much alarmed, and raced +up and down stairs and through all the corridors again, accompanied +now by half the Court, who were not at all anxious to be trampled +upon, even after supper. It was a great search after this wonderful +Nightingale, of which all the world had heard, except the Emperor and +his courtiers. + +At length they came to the kitchen, where a poor little scullery-maid +at once exclaimed: + +"Why, yes, I know it well; and it sings beautifully! Every evening I +have permission to take the kitchen scraps to my sick mother, who +lives down on the sea-shore, and often, as I come back, I rest in the +wood and listen to the Nightingale, Its song makes my eyes fill with +tears, and I seem to be able to feel my mother's kisses." + +"Little girl," the Chamberlain said, "if you will take us straight to +where the Nightingale lives you shall receive a high appointment in +the Royal kitchen, and be allowed to see the Emperor dine every night. +His Majesty has commanded it to sing before him this evening." + +So the girl led the Chamberlain and all the Court to the wood where +the Nightingale sang. When they were half-way there a cow began to +low. + +"Hark!" said all the courtiers. "What a beautiful note, and how +powerful for such a tiny creature! I have certainly heard it before." + +"No," said the maid, "that is only the lowing of a cow. We have a long +way to go yet." + +"Oh, how exquisite!" murmured the Chinese Court-chaplain, as he heard +the frogs croaking in a marsh. "Now I can hear it; why, it resembles +the chime of silver bells." + +"No, those are only the marsh frogs," said the little maid. "But we +shall soon be able to hear it now." And then, just as she spoke, the +Nightingale commenced to sing. + +"Ah, now!" said the girl. "Listen, listen! There it sits up in the +branches," and she pointed to a tiny gray bird clinging to a spray of +thorn. + +"I should never have believed it would look like that," exclaimed the +Chamberlain. "It looks so simple and so pale; it must be frightened at +the sight of so many grand people." + +"Dear Nightingale," called the little girl, "our most noble Emperor +desires you to sing to him." + +"Oh, certainly, with pleasure," replied the Nightingale; and it sang +so beautifully it was a treat to hear it. + +"It is like the sound of running water; and see how its tiny throat +quivers, too," the Chamberlain said. "How strange that we have never +heard it talked about before! It will be an immense success at Court." + +"Would the Emperor like to hear another song?" asked the bird, for it +thought the Emperor had been listening all the time. + +"Most worthy Nightingale," the Chamberlain replied, "it is with great +pleasure I command you to appear before his Majesty at a Court +reception to-night, when you will charm his Majesty with your +delightful singing." + +"It sounds so much more beautiful out in the wood," said the bird; but +still it promised willingly when it heard it was the Emperor's royal +desire. + +The palace was very elegant in its decorations. The porcelain walls +and floors glittered and shone with the reflection from many lamps. +Beautiful flowers, shaking their silvery bells, were banked in rich +profusion on each side of the great staircase. Indeed, what with the +passing of many feet and the great draught, the bells tinkled so +loudly you could hardly hear yourself speak. + +The Emperor sat on a jewelled throne in the centre of the great hall, +and close beside him stood a golden perch for the Nightingale. All +the courtiers were assembled, and the little scullery-maid, now raised +to the rank of a real Court cook, had received permission to listen +behind the door. Everyone stood dressed in his very best and gazed on +the little gray bird, to whom the mighty Emperor had just nodded his +head. + +Then the Nightingale began to sing, and sang so gloriously that the +Emperor's eyes so filled with tears that they overflowed and ran down +his cheeks. And the bird sang on and on, till it reached one's very +heart. The Emperor was so delighted that he said the Nightingale +should wear his own golden slipper around its neck. But the +Nightingale thanked him very politely and said it had already received +sufficient reward. + +"For," it said, "I have caused the Emperor's eyes to fill with tears, +and an Emperor's tears have a mighty power. Heaven knows I have been +sufficiently repaid." And again it burst into its beautiful song. + +"Oh, what charming coquetry!" said the Court ladies, and each tried to +keep their mouths full of water so that they might gurgle like the +Nightingale when they spoke to anyone. Even the footmen and the +ladies' maids expressed their perfect satisfaction, and that was a +great deal, for they are generally the hardest to please. In short, +the Nightingale had scored a great success. + +It was so arranged that in future it should live at Court, in its own +cage, with permission to fly out twice a day, and once during the +night. + +On these trips it was accompanied by twelve servants, each of whom +held a silken cord attached to its leg, so that really there could not +be the slightest pleasure for it in such a flight. As for the city, +wherever you went, you met people talking of the wonderful bird. One +had only to say the word "Nightin" when the other would answer "gale," +and each would give a sigh and feel they perfectly understood each +other. Eleven babies belonging to poor people were christened after +the bird, and yet not one of them could sing a note. + +One day a parcel arrived at the palace, addressed to the Emperor, with +the words, "The Nightingale," written on the outside. + +"Oh, this must be a fresh book about our famous bird," said the +Emperor. + +But it was not a book. A wonderful work of art lay within a casket, a +clockwork nightingale, encrusted in diamonds and rubies and pearls, +and fashioned in the shape of a real bird. When it had been wound up +it sang one of the same songs that the real nightingale sang, and its +glittering tail moved up and down in time to the notes. A ribbon hung +around its neck, and on it these words were written: "The Emperor of +Japan's Nightingale is nothing compared to that of the Emperor of +China." + +"How perfect!" everyone cried, and the Emperor immediately bestowed +the title of the King's-Imperial-Nightingale-Bringer on the courier +who had brought the bird. + +"Now we must hear them sing a duet together. How beautiful it will +sound!" they all said. But it did not sound so well as they had +expected, for the real bird sang in a natural way, and just whatever +came into its little throat, and the artificial bird could only sing +waltzes. + +"The new one sings quite correctly," said the chief Court musician. +"It keeps perfect time, and understands my own method, I can hear." So +then the new one had to sing by itself and obtained quite as much +applause as the real one had done. Besides, it looked so much +handsomer; glittering and glistening like bracelets and breast-pins. + +Over and over again, for quite thirty-three times, it sang the same +tune and yet was not tired. The courtiers would have liked to hear it +again even, only the Emperor said "No, it's the real bird's turn now, +let us ask it to sing." + +But where was the Nightingale? Not a soul had seen it fly out of the +open window back to its own green woods. + +"Well, well! whatever has become of it?" exclaimed the Emperor. And +all the courtiers united in saying it was a most ungrateful creature. + +"After all," they said, "we still have the better bird," and with that +the new one had to sing his song for the thirty-fourth time, and even +then the courtiers had not caught the tune quite correctly, for it was +very difficult and tricky. The Court musician, especially, praised +the bird, and said, not only was its plumage much more handsome, but +its inside was better made, too. + +"For your Imperial Highness, and you, my noble lords and ladies, must +see," he went on, "that with a real Nightingale you can never tell +what is coming next, but with an imitation one everything is settled. +One can open it and see exactly how it works, where the waltz comes +from, and why the notes follow one after the other." + +The courtiers all agreed with the Court musician, and the Emperor +commanded him to show it to the people on the following Saturday, and +let them hear it sing. This he did, and the Chinese people felt so +pleased and happy they all nodded their heads and shook their +forefingers and said "Ah!" Only the fishermen, who had heard the real +bird sing, shook their heads and said it all sounded very nice, and +very much alike, too; but somehow--they didn't quite know +how--something seemed lacking. + +And so the real Nightingale was sent into exile, and the imitation one +slept on a satin cushion close to the Emperor's bed. All the jewels +and precious stones that had been showered on it as presents were +arranged around the edge of the cushion, and it was given the title of +the Emperor's Own Court Singer and advanced to the very highest rank, +that of First on the Left; for the left was thought to be the highest +station, as the Emperor wore his heart on that side, just like +ordinary people. + +The Court musician wrote twenty-five volumes on the imitation bird. +The work was very tedious and dull, and full of the longest Chinese +words you can imagine; and people always said they had read it and +pretended to have enjoyed it, or else they would have been thought +stupid and have had their bodies trampled upon. + +A whole year passed by in this fashion, and at last the Emperor and +his Court and all the Chinese people knew every turn and trill of the +Nightingale's song by heart, and this pleased them more than ever. +They often sang with it, and the street-urchins, even, could sing +"Tchoochoohuh juggjugg jugg," and the Emperor just the same. It was +really delightful. + +One evening the Emperor lay in his bed listening to the bird which was +singing its very best. Suddenly it stopped with a jerk, and bang! +something had snapped in its inside, and all its wheels ran down with +a whirr, and then there was a dead silence. + +The Emperor sprang out of bed and sent for the Court physician, but he +could do nothing. Then a watchmaker was fetched in, and after he had +talked a lot, and poked and examined the inside a great deal, he +managed to put it in something like working order again. + +"You must not use it too much," he said, "it is nearly worn out, and +one can never put in fresh works again and be sure of the music being +as good as before." + +At this there was great mourning all over the country, for the +imitation bird must only be allowed to sing once a year in future, and +even that might prove too much for it. + +And when these performances were given the Court musician made a short +speech, full of very long words, proving that it sang as beautifully +as ever, and so the Court thought it did and were very well content. + +After five years had passed the Emperor fell very ill. All the people +felt sad, for they were really extremely fond of him, and now it was +said he could not possibly live. Already the new Emperor was selected, +and the people stood about in the streets and begged to know from the +Chamberlain how the old Emperor was. + +But "Paugh!" was all he would say as he nodded his head. + +White and cold the old Emperor lay in his great tall bed, and all the +courtiers thought he was dead, and ran away to greet their new King. +In the antechamber the pages gossiped with the maids-in-waiting as +they ate a splendid tea. The palace was wrapped in silence, for +carpets had been laid down in the hall and corridor, so that the noise +of footsteps might be deadened. It was very, very still and solemn. +And the Emperor, still alive, lay all cold and pale on the magnificent +bed, with its heavy velvet draperies and gorgeous golden tassels. +High up, through the open window, the moon shone in upon him and the +imitation nightingale lying in its casket by the bed. + +The poor old Emperor lay panting for breath; a terrible weight seemed +pressing on his chest, and he opened his eyes at last to see Death +sitting there, with the Emperor's crown upon his head and his sword +and jewelled sceptre in his hands. + +The Emperor's gaze travelled round, and he saw faces--some ugly and +some smiling and gentle--peeping at him from among the velvet folds of +the curtains; these were the Emperor's good and bad deeds looking down +at him as Death pressed on his heart. + +"Don't you remember this?" and "Can you recall that?" they all seemed +to be whispering. And the cold sweat broke out on the Emperor's brow, +at the recollections they brought to his mind. + +"I do not remember--I cannot!" gasped the Emperor, then cried, "Music! +music! Bring the great Chinese drum, that I may not hear what they +say." + +But still they whispered together, and Death nodded his head, like a +Chinese mandarin, at all they said. + +"Music, music, I say!" shrieked the old Emperor. "Oh precious jewelled +bird, sing! I heaped upon you gold and precious stones, and even hung +my golden slippers around your neck. Ah, heavens! sing! I say, sing!" + +But the imitation bird was still and silent, for until someone wound +it up, it could not sing, and there was no one by to do it. And Death +still sat gazing at him with hollow, hungry eyes, and all around was +terribly still. + +Suddenly a silvery note floated in at the open window. It was the +voice of the real Nightingale as it sat upon a bough outside. It had +heard the Emperor was ill, and had come back to comfort him and fill +him with hope. + +And as its song gained strength and rose and fell in delicious trills, +the ghostly faces faded away and the warm life blood began to flow +anew in the Emperor's veins. Even Death raised his head and said, "Go +on, go on, little Nightingale." + +"Ah, but you will give me the Emperor's royal crown and his sword and +jewelled sceptre, if I do?" asked the bird. + +And Death exchanged each of these treasures for a song, and the +Nightingale went on singing--of a peaceful churchyard, heavy with the +scent of roses and elder blossom, where the grass lay thick with the +dew of many tears shed by mortals over dear ones lying sleeping there. +Then Death was filled with a yearning to be in his own garden, and +passed like a gray mist out of the open window. + +"Deep, deep thanks I give you," said the Emperor. "Merciful little +bird! I know you again. It was you I banished from my presence and my +kingdom. And yet, you have charmed the evil spectres from my bed and +Death from my heart. How can I ever repay you?" + +"I am already rewarded in that I drew tears from your eyes when first +I sang to you. Those tears were jewels to crown the heart of any +singer, and I shall never forget them. I will sing you to sleep now, a +sleep from which you will awake fresh and strong again." + +And the Emperor fell into a sweet, refreshing slumber, so deep and +peaceful that he awoke strong and well in the warm sunlight. None of +the courtiers were by him, for all believed he was dead, only the +Nightingale was still singing a gentle, sweet song. + +"You must never leave me," the Emperor said; "you shall only sing when +you desire, and I will break the artificial bird into a million +pieces." + +"No, spare it," said the Nightingale. "It did its best as long as it +was able, so keep it as before. I cannot build my nest within the +castle, but I will often come to you at evening and sing, on the bough +outside the window, songs that will make you glad, and at the same +time sweetly melancholy. I will sing of happiness and sorrow, of the +goodness and wickedness that lie close around you. The singing bird +loves the fisherman's hut, the peasant's cot, and all that is far +removed from palace and court. But I love your soul more than your +crown. I will fly to you and sing my songs, but you must promise me +one thing." + +The Emperor stood in his royal robes, which he had put on with his own +hands, and he pressed his sword-hilt to his breast as he said: + +"Anything that I can, I will grant." + +"I only ask of you this one thing. Do not let anyone know that you +have a little bird that tells you all; it will be for the best." + +So saying the Nightingale flew away. + +Then the servants entered to attend to their dead Emperor, and when +they saw him standing there strong and well, they started back aghast. + +But the Emperor only said: + +"Good morning!" + + + + +_Hookedy-Crookedy_ + + +Once on a time there was a King and Queen in Ireland, and they had one +son named Jack, and when Jack grew up to be man big, he rose up one +day and said to his father and mother that he would go off and push +his fortune. + +All his father and mother could say to Jack, they could not keep him +from going. So with his staff in his hand and his father's and +mother's blessing on his head, off he started, and he travelled away +far, farther than I could tell you, and twice as far as you could tell +me. At length one day, coming up to a big wood, he met a gray-haired +old man. The old man asked him, "Jack, where are you going?" + +He says, "I am going to push my fortune." + +"Well," says the old man, says he, "If 't is looking for service you +are, there is a Giant who lives at the other side of that wood that +they call the Giant of the Hundred Hills, and I believe he wants a +fine strong, able, clever young fellow like you." + +"Very well," says Jack, "I will push on to him." + +Push on Jack did, away through the wood, until he got to the other +side, and then he saw a big castle, and going up he knocked at the +door, and a big Giant came out. + +"Welcome, Jack," says he, "the King of Ireland's Son! Where are you +going and what do you want?" + +"I come," says Jack, "to push my fortune, and am looking for honest +service. I have been told," he says to the Giant of the Hundred Hills, +"that you wanted a clean, clever boy like me." + +"Well," says the Giant, "I am the Giant of the Hundred Hills, and do +want such a fine fellow as you. I have to go away every day," he says, +"to battle with another giant at the other end of the world, and when +I am away I want somebody to look after my house and place. If you +will be of good, faithful service to me, and do everything I tell you, +I will give you a bag of gold at the end of the time." Jack promised +he would do all that. The Giant then gave him a hearty supper and a +good bed, and well he slept that night. In the morning the Giant had +him called up before the first lark was in the sky. + +"Jack, my brave boy," says he, "I have got to be off to the other end +of the world to-day to fight the Giant of the Four Winds, and it is +time you were up and looking after your business. You have got to put +this house in order, and look after everything in it until I come back +to-night. To every room in the house and to every place about the +house you can go, except the stable. My stable door is closed, and on +the peril of your life, don't open it or go into the stable. Keep that +in mind." + +Jack said he certainly would. Then the Giant visited the stable, and +started off; and as soon as he was gone, Jack went fixing and +arranging the house and setting everything in order. And a wonderful +house it was to Jack, so big and so great; and after that he went to +the castle yard and into every house and building there, except the +stable: and when he had visited all the rest of them, he stood before +the stable and looked at it a long time. "And I wonder," says Jack, +says he, "I wonder what can be in there, and what is the reason he +wants me on the peril of my life not to go into it? I would like to go +and peep in, and there certainly would be no harm." + +Every door in and about the Giant's place was opened by a little ring +turning on a pivot in the middle of the door. Forward to the stable +door Jack then steps, turns the little ring, and the door flew open. +Inside what does Jack see but a mare and a bear standing by the +manger, and neither of them eating. There was hay before the bear and +meat before the mare. + +"Well," says Jack, "it is no wonder, poor creatures, you are not +eatin'. That was a nice blunder of the Giant," and he stepped in and +changed their food, putting hay before the mare and meat before the +bear, and at once both of them fell to it and Jack went out and closed +the stable door. As he did so his finger stuck in the ring, and he +pulled and struggled to get it away, but he could not. + +That was a fix for poor Jack, "And by this and by that," says he, "the +Giant will be back and find me stuck here;" so he whips out his knife, +and cuts off his finger, and leaves it there. + +And when the Giant came home that night, says he to Jack, "Well, Jack, +what sort of a day have you had this day, and how did you get along?" + +"I had a fine day," says Jack, "and got along very well indeed." + +"Jack," says he, "show me your two hands;" and when Jack held out his +two hands, the Giant saw one of his fingers gone. He got black in the +face with rage when he saw this, and he said, "Jack, did I not warn +you on the peril of your life not to go into that stable?" + +Poor Jack pleaded all he could, and said he did not mean to, but +curiosity got the best of him, and he thought he would open the door +and peep in. + +Says the Giant, "No man before ever opened that stable door and lived +to tell it, and you, too, would be a dead man this minute only for one +thing. Your father's father did my father a great service once. I am +the man who never forgets a good thing, and for that service," says +he, "I give you your life and pardon this time; but if you ever do the +like again, you won't live." + +Jack, he promised that surely and surely he would never do the like +again. His supper he got that night, and to bed. And at early morning +again the Giant had him up, and, "Jack," says he, "I must be off to +the other end of the world again and fight the Giant of the Four +Winds. You know your duty is to look after this house and place and +set everything in order about it, and go everywhere you like, only +don't open the stable door or go into the stable, on the peril of your +life." + +"I will mind all that," says Jack. + +Then that morning again the Giant visited the stable before he went +away. And after he had gone, to his work went Jack, wandering through +the house, cleaning and setting everything in order about it, and out +into the yard he went, and fixed and arranged everything out there, +except the stable. He stood before the stable door a good while this +day, and says he to himself, "I wonder how the bear and the mare are +doing, and what the Giant did when he went in to see them? I would +give a great deal to know," says he. "I will take a peep in." + +Into the ring of the door he put his finger, and turned it, and looked +in, and there he saw the mare and the bear standing as on the day +before and neither of them eating. In Jack steps. "And no wonder, poor +creatures," says he, "you don't eat, when that is the way the Giant +blundered," he says, after he saw the meat before the mare and the hay +before the bear this time also. + +Jack then changed the food, putting the hay before the mare and the +meat before the bear, as it should be, and very soon both the mare and +the bear were eating heartily; and then Jack went out. He closed the +door, and when he did so, his finger stuck in the ring; and pull and +struggle though Jack did, he could not get it out. + +"Och, och, och," says Jack, says he, "I am a dead man to-day surely." + +He whips out his knife, and cuts off his finger, and leaves it there, +and 't was there when the Giant came home that night. + +"Well, Jack, my fine boy," says he, "how have you got on to-day?" + +"Oh, finely, finely," says Jack, says he, holding his hands behind his +back all the same. + +"Show me your hands, Jack," says the Giant, "till I see if you wash +them and keep them clean always." And when Jack showed his hands, the +Giant got black in the face with rage, and says he, "Didn't I forgive +you your life yesterday for going into that stable, and you promised +never to do it again, and here I find you out, once more?" + +The Giant ranted and raged for a long time, and then says he, "Because +your father's father did my father such a good turn, I suppose I will +have to spare your life this second time; but, Jack," says he, "if you +should live for a hundred years, and spend them all in my service, +and if you should then again open that door and put your foot into my +stable that day," says he, "you will be a dead man as sure as there is +a head on you. Mind that!" + +Jack, he thanked the Giant very much for sparing his life, and +promised that he never, never would again disobey him. + +The next morning the Giant had Jack up early, and told him he was +going off this day to fight the Giant at the other end of the world, +and gave Jack his directions, and warned him just as on the other +days. Then he went into the stable before he went away. And when he +was gone, Jack went through all the house, and through the whole yard, +setting everything in order, and when everything was done, he stood +before the stable door. + +"I wonder," says Jack, "how the poor mare and the poor bear are +getting along and what the Giant of the Hundred Hills was doing here +to-day? I should very much like," says he, "to take one wee, wee peep +in," and he opened the door. + +Jack peeped in, and there the mare and the bear stood looking at each +other again, and neither of them taking a morsel. And there was the +meat before the mare and the hay before the bear, just as on the other +days. + +"Poor creatures," says Jack, "it is no wonder you are not eating, and +hungry and hungry you must be." And forward he steps, and changes the +food, putting it as it should be, the hay before the mare and the meat +before the bear, and to it both of them fell. + +And when he had done this, up speaks the mare, and "Poor Jack," says +she, "I am sorry for you. This night you will be killed surely; and +sorry for us, too, I am, for we will be killed as well as you." + +"Oh, oh, oh!" says Jack, says he, "that is terrible. Is there nothing +we can do?" + +"Only one thing," says the mare. + +"What is that?" says Jack. + +"It's this," says the mare; "put that saddle and bridle on me, and let +us start off and be away, far, far from this country, when the Giant +comes back." And soon Jack had the saddle and bridle on the mare, and +on her back he got to start off. + +"Oh!" says the bear, speaking up, "both of you are going away to leave +me in for all the trouble." + +"No," says the mare, "we will not do that. Jack," says she, "take the +chains and tie me to the bear." + +Jack tied the mare to the bear with chains that were hanging by, and +then the three of them, the mare and the bear and Jack, started, and +on and on they went, as fast as they could gallop. + +After a long time, says the mare: "Jack, look behind you, and see what +you can see." + +Jack looked behind him, and "Oh!" says he, "I see the Giant of the +Hundred Hills coming like a raging storm. Very soon he will be on us, +and we will all three be murdered." + +Says the mare, says she, "We have a chance yet. Look in my left ear, +and see what you can see;" and in her left ear Jack looked, and saw a +little chestnut. + +"Throw it over your left shoulder," says the mare. + +Jack threw it over his left shoulder, and that minute there arose +behind them a chestnut wood ten miles wide. On and on they went that +day and that night; and till the middle of the next day, "Jack," says +the mare, "look behind you, and see what you can see." + +Jack looked behind him, and "Oh!" says he, "I see the Giant of the +Hundred Hills coming tearing after us like a harvest hurricane." + +"Do you see anything strange about him, Jack?" says the mare. + +"Yes," says Jack, says he, "there are as many bushes on the top of his +head, and as much fowl stuck about his feet and legs as will keep him +in firewood and flesh for years to come. We are done for this time, +entirely," says poor Jack. + +"Not yet," says the mare; "there is another chance. Look into my right +ear, and see what you can see." + +In the mare's right ear Jack looked, and found a drop of water. + +"Throw it over your left shoulder, Jack," says the mare, "and see what +will happen." + +Over his left shoulder Jack threw it, and all at once a lough sprung +up between them and the Giant that was one hundred miles wide every +way and one hundred miles deep. + +"Now," says the mare, "he cannot reach us until he drinks his way +through the lough, and very likely he will drink until he bursts, and +then we shall be rid of him altogether." + +Jack thanked God, and on he went. It was not long now until he reached +the borders of Scotland, and there he saw a great wood. + +"Now," says the mare and the bear, "this wood must be our +hiding-place." + +"And what about me?" says Jack. + +"For you, Jack," says the mare, "you must push on and look for +employment. The castle of the King of Scotland is near by, and I think +you will be likely to get employment there; but first I must change +you into an ugly little hookedy-crookedy fellow, because the King of +Scotland has three beautiful daughters, and he won't take into his +service a handsome fellow like you, for fear his daughters would fall +in love with you." + +Then the mare put her nostrils to Jack's breast and blew her breath +over him, and Jack was turned into an ugly little hookedy-crookedy +fellow. + +"Jack," says the mare, "before you go, look into my left ear, and take +what you see there." + +Out of the mare's left ear Jack took a little cap. + +"Jack," says she, "that is a wishing-cap, and every time you put it on +and wish to have anything done, it will be done. Whenever you are in +any trouble," the mare says, "come back to me, and I will do what I +can for you, and now good-bye." + +So Jack said good-bye to the mare and to the bear, and set off. When +he got out of the wood, he soon saw a castle, and walked up to it and +went in by the kitchen. A servant was busy scouring knives. He told +her he wanted employment. She said the King of Scotland would employ +no man in his house, so he might as well push on. But Jack insisted +that the King would give him work, and at length the girl consented to +go and let the King know. + +When the girl had gone away, Jack put on his wishing-cap and wished +the knives and forks scoured, and all at once the knives and forks, +that were piled in a stack ten yards high, were scoured as brightly as +new pins; and though the King of Scotland did not want to employ him, +when he found how quickly Jack had scoured all the big stack of knives +and forks, he agreed to keep him. But first he brought down his three +daughters to see Jack, so that he could observe what impression Jack +made upon them. When they came into the kitchen and saw the ugly +little fellow, every one of the three fainted and had to be carried +out. + +"It is all right," says the King; "we will surely keep you," and Jack +was employed, and sent out into the garden to work there. + +Now at this time the King of the East declared war on the King of +Scotland. The King of the East had a mighty army entirely, and he +threatened to wipe the King of Scotland off the face of the earth. + +The King of Scotland was very much troubled, and he consulted with his +Grand Adviser what was best to be done, and his Grand Adviser +counselled that he should at once give his three daughters in marriage +to sons of kings, and in that way get great help for the war. The King +said this was a grand idea. + +So he sent out messengers to all parts of the world to say that his +three beautiful daughters were ready for marriage. In a very short +time the son of the King of Spain came and married the eldest +daughter, and the son of the King of France came and married the +second, and a whole lot of princes came looking for the youngest, who +was the most beautiful of the three and whose name was Yellow Rose; +but she would not take one of them, and for this the King ordered her +never to come into his sight, nor into company, again. + +Yellow Rose got very downhearted, and spent almost all her time now +wandering in the garden, where the Hookedy-Crookedy lad was looking +after the flowers, and she used to come around again and again, +chatting to Hookedy-Crookedy. And so it was not long until he saw that +the Yellow Rose was in love with him, and he got just as deeply in +love with her, for she was a beautiful and charming girl. + +The next thing the Grand Adviser counselled the King was that he +should send his two new sons-in-law, the Prince of Spain and the +Prince of France, to the Well of the World's End for bottles of +Ioca[2] to take to battle with them, that they might cure the wounded +and dead men. So the King ordered his sons-in-law to go to the Well of +the World's End and bring him back two bottles of Ioca. + +[Footnote 2: Ioca was a liquid that cured all wounds and restored the +dead to life.] + +The Yellow Rose told Hookedy-Crookedy this, and when he had turned it +over in his mind, he said to himself, "I will go and have a chat with +the mare and the bear about this." + +So off to the woods he went, and right glad the mare and the bear were +to see him. He told them all that had happened, and then he told them +how the King's two sons-in-law were to start to the Well of the +World's End the next day, and asked the mare's advice about it. + +"Well, Jack," says the mare, "I want you to go with them. Take an old +hunter in the King's stable, an old bony, skinny animal that is past +all work, and put an old straw saddle on him, and dress yourself in +the most ragged dress you can get, and join the two men on the road, +and say that you are going with them. They will be heartily ashamed of +you, Jack, and your old horse, and they will do everything to get rid +of you. When you come to the crossroads, one of them will propose to +go in and have a drink; and while you are chatting over your drink, +they will propose that the three of you separate and every one take a +road by himself to go to the Well of the World's End, and that all +three shall meet at the crossroads again, and whoever is back first +with the bottle of water is to be the greatest hero of them all. You +agree to this. When they start on their roads, they will not go many +miles till they fill their bottles from spring wells by the roadside +and hurry back to the meeting-place, and then continue on home to the +King of Scotland and give him these bottles as bottles of Ioca from +the Well of the World's End. But you will be before them. After you +have set out on the road, and when you have gone around the first +bend, put on your wishing-cap and wish for two bottles of Ioca from +the Well of the World's End, and at once you will have them." And then +the mare directed Jack fully all that he was to do after. + +Jack thanked the mare, and bade good-bye to her, and went away. + +The next day, when the King's two sons-in-law set out on their grand +steeds to go to the Well of the World's End, they had not gone far +when Jack, in a ragged old suit and sitting on a straw saddle on an +old white skinny horse, joined them and told them he too was going +with them for a bottle of Ioca. Right heartily ashamed were they of +Jack and ready to do anything to get rid of him. + +By and by, when they came to where the road divided into three, they +proposed to have a drink, and as they set off to drink they proposed +that each take a road for himself, and whoever got back first with a +bottle of Ioca would be the greatest hero. All agreed, and each chose +his own road and set out. + +When Jack had got around the first bend, he put on his wishing-cap and +wished for two bottles of Ioca from the Well of the World's End, and +no sooner had he wished than he had them; and back again he came, and +when the other two came riding up, surprised they were to find Jack +there before them. They said that Jack had not been to the Well of the +World's End and it was no Ioca he had with him, but some water from +the roadside. + +Said Jack, "Take care that is not your own story. Just test them; when +the servant comes in, you cut off his head and then cure him with +water from your bottles." + +But both refused to do this, for they knew the water in their bottles +could not cure anything, and they defied Jack to do it. + +"Very soon I will do it," said Jack. + +So when the servant came in with the bottles of Ioca, Jack drew his +sword and whipped his head off him, and in a minute's time, with two +drops from one of his bottles, he had the head on again. + +Says they to Hookedy-Crookedy, "What will you take for your two +bottles?" + +Says Jack, "I will take the golden balls of your marriage pledge, and +also you shall allow me to write something on your backs." + +And they agreed to this. They handed over to Jack the two golden balls +that were their marriage tokens, and they let Jack write on their bare +backs; and what Jack wrote on each of them was, "This is an unlawfully +married man." Then he gave them the bottles of Ioca, and they brought +them to the King, and Jack returned to his garden again. + +He did not tell the Yellow Rose where he had been and what doing, only +said he was away on a message for her father. As soon as the King got +the bottles of Ioca, he gave orders that his army should move to +battle the next day. + +The next morning early Jack was over to the wood to consult the mare. +He told her what was going to happen that day. Says the mare, "Look in +my left ear, Jack, and see what you will see." + +Jack looked in the mare's left ear, and took out of it a grand +soldier's dress. The mare told him to put it on and get on her back. +On he put the dress, and at once Hookedy-Crookedy was transformed into +a very handsome, dashing young fellow, and off went Jack and the mare +and the bear, the three of them, away to the war. Every one saw them, +and they admired Jack very much, he was such a handsome, +clever-looking fellow, and the word was passed on to the King about +the great Prince who was riding to the war--himself, the mare, and the +bear. The King came to see him, too, and asked him on which side he +was going to fight. + +"I will strike no stroke this day," says Jack, "except on the side of +the King of Scotland." + +The King thanked him very heartily, and said he was sure they would +win. So they went into the battle with Jack at their head, and Jack +struck east and west and in all directions and at every blow of his +sword the wind of his stroke tossed houses on the other side of the +world, and in a very short time the King of the East ran off, with +all his soldiers that were still left alive. Then the King of Scotland +invited Jack to come home with him, as he was going to give a great +feast in his honor, but Jack said no, he could not go. + +"They don't know at home," said Jack, "where I am at all"--and neither +they did--"so I must be off to them as quickly as possible." + +"Then," says the King, "the least I can do is to give you a present. +Here is a tablecloth," says he, "and every time you spread it out you +will have it covered with eating and drinking of all sorts." + +Jack took it, and thanked him, and rode away. He left the mare and the +bear in their own wood, and became Hookedy-Crookedy again, and ran +back to his garden. The Yellow Rose told him of the brave soldier that +had won her father's battle that day. + +"Well, well," says Jack, says he, "he must have been a grand fellow +entirely. It is a pity I was not there, but I had to go on a message +for the King." + +"Poor Hookedy-Crookedy," says she, "what could you do if you were +there yourself?" + +Jack went to the wood again next morning, and consulted with the mare. + +"Jack," said the mare, "look in the inside of my left ear, and see +what you will see," and Jack took out of her left ear a soldier's +suit, done off with silver, the grandest ever seen, and at the mare's +advice he put the suit on, and mounted on her back, and the three of +them went off to the battle. Every one was admiring the beautiful, +dashing fellow that was riding to the battle this day, and word came +to the King, and the King came to speak to him and welcomed him +heartily. + +He said, "Your brother came with us the last day we went into the +battle. Your brother is a very handsome, fine-looking fellow. What +side are you going to fight on?" + +Says Jack, "I will strike no stroke on any side but yours this day." + +The King thanked him very heartily, and into the battle they went +with Jack at their head, and Jack struck east and west and in all +directions, and the wind of the strokes blew down forests in the other +end of the world, and very soon the King of the East, with all his +soldiers that were still alive, drew off from the battle. + +Then the King thanked Jack and invited him to his castle; where he +would give a feast in his honor. But Jack said he could not go, for +they did not know at home where he was, and they would be uneasy about +him until he reached home again. + +"Then," says the King, "the least I can do for you is to give you a +present. Here is a purse, and no matter how often and how much you pay +out of it, it will never be empty." + +Jack took it, and thanked him, and rode away. In the wood he left the +mare and the bear, and was again changed into Hookedy-Crookedy, and +went home to his garden. The Yellow Rose came out, and told him about +the great victory a brave and beautiful soldier, brother to the fine +fellow of the day before, had won for her father. + +"Well, well," says Jack, says he, "that was very wonderful entirely. I +am sorry I was not there, but I had to be away on a message for your +father." + +"But, my poor Hookedy-Crookedy," says she, "it was better so, for what +could you do?" + +Three days after that the King of the East took courage to come to +battle again. The morning of the battle Jack went to the wood to +consult the mare. + +"Look into my left ear, Jack, and see what you will see," and from the +mare's left ear Jack drew out a most gorgeous soldier's suit, done off +with gold braiding and ornaments of every sort. By the mare's advice +he put it on, and himself, the mare, and the bear went off to the war. + +The King soon heard of the wonderfully grand fellow that was riding to +the war to-day with the mare and the bear, and he came to Jack and +welcomed him and told him how his two brothers had won the last two +victories for him. He asked Jack on what side he was going to fight. + +"I will strike no stroke this day," says Jack, "only on the King of +Scotland's side." + +The King thanked him heartily, and said, "We will surely win the +victory," and then into the battle they rode with Jack at their head, +and Jack struck east and west and in all directions, and the wind of +the strokes tumbled mountains at the other end of the world, and very +soon the King of the East with all his soldiers that were left alive +took to their heels and never stopped running until they went as far +as the world would let them. + +Then the King came to Jack and thanked him over and over again, and +said he would never be able to repay him. He then invited him to come +to his castle, where he would give a little feast in his honour, but +Jack said they didn't know at home where he was and they would be +uneasy about him, and so he could not go with the King. + +"But," says he, "I and my brothers will come to the feast with you at +any other time." + +"What day will the three of you come?" said the King. + +"Only one of us can leave home in one day," said Jack. "I will come to +feast with you to-morrow, and my second brother the day after, and my +third brother the day after that." + +The King agreed to this and thanked him. "And now," said the King, +"let me give you a present," and he gave him a comb, such that every +time he combed his hair with it he would comb out of it bushels of +gold and silver, and it would transform the ugliest man that ever was +into the nicest and handsomest. Jack took it and thanked the King and +rode away. + +On this day, as on the other two days after the battle, they cured the +dead and the wounded with the bottles of Ioca, and all were well +again. When Jack went to the wood, he left the mare and the bear in it +and became Hookedy-Crookedy again, and went home and to his garden. +The Yellow Rose came to him and had wonderful news for him this day +about the terrible grand fellow entirely, who had won the battle for +her father that day; brother to the two brave fellows who had won the +battles on the other two days. + +"Well," says Jack, says he, "those must be wonderful chaps. I wish I +had been there; but I had to be away on a message for your father all +day." + +"Oh, my poor Hookedy-Crookedy," says she, "it was better so, for what +could you do?" + +The next day, when it was near dinner time, he went off to the wood to +the mare and the bear and got on the suit he had worn the day before +in the battle, and mounted the mare and rode for the castle, and when +he came there all the gates happened to be closed, but he put the mare +at the walls, which were nine miles high, and leaped them. + +The King scolded the gate-keepers, but Jack said a trifle like that +didn't harm him or his mare. After dinner the King asked him what he +thought of his two daughters and their husbands. Jack said they were +very good and asked him if he had any more daughters in his family. + +The King said he used to have another, the youngest, but she would not +consent to marry as he wished, and he had banished her out of his +sight. + +Jack said he would like to see her. + +The King said he never wished to let her enter company again, but he +could not refuse Jack; so the Yellow Rose was sent for. + +Jack fell a-chatting with her and used all his arts to win her; and of +course, in this handsome Jack she did not recognize ugly little +Hookedy-Crookedy. He told her he had heard that she had the very bad +taste to fall in love with an ugly, crooked, wee fellow in her +father's garden. + +"I am a handsome fellow, and a rich prince," says Jack, "and I will +give you myself and all I possess if you will only say you will accept +me." + +She was highly insulted, and she showed him that very quickly. She +said, "I won't sit here and hear the man I love abused," and she got +up to leave. + +"Well," says Jack, "I admire your spirit; but before you go," says he, +"let me make you a little present," and he handed her a tablecloth. +"There," says he, "if you marry Hookedy-Crookedy, as long as you have +this tablecloth, you will never want eating and drinking of the +best." + +The other two sisters grabbed to get the tablecloth from her but Jack +put out his hands and pushed them back. + +At dinner time the next day Jack came in the dress in which he had +gone into the second battle, and with the mare he cleared the walls as +on the day before. + +The King was enraged at the gate-keepers and began to scold them, but +Jack laughed at them and said a trifle like that was nothing to him or +his mare. + +After dinner was over the King asked what he thought of his two +daughters and their husbands. + +Jack said they were very good, and asked him if he had any more +daughters in his family. + +The King said, "I have no more except one who won't do as I wish and +who has fallen in love with an ugly, crooked, wee fellow in my garden, +and I ordered her never to come into my sight." + +But Jack said he would very much like to see her. + +The King said that on Jack's account he would break his vow and let +her come in. So the Yellow Rose was brought in, and Jack fell to +chatting with her. He did all he could to make her fall in love with +him, and told her of all his great wealth and possessions and offered +himself to her, and said if she only would marry him she should live +in ease and luxury and happiness all the days of her life, as she +never could do with Hookedy-Crookedy. + +But Yellow Rose got very angry, and said: "I won't sit here and listen +to such things," and she got up to leave the room. + +"Well," says Jack, "I admire your spirit, and before you go let me +make you a little present." + +So he handed her a purse. "Here," says he, "is a purse, and all the +days yourself and Hookedy-Crookedy live you will never want for money, +for that purse will never be empty." + +Her sisters made a grab to snatch it from her, but Jack shoved them +back, and went out. And Jack rode away with the mare after dinner and +left her in the wood. + +When he came back to his garden he always came in the +Hookedy-Crookedy shape and always pretended he had been off on a +message for the King. + +The third day he went to the wood again. He dressed in the suit in +which he had gone to the first battle, and when he came back he went +to the castle and cleared the walls, and when the King scolded the +gate-keepers Jack told him never to mind, as that was a small trifle +to him and his mare. + +A very grand dinner indeed Jack had this day, and when they chatted +after dinner the King asked him how he liked his two daughters and +their husbands. + +He said he liked them very well, and asked him if he had any more +daughters in his family. + +The King said no, except one foolish one who wouldn't do as he wished, +and who had fallen in love with an ugly, crooked, wee fellow in his +garden, and she was never to come within his sight again. + +Says Jack, "I would like to see that girl." + +The King said he could not refuse Jack any request he made; so he sent +for the Yellow Rose. When she came in, Jack fell into chat with her, +and did his very, very best to make her fall in love with him. But it +was of no use. He told her of all his wealth and all his grand +possessions, and said if she would marry him she should own all these, +and all the days she should live she should be the happiest woman in +the wide world, but if she married Hookedy-Crookedy, he said, she +would never be free from want and hardships, besides having an ugly +husband. + +If the Yellow Rose was in a rage on the two days before, she was in a +far greater rage now. She said she wouldn't sit there to listen. She +told Jack that Hookedy-Crookedy was in her eyes a far more handsome +and beautiful man than he or than any king's son she had ever seen. +She said to Jack, that if he were ten times as handsome and a hundred +times as wealthy, she wouldn't give Hookedy-Crookedy's little finger +for himself or for all his wealth and possessions, and then she got up +to leave the room. + +"Well," says Jack, says he, "I admire your spirit very much and," says +he, "I would like to make you a little present. Here is a comb," he +said, "and it will comb out of your hair a bushel of gold and a bushel +of silver every time you comb with it, and, besides," says he, "it +will make handsome the ugliest man that ever was." + +When the other sisters heard this they rushed to snatch the comb from +her, but Jack threw them backwards so very roughly that their husbands +sprang at him. With a back switch of his two hands Jack knocked the +husbands down senseless. The King flew into a rage, and said, "How +dare you do that to the two finest and bravest men of this world?" + +"Fine and brave, indeed!" said Jack. "One and the other are worthless +creatures, and not even your lawful sons-in-law." + +"How dare you say that?" says the King. + +"Strip their backs where they lie and see for yourself." And there the +King saw written, "An unlawfully married man." + +"What is the meaning of this?" says the King. "They were lawfully +married to my two daughters, and they have the golden tokens of the +marriage." + +Jack drew out from his pocket the golden balls and handed them to the +King, and said, "It is I who have the tokens." + +The Yellow Rose had gone off to the garden in the middle of all this. +Jack made the King sit down, and told him all his story, and how he +came by the golden balls. He told him how he was Hookedy-Crookedy, and +that it reflected a great deal of honour on his youngest daughter that +she whom the King thought so worthless should refuse to give up +Hookedy-Crookedy for the one she thought a wealthy prince. The King, +you may be sure, was now highly delighted to grant him all he desired. +A couple of drops of Ioca brought the King's two sons-in-law to their +senses again, and at Jack's request, they were ordered to go and live +elsewhere. Jack went off, left his mare in the wood, and came into the +garden as Hookedy-Crookedy. He told the Yellow Rose he had been +gathering bilberries. + +"Oh," says she, "I have something grand for you. Let me comb your hair +with this comb." + +Hookedy-Crookedy put his head in her lap, and she combed out a bushel +of gold and silver; and when he stood up again, she saw +Hookedy-Crookedy no more, but instead the beautiful prince that had +been trying to win her in her father's drawing-room for the last three +days; and then and there to her Jack told his whole story, and it's +Yellow Rose who was the delighted girl. + +With little delay they were married. The wedding lasted a year and a +day, and there were five hundred fiddlers, five hundred fluters and a +thousand fifers at it, and the last day was better than the first. + +Shortly after the marriage, Jack and his bride were out walking one +day. A beautiful young woman crossed their path. Jack addressed her, +but she gave him a very curt reply. + +"Your manners are not so handsome as your looks," said Jack to her. + +"And bad as they are, they are better than your memory, +Hookedy-Crookedy," says she. + +"What do you mean?" says Jack. + +She led Jack aside, and she told him, "I am the mare who was so good +to you. I was condemned to that shape for a number of years, and now +my enchantment is over. I had a brother who was enchanted into a bear, +and whose enchantment is over now also. I had hopes," she says, "that +some day you would be my husband, but I see," she says, "that you +quickly forgot all about me. No matter now," she says; "I couldn't +wish you a better and handsomer wife than you have got. Go home to +your castle, and be happy and live prosperous. I shall never see you, +and you will never see me again." + + + + +_Arndt's Night Underground_ + + +It was on a dreary winter's night, just such a one as it may be +now--only you cannot see it for your closed shutters and +curtains--that two children were coming home from their daily work, +for their parents were poor, and Arndt and Reutha had already to use +their little hands in labour. They were very tired, and as they came +across the moor the wind blew in their faces, and the distant roaring +of the Baltic sea, on whose shore they lived, sounded gloomy and +terrible. + +"Dear Arndt, let me sit down and rest for a minute, I can go no +farther," said Reutha, as she sank down on a little mound that seemed +to rise up invitingly, with its shelter of bushes, from the midst of +the desolate moor. + +The elder brother tried to encourage his little sister, as all kind +brothers should do; he even tried to carry her a little way; but she +was too heavy for him, and they went back to the mound. Just then the +moon came out, and the little hillock looked such a nice +resting-place, that Reutha longed more than ever to stay. It was not a +cold night, so Arndt was not afraid; and at last he wrapped his sister +up in her woollen cloak, and she sat down. + +"I will just run a little farther and try if I can see the light in +father's window," said Arndt. "You will not be afraid, Reutha?" + +"Oh, no! I am never afraid." + +"And you will not go to sleep?" + +"Not I," said Reutha; and all the while she rubbed her eyes to keep +them open, and leaned her head against a branch which seemed to her as +soft and inviting as a pillow. + +Arndt went a little way, until he saw the light which his father +always placed so as to guide the children over the moor. Then he felt +quite safe and at home, and went back cheerfully to his sister. + +Reutha was not there! Beside the little mound and among the bushes did +poor Arndt search in terror, but he could not find his sister. He +called her name loudly--there was no answer. Not a single trace of her +could be found; and yet he had not been five minutes away. + +"Oh! what shall I do?" sobbed the boy; "I dare not go home without +Reutha!" And there for a long time did Arndt sit by the hillock, +wringing his hands and vainly expecting that his sister would hear him +and come back. At last there passed by an old man, who travelled about +the country selling ribbons and cloths. + +"How you are grown since I saw you last, my little fellow!" said the +man. "And where is your sister Reutha?" + +Arndt burst into tears, and told his friend of all that had happened +that night. The peddler's face grew graver and graver as the boy told +him it was on this very spot that he lost his little sister. + +"Arndt," whispered he, "did you ever hear of the Hill-men? It is they +who have carried little Reutha away." + +And then the old man told how in his young days he had heard strange +tales of this same moor; for that the little mound was a fairy-hill, +where the underground dwarfs lived, and where they often carried off +young children to be their servants, taking them under the hill, and +only leaving behind their shoes. "For," said the peddler, "the +Hill-people are very particular, and will make all their servants wear +beautiful glass shoes instead of clumsy leather." + +So he and Arndt searched about the hill, and there, sure enough, they +found Reutha's tiny shoes hidden under the long grass. At this her +brother's tears burst forth afresh. + +"Oh! what shall I do to bring back my poor sister? The Hill-men and +women will kill her!" + +"No," said the old man, "they are very good little people, and they +live in a beautiful palace underground. Truly, you will never see +Reutha again, for they will keep her with them a hundred years; and +when she comes back you will be dead and buried, while she is still a +beautiful child." + +And then, to comfort the boy, the peddler told him wonderful stories +of the riches and splendour of the Hill-people, how that sometimes +they had been seen dancing at night on the mounds, and how they wore +green caps, which, if any mortal man could get possession of, the +dwarfs were obliged to serve him and obey him in everything. All this +Arndt drank in with eager ears; and when the peddler went away he sat +a long time thinking. + +"I will do it," at last he said aloud. "I will try to get my dear +Reutha safe back again." + +And the boy stole noiselessly to the mound which the Hill-men were +supposed to inhabit. He hid himself among the surrounding bushes, and +there he lay in the silence and darkness, his young heart beating +wildly, and only stilled by one thought that lay ever there, that of +the lost Reutha. At last a sudden brightness flashed upon the boy's +eyes; it could not be the moon, for she had long set. No; but it was a +sight more glorious than Arndt had ever dreamed of. + +The grassy hill opened, and through this aperture the boy saw a palace +underground, glittering with gold and gems. The Hill-men danced about +within it, dressed like tiny men and women. Arndt thought how +beautiful they were, though they seemed no bigger than his own baby +sister of six months old. One by one they rose out of the opening, and +gambolled on the snow-covered mound; but wherever they trod flowers +sprang up, and the air grew light and warm as summer. After a while +they ceased dancing and began ball-playing, tossing their little green +caps about in great glee. And lo and behold! one of these wonderful +caps, being tossed farther than usual, lighted on the very forehead of +the peeping boy! + +In a moment he snatched it and held it fast, with a cry of triumph. +The light faded--the scene vanished--only Arndt heard a small weak +voice whispering, humbly and beseechingly in his ear. + +"Please, noble gentleman, give me my cap again." + +"No, no, good Hill-man," answered the courageous boy; "you have got +my little sister, and I have got your cap, which I shall keep." + +"I will give you a better cap for it--all gold and jewels--oh, so +beautiful!" said the Hill-man, persuasively. + +"I will not have it. What good would it do me? No, no, I am your +master, good dwarf, as you very well know, and I command you to take +me down in the hill with you, for I want to see Reutha." + +There shone a dim light on the grass, like a glowworm, and then Arndt +saw the elfin mound open again; but this time the palace looked like a +dim, gloomy staircase. On the top stair stood the little Hill-man, +holding the glowworm lamp, and making many low bows to his new master. +Arndt glanced rather fearfully down the staircase; but then he thought +of Reutha, and his love for her made him grow bold. He took upon +himself a lordly air, and bade his little servant lead the way. + +The Hill-man took him through beautiful galleries, and halls, and +gardens, until the boy's senses were intoxicated with these lovely +things. Every now and then he stopped, and asked for Reutha: but then +there was always some new chamber to be seen, or some dainty banquet +to be tasted; until, by degrees, Arndt's memory of his little sister +grew dimmer, and he revelled in the delights of the fairy palace hour +after hour. When night came--if so it could be called in that lovely +place, where night was only day shadowed over and made more +delicious--the boy felt himself lulled by sweet music to a soft +dreaminess, which was all the sleep that was needed in that fairy +paradise. + +Thus, day after day passed in all gay delights, the elfin people were +the merriest in the world, and they did all their little master +desired. And Arndt knew not that while they surrounded him with +delights it was only to make him forget his errand. But one day, when +the boy lay on a green dell in the lovely fairy-garden, he heard a +low, wailing song, and saw a troop of little mortal children at work +in the distance. Some were digging ore, and others making jewellery, +while a few stood in the stream that ran by, beating linen, as it +seemed. And among these poor little maidens, who worked so hard and +sang so mournfully, was his own sister Reutha. + +"No one cares for me," she murmured; and her song had in it a +plaintive sweetness, very different from the way in which the little +Danish maiden spoke on earth. "Reutha is alone--her hands are sore +with toil--her feet bleed--but no one pities her. Arndt sleeps in +gorgeous clothes, while Reutha toils in rags. Arndt is the +master--Reutha is the slave! Poor Reutha is quite alone!" + +Even amidst the spells of fairyland that voice went to the brother's +heart. He called the Hill-people, and bade them bring Reutha to him. +Then he kissed her, and wept over her, and dressed her in his own +beautiful robes, while the Hill-men dared not interfere. Arndt took +his sister by the hand, and said-- + +"Now, let us go; we have stayed long enough. Good Hill-man, you shall +have your cap again when you have brought Reutha and me to our own +father's door." + +But the Hill-man shook his tiny head, and made his most obsequious +bow. "Noble master, anything but this! This little maid we found +asleep on our hill, and she is ours for a hundred years." + +Here Arndt got into a passion; for, convinced of the power the little +green cap gave him over the dwarfs, he had long lost all fear of them. +He stamped with his foot until the little man leaped up a yard high, +and begged his master to be more patient. + +"How dare you keep my sister? you ugly little creatures!" cried the +boy, his former pleasant companion becoming at once hateful to him. +But the Hill-people only gave him gentle answers; until at last he +grew ashamed of being so angry with such tiny creatures. They led him +to a palace, more beautiful than any he had yet seen, and showed him +pearls and diamonds heaped up in basketfuls. + +"You shall take all these away with you, noble sir!" said his little +servant. "They will make you a rich man all the days of your life, and +you will live in a palace as fine as ours. Is not that far better than +having a poor helpless sister to work for?" + +But Arndt caught a glimpse of Reutha, as she sat outside; weeping--she +dared not enter with him--and he kicked the baskets over, and +scattered the jewels like so many pebbles. + +"Keep all your treasures, and give me my sister!" cried he. + +Then the Hill-man tried him with something else. Arndt was a very +handsome boy and everybody had told him so, until he was rather vain. +Many a time, when he worked in the field, he used to look at himself +in a clear, still pool, and think how golden his hair was, and how +lithe and graceful his figure. Now the Hill-man knew all this; and so +he led the boy to a crystal mirror and showed him his own beautiful +form, set off with every advantage of rich dress. And then, by fairy +spells, Arndt saw beside it the image of the little peasant as he was +when he entered the hill. + +"Think how different!" whispered the dwarf. He breathed on the mirror, +and the boy saw himself as he would be when he grew up--a +hard-working, labouring man; and opposite, the semblance of a young, +graceful nobleman, whose face was the same which the stream had often +told him was his own. + +"We can make thee always thus handsome. Choose which thou wilt be," +murmured the tempting voice. + +The boy hesitated; but the same moment came that melancholy voice--"My +brother is rich, and I am poor; he is clad in silk, and I in rags. +Alas, for me!" + +"It shall not be!" cried the noble boy. "I will go out of this place +as poor as I came; but I will take Reutha with me. I will work all the +days of my life; but Reutha shall not stay here. Hill-people! I want +none of your treasures; but I command you to give me my sister, and +let us go!" + +Arndt folded his arms around Reutha, and walked with her through all +the gorgeous rooms, the Hill-men and women following behind, and +luring him with their sweetest songs and most bewitching smiles. But +Reutha's voice and Reutha's smile had greatest power of all over her +brother's heart. + +They climbed the gloomy staircase, and stood at the opening in the +hillock. Then the little Hill-man appealed once more to his master-- + +"Noble gentleman! remember, a life of labour with Reutha or one of +continual pleasure alone! Think again!" + +"No, not for a moment," said Arndt, as he felt the breezes of earth +playing on his cheek. How sweet they were, even after the fragrant +airs of elfin-land! + +"At least, kind master, give me my cap!" piteously implored the +Hill-man. + +"Take it; and good-bye for evermore!" cried Arndt, as he clasped his +sister in his arms and leaped out. The chasm closed, and the two +children found themselves lying in a snow-drift, with the gray dawn of +a winter's morning just breaking over them. + +"Where have you been all night, my children?" cried the anxious +mother, as they knocked at the door. + +Had it, indeed, been only a single night, the months that seemed to +have passed while they were under the hill? They could not tell, for +they were now like all other children, and their wisdom learned in +fairyland had passed away. It seemed only a dream, save that the +brother and sister loved each other better than ever, and so they +continued to do as long as they lived. + + + + +_The Unicorn_ + + +Fritz, Franz, and Hans were charcoal-burners. They lived with their +mother in the depths of a forest, where they very seldom saw the face +of another human being. Hans, the youngest, did not remember ever +having lived anywhere else, but Fritz and Franz could just call to +mind sunny meadows, in which they played as little children, plucking +the flowers and chasing the butterflies. Indeed, Fritz was able to +compare the present state of miserable poverty in which they lived +with the ease and comfort they had enjoyed in years gone by. + +Once upon a time they were well off. They had enough to eat every day; +they lived in a comfortable house, surrounded by a nice garden, and +with plenty of kind neighbours around them. Then came a change. Their +father lost his money and was forced to leave this pleasant home, and +to earn bread for his family by becoming a charcoal-burner. Everything +now became different. Their house was a poor hut, composed of a few +logs of wood knocked roughly together. Dry black bread with, +occasionally, a few potatoes and lentils, and now and then, as a great +treat, a little porridge, formed their food. And to secure even this +they had to work hard from morning till night at their grimy trade. +But their father was brave and patient, and, while he was alive, the +wolf was kept some distance from the door. Besides, he could always +put some heart into the boys when they began to flag, by a joke or a +pleasant story. But he had died a year ago, owing to an accident he +met with while chopping wood for the furnace, and since his death +matters had been going from bad to worse with the family. + +Fritz and Franz were, unfortunately, selfish, ill-conditioned lads, +who made the worst instead of the best of their troubles, and who +even grudged their mother and brother their share of the food. Hans, +on the other hand, was a capital fellow. He always had a cheerful +smile or word, and did all in his power to help his mother to keep in +good spirits. One day, at dinner time, they were startled by a knock +at the door. A knock at the door does not seem to us, perhaps, to be a +very startling thing, but they, as I said, so seldom saw a strange +face near their home that this knock at the door quite took away their +breath. When it came, Fritz and Franz were sitting over the fire +munching their last piece of black bread, and grumbling to each other +as was their custom, while Hans, seated on the bed beside his mother, +was telling her about what he saw and what he fancied when he was in +the forest. Fritz was the first to recover himself, and he growled +out, in his usual surly tone, "Come in." The door opened, and a +gentleman entered. From his green dress, the gun that he carried in +his hand, and the game-bag slung by his side, they saw that he was a +huntsman, who had been amusing himself with shooting the game with +which the forest abounded. + +"Good morning, good friends," he said, in a cheerful tone. "Could you +provide me with a cup of water and a mouthful of something to eat? I +have forgotten to bring anything with me, and am ravenously hungry, +and far from home." + +Fritz and Franz first threw a scowling glance from under their +eyebrows at the stranger by way of reply, then gave a grunt, and +continued munching at their hunks of bread. Hans, however, was more +polite. The only seats in the hut were occupied by Fritz and Franz, +and as they showed no disposition to move, Hans dragged a log of wood +from a corner and placed it before the visitor, and invited him to sit +down. Then he produced a cup, scrupulously clean indeed, but sadly +cracked and chipped, and, running outside, he filled it from a spring +of delicious, cool water, which rose near the hut. As he had been busy +talking to his mother, he had had no time to eat his share of the +black bread, and so he handed his coarse crust to the stranger, saying +he was sorry that there was nothing better to offer him. + +"Thank you," said the stranger, courteously. "Hunger is the best +sauce. There is no lunch I like so well as this." And he set to work +with such a good will that, in a very short time, poor Hans's crust +had vanished, and there was nothing left before the stranger but a few +crumbs of bread on the table, and a few drops of water in the cup. +These he kneaded carelessly together into a little pellet, about the +size of a pea, while Hans told him, in answer to his questions, all +about their lonely life in the forest, and the hardships which they +had to endure. + +When the stranger rose to go he said, "Well, I thank you heartily for +your hospitality--now I will give you a word of advice. One of you +lads should go and seek the sparkling golden water, which turns +everything it touches into gold." + +Fritz and Franz pricked up their ears at this, and both at once +demanded where this sparkling golden water was to be found. The +stranger turned toward them, courteously, although these were the +first words they had spoken since his entrance, and replied: + +"The sparkling golden water is to be found in the forest of dead +trees, on the farther side of those blue mountains, which you may see +on any clear day in the far distance. It is a three weeks' journey on +foot from here." + +Then, bowing to his hosts, he stepped toward the door. Hans, however, +was there first, and opened it for him. Obeying a sign from the +stranger, Hans followed him a little way from the hut. Then the +stranger, taking from his pocket the little black bread pellet, said, +"I know, because you gave me your dinner, that you will have to go +hungry. I have no money to offer you, but here is something that will +be of far greater value to you than money. Keep this pellet carefully, +and when you seek the sparkling golden water, as I know you will, +don't forget to bring it with you. Now go back: you must follow me no +farther." So saying, the stranger waved his hand to Hans, and, +plunging into the thicket, disappeared. Hans slipped the pellet into +his pocket and re-entered the hut, where he found his brothers in loud +dispute about the sparkling golden water. They were much too +interested in the matter to pay any attention to Hans or to ask him, +as he was afraid they would, whether the stranger had given him any +money before he left. As he came in, he heard Fritz saying in a loud +voice: + +"I'm the eldest, and I will go first to get the sparkling golden +water. When I've got it I will buy all the land hereabouts and become +Count. I will hunt every day, and have lots of good wine; and +sometimes, if I'm passing near here, I'll just look in to see how you +all are, and to show you my fine clothes, and horses, and dogs, and +servants." Fritz was, for him, almost gracious at the bright prospect +before him. + +"I don't care whether you're the eldest or not," growled Franz, +stubbornly, "I shall go, too, to find the sparkling golden water. When +I've found it I will buy the Burgomaster's office, and live in his +house in the town yonder, and wear his fur robes and gold chain; and, +best of all, walk at the head of all the grand processions. None of +your wild hunting for me--give me ease and comfort." + +At last it was decided, after a great deal of squabbling, that Fritz +as the eldest should go first in search of the sparkling golden water, +and accordingly next day he set out. Hans ventured to hint that the +first thing to be done with this sparkling golden water when it was +found should be to provide a comfortable home for their mother, but +Fritz's only answer to this was a blow, and an angry order to Hans to +mind his own business. + +We cannot follow Fritz all the way on his journey. As he had no money +he was forced to beg at the doors of the cottages and farmhouses which +he passed, for food and shelter for the night. Now, this proved to be +rather hard work, because nobody very much liked his looks or his +manner; and people only gave him spare scraps now and then in order to +get him to go away as soon as possible. However, he found himself, at +last, approaching the forest of dead trees. He knew that it was the +forest, although there was nobody there to tell him so. He had not, in +fact, seen any human being for the last three days, but he felt that +he could not be mistaken. A vast forest of enormous trees lifted +leafless, sapless branches to the sky, and every breath of wind +rattled them together like the bones of a skeleton. When he was about +twenty yards from the forest a terrible sound came from it. It was as +though a thousand horses were neighing and screaming all at once. +Fritz's heart stood still. He wanted to run away, but his legs refused +to move. As he stood there, shaking and quaking, there rushed out of +the forest a huge unicorn with a spiral golden horn on his forehead. + +"What seek you here?" asked the unicorn, in a voice of thunder. Fritz +stammered out that he sought the sparkling golden water. + +"What want you with the sparkling golden water, which is in my +charge?" thundered the unicorn. + +Fritz was almost too frightened to speak. He fell on his knees, put up +his hands, and cried: "Oh, good Mr. Unicorn, oh, kind Mr. Unicorn, +pray don't hurt me!" + +The unicorn stamped furiously on the ground with his right forefoot. +"Say this instant," he cried, "what it is that you want with the +sparkling golden water!" + +"I want to get money to buy land and become a Count," Fritz was just +able to gasp out. The unicorn said nothing; he simply lowered his +head, and with his golden horn tossed Fritz three hundred and +forty-five feet in the air. Up went Fritz like a sky-rocket, and down +he came like its stick, turning somersaults all the way. Fortunately +for him, his fall was broken by the branches of one of the dead trees. +If it had not been for this he would probably have been seriously +hurt. Through these branches he crashed until he reached the point +where they joined the trunk. The tree was hollow here, and Fritz +tumbled down to the bottom of the trunk and found himself a prisoner. +While he was feeling his arms and legs, to find out if any bones were +broken or not, he had the satisfaction of hearing the unicorn, as he +trotted back into the forest, muttering, loud enough for his words to +pierce the bark and wood of Fritz's prison:-- + +"So much for you and your Countship!" + +Fritz tried to get out, but in vain. The tree was too smooth and +slippery and high for him to be able to clamber up, and he only hurt +himself every time he attempted to escape. There was nothing for it, +then, but for him to lie down and howl. He had to satisfy his hunger +as best he might, by eating the stray worms and woodlice and fungi, +which he found creeping, crawling, and growing round about the roots +of the tree. We will leave him there for the present and return to the +others. + +Franz, Hans, and their mother waited and waited for Fritz to come +back. Hans and his mother could not believe it possible that, when he +had secured the sparkling golden water, he would leave them in their +poverty. Franz, on the other hand, judging Fritz by himself, thought +that nothing was more likely. And Franz was most probably right. Six +weeks was the shortest time in which Fritz could be home again. +"Unless," said Hans, "he buys a horse and rides back, as he will be +very well able to do when he has got the sparkling golden water." But +six weeks passed, and two months, and three months, and no Fritz, +either on horseback or afoot. Then Franz's patience came to an end. He +must needs go, too. + +"I won't wait here starving any longer," said he; "Fritz has forgotten +all about us. I'll get the sparkling golden water and become +Burgomaster." So off he set, following the same road as Fritz, and +meeting with much the same difficulties. They were, however, rather +greater in his case than in his brother's. Folk remembered the +ill-conditioned Fritz only too well, and Franz was so like him in +looks and manner, that they shut the door in his face the moment he +appeared, and ran upstairs and called out from the top windows of +their houses, "Go away! There's nothing for you here. The big dog's +loose in the yard. Go away, charcoal-burner." + +However, by dint of perseverance, in which to say the truth he was not +lacking, Franz, very hungry and sulky, reached the verge of the forest +of dead trees. Out came the unicorn and asked his business. On Franz +replying that he wanted the sparkling golden water in order to buy the +house and post of Burgomaster, the unicorn tossed him into the air, +and he tumbled into the same tree as Fritz. Then the unicorn trotted +back into the forest, muttering, for Franz's benefit: "So much for you +and your Burgomastership!" + +When Fritz and Franz found themselves thus closely confined in the +same prison, they, instead of making the best of each other's company, +as sensible brothers would have done, fell to quarrelling and +fighting, until at last neither would speak to the other, and that +state of sulky silence they maintained all the time of their +captivity. + +The months passed by, but no news came to Hans and his mother of Fritz +and Franz. Meanwhile Hans found that it became daily more difficult +for him to earn enough money to support two people. Moreover, he saw +that his mother was growing weaker, and he feared that she would die +unless she had proper food and nourishment. At last he said: + +"Mother, if there were only some one to take care of you, I would go +in search of Fritz and Franz. You may be sure they have got the +sparkling golden water by this time. They would never refuse me a few +guldern, if I were to ask them and tell them how ill you are." + +But Hans's mother did not at all like the idea of his leaving her, and +she begged and prayed him not to go. He felt obliged, therefore, to +submit, and stayed on for a little longer, until at last even his +mother saw that they must either starve or do as Hans suggested. Most +fortunately at this time there dropped in to see them another +charcoal-burner, whom Hans used to call "Uncle Stoltz," although he +was no uncle at all, but only a good-natured neighbour and an old +friend of Hans's father. Uncle Stoltz strongly urged the mother to let +her boy go in search of his brothers, adding, although he was nearly +as poor as they were themselves: + +"You come and live with me and my wife. While we have a crust to +divide you shan't want." + +So Hans's mother gave a reluctant consent, and went to live with Uncle +Stoltz, while Hans went out in search of his brothers. By making +inquiries he easily found the road which they had taken, but nobody +ever thought of shutting the door in his face. On the contrary, his +polite manners and cheerful looks made him a welcome guest at every +cottage and farmstead at which he stopped. At last he, too, found +himself on the verge of the forest of dead trees and face to face with +the golden-horned unicorn. But Hans was not to be frightened as his +brothers had been by the terrible voice and awe-striking appearance of +the guardian of the fountain. In reply to the usual question, given in +the usual tone of thunder: "What seek you here?" Hans replied, coolly, +"I seek my brothers, Fritz and Franz." + +"They are where you will never find them," said the unicorn, "so go +home again." + +"If I cannot find my brothers," said Hans, firmly, "I will not go home +without the sparkling golden water." + +"What want you with the sparkling golden water, which is in my +charge?" asked the unicorn, in his terrible voice. + +"I want to buy food and wine and comforts for my mother; who is very +ill," answered Hans, undaunted. But his eyes filled with tears as he +thought of his mother. + +The unicorn spoke more gently. + +"Have you," he asked, "the crystal ball? Because without it I cannot +allow you to pass to the sparkling golden water." + +"The crystal ball!" echoed Hans. "I never heard of such a thing." + +"That's a pity," said the unicorn, gravely; "I'm afraid you will have +to go home without the water; but, stay, feel in your pockets. You may +have had the ball, and put it somewhere, and have forgotten all about +it." + +Hans smiled at the idea of the crystal ball lying, unknown to him, in +his pockets, but he followed the suggestion of the unicorn; and found, +as he knew he should find, nothing at all, except, indeed, the pellet +of black bread which the stranger-huntsman had given him, and which he +had not thought of from that day to this. "No," he said to the +unicorn, "I have nothing in my pocket, except this pellet," and he was +about to throw it away when the unicorn called out to him to stop. + +"Let me see it," he said. "Why," he went on, "this is the crystal +ball--look!" + +Hans did look, and sure enough he found in his hand a tiny globe of +crystal. He examined it with amazement. "Well," he said, "all I know +is that a second ago it was a black-bread pellet." + +"That may be," said the unicorn, carelessly; "anyhow, it is a crystal +ball now, and the possession of it makes me your servant. It is my +duty to carry you to the fountain of sparkling golden water, if you +wish to go. Have you brought a flask with you?" + +"No," said Hans. "Fritz took the only flask we had, and Franz an old +bottle." + +"Fritz, eh? Well, follow me a little way." So saying, the unicorn led +Hans to the tree in which his brothers were imprisoned and, motioning +him to be silent, cried out: + +"Ho! Master Count, throw out the flask you have with you, if you +please: it is wanted." + +"'Shan't," growled Fritz's voice in reply, "unless you promise to let +me out." + +"Oh, you won't, won't you?" said the unicorn; "well, we'll see." + +With that he drew back a few steps, and then, running forward, thrust +his sharp horn into the side of the hollow trunk from which Fritz's +voice had issued. A loud yell came from the spot, showing that the +horn had run into some tender part of Fritz's body, and at the same +instant, the flask appeared flying out of the hole in the tree by +which Fritz and Franz had entered. + +"That's right," said the unicorn, "now we shall do comfortably. Get on +my back, grasp my mane tightly, hold your breath, and shut your eyes." + +"If you please," said Hans, "will you set Fritz and Franz free first?" + +The unicorn looked annoyed. "They are doing very well there," he said; +"why should you disturb them? But you're my master, and I must do as +you please. Only, take my word, you will be sorry for this afterward." + +With that he went to the tree and, with one or two powerful blows with +his horn, made a hole large enough for the unhappy prisoners to creep +out. Two more sheepish, miserable wretches than those half-starved +brothers of his, Hans had never seen. They fell at his feet and +thanked him again and again for delivering them. They promised never +to do anything unkind or selfish again, and each assured Hans that he +had always liked him far more than he had liked the other brother. + +Their protestations of affection rather disgusted Hans, only, as he +was a good-hearted boy himself, he could not help being moved by them. +He then told his brothers in what state he had left his mother, and +how he was to be taken by the unicorn to get the sparkling golden +water. + +"Oh!" cried the brothers, "can't you take us, too?" + +The unicorn thought it time to interfere. "No one can be taken there, +but the owner of the crystal ball," he said. "Come, master, it is time +for you to mount." + +Hans clambered nimbly into his seat on the unicorn's back. "Wait for +me here," he called out to his brothers. "I shall not be long." Then +Hans shut his eyes, held his breath, and grasped the unicorn tightly +by the mane. It was as well that he did so, for the unicorn gave a +bound that carried him over the tops of the highest trees, and would +certainly have thrown him off unless he had been very firmly seated. +Three such bounds did he take, and then he paused and said to Hans, +"Now you may open your eyes." Hans found himself in a desolate, rocky +valley, without a trace of vegetation--unless the forest of dead +trees, which clothed the valley on every side, might be taken as +vegetation. In the midst of the valley there sprang up a fountain of +water, which sparked with such intense brilliancy that Hans was unable +at first to look upon it. + +"There, master," said the unicorn, turning his head, "this is the +fountain of sparkling golden water. Dismount, and fill your flask. But +take care that you do not allow your hand to touch the water. If it +does it will be turned into gold, and will never become flesh and +blood again." + +Hans slipped from his seat and, flask in hand, approached the +fountain. The ground on which he walked was sand, but as he drew +nearer the fountain, he noticed that the sand kept growing brighter +until he felt that he was walking upon what he guessed rightly to be +veritable gold dust Hans thrust a handful of this dust into his +pocket, and also one or two moderate-sized stones that he found, +which, like the sand, had been changed, by the spray coming from the +fountain, into pure gold. He tried to be as careful as possible in +filling the flask; but, notwithstanding all his care, the top joint of +his little finger touched the water, and in an instant became gold. +However, he had his flask full of sparkling golden water, the flask +itself now, of course, golden, and he felt that the top joint of his +little finger was a small price to pay for all this. + +"Now, master," said the unicorn when Hans got back, "do you still +intend to return to those brothers of yours? Or shall I put you out of +the forest at some other point?" + +"Certainly," replied Hans; "I intend to return to them. You heard them +say how sorry they were for all the unkindness they had shown to my +mother and me. I know they mean to do better for the future. Besides, +I promised them to come back." + +The unicorn said nothing, but grunted in a discouraging manner, and +motioned to Hans to get on his back. When he was seated the unicorn +said: + +"Since this is your wish, you must have it. I have, however, three +pieces of advice to give you. On your way home your brothers will +offer to carry the flask--do not let them do so; also do not let them +get behind you for a moment; and thirdly, guard the crystal ball with +the utmost care. I can't go with you beyond the verge of the forest of +dead trees. One visit, and only one, is permitted to the fountain. You +therefore can never come here again. But if ever you need me sorely, +crush the crystal ball, and I will be with you. Now shut your eyes, we +must be off." + +Three bounds brought them to the side of Fritz and Franz; and Hans +having thanked the unicorn warmly for his kindness, the three brothers +began to retrace their steps homeward. Now, during Hans's absence at +the fountain, Fritz and Franz had been devising how they might rob him +of the flask of sparkling golden water. + +"It is disgusting," they said to one another, "that this wretched +little Hans should beat us both. He will only waste the water in +buying things for his mother, while it would make us Count and +Burgomaster." + +As soon, therefore, as they were out of sight of the unicorn, Fritz +and Franz begged and prayed Hans to allow one of them to carry the +flask. + +"You've had all the trouble of getting the water," they said; "we +ought at least to be allowed the honour of helping you carry it. +Besides, are we not your servants now that you are so rich? It is not +suitable for you to do all the work." But Hans remembered the +unicorn's words, and held firmly to his flask. + +"No," he said, "thank you; but I'll carry it myself." Then Fritz and +Franz pretended to get sulky and tried to drop behind, but Hans would +not allow this, either. The consequence was that the three made very +slow progress homeward. Toward the evening they came to a deep stream, +which they had to re-cross. It was only fordable at one point, as they +all knew, because they had, of course, already crossed it before. Hans +stood aside to allow Fritz and Franz to go on first, but each of them +went in a little way, and ran back, saying that they were afraid of +being drowned. + +"What nonsense," said Hans, who was getting a little impatient at the +delay; "it's quite shallow," and, forgetting the unicorn's warning, he +entered the stream first. Fritz and Franz did not miss the +opportunity. Each took a large stone and struck Hans violently on the +head. Then as he fell back senseless into the water, Fritz snatched +the flask from off the belt to which it was attached, and Franz thrust +with his foot Hans's body farther into the river, so that the current +should carry it away, and, laughing at their own cleverness, the two +proceeded to cross the ford. + +Now, naturally enough, lads like Fritz and Franz do not care to trust +each other very far. As soon, therefore, as they reached the other +side of the stream, Franz produced his bottle, and demanded of Fritz +his share of the sparkling golden water. Fritz, who intended to keep +it all to himself, proposed that they should put off sharing it till +later. Franz would not hear of this. He knew, only too well, what +Fritz intended. This led to a wrangle, which ended in a fight between +the two, in which the sparkling golden water was spilled, partly over +Fritz's right hand, and the remainder over Franz's left foot. The +brothers first realized what had happened to them by Fritz finding +that he could not close his fist to strike, and Franz finding that he +could not raise his foot to kick. The discovery sobered them in an +instant. There they stood, one with a hand and the other with a foot +of solid gold, and the golden flask with them; but the water, the +precious sparkling golden water, lost forever. Fritz was the first to +recover himself. + +"Well," he said, "thank goodness I have a couple of feet left me. I +shall be off, I can't wait for you. You must hobble on as best you +can, or stay here and starve," and he was on the point of leaving +Franz to his fate, when the latter caught him by the collar. + +"If I've only one foot, I have two hands," cried he, "and I don't +intend to let you leave me behind. No, no; we must go together or not +at all." + +Fritz was obliged to submit, as it was a case of two hands against +one; and he and Franz, arm in arm as though they were the most +affectionate brothers, made their way slowly to the nearest town. +There they had to submit to have hand and foot cut off. The operation +hurt them very much indeed, but they sold the gold for a good sum of +money to the goldsmith. With that, and with what they got for the +flask, Fritz was able to buy his Countship, although he could never +hunt owing to the loss of his right hand, and Franz was able to buy +his Burgomastership, although the loss of his foot prevented his +walking properly in processions. Neither of them, of course, gave a +thought to their mother. + +Now we must return to poor Hans, whom we left floating down the +stream--senseless, and to all appearance dead. He was not dead, +however, although the blows which his brothers had inflicted were very +severe ones. He was only stunned, and fortunately he did not float far +enough to be drowned. His body came into a back eddy of the stream +and drifted gently on to a shelving bank of white sand. The cold water +soon had the effect of bringing him to his senses so far as to enable +him to crawl on to the land. It was, however, some hours before he was +able to recall the past events. When he remembered them he gave way to +despair. All the pains he had taken to win the sparkling golden water +were thrown away. He might not return to get more--the unicorn had +told him that. His mother would be as badly off as ever. Above all, he +had the bitter disappointment of feeling that his brothers had +deceived him. Then he bethought him of the crystal ball. Taking it +from his pocket, he placed it on a large stone, and taking another +stone struck it with all his force. A report like that of a cannon +followed, and at the same instant the unicorn stood before him. + +"I warned you of what would happen," he said to Hans. "You would have +done much better if you had left your brothers in the tree. Now let me +see what can be done for you. First of all, rub that dockleaf, which +is touching your right hand, on the wound in your head." Hans did as +he was told, and his head became as sound as ever. "Now," said the +unicorn, "you must go straight home to your mother and bring her to +the city of White Towers, and stay there till you hear from me again." + +"But," said Hans, with tears in his eyes, "how can I do that? My +mother is much too ill to move, and I have lost the sparkling golden +water which was to have made her well and strong." + +"Did not I see you," asked the unicorn, "put some sand and stones of +pure gold into your pocket as you went to the fountain? There will be +more than enough to meet all your expenses. Do as I tell you," and the +unicorn, saying this, disappeared. + +Hans, greatly cheered, set off once more, and finished his journey +home without any further adventures. The gold that he had with him, +not only enabled him to provide the comforts and necessaries which his +mother required, but he was able also to reward Uncle Stoltz for his +kindness. When his mother was strong enough to travel, Hans hired a +wagon, and they set off by easy stages for the city of White Towers, +there to await further news from the unicorn. + +Now, the city of White Towers was at that time attracting from far and +wide every one who wanted to make his fortune. The Princess of the +city was the loveliest Princess in the world, and the richest and the +most powerful. She had given out that she would marry any one, whoever +it might be, king or beggar, who would tell her truly in the morning +the dream that she had dreamed in the night. But whoever should +compete and fail, was to forfeit all his fortune, be whipped through +the streets and out of the gate, and banished from the city on pain of +death. If, however, he had no fortune to forfeit, he was to be whipped +back again and sold into slavery. The terms were hard; but many tried +and failed, and many more, undeterred by the punishment which they +constantly saw being inflicted on the others, were waiting their turn +to compete. Among these latter were Count Fritz and Burgomaster Franz. +These two met very often in the streets of the city, but they could +never forget their quarrel over the sparkling golden water and when +they met they always looked in opposite directions. Now, Fritz and +Franz had made themselves hated by all with whom they had to deal; +Fritz by his tyranny over the poor in the district in which his +property lay, and Franz by his injustice as Burgomaster. The former +used to grind down his people so as to extract the last penny from +them; the latter used to make his judgments depend on the amount of +bribe he received from the suitors. Everybody, therefore, hoped that +both Fritz and Franz would fail to tell the Princess her dreams, and +would have to pay the penalty. + +Hans and his mother arrived at the city of White Towers on the evening +before the day on which Fritz was to try his fortune. They heard on +all sides that the "One-armed Count," as he was called, was to be the +next competitor; but, of course, they had no idea that this "One-armed +Count" was Fritz. The consequence was that, when they found themselves +next day in the great square, where the whole population of the city +assembled to see the trial, they were amazed beyond measure to see +Fritz, marching jauntily along, quite confident of success, dressed in +his very smartest clothes, to the platform on which the Princess and +her ladies and her courtiers were assembled, Fritz felt sure that he +would win, for this reason: There was an old woman living in a cottage +near his castle, who was said to be a witch. Fritz had ordered her to +be seized and put to the most cruel tortures, in order to force her to +say what the Princess was going to dream on the night before the day +fixed for his trial. This was very silly of him, as the old woman +might be a witch ten times over, and yet not be able to tell him that. +But cruel, wicked people often are silly. This poor old woman screamed +out some nonsense in her agony which Fritz took to be the answer he +required. He smiled, therefore, in a self-confident fashion as he +bowed low before the princess and awaited her question. She asked it +in a clear bell-like voice, which somehow caused Hans's heart, when he +heard it, to beat a good deal quicker than before. + +"Sir Count, what did I dream last night?" + +"Your Highness dreamed," was the reply, "that the moon came down to +earth and kissed you." + +The princess gently shook her head, and in a moment Fritz found +himself in the hands of her guards, with his coat stripped off his +back, and his hands bound behind him. The first lash made him cry for +mercy; but the Princess had already gone, and the soldiers, whose duty +it was to inflict the whipping, were not much disposed to show mercy +to the "One-armed Count." They laid on their blows well, driving the +unlucky Fritz through the streets till the gate was reached, through +which, with a final shower of blows, he was thrust, with the warning +not to return thither, but to beg his way henceforth through the +world. Of all who watched the proceedings, none seemed so delighted +with the result as Franz. He followed, hobbling after his unhappy +brother as close as the soldiers would allow, and kept jeering and +laughing at him all the way. This was easy for him to do, +notwithstanding the fact that he had to go on crutches, because good +care was taken to make Fritz's progress through the streets as slow as +possible. In addition, therefore, to the blows, Fritz had to endure +the sight of Franz's grinning face, and to listen to such remarks as: +"Who thought he was going to win the Princess?"--"Will your Highness +remember your poor brother, the Burgomaster?"--"Who lost the sparkling +golden water?"--and so on. + +With very different feelings had Hans watched the proceedings. When he +saw his brother stripped for beating, he forgot all about the wrongs +he had sustained, and only thought what he could do to help the +sufferer. He tried to bribe the soldiers to deal gently with Fritz; +but when he found it was of no avail, he hastened to the city gate so +as to meet his brother outside and comfort him when the punishment was +over. Hans found Fritz, as indeed was natural under the circumstances, +more surly and ill-tempered than ever. He appeared startled for a +moment at seeing Hans, whom he thought dead, alive and well; but he +set to work blubbering again immediately, and rubbing his back with +his one hand. Hans gave him what money he could afford, which Fritz +took without saying "Thank you," and went his way. + +Next day it was Franz's turn to try and win the Princess. Franz felt +just as certain of succeeding as Fritz had been. A certain necromancer +in Franz's town had been a party in a suit which came before the +Burgomaster's court. All the evidence which was brought forward told +against him, but the necromancer promised Franz, as a bribe, if he +would decide in his favour, to tell him by means of his art the true +secret of the Princess's dream. Franz swallowed the bait greedily, and +gave his unjust decision. Now, in order that the necromancer might not +fail him, Franz had determined not to let him out of his sight till +the day of trial. Very early in the morning of that day the +necromancer came to Franz and said: "Last night the Princess dreamed +so-and-so--will your worship allow me to go away now?" Franz, on +hearing the dream, skipped with delight, forgetting about his one +foot, and tumbled down on the floor. However, he did not mind that, +and gave the necromancer leave to depart; which that worthy did in +great haste. Franz was so impatient that he was in his place, in front +of the platform, long before the Princess arrived. He could hardly +wait for her to put the formal question before he blurted out: + +"Your Highness dreamed that you were walking in your garden, and that +all the trees and shrubs bore gold and silver leaves." + +The Princess shook her head. "A very pretty dream," she said; "but it +was not mine." So Franz had to suffer the same punishment as Fritz, +and nobody was at all sorry. He was likewise thrust out of the city +gate, bawling between his howls for some one to bring him the +necromancer. Hans found him there, and tried to comfort him, as he had +tried to comfort Fritz, and with about the same result. When Hans had +returned to the inn, where he and his mother were staying, he was met +with the news that a stranger was waiting to see him. He went in and +found the huntsman who had given him the pellet which turned into the +crystal ball. + +"Hans," said the huntsman, as soon as Hans entered the room, "the +unicorn has sent me to you. It's your turn now to try to win the +Princess." + +Hans turned pale at the thought. + +"I would give my life to win her," he said, earnestly, "but I am +certain to fail, and then what will my poor mother do? I have no +property to be confiscated, and, of course, I shall be sold into +slavery." + +"Don't talk of failure," said the huntsman cheerily; "the way to +success is to forget that there is such a word as failure. Now I'll +tell you my plan. The Princess, as you know, or as you very likely +don't know, is devoted to curious animals of all kinds. I will change +you into a white mouse with a gold claw, and will offer you to the +Princess for sale. She has never seen or heard of such a creature as a +white mouse with a gold claw before, and will be sure to buy you. Then +it will be your fault if matters don't go smoothly with you. You have +only to keep your ears open and use your wits. Now, first of all, we +must enter you for to-morrow's competition." + +Hans longed to try his luck with the Princess, and as this plan seemed +a promising one--indeed, it was the only one he could think of--he +agreed to try it. However, he determined not to tell his mother +anything about the matter, as he knew how terrified she would be at +the thought of his failure. The first thing, as the huntsman had said, +was for him to present himself to the Princess as candidate for her +hand. He accordingly did so, and found her seated on her throne, +surrounded by the lords and ladies of her court, glittering in jewels +and dressed in magnificent apparel. Hans felt rather shy as he marched +up the splendid room, amongst all these grandly dressed people, in his +shabby old clothes; but he put as good a face on it as he could, and +when he stopped before the throne and looked into the Princess's eyes, +all his shyness vanished. He was conscious of nothing but a strong +determination to win her for himself, or to perish in the attempt. The +court usher announced his name and purpose in a loud tone. + +"This is Hans, the charcoal-burner, who has undertaken to tell the +Princess her dream to-morrow morning, or to pay the penalty." + +When the Princess looked at Hans and saw what a nice, open-faced boy +he was, she did all she could to persuade him to give up the attempt. +She pointed out to him how many had tried and failed--how little +chance there was of his succeeding. She could not bear, she said, to +think of his being whipped publicly and sold into slavery. She offered +him, if he would withdraw, the important post of general manager of +the court menagerie. But neither this offer nor the prayers of the +Princess could move Hans. + +"Now, that I have seen you face to face, Princess," said he, "I would +rather die twenty times over than give up the undertaking." + +The Princess was obliged to allow Hans to enter his name for +to-morrow's trial, although it made her very unhappy. Her heart told +her that he was the one of all her suitors whom she would most wish to +succeed; but she felt that he would be certain to fare as the others +had done; and so when the formality was over, and Hans had left, she +dismissed the court; shut herself up in her room, and said she would +be at home to nobody for the rest of the day. + +As soon as Hans got back, the huntsman took a cup of water, muttered +some strange words over it, and sprinkled Hans with the contents. He +was conscious of a curious change taking place in him, and before he +could quite make out what it was, he found that he was a white mouse +with a gold claw. The huntsman put him in a box and carried him to the +palace to sell him to the Princess. When he arrived there the porter +refused to admit him. + +"No!" he said, "the Princess had given out that she would see no one +that day. It was more than his place was worth to admit the stranger." +However, by dint of flattering words and a handsome present slipped +into his hands, the porter was persuaded to send for one of the +Princess's ladies. When she came and saw the white mouse with the gold +claw, she said she was sure that her mistress would be so delighted +with his beautiful little curiosity that she would pardon having her +orders disobeyed for once. Only, the huntsman must remain where he +was; she would take the white mouse to the Princess herself. To this +the Huntsman consented; and the long and short of it was that the +Princess sent him a handsome sum for the mouse; and Hans found himself +established as her newest favourite. The Princess was so pleased with +her pet that, when she went to bed, she placed him in a cabinet in her +room, the door of which she left open--because he was so tame that she +had no fear of his attempting to run away. Hans was wondering how he +was to find out the Princess's dream in this situation, when his +mistress woke up, laughing heartily, and called for her lady in +waiting to come to her. + +"I've had such a curious dream," she said. "I dreamed that I was +married to a man with a golden top-joint to his little finger. I +suppose that it was the white mouse with the gold claw which put the +idea into my head. But," and here the Princess's voice grew very sad, +"how will that poor boy ever guess this dream to-morrow?" + +Hans waited impatiently for all to be quiet, then he slipped out of +his cabinet, and finding the door shut, ran up the curtain of the +window, which was fortunately open, and getting on a rose which +clambered up outside the wall, ran down it and made the best of his +way to the inn. There he found the huntsman waiting for him, to whom +he told all that had taken place, and who in a few seconds changed him +back to his own shape. + +An enormous concourse of people was assembled next day to see the +trial. Very pale and sad the Princess looked as she sat prepared to +put the question to Hans. He waited respectfully till she had spoken, +and then, without saying a word, held out his hand to her. Her eye +fell on the golden top-joint of his little finger. She cried out with +delight, and, seizing his hand in hers, turned to the people and said: +"Hans has guessed right, and he shall be my husband." + +And all the people raised a glad shout, "Long live Prince Hans!" + +"Oh!" said the Princess to Hans, "how I wish my brother were here to +share our happiness!" + +"He is here," said the huntsman, who had thrust his way to the front; +and, throwing off his huntsman's disguise, he appeared dressed as a +Prince. Then, turning to Hans, he said: + +"A mighty magician, the enemy of our family, condemned me, because I +would not give him my sister in marriage, to take the form of a +unicorn, and to guard the sparkling golden water. Twice every year, +for a fortnight at a time, I was allowed to resume my human shape. It +was then that I came to your hut in the forest, and gave you the token +by which to win your way to the fountain. The spell laid upon me was +only to be raised when some one guessed aright my sister's dream, and +so won her to wife. Thanks to you, brother Hans, the magician's power +is at an end." + +Hans and the Princess were married, and after the ceremony the Prince +went off to his own kingdom. Hans's mother had a beautiful suite of +apartments in the palace assigned to her, and Uncle Stoltz was not +forgotten, but was provided for comfortably for life; and they all +lived happily ever afterward. + +As for Fritz and Franz, they were so selfish and cruel, that there was +nothing to be done with them but to send them back into the forest +again to burn charcoal; and for all I know they are burning charcoal +there still. + + + + +_Destiny_ + + +Once upon a time there were two brothers who lived together in the +same household. One attended to everything, while the other was an +indolent fellow, who occupied himself only with eating and drinking. +Their harvests were always magnificent; they had cattle, horses, +sheep, pigs, bees, and all other things in great abundance. + +The elder, who did everything about the estate, said to himself one +day: + +"Why should I toil for this lazy fellow? It would be better that we +should separate. I will work for myself alone, and he can do whatever +he pleases." So he said to his brother: + +"Brother, it is unjust that I should take charge of all whilst thou +wilt aid me in nothing, and thinkest only of eating and drinking. It +is better that we should part." + +The other tried to turn him from his project, saying: + +"Brother, do not do this. We get on so well together. Thou hast all in +thy hands--not only what is thine, but what is mine, and thou knowest +that I am always contented with what thou doest, and with what thou +orderest." + +But the elder persisted in his resolution so firmly that the younger +was obliged to give up, and said: + +"Since it is so I have no ill-will toward thee. Make the division as +seemeth good to thee." + +The division made, each one ordered his life as he thought good. The +indolent brother took a herder for his cattle and horses, a shepherd +for his sheep, a goatherd for his goats, a swineherd for his pigs, a +keeper for his bees, and said to each of them: + +"I confide my goods to thee, and may God watch over thee." + +And he continued to live in his house without any more care he had +ever done. + +The elder on the contrary laboured for his half of the property as +much as he had ever done for the common good. He kept his herds +himself, having an eye on everything, but in spite of all his care he +had ill success on every side. + +From day to day everything turned out badly with him, so that at last +he became so poor that he had not even a pair of sandals, and was +obliged to go barefooted. Then he said to himself: + +"I will go to my brother's, and see how the world wags with him." + +His way led him across a meadow where a flock of sheep was grazing, +and as he drew near he saw that the sheep had no shepherd. Near them, +however, a beautiful young girl was seated, spinning a thread of gold. + +After having saluted the maiden with a "God protect thee," he asked +her whose were the sheep, and she answered: + +"To whom I belong, belong the sheep also." + +"And who art thou?" he continued. + +"I am thy brother's fortune," she answered. + +Then the traveller was seized with wrath and envy, and cried out: + +"And where is _my_ fortune?" + +The maiden answered him: "Ah, she is far from thee." + +"Can I find her?" he asked. + +She answered: "Thou canst find her--only look for her." + +When he had heard these words, and saw that the sheep were so +beautiful that nothing finer could be imagined, he did not care to go +farther to see the other flocks, but went direct to his brother, who +as soon as he had seen him took pity on him, and said, weeping: + +"Why hast thou hidden thyself from me for so long a time?" + +Then seeing that he was in rags and barefooted he gave him a pair of +sandals and some money. + +After having remained three days with his brother the poor fellow +departed to return home, but once arrived at the house he threw a +sack over his shoulders, put a morsel of bread in it, took a stick in +his hand, and set out into the world to seek his fortune. + +Having travelled a long time he found himself at last in a deep forest +where he met a wretched old woman asleep in a thicket. He began to +beat the ground with his stick to wake up the old woman, and at last +gave her a blow on the back. However, she scarcely moved even then, +and half opening her drowsy eyes, said to him: + +"Thou mayest thank God that I was asleep, for if I had been awake thou +wouldst not have had those sandals." + +Then he said to her: "Who art thou then, who wouldst have hindered me +from having these sandals?" + +The old hag answered him: "I am thy fortune." + +Hearing these words he beat his breast, crying: "What! thou art my +fortune! May God exterminate thee! Who gave thee to me?" + +And the old hag said to him: "It was Destiny." + +"Where is Destiny?" + +"Go and seek for him," she answered, going to sleep again. + +Then he departed and went to seek for Destiny. + +After a long, long journey he arrived at last at another wood, and in +this wood he found a hermit of whom he asked if he could not give him +some news of Destiny? + +The hermit answered him: "Climb that mountain, and thou wilt arrive at +his castle, but when thou reachest Destiny be careful not to speak to +him. Do only what thou seest him do, until he speaks to thee." + +The traveller thanked the hermit, took his way up the mountain, and +when he had arrived at the castle of Destiny what wonderful things he +saw! + +The luxury was absolutely royal. There was a crowd of servants, always +in motion and doing nothing. As for Destiny, he was supping at a +magnificent table. When the stranger saw this he seated himself also +at table and ate with the master of the house. After supper Destiny +went to bed and the traveller did the same. Toward midnight terrible +noise was heard in the castle, and in the midst of the noise a voice +crying: + +"Destiny, Destiny--so many souls have come into the world to-day. Give +them something at thy good pleasure." + +And Destiny arose, opened a golden coffer, and threw into the room a +shower of shining ducats, saying: + +"Such as I am to-day, so shall you be all your lives." + +At daybreak the grand castle vanished, and there took its place an +ordinary house, but one in which nothing was wanting. When evening +came Destiny sat down to supper again, his guest did the same, and no +one spoke a word. After supper both went to bed as before. + +Toward midnight again commenced the terrible noise in the castle, and +in the midst of the tumult a voice crying: + +"Destiny, Destiny, so many souls have seen the light to-day. Give them +something at thy good pleasure." + +Destiny arose and opened a silver coffer, but this time there were no +ducats in it, only silver money mixed with a few pieces of gold. +Destiny threw this silver upon the ground, saying: + +"Such as I am to-day, so shall you be all your lives." + +At daybreak the house had vanished, and there appeared in its place +another smaller one. So passed each night; each morning the house +became smaller until at last it was only a miserable hut. Destiny then +took a spade and began to dig up the earth; his guest did the same, +and they dug all day long. When evening came Destiny took a crust of +hard bread, broke it in two, and gave half to his companion. This was +all their supper, and when they had eaten they went to bed. + +Toward midnight again commenced the terrible noise, and in the midst +of it a voice was heard, crying: + +"Destiny, Destiny, so many souls have come into the world this night. +Give them something at thy good pleasure." + +Destiny arose, opened a coffer, and began to throw out pebbles among +which were mixed some small money, saying as he did so: + +"Such as I am to-day, so shall you be all your lives." + +When morning came the hut was changed again to a grand palace as it +had been on the first day. Then for the first time Destiny spoke to +his guest, and said to him: + +"Why hast thou come to me?" + +The traveller then related his miseries in detail, and said that he +had come to ask of Destiny himself, why he had given him so evil a +fortune. + +Destiny answered him: + +"Thou didst see that the first night I sowed ducats and what followed +thereon. Such as I am on the night when a man is born, such that man +will be all his life. Thou wert born on a night of poverty, and thou +wilt remain always poor. Thy brother, on the contrary, came into the +world in a happy hour, and happy he will remain to the end. But since +thou hast taken so much trouble to find me I will tell thee how thou +mayst help thyself. Thy brother has a daughter named Miliza, who is as +fortunate as her father. Take her for thy wife when thou shalt return +to thine own country, and all that thou shalt acquire thereafter, be +careful to say belongs to her." + +The traveller thanked Destiny many times and departed. + +When he had returned to his own country he went straight to his +brother, and said to him: + +"Brother, give me Miliza. Thou seest that without her I am alone in +the world." + +And the brother answered: "It pleases me well. Miliza is thine." + +Straightway the bridegroom took his brother's daughter to his house, +and he became very rich, but he was always careful to say: "All that I +have belongs to Miliza." + +One day he went into the fields to see his wheat, which was so fine +that there was nothing like it in the whole country around. A +traveller passed along the way, and said to him: + +"Whose is this wheat?" + +And the elder brother, without thinking, answered: "It is mine." + +But scarcely had he spoken than a spark was seen in the wheat and in +an instant it was all on fire. Quickly he ran after the traveller, and +cried out: + +"Stop, my friend, this wheat is not mine. It belongs to Miliza, my +brother's daughter." + +The fire was instantly extinguished, and thenceforth the elder brother +was happy--thanks to Miliza. + + + + +_The Queen of the Golden Mines_ + + +Once on a time there was a King of Ireland, and he had three sons, +Teddy, Billy, and Jack. Teddy and Billy were the two eldest, and they +were brave, able boys. But Jack was the youngest, a _gauchy_, _dawnie_ +sort of a lad that was good for nothing only feeding fowls and doing +odd turns about the house. When they grew up to be men, Teddy and +Billy one day said they'd go away to travel and see the world, for +they'd only be good-for-nothing omadhauns if they'd stay here all +their lives. Their father said that was good, and so off the both of +them started. And that night when they halted from their travelling, +who does they see coming up after them, but Jack; for it seems he +commenced to think _long_, when he found them gone, and he was that +lonesome that he couldn't stay behind them. And there he was dressed +in his old tattered clothes, a spec-_tacle_ for the world, and a +disgrace to them; for of course, they were done off with the best of +everything--rale gentlemen, as becomed their father's sons. They said +to themselves they'd be long sorry to let that picthur with them--for +he _was_ a picthur, and no doubt of it--to be an upcast to them +wherever they'd go. So before they started on again next mornin' they +tied Jack to a millstone, and left him there. That night again, when +they went to stop from their travellin', what would you have of it but +there was me brave Jack once more, not a hundred parches behind them, +and he dragging the millstone after him. Teddy and Billy said this was +too bad entirely; and next day, before they started again, they tied +another millstone to him, and they said, "Well, you'll not get away +from here in a hurry anyhow, boy." So on they went again on their +journey, laughing and cracking jokes, and telling passages, to pass +the time; but that night again, when they went to stop from their +journey, lo! and behold ye, who does they see coming tearing after +them but my poor Jack, once more, with the two millstones dragging +behind him. Then they were in a quandhary entirely, and they begun to +consider what was best to do with him, for they saw there was no +holdin' or tyin' of him, or keepin' him back at all, at all, for if +they were to tie him to a mountain in the mornin', he'd be afther them +with the mountain rattling at his heels again night. So they come to +the conclusion that it was best to take Jack with them, and purtend +him to be their hired boy, and not their brother at all. Of course, me +poor Jack, that was always agreeable, was only too ready to go on +these terms; and on the three of them went, afore them, till at length +they reached the King of England's castle. When the King of England +heard Teddy and Billy was the King of Ireland's two sons, he give them +_cead mile failte_,[3] was plaised and proud to see them, ordhered +them to be made much of, then opened his hall door, an' asked in the +nobility an' genthry of the whole counthry-side to a big dinner and +ball that he gave in their honour. But what do you have of it, but in +the middle of the ball doesn't Teddy have a fallout with the King of +England's son, and sthruck him, and then that was the play! The hubbub +and _hooroosh_ got up, and the King ordhered the ball to be stopped, +and had Teddy taken pris'ner, and Billy and Jack ordhered away out of +the kingdom. Billy and Jack went away, vexed in their hearts at +leaving Teddy in jail, and they travelled away till they came to +France, and the King of France's castle. Here, when the King of France +heard that Billy, the King of Ireland's son, had come to see him, he +went out and welcomed him, an' asked in himself and Jack to come in +and make a visit with him. And, like the King of England, he thought +he couldn't make too much of the King of Ireland's sons, and threw +open his hall door and asked in the whole nobility and clergy and +genthry of all the counthry-side into a great dinner and ball given in +Billy's honour. But lo! and behould ye, doesn't it turn up at this +ball, too, that Billy had a squabble with the King of France's son and +struck him, and the ball was stopped by the King's ordhers, and the +people sent home, and Billy taken prisoner, and there was poor Jack +now left all alone. The King of France, taking pity on Jack, employed +him as a boy. And Jack was getting along very well at Court, and the +king and him used to have very great yarns together entirely. At +length a great war broke out betwixt France and Germany; and the King +of France was in great trouble, for the Germans were slaughtering and +conquering all before them. Says Jack, says he, to the King one day, +"I wish I had only half a rajimint of your men, and you'd see what I +would do." Instead of this the King gave him a whole army, and in less +nor three days there wasn't a German alive in the whole kingdom of +France. It was the king was the thankful man to Jack for this good +action, and said he never could forget it to him. After that Jack got +into great favour at court, and used to have long chats with the Queen +herself. But Jack soon found that he never could come into the Queen's +presence that he didn't put her in tears. He asked her one day what +was the meaning of this, and she told him that it was because she +never looked on him that he didn't put her in mind of her infant son +that had, twelve months before, been carried away by the Queen of the +Golden Mines, and who she had never heard tale or tidings of from that +day to this. + +[Footnote 3: Hundred thousand welcomes.] + +"Well, be this and be that," says Jack, says he, "but I'm not the man +to leave ye in your trouble if I can help it; and be this and be that +over again," says he, "but I won't sleep two nights in the one bed, or +eat two meals' meat in the one house, till I find out the Queen of the +Golden Mines' Castle, and fetch back your infant son to ye--or else I +'ll not come back livin'." + +"Ah," says the Queen, "that would never do!" and "Ah," says the King, +"that would never do at all, at all!" They pointed out and showed to +him how a hundred great knights had gone on the same errand before +him, and not one of them ever come back livin', and there was no use +in him throwin' away his life, for they couldn't afford to lose him. +But it was all no use; Jack was bound on going, and go he would. So, +the very next morning he was up at cock-crow, and afther leavin' +good-bye with the whole of them, and leavin' the King and the Queen in +tears, he started on his journey. And he travelled away afore him, +inquiring his way to the Castle of the Queen of the Golden Mines; and +he travelled and tramped for many a weary day, and for many a weary +week, and for many a weary month; till at last, when it was drawing on +twelve months from the day he left the Castle of the King of France, +one day tor'st evening he was travelling through a thick wood, when he +fell in with an old man, resting, with a great bundle of sticks by his +side; and "Me poor old man," says Jack, says he, "that's a mighty +great load entirely for a poor man of your years to be carryin'. Sure, +if ye'll allow me, I'll just take them with me for ye, as far as +you're goin'." + +"Blissin's on ye!" says the ould man; "an' an ould man's blissin' atop +of that; an' thanky." + +"Nobbut, thanky, yerself, for your good wishes," says Jack, says he, +throwin' the bundle of sticks on his shoulder, an' marchin' on by the +ould man's side. And they thravelled away through the wood till they +come at last to the ould man's cabin. And the ould man axed Jack to +come in and put up with him for the night, and such poor +accommodations as he had, Jack was heartily welcome to them. Jack +thanked him and went in and put up for the night with him, and in the +morning Jack told the ould man the arrand he was on and axed if he'd +diract him on his way to the Queen of the Golden Mines' Castle. Then +the ould man took out Jack, and showed him a copper castle glancing in +the sun, on a hill opposite, and told him that was his journey's end. + +"But, me poor man," says he, "I would strongly advise ye not to go +next or near it. A hundred knights went there afore you on the +selfsame errand, and their heads are now stuck on a hundred spears +right afore the castle; for there's a fiery dragon guards it that +makes short work of the best of them." + +But seeing Jack wasn't to be persuaded off his entherprise nohow, he +took him in and gave him a sword that carried ten men's strength in it +along with that of the man that wielded it. And he told Jack, if he +was alive again' night, and not killed by the dhragon, to come back to +his cabin. Jack thanked him for the sword, and promised this, and then +he set out for the castle. But lo! and behold ye, no sooner did Jack +come anear the castle than a terrible great monsther of a dhragon +entirely, the wildest ever Jack seen or heard tell of, come out from +the castle, and he opened his mouth as wide as the world from side to +side, and let out a roar that started the old gray eagle on top of +Croaghpathrick mountain at home in Ireland. Poor Jack thrimbled from +head to foot--and small wonder he did--but, not a bit daunted, he went +on to meet the dhragon, and no sooner were they met than he to it and +the dhragon to it, and they fought and sthrove long and hard, the +wildest fight by far that poor Jack ever entered into, and they fought +that way from early mornin' till the sun went down, at one time Jack +seemin' to be gettin' the betther of the dhragon, and the next minute +the dhragon gettin' the betther of Jack; and when the sun went down +they called a truce of peace till next day; and Jack dragged himself +back to the cabin in small hopes of being able to meet the dhragon +more, for he was covered over with wounds from head to foot. But when +he got to the cabin the ould man welcomed him back alive, and he took +down a little bottle of ointment and rubbed it over Jack, and no +sooner did he rub it over him than Jack's wounds were all healed as +well as ever again. And Jack went out a new man the next mornin' to +give the dhragon another try for it this day. And just as on the day +afore the fiery dhragon come down the hill meeting poor Jack, and the +dhragon opened his mouth as wide as the world, and gave a roar that +shook the nails on the toes of the great gray eagle on top of +Croaghpathrick mountain at home in Ireland, and then he fell on Jack, +and Jack fell on him, and the dhragon to it, and Jack to it; and the +dhragon gave Jack his fill, and Jack gave the dhragon his fill; and if +they fought hard the day afore they fought double as hard this day, +and the dhragon put very sore on Jack entirely till the sun went down. +Then again they agreed on a truce of peace till the next mornin', and +Jack dragged himself back as best he could to the cabin again, all +covered over with cuts and bruises, and streaming down with blood. +And when he came there the ould man took down a little bottle of +ointment and rubbed Jack over with it, and he was healed as well as +ever again. Next morning Jack was up quite fresh and ready for another +day's battling, and the ould man told Jack that, win or lose, this day +was like to end the battle. And he said if Jack happened (as God send) +to come off victorious, he was to go into the castle and there he +would find a great number of beautiful virgins running about in great +confusion to prevent Jack from discovering their mistress the Queen of +the Golden Mines, and every one of them axing, "Is it me ye want? Is +it me ye want?" But he told Jack he was to heed none of them, but +press through room after room till he come to the sixth room, and +there he would find the Queen herself asleep, with the little child by +her side. So Jack went meeting the dhragon this third day again, and +the dhragon come meeting Jack. And he opened his mouth as wide as the +world, and let a roar that rattled the eyes in the sockets of the +great gray eagle on top of Croaghpathrick mountain at home in Ireland, +and then fell on Jack, and Jack fell on him; and he to it, and Jack to +it, and both of them to it; and if the fight was wild and terrible the +first two days it was ten times wilder and terribler this day. And +harder and harder it was getting the more they warmed to the work; and +one time it was Jack was getting the better of the dhragon, and the +next time it was the dhragon was getting the better of poor Jack; and +at last coming on tor'st night the dhragon was putting very hard on +Jack entirely, and it was very nearly being all over with him, when he +stepped back, and gathering all his strength mounted into the air with +one spring, and come down atop of the dhragon's head, and struck his +sword into his heart, leaving him over dead. Then Jack went into the +castle, and no sooner did he go in than there was lots of the most +beautiful virgins, running in great commotion, and asking Jack, "Is it +me ye want?" "Is it me ye want?" But Jack never heeded thim till he +come into the sixth room, where he saw the beautiful Queen of the +Golden Mines asleep, with the Queen of France's child asleep beside +her. Jack bent over her and gave her one kiss, for she was a lovely +picthur. Then he took up the child in his arms, and picking up a +beautiful garter all glancing with diamonds, that was lying by the +Queen's bedside, and taking with him a loaf of bread that could never +be eaten out, a bottle of wine that could never be drunk out, and a +purse that could never be emptied, he started away. He stopped that +night with the ould man, who took down his bottle of ointment and +healed up all the wounds Jack got that day. In the morning Jack +started for France, leaving with the ould man to keep till the Queen +of the Golden Mines would call for it, the purse that never could be +emptied. When Jack reached France, and presented back to the Queen her +darling child, that was the rejoicement and the joy! There was a great +faist given, and at the faist Jack said he had a little wondher he +fetched with him, that he'd like to show; and he produced his bottle, +and sent it round the prences, and nobility, and genthry that were all +assembled at the faist, and axed them all to drink the Queen's health +out of it. This they all did; and lo! and behold ye, when they had +finished the bottle was as full as when they commenced; and they all +said that bate all ever they knew or heerd tell of; and the King said +it bate all ever he knew or heerd tell of, too, and that the same +bottle would be of mighty great sarvice to him, to keep his troops in +drink when he'd go to war, and axed Jack on what tarms he'd part with +it. Jack said he couldn't part with it entirely, as it wasn't his own, +but if the King relaised his brother he 'd leave the bottle with him +till such times as the Queen of the Golden Mines might call for it. +The Queen agreed to this. Jack's brother was relaised, and himself and +Jack started off for England. When they were come there the King of +England gave a great faist in their honour, too, and at this faist +Jack said he 'd like to show them a little wonder he fetched with him, +and he produced the loaf, and axed the King to divide all round. And +the King cut off the loaf, and divided all round, over all the prences +and nobility and gentry that was there; and when he had finished they +were all lost in wondherment, for the loaf was still as big as when +the King commenced to cut. The King said that would be the grand loaf +for feeding his troops whenever he went to war, and axed Jack what +would he take to part with it. Jack said the loaf wasn't his to part +with, but if the King relaised his brother out of prison he'd give him +the loaf till such times as the Queen of the Golden Mines might call +for it. The King agreed to this, and relaised Jack's other brother, +and then the three of them started for home together. And when they +were come near home the two older brothers agreed that Jack, when he'd +tell his story, would disgrace them, and they'd put him to death. But +Jack agreed if they'd let him live he would go away and push his +fortune, and never go back near home. They let him live on these +conditions, and they pushed on home, where they were received with +great welcomes, and told mortial great things entirely of all the +great things they done while they were away. Jack come to the castle +in disguise and got hired as a boy and lived there. + +The Queen of the Golden Mines, when she woke up and learned of the +young gentleman that had killed the dhragon, and carried off the child +and the other things, and kissed her, said he must be a fine fellow +entirely, and she would never marry another man if she couldn't find +him out. She got no rest till she started, herself and her virgins, +and away to find out Jack. She first come to the old man, where she +got her purse, and he directed her to the King of France. When she +come to the Court of the King of France she got her bottle, and he +said Jack went from there to go to see the King of England. From the +King of England she got her loaf, and he diracted her to Ireland, +telling her that Jack was no other than the King of Ireland's son. She +lost no time then reaching the Court of the King of Ireland, where she +demanded his son who had killed the fiery dhragon. The King sent out +his eldest son, and he said it was him that had killed the fiery +dhragon, and she asked him for tokens, but he could give none, so she +said he wasn't the man she wanted. Then the King's second son come out +and said it was him killed the fiery dhragon. But he couldn't show her +no tokens either, so he wouldn't do. Then the King said he had no +other son, but a good-for-nothing _droich_ who went away somewhere and +never come back; but that it wasn't him anyhow, for he couldn't kill +a cockroach. She said she'd have to see him, and converse with him, or +otherwise she wouldn't go away till she'd pull down his castle. Then +the whole house was upside down, and they didn't know what to do. And +Jack, who was doing something about the yards axed what it was all +about; and they told him, and he axed to have a minute's convarsing +with her. But they all laughed at him; and one gave him a knock, and +another gave him a push, and another gave him a kick. And Jack never +minded them one bit, but went out and said it was him that kilt the +fiery dhragon. They all set up another big roar of a laugh at this. +Then the Queen asked him to show his tokens, and Jack fetched from his +pocket the beautiful garter, all shining with jewels, and held it up, +and the Queen came and threw her arms about Jack's neck and kissed +him, and said he was the brave man she'd marry, and no other. And me +brave Jack, to the astonishment of them all, confessed who he was, and +got married to her, and was ever afther the King of the Golden Mines. + + + + +_The Deserter_[4] + + +Once upon a time there was a deserter who was three times faithless to +his colours. Twice had he undergone the punishment due to desertion; +the third time he knew he was face to face with death. So he resolved +to flee by night and hide himself by day in some ditch or thicket, for +he was afraid that in the daylight he might be recognized and +arrested. + +[Footnote 4: From "The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales." Copyright, +1906, by Charles Scribner's Sons.] + +One night, as he was hastening onward, he saw a glimmer of light in +the distance, and thought to himself, "I will go toward that light; +perhaps it will somehow help me out of my trouble." + +When, however, he came up to that light all he saw was an opening just +wide enough for him to creep into. The moment he was inside thick +darkness fell upon him. He could find his way neither in nor out; but +on groping around he at last came upon a staircase, up which he +climbed and found himself in a passage-way. Through this passage-way +he went for a long, long time, until at last he stumbled upon a door. +He opened the door and stepped into a room, but it was pitch dark +there too; so he groped all about until at last he stumbled upon +another door and entered another room. + +So on he went through eleven rooms, and finally reached the twelfth, +where at last he found a lighted candle upon a table. The room was +beautifully fitted up, and he thought within himself, "Come what come +may, I shall make myself at home in this room." + +So he stretched himself upon a couch. He lay there for a while lost in +thought, when, lo and behold! the table began to lay itself. When the +cloth was spread, all sorts of good cheer began to appear upon it. + +"Come what come may," he thought to himself again, "I am hungry." So +he fell to and ate to his heart's content. When he had eaten all that +he could swallow he threw himself upon the couch again and began to +consider. + +Suddenly three women entered, clothed entirely in black. One seated +herself at the piano, while the two others danced. Tired as he was, +when he saw this he arose and skipped about with them. After this +entertainment they began to talk with him, speaking of one thing and +another, and finally came round to the question how he might break the +spell that bound them. + +They told him the very way and manner of doing it, saying that he had +nothing more nor less to do than to pass the night in a certain room +which they would show him. A ghost would come there and pester him +with all sorts of questions--who he was, how he had come there, and +other things. But he must not say a mortal word to all these +questions, not though the ghost tormented him in all sorts of ways; if +he could only hold out in silence the ghost would vanish, and then he +would feel not the least pain from all the torments he had been +enduring. + +Our deserter fell in with the proposition without further words, and +the ladies escorted him, with the sound of music, to the fateful room +and left him there alone. When they were gone he undressed himself, +bolted the door securely, and lay down in bed. But he could not sleep, +for his head throbbed with expectation of what was about to happen. + +At eleven o'clock a sudden knock was heard at the door. He dared not +make a sound, for he was firmly resolved to ransom himself, the +ladies, and the enchanted castle; so he kept as still as a mouse. +Again the knocking came, but he made no answer. At the third knock the +door flew open, and in walked a gigantic form all clothed in flames. + +The giant placed himself at the bedside and began to ask the man who +he was and why he had come; but the deserter never uttered a word. +Then the giant seized him, threw him upon the floor, and began to +torment him; but no sound passed the sufferer's lips. At the stroke +of twelve the ghost departed, with the words: + +"Though you wouldn't tell to-day, you will to-morrow, when we all +three come." + +He spoke, the door flew open, closed again, and he was gone. The young +man arose from the floor, lay down upon his bed, and fell sweetly +asleep, without feeling the least harm. + +Next morning came the three ladies, all in white up to their knees, +and led him, with sound of music, back to the room where he had been +on the previous day. They placed a chair for him and set a delicious +breakfast before him. When he had plentifully breakfasted he fell +asleep and snored till evening. + +When he awoke he asked how late it was. The ladies replied that it was +nine o'clock; and they gave him a good supper and led him again to the +same room to sleep. + +At the stroke of eleven some one knocked at the door. He made no +sound, but at the third knock the door flew open and three ghosts +entered. The one who had been there the night before asked him the +same questions as before, but received no better answer. Then one of +them seized him and flung him into one corner, and another into +another, and so they tossed him about until the poor fellow lay +helpless against the wall, all covered with blood. + +When the clock struck twelve the spokesman said to him, "Though you +won't answer to-night, you will to-morrow, when we all four come." +With these words they disappeared. + +He again lifted himself up, lay down upon his bed, and felt no harm. +In the morning the three ladies came, all in white up to their +girdles, and escorted him, to the sound of music, into the other room, +where, after breakfast, he again fell asleep. + +At night they again escorted him to his chamber to sleep. When they +were gone he did not go to bed as usual, but began to consider how he +might avoid the fearful torment in store for him. First he looked out +at a window, but his gaze fell upon a frightful abyss enclosed by +rocky precipices. He went to the second window, but there it was no +better, but seemed to be even more fearful. So nothing was left him +but to heap all the furniture of the room before the door, in hope +thus to escape his tormentors. But he soon gave up this hope, for +about midnight the knocking began. He made no answer, but at the third +knock the door flew open and all the furniture returned to its own +place. + +The ghost who had before questioned him now began to repeat his +questions, commanding him to tell who he was and how he came there; +but the young man was not to be made to speak. Then the spokesman +ordered one of his comrades to go below and bring up an anvil and four +hammers, and when these had been brought, one of the ghosts blew up a +fire and threw the young man upon it. When he was heated to a glow +they laid him upon the anvil and beat him with hammers until he was as +flat as paper. But with all this he was not to be forced to speak. + +The time was up and the ghosts must go. Before they went they told him +that he and all around him were blessed; and then the door flew open +and they vanished. He again arose, laid himself upon the bed, and sank +at once into slumber. + +Next morning the three ladies, all in white from head to foot, came, +with the sound of music, to thank him for ransoming them, and they +gave him to choose among them for a wife. Now the youngest of them had +grown nearest his heart, and he declared himself ready to marry her, +not at once, but later, for first he wished to see something of the +world. + +This being the case, they gave him a ham, a wooden flask of wine, a +loaf of bread, three dogs, and a pipe which hung by a golden chain, +and they told him that these dogs would come to his aid in every time +of need; he had only to call them by means of his pipe. And should he +be tired, he had only to seat himself upon one of them. So he took all +these things and went forth to see the world. + +One day when he was travelling through a forest he arrived at a castle +and turned aside to enter. But the steps which led up were of such a +kind that he could not climb them; so he seated himself upon one of +his dogs and the animal carried him up. As he passed through the +entrance he peeped through a window and saw a Tiger and his wife, who +was combing his hair. + +He went in to where they were, and the Tiger at once arose, led him +from room to room, and showed him many wonderful things. Everything +pleased the young man, except that the Tiger's wife kept the dogs shut +up in a room apart. + +When he entered the fourth room he went around it, gazing upon the +many statues and paintings; and while thus doing he stepped upon a +board which gave way and let him fall into a cellar where it was as +dark as pitch. He groped around for a way of escape, but a damp, heavy +wind seemed to sweep all around him, and first he would wound his hand +and then his foot. So he thought to himself, "You won't come safely +out of this!" + +After a while the Tiger let himself down by a rope, butcher-knife in +hand, intending to kill him. The young man begged for a half-hour's +respite, that he might do penance for his sins. This was granted, but +the time soon flew by, and the Tiger was already whetting his knife to +stab him, when the young man sprang aside, and his hand met the chain +upon which the pipe was hanging. He blew upon it, and quick as thought +the dogs were on the spot. He set them upon the Tiger, but as they +fell upon him the Tiger begged humbly for life, promising that his +wife would draw him and his dogs up out of the cellar. + +So it came to pass; but they were no sooner out than he again set the +dogs upon the Tiger, who again began to beg, promising to give him a +salve which had the power of fastening against the wall any one upon +whose back it was rubbed, and keeping him there fast and firm until he +chose to let him go. + +The youth took the salve and went on farther, till he reached a city +which was all shrouded in mourning. He entered and asked why every one +was in mourning, and received answer that a fearful Dragon was to come +that day and carry off the Emperor's daughter. + +At this he laughed heartily, and said, "That may easily be helped; +just go and announce to the Emperor that I am ready to ransom the +Princess, if it is agreeable to him." This was announced, and the +Emperor received him into the castle with great joy. + +As the appointed time for the Dragon's coming had arrived, the young +man placed himself in readiness. At the stroke of twelve the Dragon +suddenly appeared, driving four horses. The young man was waiting for +him, and as soon as the Dragon had taken the Princess by the hand to +carry her off he spread the salve upon his back, pressed him against +the wall, and set his dogs upon him. At the same time he belaboured +him with the butt-end of his musket, till the Dragon was quite +exhausted and began to beg off, promising to give a written agreement +never again to molest the Princess. When he had written the paper in +his own blood and signed it he vanished through the window. + +Then the Emperor knew not what to do for joy. He offered his daughter +to the soldier to wife, or, if he liked it better, the half of his +kingdom. But the young man declined both offers and returned to his +own ladies, where he married the youngest with the greatest +festivities. As they came out of church to go to their house a new +city sprang up along the roadside. The hilarity was great. I myself +was among the guests, and after I had made merry to my heart's content +I set out upon the way home to Varazdin. + + + + +_The Two Melons_ + + +An Honest and poor old woman was washing clothes at a pool, when a +bird that a hunter had disabled by a shot in the wing, fell down into +the water before her. She gently took up the bird, carried it home +with her, dressed its wound, and fed it until it was well, when it +soared away. Some days later it returned, put before her an oval seed, +and departed again. The woman planted the seed in her yard and when it +came up she recognized the leaf as that of a melon. She made a trellis +for it, and gradually a fruit formed on it, and grew to great size. + +Toward the end of the year, the old dame was unable to pay her debts, +and her poverty so weighed upon her that she became ill. Sitting one +day at her door, feverish and tired, she saw that the melon was ripe, +and looked luscious; so she determined to try its unknown quality. +Taking a knife, she severed the melon from its stalk, and was +surprised to hear it chink in her hands. On cutting it in two, she +found it full of silver and gold pieces, with which she paid her debts +and bought supplies for many days. + +Among her neighbours was a busybody who craftily found out how the old +woman had so suddenly become rich. Thinking there was no good reason +why she should not herself be equally fortunate, she washed clothes at +the pool, keeping a sharp lookout for birds until she managed to hit +and maim one of a flock that was flitting over the water. She then +took the disabled bird home, and treated it with care till its wing +healed and it flew away. Shortly afterward it came back with a seed in +its beak, laid it before her, and again took flight. The woman quickly +planted the seed, saw it come up and spread its leaves, made a trellis +for it, and had the gratification of seeing a melon form on its +stalk. In prospect of her future wealth, she ate rich food, bought +fine garments, and got so deeply into debt that, before the end of the +year, she was harried by duns. But the melon grew apace, and she was +delighted to find that, as it ripened, it became of vast size, and +that when she shook it there was a great rattling inside. At the end +of the year she cut it down, and divided it, expecting it to be a +coffer of coins; but there crawled out of it two old, lame, hungry +beggars, who told her they would remain and eat at her table as long +as they lived. + + + + +_The Iron Casket_ + + +In Bagdad, in the little lane by the Golden Bridge, lived, ages ago, a +merchant named Kalif. He was a quiet, retiring man, who sat early and +late in his little shop, and went but once a year to Mosul or Shiraz, +where he bought embroidered robes in exchange for attar of roses. + +On one of these journeys, chancing to have fallen a little in the rear +of his caravan, he heard roarings and trampling of horse's hoofs in +the thicket close by the roadside. Drawing his sword, which he wore on +account of thieves, he entered the thicket. On a little green, +surrounded by trees, he saw a horseman in a light blue mantle and a +turban fastened by a flashing diamond. The horse, an Arab of purest +blood, seemed to have lost its senses. Rearing upright with a piercing +neigh, it struggled vainly to dislodge an enormous panther, which had +fixed its great claws in its flanks. The rider had lost all control +over it; blood and foam poured from its mouth and nostrils. Kalif +sprang boldly out, with a mighty stroke split the panther's skull, +and, flinging away his sword, ran to the horse's head, thereby +enabling the rider to dismount. Having calmed the trembling animal, +the horseman begged his rescuer to follow him. + +"I had lost my way in the chase," he said, "and should have fallen a +victim to the panther, if Allah had not sent you to my aid. I will +reward you well for your bravery. Come! let us seek my companions; +there, behind that wood, my camp must be." + +"I did what any other would have done in my place," answered Kalif +simply, "and expect no reward. But if you so will it, I will accompany +you to your tents." + +The stranger took his horse by the rein, and walked in silence at the +merchant's side till they arrived at an opening in the trees. Here, +surrounded by several smaller ones, stood one large tent of purple +linen. A number of richly clad men threw themselves on their faces +before the new-comer. Then Kalif knew whom he had saved: it was the +Shah himself. He was about to fall at his feet, but the Shah seized +his hand and led him into the tent. Inside, standing on five stools, +were five caskets, the first of gold set with jewels, the second of +gold alone, the third silver, the fourth copper, and the fifth of +iron. + +"Choose one of these caskets," said the Shah. + +Kalif hesitated. At length he said: + +"What I did is not worthy of any reward, but if you will it, O King of +Kings, I will take one of these caskets to remind me of the day when +my eyes were permitted to behold the Light of Asia." + +He stooped and took the iron casket. + +The Shah started. "Stranger," he said, "your modesty has met with its +own reward. You have chosen the most valuable casket; for, look! the +others are empty, but this one contains two jewels which possess the +magic gift of bestowing undreamed-of power to their owner." He raised +the lid and showed the wondering Kalif the two stones. "This one," he +said, "is a lapis lazuli. Whosoever winds it in the folds of his +turban, to him everything is known that has happened since the world +began, and no secret can be hidden from him. But this stone," and he +took a diamond the size of a dove's egg from the casket, "this stone +brings all the riches he can think of to its owner. He has but to rub +the stone and repeat his wish aloud." He replaced the stones in the +casket, closed the lid, and handed it to the merchant, who thanked the +Shah, hid the treasure in his robes, and hastened to rejoin his +caravan. + +Once again in his own house he often looked at the princely gift, and +one day as he was rubbing the lid he noticed an inscription upon it, +that had hitherto been unseen. It ran:-- + + "'Tis Allah's will that he who cherishes + The precious gift that never perishes. + Shall make the East to bend as low + As palms that in the whirlwind blow." + +Kalif never spoke of his adventure in the Kalaat Mountains, neither +could he ever make up his mind to test the virtue of the stones, being +a frugal man on the one hand, and unwilling to surpass his neighbours +in wisdom on the other. But at length the news of the Shah's rescue by +the merchant reached even Bagdad, together with the account of the +Royal reward, and people jostled one another to call on the merchant +and see with their own eyes the wonderful casket. In consequence Kalif +had more customers in one day than he generally had in ten years, and +his daily receipts testified to the worth of the casket. For many +years he enjoyed the reward of his bravery, and at his death Ali +Haitam, the eldest son, proposed that they should draw lots for the +magic stones. He had great ideas of his own cleverness, and hoped from +the bottom of his heart to win the lapis lazuli. Ali Hassuf, the +second son, whose sole failing was insatiable greed, was quite +agreeable, though in secret he was revolving in his own mind how to +obtain the diamond in case it fell into the hands of the youngest son. +But just as they were about to draw, Abdul Kassim, the youngest son, +said: "Dear brothers, we are three, and there are but two stones. It +would be better, therefore, for one to renounce his claim in order +that no dispute may arise in our hitherto peace-loving family. I am +the youngest, and therefore can have least claim on the stones. Throw +to decide which stone shall fall to each. I resign!" + +The other two were delighted and, as it happened, each got the stone +he desired. + +"But in order that I may have a keepsake of my dear father," continued +Abdul Kassim, "permit me to take home the casket. It will be of no use +to you, since you have divided the contents." + +Ali Hassuf hesitated at first, but finally agreed to Kassim's wish. + +The three brothers left the empty house, and went each to seek his +fortune in his own way. + +Ali Haitam bought a piece of muslin, folded it into a turban, sewed +the lapis lazuli inside, and fixed it firmly on his head. Then he went +to the bazaar and waited for an influx of wisdom, And see! The power +of the stone set to work and his mind was filled with knowledge! He +knew the origin of all things, and his eyes could see through walls +five feet thick! He passed the Caliph's palace, and he could see that +in the recesses of the cellars were hidden 9,000 sacks of gold, and +that Fatma, the daughter of the Caliph, was the most lovely maiden in +the East; and an idea occurred to him that dazzled him. "How would it +be," he thought, "if I placed my wisdom at the Caliph's disposal, +became his first adviser, and finally married the lovely Fatma?" But +together with this dream came the longing to display to an admiring +crowd some proofs of his wisdom. + +He hurried back to the bazaar, mounted the highest steps at the gates, +and cried: "You people of Bagdad, who believe that the sun moves round +the earth, you are ignorant fools and sons of fools! Hear now what I +preach to you. The sun stands still, but the earth moves!" + +He intended to continue, but the cries of the bystanders interrupted +him. + +"Ali Haitam has gone mad," they cried; "listen to the nonsense he is +talking. Come, let us hold him head first under the lion's mouth at +the spring; that will restore him to reason!" + +And one, a fruit dealer, took an orange, and crying, "Ali Haitam is +right, the sun moves just as little as this orange!" flung the orange +at the philosopher on the steps. The juicy fruit knocked the turban +from Ali's head. He stooped to regain it, but in vain. The fruit +dealer's throw was the signal for a general onslaught, so that he was +obliged to take to his heels and fly for home. Dusty and panting he +reached his hut, deeply grieved at the loss of his precious stone, and +furious at the stupidity of the people, who showed so little +understanding of the first principles of science. + +The second brother started more cautiously. Since he had but seldom +been farther than the end of the narrow street by the Golden Bridge, +he was not in a position to think of anything very precious to wish +for; he therefore first visited the bazaar and asked the price of +everything he saw. At last he found something that, on account of its +high price, made a great impression on him. It was a Turkish sword +that a cunning jeweller had studded thickly with diamonds on handle +and sheath. The dealer asked fifteen hundred golden coins for it, and +the bystanders stared with open eyes at the man who dared to bargain +for such costly possessions. Just as Ali Hassuf was weighing the +precious sword in his hand, a palanquin was borne through the crowd. +He turned, and through the drawn curtains caught sight of a maiden of +wondrous beauty. When he heard that she was the Caliph's daughter, the +desire awoke in his soul to marry this lovely creature, and it seemed +to him not unlikely that the Caliph would give his daughter to a man +of such note as he would become as the possessor of the magic diamond. +He decided to buy the sword, and, armed with the same, to visit the +Caliph the very next day. + +"I shall come again the very first thing to-morrow morning," he said +to the dealer. "I have not quite enough money with me now, but I shall +procure it this evening. I had quite expected," he added boastingly, +"that the sword would be expensive." + +He turned and went home, where he saddled the thin ass and hung across +its back two large panniers. When it grew dark he softly drove the +beast through the yard and led it out into the desert. For about an +hour he walked, and in imagination saw himself in possession of all +the glories the talisman would bring him. He had not noticed that he +was followed by three dark forms, who had never lost sight of him +since his visit to the bazaar. He halted by a group of stunted palms, +spread out a large cloth, and with trembling fingers began to rub the +diamond, crying at the same time, "Spirit of the Stone! send me at +once twenty shekels of golden coins!" He waited a moment, and listened +in the darkness, thinking he heard whispering voices. But as all was +silent he repeated his wish for the second and third time. He heard a +noise as of the falling of soft, heavy weights, and, on stooping, +found twenty well-filled sacks. He opened one, and felt inside. And, +truly! it was really gold in bright new coins! With feverish haste he +slung the sacks on the ass's back, and turned its head homeward. +Suddenly he heard once more the same mysterious whisperings, this time +in his immediate neighbourhood. He stood still and listened with +bated breath. He felt himself seized by heavy hands and thrown to the +ground, and saw another form seize the ass. Two men with blackened +faces tore off his turban and robe and left him lying half-naked by +the roadside, after having warned him to keep quiet as to this attack +unless he wished to lose his life. Trembling with fright and rage, he +saw the robbers disappear with his ass in the direction of the +mountain. What pained him most was the loss of his diamond, which he +had concealed in his robe. He reached home, where he lay hidden for +weeks, too ashamed to show himself in the streets or at the bazaar. +But once as he sat on the Golden Bridge fishing, to try and provide +himself with a frugal meal, the weapon-dealer passed him by, and said: +"Well, Ali Hassuf, when are you coming for your sword?" + +But sword and Princess were forever lost to Ali Hassuf. + +In the meantime, as the two elder brothers were mourning their losses, +Abdul Kassim, the youngest, sat at home in his little house by the +gardens, thinking with regret of his father, and wondering what he +should do to earn himself his daily bread. Before him, on a little +stool, stood the iron casket. There came a knock at the door, and +Micha ben Jahzeel, the Jew, who had lent him money a month or two ago, +walked in. Micha looked grave and said, "Abdul Kassim, times are bad, +and ready money gets scarcer and scarcer. You know I lent you ten +golden coins, and I have come to ask"--his eyes fell on the casket and +he started, but collecting himself, went on: "I have come to tell you +that I am not in an immediate hurry for the return of the loan. If you +like you can keep it, or, as it is hardly worth mentioning, keep it +for some months, or even years if you like. I only wanted to tell you +you needn't trouble about it, there is no hurry at all." He bowed low +to his debtor and withdrew. + +Abdul Kassim marvelled at the change in the Jew's manner, but as he +thought of the looks he had cast at the casket he couldn't help +smiling. + +On the same evening came his neighbour, the clothes dealer, who had +not visited him for years, "Dear friend," he said, and placed a +bundle on the floor before Kassim, "I have come to entreat your pardon +that my horse should have splashed your robe with mud the other day; +he is a young thing, and is not yet properly broken. I have brought +you a new robe to replace it, which I hope will please you." Then he +withdrew. The young man could not recollect having been splashed by +his neighbour's horse, still less could he account for the generosity +of one who was celebrated for his meanness, in presenting him with +such an elaborately embroidered robe. + +Next morning, just as he had put on his new robe, a distant relation +arrived, bringing a magnificently caparisoned horse. + +"Dear cousin," he said--formerly he had not even noticed him--"your +appearance grieves me. I feared you were giving way too much to grief +at the loss of your father, and it would give me great pleasure to +cheer you a little. I have ventured to bring you this horse, which is +overcrowding my stable; do me the favour to accept this little gift!" + +Abdul Kassim would have refused, but the cousin had hurried away. +There he stood, holding the beautiful animal by the bridle. He could +not resist the temptation to mount him. He swung himself into the +saddle and rode into the town. Every one bowed to him, and many stood +still, saying: "There, I told you so! Abdul Kassim was always the +favorite son, and he has inherited the casket!" + +Next morning, as the barber sharpened his razor and began to shave the +Caliph, the latter asked him: "Well, Harmos, what are my subjects +talking about just now?" + +The barber bowed to the ground and said: "What should they speak of, O +King of the Faithful, if not of your goodness and wisdom?" + +"Of your idiocy, very likely," shouted the Caliph, bored by the +eternal flatteries of the barber. "Tell me, what are the people +talking about?" + +"They talk," began Harmos hesitatingly; "they talk of the luck of your +servant, Abdul Kassim, whom they call the wisest and richest of your +subjects." + +"Abdul Kassim? I don't even know his name," said the Caliph. + +"He is the son and heir of Kalif," continued the barber, more +courageously; "the same Kalif whom the Shah once rewarded with a magic +casket." + +He related at length all about the magic stones. The Caliph listened +attentively, dismissed the barber, and sent a message to the Grand +Vizier to come at once. The Vizier came and confirmed the barber's +tale. "Abdul Kassim," he said, "knows everything that goes on in the +world, and whenever he has a wish, all he has to do to fulfil it is to +rub the diamond and say what he wants." + +The Caliph grew serious, "Do you think, Vizier, that this man could +usurp my throne? How would it be if I gave him a palace and raised him +to be the husband of my daughter?" + +The Grand Vizier agreed to the proposal of his ruler, and undertook +himself to convey to the astounded Abdul Kassim the tidings that the +Commander of the Faithful had given him a palace and awaited his +visit. + +The same evening the new favourite of the Caliph packed all his few +belongings on the horse's back, took the iron casket under his arm +and, amid the cheers of the crowd, entered the palace. + +A troop of negroes received him and threw themselves at his feet. An +especially gorgeously arrayed slave led him into a room, where a +banquet awaited him. Abdul Kassim had never fared so well in his life. +But he did not forget to praise Allah for his goodness. Next morning +he put on his gorgeous robe, bound on the magnificent sword he found +in the great hall, and rode, accompanied by the negroes, to visit the +Caliph. + +The Commander of the Faithful sat on the throne and awaited his +subject, who, when he appeared, was about to throw himself in the dust +at the ruler's feet, but the Caliph descended the three steps of the +throne, and took the young man's hand. + +"Are you Abdul Kassim," he said, "son of Kalif, the merchant who lived +by the Golden Bridge?" + +"I am he, Caliph," answered Abdul; "permit me to express my thanks +for the palace with which you have endowed your most humble servant." + +"I have heard much good of you," said the Caliph, when he had ordered +his suite to retire; "and pray you to show me the magic jewels that +help you to such power and wisdom." + +"Of which jewels are you speaking?" asked Abdul Kassim, amazed. + +"Well," smiled the Caliph, "which jewels should I mean but those you +have inherited from your father?" + +The young man stared. So the Caliph, too, took him for the possessor +of the magic stones? Without reserve he confessed that, to avoid +disputes he had voluntarily retired and left the stones to his +brothers. + +"But," said the Caliph, "Micha ben Jahzeel, the Jew, saw the casket in +your house!" + +"The casket he may have seen," answered Abdul Kassim; "I begged it of +my brothers in memory of my father." + +The Caliph seemed still in doubt. He sent a slave to Abdul Kassim's +palace to bring the casket. The messenger brought it, gave it to the +Caliph, and retired. The Caliph opened the lid and looked inside. It +was in truth empty! His gaze fell on the inscription:-- + + "'Tis Allah's will that he who cherishes + The precious gift that never perishes, + Shall make the East to bend as low + As palms that in the whirlwind blow." + +He read the verse and looked at the youth. "Abdul Kassim," he said, +"you have jewels in your heart more precious than all the treasures of +the earth. For love of your brothers you gave up the stones, and for +love of your father you have preserved this seemingly worthless +casket. But Allah has blessed you for your virtues and has, by means +of this humble iron casket, raised you to power and wealth. I dare not +refuse to assist you. I will give you the most priceless gift at my +disposal--the hand of my only daughter." + +He called the chief overseer of the harem and bade him lead Fatma to +the throne-room. The maiden had passed the night in weeping, for she +had heard that she was to be given in marriage to a strange man. She +shuddered at the thought, for as only child of the Caliph she had been +thoroughly spoiled, and hated the idea of leaving her father's roof. + +Abdul Kassim, who until now had been struck utterly dumb with +astonishment, could not refrain from a cry of admiration at the sight +of the lovely Fatma. She seemed to him a hundred times more beautiful +than any description he had heard of her in Bagdad. + +In the midst of her grief Fatma retained her woman's curiosity, and on +hearing the youth's voice, cast one glance at him over her father's +shoulder. The first impression seemed not unfavourable. She eyed his +slender form as he stood leaning on his sword, and gradually ceased +her sobbing. She even raised herself and took hold of the Caliph's +arm. "Father," she said, "do with me what you will; not without cause +do the people call you 'The Wise One'." + +So Fatma was married to Abdul. But neither she nor any other ever knew +that the iron casket connected with her young lord's rise and power +was empty. The Caliph advised his son-in-law to maintain the deepest +silence as to the absence of the magic jewels. + +In the fifth year of their wedded life the Caliph, feeling the weight +of advancing years, abdicated in Abdul Kassim's favour, so the verse +on the casket was fulfilled, and Abdul Kassim reigned many, many years +over Bagdad, the best and wisest ruler who had ever ascended the +throne. Allah's name be praised! + + + + +_The Knights of the Fish_ + + +Once upon a time there was a poor cobbler, who, being unable to live +by mending shoes, determined to buy a net and turn fisherman. He went +a-fishing for several days, but could draw up nothing in his net but +old boots and shoes, though few enough of them could he get hold of +when he was a cobbler. At last he thought: + +"This is the very last day I will go fishing. If I catch nothing I +will go and hang myself." + +He cast his net, and this time he found a fine fish in it. When he had +taken the fish in his hand, it opened its mouth and said to him: + +"Take me home to your house; cut me in six pieces and stew me with +salt and pepper, cinnamon and cloves, laurel leaves and mint. Give two +of the pieces to your wife, two to your mare, and the other two to the +plant in the garden." + +The cobbler did exactly what the fish had told him to do, such was the +faith he had in its words. And he was duly rewarded, for several +months afterward his wife presented him with two fine boys, and his +mare with two colts, whilst the plant in his garden grew two lances +which, instead of flowers, bore two shields, on which were to be seen +a silver fish on an azure ground. + +Everything went on so prosperously that in course of time, one fine +day, might be seen two gallant youths issuing from the cobbler's +house, mounted upon two superb chargers, and bearing slender lances +and brilliant shields. + +These two brothers were so much alike that they were known as The +Double Knight; and each of them wishing, as was just, to preserve his +own individuality, they determined to separate and each seek his own +fortune. After embracing affectionately, the one took his way toward +the West, and the other toward the East. + +After travelling for some days the first arrived at Madrid, and found +the royal city pouring bitter tears into the pure, sweet waters of her +cherished river, the Manzanares. Everybody was weeping when our +gallant youth arrived at the Spanish capital; he inquired the cause of +this universal lamentation, and was informed that every year a fiery +dragon came and carried off a beautiful maiden, and that this luckless +year the lot had fallen upon their princess, the king's good and +peerless daughter. + +The knight at once inquired where the princess was to be found, and +was informed, at about a quarter of a league's distance, where she was +expecting the fiery one to appear and carry her off to his den. Then +the knight started off at once to the place indicated, and found the +princess bathed in tears, and trembling from head to foot. + +"Fly away!" cried the princess, when she saw the Knight of the Fish +approach; "fly away, rash one! the monster is coming here, and if he +sees you, heaven help you!" + +"I shall not go away," responded the gallant youth, "because I have +come to save you." + +"To save me! Is that possible?" + +"I am going to see," responded the valiant champion. "Are there any +German merchants in the city?" + +"Yes," answered the princess in astonishment; "but why do you ask?" + +"You will see," said the knight, and galloped off to the city of +mourning. + +He speedily returned with an immense mirror which he had purchased +from a German dealer. This he rested against the trunk of a tree, and +covered it with the princess's veil, placing her in front of it, and +instructing her that when the dragon was near to her she was to pull +off the veil and slip behind the glass. So saying, the knight retired +behind an adjacent wall. + +In a little while the fiery dragon appeared, and gradually drew near +to the fair one, eying her with all the insolence and effrontery +possible. When he was quite close, the princess, as she had been +instructed by her champion, withdrew the veil, and slipping behind the +mirror, disappeared from before the eyes of the fiery dragon, which +remained stupefied at finding his amorous glances directed at a dragon +similar to himself. He made a movement; his resemblance did the same. +His eyes sparkled red and brilliant as two rubies; whilst those of his +opponent gleamed like two carbuncles. This increased his fury; he +erected his scales as a porcupine would its quills, and those of his +rival likewise stood up. He opened his tremendous mouth, which would +have been without parallel but for that of his opponent, who, far from +being intimidated, opened an identical one. The dragon dashed +furiously against his intrepid adversary, giving such an awful blow +with his head against the mirror that he was completely stunned; and +as he had broken the glass, and in every piece saw a piece of his own +body, he fancied that with one blow he had dashed his rival to atoms. + +The knight availed himself of this moment of confusion and +stupefaction, and dashing forth impetuously from his retreat, with his +good lance deprived the dragon of its life, and would have been ready +to deprive it of a hundred lives had it possessed so many. + +The delight and jubilation of the Madrid people may be imagined when +they beheld the Knight of the Fish bearing on his saddle the beautiful +princess, quite uninjured and as lively as a cricket, and the dragon, +fastened by its neck to his sturdy charger, hanging dead and bloodless +behind. It may, also, be readily guessed that after such an +achievement they were unable to reward the gallant knight with +anything but the princess's fair hand; and that they had wedding +festivities, and banquets, and bull fights, and tilting matches, and +all sorts of good things. + +Some days after the marriage the Knight of the Fish said to his wife +that he would like to look over the palace, which was so extensive +that it covered a league of ground. They inspected the place together, +and the task occupied them four days. On the fourth day they ascended +the roof, and the knight was struck with amazement at the prospect. +Never had he seen anything like it, nor ever could he have seen its +equal, even if he had visited all Spain and the Empire of Morocco as +well. + +"What castle is that?" inquired the Knight of the Fish, "which I see +standing in the distance, so solitary and sombre." + +"That," responded the princess, "is the castle of Albastretch; it is +enchanted, and no one is able to undo the enchantment; and no one of +all those who have gone to it has ever been known to return." + +The knight listened intently to this, and as he was valiant and +adventurous, on the following morning he mounted his horse, seized his +lance, and set out for the castle. + +The castle was enough to set one's hair on end with fright to look at +it; it was darker than a thunder-cloud, and as silent as death. But +the Knight of the Fish knew nothing of fear, save by hearsay, and +never turned his back on foe until he had conquered; so he took his +cornet and blew it lustily. The sound startled all the slumbering +echoes of the castle, so that they repeated it by heart, now nearer +and now farther, sometimes softer and then louder; but no one stirred +in the castle. + +"Ah! what a castle!" shouted the knight. "Is there no one to see to a +knight who craves shelter? Is there no governor, nor squire nor even a +groom, to take my horse away?" + +"Away! away! away!" clamoured the echoes. + +"Why should I go away?" said the Knight of the Fish. "I shall not go +back, no matter how much you sigh!" + +"Ay! ay! ay! (_Alas! alas! alas!_)" groaned the echoes. + +The knight grasped his spear and struck a loud blow on the door. + +Then the portcullis was raised, and in the opening appeared the tip of +an enormous nose, located between the sunken eyes and fallen-in mouth +of an old woman uglier than sin. + +"What do you want, impudent disturber?" she inquired, with a cracked +voice. + +"To enter," replied the knight. "Are you not able to afford me the +enjoyment of some rest at this hour of the night? Yes or no?" + +"No! no! no!" said the echoes. + +Here the knight lifted his vizier, because he was warm; and the old +woman, seeing how handsome he was, said to him: + +"Come in, handsome youth; you shall be cared for and well looked +after." + +"After! after!" warned the echoes; but the knight was fear-less and +entered, the old woman promising that he should fare well. + +"Farewell, farewell!" sighed the echoes. + +"Go on, old lady," said the knight. + +"I am called Lady Berberisca," interposed the old woman, very crossly; +"and I am the mistress of Albastretch." + +"Wretch! wretch!" groaned the echoes. + +"Won't you be silent, cursed chatterers?" exclaimed Lady Berberisca. +"I am your humble servant," she continued, making a deep curtsey to +the knight, "and if you like I will be your wife, and you shall live +with me here as grand as a Pacha." + +"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the echoes. + +"Would you have me marry you? You must be a hundred. You are foolish, +and mad as well." + +"Well, well," said the echoes. + +"What I want," said the knight, "is the registry of the castle, to +examine and amend." + +"Amen! amen!" sighed the echoes. + +Lady Berberisca's pride was deeply wounded; she gave a hasty glance at +the Knight of the Fish, and intimating to him that he should follow +her, she showed him over the castle, where he beheld many strange +things, but she did not afford him any opportunity of referring to +them. The wicked old woman took him through an obscure corridor, where +there was a trap-door, into which he fell and disappeared into an +abyss, where his voice was added to the echoes, which were the voices +of many other gallant and accomplished knights, whom the shameless old +Berberisca had punished in the same manner for having despised her +venerable charms. + + * * * * * + +Let us now turn to the other Knight of the Fish, who, after long +travels, arrived at Madrid. As he entered the city gates the +sentinels presented arms, the drums beat the royal march and several +of the palace servitors surrounded him, saying that the princess was +in constant tears through his prolonged absence, fearing that some +misfortune had happened to him in the enchanted castle of Albastretch. + +"It is necessary that I should pass for my brother," thought the +knight, "to whom, it would appear, some good fortune has occurred. I +must be quiet, and we shall see what will come to pass." + +They carried him almost in triumph to the palace, where he found it +easy to accept all the caresses and congratulations bestowed upon him +by the king and the princess. They were eager to learn about his +adventures, and what he had seen at the castle; but to the princess's +inquiries he answered: + +"I am not permitted to say a word about that until after I have been +there once more." + +"Are you thinking of revisiting that accursed castle? You are the only +one who has yet returned from it." + +"It is unavoidable; I am obliged to go there." + +When they retired to rest, the knight placed his sword in the bed. + +"Why do you do that?" inquired the princess. + +"Because I have sworn not to sleep in a bed until after I have +revisited Albastretch." + +And on the following day he mounted his steed and took his way to the +enchanted castle, much fearing that some misfortune had happened to +his brother there. He arrived at the castle, and quickly saw the old +woman's fiery nose appear at the portcullis. + +No sooner did she see the knight than she became livid with fright, +for she thought he was the dead knight come to life again. She began +to invoke the object of her devotions, Beelzebub, most devoutly, and +promised him all kinds of gifts if he would take from her view that +vision of flesh and blood, drawn up from the abode of the dead. + +"Ancient lady!" cried the recent arrival, "I have come to ask where a +knight is who has been here?" + +"Here! here! here!" responded the echoes. + +"And what have you done with this knight, so accomplished in all +things, and so skilled?" + +"Killed! killed!" groaned the echoes. + +On hearing this, and seeing the old hag running off, the Knight of the +Fish, beside himself with rage, ran after her, and pierced her through +with his sword, which remained fast in her body, so that she jumped +about at the point of it like a parched pea in a frying-pan. + +"Where is my brother, ugly old traitress?" demanded the knight. + +"I can tell you," responded the witch, "but as I am at death's door, I +will not let you know until you have resuscitated me." + +"But how can I do this, perfidious witch?" + +"Go to the garden," responded the old woman, "cut some evergreens, +everlastings, and dragon's blood; with these plants make a decoction +in a caldron, and then sprinkle some of it over me." + +After saying this the old woman died, without uttering a prayer. The +knight did all that the witch instructed him to do, and effectually +resuscitated her, but uglier than ever, for her nose remained deadly +white, and looked like an elephant's tusk. Then she was forced to tell +the knight where his brother was; and down in the abyss he not only +found him, but many other victims of the wicked Berberisca. He +sprinkled them all with the decoction in the caldron, and they were +all brought to life again, and to each person came an echo which had +been his voice; and the first words they all uttered were: + +"Accursed witch, merciless Berberisca!" + +Then all those gallant knights, and many beautiful ladies whom the +fiery old dragon--who was the witch's son--had carried there, gave +thanks to the Knight of the Fish; and one of the most beautiful of the +ladies gave him her hand; on seeing which, the wicked Berberisca died +again with envy and spite. + + + + +_Dapplegrim_ + + +Once on a time there was a rich couple who had twelve sons; but the +youngest, when he was grown up, said he wouldn't stay any longer at +home, but be off into the world to try his luck. His father and mother +said he did very well at home, and had better stay where he was. But +no, he couldn't rest; away he must and would go. + +So at last they gave him leave. And when he had walked a good bit, he +came to a king's palace, where he asked for a place, and got it. + +Now, the daughter of the king of that land had been carried off into +the hill by a Troll, and the king had no other children; so he and all +his land were in great grief and sorrow, and the king gave his word +that anyone who could set her free should have the Princess and half +the kingdom. But there was no one who could do it, though many tried. + +When the lad had been there a year or so, he longed to go home again, +and see his father and mother, and back he went; but when he got home +his father and mother were dead, and his brothers had shared all that +the old people owned between them, so there was nothing left for the +lad. + +"Shan't I have anything at all, then, out of father's and mother's +goods?" asked the lad. + +"Who could tell you were still alive, when you've been wandering about +so long?" said his brothers. "But all the same there are twelve mares +up on the hill which we haven't yet shared amongst us; if you choose +to take them for your share, you're welcome." + +Yes, the lad was quite content; so he thanked his brothers, and went +at once up on the hill, where the twelve mares were out at grass. And +when he got up there he found them; and one of them had along with +her a big dapple-gray foal, which was so sleek that the sun shone from +its coat. + +"A fine fellow you are, my little foal," said the lad. + +"Yes," said the foal, "but you wait until another year has passed, and +then see how big and sleek I'll be." + +So the lad went home again, and when he came back the next year to +look after his foal and mares, the foal was so sleek and fat that the +sun shone from its coat, and it had grown so big the lad had hard work +to mount it. + +"Well, it's quite plain I lost nothing by leaving you to graze for a +twelvemonth," said the lad to the yearling, "but now you're big enough +to come along with me." + +"No," said the colt, "I must bide here a year longer and then see how +big and sleek I'll be by summer." + +Yes, the lad did that; and next year when he went up on the hill to +look after his colt and mares, each mare had her foal, but the dapple +colt was so tall that the lad couldn't reach up to his crest when he +wanted to feel how fat he was; and so sleek he was, too, that his coat +glistened in the sunshine. + +"Big and beautiful you were last year, my colt," said the lad, "but +this year you're far grander. There's no such horse in the king's +stable. But now you must come along with me." + +"No," said Dapple again, "I must stay here one year more, to eat this +beautiful grass, then just come and look at me when the summer comes." + +So again the lad went away home. + +But when he went up next year to look after Dapple and the mares, he +was quite astonished. So tall, and stout, and sturdy, he never thought +a horse could be; for Dapple had to lie down before the lad could +bestride him, and it was hard work to climb up even then, although he +lay flat; and his coat was so smooth and sleek that the sunbeams shone +from it as from a looking-glass. + +This time Dapple was willing enough to follow the lad, so he jumped up +on his back, and when he came riding home to his brothers, they all +clapped their hands and shouted, for such a horse they had never heard +of or seen before. + +"If you will only get me the best shoes you can for my horse, and the +grandest saddle and bridle that are to be found," said the lad, "you +may have my twelve mares that graze up on the hill yonder, and their +twelve foals into the bargain." For you must know that this year every +mare had her foal. + +Yes, his brothers were ready to do that, and so the lad got such +strong shoes under his horse that the stones flew high aloft as he +rode away across the hills; and he had a golden saddle and a golden +bridle, which gleamed and glistened a long way off. + +"Now we're off to the king's palace," said Dapplegrim--that was his +name; "and mind you ask the king for a good stable and fodder for me." + +Yes, the lad said he would mind; he'd be sure not to forget; and when +he rode off from his brothers' house, you may be sure it wasn't long, +with such a horse under him, before he got to the king's palace. + +When he came there the king was standing on the steps, and stared and +stared at the man who came riding along. + +"Nay, nay," said he, "such a man and such a horse I never saw in all +my life." + +But when the lad asked if he could resume his place in the king's +household, the king was so glad he was ready to jump and dance as he +stood on the steps. + +There was no reason, the king said, why the lad should not come back. + +"Ay," said the lad, "but I must have good stable-room for my horse, +and fodder that one can trust." + +Yes, he should have meadow-hay and oats, as much as his horse could +cram, and all the other knights had to lead their steeds out of the +stable that Dapplegrim might stand alone, and have it all to himself. + +But it wasn't long before all the others in the king's household began +to be jealous of the lad, and there was no end to the bad things they +would have done to him, if they had only dared. At last they thought +of telling the king that he had been boasting he was man enough to set +the king's daughter free--whom the Troll had long since carried away +into the hill--if he only chose. The king called the lad before him, +and said he had heard what the lad had said, so now he must go and do +it. If he succeeded, the king's daughter and half the kingdom should +be his, and that promise would be faithfully kept; if he didn't, he +should be killed. + +The lad kept on saying he never said any such thing; but it was no +good, the king wouldn't even listen to him; and so the end of it was +he was forced to say he'd go and try. + +So he went into the stable, down in the mouth and heavy-hearted, and +then Dapplegrim asked him at once why he was in such doleful dumps. + +Then the lad told him all, and how he couldn't tell which way to turn, +and he said: + +"As for setting the Princess free, that's downright nonsense." + +"Oh, but it might be done, perhaps," said Dapplegrim. "But you must +first have me well shod. You must go and ask for ten pounds of iron +and twelve pounds of steel for the shoes; and one smith to hammer and +another to hold." + +Yes, the lad did that, and got for answer, "Yes." He got both the iron +and the steel, and the smith, and so Dapplegrim was shod both strong +and well, and off went the lad from the courtyard in a cloud of dust. + +But when he came to the hill into which the Princess had been carried, +the pinch was how to get up the steep wall of rock where the Troll's +cave was in which the Princess had been hid. For you must know the +hill stood straight up and down right on end, as upright as a house +wall, and as smooth as a sheet of glass. + +The first time the lad went at it he got a little way up; but then +Dapple's forelegs slipped, and down they went again, with a sound like +thunder on the hill. + +The second time he rode at it he got some way further up; but then one +foreleg slipped, and down they went with a crash like a landslip. + +But the third time Dapple said: + +"Now we must show our mettle," and went at it again till the stones +flew heaven-high about them, and so they got up. + +Then the lad rode right into the cave at full speed, and caught up +the Princess, and threw her over his saddle-bow, and out and down +again before the Troll had time even to get on his legs; and so the +Princess was freed. + +When the lad came back to the palace the king was both happy and glad +to get his daughter back, that you may well believe; but somehow or +other, though I don't know how, the others about the court had so +brought it about that the king was angry with the lad after all. + +"Thanks you shall have for freeing my Princess," said he to the lad, +when he brought the Princess into the hall and made his bow. + +"She ought to be mine as well as yours; for you're a word-fast man, I +hope," said the lad. + +"Ay, ay!" said the king, "have her you shall, since I said it, but +first of all you must make the sun shine into my palace hall." + +Now you must know there was a high, steep ridge of rock close outside +the windows, which threw such a shade over the hall that never a +sunbeam shone into it. + +"That wasn't in our bargain," answered the lad; "but I suppose I must +do what you command. I must e'en go and try my luck, for the Princess +I must and will have." + +So down he went to Dapple, and told him what the king wanted; and +Dapplegrim thought it might easily be done, but first of all he must +be newly shod; and for that, ten pounds of iron and twelve pounds of +steel besides were needed; and two smiths, one to hammer and the other +to hold, and then they'd soon get the sun to shine into the palace +hall. + +So when the lad asked for all these things, he got them at once--the +king couldn't say nay for very shame; and so Dapplegrim got new shoes, +and such shoes! Then the lad jumped upon his back, and off they went +again; and for every leap that Dapplegrim gave, down sank the ridge +fifteen feet into the earth, and so they went on till there was +nothing left of the ridge for the king to see. + +When the lad got back to the king's palace, he asked the king if the +Princess was not his now; for now no one could say that the sun didn't +shine into the hall. But then the others whispered to the king again, +and he answered that the lad should have her, of course; he had never +thought of anything else; but first of all he must get as grand a +horse for the bride to ride on to church as the bridegroom had +himself. + +The lad said the king hadn't spoken a word about this before, and that +he thought he had now fairly earned the Princess; but the king held to +his own; and more, if the lad couldn't do that he should lose his +life; that was what the king said. So the lad went down to the stable +in doleful dumps, as you may well fancy, and there he told Dapplegrim +all about it; how the king had laid that task upon him, to find the +bride as good a horse as the bridegroom had himself, else he would +lose his life. + +"But that's not so easy," he said, "for your match isn't to be found +in the wide world." + +"Oh, yes, I have a match," said Dapplegrim; "but he lives a long way +from here, and rules over a great country. Still, we'll try. And now +you must go up to the king and ask for new shoes for me, ten pounds of +iron and twelve pounds of steel; and two smiths, one to hammer and one +to hold; and mind you see that the points and ends of those shoes are +sharp; and twelve sacks of rye, and twelve sacks of barley, and twelve +roasted oxen we must have with us; and mind, we must have the twelve +ox-hides, with twelve hundred spikes driven into each; and, let me +see, a big tar-barrel--that's all we want." + +So the lad went up to the king and asked for all that Dapplegrim +required, and the king again thought he couldn't say nay, for shame's +sake, and so the lad got all he wanted. + +Well, he jumped up on Dapplegrim's back, and rode away from the +palace, and when he had ridden far over hill and heath, Dapple asked: + +"Do you hear anything?" + +"Yes, I hear an awful hissing and rustling up in the air," said the +lad; "I think I'm getting afraid." + +"That's all the wild birds that fly through the wood. They are sent to +stop us; but just cut a hole in the corn sacks, and then they'll have +so much to do with the corn, they'll forget us, quite." + +Yes, the lad did that; he cut holes in the corn sacks, so that the +rye and the barley ran out on all sides. Then all the wild birds came +flying round them so thick that the sunbeams grew dark, but as soon as +they saw the corn they couldn't keep to their purpose, but flew down +and began to pick and scratch at the rye and barley; and after that +they began to fight amongst themselves. As for Dapplegrim and the lad, +they forgot all about them, and did them no harm. + +So the lad rode on and on--far, far over mountain and dale, over +sand-hills and moor. Then Dapplegrim began to prick up his ears again, +and at last he asked the lad if he heard anything. + +"Yes, now I hear such an ugly rushing and howling in the wood all +round, it makes me quite afraid." + +"Ah!" said Dapplegrim, "that's all the wild beasts that range through +the wood, and they're sent out to stop us. But just cast out the +twelve carcasses of the oxen; that will give them enough to do, and so +they'll forget us outright." + +Yes, the lad cast out the carcasses, and then all the wild beasts in +the wood--bears and wolves and lions--came after them. But when they +saw the carcasses, they began to fight for them amongst themselves, +till blood flowed in streams; but Dapple and the lad they quite +forgot. + +So the lad rode far away, and they changed the landscape many, many +times, for Dapplegrim didn't let the grass grow under him, as you may +imagine. At last Dapple gave a great neigh. + +"Do you hear anything?" he said. + +"Yes, I hear something like a colt neighing loudly a long, long way +off," answered the lad. + +"That's a full-grown colt, then," said Dapplegrim, "if we hear him +neigh so loud such a long way off." + +After that they travelled a good bit, changing the landscape once or +twice, maybe. Then Dapplegrim gave another neigh. + +"Now listen, and tell me if you hear anything," he said. + +"Yes, now I hear a neigh like a full-grown horse," answered the lad. + +"Ay, ay!" said Dapplegrim, "you'll hear him once again soon, and then +you'll hear he's got a voice of his own." + +So they travelled on and on, and changed the landscape once or twice, +perhaps, and then Dapplegrim neighed the third time; but before he +could ask the lad if he heard anything, something gave such a neigh +across the heathery hillside, the lad thought hill and rock would +surely be rent asunder. + +"Now he's here!" said Dapplegrim; "make haste, now, and throw the +ox-hides, with the spikes in them, over me, and throw down the +tar-barrel on the plain; then climb up into that great spruce-fir +yonder. When it comes, fire will flash out of both nostrils, and then +the tar-barrel will catch fire. Now, mind what I say. If the flame +rises, I win; if it falls, I lose; but if you see me winning, take and +cast the bridle--you must take it off me--over its head, and then it +will be tame enough." + +So just as the lad had done throwing the ox-hides, with the spikes, +over Dapplegrim, and had cast down the tar-barrel on the plain, and +had got well up into the spruce-fir, up galloped a horse, with fire +flashing out of its nostrils, and the flame caught the tar-barrel at +once. Then Dapplegrim and the strange horse began to fight till the +stones flew heaven-high. They fought and bit and kicked, both with +fore feet and hind feet, and sometimes the lad could see them, and +sometimes he couldn't; but at last the flame began to rise; for +wherever the strange horse kicked or bit, he met the spiked hides, and +at last he had to yield. + +When the lad saw that, he wasn't long getting down from the tree and +in throwing the bridle over its head, and then it was so tame you +could hold it with a pack-thread. + +And what do you think--that horse was dappled, too, and so like +Dapplegrim, you couldn't tell which was which. Then the lad bestrode +the new Dapple he had won, and rode home to the palace, and old +Dapplegrim ran loose by his side. So when he got home, there stood the +king out in the yard. + +"Can you tell me, now," said the lad, "which is the horse I have +caught and broken, and which is the one I had before? If you can't, I +think your daughter is fairly mine." + +Then the king went and looked at both Dapples, high and low, before +and behind, but there wasn't a hair on one which wasn't on the other +as well. + +"No," said the king, "that I can't; and since you've got my daughter +such a grand horse for her wedding, you shall have her with all my +heart. But still we'll have one trial more, just to see whether you're +fated to have her. First, she shall hide herself twice, and then you +shall hide yourself twice. If you can find out her hiding-place, and +she can't find out yours, why, then, you're fated to have her, and so +you shall have her." + +"That's not in the bargain, either," said the lad; "but we must try, +since it must be so;" and so the Princess went off to hide herself +first. + +So she turned herself into a duck, and lay swimming on a pond that was +close to the palace. But the lad only ran down to the stable, and +asked Dapplegrim what she had done with herself. + +"Oh, you only need take your gun," said Dapplegrim, "and go down to +the brink of the pond, and aim at the duck which lies swimming about +there, and she'll soon show herself." + +So the lad snatched his gun and ran off to the pond. + +"I'll just take a pop at this duck," he said, and began to aim at it. + +"Nay, nay, dear friend, don't shoot. It's I," said the Princess. + +So he found her once. + +The second time the Princess turned herself into a loaf of bread, and +laid herself on the table amongst four other loaves; and so like was +she to the others, no one could say which was which. + +But the lad went again down to the stable to Dapplegrim, and said how +the Princess had hidden herself again, and he couldn't tell at all +what had become of her. + +"Oh, just take and sharpen a good bread-knife," said Dapplegrim, "and +do as if you were going to cut in two the third loaf on the left hand +of those four loaves which are lying on the dresser in the king's +kitchen, and you'll find her soon enough." + +Yes, the lad was down in the kitchen in no time, and began to sharpen +the biggest bread-knife he could lay his hands on; then he caught +hold of the third loaf on the left hand, and put the knife to it, as +though he were going to cut it in two. + +"I'll just have a slice off this loaf," he said. + +"Nay, dear friend," said the Princess, "don't cut. It's I." + +So he found her twice. + +Then he was to go and hide but he and Dapplegrim had settled it so +well beforehand, it wasn't easy to find him. First he turned himself +into a fly, and hid himself in Dapplegrim's left nostril; and the +Princess went about hunting for him everywhere, high and low. At last +she wanted to go into Dapplegrim's stall, but he began to bite and +kick, so that she daren't go near him, and so she couldn't find the +lad. + +"Well," she said, "since I cannot find you, you must show where you +are yourself;" and in a trice the lad stood there on the stable floor. + +The second time Dapplegrim told him just what to do; and then he +turned into a clod of earth, and stuck himself between Dapple's hoof +and shoe on the near forefoot. So the Princess hunted up and down, out +and in, everywhere; at last she came into the stable, and wanted to go +into Dapplegrim's loose box. This time he let her come up to him, and +she pried high and low, but under his heels she couldn't come, for he +stood firm as a rock on his feet, and so she couldn't find the lad. + +"Well, you must just show yourself, for I'm sure I can't find you," +said the Princess, and as she spoke the lad stood by her side on the +stable floor. + +"Now you are mine indeed," said the lad; "for now you can see I'm +fated to have you." This he said both to the father and daughter. + +"Yes; it is so fated," said the king; "so it must be." + +Then everything was made ready for the wedding with great splendour +and promptitude; and the lad got on Dapplegrim, and the Princess on +Dapplegrim's match, and then you may guess they were not long on their +way to church. + + + + +_The Hermit_ + + +In the reign of King Moabdar there lived at Babylon a young man named +Zadig. He was handsome, rich, and naturally good-hearted; and at the +moment when this story opens, he was travelling on foot to see the +world, and to learn philosophy and wisdom. But, hitherto, he had +encountered so much misery, and endured so many terrible disasters, +that he had become tempted to rebel against the will of Heaven, and to +believe that the Providence which rules the world neglects the good +and lets the evil prosper. In this unhappy spirit he was one day +walking on the banks of the Euphrates, when he chanced to meet a +venerable hermit, whose snowy beard descended to his girdle, and who +carried in his hand a scroll which he was reading with attention. +Zadig stopped, and made him a low bow. The hermit returned the +salutation with an air so kindly, and so noble, that Zadig felt a +curiosity to speak to him. He inquired what scroll was that which he +was reading. + +"It is the Book of Destiny," replied the hermit; "would you like to +read it?" + +He handed it to Zadig; but the latter, though he knew a dozen +languages, could not understand a word of it. His curiosity increased. + +"You appear to be in trouble," said the kindly hermit. + +"Alas!" said Zadig, "I have cause to be so." + +"If you will allow me," said the hermit, "I will accompany you. +Perhaps I may be useful to you. I am sometimes able to console the +sorrowful." + +Zadig felt a deep respect for the appearance, the white beard, and the +mysterious scroll of the old hermit, and perceived that his +conversation was that of a superior mind. The old man spoke of +destiny, of justice, of morality, of the chief good of life, of human +frailty, of virtue, and of vice, with so much power and eloquence, +that Zadig felt himself attracted by a kind of charm, and besought the +hermit not to leave him until they should return to Babylon. + +"I ask you the same favour," said the hermit. "Promise me that, +whatever I may do, you will keep me company for several days." + +Zadig gave the promise; and they set forth together. + +That night the travellers arrived at a grand mansion. The hermit +begged for food and lodging for himself and his companion. The porter, +who might have been mistaken for a prince, ushered them in with a +contemptuous air of welcome. The chief servant showed them the +magnificent apartments; and they were then admitted to the bottom of +the table, where the master of the mansion did not condescend to cast +a glance at them. They were, however, served with delicacies in +profusion, and, after dinner, washed their hands in a golden basin set +with emeralds and rubies. They were then conducted for the night into +a beautiful apartment; and the next morning, before they left the +castle, a servant brought them each a piece of gold. + +"The master of the house," said Zadig, as they went their way, +"appears to be a generous man, although a trifle haughty. He practises +a noble hospitality." As he spoke he perceived that a kind of large +pouch which the hermit carried appeared singularly distended; within +it was the golden basin, set with precious stones, which the old man +had purloined. Zadig was amazed; but he said nothing. + +At noon the hermit stopped before a little house, in which lived a +wealthy miser, and once more asked for hospitality. An old valet in a +shabby coat received them very rudely, showed them into the stable, +and set before them a few rotten olives, some moldy bread, and beer +which had turned sour. The hermit ate and drank with as much content +as he had shown the night before; then, addressing the old valet, who +had kept his eye upon them to make sure that they stole nothing, he +gave him the two gold pieces which they had received that morning, +and thanked him for his kind attention. "Be so good," he added, "as +to let me see your master." + +The astonished valet showed them in. + +"Most mighty signor," said the hermit, "I can only render you my +humble thanks for the noble manner in which you have received us. I +beseech you to accept this golden basin as a token of my gratitude." + +The miser almost fell backwards with amazement. The hermit, without +waiting for him to recover, set off with speed with his companion. + +"Holy Father," said Zadig, "what does all this mean? You seem to me to +resemble other men in nothing. You steal a golden basin set with +jewels from a signor who receives you with magnificence, and you give +it to a curmudgeon who treats you with indignity." + +"My son," replied the hermit, "this mighty lord, who only welcomes +travellers through vanity, and to display his riches, will henceforth +grow wiser, while the miser will be taught to practise hospitality. Be +amazed at nothing, and follow me." + +Zadig knew not whether he was dealing with the most foolish or the +wisest of all men. But the hermit spoke with such ascendancy that +Zadig, who, besides, was fettered by his promise, had no choice except +to follow him. + +That night they came to an agreeable house, of simple aspect, and +showing signs neither of prodigality nor avarice. The owner was a +philosopher, who had left the world, and who studied peacefully the +rules of virtue and of wisdom, and who yet was happy and contented. He +had built this calm retreat to please himself, and he received the +strangers in it with a frankness which displayed no sign of +ostentation. He conducted them himself to a comfortable chamber, where +he made them rest awhile; then he returned to lead them to a dainty +little supper. During their conversation they agreed that the affairs +of this world are not always regulated by the opinions of the wisest +men, but the hermit still maintained that the ways of Providence are +wrapped in mystery, and that men do wrong to pass judgment on a +universe of which they only see the smallest part. Zadig wondered how +a person who committed such mad acts could reason so correctly. + +At length, after a conversation as agreeable as instructive, the host +conducted the two travellers to their apartment, and thanked Heaven +for sending him two visitors so wise and virtuous. He offered them +some money, but so frankly that they could not feel offended. The old +man declined, and desired to say farewell, as he intended to depart +for Babylon at break of day. They therefore parted on the warmest +terms, and Zadig, above all, was filled with kindly feelings toward so +amiable a man. + +When the hermit and himself were in their chamber, they spent some +time in praises of their host. At break of day the old man woke his +comrade. + +"We must be going," he remarked. "But while every one is still asleep, +I wish to leave this worthy man a pledge of my esteem." With these +words he took a torch and set the house on fire. + +Zadig burst forth into cries of horror, and would have stopped the +frightful act. But the hermit, by superior strength, drew him away. +The house was in a blaze; and the old man, who was now a good way off +with his companion, looked back calmly at the burning pile. + +"Heaven be praised!" he cried, "our kind host's house is destroyed +from top to bottom." + +At these words Zadig knew not whether he should burst out laughing, +call the reverend father an old rascal, knock him down, or run away. +But he did neither. Still subdued by the superior manner of the +hermit, he followed him against his will to their next lodging. + +This was the dwelling of a good and charitable widow, who had a nephew +of fourteen, her only hope and joy. She did her best to use the +travellers well; and the next morning she bade her nephew guide them +safely past a certain bridge, which, having recently been broken, had +become dangerous to cross over. The youth, eager to oblige them, led +the way. + +"Come," said the hermit, when they were half across the bridge, "I +must show my gratitude toward your aunt;" and as he spoke he seized +the young man by the hair and threw him into the river. The youth +fell, reappeared for an instant on the surface, and then was swallowed +by the torrent. + +"Oh, monster!" exclaimed Zadig, "ah, most detestable of men--" + +"You promised me more patience," interrupted the old man. "Listen! +Beneath the ruins of that house which Providence saw fit to set on +fire, the owner will discover an enormous treasure; while this young +man, whose existence Providence cut short, would have killed his aunt +within a year, and you yourself in two." + +"Who told you so, barbarian?" cried Zadig; "and even if you read the +issue in your Book of Destiny, who gave you power to drown a youth who +never injured you?" + +While he spoke, he saw that the old man had a beard no longer, and +that his face had become fair and young; his hermit's frock had +disappeared; four white wings covered his majestic form, and shone +with dazzling lustre. + +"Angel of heaven," cried Zadig, "you are then descended from the skies +to teach an erring mortal to submit to the eternal laws." + +"Men," replied the angel Jezrael, "judge all things without knowledge; +and you, of all men, most deserved to be enlightened. The world +imagines that the youth who has just perished fell by chance into the +water, and that by a like chance the rich man's house was set on fire. +But there is no such thing as chance; all is trial, or punishment, or +foresight. Feeble mortal, cease to argue and rebel against what you +ought to adore!" + +As he spoke these words the angel took his flight to heaven, and Zadig +fell upon his knees. + + + + +_The Watch-tower Between Earth and Heaven_[5] + + +Once upon a time there was a King who had three sons and one daughter. +He kept the daughter in a cage and guarded her as the eyes in his +head. + +[Footnote 5: From "The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales." Copyright, +1906, by Charles Scribner's Sons.] + +When the maiden was grown up she begged her father one evening to let +her go out and take a walk before the castle with her brothers. The +father consented, but hardly was she out of the door when suddenly a +Dragon came swooping down from the sky, seized the maiden from among +her brothers, and carried her away with him high into the clouds. + +The brothers rushed headlong back to their father, told him of their +misfortune, and begged permission to go and seek their stolen sister. +The father consented, gave them each a horse and everything needful +for a journey, and they set out. + +After many wanderings they came across a watch-tower which stood +neither on earth nor in heaven. When they reached the place it +occurred to them that their sister might be within, and they at once +began to take counsel among themselves as to how they should reach it. + +After long consultation they decided to kill one of their horses, cut +his skin into a long strap, fasten the end to an arrow, and shoot it +up into some place in the watch-tower where it would hold securely. +Then they could easily climb up. The two younger brothers asked the +eldest to sacrifice his horse, but he would not; nor would the second +brother. So the youngest brother slew his horse, cut the hide into a +long strap, bound one end to his arrow, and with his bow shot it up +into the tower. + +But now, when it came to climbing up by the strap, the eldest and +second brothers declined, whereupon the youngest undertook the +adventure. Arriving at the tower, he went from room to room, until at +last he came to one where he saw his sister sitting, with the Dragon's +head in her lap, the Dragon being fast asleep. + +When the sister perceived her brother she was greatly terrified, and +softly entreated him to flee before the Dragon should awake. This he +would not do, but seized his cudgel, struck out boldly, and dealt the +Dragon a heavy blow upon the head. The Dragon, without awaking, put +his hand up to the spot, murmuring, "Something hit me right here." + +As he said this the Prince fetched him a second blow upon the head, +and again the Dragon murmured, "Something hit me here." But now, as +the brother made ready to strike a third time, the sister made a sign +showing the Dragon's vulnerable spot; and the brother, giving a +powerful blow, killed him as dead as a mouse. + +Then the Princess pushed him from her, flew into her brother's arms, +and smothered him with kisses. After this she took him by the hand and +began to lead him through all the rooms. First she led him into a room +in which a black fox, with a harness of pure silver, was standing +before a manger. Then she led him into another room, where a white +horse, with a harness of pure gold, stood before another manger. +Finally she led him into a third room, where a brown horse stood +before a manger, his harness all studded with diamonds. + +When they had gone through these rooms, the sister led her brother +into a chamber where a maiden sat before a golden embroidery frame, +working with golden threads. From this room she led him into another, +where a second maiden was spinning gold thread, and at last into a +room where a third maiden was stringing pearls, while at her feet a +golden hen, with a brood of chickens, was picking up pearls from a +golden basin. + +When they had gone through all these rooms and seen all they wanted to +see, they went back into the room where the dead Dragon lay, dragged +him out, and threw him head-foremost down to the earth. When the other +brothers saw him they were almost convulsed with terror. But now the +youngest brother let down to them first their sister and then the +three maidens, one after another, each with her work. As he let them +down he allotted one to each of his brothers, and when he let down the +third, that is, the one with the hen and chickens, he reserved her to +himself. + +But his brothers, filled with envy because he was the hero who had +discovered all these things and rescued their sister, cut the strap to +make it impossible for him to return. Then they rode away, and coming +upon a shepherd boy with his sheep, they dressed him like their +brother and brought him home to their father, forbidding their sister +and the maidens, with fearful threats, under any circumstances to +reveal the secret. + +After a time word came to the youngest brother in the tower that his +brothers and the shepherd were about to marry those three maidens. On +the day appointed for the eldest brother's wedding he mounted the +white horse and flew down into the midst of the wedding-guests just as +they were leaving the church, and struck his brother lightly upon the +back with his club. The brother fell from his horse and the other flew +back to his watch-tower. + +When the second brother's wedding-day came he again flew down upon his +steed, gave the second brother a blow upon the back, so that he fell +from his horse, and again flew away. But when he at last heard that +the shepherd was about to marry the third maiden he again mounted his +steed, flew among the wedding-guests just as they were coming out of +the church, and dealt the bridegroom such a blow upon the head with +his club that the fellow lay dead upon the spot. + +In a trice the Prince was surrounded by the wedding-guests, who were +determined that he should not escape this time. He made no attempt to +do so, however, but remained where he was, made himself known as the +King's youngest son, revealed the trick his brothers had played upon +him by means of the shepherd, and told how they had left him in the +watch-tower where he had found his sister and killed the Dragon. + +His sister and the maidens bore witness to the truth of his story, and +when the King heard all this he banished the two elder brothers from +his presence, married the youngest to the maiden of his choice, and +decreed that he should be heir to the throne after his own decease. + + + + +_The Lucky Coin_ + + +Many years ago there lived in a hermitage a holy monk. From all the +villages around, the people, mostly poor labourers, were in the habit +of coming to him on Sundays and festivals to hear him say mass for +them. These good people used to bring little offerings of food for the +support of the hermit during the week. + +One Sunday, after his congregation had departed, the monk perceived a +man, laden with traps and nets for catching birds, crossing the field +before the hermitage. The good monk went out to him. + +"Where do you come from?" he inquired; "and what are you going to do, +my son?" + +"I live some miles from here, good father," he replied, "and I have +borrowed a few nets and traps to try to catch some doves to sell, so +as to get a little butter for our bread; for with that and a draught +of water from the spring my wife and I are satisfied; or else to get +some work to do, that I may earn enough for our support, for we have +neither bread nor a single farthing to buy it." + +The hermit took the man into his hermitage, and gave him the little +offerings of food which had been brought that morning by the +villagers, leaving Providence to provide for his own simple wants. + +"Brother," he said, "take this for yourself and your wife; and if you +want money I will give you some. But you must first tell me which you +choose, to earn a single coin honestly, or a hundred, dishonestly." + +The poor man hesitated, for great was the temptation. + +"I will consult with my wife," he said at last, "and return to-morrow +to inform you." + +With the food in his hands he returned to his miserable home, where he +and his wife made an excellent meal, for which they returned thanks to +Heaven. They then consulted together about the money, and, though the +temptation was great to take the hundred coins, yet, being God-fearing +folks, they decided upon taking the one coin honestly acquired and let +alone the hundred. + +The man accordingly returned to the hermit, and told him what they had +decided. + +The good monk gave him two half _reals_. + +"Take this money," he said; "and may Heaven prosper you." + +Full of joy, the man departed. But on the road home, in a solitary +spot, he encountered two lads fighting desperately; they were dealing +each other terrible blows, and blood was streaming down their faces. +The man rushed up to separate them, but all his efforts only served to +make them fiercer. + +"Why do you fight like this?" he cried. + +"We are fighting for that stone," replied one of the lads; "I saw it +first!" + +"No, you didn't," replied the other; "it was I, and it belongs to me!" +and once more they fell to blows more desperate than before. + +The poor man, fearing that the quarrel might end fatally, cried out to +them-- + +"Here, take each of you one of these coins, and let alone the stone; +it is of no value, for it is no bigger than a walnut. And be off with +you!" + +The lads were glad to take the money, and ran away, thinking +themselves lucky to make so good a bargain. + +His wife was at the cottage door impatiently awaiting her husband. +Great was her disappointment when all he brought her was a stone. + +"Well, to be sure!" she cried, after he had recounted what had taken +place, "I _am_ disappointed." And, taking the little stone, she threw +it into a corner of the room. + +"Dear wife," replied the man, "do not take it so to heart. The money +was spent in a good work; in making peace between the children of our +neighbours." + +His wife at length became more reconciled to the loss, considering +that after all he had done right to make peace between their +neighbours' sons at any cost. Not many minutes after, the parents of +the two lads came to thank the man for having separated the boys. They +also thanked him for the money he had given to the boys, for they knew +he sorely needed it himself. Each of the parents gave him a present +for his friendly service; and from that day they always treated him +most kindly, and often gave him little jobs to do, so that the poor +couple never wanted bread. + +Not long afterwards, it happened that the King's Ambassador passed +that way, with a great retinue of officials, secretaries, and +servitors; and it fell out that, night coming on, the Ambassador +decided upon taking his quarters in the village. + +The village inns were small, and could not afford accommodation for so +large a retinue, and the various cottagers were asked to take in one +or more of the servants. Among those who gave lodgings to the retinue +were our good couple, who took in a lodger, for whom they were paid +handsomely. The wife quickly prepared a clean, tidy bed, and did her +best to make things comfortable. + +The guest, being tired, was soon fast asleep. Toward morning he awoke, +and was surprised to see the chamber bathed in a resplendent light. +Knowing well that the people of the house could not afford a lamp or +candles, he arose to find out whence proceeded this unusual +brilliancy. Great was his astonishment to find that it proceeded from +a small stone in the corner of the room, which, as the sun struck on +it, sent out rays of vivid light. He took up the stone, and, believing +it to be of great value, took it to the Ambassador. + +When the nobleman examined the stone, he admired it greatly, and +desired its owner to be sent for in order to learn all particulars +about it. + +"Please, your Excellency," said the poor man, "it is of no use to us, +and if it pleases you, take it, for it cost me only a small coin"; and +he proceeded to relate how it had come into his possession. + +The Ambassador drew forth a heavy bag of money, and taking out a +handful of gold pieces, gave them to the man. + +"My good fellow," he said, "since you offer me the stone, I accept it +gladly; but as I am leaving the kingdom, and my expenses are very +heavy, I cannot give you all that it is worth. If it please Heaven, I +will return this way, and I will pay you then." + +The poor man did not like to accept so much gold for what he judged to +be a worthless stone; but on the nobleman's entreaty he took the +money, and ran back to his wife, full of joy at his good fortune. Both +husband and wife then went at once to the hermit to recount to him all +that had taken place, and to offer him a tenth of the money. This he +refused to take, but bade them return to the village and distribute it +in alms to the poor. They returned to the village accordingly and did +as the monk had bidden them. They also gave part of the money to the +parents of the lads who had fought so desperately for the possession +of the stone. The rest the man spent in purchasing a piece of land. + +This little plot of ground proved very fertile, and whatever the owner +planted produced a hundredfold. His trees were borne down by the +weight of the fruit, which always fetched a good price. + +Years passed ere the Ambassador returned from the foreign country, +where he had gained high honours and wealth. On passing the village +again where he had obtained the stone, he inquired for the good man, +and was told how he had prospered with the money he had given him, and +that he was now a person of importance. + +On arriving at the Court of his sovereign he recounted to the King all +that had taken place. The King was greatly pleased with the history of +the honestly earned coin, and had the stone valued by the first +jewellers of the kingdom, who all pronounced it to be a singularly +valuable gem. A large sum was given to the Ambassador for it, and he +was loaded with distinctions and honours. The nobleman, wishing to +show his gratitude for the honours conferred on him, sent handsome +presents to the good man and his wife. + +And so it came to pass that they who had been honest were now +prosperous as well. + + + + +_The Jackal, the Barber and the Brahmin_ + + +A barber and a Jackal once struck up a great friendship, which might +have continued to this day, had not the Jackal been so clever that the +Barber never felt quite on equal terms with him, and suspected his +friend of playing him many tricks. But this he was not able to prove. + +One day the Jackal said to the Barber, "It would be a nice thing for +us to have a garden of our own, in which we might grow as many +cucumbers, pumpkins and melons as we like. Why should we not buy one?" + +The Barber answered, "Very well; here is money. Do you go and buy us a +garden." So the Jackal took the Barber's money, and with it bought a +fine garden, in which were cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, figs, and many +other good fruits and vegetables. And he used to go there every day +and feast to his heart's content. When, however, the Barber said to +him, "What is the garden like which you bought with the money I gave +you?" he answered, "There are very fine plants in it, but there is no +fruit upon them; when the fruit is ripe I will let you know." This +reply satisfied the Barber, who inquired no further at that time. + +A little while afterward, the Barber again asked the Jackal about the +garden, saying, "I see you go down to that garden every day; is the +fruit getting ripe?" + +"Oh dear no, not yet," answered the Jackal; "why, the plants are only +just coming into blossom." + +But all this time there was a great deal of fruit in the garden, and +the Jackal went there every day and ate as much as he could. + +Again, a third time, when some weeks had passed, the Barber said to +him, "Is there no ripe fruit in our garden yet?" + +"No," said the Jackal; "the blossoms have only just fallen, but the +fruit is forming. In time we shall have a fine show of melons and figs +there." + +Then the Barber began to think the Jackal was deceiving him, and +determined to see and judge for himself. So next day, without saying +anything about it, he followed him down to the garden. + +Now it happened that very day the Jackal had invited all his friends +to come and feast there. All the animals in the neighbouring jungle +had accepted the invitation; there they came trooping by hundreds and +dozens, and were very merry indeed--running here and there, and eating +all the melons and cucumbers and figs and pumpkins in the place. + +The Barber peeped over the hedge, and saw the assembled wild beasts, +and his friend the Jackal entertaining them--talking to this one, +laughing with that, and eating with all. The good man did not dare to +attack the intruders, as they were many and powerful. But he went home +at once, very angry, muttering to himself, "I'll be the death of that +young jackanapes; he shall play no more pranks in my garden." And, +watching his opportunity, he returned there when the Jackal and all +his friends had left, and tied a long knife to the largest of the +cucumbers that still remained; then he went home and said nothing of +what he had seen. + +Early next morning the Jackal thought to himself, "I'll just run down +to the garden and see if there are no cucumbers or melons left." So he +went there, and, picking out the largest of the cucumbers, began to +eat it. Quick as thought, the long knife, that was concealed by the +cucumber leaves, ran into him, cutting his muzzle, his neck and his +side. + +"Ah, that nasty Barber!" he cried; "this must be his doing!" And +instead of going home, he ran as fast as he could, very far, far, away +into the jungle, and stretching himself out on a great flat rock, +prepared to die. + +But he did not die. Only for three whole days the pain in his neck and +side was so great that he could not move; moreover, he felt very weak +from loss of blood. + +At the end of the third day he tried to get up, but his own blood had +sealed him to the stone! He endeavoured to move it by his struggles, +but could not succeed. "Oh dear! oh dear!" he murmured; "to think that +I should recover from my wound, only to die such a horrible death as +this! Ah, me! here is the punishment of dishonesty!" And, having said +this, he began to weep. It chanced, however, that the god of Rain +heard his lamentations, and taking pity on the unfortunate animal, he +sent a kindly shower, which, wetting the stone, effected his release. + +No sooner was the Jackal set free than he began to think what he could +do to earn a livelihood, since he did not dare return to the Barber's +house. It was not long before a feasible plan struck him: all around +was the mud made by the recent rain; he placed a quantity of it in a +small chattee, covered the top over carefully with leaves (as people +do jars of fresh butter), and took it into a neighbouring village to +sell. + +At the door of one of the first houses to which he came stood a woman, +to whom the Jackal said, "Mahi, here is butter--beautiful fresh +butter! won't you buy some fresh butter?" + +She answered, "Are you sure it is quite fresh? Let me see it." + +But he replied, "It is perfectly fresh; but if you open the chattee +now, it will be all spoiled by the time you want it. If you like to +buy it, you may take it; if not, I will sell it to some one else." + +The woman did want some fresh butter, and the chattee the Jackal +carried on his head was carefully fastened up, as if what it contained +was of the best; and she knew if she opened it, it might spoil before +her husband returned home; besides, she thought, if the Jackal had +intended to deceive her, he would have been more pressing in asking +her to buy it. So she said, "Very well, give me the chattee; here is +money for you. You are sure it is the best butter?" + +"It is the best of its kind," answered the Jackal; "only be sure you +put it in some cool place, and don't open it till it is wanted." And +taking the money, he ran away. + +A short time afterward the woman discovered how she had been cheated, +and was very angry, but the Jackal was by that time far away, out of +reach of punishment. + +When his money was spent, the Jackal felt puzzled as to how to get a +living, since no one would give him food and he could buy none. +Fortunately for him, just then one of the bullocks belonging to the +village died. The Jackal found it lying dead by the roadside, and he +began to eat it, and ate, and ate so much that at last he had got too +far into the animal's body to be seen by passers-by. Now, the weather +was hot and dry. Whilst the Jackal was in it, the bullock's skin +crinkled up so tightly with the heat that it became too hard for him +to bite through, and so he could not get out again. + +The Mahars of the village all came out to bury the dead bullock. The +Jackal, who was inside it, feared that if they caught him they would +kill him, and that if they did not discover him, he would be buried +alive; so on their approach he called out, "People, people, take care +how you touch me, for I am a great saint." The poor people were very +much frightened when they heard the dead bullock talking, and thought +that some mighty spirit must indeed possess it. + +"Who are you, sir, and what do you want?" they cried. + +"I," answered the Jackal, "am a very holy saint. I am also the god of +your village, and I am very angry with you because you never worship +me nor bring me offerings." + +"O my Lord," they cried, "what offerings will please you? Tell us +only, and we will bring you whatever you like." + +"Good," he replied. "Then you must fetch here plenty of rice, plenty +of flowers and a nice fat chicken; place them as an offering beside +me, and pour a great deal of water over them, as you do at your most +solemn feasts, and I will forgive you your sins." The Mahars did as +they were commanded. They placed some rice and flowers, and the best +chicken they could procure, beside the bullock, and poured water over +it and the offering. Then, no sooner did the dry, hard Bullock's skin +get wetted than it split in many places, and to the surprise of all +his worshippers, the Jackal jumped out, seized the chicken in his +mouth, and ran away with it through the midst of them into the jungle. +The Mahars ran after him over hedges and ditches for many, many miles, +but he got away in spite of them all. + +On, on he ran--on, on, for a very long way--until at last he came to a +place where a little kid lived under a little sicakai tree. All her +relations and friends were away, and when she saw him coming she +thought to herself, "Unless I frighten this Jackal, he will eat me." +So she ran as hard as she could up against the sicakai tree, which +made all the branches shake and the leaves go rustle, rustle, rustle. +And when the Jackal heard the rustling noise he got frightened, and +thought it was all the little kid's friends coming to help her. And +she called out to him, "Run away, Jackal, run away. Thousands and +thousands of Jackals have run away at that sound--run away for your +life." And the Jackal was so frightened that he ran away. So, he who +had deceived so many was outwitted by a simple little kid! + +After this the Jackal found his way back to his own village, where the +Barber lived, and there for some time he used to prowl round the +houses every night and live upon any bones he could find. The +villagers did not like his coming, but did not know how to catch him, +until one night his old friend the Barber (who had never forgiven him +for stealing the fruit from the garden) caught him in a great net, +having before made many unsuccessful attempts to do so. "Aha!" cried +the Barber, "I've got you at last, my friend. You did not escape death +from the cucumber-knife for nothing! you won't get away this time. +Here, wife! wife! see what a prize I've got." The Barber's wife came +running to the door, and the Barber gave her the Jackal (after he had +tied all his four legs firmly together with a strong rope), and said +to her, "Take this animal into the house, and be sure you don't let +him escape, while I go and get a knife to kill him with." + +The Barber's wife did as she was bid, and taking the Jackal into the +house, laid him down on the floor. But no sooner had the Barber gone +than the Jackal said to her, "Ah, good woman, your husband will return +directly and put me to death. For the love of heaven, loosen the rope +round my feet before he comes, for one minute only, and let me drink a +little water from that puddle by the door, for my throat is parched +with thirst." + +"No, no, friend Jackal," answered the Barber's wife. "I know well +enough what you'll do. No sooner shall I have untied your feet than +you will run away, and when my husband returns and finds you are gone, +he will beat me." + +"Indeed, indeed, I will not run away," he replied. "Ah, kind mother, +have pity on me, only for one little moment." + +Then the Barber's wife thought, "Well, it is hard not to grant the +poor beast's last request; he will not live long enough to have many +more pleasures." So she untied the Jackal's legs and held him by a +rope, that he might drink from the puddle. But quick as possible, he +gave a jump and a twist and a pull, and, jerking the rope out of her +hand, escaped once more into the jungle. + +For some time he roamed up and down, living on what he could get in +this village or that, until he had wandered very far away from the +country where the Barber lived. At last one day, by chance, he passed +a certain cottage, in which there dwelt a very poor Brahmin, who had +seven daughters. + +As the Jackal passed by, the Brahmin was saying to himself, "Oh, dear +me! what can I do for my seven daughters? I shall have to support them +all my life, for they are much too poor ever to get married. If a dog +or a jackal were to offer to take one off my hands, he should have +her." + +Next day the Jackal called on the Brahmin, and said to him, "You said +yesterday, if a Jackal or a dog were to offer to marry one of your +daughters, you would let him have her; will you, therefore accept me +as a son-in-law?" + +The poor Brahmin felt very much embarrassed, but it was certain he had +said the words, and therefore he felt in honour bound not to retract, +although he had little dreamed of ever being placed in such a +predicament. Just at that moment all the seven daughters began crying +for bread, and the father had no bread to give them. + +Observing this, the Jackal continued, "Let me marry one of your seven +daughters and I will take care of her. It will at least leave you one +less to provide for, and I will see that she never needs food." + +Then the Brahmin's heart was softened, and he gave the Jackal his +eldest daughter in marriage, and the Jackal took her home to his den +in the high rocks. + +Now you will say there never was a Jackal so clever as this. Very +true, for this was not a common Jackal, or he could never have done +all that I have told you. This Jackal was, in fact, a great Rajah in +disguise, who, to amuse himself, took the form of a Jackal; for he was +a great magician as well as a great prince. + +The den to which he took the Brahmin's daughter looked like quite a +common hole in the rocks on the outside, but inside it was a splendid +palace, adorned with silver, and gold, and ivory and precious stones. +But even his own wife did not know that he was not always a Jackal, +for the Rajah never took his human form except every morning very +early, when he used to take off the Jackal skin and wash it and brush +it, and put it on again. + +After he and his wife, the Brahmin's daughter, had lived up in their +home in the rocks happily for some time, who should the Jackal see one +day but his father-in-law, the old Brahmin, climbing up the hill to +come and pay him a visit. The Jackal was vexed to see the Brahmin, for +he knew he was very poor, and thought he had most likely come to beg; +and so it was. The Brahmin said to him, "Son-in-law, let me come into +your cave and rest a little while. I want to ask you to help me, for I +am very poor and much in need of help." + +"Don't go into my cave," said the Jackal; "it is but a poor hole, not +fit for you to enter" (for he did not wish his father-in-law to see +his fine palace); "but I will call my wife, that you may see I have +not eaten her up, and she and you and I will talk over the matter, and +see what we can do for you." + +So the Brahmin, the Brahmin's daughter and the Jackal all sat down on +the hillside together, and the Brahmin said, "I don't know what to do +to get food for myself, my wife, and my six daughters. Son-in-law +Jackal, cannot you help me?" + +"It is a difficult business," answered the Jackal, "but I'll do what I +can for you;" and he ran to his cave and fetched a large melon, and +gave it to the Brahmin, saying, "Father-in-law, you must take this +melon, and plant it in your garden, and when it grows up sell all the +fruit you find upon it, and that will bring you in some money." So the +Brahmin took the melon home with him and planted it in his garden. + +By next day the melon that the Jackal had given him had grown up in +the Brahmin's garden into a fine plant, covered with hundreds of +beautiful ripe melons. The Brahmin, his wife and family were overjoyed +at the sight. And all the neighbours were astonished, and said, "How +fast that fine melon plant has grown in the Brahmin's garden!" + +Now it chanced that a woman who lived in a house close by wanted some +melons, and seeing what fine ones these were, she went down at once to +the Brahmin's house and bought two or three from the Brahmin's wife. +She took them home with her and cut them open; but then, lo and +behold! marvel of marvels! what a wonderful sight astonished her! +Instead of the thick white pulp she expected to see, the whole of the +inside of the melon was composed of diamonds, rubies and emeralds; and +all the seeds were enormous pearls. She immediately locked her door, +and taking with her all the money she had, ran back to the Brahmin's +wife and said to her, "Those were very good melons you sold me; I like +them so much that I will buy all the others on your melon plant." And +giving her the money she took home all the rest of the melons. Now +this cunning woman told none of her friends of the treasure she had +found, and the poor, stupid Brahmin and his family did not know what +they had lost, for they had never thought of opening any of the +melons; so that for all the precious stones they sold they only got a +few pice, which was very hard. Next day, when they looked out of the +window, the melon plant was again covered with fine ripe melons, and +again the woman who had bought those which had grown the day before +came and bought them all. And this went on for several days. There +were so many melons; and all the melons were so full of precious +stones, that the woman who bought them had enough to fill the whole +of one room in her house with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and pearls. + +At last, however, the wonderful melon plant began to wither, and when +the woman came to buy melons one morning, the Brahmin's wife was +obliged to say to her, in a sad voice, "Alas! there are no more melons +on our melon plant." And the woman went back to her own house very +much disappointed. + +That day the Brahmin and his wife and children had no money in the +house to buy food with, and they all felt very unhappy to think that +the fine melon plant had withered. But the Brahmin's youngest +daughter, who was a clever girl, thought, "Though there are no more +melons fit to sell on our melon plant, perhaps I may be able to find +one or two shriveled ones, which, if cooked, will give us something +for dinner." So she went out to look, and searching carefully amongst +the thick leaves, found two or three withered little melons still +remaining. These she took into the house and began cutting them up to +cook, when--more wonderful than wonderful!--within each little melon +she found a number of small emeralds, rubies, diamonds and pearls! The +girl called her father and mother and her five sisters, crying, "See +what I have found! See these precious stones and pearls. I dare say, +inside all the melons we sold there were as good or better than these. +No wonder that woman was so anxious to buy them all! See, father--see, +mother--see, sisters!" + +Then they were all overjoyed to see the treasure, but the Brahmin +said, "What a pity we have lost all the benefit of my son-in-law the +Jackal's good gift by not knowing its worth! I will go at once to that +woman, and try and make her give us back the melons she took." + +So he went to the melon-buyer's house, and said to her, "Give me back +the melons you took from me, who did not know their worth." + +She answered, "I don't know what you mean." + +He replied. "You were very deceitful; you bought melons full of +precious stones from us poor people, who did not know what they were +worth, and you only paid for them the price of common melons; give me +some of them back, I pray you." + +But she said, "I bought common melons from your wife, and made them +all into common soup long ago; therefore talk no further nonsense +about jewels, but go about your business." And she turned him out of +the house. Yet all this time she had a whole roomful of the emeralds, +diamonds, rubies and pearls that she had found in the melons the +Brahmin's wife had sold her. + +The Brahmin returned home and said to his wife, "I cannot make that +woman give me back any of the melons you sold her; but give me the +precious stones our daughter has just found, and I will sell them to a +jeweller and bring home some money." So he went to the town, and took +the precious stones to a jeweller, and said to him, "What will you +give me for these?" + +But no sooner did the jeweller see them than he said, "How could such +a poor man as you become possessed of such precious stones? You must +have stolen them: you are a thief! You have stolen these from my shop, +and now come to sell them to me!" + +"No, no, sir; indeed no, sir," cried the Brahmin. + +"Thief, thief!" shouted the jeweller. + +"In truth, no sir," said the Brahmin; "my son-in-law, the Jackal, gave +me a melon plant, and in one of the melons I found these jewels." + +"I don't believe a word you say," screamed the jeweller (and he began +beating the Brahmin, whom he held by the arm); "give up those jewels +which you have stolen from my shop." + +"No, I won't," roared the Brahmin; "oh! oh-o! oh-o-o! don't beat me +so; I didn't steal them." But the jeweller was determined to get the +jewels; so he beat the Brahmin and called the police, who came running +up to his assistance, and shouted till a great crowd of people had +collected round his shop. Then he said to the Brahmin, "Give me up the +jewels you stole from me, or I'll give you to the police, and you +shall be put in jail." The Brahmin tried to tell his story about his +son-in-law, the Jackal but of course nobody believed him; and he was +obliged to give the precious stones to the jeweller in order to escape +the police, and to run home as fast as he could. And every one thought +the jeweller was very kind to let him off so easily. + +All his family were very unhappy when they heard what had befallen +him. But his wife said, "You had better go again to our son-in-law, +the Jackal, and see what he can do for us." + +So next day the Brahmin climbed the hill again, as he had done before, +and went to call upon the Jackal. When the Jackal saw him coming he +was not very well pleased. So he went to meet him, and said, +"Father-in-law, I did not expect to see you again so soon." + +"I merely came to see how you were," answered the Brahmin, "and to +tell you how poor we are; and how glad we should be of any help you +can give us." + +"What have you done with all the melons I gave you?" asked the Jackal. + +"Ah," answered the Brahmin, "that is a sad story!" And beginning at +the beginning, he related how they had sold almost all the melons +without knowing their value; and how the few precious stones they had +found had been taken from him by the jeweller. + +When the Jackal heard this he laughed very much, and said; "I see it +is no use giving such unfortunate people as you gold or jewels, for +they will only bring you into trouble. Come, I'll give you a more +useful present." + +So, running into his cave, he fetched thence a small chattee, and gave +it to the Brahmin, saying, "Take this chattee; whenever you or any of +the family are hungry, you will always find in it as good a dinner as +this." And putting his paw into the chattee, he extracted thence +currie and rice, pilau, and all sorts of good things, enough to feast +a hundred men; and the more he took out of the chattee, the more +remained inside. + +When the Brahmin saw the chattee and smelt the good dinner, his eyes +glistened for joy; and he embraced the Jackal, saying, "Dear +son-in-law, you are the only support of our house." And he took his +new present carefully home with him. + +After this, for some time, the whole family led a very happy life, for +they never wanted good food; every day the Brahmin, his wife and his +six daughters found inside the chattee a most delicious dinner; and +every day, when they had dined, they placed it on a shelf, to find it +replenished when next it was needed. + +But it happened that hard by there lived another Brahmin, a very great +man, who was much in the Rajah's confidence; and this man smelt daily +the smell of a very nice dinner, which puzzled him a great deal. The +rich Brahmin thought it smelt even nicer than his own dinner, for +which he paid so much, and yet it seemed to come from the poor +Brahmin's little cottage. So one day he determined to find out all +about it; and, going to call on his neighbour, he said to him, "Every +day, at about twelve o'clock, I smell such a very nice dinner--much +nicer than my own; and it seems to come from your house. You must live +on very good things, I think, although you seem to every one to be so +very poor." + +Then, in the pride of his heart, the poor Brahmin invited his rich +neighbour to come and dine with him, and lifting the magic chattee +down from the shelf, took out of it such delicate fare as the other +had never before tasted. And in an evil hour he proceeded to tell his +friend of the wondrous properties of the chattee, which his +son-in-law, the Jackal, had given him, and how it never was empty. No +sooner had the great man learned all this than he went to the Rajah, +and said to him, "There is a poor Brahmin in the town who possesses a +wonderful chattee, which is always filled with the most delicious +dinner. I should not feel authorized to deprive him of it; but if it +pleased your Highness to take it from him, he could not complain." + +The Rajah, hearing this, determined to see and taste for himself. So +he said, "I should very much like to see this chattee with my own +eyes." And he accompanied the rich Brahmin to the poor Brahmin's +house. The poor Brahmin was overjoyed at being noticed by the Rajah +himself, and gladly exhibited the various excellences of the chattee; +but no sooner did the Rajah taste the dinner it contained than he +ordered his guards to seize it and take it away to the palace, in +spite of the Brahmin's tears and protestations. Thus, for a second +time, he lost the benefit of his son-in-law's gift. + +When the Rajah had gone, the Brahmin said to his wife; "There is +nothing to be done but to go again to the Jackal, and see if he can +help us." + +"If you don't take care, you'll put him out of all patience at last," +answered she. "I can't think why you need have gone talking about our +chattee!" + +When the Jackal heard the Brahmin's story, he became very cross, and +said, "What a stupid old man you were to say anything about the +chattee! But see, here is another, which may aid you to get back the +first. Take care of it, for this is the last time I will help you." +And he gave the Brahmin a chattee, in which was a stout stick tied to +a very strong rope. "Take this," he said, "into the presence of those +who deprived you of my other gifts, and when you open the chattee, +command the stick to beat them; this it will do so effectually that +they will gladly return you what you have lost; only take care not to +open the chattee when you are alone, or the stick that is in it will +punish your rashness." + +The Brahmin thanked his son-in-law, and took away the chattee, but he +found it hard to believe all that had been said. So, going through the +jungle on his way home, he uncovered it, just to peep in and see if +the stick were really there. No sooner had he done this than out +jumped the rope, out jumped the stick; the rope seized him and bound +him to a tree, and the stick beat him, and beat him, and beat him, +until he was nearly killed. + +"Oh dear! oh dear!" screamed the Brahmin; "what an unlucky man I am! +Oh dear! oh dear! stop, please, stop! good stick, stop! what a very +good stick this is!" But the stick would not stop, but beat him so +much that he could hardly crawl home again. + +Then the Brahmin put the rope and stick back again into the chattee, +and sent to his rich neighbour and to the Rajah, and said to them, "I +have a new chattee, much better than the old one; do come and see what +a fine one it is." And the rich Brahmin and the Rajah thought, "This +is something good; doubtless there is a choice dinner in this chattee +also, and we will take it from this foolish man, as we did the other." +So they went down to meet the Brahmin in the jungle, taking with them +all their followers and attendants. Then the Brahmin uncovered his +chattee, saying, "Beat, stick, beat! beat them every one!" and the +stick jumped out, and the rope jumped out, and the rope caught hold of +the Rajah and the rich Brahmin and all their attendants, and tied them +fast to the trees that grew around, and the stick ran from one to +another, beating, beating, beating--beating the Rajah, beating his +courtiers--beating the rich Brahmin, beating his attendants, and +beating all their followers; while the poor Brahmin cried with all his +might, "Give me back my chattee! give me back my chattee!" + +At this the Rajah and his people were very much frightened, and +thought they were going to be killed. And the Rajah said to the +Brahmin, "Take away your stick, only take away your stick, and you +shall have back your chattee." So the Brahmin put the stick and rope +back into the chattee, and the Rajah returned him the dinner-making +chattee. And all the people felt very much afraid of the Brahmin, and +respected him very much. + +Then he took the chattee containing the rope and stick to the house of +the woman who had bought the melons, and the rope caught her and the +stick beat her; and the Brahmin cried, "Return me those melons! return +me those melons!" + +And the woman said, "Only make your stick stop beating me and you +shall have back all the melons." So he ordered the stick back into the +chattee, and she returned them to him forthwith--a whole roomful of +melons full of diamonds, pearls, emeralds, and rubies. + +The Brahmin took them home to his wife, and going into the town, with +the help of his good stick, forced the jeweller who had deprived him +of the little emeralds, rubies, diamonds and pearls he had taken to +sell to give them back to him again, and having accomplished this, he +returned to his family, and from that time they all lived very +happily. Then, one day, the Jackal's wife invited her six sisters to +come and pay her a visit. Now the youngest sister was more clever than +any of the others; and it happened that, very early in the morning, +she saw her brother-in-law, the Jackal, take off the Jackal skin and +wash it and brush it, and hang it up to dry; and when he had taken off +the jackal-skin coat, he looked the handsomest prince that ever was +seen. Then his little sister-in-law ran, quickly and quietly, and +stole away the Jackal-skin coat, and threw it on the fire and burned +it. And she awoke her sister, and said, "Sister, sister, your husband +is no longer a jackal: see, that is he standing by the door." + +So the Jackal Rajah's wife ran to the door to meet her husband, and +because the jackal's skin was burned, and he could wear it no longer, +he continued to be a man for the rest of his life, and gave up playing +all jackal-like pranks; and he and his wife, and his father and mother +and sisters-in-law, lived very happily all the rest of their days. + + + + +_The Bird of Truth_ + + +Once upon a time there was a very poor fisherman, who lived in a +little hut on the banks of a river. This river, although deep, was +calm and clear, and, gliding from the sun and noise, would hide itself +among the trees, reeds, and brambles, in order to listen to the birds +who delighted it with their songs. + +One day when the fisherman went out in his boat to cast his nets, he +saw a casket of crystal slowly drifting along with the stream. He +rowed toward it, but what was his horror at seeing two little babies, +apparently twins, lying in it upon a bundle of cotton! The poor +fisherman pitied them, took them out, and carried them home to his +wife. + +"What have you got there?" she exclaimed, as he presented them to her. +"We have eight children already, and as if that were not enough, you +must bring me some more!" + +"Wife," replied the poor fisherman, "what could I do? I found these +dear little creatures floating on the river below, and they would have +died of hunger, or have been drowned, if I had not rescued them. +Heaven, which has sent us these two more children, will assist us to +provide for them." + +And so it proved; and the little ones, a boy and a girl, grew up +healthy and robust, together with the eight other children. They were +both so good, so docile, and so peaceable, that the fisherman and his +wife loved them exceedingly, and always held them up as examples to +the other children; but they, envious and enraged, did them a thousand +injustices and injuries. To escape from these cruelties, the twins +would take refuge together among the thickets and on the river's +banks; there they would divert themselves with the birds, and carry +crumbs of bread to them; and the birds, grateful to them for their +kindness, would fly to meet them, and teach them the bird-language. +The children learned to converse with the birds very quickly, and thus +they could amuse themselves with their feathered friends, who also +taught them many other very good and useful things, one of them being +how to get up early in the morning, and another, how to sing. One day +when the fisherman's children were more annoying than they had ever +been before, they said to the twins: + +"We are the true-born children of Christians, but you, with all your +neatness and superiority, are but castaways, without any other father +or mother than the river, and belong to the toads and frogs!" + +Upon receiving this insult the poor brother and sister were so filled +with shame and distress that they determined to go right away from +home and travel in search of their real parents At the early dawn next +day they got up and went forth without any one knowing it, and began +their journey, travelling they knew not whither. + +Half the day passed by, and they had not perceived as yet any abode, +nor seen a single living being. They were hungry, thirsty, and tired, +when on turning round a hillside, they discovered a little house and, +on reaching it, they found it empty and its inhabitants absent. + +Thoroughly disheartened, they seated themselves on a bench in the +doorway to rest. After a little while they noticed a number of +swallows collected together under the eaves of the roof, and as these +birds are such chatter-boxes, they began to prattle with one another. +Having learned the language of birds, the children knew what the +swallows said. + +"Holloa! my lady friend," said one of the birds, who had a somewhat +rustic air about it, to another that was of a very elegant and +distinguished mien, "my eyes are glad to see you once more! I thought +you had forgotten your country friends. How do you live in the +palace?" + +"I possess the nest of my ancestors," replied the other, "and as yet +they have not disinherited me, although, like yours, it is a century +old. But tell me before all," continued she with admirable finesse, +"how you and all your family are." + +"Well, thank heaven, for although I have had my little Mariguita laid +up with an inflammation of the eyes that was within an ace of leaving +her blind, when I obtained our old remedy, the _pito-real_, it cured +her as if by magic." + +"But what news have you to relate to me, friend Beatrice? Does the +nightingale still sing well? Does the lark soar as high as of yore? +Does the linnet still prune itself?" + +"Sister," responded the swallow, "I have nothing but downright +scandals to tell you of. Our flock, which formerly was so innocent and +temperate, is utterly lost, and has quite taken to the manners of +mankind. It is heartbreaking!" + +"What! Simple customs and innocence not to be found in the country, +nor among birds? My dear friend, what do you tell me?" + +"The pure truth and nothing more. Just figure to yourself that on our +arrival here, whom should we meet but those chattering linnets, who +went off in search of cold and storm when the spring came with long +days and bright flowers! We tried to dissuade the crazy creatures, but +they answered us with the utmost insolence." + +"What did they say?" + +"They said to us-- + + 'Whither do we go? + Whence come _you_, gossips, + Who travel so little + And talk so much?' + +This was their reply to us, and on hearing it, we made them march to +double-quick time." + +"What do I hear!" exclaimed the interlocutor. "That any one has dared +to accuse us, the most truthful and discreet of birds, of being +gossips?" + +"Then what will you think when I tell you," said the first speaker, +"that the lark, who was so timid and ladylike, has become an insolent +pilferer, and that-- + + The lady lark upon her flight + Pilfers pulse and pilfers maize + Before the very sower's sight, + And at his anger pertly says, + 'Sower, sower, more seed sow, + As that sown can never grow'?" + +"I am astounded!" + +"That is only half my story. When we arrived here, and I wished to +enter my nest, I found a shameless sparrow making himself quite at +home in it. 'This nest is mine,' I said to him. 'Yours?' he answered +rudely, and began to laugh. 'Mine and mine only.' 'Property is +robbery,' piped he quite coolly. 'Sir, are you crazy?' I said to him. +'My ancestors built this nest, my parents educated me in it, and in it +I mean to bring up my children.' Then at seeing me fainting, all my +companions began to weep. By the time I recovered my consciousness; +our husbands had put an end to the thieving rascal. But you, sister, +never see such scandals in the palace." + +"Don't we! Ah, if you only knew!" + +"Do tell us! do tell us!" exclaimed all the swallows with one voice. +When silence had been re-established, thanks to a loud and prolonged +hus-s-s-sh, uttered by an elder, the court dame began her story in +these terms. + +"You must know that the king fell in love with the youngest daughter +of a tailor who lived near the palace, and married her; the girl +deserved his love, for she was as good as she was beautiful, and as +modest as she was discreet. It so happened that the king had to go to +the wars and leave his poor wife in the saddest and most perplexed +position, for his ministers and courtiers who were very indignant at +having a tailor's daughter for their queen, conspired to ruin her. And +they availed themselves of the first opportunity. During the king's +absence beautiful twins were born, a boy and a girl; but the wicked +conspirators sent to tell him that the queen had for children a cat +and a serpent. + +"When the king received this intelligence, he was furious and sent off +a royal mandate that the queen should be entombed alive, and the +children cast into the river. This was done: the beautiful queen was +shut up in a stone vault, and her little darling twins were placed in +a crystal coffer, and left to the mercy of the stream." + +When they heard the fate of the poor queen and her innocent babes, the +swallows, who are very kind and affectionate, began to lament most +heartily, whilst the twins looked at each other in amazement, +suspecting it to be very probable that they themselves were the +castaway children. + +The city swallow continued her narrative: + +"But now hear how God frustrated the plots of these traitors. The +queen was entombed; but her attendant, who was very devoted to her, +contrived to make a hole in the wall, and supplied her with food +through it, as we do to our little ones through our nests, and thus +the lady lives, although a life of misery. Her children were rescued +by a good fisherman, who has brought them up, so a friend of mine, +Martin Fisher, who lives on the banks of the river, has informed me." + +The twins, who had heard the whole story, were delighted that they had +learned the language of birds; which indeed, is a proof that we should +never neglect any opportunity of learning for, when least we think it, +what we have learned may prove of great utility to us. + +"So then," said the swallows joyfully, "when these children are older, +they will be able to regain their place at their father's side, and +liberate their mother." + +"That is not so easy," said the narrator, "because they will not be +able to prove their identity, nor prove their mother's innocence, nor +the malice of the Ministry. There is only one method by which they +would be able to undeceive the king." + +"And what is that? What is that?" cried all the swallows together. +"And how do you know it?" + +"I know it," responded the narrator, "because one day when I was +passing by the palace garden, I met and had a chat with a cuckoo, who, +as you know, is a conjuror, and can foretell what will happen. As we +were discoursing with each other on the affairs of the palace, he said +to me--" + +The children and the swallows were listening now with redoubled +attention, and even the young swallows were thrusting their little +bald heads so far out of their nests, that they were in great peril of +falling. + +"'The only one who is able to persuade the king,' said the cuckoo to +me, 'is the Bird of Truth, who speaks the language of men, although +they for the most part do not know truth, and do not wish to +understand it.' 'And this bird, where is it?' I asked the cuckoo. +'This bird,' he answered, 'is in the castle of Go and Return Not; the +castle is guarded by a ferocious giant who only sleeps one quarter of +an hour in the day. If when he wakes up any one should be within reach +of his tremendous arm, he seizes and swallows him as we should a +mosquito.'" + +"And where is this castle?" inquired the inquisitive Beatrice. + +"That is what I do not know," responded her friend; "all that I know +about it is, that not far from it is a tower in which dwells a wicked +witch, who knows the way and will point it out to any one who will +bring her from the fountain that flows there, the Water of Many +Colours, which water she makes use of in her enchantments. But I +should also tell you that she would like to destroy the Bird of Truth, +though as no one is able to kill this bird, what she and her friend, +the giant, do is to keep it a prisoner guarded by the Birds of +Falsehood who will not let it speak a single word." + +"Then will nobody be able to inform the poor queen's son where they +have hidden the Bird of Truth?" inquired the country swallows. + +"Nobody," replied the city bird, "but a pious red owl, who lives as a +hermit in the desert, but who knows no more of the language of men +then the word 'Cross,' which he learned when, at Calvary, he beheld +the Crucifixion of the Redeemer, and which he has never ceased from +sorrowfully repeating. And thus he will not be able to understand the +prince, even supposing the impossible event should ever happen of the +boy finding him out. But, my dear friends, I must say good-bye, for I +have spent the whole afternoon in this pleasant chat. The sun is +seeking his nest in the depths of the sea, and I am going to seek +mine, where my little ones will be wondering what has happened to me. +Good-bye, friend Beatrice." + +So saying, the swallow took to flight, and the children in their joy, +feeling neither hunger nor fatigue, got up and pursued their way in +the same direction that the bird had flown. + +At the hour of evening service the children arrived at a city which +they imagined must be that in which the king, their father, dwelt. +They begged a good woman to give them shelter for the night, and this, +seeing they were so well-spoken and well-mannered, she kindly granted. + +The following morning had scarcely dawned when the girl arose and +tidied the house, and the boy drew the water and watered the garden, +so that when the good woman got up she found all the housework done. +She was so pleased with this that she proposed to the children that +they should remain and live with her. The boy said that his sister +might, but that it was necessary for him to arrange some business +matters, for which he had come to the city. So he departed, and +followed a chance road, praying to heaven to guide his steps and bring +his enterprise to a successful ending. + +For three days he followed various byways, but without seeing any +vestige of the tower; on the fourth, sad and weary he seated himself +under the shadow of a tree. After a short time he saw a little +turtle-dove arrive and rest among the branches of the tree; so he said +to it in its own language: + +"Little turtle-dove, I wish you could tell me where the castle of Go +and Return Not is?" + +"Poor boy," responded the turtle-dove, "who bore you such ill-will as +to send you there?" + +"It is my good or my evil fortune," replied the boy. + +"Then if you wish to know it," said the bird, "follow the Wind, which +to-day blows toward it!" + +Then the boy thanked the turtle-dove and recommenced his journey, +following the course of the wind as it changed and chopped about to +different points of the compass. The country gradually grew sadder +and more arid; and, as night approached, the path led between bare and +sombre rocks, a vast black mass among them being the tower wherein +dwelt the witch whom the boy was in search of. The sight of the +hideous place terrified him at first; but as he was brave--like every +one whose aim is the furtherance of a good work--he advanced boldly. +When he reached the tower, he picked up a big stone and struck the +gate with it three times; the hollows of the rocks reverberated with +the sounds, as if sighs were uttered from their very entrails. + +Then the door opened, and there appeared in the doorway an old woman +carrying a candle that lit up her face, which was so wrinkled and so +frightful that the poor boy recoiled in horror. Quite an army of +beetles, lizards, salamanders, spiders and other vermin surrounded the +witch. + +"How dare you disturb me, impudent beggar," she exclaimed, "by coming +to knock at my door? What do you want? Speak quickly!" + +"Madam," said the boy, "knowing that you alone know the way which +leads to the castle of Go and Return Not, I come to ask you, if you +please, to point it out to me." + +The old woman made a grimace, intended for a mocking smile, and +answered: + +"Very well; but now it is too late. You shall go to-morrow. Come in, +and you shall sleep with these little insects." + +"I am not able to stay," replied the boy. "It is necessary that I +should go at once, as I have to return by daybreak to the place whence +I came." + +"May dogs worry you, and cats tear you, you stubborn boy," growled the +old witch angrily. "If I tell you the way," she added, "it will only +be upon condition that you bring me this jar full of the Water of Many +Colours, which flows from the fountain in the courtyard of the castle; +and if you do not bring it to me, I will change you into a lizard for +all eternity." + +"Agreed!" cried the boy in return. + +Then the old woman called a poor dog, which looked very thin and +wretched, and said to it: + +"Up! conduct this good-for-naught to the castle of Go and Return Not, +and be careful that you inform my friend of his arrival." + +The dog snarled, shook himself savagely, and set forth. At the end of +about two hours they arrived in front of a very black, enormous, and +gloomy castle, whose portals stood wide open, though neither light nor +sound gave any indication that it was inhabited; even the rays of the +moon, as they were reflected upon the sombre and lifeless mass, seemed +to make it still more horrible. + +As he went forward the dog began to howl; but the boy, who knew not +whether this was the giant's hour for sleep, stopped and rested +himself timorously against the trunk of a withered and leafless wild +olive, which was the only tree to be found in that parched and naked +district. + +"Heaven help me!" exclaimed the boy. + +"Cross! cross!" responded a sad voice among the branches of the olive. +Joyfully the boy recognized the hermit owl which the swallow had +mentioned, and said to it in the language of birds: + +"Poor little owl, I beg you will help and guide me. I am come in +search of the Bird of Truth, and I have to carry the Water of Many +Colours to the witch of the tower." + +"Do not do that," responded the owl; "but when you have filled the jar +with the clear, pure water that flows from a spring at the foot of the +fountain of Water of Many Colours, go in quickly to the aviary, which +you will find in front of the doorway; do not take any notice of the +various coloured birds that will come to meet you and deafen you by +all shouting out together that they are the Bird of Truth; then seize +a little white bird which the others thrust on one side and persecute +ceaselessly, but cannot kill, because it cannot die. But go quickly, +for at this moment the giant is just going to sleep, and his sleep +only lasts for a quarter of an hour!" + +The boy began to run; he entered into the courtyard, where he found +that the fountain had many spouts whence poured waters of different +colours, but he did not look at them; he filled his jar at the spring +of pure, clear water which flowed from the spring at the foot of the +fountain, and then made his way to the aviary. Scarcely had he +entered it, when he was surrounded by a troop of birds, some plovers, +some black ravens, and others gorgeous peacocks, each one declaring +itself to be the Bird of Truth. The boy did not linger with them, but +went right forward, and finding the white bird he was in search of +huddled in the corner, he took it, placed it in his bosom, and went +forth, not however, without distributing a few good blows among the +enemies of the Bird of Truth. + +The boy did not cease running until he reached the witch's tower. When +he arrived, the old wretch seized the jar and flung all the contents +at him, thinking that it was the water of many colours, and that he +would be changed by it into a parrot; but as it was pure and clear +water, the boy only became handsomer than he was before. + +At the same time she had drenched all the insects, who were really +people that had arrived there with the same intention as the little +prince, and who were immediately changed back into their original +forms--the beetles into knights errant, the lizards into princesses, +grasshoppers into dancers, crickets into musicians, flies into +journalists, spiders into young ladies, _curianas_ (black flies) into +students, the weevils into boys, and so forth. When the old witch saw +this, she seized a broom and flew away. Then the disenchanted people, +the ladies, gentlemen, girls and boys thanked their liberator and +accompanied him on his way back to the city. + +You may imagine how delighted his sister was when she saw the young +prince return with the Bird of Truth. But a very great difficulty +still remained, and that was, how the bird could be got into the +presence of the king without the knowledge of the courtiers, who were +interested in preventing him from discovering the crime which they had +committed. And what was more, the Court having learned that the Bird +of Truth had been found, the news inspired such dread that few were +able to sleep tranquilly in their beds. All kinds of weapons were +prepared against it; some sharpened, others envenomed; hawks were +trained to pursue it; cages were prepared in which to imprison it, if +it were found impossible to kill it; they slandered it, saying that +its whiteness was an artificial paint, with which it coated its black +plumage; they satirized and ridiculed it in every possible manner. At +last so much was said about the Bird of Truth, that it reached the +king's ears, who wished to see it; and the more that the courtiers +intrigued to prevent it, the more he desired to view the bird. +Finally, his Majesty issued a proclamation, that whoever had the Bird +of Truth in his possession, was to present himself without delay to +the king. + +This was the very thing that the boy had wished for. So he hastened to +the palace, carrying the Bird of Truth in his bosom; but, as you can +imagine, the courtiers would not allow him to enter. Then the bird, +taking flight, entered into the royal household by a window, and +presenting itself before the king, said: + +"Sir, I am the Bird of Truth; the boy who brought me here in his bosom +has not been allowed by the courtiers to enter." + +The king commanded that the boy should be brought in at once, and he +entered with his sister, who had accompanied him to the palace. When +they came into the royal presence the king inquired who they were. + +"That the Bird of Truth can tell your Majesty," said the boy. + +And, questioned by the king, the bird answered that the children were +his Majesty's own, and informed him of all that had happened. As soon +as the king heard the story of the treason, with tears of joy he +clasped the children in his arms, and ordered masons to open the vault +in which the good queen had been so many years entombed. When the poor +lady came forth she was so white that she looked like a statue of +marble; but as soon as she beheld her children, the blood rushed from +her heart to her cheeks, and she became again as beautiful as she had +ever been before. The king embraced her, and seated her on the throne +with her children by her side. Then he ordered the good fisherman to +be fetched, and created him chief of the Ministry of Fishing; and the +queen's faithful attendant, who had saved her mistress's life, he +pensioned off, and created a duchess, and he distributed many other +gifts and benefits to celebrate the most joyful occasion of his life. + + + + +_The Two Genies_ + + +Every one in the province of Candahar knows the adventures of young +Rustem. He was the only son of a Mirza of that country--or as we might +say, a lord. His father, the Mirza, had a good estate. Rustem was to +be married to the daughter of a Mirza of his own rank, as both +families ardently desired. He was intended to be the comfort of his +parents, to make his wife happy, and to be happy with her. + +But, unfortunately, he had seen the Princess of Cashmere at the great +fair at Cabul, which is the most important fair in the whole world. +And this was the reason why the old Prince of Cashmere had brought his +daughter to the fair: he had lost the two most precious objects in his +treasury; one was a diamond as big as my thumb, on which, by an art +then known to the Indians, but now forgotten, a portrait of his +daughter was engraved; the other was a javelin, which of its own +accord would strike whatever mark the owner wished. + +A fakir in his Highness's train had stolen these treasures, and +carried them to the Princess. "Take the greatest care of these two +things," said he; "your fate depends upon them." Then he went away, +and was seen no more. + +The Prince of Cashmere, in great despair at his loss, determined to +travel to the fair at Cabul, to see whether among all the merchants +who collected there from the four quarters of the earth, there might +not be one who had his diamond or his weapon. He took his daughter +with him wherever he went, and unknown to him she carried the diamond +safe in her girdle; but as for the javelin, which she could not +conveniently hide, she left it in Cashmere, safely locked up in a +large Chinese chest. + +At Cabul she and Rustem saw each other, and they fell in love, with +all the ardour of their nation. As a love-token the Princess gave him +the diamond; and, at parting, Rustem promised to go to see her +secretly in Cashmere. + +The young Mirza had two favourite attendants who served him as +secretaries, stewards and body-servants. One was named Topaz; he was +handsome and well-made, as fair as a Circassian beauty, as gentle and +obliging as an Armenian, and as wise as a Parsee. The other was called +Ebony; a good-looking Negro, more active and more industrious than +Topaz, and one who never made objections. To them he spoke about his +journey. Topaz tried to dissuade him with the cautious zeal of a +servant who is anxious not to offend, and reminded him of all the +risks. How could he leave two families in despair, and cut his parents +to the heart? He shook Rustem's purpose; but Ebony once more confirmed +it, and removed his scruples. + +The young man had not money enough for so long a journey. Wise Topaz +would have refused to get it for him. Ebony provided it. He quietly +stole his master's diamond, and had a false one made exactly like it, +which he put in its place, pledging the real one to an Armenian for +many thousands of rupees. + +As soon as Rustem had the rupees he was ready to start An elephant was +loaded with his baggage, and they set out on horseback. + +"I took the liberty," said Topaz to his master, "of remonstrating +against your enterprise; but after speaking it was my duty to obey. I +am your slave. I love you, and will follow you to the end of the +world. But let us consult the oracle which is on our way." + +Rustem agreed. The answer of the oracle was this: "If you turn to the +east you will turn to the west." Rustem could not understand this. +Topaz maintained that it boded no good; Ebony, always accommodating, +persuaded him that it was very favourable. + +There was yet another oracle in Cabul, which they consulted also. The +Cabul oracle replied as follows: "If you possess you will not possess; +if you get the best of it, you will get the worst; if you are Rustem +you will not be Rustem." This saying seemed still more incomprehensible +than the other. + +"Beware," said Topaz. + +"Fear nothing," said Ebony. And he, as may be supposed, seemed to his +master to be always in the right, since he encouraged his passion and +his hopes. + +On leaving Cabul they marched through a great forest. Here they sat +down on the grass to eat, while the horses were turned loose to feed. +They were about to unload the elephant, which carried the dinner and +the service, when it was discovered that Topaz and Ebony were no +longer with the party. They called them loudly: the forest echoed with +the names of Topaz and Ebony; the men sought them in every direction +and filled the woods with their shouts, but they came back having seen +no one and heard no answer. "We saw nothing," they said to Rustem, +"but a vulture fighting with an eagle and plucking out all its +feathers." + +The history of this struggle excited Rustem's curiosity; he went to +the spot on foot. He saw no vulture or eagle, but he found that his +elephant, still loaded with baggage, had been attacked by a huge +rhinoceros. One was fighting with his horn, the other with his trunk. +On seeing Rustem the rhinoceros retreated, and the elephant was led +back. But now the horses were gone. "Strange things happen to +travellers in the forest!" exclaimed Rustem. The servants were +dismayed, and their master was in despair at having lost his horses, +his favourite negro, and the sage Topaz, for whom he had always had a +regard, though he did not always agree with his opinion. + +He was comforting himself with the hope of soon finding himself at the +feet of the beautiful Princess of Cashmere, when he met a fine striped +ass, which a vigorous peasant was beating violently with a stick. +There is nothing rarer, swifter, or more beautiful than an ass of this +kind. This one retorted on the rustic for his thrashing by kicks which +might have uprooted an oak. The young Mirza very naturally took the +ass's part, for it was a beautiful beast. The peasant ran off, crying +out to the ass: "I will pay you out yet!" The ass thanked its +liberator after its fashion, went up to him, fawned on him, and +received his caresses. + +Having dined, Rustem mounted him, and took the road to Cashmere with +his servants, some on foot and some riding the elephant. + +Hardly had he mounted his ass, when the animal turned toward Cabul, +instead of proceeding on the way to Cashmere. In vain his rider tugged +at the bridle, jerked at the bit, squeezed his ribs with his knees, +drove the spurs into his flanks, gave him his head, pulled him up, +whipped him right and left. The obstinate beast still made direct to +Cabul. + +Rustem was growing desperate, when he met a camel-driver, who said to +him: + +"You have a very stubborn ass there, master, which insists on carrying +you where you do not want to go. If you will let me have him, I will +give you four of my camels, which you may choose for yourself." + +Rustem thanked Providence for having sent so good a bargain in his +way. "Topaz was all wrong," thought he, "to say that my journey would +be unlucky." He mounted the finest of the camels, and the others +followed. He soon rejoined his little caravan, and went on his way +toward happiness. + +He had not marched more than four miles, when he was stopped by a +torrent, wide, deep and impetuous, tumbling over rocks all white with +foam. On each shore rose precipitous cliffs, which bewildered the eyes +and chilled the heart of man. There was no way of getting across, of +turning to the right hand or to the left. + +"I am beginning to fear," said Rustem, "that Topaz may have been right +to reprehend me for this journey, and I very wrong to undertake it. If +he were but here he might give me some good advice, and if I had +Ebony, he at any rate would comfort me, and suggest some expedient. As +it is I have no one left to help me." + +His dismay was increased by that of his followers. The night was very +dark, and they spent it in lamentations. At last fatigue and +dejection brought sleep to the love-sick traveller. He awoke, however, +at daybreak, and saw a fine marble bridge built across the torrent +from shore to shore. + +Then what exclamations, what cries of astonishment and delight! "Is it +possible? Is it a dream? What a marvel! It is magic! Dare we cross +it?" All the Mirza's train fell on their knees, got up again, went to +the bridge, kissed the ground, looked up to heaven, lifted their +hands; then tremulously set foot on it, went over, and came back in +perfect ecstasy, and Rustem said, "Heaven is on my side this time. +Topaz did not know what he was saying. The oracles were in my favour. +Ebony was right; but why is he not here?" + +Hardly had the caravan crossed in safety, when the bridge fell into +the torrent with an appalling crash. + +"So much the better!" cried Rustem. "God be praised! He does not +intend me to return to my own country, where I should be only a +private gentleman. He means me to marry the Princess. I shall be +Prince of Cashmere. In that way, when I possess my Princess, I shall +not possess my humble rank in Candahar; I shall be Rustem, and I shall +not, since I shall be a great prince. There is a great deal of the +oracle interpreted in my favour. The rest will be explained in the +same way. I am too happy! But why is not Ebony at my side? I regret +him a thousand times more than Topaz!" + +He rode a few miles farther in great glee; but as evening fell, a +chain of mountains, steeper than a rampart, and higher than the Tower +of Babel would have been when finished, entirely closed the road +against the travellers, who were filled with fears. + +Every one exclaimed: "It is the will of God that we should perish +here. He has broken down the bridge that we may have no hope of +returning; He has raised up this mountain to hinder our going forward. +Oh, Rustem! Oh, hapless Mirza! We shall never see Cashmere, we shall +never return to the land of Candahar!" + +In Rustem's soul the keenest anguish and most complete dejection +succeeded the immoderate joy and hopes which had intoxicated him. He +was now very far from interpreting the oracles to his advantage: "O +merciful heaven!" he cried. "Have I really lost my friend Topaz?" + +As he spoke the words, heaving deep sighs and shedding bitter tears in +the sight of his despairing followers, behold, the base of the +mountain opened, and a long, vaulted gallery lighted by a hundred +thousand torches was revealed to his dazzled eyes! + +Rustem broke into exclamations of joy; his people fell on their knees +or dropped down with amazement, crying out that it was a miracle, and +that Rustem was destined to govern the world. Rustem himself believed +it, and was uplifted beyond measure. "Ah! Ebony, my dear Ebony, where +are you?" he cried. "Why are you not here to see all these wonders? +How did I come to lose you? Fair Princess of Cashmere, when shall I +again behold your charms?" + +He marched forward with his servants, his elephant and his camels, +into the tunnel under the mountain, and, at the end of it came out +upon a meadow enameled with flowers and watered by brooks. Beyond this +meadow avenues of trees stretched into the far distance; at the end of +them was a river bordered by delightful houses in the loveliest +gardens. On every side he heard concerts of voices and instruments, +and saw dancing. He hurried across one of the bridges over the river, +and asked the first man he met what was this beautiful country. + +The man to whom he spoke replied: "You are in the province of +Cashmere; the inhabitants, as you see, are holding great rejoicings. +We are doing honour to the wedding of our beautiful Princess, who is +about to marry a certain lord named Barbabou, to whom her father has +plighted her. May heaven prolong their happiness!" + +On hearing these words Rustem fell down in a swoon. The gentleman of +Cashmere, supposing that he was liable to fits, had him carried to his +own house, where he lay some time unconscious. The two cleverest +physicians of the district were called in; they felt their patient's +pulse: and he, having somewhat recovered, sobbed and sighed, and +rolled his eyes, exclaiming, "Topaz, Topaz, you were right after all!" + +One of the physicians said to the gentleman of Cashmere, "I perceive +by his accent that this young man comes from Candahar; the air of this +country does not agree with him, and he must be sent home again. I can +see by his eyes that he is mad; leave him in my hands; I will take him +back to his own country and cure him." The other physician declared +that his only complaint was melancholy, and that he ought to be taken +to the Princess's wedding and compelled to dance. + +While they were discussing his case the sick man recovered his powers; +the two physicians were sent away, and Rustem remained alone with his +host. + +"Sir," said he, "I ask your pardon for fainting in your presence; I +know that it is not good manners, and I entreat you to accept my +elephant in acknowledgment of all the kindness with which you have +received me." + +He then related his adventures, taking good care not to mention the +object of his journey. "But, in the name of Brahma," said he, "tell me +who is this happy Barbabou who is to be married to the Princess of +Cashmere, and why her father has chosen him for his son-in-law, and +why the Princess has accepted him for her husband." + +"My lord," replied the gentleman of Cashmere, "the Princess is far +from having accepted him. On the contrary, she is drowned in tears, +while the province rejoices over her marriage. She is shut up in the +Palace Tower, and refuses to see any of the festivities prepared in +her honour." + +Rustem, on hearing this, felt new life in his soul, and the colour +which sorrow had faded came again into his cheeks. + +"Then pray tell me," he continued, "why the Prince of Cashmere +persists in marrying her to Barbabou against her will." + +"The facts are these," replied his friend. "Do you know that our +august Prince lost some time ago a diamond and a javelin, on which his +heart was greatly set?" + +"I know it well," said Rustem. + +"Then I must tell you," said his host, "that the Prince in despair at +hearing nothing of his two treasures, after searching for them all the +world over, promised his daughter in marriage to any one who would +bring him either of them. Then Barbabou arrived and brought the +diamond with him; and he is to marry the Princess to-morrow." + +Rustem turned pale. He muttered his thanks, took leave of his host, +and went off on his dromedary to the capital where the ceremony was to +take place. He reached the palace of the sovereign, announced that he +had matters of importance to communicate to him, and craved an +audience. He was told that the Prince was engaged in preparing for the +wedding. "That is the very reason," said he, "why I wish to speak to +him." In short, he was so urgent that he was admitted. + +"My lord," said he, "may heaven crown your days with glory and +magnificence! Your son-in-law is a rascal." + +"A rascal! How dare you say so? Is that the way to speak to a Prince +of Cashmere of the son-in-law he has chosen?" + +"Yes, a rascal," said Rustem. "And to prove it to your Highness, here +is your diamond, which I have brought back to you." + +The Prince, in much amazement, compared the two diamonds and, as he +knew nothing about gems, he could not tell which was the true one. + +"Here are two diamonds," said he, "but I have only one daughter. I am +in a strange dilemma!" + +Then he sent for Barbabou, and asked him whether he had not deceived +him. Barbabou swore that he had bought the diamond of an Armenian. +Rustem did not say from whom he had got his, but he proposed, as a +solution, that his Highness should allow him and his rival to fight in +single combat on the spot. + +"It is not enough that your son-in-law should possess a diamond," said +he, "he ought also to show proof of valour. Do you not think it fair +that the one who kills the other should marry the Princess?" + +"Very good," said the Prince; "it will be a fine show for all the +court. You two shall fight it out at once. The conqueror shall have +the armour of the conquered man, after the custom of Cashmere: and he +shall marry the Princess." + +The rivals immediately descended to the palace court. On the stairs +they saw a magpie and a raven. The raven cried; "Fight it out, fight +it out!" the magpie, "Do not fight!" This made the Prince laugh. The +rivals scarcely noticed the two birds. + +The combat began. All the courtiers stood round them in a circle. The +Princess still shut herself up in her tower, and would see nothing of +it. She had no suspicion that her lover could be in Cashmere, and she +had such a horror of Barbabou that she would not look on. The fight +went off as well as possible. Barbabou was left stone dead, and the +populace were delighted, for he was ugly and Rustem very handsome--a +fact which always turns the scale of public favour. + +The conqueror put on the dead man's coat of mail, his scarf and his +helmet, and approached the window of his mistress to the sound of +trumpets, followed by all the Court. Every one was shouting: "Fair +Princess, come and see your handsome bridegroom who has killed his +hideous rival!" and the ladies repeated the words. The Princess +unfortunately looked out of the window, and seeing the armour of the +man she abhorred, she flew in despair to the Chinese trunk, and took +out the fatal javelin, which darted, at her wish, to pierce her dear +Rustem through a joint in his cuirass. He gave a bitter cry, and in +that cry the Princess thought that she recognized the voice of her +hapless lover. + +She flew into the courtyard, her hair all disheveled, death in her +eyes and in her heart. Rustem was lying in her father's arms. She saw +him! What a moment, what a sight! Who can express the anguish, the +tenderness, the horror of that meeting? She threw herself upon him and +embraced him. + +"These," she cried, "are the first and last kisses of your lover and +destroyer." Then snatching the dart from his wound, she plunged it +into her own heart, and died on the breast of the lover she adored. + +Her father, horror-stricken and heartbroken, strove in vain to bring +her back to life; she was no more. He broke the fatal weapon into +fragments, and flung away the ill-starred diamonds: and while +preparations were proceeding for his daughter's funeral instead of her +wedding, he had the bleeding but still living Rustem carried into his +palace. + +Rustem was laid upon a couch. The first thing he saw, one on each side +of his death-bed, were Topaz and Ebony. Surprise gave him strength. +"Cruel that you were," said he; "why did you desert me? The Princess +might still perhaps be living if you had been at hand!" + +"I have never left you for a moment," said Topaz. + +"I have been always at your side," said Ebony. + +"What do you mean? Why do you insult me in my last moments?" replied +Rustem, in a weak voice. + +"Believe me, it is true," said Topaz. "You know I never approved of +this ill-advised journey, for I foresaw its disastrous end. I was the +eagle which struggled with the vulture, and which the vulture plucked; +I was the elephant which made off with your baggage to compel you to +return home; I was the striped ass which would fain have carried you +back to your father; it was I who led your horses astray, who produced +the torrent which you could not cross, who raised the mountain which +checked your unlucky advance; I was the physician who advised your +return to your native air, and the magpie which urged you not to +fight." + +"I," said Ebony, "was the vulture who plucked the eagle, the +rhinoceros which thrust its horn into the elephant, the peasant who +beat the ass, the merchant who gave you the camels to hasten you to +your ruin; I raised the bridge you crossed; I bored the mountains for +you to pass; I was the physician who advised you to proceed, and the +raven which encouraged you to fight." + +"Alas! And remember the Oracle," added Topaz; "If you turn to the east +you will turn to the west." + +"Yes, here they bury the dead with their faces turned westward," said +Ebony. "The Oracle was plain; why did not you understand it? You +possessed and you possessed not; for you had the diamond, but it was a +false one, and you did not know it; you got the best of it in battle, +but you also got the worst, for you must die; you are Rustem, but you +will soon cease to be so. The Oracle is fulfilled." + +Even as he spoke two white wings appeared on the shoulders of Topaz, +and two black wings on those of Ebony. + +"What is this that I see?" cried Rustem. And Topaz and Ebony replied: +"We are your two genies." "I," added Topaz, "am your good genie." + +"And you, Ebony, with your black wings, are apparently my evil genie." + +"As you say," replied Ebony. + +Then suddenly everything vanished. Rustem found himself in his +father's house, which he had not quitted, and in his bed where he had +been sleeping just an hour. + +He awoke with a start, bathed in sweat and greatly scared. He shouted, +he called, he rang. His servant Topaz hurried up in his night-cap, +yawning. + +"Am I dead or alive?" cried Rustem. "Will the beautiful Princess of +Cashmere recover?" + +"Is your Highness dreaming?" said Topaz calmly. + +"And what," cried Rustem, "has become of that cruel Ebony, with his +two black wings? Is it his fault that I am dying so dreadful a death?" + +"Sir, I left him upstairs, snoring. Shall I call him down?" + +"The villain! He has been tormenting me these six months. It was he +who took me to that fatal fair at Cabul; it was he who stole the +diamond the Princess gave me; he is the sole cause of my journey, of +the death of my Princess, and of the javelin-wound of which I am dying +in the prime of youth." + +"Make yourself easy," said Topaz. "You have never been to Cabul. There +is no Princess of Cashmere; the Prince has but two sons, and they are +now at school. You never had any diamond. The Princess cannot be dead +since she never was born; and you are perfectly sound and well." + +"What! Is it not true that you became in turn an eagle, an elephant, +an ass, a doctor, and a magpie, to protect me from ill?" + +"It is all a dream, sir. Our ideas are no more under our control when +sleeping than when awake. The Almighty sent that string of ideas +through your head, as it would seem, to give you some lesson which you +may lay to heart." + +"You are making game of me," said Rustem. "How long have I been +sleeping?" + +"Sir, you have only slept one hour." + +"Well, I cannot understand it," said Rustem. + +But perhaps he took the lesson to heart, and learned to doubt whether +all he wished for was right and good for him. + + + + +_Steelpacha_[6] + + +Once upon a time there was an Emperor who had three sons and three +daughters. As he was very old, his last hour drew nigh. He therefore +called his children to his bedside and laid earnest command upon his +sons to give their sisters, without hesitation, to the first suitors +who asked for them in marriage. "Marry them off," he said to the sons, +"or my curse will be upon you!" These were his last words. + +[Footnote 6: From "The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales," copyright, +1906, by Charles Scribner's Sons.] + +After his death, day passed quietly after day for a while. Then one +evening there came a loud knocking at the door. The whole palace began +to rock amid a wild roaring, howling, crashing; the castle was bathed +in a sea of flame. Every heart was terrified, and trembling took +possession of every soul. + +Suddenly a voice cried, "Open the door, ye princes!" + +Up spoke the Emperor's eldest son, "Do not open!" And the second said, +"On no account open!" But the youngest said, "Then I will open the +door myself." + +He sprang up and drew the bolts. Hardly was the door opened when a +fearful Being rushed in, the outline of whose form was hidden in +encircling flames. + +"I am come," he exclaimed, "to take your eldest sister for my wife, +and that at once. So give a short answer--yes or no; I insist upon +it!" + +Said the eldest brother, "I will not give her to you. Why should I, +when I know neither who nor whence you are? You come here by night, +demand my sister's hand upon the instant, and I do not even hear which +way I am to turn when I wish to visit her." + +Said the second brother, "Nor do I permit you to take away my sister +thus in the dead of night." + +But the youngest interposed, "Then I will give her away if you two +refuse. Have you already forgotten our father's command?" And taking +his sister by the hand he gave her to the stranger, saying, "May she +live happily with you and be ever faithful!" + +As the sister crossed the threshold every one in the building fell to +the ground in fear and horror. It lightened, it thundered, it crashed, +it quaked, the whole fortress swayed heavily, as if heaven and earth +were falling together. Gradually the uproar died away, and the rosy +eastern light announced the coming morning. + +As soon as day had broken the brothers searched for the traces which +they supposed would have been left by their tremendous nocturnal +visitor; but not a trace, not a footprint had he left behind. All was +swept away. + +On the following night, at the selfsame hour, the selfsame flashing, +crashing din was heard around the imperial fortress, and a voice +without cried loudly, "Open the door, you princes!" + +Paralyzed with terror, they threw open the door and a fearful Form +rushed in, crying in a loud voice, "Give me here the maiden, your +second sister! I have come to marry her!" + +Said the eldest brother, "I will not give you my sister!" + +Said the second, "I will not let my sister--" + +But the youngest broke in with, "Then I will! Will you never remember +what our father commanded?" + +He took his sister by the hand and led her to the wooer. "Take her; +she will be happy with you and always good." + +At this the powerful apparition vanished, and the maiden with him. + +As soon as morning dawned the brothers sought around the castle for +traces of the direction which the apparition had taken; but they found +nothing under the blessed sun, nor was there the slightest clue from +which they could make any sort of guess any more than if no one had +been there! + +On the third night, at the same hour, the whole castle was again +shaken to the foundation by a horrible uproar and earthquake, and a +voice called out, "Open the door, ye princes!" + +The Emperor's sons sprang nimbly to their feet and drew the bolts, +upon which a monstrous Form entered, exclaiming "We are come to demand +the hand of your youngest sister!" + +"Never!" shrieked the eldest and second brothers with one voice. "We +will not let this one go away thus by night. Surely we must at least +know of this our youngest sister whom she marries and where she goes, +that we may be able to visit her!" + +But up spoke the youngest brother, "Then I will give her away if you +refuse. Have you quite forgotten what our father charged us on his +dying bed? It is not so long ago." + +He took the sister by the hand and said, "Here she is; take her home +and live happily and joyfully with her!" + +In a twinkling the terrible Being disappeared in the midst of a +fearful uproar. + +When the morning dawned the brothers felt oppressed by anxiety, being +all uncertain as to the fate of their sisters. After a long interval, +during which no light had been thrown upon this matter, the three +brothers took counsel together: + +"Good heavens, did ever one know of anything so mysterious? What has +become of our sisters? We have not the least idea of their +abiding-place, nor any clue which can lead to their discovery." + +At length one said to the others, "Let us go forth to seek our +sisters." + +So the three brothers made ready without losing a moment. They took +money enough for a long journey and went out into the wide world to +seek their sisters. + +In the course of their wanderings they lost their way among the +mountains, where they wandered for a whole day. When night fell they +decided, on account of their horses, to encamp near a piece of water. + +And so they did. They reached the shore of a lake, pitched their +tents, and sat down to supper. When they lay down to sleep the eldest +brother said, "You may sleep, but I will stand guard." + +So the two younger brothers went peacefully to sleep, while the eldest +brother kept watch. At a certain hour of the night the lake became +agitated with a swaying motion which startled the watcher not a +little. He soon observed a shapeless form arising out of the midst of +the water and rushing straight toward him. It was a frightful monster +of a Dragon, with two great flapping ears, which was rushing so +fiercely upon him. The Prince bravely drew his sword, and seizing the +Dragon, cut off his head. Then he sliced off the ears and put them +into his wallet, and threw the head and the body back into the lake. + +Meantime the day had dawned, and the brothers still lay in profound +slumber, little dreaming of their eldest brother's heroic exploit. He +now waked them, but said not a syllable about his nocturnal adventure. +They left that place and continued their journey, and when twilight +began to fall they once more agreed to seek a halting-place near some +piece of water. But they were much terrified to find themselves quite +lost in a lonely wilderness. At last, however, they came upon a tiny +lake, where they decided to spend the night. They kindled a fire, +unpacked cooking utensils and food, and took their evening meal. After +that they disposed themselves to sleep. Then said the second brother, +"Do you two go to rest; I will mount guard to-night." + +The two brothers therefore lay down to sleep, but the third cheerfully +sat up and kept watch. Suddenly a rustling sound from the lake met his +ears, and he saw a sight which curdled the blood in his veins. A +two-headed Dragon rushed tumultuously upon the brothers as if to +annihilate them all three. + +Quick as thought the watcher sprang up, drew his glittering sword, +avoided the Dragon's attack, and cut off his two heads. Then he sliced +off the ears and put them into his wallet, throwing the other parts of +the monster back into the lake. The brothers knew nothing of the +affair, for both slept soundly until dawn. + +When day broke the second brother called to them, "Wake up, brothers, +the morning dawns!" + +Immediately they sprang up, packed their goods, and set forth upon +their way; but they had not the least idea where they were or in what +country. + +A great fear overwhelmed them that they might perish of hunger in +this wilderness, and they besought God to guide them at least to some +inhabited village or city, or to permit them to meet some human being, +for they had already wandered three days in this inhospitable +wilderness without coming to the end or finding any way out. + +It was rather early in the day when they came to a pretty large lake +and decided to go no farther, but to make their camp on this +lake-side. For they said, "If we go farther we shall very probably not +find any more water near which to make our camp." + +They remained, therefore, in this place, built a great fire, supped, +and made ready to sleep. Then said the youngest brother. + +"Do you two go to rest. I will take the watch to-night." + +So the two lay down and soon fell asleep, but the youngest brother +kept a sharp lookout, and often threw a glance over the shining +surface of the lake. + +Thus passed away a portion of the night, when suddenly the lake boiled +up, surged, foaming, upon the fire and half-extinguished it. But the +watcher whipped out his sword and took his position close to the fire. +Suddenly a three-headed Dragon rushed forth and made as if to kill the +brothers. + +Now was the hero-spirit of the youth tested. He waked not his +brothers, but went forth alone to meet the Dragon. Three times he +raised his sword, and each time he smote off one of the monster's +heads. Then he sliced off the ears, and threw the shapeless remains +into the water. + +While this tremendous conflict was going on the fire died out, having +been flooded by the water. The Prince would not waken his brothers, +although he had no tinder-box of his own to rekindle the flame, but +resolved to search around a little in the wilderness in hope of +stumbling upon some one who could help him. + +But nowhere was there a mortal soul! At last he climbed into a high +tree and looked around in all directions to see what he might see. + +As he was thus gazing far and wide his eyes were suddenly attracted by +a flash of light which seemed to be very near him. He descended the +tree and went in the direction of the light; hoping to get some fire +wherewith to rekindle the fire for his brothers. + +He went on for a long stretch, the light seeming always to be just +before him, when suddenly he found himself standing before a cave in a +rock in which nine Giants, gathered around an immense fire, were +roasting two men upon a spit, one on one side of the fire, the other +on the other. An enormous copper caldron, full to the brim with human +flesh, was bubbling over the fire. + +The imperial Prince was horrified at this sight. He would have turned +back, but whither should he go? Where was there a way of escape for +him? He quickly recovered his self-possession, however, and cried out, +"Good-morning, valiant comrades, I have long been seeking you!" + +They received him most cordially, answering, "God be with thee, if +thou art a true comrade." + +He replied, "Indeed I am, and shall be all my life long. I would risk +my head for you." + +"All right," they answered. "If you wish to be one of us, are you +ready to eat human flesh and take a share in our Adventures?" + +"Yes, that I will," said the Prince. "What you do, that will I do +also." + +"Faith, then all is well!" they said. "Sit down among us." + +They settled themselves around the fire. The caldron was taken off, +its contents served, and the meal began. The Prince received his +share, but he knew how to manage, and, instead of eating, he slyly +threw the meat, bit by bit, behind him. He did the same with the +roast. Then the Giants said: + +"Come, now, we must go a-hunting, for we must eat to-morrow as well as +to-day." + +So the nine Giants set out, with the Prince for a tenth. + +"Come," they said to him, "not far from here is a town in which reigns +an Emperor. His city has fed us for several years." + +As they drew near to the city they pulled up two fir-trees by the +roots and carried them along. When they reached the town they set one +of the trees against the wall and called to the Prince, "Come on, +climb up the wall here, and we will hand you the second tree. Seize it +by the point and let it down on the other side, but keep hold of the +top so that we may climb down by the trunk." + +The Prince accordingly scrambled up, but on receiving the second tree +he called out, "I don't know where to stand it; I am not familiar with +the place and dare not shove it over. Do one of you come up and show +me, and then I will make it all right." + +One of the Giants climbed up to him, seized the fir-tree by the point, +and let it down on the other side of the wall. As he stood thus bent +over, the Prince drew his sword and struck off his head, and the dead +Giant tumbled off the wall into the city. + +Then the Prince cried to the others, "All right! Come on now, one at a +time, that I may help you along in the same way." + +One after another unsuspiciously climbed up, only to meet death at the +hand of the Prince. When he had made an end of all the nine he let +himself down by the fir-tree into the city, which he explored in every +direction. No sound of human voice reached his ear. All was a drear, +horrible desolation. "Has the whole population been robbed and +murdered by the Giants?" he thought to himself. + +For a long time he wandered about the desolate city, until he came to +a very high tower, from one window of which shone out the light of a +taper. He threw open the door, rushed up the tower stair, and hastened +straight to that room. + +On the threshold he stood still in amazement. The room was richly hung +and decorated with gold, silk, and velvet, and not a soul within +except a maiden who lay upon a couch, out-stretched in deep slumber. +The Prince was rooted to the spot at the sight of the maiden, for she +was wonderfully beautiful. But at that moment he became aware of a +great serpent which, sliding along the wall, stretched out its head +directly over the head of the maiden, coiling itself up in readiness +to spring and strike her upon the brow, between the eyes. + +Then the Prince sprang quickly with his pocket-knife, which in a +trice he had drawn from his pocket, and pinned the serpent's head to +the wall. Then saying these words: "God grant that no hand but mine +may draw this knife out from the wall," he went quickly away. He +climbed up by one fir-tree and down by the other, and so got over the +wall. Arrived at the Giants' cave, he took some fire and ran back to +his brothers, who were still buried in profound slumber. As he kindled +the fire day began to dawn in the east. He wakened the brothers, and +they set forth upon their journey. + +That same day they came to the highway leading to the before-mentioned +city. A mighty Emperor reigned there who used to go about the city +every morning shedding bitter tears because his people were +exterminated and eaten by the Giants, and because of his constant fear +that his only daughter would fall a sacrifice to their gluttony. On +this morning he was going about the city as usual. It lay empty and +deserted; the inhabitants had dwindled away to a mere remnant; most of +them had found a grave in the giants' maws. + +As I have said, the Emperor was thus reviewing his city when suddenly +his eyes fell upon the uprooted fir-tree which still leaned against +the wall, and as he drew nearer he beheld a wonderful sight; there lay +the nine Giants, the very pests of the city, with their heads all cut +off! + +This sight gave the King unspeakable joy. The people also gathered +together to pray God that blessing and happiness might descend upon +the giant-slayer. At that very moment a servant came from the imperial +citadel to say that a serpent had nearly been the death of the +Emperor's daughter. Upon this the Emperor betook himself straightway +to the citadel, and to the very chamber of his daughter. Arrived +there, he saw upon the wall the impaled serpent, and tried with his +own hand to draw out the knife, but in vain. + +Then the Emperor sent a proclamation through his whole empire: +"Whoever has slain the Giants and impaled the serpent, let him make +himself known, that the Emperor may richly reward him and bestow upon +him the hand of his daughter." + +This proclamation was issued in every province of the empire. The +Emperor also gave command that great inns should be erected upon the +principal highways, where all travellers should be stopped and asked +whether they knew who had overcome the giants; and whoever should +discover the man, let him hasten with utmost speed to the Emperor to +receive a rich reward. + +According to the imperial proclamation, great inns were erected upon +the principal highways, and every traveller was stopped, examined, and +the whole affair explained to him. + +After a while the three Princes who were seeking their sisters came to +pass the night at one of these inns. After supper the landlord joined +the company, and began to boast of his wonderful exploits. At last he +turned to the three brothers with the question, "And what doughty +deeds have you done up to this time?" + +Then the eldest brother began, "As I and my brothers were upon our +travels it came to pass one night that we made our halt on the border +of a lake in a great wilderness. While my brothers were asleep and I +keeping watch, a Dragon came up out of the lake to destroy me. I drew +my sword out of the scabbard and struck off his head. If you don't +believe me, here are his ears." And he drew the ears out of his wallet +and threw them upon the table. + +When the second brother heard this, he began, "I had the watch on the +second night, and I killed a two-headed Dragon. If you don't believe +me, here are the ears which I cut from his two heads for a witness." +He said it and showed the two pairs of ears. + +The youngest brother heard the whole in silence. The landlord now +turned to him. + +"By heaven, youngster, your brothers are valiant heroes! Come let us +hear if you can also boast of any doughty deeds!" + +Hesitatingly the youngest began his story: "Well, I also did a trifle. +It was on the third night, beside the lake in the wilderness. You, my +brothers, were asleep. I kept watch. At a certain hour of the night +the lake surged up and a three-headed Dragon arose from it, who would +have annihilated us. Then I drew a sword and cut off all three of his +heads. If you don't believe it, here are the three pairs of ears!" + +Upon this the two brothers were dumb with astonishment. But the +youngest went on with his story: "In the meantime the fire had gone +out, and I went forth to seek a light. While straying around among the +hills I stumbled upon nine giants in a cave"; and so he went on and +told all his adventures in order, and every one was struck with +amazement at the wonderful tale. + +No sooner had the landlord heard the story than he ran secretly to the +Emperor and told him the whole affair. The Emperor gave him a great +sum of money, and sent his people at once to bring the three princes +before him. + +When they came into the Emperor's presence he put the following +question to the youngest: "Is it you who performed the wonders in our +city, killing the Giants and saving my only daughter from +destruction?" + +"Yes, it was I, mighty Emperor," replied the Prince. Here-upon the +Emperor married his daughter to the young Prince and raised him to the +highest office in the kingdom. + +Then the Emperor said to the two elder brothers, "If it please you to +remain in my empire, I will give you each a wife and will permit you +to build strongholds for yourselves." + +But they told him they were already married, and explained that they +had undertaken this journey merely to seek out their sisters. When the +Emperor heard this he detained only the youngest brother, his +son-in-law, and to the two other brothers he gave two mules laden with +gold. So the two brothers returned home to their own kingdom. + +Still the youngest brother thought continually of his sisters, and +kept always in mind the hope of yet seeking them out But on the other +hand he was pained at the thought of parting from his young wife, and +besides he knew that the Emperor would never consent to his leaving +him. So he was continually racked with anxiety about his sisters. + +One day the Emperor went hunting, and before setting out he said to +his son-in-law, "Do you remain in the castle during my absence. I give +to you nine keys which you must keep carefully by you. I give you +free leave to open three or four rooms. You will find in them silver +and gold in abundance; there is also no lack of weapons, or of any +kind of treasure. You may even, if you feel inclined, open eight of +the rooms. But beware of unlocking the ninth. Leave that one alone; +for," he added, "if you do not it will be the worse for you." Upon +this the Emperor departed, leaving his son-in-law at home alone. + +Hardly was the Emperor gone when the Prince began to open one door +after another, until he had examined eight rooms in succession. His +eyes beheld in them treasures of all kinds. When at last he came to +the door of the ninth room he said to himself, "I have seen and done +so many wonderful things, and shall it be forbidden me to enter a +certain room?" + +So he unlocked the door and went in. What a sight! There was a man +whose legs up to his knees and whose arms up to the elbows were +incased in iron; from his neck hung heavy iron chains, the ends of +which were fastened to stakes driven into the floor on all sides, +holding him so securely that he could not stir. Before him a stream of +water gushed from a golden vessel and flowed into a golden basin which +stood near; beside it was a golden jug, beautifully adorned with +jewels. The man longed to drink the water, but he could not reach the +jug. + +When the imperial Prince saw this he started backward; but the +fettered man cried, "Oh, come to me, I beseech you, in the name of the +living God!" + +The Prince drew nearer, and the man continued, "Oh, do a pious act; +let me drain a jug of water! Be assured I will reward you for it with +an additional life." + +The Prince considered the proposition. "Can there be anything better +for me than to secure for myself an additional life?" He took the jug, +filled it, and raised it to the man's lips, who emptied it at a single +draught. Upon this the Prince asked him, "In the name of heaven, who +are you?" + +The man answered, "My name is Steelpacha." + +The prince now turned toward the door, but the man implored him, "Give +me another jug of water, and I will give you a second life." + +The Prince thought, "He will give me a second life; I have one into +the bargain. This will be a prodigy indeed!" and he filled the jug +again and put it to the man's lips. + +He then turned away and already held the door-latch in his hand when +Steelpacha called to him, "Oh, sir, come back to me! You have twice +acted nobly by me; prove yourself a man a third time and I will give +you a third life. Take this jug, fill it to the brim, and pour it over +my head; and for this labour of love I will give you a third life." + +When the Prince heard this he turned back, took the jug, filled it +with water, and poured it over the man's head. The moment the water +touched him the chains about his neck fell asunder and all the bonds +which held him were unloosed. Quick as lightning Steelpacha sprang up, +spread a pair of wings, flew out of the window, snatched up the +Princess, the wife of his deliverer, took flight with her under his +wing, and in a moment had disappeared from view. That was a prodigy +indeed! + +The Prince now looked forward with deepest dread to the Emperor's +return. However, when the Emperor came home, the Prince told the whole +story exactly as it had happened. The Emperor was beside himself with +grief. "Why did you do thus?" said he reproachfully. "Did I not +expressly forbid you to enter the ninth room?" + +The Prince answered soothingly, "Don't be angry with me. I will go at +once to seek Steelpacha and rescue my wife from him." + +The Emperor tried to dissuade him from this plan. "Don't do that," +said he; "you shall on no account move a step from this place. You +have no idea who Steelpacha is. Many an army and much treasure did I +waste before I got him in my power. So remain quietly with me. I will +provide another wife for you. And don't be unhappy; I love you as my +own son." + +But the Prince was deaf to all these persuasions, and adhered to his +first resolution. He provided himself with the necessary money, +mounted his horse, and went forth into the world to seek Steelpacha. +For a long time he wandered about, and at last he arrived at a city. +He was gazing around with some curiosity, when suddenly a woman called +to him from a balcony, "You Prince, get down from your horse and come +into the court!" + +As the Prince entered the court the woman came to meet him. He looked +narrowly at her and recognized his eldest sister. They flew into each +other's arms and lavished sweet kisses upon each other. + +The sister was the first to speak. "Come out upon the balcony with me, +brother." + +When they were upon the balcony the Prince asked his sister whom she +had married, and she answered, "I am married to the Emperor of the +Dragons. My husband is himself a Dragon. So, brother, it would be +worth your while to hide, for my husband often says he would cut his +brothers-in-law in small bits if he ever laid eyes upon them. Let me +first question him; if he promises to do you no harm I will tell him +of your arrival." + +So said and so done. The sister concealed her brother and his horse. +The evening drew on. The Dragon's supper was ready; they were awaiting +his arrival, when at last he came. When he flew in the whole earth was +bathed in blinding light; but he had hardly entered when he called to +his wife: + +"Wife, I smell men's bones. Who is here? Tell me quick!" + +"No one is here," she answered. + +"That is not possible," said he. + +Upon this the wife said, "I want to ask you a question, and do you +answer me truly and honestly. Would you do any harm to my brothers if +they happened to come here?" + +The Dragon-emperor answered, "I would have the eldest and the second +killed and roasted, but I would do nothing to the youngest." + +Upon this she said, "My youngest brother, your brother-in-law, is +arrived." + +When the Dragon-emperor heard this he cried, "Out with him, then!" And +when the sister brought her brother from his hiding-place the Emperor +ran to meet him and showered kisses upon him. + +"Welcome here, brother-in-law!" + +"God be with you, sister's husband!" + +"Where were you hiding?" + +"Here I am!" And he told him the object of his journey, from beginning +to end. + +The Dragon-emperor said to him, "You are running the greatest risk, +God help you! The day before yesterday Steelpacha flew past with your +wife. I was awaiting him with seven thousand dragons, but we could not +overcome him. I adjure you, let that fiend alone. I will give you +money to your heart's desire; just go quietly home." + +But the Prince would not hear a word of this advice, and emphatically +declared that he would continue his journey on the morrow. When the +Emperor saw that he could not prevent him, nor induce him to turn +back, he drew a feather out of his wing and gave it to his +brother-in-law, with these words: + +"Give good heed to what I now tell you. Take this feather of mine, and +if you come across Steelpacha and find yourself in great danger, then +burn my feather; that very moment I will come to your aid with the +whole strength of my army." + +The Prince concealed the feather in a safe place and went his way. He +travelled on and on until he reached a second great city. Here again, +as he was going through the city, a woman called to him from a +balcony. + +"Ho, there, you Prince, dismount from your horse and come into the +court!" + +The Prince rode into the court. Behold, who comes to meet him? It is +his second sister! They rush into each other's arms and kiss each +other heartily. Then the sister led her brother into the castle. + +When she had put the horse into the stable she asked the object of his +journey, and he told her the whole story of his adventures, finally +asking her, "And whom have you married, dear sister?" + +She answered, "I am married to the Emperor of the Falcons. He will +come home to-night. But I must carefully conceal you, for he is +furious against my brothers." So saying, she concealed the Prince. + +In a little while the Falcon-emperor came home, and the whole city +quaked with the tumult of his approach. Supper was served at once, but +not before he had cried to his wife, "I smell men's flesh!" + +The wife answered, "What are you thinking of, husband?" + +At last, after talking for some time of this thing and that, she asked +him, "Would you do any harm to my brothers if they were to come here?" + +The Emperor said, "It would surely go hard with the eldest and the +second, but I would do nothing to the youngest." Then she told him of +her youngest brother's arrival. + +The Falcon-emperor commanded his wife to bring her brother before him, +and as soon as he beheld him he fell upon his neck and kissed him. +"Welcome, dear brother-in-law!" + +"A lucky and joyful meeting, dear sister's husband!" answered the +Prince; upon which they sat down to supper. + +After supper the Emperor asked his brother-in-law concerning the +object of his journey, and the Prince replied that he was seeking +Steelpacha, and told him all his adventures. But the Emperor began to +counsel him. + +"Give up your journey," said he. "Just let me tell you something about +Steelpacha. That very day on which he stole your wife I was awaiting +him with five thousand falcons, and waged a fearful battle with him. +Blood flowed knee-deep around us, yet we could not prevail against +him. And how shall you, a single man, overmaster him? So I give you +this well-meant advice: Go back home. So much of my treasure as your +heart desires is yours; take it and go." + +But the Prince answered, "Hearty thanks for your offer, but go back +with my task unperformed I will not. No, never! I must yet find +Steelpacha." For he thought to himself, "Why should I not? Have I not +three lives?" + +When the Falcon-emperor became convinced that he could not move him +from his purpose he drew a feather out of his wing and gave it to him, +with these words, "Here, take this feather of mine, and if you come +into great danger strike a fire and burn it I will come at once to +your aid with all my forces." + +So the Prince took the feather and set forth to seek Steelpacha. + +For a long time he went up and down through the wide world, until at +last he reached a third city. He had hardly entered it when a woman +called to him from a balcony, "Dismount and come into the court!" + +The Prince turned his horse and rode into the court. Behold, there was +his youngest sister! They fell into each other's arms and lavished +kisses upon each other. She led the horse into the stable, the brother +into the castle. Then the Prince asked, "Sister, whom have you +married?" + +And she answered, "My consort is the Emperor of the Eagles; it is he +whom I have married." + +When the Eagle-emperor came home that night his wife met him +affectionately; but he paid no attention to her greeting, but asked +her, "What man has come into my castle? Tell me at once!" + +She answered, "There is no one here," and they sat down to supper. +During supper she asked him, as if by chance, "Would you do any harm +to my brothers if they should suddenly arrive?" + +The Emperor answered, "The eldest and the second I should kill without +hesitation, but not the youngest. On the contrary, I would hasten to +his aid at any time, as far as it was in my power." + +Then she said to the Emperor, "My youngest brother is come to pay us a +visit." + +The Emperor commanded that he should be presented at once, went to +meet him and greeted him with "Welcome, dear brother-in-law!" + +The other answered, "A lucky and joyful meeting, dear sister's +husband!" + +So they sat down to the table. + +After supper they talked of one thing and another, and at last the +Prince told them that he was seeking for Steelpacha. When the +Eagle-emperor heard this he said everything he could think of to +dissuade him from this idea. + +"Dear brother-in-law," said he, "leave that fiend alone and give up +your journey. Stay, rather, here with me; you shall be made happy in +every respect." + +But the Prince paid no heed to his words, and as soon as morning +dawned he made ready and set off to seek Steelpacha. But before he +went away the Eagle-emperor, who saw that he could not turn him from +his purpose, drew forth a feather from his wing and said: + +"Take this feather, brother-in-law, and if ever you are in need or +danger, strike a fire and burn it. I will come at once with my eagles +to help you." + +The Prince put the feather in his pocket and set forth. + +Thus he roved around the world from city to city, going ever farther +and farther till at last one day he discovered his wife in a cavern. +She was not a little surprised to see him, and cried out to him, "In +the name of heaven, husband, how came you here?" + +He hastily told her his adventures, and added, "Wife, my wife! Quick, +let us flee!" + +But she hesitated. "Where shall we go, since Steelpacha can overtake +us in a moment? He will kill you on the spot, and bring me back here +again." + +But the Prince, being mindful of the three lives which Steelpacha had +given him, still coaxed his wife to flee, and they set out. Hardly had +they started when Steelpacha heard of it, gave rapid chase, and +overtook them. + +"Oho, little Prince!" he cried out, "you would steal my wife, would +you?" + +He tore her away from the Prince, and continued, "This time I give you +your life, for I have not forgotten that I promised you three lives; +but go now, and never come back again after her, for if you do your +life is at stake." + +With these words Steelpacha took the woman away, while the Prince +remained alone, in doubt what to do next. At last he resolved to go +after his wife again. + +When he arrived near the cavern he waited for his opportunity till +Steelpacha should be gone away; and once more he fled, taking his wife +with him. + +Steelpacha soon heard of it, pursued after them, overtook them, fitted +an arrow to his bow, and cried out, "Would you rather that I kill you +with this arrow, or shall I cut you down with my sword?" + +The Prince began to beg with all his might, and Steelpacha said to +him, "This second time I give you your life, but let me tell you one +thing: don't you try again to carry away this woman, for I will not +again give you your life, but will kill you on the spot as dead as a +mouse." + +With these words he seized the woman and carried her away, while the +Prince again remained alone, always planning how to rescue his wife. +Finally he said to himself, "After all, why should I be afraid? I +still have two lives--that one which he gave me and the one I had +before." + +So he resolved to go back to his wife the next day when Steelpacha was +absent. + +"Come," he said to her, "let us flee!" She objected that it was +useless to flee, since they would be at once overtaken; but he +constrained her to go with him. + +But very soon Steelpacha overtook them, and cried out to the Prince, +"Wait, just wait! I will never forgive you this!" The Prince was +terrified and began to beg for mercy, but Steelpacha silenced him. + +"You remember that I gave you three lives? All right; now I give you +the third, and you have nothing more to expect from me. So go home in +peace, and beware of hazarding the life which God lent you." + +When the Prince saw that he was powerless against the might of +Steelpacha he turned back homeward with a heavy heart. Suddenly he +remembered what his brothers-in-law had said to him when they gave him +the feathers, and he said to himself, "Come what come may, I will go +once more to rescue my wife, and in case of need I will burn the +feathers and call my brothers-in-law to my assistance." + +So said and so done. + +He went back to the cavern and saw his wife in Steelpacha's arms. He +waited around till the latter had gone away, and then showed himself +to his wife. She was not a little frightened, and cried out in terror, +"In the name of heaven! Is life so hateful that you come back again +for me?" + +He calmed her and told her that his brothers-in-law had promised to +help him in utmost need. "And therefore," said he, "I am come for you +once more; make ready to flee." + +She did so, and they hastened away; but Steelpacha soon got news of +their flight, and cried to them from afar, "Just wait, little Prince; +you haven't escaped me yet!" + +But as soon as the Prince saw Steelpacha he drew the three feathers +and his tinder-box out of his pocket, struck a light, and kindled the +feathers one by one. But while they were kindling Steelpacha overtook +him, drew his sword, and cleft the Prince in half. + +That very moment what a prodigy occurred! There came flying the +Dragon-emperor with his dragons, the Falcon-emperor with his falcons, +and the Eagle-emperor with all his eagles, and waged battle with +Steelpacha. Blood flowed in streams, but fortune favoured Steelpacha, +and he made off safely, carrying his prize, the Princess, with him. + +The three emperors now took counsel over their brother-in-law's body, +and decided to recall him to life. So they summoned three of the +swiftest dragons and asked which one of them could most speedily bring +some water from the river Jordan. The first one said, "I can do it +within half an hour;" the second said, "I can do it in a quarter of an +hour;" the third said, "I will have it here in nine minutes." The +emperors said to this one, "Then set out, Dragon, as fast as +possible." + +The Dragon put forth all his impetuous strength, and truly within nine +minutes he brought back the water from the Jordan. The emperors took +the water, poured it over the two portions of the Prince's body and +scarcely had the water touched them when the young man sprang upon his +feet, safe and sound, as if nothing had happened to him. + +The emperors then counselled him, "Now go back home, since you have +been restored to life!" + +But the Prince answered that he must once more try his luck, and, by +one means or another, free his wife from the clutches of that fiend. +His imperial brothers-in-law remonstrated: + +"Do give it up! You will surely perish this time, for you have no life +at command except the one God lent you!" + +But for all answer the Prince remained dumb. + +Then the emperors said, "All right; if you are bent upon trying again, +come what come may, at least don't attempt to get your wife away by +flight, but beg her to wheedle Steelpacha into telling her wherein his +strength lies. Then bring us word, that we may help you to get the +best of him." + +So the Prince stole secretly to his wife and told her how she should +coax Steelpacha to tell her the secret of his strength. Then he betook +himself to some place of safety. + +When Steelpacha came home the Princess beset him with questions. "In +heaven's name, do tell me wherein your strength lies!" + +Steelpacha answered, "My pretty wife, my strength lies in my sword." + +Then the Princess prayed to the sword as if to God. At sight of this +Steelpacha burst into a mocking laugh and said to her, "Oh, you simple +woman! my strength lies not in my sword but in my arrow." + +Therefore she fell upon her knees before the arrow and began to pray +to it. Then Steelpacha said, "My wife, some one must have well taught +you how to coax from me the secret of my strength. If your husband +were alive I should say it was he who had taught you." + +But she swore by body and soul that no one had taught her, no one had +been there. + +After several days her husband came again, and she told him that thus +far it had been impossible to learn from Steelpacha wherein his +strength lay. But the Prince answered, "Try again," and went away. + +When Steelpacha came home she asked him anew wherein his strength lay. +Upon which he answered her, "Since I see that you have a high respect +for my strength, I will confess the truth about it." + +Then he told her: "Far from here is a mountain-peak. On this +mountain-peak lives a Fox. The Fox has a heart in which a bird is +concealed; this bird holds my strength. But that Fox is very hard to +catch, for he has many transformations." + +The next day, when Steelpacha was away from home, the Prince came +again to his wife to learn what he had told her. She repeated +everything carefully, and the Prince went straight away to his +brothers-in-law with the much-longed-for news. They received it with +joy, and at once set out with the Prince to go to that mountain-peak. + +Arrived there, they set the eagles upon the Fox, which immediately +took refuge in a lake and there changed himself into a gull with six +wings. But the falcons gave battle to the gull and drove him thence. +He flew high amid the clouds, the falcons ever following. In a trice +the gull changed himself into a fox again and tried to escape into the +earth; but, falling into the power of the eagles and all the rest of +the mighty host, he was surrounded and taken prisoner. + +Then the emperors commanded that the Fox should be cut open and his +heart taken out. A fire was kindled, the heart cut open, and the bird +taken out and cast into the flames. As soon as the bird was burned +Steelpacha vanished forever. + +So the Prince took his wife and went happily home. + + + + +_The Buried Moon_ + + +Long ago in my grandmother's time, the Carland was all in bogs, great +pools of black water, and creeping trickles of green water, and +squishy mools which squirted when you stepped on them. + +Well, granny used to say how long before her time the Moon herself was +once dead and buried in the marshes, and as she used to tell me, I'll +tell you all about it. + +The Moon up yonder shone and shone just as she does now, and when she +shone she lighted up the bogpools, so that one could walk about almost +as safe as in the day. + +But when she didn't shine, out came the Things that dwelt in the +darkness and went about seeking to do evil and harm; Bogles and +Crawling Horrors, all came out when the Moon didn't shine. + +Well, the Moon heard of this, and being kind and good--as she surely +is, shining for us in the night instead of taking her natural +rest--she was main troubled. "I'll see for myself, I will," said she, +"maybe it's not so bad as folks make out." + +Sure enough, at the month's end down she stepped, wrapped up in a +black cloak, and a black hood over her yellow shining hair. Straight +she went to the bog edge and looked about her. Water here and water +there; waving tussocks and trembling mools, and great black snags all +twisted and bent. Before her all was dark--dark but for the glimmer of +the stars in the pools, and the light that came from her own white +feet, stealing out of her black cloak. + +The Moon drew her cloak faster about her and trembled, but she +wouldn't go back without seeing all there was to be seen; so on she +went, stepping as light as the wind in summer from tuft to tuft +between the muddy, gurgling water holes. Just as she came near a big +black pool her foot slipped and she was nigh tumbling in. She grabbed +with both hands at a snag near by, to steady herself with, but as she +touched it, it twined itself round her wrists, like a pair of +handcuffs, and gripped her so that she couldn't move. She pulled and +twisted and fought, but it was no good. She was fast, and must stay +fast. + +Presently as she stood trembling in the dark, wondering if help would +come, she heard something calling in the distance, calling, calling, +and then dying away with a sob, till the marshes were full of this +pitiful crying sound; then she heard steps floundering along, +squishing in the mud and slipping on the tufts, and through the +darkness she saw a white face with great feared eyes. + +'T was a man strayed in the bogs. Mazed with fear he struggled on +toward the flickering light that looked like help and safety. And when +the poor Moon saw that he was coming nigher and nigher to the deep +hole, farther and farther from the path, she was so mad and so sorry +that she struggled and fought and pulled harder than ever. And though +she couldn't get loose she twisted and turned, till her black hood +fell back off her shining yellow hair, and the beautiful light that +came from it drove away the darkness. + +Oh, but the man cried with joy to see the light again. And at once all +evil things fled back into the dark corners, for they cannot abide the +light. So he could see where he was, and where the path was, and how +he could get out of the marsh. And he was in such haste to get away +from the Quicks, and Bogles, and Things that dwelt there, that he +scarce looked at the brave light that came from the beautiful shining +yellow hair, streaming out over the black cloak and falling to the +water at his feet. And the Moon herself was so taken up with saving +him, and with rejoicing that he was back on the right path, that she +clean forgot that she needed help herself, and that she was held fast +by the Black Snag. + +So off he went, spent and gasping, and stumbling and sobbing with joy, +flying for his life out of the terrible bogs. Then it came over the +Moon, she would main like to go with him. So she pulled and fought as +if she were mad, till she fell on her knees, spent with tugging, at +the foot of the snag. And as she lay there, gasping for breath, the +black hood fell forward over her head. So out went the blessed light +and back came the darkness, with all its Evil Things, with a screech +and a howl. They came crowding round her, mocking and snatching and +beating; shrieking with rage and spite, and swearing and snarling, for +they knew her for their old enemy, that drove them back into the +corners, and kept them from working their wicked wills. + +"Drat thee!" yelled the witch-bodies, "thou 'st spoiled our spells +this year agone!" + +"And us thou sent'st to brood in the corners!" howled the Bogles. + +And all the Things joined in with a great "Ho, ho!" till the very +tussocks shook and the water gurgled. And they began again. + +"We'll poison her--poison her!" shrieked the witches. + +And "Ho, ho!" howled the Things again. + +"We'll smother her--smother her!" whispered the Crawling Horrors, and +twined themselves round her knees. + +And "Ho, ho!" mocked the rest of them. + +And again they all shouted with spite and ill-will. And the poor Moon +crouched down, and wished she was dead and done with. + +And they fought and squabbled what they should do with her, till a pale +gray light began to come in the sky; and it drew nigh the dawning. And +when they saw that, they were feared lest they shouldn't have time to +work their will; and they caught hold of her, with horrid bony fingers, +and laid her deep in the water at the foot of the snag. And the Bogles +fetched a strange big stone and rolled it on top of her, to keep her +from rising. And they told two of the Will-o-the-wykes to take turns in +watching on the black snag, to see that she lay safe and still, and +couldn't get out to spoil their sport. + +And there lay the poor Moon, dead and buried in the bog; till some one +would set her loose; and who'd know where to look for her? + +Well, the days passed, and 't was the time for the new moon's coming, +and the folk put pennies in their pockets and straws in their caps so +as to be ready for her, and looked about, for the Moon was a good +friend to the marsh folk, and they were main glad when the dark time +was gone, and the paths were safe again, and the Evil Things were +driven back by the blessed Light into the darkness and the waterholes. + +But days and days passed, and the new Moon never came, and the nights +were aye dark, and the Evil Things were worse than ever. And still the +days went on, and the new Moon never came. Naturally the poor folk +were strangely feared and mazed, and a lot of them went to the Wise +Woman who dwelt in the old mill, and asked if so be she could find out +where the Moon was gone. + +"Well," said she, after looking in the brewpot, and in the mirror, and +in the Book, "it be main queer, but I can't rightly tell ye what's +happened to her. If ye hear aught, come and tell me." + +So they went their ways; and as days went by, and never a Moon came, +naturally they talked--my word! I reckon they _did_ talk! their +tongues wagged at home, and at the inn, and in the garth. But so came +one day, as they sat on the great settle in the Inn, a man from the +far end of the bog lands was smoking and listening, when all at once +he sat up and slapped his knee. "My faicks!" said he, "I'd clean +forgot, but I reckon I kens where the Moon be!" and he told them of +how he was lost in the bogs, and how, when he was nigh dead with +fright, the light shone out, and he found the path and got home safe. + +So off they all went to the Wise Woman, and told her about it, and she +looked long in the pot and the Book again, and then she nodded her +head. + +"It's dark still, childer, dark!" says she, "and I can't rightly see, +but do as I tell ye, and ye'll find out for yourselves. Go, all of ye, +just afore the night gathers, put a stone in your mouth, and take a +hazel-twig in your hands, and say never a word till you're safe home +again. Then walk on and fear not, far into the midst of the marsh, +till ye find a coffin, a candle, and a cross. Then ye'll not be far +from your Moon; look, and m'appen ye'll find her." + +So come the next night in the darklings, out they went all together, +every man with a stone in his mouth, and a hazel-twig in his hand, and +feeling, thou may'st reckon, main feared and creepy. And they stumbled +and stottered along the paths into the midst of the bogs; they saw +naught, though they heard sighings and flutterings in their ears, and +felt cold wet fingers touching them; but all together, looking around +for the coffin, the candle, and the cross, while they came nigh to the +pool beside the great snag, where the Moon lay buried. And all at once +they stopped, quaking and mazed and skeery, for there was the great +stone, half in, half out of the water, for all the world like a +strange big coffin; and at the head was the black snag, stretching out +its two arms in a dark gruesome cross, and on it a tiddy light +flickered, like a dying candle. And they all knelt down in the mud, +and said, "Our Lord," first forward, because of the cross, and then +backward, to keep off the Bogles; but without speaking out, for they +knew that the Evil Things would catch them, if they didn't do as the +Wise Woman told them. + +Then they went nigher, and took hold of the big stone, and shoved it +up, and afterward they said that for one tiddy minute they saw a +strange and beautiful face looking up at them glad-like out of the +black water; but the Light came so quick and so white and shining, +that they stepped back mazed with it, and the very next minute, when +they could see again, there was the full Moon in the sky, bright and +beautiful and kind as ever, shining and smiling down at them, and +making the bogs and the paths as clear as day, and stealing into the +very corners, as though she'd have driven the darkness and the Bogles +clean away if she could. + + + + +_The Farmer of Liddesdale_ + + +There was in Liddesdale (in Morven) a Farmer who suffered great loss +within the space of one year. In the first place, his wife and +children died, and shortly after their death the Ploughman left him. +The hiring-markets were then over, and there was no way of getting +another Ploughman in the place of the one that left. When spring came +his neighbours began ploughing; but he had not a man to hold the +plough, and he knew not what he should do. The time was passing, and +he was, therefore, losing patience. At last he said to himself, in a +fit of passion, that he would engage the first man that came his way, +whoever he should be. + +Shortly after that a man came to the house. The Farmer met him at the +door, and asked him whither was he going, or what was he seeking? He +answered that he was a Ploughman, and that he wanted an engagement. "I +want a Ploughman, and if we agree about the wages, I will engage thee. +What dost thou ask from this day to the day when the crop will be +gathered in?" + +"Only as much of the corn when it shall be dry as I can carry with me +in one burden-withe." + +"Thou shalt get that," said the Farmer, and they agreed. + +Next morning the Farmer went out with the Ploughman, and showed him +the fields which he had to plough. Before they returned, the Ploughman +went to the wood, and having cut three stakes, came back with them, +and placed one of them at the head of each one of the fields. After he +had done that he said to the Farmer, "I will do the work now alone, +and the ploughing need no longer give thee anxiety." + +Having said this, he went home and remained idle all that day. The +next day came, but he remained idle as on the day before. After he +had spent a good while in that manner, the Farmer said to him that it +was time for him to begin to work now, because the spring was passing +away, and the neighbours had half their work finished. + +He replied, "Oh, our land is not ready yet." + +"How dost thou think that?" + +"Oh, I know it by the stakes." + +If the delay of the Ploughman made the Farmer wonder, this answer made +him wonder more. He resolved that he would keep his eye on him, and +see what he was doing. + +The Farmer rose early next morning, and saw the Ploughman going to the +first field. When he reached the field, he pulled the stake at its end +out of the ground, and put it to his nose. He shook his head and put +the stake back in the ground, He then left the first field and went to +the rest. He tried the stakes, shook his head, and returned home. In +the dusk he went out the second time to the fields, tried the stakes, +shook his head, and after putting them again in the ground, went home. +Next morning he went out to the fields the third time. When he reached +the first stake he pulled it out of the ground and put it to his nose +as he did on the foregoing days. But no sooner had he done that than +he threw the stake from him, and stretched away for the horses with +all his might. + +He got the horses, the withes, and the plough, and when he reached the +end of the first field with them, he thrust the plough into the +ground, and cried: + + "My horses and my leather-traces, and mettlesome lads, + The earth is coming up!" + +He then began ploughing, kept at it all day at a terrible rate and +before the sun went down that night there was not a palm-breadth of +the three fields which he had not ploughed, sowed, and harrowed. When +the Farmer saw this he was exceedingly well pleased, for he had his +work finished as soon as his neighbours. + +The Ploughman was quick and ready to do everything that he was told, +and so he and the Farmer agreed well until the harvest came. But on a +certain day when the reaping was over the Farmer said to him that he +thought the corn was dry enough for putting in. The Ploughman tried a +sheaf or two, and answered that it was not dry yet. But shortly after +that day he said that it was now ready. "If it is," said the Farmer, +"we'd better begin putting it in." + +"We will not until I get my share out of it first," said the +Ploughman. He then went off to the wood, and in a short time returned, +having in his hand a withe scraped and twisted. He stretched the withe +on the field, and began to put the corn in it. He continued putting +sheaf after sheaf in the withe until he had taken almost all the +sheaves that were on the field. The Farmer asked of him what he meant? +"Thou didst promise me as wages as much corn as I could carry with me +in one burden-withe, and here I have it now," said the Ploughman, as +he was shutting the withe. + +The Farmer saw that he would be ruined by the Ploughman, and therefore +said: + + "'T was in the Mart I sowed, + 'T was in the Mart I baked, + 'T was in the Mart I harrowed. + Thou Who hast ordained the three Marts, + Let not my share go in one burden-withe.'" + +Instantly the withe broke, and it made a loud report, which echo +answered from every rock far and near. Then the corn spread over the +field, and the Ploughman went away in a white mist in the skies, and +was seen no more. + + + + +_The Badger's Money_ + + +Once upon a time, in a hut at a place called Namekata, in Hitache, +there lived an old priest, famous neither for learning nor wisdom, but +bent only on passing his days in prayer and meditation. He had not +even a child to wait upon him, but prepared his food with his own +hands. Night and morning he recited the prayer, "Namu Amida Butsu," +intent upon that alone. Although the fame of his virtue did not reach +far, yet his neighbours respected and revered him, and often brought +him food and raiment; and when his roof or his walls fell out of +repair, they would mend them for him; so for the things of this world +he took no thought. + +One very cold night, when he little thought any one was outside, he +heard a voice calling, "Your reverence! your reverence!" So he rose +and went out to see who it was, and there he beheld an old badger +standing. Any ordinary man would have been greatly alarmed at the +apparition; but the priest, being such as he has been described above, +showed no sign of fear, but asked the creature his business. Upon this +the badger respectfully bent its knees, and said: + +"Hitherto, sir, my lair has been in the mountains, and of snow or +frost I have taken no heed; but now I am growing old, and this severe +cold is more that I can bear. I pray you to let me enter and warm +myself at the fire of your cottage, that I may live through this +bitter night." + +When the priest heard what a helpless state the beast was reduced to, +he was filled with pity, and said: + +"That's a very slight matter; make haste and come in and warm +yourself." + +The badger, delighted with so good a reception, went into the hut, and +squatting down by the fire began to warm itself; and the priest, with +renewed fervour, recited his prayers and struck his bell before the +image of Buddha, looking straight before him. After two hours the +badger took its leave, with profuse expressions of thanks, and went +out; and from that time forth it came every night to the hut. As the +badger would collect and bring with it dried branches and dead leaves +from the hills for firewood, the priest at last became very friendly +with it, and got used to its company; so that if ever, as the night +wore on, the badger did not arrive, he used to miss it, and wonder why +it did not come. When the winter was over, and the spring-time came at +the end of the second month, the badger gave up its visits, and was no +more seen; but, on the return of the winter, the beast resumed its old +habit of coming to the hut. When this practice had gone on for ten +years, one day the badger said to the priest, "Through your +reverence's kindness for all these years, I have been able to pass the +winter nights in comfort. Your favours are such that, during all my +life, and even after my death, I must remember them. What can I do to +requite them? If there is anything that you wish for, pray tell me." + +The priest, smiling at this speech, answered, "Being such as I am, I +have no desire and no wishes. Glad as I am to hear your kind +intentions, there is nothing that I can ask you to do for me. You need +feel no anxiety on my account. As long as I live, when the winter +comes, you shall be welcome here." The badger, on hearing this, could +not conceal its admiration at the depth of the old man's benevolence; +but having so much to be grateful for, it felt hurt at not being able +to requite it. As this subject was often renewed between them, the +priest at last, touched by the goodness of the badger's heart, said, +"Since I have shaven my head, renounced the world, and forsaken the +pleasures of this life, I have no desire to gratify, yet I own I +should like to possess three riyos in gold. Food and raiment I receive +by the favour of the villagers, so I take no heed for those things. +Were I to die to-morrow, and attain my wish of being born again into +the next world, the same kind folk have promised to meet and bury my +body. Thus, although I have no other reason to wish for money, still +if I had three riyos I would offer them up at some holy shrine, that +masses and prayers might be said for me, whereby I might enter into +salvation. Yet I would not get this money by violent or unlawful +means; I only think of what might be if I had it. So you see, since +you have expressed such kind feelings toward me, I have told you what +is on my mind." When the priest had done speaking, the badger leaned +its head on one side with a puzzled and anxious look, so much so that +the old man was sorry he had expressed a wish which seemed to give the +beast trouble, and tried to retract what he had said. "Posthumous +honours, after all, are the wish of ordinary men, I, who am a priest, +ought not to entertain such thoughts, or to want money; so pray pay no +attention to what I have said;" and the badger, feigning assent to +what the priest had impressed upon it, returned to the hills as usual. + +From that time forth the badger came no more to the hut. The priest +thought this very strange, but imagined either that the badger stayed +away because it did not like to come without the money, or that it had +been killed in an attempt to steal it; and he blamed himself for +having added to his sins for no purpose, repenting when it was too +late: persuaded, however, that the badger must have been killed, he +passed his time in putting up prayers upon prayers for it. + +After three years had gone by, one night the old man heard a voice +near his door calling out, "Your reverence! your reverence!" + +As the voice was like that of the badger, he jumped up as soon as he +heard it, and ran out to open the door; and there, sure enough, was +the badger. The priest, in great delight, cried out, "And so you are +safe and sound, after all! Why have you been so long without coming +here? I have been expecting you anxiously this long while." + +So the badger came into the hut, and said, "If the money which you +required had been for unlawful purposes, I could easily have procured +as much as ever you might have wanted; but when I heard that it was to +be offered to a temple for masses for your soul, I thought that, if I +were to steal the hidden treasure of some other man, you could not +apply to a sacred purpose money which had been obtained at the +expense of his sorrow. So I went to the island of Sado, and gathering +the sand and earth which had been cast away as worthless by the +miners, fused it afresh in the fire; and at this work I spent months +and days." As the badger finished speaking, the priest looked at the +money which it had produced, and sure enough he saw that it was bright +and new and clean; so he took the money, and received it respectfully, +raising it to his head. + +"And so you have had all this toil and labour on account of a foolish +speech of mine? I have obtained my heart's desire, and am truly +thankful." + +As he was thanking the badger with great politeness and ceremony, the +beast said, "In doing this I have but fulfilled my own wish; still I +hope that you will tell this thing to no man." + +"Indeed," replied the priest, "I cannot choose but tell this story. +For if I keep the money in my poor hut, it will be stolen by thieves: +I must either give it to some one to keep for me, or else at once +offer it up at the temple. And when I do this, when people see a poor +old priest with a sum of money quite unsuited to his station, they +will think it very suspicious, and I shall have to tell the tale as it +occurred; but as I shall say that the badger that gave me the money +has ceased coming to my hut, you need not fear being waylaid, but can +come, as of old, and shelter yourself from the cold." To this the +badger nodded assent, and as long as the old priest lived, it came and +spent the winter nights with him. + + + + +_The Grateful Foxes_ + + +One fine spring day, two friends went out to a moor to gather fern, +attended by a boy with a bottle of wine and a box of provisions. As +they were straying about, they saw at the foot of a hill a fox that +had brought out its cub to play; and whilst they looked on, struck by +the strangeness of the sight, three children came up from a +neighbouring village with baskets in their hands, on the same errand +as themselves. As soon as the children saw the foxes, they picked up a +bamboo stick and took the creatures stealthily in the rear; and when +the old foxes took to flight, they surrounded them and beat them with +the stick, so that they ran away as fast as their legs could carry +them; but two of the boys held down the cub, and, seizing it by the +scruff of the neck, went off in high glee. + +The two friends were looking on all the while, and one of them, +raising his voice, shouted out, "Hallo! you boys! what are you doing +with that fox?" + +The eldest of the boys replied, "We're going to take him home and sell +him to a young man in our village. He'll buy him, and then he'll boil +him in a pot and eat him." + +"Well," replied the other, after considering the matter attentively, +"I suppose it's all the same to you whom you sell him to. You'd better +let me have him." + +"Oh, but the young man from our village promised us a good round sum +if we could find a fox, and got us to come out to the hills and catch +one; and so we can't sell him to you at any price." + +"Well, I suppose it cannot be helped, then; but how much would the +young man give you for the cub?" + +"Oh, he'll give us three hundred cash at least." + +"Then I'll give you half a bu; and so you'll gain five hundred cash by +the transaction." + +"Oh, we'll sell him for that, sir. How shall we hand him over to you?" + +"Just tie him up here," said the other; and so he made fast the cub +round the neck with the string of the napkin in which the luncheon box +was wrapped, and gave half a bu to the three boys, who ran away +delighted. + +The man's friend, upon this, said to him, "Well, certainly you have +got queer tastes. What on earth are you going to keep that fox for?" + +"How very unkind of you to speak of my tastes like that. If we had not +interfered just now, the fox's cub would have lost its life. If we had +not seen the affair, there would have been no help for it. How could I +stand by and see life taken? It was but a little I spent--only half a +bu--to save the cub, but had it cost a fortune I should not have +grudged it. I thought you were intimate enough with me to know my +heart; but to-day you have accused me of being eccentric, and I see +how mistaken I have been in you. However, our friendship shall cease +from this day forth." + +And when he had said this with a great deal of firmness, the other, +retiring backward and bowing with his hands on his knees, replied: + +"Indeed, indeed, I am filled with admiration at the goodness of your +heart. When I hear you speak thus, I feel more than ever how great is +the love I owe you. I thought that you might wish to use the cub as a +sort of decoy to lead the old ones to you, that you might pray them to +bring prosperity and virtue to your house. When I called you eccentric +just now, I was but trying your heart, because I had some suspicions +of you; and now I am truly ashamed of myself." + +And as he spoke, still bowing, the other replied, "Really! was that +indeed your thought? Then I pray you to forgive me for my violent +language." + +When the two friends had thus become reconciled, they examined the +cub, and saw that it had a slight wound in its foot, and could not +walk; and while they were thinking what they should do, they spied out +the herb called "Doctor's Nakase," which was just sprouting; so they +rolled up a little of it in their fingers and applied it to the part. +Then they pulled out some boiled rice from their luncheon box and +offered it to the cub, but it showed no sign of wanting to eat; so +they stroked it gently on the back, and petted it; and as the pain of +the wound seemed to have subsided, they were admiring the properties +of the herb, when, opposite to them, they saw the old foxes sitting +watching them by the side of some stacks of rice straw. + +"Look there! the old foxes have come back, out of fear for their cub's +safety. Come, we will set it free!" And with these words they untied +the string round the cub's neck, and turned its head toward the spot +where the old foxes sat; and as the wounded foot was no longer +painful, with one bound it dashed to its parents' side and licked them +all over for joy, while they seemed to bow their thanks, looking +toward the two friends. So, with peace in their hearts, the latter +went off to another place, and, choosing a pretty spot, produced the +wine bottle and ate their noon-day meal; and after a pleasant day, +they returned to their homes, and became firmer friends than ever. + +Now the man who had rescued the fox's cub was a tradesman in good +circumstances: he had three or four agents and two maid-servants, +besides men-servants; and altogether he lived in a liberal manner. He +was married, and this union had brought him one son, who had reached +his tenth year, but had been attacked by a strange disease which +defied all the physicians' skill and drugs. At last a famous physician +prescribed the liver taken from a live fox, which, as he said, would +certainly effect a cure. If that were not forthcoming, the most +expensive medicine in the world would not restore the boy to health. +When the parents heard this, they were at their wits' end. However, +they told the state of the case to a man who lived on the mountains. +"Even though our child should die for it," they said, "we will not +ourselves deprive other creatures of their lives; but you, who live +among the hills, are sure to hear when your neighbours go out +fox-hunting. We don't care what price we might have to pay for a fox's +liver; pray, buy one for us at any expense." So they pressed him to +exert himself on their behalf; and he, having promised faithfully to +execute the commission went his way. + +In the night of the following day there came a messenger, who +announced himself as coming from the person who had undertaken to +procure the fox's liver; so the master of the house went out to see +him. + +"I have come from Mr. So-and-so. Last night the fox's liver that you +required fell into his hands; so he sent me to bring it to you." With +these words the messenger produced a small jar, adding, "In a few days +he will let you know the price." + +When he had delivered his message, the master of the house was greatly +pleased and said, "Indeed, I am deeply grateful for this kindness, +which will save my son's life." + +Then the good wife came out, and received the jar with every mark of +politeness. + +"We must make a present to the messenger." + +"Indeed, sir, I've already been paid for my trouble." + +"Well, at any rate, you must stop the night here." + +"Thank you, sir: I've a relation in the next village whom I have not +seen for a long while, and I will pass the night with him;" and so he +took his leave, and went away. + +The parents lost no time in sending to let the physician know that +they had procured the fox's liver. The next day the doctor came and +compounded a medicine for the patient, which at once produced a good +effect, and there was no little joy in the household. As luck would +have it, three days after this the man whom they had commissioned to +buy the fox's liver came to the house; so the good wife hurried out to +meet him and welcome him. + +"How quickly you fulfilled our wishes, and how kind of you to send at +once! The doctor prepared the medicine, and now our boy can get up and +walk about the room; and it's all owing to your goodness." + +"Wait a bit!" cried the guest, who did not know what to make of the +joy of the two parents. "The commission with which you entrusted me +about the fox's liver turned out to be a matter of impossibility, so +I came to-day to make my excuses; and now I really can't understand +what you are so grateful to me for." + +"We are thanking you, sir," replied the master of the house, bowing +with his hands on the ground, "for the fox's liver which we asked you +to procure for us." + +"I really am perfectly unaware of having sent you a fox's liver; there +must be some mistake here. Pray inquire carefully into the matter." + +"Well, this is very strange. Four nights ago, a man of some five or +six and thirty years of age came with a verbal message from you, to +the effect that you had sent him with a fox's liver, which you had +just procured, and said that he would come and tell us the price +another day. When we asked him to spend the night here, he answered +that he would lodge with a relation in the next village, and went +away." + +The visitor was more and more lost in amazement, and, leaning his head +on one side in deep thought, confessed that he could make nothing of +it. As for the husband and wife, they felt out of countenance at +having thanked a man so warmly for favours of which he denied all +knowledge; and so the visitor took his leave, and went home. + +That night there appeared at the pillow of the master of the house a +woman of about one or two and thirty years of age, who said, "I am the +fox that lives at such-and-such a mountain. Last spring, when I was +taking out my cub to play, it was carried off by some boys, and only +saved by your goodness. The desire to requite this kindness pierced me +to the quick. At last, when calamity attacked your house, I thought +that I might be of use to you. Your son's illness could not be cured +without a liver taken from a live fox, so to repay your kindness I +killed my cub and took out its liver; then its sire, disguising +himself as a messenger, brought it to your house." + +And as she spoke, the fox shed tears; and the master of the house, +wishing to thank her, moved in bed, upon which his wife awoke and +asked him what was the matter; but he, too, to her great astonishment, +was biting the pillow and weeping bitterly. + +"Why are you weeping thus?" asked she. + +At last he sat up in bed, and said, "Last spring, when I was out on a +pleasure excursion, I was the means of saving the life of a fox's cub, +as I told you at the time. The other day I told Mr. So-and-so that, +although my son were to die before my eyes, I would not be the means +of killing a fox on purpose; but asked him in case he heard of any +hunter killing a fox, to buy it for me. How the foxes came to hear of +this I don't know; but the foxes to whom I had shown kindness killed +their own cub and took out the liver; and the old dog-fox, disguising +himself as a messenger from the person to whom we had confided the +commission, came here with it. His mate has just been at my +pillow-side and told me all about it; hence it was that, in spite of +myself, I was moved to tears." + +When she heard this, the good wife likewise was blinded by her tears, +and for a while they lay lost in thought; but at last, coming to +themselves, they lighted the lamp on the shelf on which the family +idol stood, and spent the night in reciting prayers and praises, and +the next day they published the matter to the household and to their +relations and friends. Now, although there are instances of men +killing their own children to requite a favour, there is no other +example of foxes having done such a thing; so the story became the +talk of the whole country. + +Now, the boy who had recovered through the efficacy of this medicine +selected the prettiest spot on the premises to erect a shrine to Inari +Sama, the Fox God, and offered sacrifice to the two old foxes, for +whom he purchased the highest rank at court of the Mikado. + + + + +_The Black Horse_ + + +Once there was a king, and he had three sons, and when the king died, +they did not give a shade of anything to the youngest son, but an old +white limping garron. + +"If I get but this," quoth he, "it seems that I had best go with this +same." + +He was going with it right before him, sometimes walking, sometimes +riding. When he had been riding a good while he thought that the +garron would need a while of eating, so he came down to earth, and +what should he see coming out of the heart of the western air toward +him but a rider riding high, well, and right well. + +"All hail, my lad," said he. + +"Hail, king's son," said the other. + +"What's your news?" said the king's son. + +"I've got that," said the lad who came. "I am after breaking my heart +riding this ass of a horse; but will you give me the limping white +garron for him?" + +"No," said the prince; "it would be a bad business for me." + +"You need not fear," said the man that came, "there is no saying but +that you might make better use of him than I. He has one value, there +is no single place that you can think of in the four parts of the +wheel of the world that the black horse will not take you there." + +So the king's son got the black horse, and he gave the limping white +garron. + +Where should he think of being when he mounted but in the Realm +Underwaves. He went, and before sunrise on the morrow he was there. +What should he find when he got there but the son of the King +Underwaves holding a court, and the people of the realm gathered to +see if there was any one who would undertake to go to seek the +daughter of the King of the Greeks to be the prince's wife. No one +came forward, when who should come up but the rider of the black +horse. + +"You rider of the black horse," said the prince, "I lay you under +crosses and under spells to have the daughter of the King of the +Greeks here before the sun rises to-morrow." + +The lad went out and he reached the black horse and leaned his elbow +on his mane, and he heaved a sigh. + +"Sigh of a king's son under spells!" said the horse; "but have no +care; we shall do the thing that was set before you." And so off they +went. + +"Now," said the horse, "when we get near the great town of the Greeks, +you will notice that the four feet of a horse never went to the town +before. The king's daughter will see me from the top of the castle +looking out of a window, and she will not be content without a turn of +a ride upon me. Say that she may have that, but the horse will suffer +no man but you to ride before a woman on him." + +They came near the big town, and he fell to horsemanship; and the +princess was looking out of the windows, and noticed the horse. The +horsemanship pleased her, and she came out just as the horse had come. + +"Give me a ride on the horse," said she. + +"You shall have that," said he, "but the horse will let no man ride +him before a woman but me." + +"I have a horseman of my own," said she. + +"If so, set him in front," said he. + +Before the horseman mounted at all, when he tried to get up, the horse +lifted his legs and kicked him off. + +"Come then, yourself, and mount before me," said she; "I won't leave +the matter so." + +He mounted the horse and she behind him, and before she glanced from +her she was nearer sky than earth. He was in Realm Underwaves with her +before sunrise. + +"You are come," said Prince Underwaves. + +"I am come," said he. + +"There you are, my hero," said the prince. "You are the son of a +king, but I am a son of success. Anyhow, we shall have no delay or +neglect now, but a wedding." + +"Just gently," said the princess; "your wedding is not so short a way +off as you suppose. Till I get the silver cup that my grandmother had +at her wedding, and that my mother had as well, I will not marry, for +I need to have it at my own wedding." + +"You rider of the black horse," said the Prince Underwaves, "I set you +under spells and under crosses unless the silver cup is here before +dawn to-morrow." + +Out the lad went and reached the horse and leaned his elbow on his +mane, and he heaved a sigh. + +"Sigh of a king's son under spells!" said the horse; "mount and you +shall get the silver cup. The people of the realm are gathered about +the king to-night, for he has missed his daughter, and when you get to +the palace go in and leave me without; they will have the cup there +going round the company. Go in and sit in their midst. Say nothing, +and seem to be as one of the people of the place. But when the cup +comes round to you, take it under your oxter, and come out to me with +it, and we'll go." + +Away they went and they got to Greece, and he went into the palace and +did as the black horse bade. He took the cup and came out and mounted, +and before sunrise he was in the Realm Underwaves. + +"You are come," said Prince Underwaves. + +"I am come," said he. + +"We had better get married now," said the prince to the Greek +princess. + +"Slowly and softly," said she. "I will not marry till I get the silver +ring that my grandmother and my mother wore when they were wedded." + +"You rider of the black horse," said the Prince Underwaves, "do that. +Let's have that ring here to-morrow at sunrise." + +The lad went to the black horse and put his elbow on his crest and +told him how it was. + +"There never was a matter set before me harder than this matter which +has now been set in front of me," said the horse, "but there is no +help for it at any rate. Mount me. There is a snow mountain and an ice +mountain and a mountain of fire between us and the winning of that +ring. It is right hard for us to pass them." + +Thus they went as they were, and about a mile from the snow mountain +they were in a bad case with cold. As they came near it the lad struck +the horse, and with the bound he gave the black horse was on the top +of the snow mountain; at the next bound he was on the top of the ice +mountain; at the third bound he went through the mountain of fire. +When he had passed the mountains the lad was dragging at the horse's +neck, as though he were about to lose himself. He went on before him +down to a town below. + +"Go down," said the black horse, "to a smithy; make an iron spike for +every bone end in me." + +Down he went as the horse desired, and he got the spikes made, and +back he came with them. + +"Stick them into me," said the horse, "every spike of them in every +bone end that I have." + +That he did; he stuck the spikes into the horse. + +"There is a loch here," said the horse, "four miles long and four +miles wide, and when I go out into it the loch will take fire and +blaze. If you see the Loch of Fire going out before the sun rises, +expect me, and if not, go your way." + +Out went the black horse into the lake, and the lake became flame. +Long was he stretched about the lake, beating his palms and roaring. +Day came, and the loch did not go out. + +But at the hour when the sun was rising out of the water the lake went +out. + +And the black horse rose in the middle of the water with one single +spike in him, and the ring upon its end. + +He came on shore, and down he fell beside the loch. + +Then down went the rider. He got the ring, and he dragged the horse +down to the side of a hill. He fell to sheltering him with his arms +about him, and as the sun was rising he got better and better, till +about midday, when he rose on his feet. + +"Mount," said the horse, "and let us be gone." + +He mounted on the black horse, and away they went. + +He reached the mountains, and he leaped the horse at the fire mountain +and was on the top. From the mountain of fire he leaped to the +mountain of ice, and from the mountain of ice to the mountain of snow. +He put the mountains past him, and by morning he was in Realm +Underwaves. + +"You are come," said the prince. + +"I am," said he. + +"That's true," said Prince Underwaves. "A king's son are you, but a +son of success am I. We shall have no more mistakes and delays, but a +wedding this time." + +"Go easy," said the Princess of the Greeks. "Your wedding is not so +near as you think yet. Till you make a castle, I won't marry you. Not +to your father's castle nor to your mother's will I go to dwell; but +make me a castle for which your father's castle will not make washing +water." + +"You rider of the black horse, make that," said Prince Underwaves, +"before the morrow's sun rises." + +The lad went out to the horse and leaned his elbow on his neck and +sighed, thinking that this castle never could be made for ever. + +"There never came a turn in my road yet that is easier for me to pass +than this," said the black horse. + +The lad gave a glance from him and saw all that were there, and ever +so many wrights and stone masons at work, and the castle was ready +before the sun rose. + +He shouted at the Prince Underwaves, and he saw the castle. He tried +to pluck out his eye, thinking that it was a false sight. + +"Son of King Underwaves," said the rider of the black horse, "don't +think that you have a false sight; this is a true sight." + +"That's true," said the prince. "You are a son of success, but I am a +son of success, too. There will be no more mistakes and delays, but a +wedding now." + +"No," said she. "The time is come. Should we not go to look at the +castle? There's time enough to get married before the night comes." + +They went to the castle and the castle was without a fault. + +"I see one," said the prince. "One want at least to be made good. A +well must be made inside, so that water may not be far to fetch when +there is a feast or a wedding in the castle." + +"That won't be long undone," said the rider of the black horse. + +The well was made, and it was seven fathoms deep and two or three +fathoms wide, and they looked at the well on the way to the wedding. + +"It is all very good," said she, "but for one little fault yonder." + +"Where is it?" said Prince Underwaves. + +"There," said she. + +He bent him down to look. She came out, and she put her two hands at +his back, and cast him in. + +"Be thou there," said she. "If I go to be married, thou art not the +man; but the man who did each exploit that has been done, and, if he +chooses, him will I have." + +Away she went with the rider of the little black horse to the wedding. + +And at the end of three years after that, so it was that he first +remembered the black horse or where he left him. + +He got up and went out, and he was very sorry for his neglect of the +black horse. He found him just where he left him. + +"Good luck to you, gentleman," said the horse. "You seem as if you had +got something that you like better than me." + +"I have not got that, and I won't; but it came over me to forget you," +said he. + +"I don't mind," said the horse, "it will make no difference. Raise +your sword and smite off my head." + +"Fortune will not allow that I should do that," said he. + +"Do it instantly, or I will do it to you," said the horse. + +So the lad drew his sword and smote off the horse's head; then he +lifted his two palms and uttered a doleful cry. + +What should he hear behind him but "All hail, my brother-in-law!"? + +He looked behind him, and there was the finest man he ever set eyes +upon. + +"What set you weeping for the black horse?" said he. + +"This," said the lad, "that there never was born of man or beast a +creature in this world that I was fonder of." + +"Would you take me for him?" said the stranger. + +"If I could think you the horse I would; but if not, I would rather +have the horse," said the rider. + +"I am the black horse," said the lad, "and if I were not, how should +you have all these things that you went to seek in my father's house. +Since I went under spells, many a man have I ran at before you met me. +They had but one word amongst them: they could not keep me, nor manage +me, and they never kept me a couple of days. But when I fell in with +you, you kept me till the time ran out that was to come from the +spells. And now you shall go home with me, and we will make a wedding +in my father's house." + + + + +_Truth's Triumph_ + + +Several hundred years ago there was a certain Rajah who had twelve +wives, but no children, and though he caused many prayers to be said, +and presents made in temples far and near, never a son nor a daughter +had he. Now this Rajah had a Wuzeer who was a very, very wise old man, +and it came to pass that one day, when he was travelling in a distant +part of his kingdom, accompanied by this Wuzeer and the rest of his +court, he came upon a large garden, in walking round which he was +particularly struck by a little tree which grew there. It was a +bringal tree, not above two feet in height. It had no leaves, but on +it grew a hundred and one bringals. The Rajah stopped to count them, +and then turning to the Wuzeer in great astonishment, said, "It is to +me a most unaccountable thing, that this little tree should have no +leaves, but a hundred and one bringals growing on it. You are a wise +man--can you guess what this means?" + +The Wuzeer replied, "I can interpret this marvel to you, but if I do, +you will most likely not believe me; promise therefore that if I tell +you, you will not cause me to be killed as having told (as you +imagine) a lie." + +The Rajah promised, and the Wuzeer continued: "The meaning of this +little bringal tree, with the hundred and one bringals growing on it, +is this. Whoever marries the daughter of the Malee in charge of this +garden will have a hundred and one children--a hundred sons and one +daughter." + +The Rajah said. "Where is the maiden to be seen?" + +The Wuzeer answered, "When a number of great people like you and all +your court come into a little village like this, the poor people, and +especially the children, are frightened and run away and hide +themselves; therefore, as long as you stay here as Rajah you cannot +hope to see her. Your only means will be to send away your suite, and +cause it to be announced that you have left the place. Then, if you +walk daily in this garden, you may some morning meet the pretty Guzra +Bai, of whom I speak." + +Upon this advice the Rajah acted; and one day whilst walking in the +garden he saw the Malee's young daughter, a girl of twelve years old, +busy gathering flowers. He went forward to accost her, but she, seeing +that he was not one of the villagers, but a stranger, was shy, and ran +home to her father's house. + +The Rajah followed, for he was very much struck with her grace and +beauty; in fact, he fell in love with her as soon as he saw her, and +thought he had never seen a king's daughter half so charming. + +When he got to the Malee's house the door was shut; so he called out, +"Let me in, good Malee; I am the Rajah, and I wish to marry your +daughter." + +The Malee only laughed, and answered, "A pretty tale to tell a simple +man, indeed! You a Rajah! why the Rajah is miles away. You had better +go home, my good fellow, for there's no welcome for you here!" But the +Rajah continued calling till the Malee opened the door; who then was +indeed surprised, seeing it was truly no other than the Rajah, and he +asked what he could do for him. + +The Rajah said, "I wish to marry your beautiful daughter, Guzra Bai." + +"No, no," said the Malee, "this joke won't do. None of your Princes in +disguise for me. You may think you are a great Rajah and I only a poor +Malee, but I tell you that makes no difference at all to me. Though +you were king of all the earth, I would not permit you to come here +and amuse yourself chattering to my girl, only to fill her head with +nonsense, and to break her heart." + +"In truth, good man, you do me wrong," answered the Rajah humbly: "I +mean what I say; I wish to marry your daughter." + +"Do not think," retorted the Malee, "that I'll make a fool of myself +because I'm only a Malee, and believe what you've got to say, because +you're a great Rajah. Rajah or no Rajah is all one to me. If you mean +what you say, if you care for my daughter and wish to be married to +her, come and be married; but I'll have none of your new-fangled forms +and court ceremonies hard to be understood; let the girl be married by +her father's hearth and under her father's roof, and let us invite to +the wedding our old friends and acquaintances whom we've known all our +lives, and before we ever thought of you." + +The Rajah was not angry, but amused, and rather pleased than otherwise +at the old man's frankness, and he consented to all that was desired. + +The village beauty, Guzra Bai, was therefore married with as much pomp +as they could muster, but in village fashion, to the great Rajah, who +took her home with him, followed by the tears and blessings of her +parents and playmates. + +The twelve kings' daughters were by no means pleased at this addition +to the number of the Ranees; and they agreed amongst themselves that +it would be highly derogatory to their dignity to permit Guzra Bai to +associate with them, and that the Rajah their husband, had offered +them an unpardonable insult in marrying a Malee's daughter, which was +to be revenged upon her the very first opportunity. + +Having made this league, they tormented poor Guzra Bai so much that, +to save her from their persecutions, the Rajah built her a little +house of her own, where she lived very, very happily for a short time. + +At last one day he had occasion to go and visit a distant part of his +dominions, but fearing his high-born wives might ill-use Guzra Bai in +his absence, at parting he gave her a little golden bell, saying, "If +while I am away you are in any trouble, or any one should be unkind to +you, ring this little bell, and wherever I am I shall instantly hear +it, and will return to your aid." + +No sooner had the Rajah gone, than Guzra Bai thought she would try the +power of the bell. So she rang it. + +The Rajah instantly appeared. "What do you want?" he said. + +"Oh, nothing," she replied. "I was foolish. I could hardly believe +what you told me could be true, and thought I would try." + +"Now you will believe, I hope," he said, and went away. A second time +she rang the bell. Again the Rajah returned. + +"Oh, pardon me, husband," she said; "it was wrong of me not to trust +you, but I hardly thought you could return again from so far." + +And again he went away. A third time she rang the golden bell. "Why do +you ring again, Guzra Bai?" asked the Rajah sternly, as for a third +time he returned. + +"I don't know, indeed; indeed I beg your pardon," she said; "but I +know not why, I felt so frightened." + +"Have any of the Ranees been unkind to you?" he asked. + +"No, none," she answered; "in fact, I have seen none of them." + +"You are a silly child," said he, stroking her hair. "Affairs of the +state call me away. You must try and keep a good heart till my +return;" and for the fourth time he disappeared. + +A little while after this, wonderful to relate, Guzra Bai had a +hundred and one children--a hundred boys and one girl. When the Ranees +heard this, they said to each other, "Guzra Bai, the Malee's daughter, +will rank higher than us; she will have great power and influence as +mother to the heir to the Raj; let us kill these children, and tell +our husband that she is a sorceress; then will he love her no longer, +and his old affection for us will return." So these twelve wicked +Ranees all went over to Guzra Bai's house. When Guzra Bai saw them +coming, she feared they meant to do her some harm, so she seized her +little golden bell, and rang, and rang, and rang--but no Rajah came. +She had called him back so often that he did not believe she really +needed his help. And thus the poor woman was left to the mercy of her +implacable enemies. + +Now the nurse who had charge of the hundred and one babies was an old +servant of the twelve Ranees, and moreover a very wicked woman, able +and willing to do whatever her twelve wicked old mistresses ordered. +So when they said to her, "Can you kill these children?" she answered, +"Nothing is easier; I will throw them out upon the dust-heap behind +the palace, where the rats and hawks and vultures will have left none +of them remaining by to-morrow morning." + +"So be it," said the Ranees. Then the nurse took the hundred and one +little innocent children--the hundred little boys and the one little +girl--and threw them behind the palace on the dust-heap, close to some +large rat-holes; and after that, she and the twelve Ranees placed a +very large stone in each of the babies' cradles, and said to Guzra +Bai, "Oh, you evil witch in disguise, do not hope any longer to impose +by your arts on the Rajah's credulity. See, your children have all +turned into stones. See these, your pretty babies!"--and with that +they tumbled the hundred and one stones down in a great heap on the +floor. Then Guzra Bai began to cry, for she knew it was not true; but +what could one poor woman do against thirteen? At the Rajah's return +the twelve Ranees accused Guzra Bai of being a witch, and the nurse +testified that the hundred and one children she had charge of had +turned into stones, and the Rajah believed them rather than Guzra Bai, +and he ordered her to be imprisoned for life. + +Meanwhile a Bandicote had heard the pitiful cries of the children, and +taking pity on them, dragged them all, one by one, into her hole, out +of the way of kites and vultures. She assembled all the Bandicotes +from far and near, and told them what she had done, begging them to +assist in finding food for the children. Then every day a hundred and +one Bandicotes would come, each bringing a little bit of food in his +mouth, and give it to one of the children; and so day by day they grew +stronger and stronger, until they were able to run about, and then +they used to play of a morning at the mouth of the Bandicote's hole, +running in there to sleep every night. But one fine day who should +come by but the wicked old nurse! Fortunately all the boys were in the +hole, and the little girl, who was playing outside, on seeing her ran +in there too, but not before the nurse had seen her. She immediately +went to the twelve Ranees and related this, saying, "I cannot help +thinking some of the children may still be living in those rat-holes. +You had better send and have them dug out and killed." + +"We dare not do that," answered they, "for fear of causing suspicion; +but we will order some labourers to dig up that ground and make it +into a field, and that will effectually smother any of the children +who may still be alive." + +This plan was approved and forthwith carried into execution; but the +good Bandicote, who happened that day to be out on a foraging +expedition in the palace, heard all about it there, and immediately +running home, took all the children from her hole to a large well some +distance off, where she hid them in the hollows behind the steps +leading down to the well, laying one child under each step. + +Here they would have been quite safe, had not the Dhobee happened to +go down to the well that day to wash some clothes, taking with him his +little girl. While her father was drawing up water, the child amused +herself running up and down the steps of the well. Now each time her +weight pressed down a step it gave the child hidden underneath a +little squeeze. All the hundred boys bore this without uttering a +sound; but when the Dhobee's child trod on the step under which the +little girl was hidden, she cried out, "How can you be so cruel to me, +trampling on me in this way? Have pity on me, for I am a little girl +as well as you." + +When the child heard these words proceeding from the stone, she ran in +great alarm to her father, saying, "Father, I don't know what's the +matter, but something alive is certainly under those stones. I heard +it speak; but whether it is a Rakshas or an angel or a human being I +cannot tell." Then the Dhobee went to the twelve Ranees to tell them +the wonderful news about the voice in the well; and they said to each +other, "Maybe it's some of Guzra Bai's children; let us send and have +this inquired into." So they sent some people to pull down the well +and see if some evil spirits were not there. + +Then labourers went to pull down the well. Now, close to the well was +a little temple dedicated to Gunputti, containing a small shrine and a +little clay image of the god. When the children felt the well being +pulled down they called out for help and protection to Gunputti, who +took pity on them and changed them into trees growing by his temple--a +hundred little mango trees all round in a circle (which were the +hundred little boys), and a little rose bush in the middle, covered +with red and white roses, which was the little girl. + +The labourers pulled down the well, but they found nothing there but a +poor old Bandicote, which they killed. Then, by order of the twelve +wicked Ranees, they sacrilegiously destroyed the little temple. But +they found no children there, either. However, the Dhobee's +mischievous little daughter had gone with her father to witness the +work of destruction, and as they were looking on, she said, "Father, +do look at all those funny little trees; I never remember noticing +them here before." And being very inquisitive, she started off to have +a nearer look at them. There in a circle grew the hundred little mango +trees, and in the centre of all the little rose bush, bearing the red +and white roses. + +The girl rushed by the mango trees, who uttered no words, and running +up to the rose bush, began gathering some of the flowers. At this the +rose bush trembled very much, and sighed and said, "I am a little girl +as well as you; how can you be so cruel? You are breaking all my +ribs." + +Then the child ran back to her father and said, "Come and listen to +what the rose bush says." And the father repeated the news to the +twelve Ranees, who ordered that a great fire should be made, and the +hundred and one little trees be burned in it, root and branch, till +not a stick remained. + +The fire was made, and the hundred and one little trees were dug up +and just going to be put into it, when Gunputti, taking pity on them, +caused a tremendous storm to come on, which put out the fire and +flooded the country and swept the hundred and one trees into the +river, where they were carried down a long, long way by the torrent, +until at last the children were landed, restored to their own shapes, +on the river bank, in the midst of a wild jungle, very far from any +human habitation. + +Here these children lived for ten years, happy in their mutual love +and affection. Generally every day fifty of the boys would go out to +collect roots and berries for their food, leaving fifty at home to +take care of their little sister; but sometimes they put her in some +safe place, and all would go out together for the day; nor were they +ever molested in their excursions by bear, panther, snake, scorpion, +or other noxious creature. One day all the brothers put their little +sister safely up in a fine shady tree, and went out together to hunt. +After rambling on for some time they came to the hut of a savage +Rakshas, who in the disguise of an old woman had lived for many years +in the jungle. + +The Rakshas, angry at this invasion of her domain, no sooner saw them +than she changed them all into crows. Night came on, and their little +sister was anxiously awaiting her brothers' return, when on a sudden +she heard a loud whirring sound in the air, and round the tree flocked +a hundred black crows, cawing and offering her berries and roots which +they had dug up with their sharp bills. Then the little sister guessed +too truly what must have happened--that some malignant spirit had +metamorphosed her brothers into this hideous shape; and at the sad +sight she began to cry. + +Time wore on; every morning the crows flew away to collect food for +her and for themselves, and every evening they returned to roost in +the branches of the high tree where she sat the livelong day, crying +as if her heart would break. + +At last so many bitter tears had she shed that they made a little +stream which flowed from the foot of the tree right down through the +jungle. + +Some months after this, one fine day, a young Rajah from a +neighbouring country happened to be hunting in this very jungle; but +he had not been very successful. Toward the close of the day he found +himself faint and weary, having missed his way and lost his comrades, +with no companion save his dogs, who, being thirsty, ran hurriedly +hither and thither in search of water. After some time, they saw in +the distance what looked like a clear stream; the dogs rushed there +and the tired prince, following them, flung himself down on the grass +by the water's brink, thinking to sleep there for the night; and, with +his hands under his head, stared up into the leafy branches of the +tree above him. Great was his astonishment to see high up in in the +air an immense number of crows, and above them all a most lovely young +girl, who was feeding them with berries and wild fruits. Quick as +thought, he climbed the tree, and bringing her carefully and gently +down, seated her on the grass beside him, saying, "Tell me, pretty +lady, who you are, and how you come to be living in this dreary +place." So she told him all her adventures, except that she did not +say the hundred crows were her hundred brothers. Then the Rajah said, +"Do not cry any more, fair Princess; you shall come home with me and +be my Ranee, and my father and mother shall be yours." + +At this she smiled and dried her eyes, but quickly added, "You will +let me take these crows with me, will you not? for I love them dearly, +and I cannot go away unless they may come too." + +"To be sure," he answered. "You may bring all the animals in the +jungle with you, if you like, if you will only come." + +So he took her home to his father's house, and the old Rajah and Ranee +wondered much at this jungle lady, when they saw her rare beauty, her +modest, gentle ways and her queenly grace. Then the young Rajah told +them how she was a persecuted Princess, and asked their leave to marry +her; and because her loving goodness had won all hearts, they gave +their consent as joyfully as if she had been daughter of the greatest +of Rajahs, and brought with her a splendid dower; and they called her +Draupadi Bai. + +Draupadi had some beautiful trees planted in front of her palace, in +which the crows, her brothers, used to live, and she daily with her +own hands boiled a quantity of rice, which she would scatter for them +to eat as they flocked around her. Now some time after this, Draupadi +Bai had a son, who was called Ramchundra. He was a very good boy, and +his mother, Draupadi Bai, used to take him to school every morning, +and go and fetch him home in the evening. But one day, when Ramchundra +was about fourteen years old, it happened that Draupadi Bai did not go +to fetch him home from school as she was wont; and on his return he +found her sitting under the trees in front of her palace, stroking the +glossy black crows that flocked around her, and weeping. + +Then Ramchundra threw down his bundle of books and said to his +mother, putting his elbows on her knees, and looking up in her face, +"Mammy, dear, tell me why you are now crying, and what it is that +makes you so often sad." + +"Oh, nothing, nothing," she answered. + +"Yes, dear mother," said he, "do tell me. Can I help you? If I can, I +will." + +Draupadi Bai shook her head. "Alas, no, my son," she said; "you are +too young to help me; and as for my grief, I have never told it to any +one. I cannot tell it to you now." But Ramchundra continued begging +and praying her to tell him, until at last she did; relating to him +all her own and his uncles' sad history; and lastly, how they had been +changed by a Rakshas into the black crows he saw around him. + +Then the boy sprang up and said, "Which way did your brothers take +when they met the Rakshas?" + +"How can I tell?" she asked. + +"Why," he answered, "I thought perhaps you might remember on which +side they returned that first night to you, after being bewitched." + +"Oh," she said, "they came toward the tree from that part of the +jungle which lies in a straight line behind the palace." + +"Very well," cried Ramchundra, joyfully, "I also will go there, and +find out this wicked old Rakshas, and learn by what means they may be +disenchanted." + +"No, no, my son," she answered, "I cannot let you go; see, I have lost +father and mother, and these my hundred brothers; and now, if you fall +into the Rakshas's clutches as well as they, and are lost to me, what +will life have worth living for?" + +To this he replied, "Do not fear for me, mother; I will be wary and +discreet." And going to his father, he said, "Father, it is time I +should see something of the world. I beg you to permit me to travel +and see other lands." + +The Rajah answered, "You shall go. Tell me what attendants you would +like to accompany you." + +"Give me," said Ramchundra, "a horse to ride, and a groom to take care +of it." The Rajah consented, and Ramchundra set off riding toward the +jungle; but as soon as he got there, he sent his horse back by the +groom with a message to his parents and proceeded alone, on foot. + +After wandering about for some time he came upon a small hut, in which +lay an ugly old woman fast asleep. She had long claws instead of +hands, and her hair hung down all around her in a thick black tangle. +Ramchundra knew, by the whole appearance of the place, that he must +have reached the Rakshas's abode of which he was in search; so, +stealing softly in, he sat down and began shampooing her head. At last +the Rakshas woke up. "You dear little boy," she said, "do not be +afraid; I am only a poor old woman, and will not hurt you. Stay with +me, and you shall be my servant." This she said not from any feeling +of kindness or pity for Ramchundra, but merely because she thought he +might be helpful to her. So the young Rajah remained in her service, +determining to stay there till he should have learned from her all +that he wished to know. + +Thus one day he said to her, "Good mother, what is the use of all +those little jars of water you have arranged round your house?" + +She answered, "That water possesses certain magical attributes; if any +of it is sprinkled on people enchanted by me, they instantly resume +their former shape." + +"And what," he continued, "is the use of your wand?" + +"That," she replied, "has many supernatural powers; for instance, by +simply uttering your wish and waving it in the air, you can conjure up +a mountain, a river or a forest in a moment of time." + +Another day Ramchundra said to her, "Your hair, good mother, is +dreadfully tangled; pray let me comb it." + +"No," she said, "you must not touch my hair; it would be dangerous; +for every hair has power to set the jungle on fire." + +"How is that?" he asked. + +She replied, "The least fragment of my hair thrown in the direction of +the jungle would instantly set it in a blaze." + +Having learned all this, one day when it was very hot, and the old +Rakshas was drowsy, Ramchundra begged leave to shampoo her head, +which speedily sent her to sleep; then, gently pulling out two or +three of her hairs, he got up, and taking in one hand her wand, and in +the other two jars of the magic water, he stealthily left the hut; but +he had not gone far before she woke up, and instantly divining what he +had done, pursued him with great rapidity. Ramchundra, looking back +and perceiving that she was gaining upon him, waved the enchanted wand +and created a great river, which suddenly rolled its tumultuous waves +between them; but, quick as thought, the Rakshas swam the river. + +Then he turned, and waving the wand again, caused a high mountain to +rise between them; but the Rakshas climbed the mountain. Nearer she +came, and yet nearer; each time he turned to use the wand and put +obstacles in her way, the delay gave her a few minutes' advantage, so +that he lost almost as much as he gained. Then, as a last resource, he +scattered the hairs he had stolen to the winds, and instantly the +jungle on the hill side, through which the Rakshas was coming, was set +in a blaze; the fire rose higher and higher, the wicked old Rakshas +was consumed by the flames, and Ramchundra pursued his journey in +safety until he reached his father's palace. Draupadi Bai was +overjoyed to see her son again, and he led her out into the garden, +and scattered the magic water on the hundred black crows, which +instantly recovered their human forms, and stood up one hundred fine, +handsome young men. + +Then were there rejoicings throughout the country, because the Ranee's +brothers had been disenchanted; and the Rajah sent out into all +neighbouring lands to invite their Rajahs and Ranees to a great feast +in honour of his brothers-in-law. + +Among others who came to the feast was the Rajah, Draupadi Bai's +father, and the twelve wicked Ranees, his wives. + +When they were all assembled, Draupadi arose and said to him, "Noble +sir, we had looked to see your wife Guzra Bai with you. Pray you tell +us wherefore she has not accompanied you." + +The Rajah was much surprised to learn that Draupadi Bai knew anything +about Guzra Bai, and he said, "Speak not of her: she is a wicked +woman; it is fit that she should end her days in prison." + +But Draupadi Bai and her husband, and her hundred brothers rose and +said, "We require, O Rajah, that you send home instantly and fetch +hither that much injured lady, which, if you refuse to do, your wives +shall be imprisoned, and you ignominiously expelled this kingdom." + +The Rajah could not guess what the meaning of this was, and thought +they merely wished to pick a quarrel with him; but not much caring +whether Guzra Bai came or not, he sent for her as was desired. When +she arrived, her daughter, Draupadi Bai, and her hundred sons, with +Draupadi Bai's husband and the young Ramchundra, went out to the gate +to meet her, and conducted her into the palace with all honour. Then, +standing around her, they turned to the Rajah, her husband, and +related to him the story of their lives; how that they were his +children, and Guzra Bai their mother; how she had been cruelly +calumniated by the twelve wicked Ranees, and they in constant peril of +their lives; but having miraculously escaped many terrible dangers, +still lived to pay him duteous service and to cheer and support his +old age. + +At this news the whole company was very much astonished. The Rajah, +overjoyed, embraced his wife, Guzra Bai, and it was agreed that she +and their hundred sons should return with him to his own land, which +accordingly was done. Ramchundra lived very happily with his father +and mother to the day of their death, when he ascended the throne, and +became a very popular Rajah; and the twelve wicked old Ranees, who had +conspired against Guzra Bai and her children, were, by order of the +Rajah, burned to death. Thus truth triumphed in the end; but so +unequally is human justice meted out that the old nurse, who worked +their evil will, and was in fact the most guilty wretch of all, is +said to have lived unpunished, to have died in the bosom of her +family, and to have had as big a funeral pile as any virtuous Hindoo. + + + + +_The Feast of the Lanterns_ + + +Wang Chih was only a poor man, but he had a wife and children to love, +and they made him so happy that he would not have changed places with +the Emperor himself. + +He worked in the fields all day, and at night his wife always had a +bowl of rice ready for his supper. And sometimes, for a treat, she +made him some bean soup, or gave him a little dish of fried pork. + +But they could not afford pork very often; he generally had to be +content with rice. + +One morning, as he was setting off to his work, his wife sent Han +Chung, his son, running after him to ask him to bring home some +firewood. + +"I shall have to go up into the mountain for it at noon," he said. "Go +and bring me my axe, Han Chung." + +Han Chung ran for his father's axe, and Ho-Seen-Ko, his little sister, +came out of the cottage with him. + +"Remember it is the Feast of Lanterns to-night, father," she said. +"Don't fall asleep up on the mountain; we want you to come back and +light them for us." + +She had a lantern in the shape of a fish, painted red and black and +yellow, and Han Chung had got a big round one, all bright crimson, to +carry in the procession; and, besides that, there were two large +lanterns to be hung outside the cottage door as soon at it grew dark. + +Wang Chih was not likely to forget the Feast of Lanterns, for the +children had talked of nothing else for a month, and he promised to +come home as early as he could. + +At noontide, when his fellow-labourers gave up working, and sat down +to rest and eat, Wang Chih took his axe and went up the mountain +slope to find a small tree he might cut down for fuel. + +He walked a long way, and at last saw one growing at the mouth of a +cave. + +"This will be just the thing," he said to himself. But, before +striking the first blow, he peeped into the cave to see if it were +empty. + +To his surprise, two old men, with long, white beards, were sitting +inside playing chess, as quietly as mice, with their eyes fixed on the +chessboard. + +Wang Chih knew something of chess, and he stepped in and watched them +for a few minutes. + +"As soon as they look up I can ask them if I may chop down a tree," he +said to himself. But they did not look up, and by and by Wang Chih got +so interested in the game that he put down his axe, and sat on the +floor to watch it better. + +The two old men sat cross-legged on the ground, and the chessboard +rested on a slab, like a stone table, between them. + +On one corner of the slab lay a heap of small, brown objects which +Wang Chih took at first to be date stones; but after a time the +chess-players ate one each, and put one in Wang Chih's mouth; and he +found it was not a date stone at all. + +It was a delicious kind of sweetmeat, the like of which he had never +tasted before; and the strangest thing about it was that it took his +hunger and thirst away. + +He had been both hungry and thirsty when he came into the cave, as he +had not waited to have his midday meal with the other field-workers; +but now he felt quite comforted and refreshed. + +He sat there some time longer, and noticed that as the old men frowned +over the chessboard, their beards grew longer and longer, until they +swept the floor of the cave, and even found their way out of the door. + +"I hope my beard will never grow as quickly," said Wang Chih, as he +rose and took up his axe again. + +Then one of the old men spoke, for the first time. "Our beards have +not grown quickly, young man. How long is it since you came here?" + +"About half an hour, I dare say," replied Wang Chih. But as he spoke, +the axe crumbled to dust beneath his fingers, and the second +chess-player laughed, and pointed to the little brown sweetmeats on +the table. + +"Half an hour, or half a century--aye, half a thousand years, are all +alike to him who tastes of these. Go down into your village and see +what has happened since you left it." + +So Wang Chih went down as quickly as he could from the mountain, and +found the fields where he had worked covered with houses, and a busy +town where his own little village had been. In vain he looked for his +house, his wife, and his children. + +There were strange faces everywhere; and although when evening came +the Feast of Lanterns was being held once more, there was no +Ho-Seen-Ko carrying her red and yellow fish, or Han Chung with his +flaming red ball. + +At last he found a woman, a very, very old woman, who told him that +when she was a tiny girl she remembered her grandmother saying how, +when _she_ was a tiny girl, a poor young man had been spirited away by +the Genii of the mountains, on the day of the Feast of Lanterns, +leaving his wife and little children with only a few handfuls of rice +in the house. + +"Moreover, if you wait while the procession passes, you will see two +children dressed to represent Han Chung and Ho-Seen-Ko, and their +mother carrying the empty rice-bowl between them; for this is done +every year to remind people to take care of the widow and fatherless," +she said. So Wang Chih waited in the street; and in a little while the +procession came to an end; and the last three figures in it were a boy +and a girl, dressed like his own two children, walking on either side +of a young woman carrying a rice-bowl. But she was not like his wife +in anything but her dress, and the children were not at all like Han +Chung and Ho-Seen-Ko; and poor Wang Chih's heart was very heavy as he +walked away out of the town. + +He slept out on the mountain, and early in the morning found his way +back to the cave where the two old men were playing chess. + +At first they said they could do nothing for him, and told him to go +away and not disturb them; but Wang Chih would not go, and they soon +found the only way to get rid of him was to give him some really good +advice. + +"You must go to the White Hare of the Moon, and ask him for a bottle +of the elixir of life. If you drink that you will live forever," said +one of them. + +"But I don't want to live forever," objected Wang Chih. "I wish to go +back and live in the days when my wife and children were here." + +"Ah, well! For that you must mix the elixir of life with some water +out of the sky-dragon's mouth." + +"And where is the sky-dragon to be found?" inquired Wang Chih. + +"In the sky, of course. You really ask very stupid questions. He lives +in a cloud-cave. And when he comes out of it he breathes fire, and +sometimes water. If he is breathing fire you will be burnt up, but if +it is only water, you will easily be able to catch some in a little +bottle. What else do you want?" + +For Wang Chih still lingered at the mouth of the cave. + +"I want a pair of wings to fly with, and a bottle to catch the water +in," he replied boldly. + +So they gave him a little bottle; and before he had time to say "Thank +you!" a white crane came sailing past, and lighted on the ground close +to the cave. + +"The crane will take you wherever you like," said the old men. "Go +now, and leave us in peace." + +So Wang Chih sat on the white crane's back, and was taken up, and up, +and up through the sky to the cloud-cave where the sky-dragon lived. +And the dragon had the head of a camel, the horns of a deer, the eyes +of a rabbit, the ears of a cow and the claws of a hawk. + +Besides this, he had whiskers and a beard, and in his beard was a +bright pearl. + +All these things show that he was a real, genuine dragon, and if you +ever meet a dragon who is not exactly like this, you will know he is +only a make-believe one. + +Wang Chih felt rather frightened when he perceived the cave in the +distance, and if it had not been for the thought of seeing his wife +again, and his little boy and girl, he would have been glad to turn +back. + +While he was far away the cloud-cave looked like a dark hole in the +midst of a soft, white, woolly mass, such as one sees in the sky on an +April day; but as he came nearer he found the cloud was as hard as a +rock, and covered with a kind of dry, white grass. + +When he got there, he sat down on a tuft of grass near the cave, and +considered what he should do next. + +The first thing was, of course, to bring the dragon out, and the next +to make him breathe water instead of fire. + +"I have it!" cried Wang Chih at last; and he nodded his head so many +times that the white crane expected to see it fall off. + +He struck a light, and set the grass on fire, and it was so dry that +the flames spread all around the entrance to the cave, and made such a +smoke and crackling that the sky-dragon put his head out to see what +was the matter. + +"Ho! ho!" cried the dragon, when he saw what Wang Chih had done, "I +can soon put this to rights." And he breathed once, and the water came +out his nose and mouth in three streams. + +But this was not enough to put the fire out. Then he breathed twice, +and the water came out in three mighty rivers, and Wang Chih, who had +taken care to fill his bottle when the first stream began to flow, +sailed away on the white crane's back as fast as he could, to escape +being drowned. + +The rivers poured over the cloud rock, until there was not a spark +left alight, and rushed down through the sky into the sea below. + +Fortunately, the sea lay right underneath the dragon's cave, or he +would have done some nice mischief. As it was, the people on the +coast looked out across the water toward Japan, and saw three +inky-black clouds stretching from the sky into the sea. + +"My word! There is a fine rain-storm out at sea!" they said to each +other. + +But, of course, it was nothing of the kind; it was only the sky-dragon +putting out the fire Wang Chih had kindled. + +Meanwhile, Wang Chih was on his way to the moon, and when he got there +he went straight to the hut where the Hare of the Moon lived, and +knocked at the door. + +The Hare was busy pounding the drugs which make up the elixir of life; +but he left his work, and opened the door, and invited Wang Chih to +come in. + +He was not ugly, like the dragon; his fur was quite white and soft and +glossy, and he had lovely, gentle brown eyes. + +The Hare of the Moon lives a thousand years, as you know, and when he +is five hundred years old he changes his colour, from brown to white, +and becomes, if possible, better tempered and nicer than he was +before. + +As soon as he heard what Wang Chih wanted, he opened two windows at +the back of the hut, and told him to look through each of them in +turn. + +"Tell me what you see," said the Hare, going back to the table where +he was pounding the drugs. + +"I can see a great many houses and people," said Wang Chih, "and +streets--why, this is the town I was in yesterday, the one which has +taken the place of my old village." + +Wang Chih stared, and grew more and more puzzled. Here he was up in +the moon, and yet he could have thrown a stone into the busy street of +the Chinese town below his window. + +"How does it come here?" he stammered, at last. + +"Oh, that is my secret," replied the wise old Hare. "I know how to do +a great many things which would surprise you. But the question is, do +you want to go back there?" + +Wang Chih shook his head. + +"Then close the window. It is the window of the Present. And look +through the other, which is the window of the Past." + +Wang Chih obeyed, and through this window he saw his own dear little +village, and his wife, and Han Chung and Ho-Seen-Ko jumping about her +as she hung up the coloured lanterns outside the door. + +"Father won't be in time to light them for us, after all," Han Chung +was saying. + +Wang Chih turned, and looked eagerly at the White Hare. + +"Let me go to them," he said. "I have got a bottle of water from the +sky-dragon's mouth, and--" + +"That's all right," said the White Hare. "Give it to me." + +He opened the bottle, and mixed the contents carefully with a few +drops of the elixir of life, which was clear as crystal, and of which +each drop shone like a diamond as he poured it in. + +"Now, drink this," he said to Wang Chih, "and it will give you the +power of living once more in the past, as you desire." + +Wang Chih held out his hand, and drank every drop. + +The moment he had done so, the window grew larger, and he saw some +steps leading from it down into the village street. + +Thanking the Hare, he rushed through it, and ran toward his own house, +arriving in time to take the taper from his wife's hand with which she +was about to light the red and yellow lanterns which swung over the +door. + +"What has kept you so long, father? Where have you been?" asked Han +Chung, while little Ho-Seen-Ko wondered why he kissed and embraced +them all so eagerly. + +But Wang Chih did not tell them his adventures just then; only when +darkness fell, and the Feast of Lanterns began, he took his part in it +with a merry heart. + + + + +_The Lake of Gems_ + + +Once upon a time, so very long ago that even the great-grandfathers of +our great-grandmothers had not been born, there lived in the city of +Kwen-lu a little Chinese boy named Pei-Hang. + +His father and mother loved him dearly, and did all they could to +shield him from the power of the evil Genii, or spirits, of whom there +were a great many in China. Of course, there were some good Genii too, +but most of them were very much the reverse, and Pei-Hang's mother was +always taking precautions against them. + +Now it is said that a wicked Geni will not come near a Chinese boy if +he has some red silk braided in with his pigtail, or if he wears a +silver chain round his neck. + +And the most daring Geni has a great dread of old fishing-nets. + +Pei-Hang's mother made him a little shirt out of an old fishing-net to +wear next to his skin, and she took care that his pigtail should be +plaited with the brightest red silk she could buy. + +She was particular in having his head shaved in exactly the right way, +too, and to have a tuft left sticking up in the luckiest place. + +With all these precautions Pei-Hang got safely over the troubles of +his babyhood, and grew from a little boy into a big one, and from a +boy to a tall and handsome youth; and he left off wearing his netted +shirt, although the silver chain still hung round his neck and there +was red silk in his pigtail. + +"It is time that Pei-Hang saw a little more," said his father. "He +must go to Chang-ngan, and study under the wise men there, and find +out what the world is thinking about." + +Chang-ngan was the old capital of China, a very great city indeed, +and Pin-Too, the master to whom Pei-Hang was sent was the wisest man +in it. + +And there Pei-Hang soon learned what the world was thinking about, and +many things besides. And as soon as he was eighteen he took the red +silk out of his pigtail and the silver chain from his neck; for +grown-up people do not need charms to protect them from the +Genii--they can generally protect themselves. + +When he was twenty, Pin-Too told him he could not teach him any more. + +"It is time for you to go back to your parents, and comfort them in +their old age," he said. + +He looked very sorry as he said it, for Pei-Hang had been his +favourite pupil. + +"I will start to-morrow, Master," replied Pei-Hang, obediently. "I +will leave the city by the Golden Bridge." + +"No, you must go by the Indigo Bridge, for there you will meet your +future wife," said Pin-Too. + +"I was not thinking of a wife," observed Pei-Hang, with some dismay. + +And Pin-Too wrinkled up his eyes and laughed. + +"All the better!" he said. "Because, when you have once seen her, you +will be able to think of nothing else." + +It was very hot weather, and Pei-Hang ought to have started early in +the morning; but he sat so long over his books the night before his +journey that he fell fast asleep just before sunrise, and slept all +through the coolest hours of the day. + +When he awoke, the sun was blazing down upon the streets of +Chang-ngan, and making the town like a furnace. + +However, Pei-Hang took up his stick and set off, because he had +promised his father and mother to start that day. + +"I will rest a little at the Indigo Bridge, and walk on again in the +cool of the evening," he said to himself. + +But on the bridge he fell asleep again, so tired was he with the many +sleepless nights he had spent in study. + +While he slept he had a dream, in which a tall and beautiful maiden +appeared to him, and showed him her right foot, round which a red cord +was bound. + +"What is the meaning of it?" asked Pei-Hang, who could hardly take his +eyes away from her face to look at her foot. + +"What is the meaning of the red cord around your foot, too?" replied +the girl. + +Then Pei-Hang glanced at his right foot, and saw that his foot and the +girl's were tied together by the same thin red cord; and by this he +knew that she must be his future wife. + +"I have heard my mother say," he said, "that when a boy is born, the +Fairy of the Moon ties an invisible red cord round his right foot, and +the other end of the cord round the foot of the girl-baby whom he is +to marry." + +"That is quite true," said the maiden; "and _this_ is an invisible +cord to people who are awake. Now I will tell you my name, and +remember it when you hear it again. It is Yun-Ying." + +"And I will tell you mine," began Pei-Hang, but Yun-Ying stopped him, +smiling. + +"Ah, I know yours, and all about you," she said. + +This surprised Pei-Hang very much; but he need not have been greatly +astonished, for everyone in Chang-ngan knew that Pei-Hang was the +handsomest and wisest and best loved pupil the wise Pin-Too had ever +had. + +And Yun-Ying lived quite close to the city, and had often seen +Pei-Hang walking through the streets with his books. + +When Pei-Hang awoke, he found, as she had said, that there was no red +cord around his foot, and no fair maiden looking down at him, either. + +"I wonder if she is real, or only a dream-maiden, after all," he said +to himself. + +But Yun-Ying was quite real; only her mother, who knew something of +magic, had given her the power of stepping in and out of people's +dreams just as she chose. + +Pei-Hang got up and went on his way, thinking of Yun-Ying all the +time. + +It was still very hot, and he grew so thirsty that he went to a little +hut by the roadside, and asked an old woman who was sitting in the +doorway to give him a drink. + +The old dame told her daughter to fill their best goblet with fresh +spring water, and bring it out to the stranger; and when the daughter +appeared, it was none other than Yun-Ying herself. + +"Oh!" cried Pei-Hang, "I thought perhaps I should never see you again, +and I have found you almost directly." + +"And what is my name?" asked the girl, laughing. + +"Yun-Ying," replied Pei-Hang. "Yun-Ying, Yun-Ying," he repeated, in a +singing tone, just as he had been saying it all the time as he walked +along, as if he loved the sound of it. + +Yun-Ying was dressed in white underneath, but her over-dress was +bright blue, embroidered with beautiful flowers which she had worked +herself; and she stood in the door of the hut, with a peach tree in +full bloom over her head, making such a picture of youth and +loveliness that Pei-Hang's heart seemed to jump up into his throat, +and beat there fast enough to choke him. + +"Who are you? And how do you come to know Yun-Ying?" asked the old +woman peering and blinking at him, with her hand over her eyes, to +shade them from the sun. + +And when she heard about the dream, and the red cord, and that +Pei-Hang wanted to marry her daughter, she did not look at all +pleased. + +"If I had two daughters you might have one of them, and welcome," she +grumbled. + +For Pei-Hang was not by any means a bad match. His parents were well +off, and he was their only child. + +But Yun-Ying was a very pretty girl, and a mandarin of Chang-ngan was +anxious to make her his wife. + +"He is four times her age, it is true," said her mother, explaining +this to Pei-Hang; "but he is very rich. All his dishes and plates are +gold, and they say his drinking-cups are gold, set with diamonds." + +"He is old and wrinkled, like a little brown monkey," said Yun-Ying. +"_I_ don't want to marry him! And, besides, the Fairy of the Moon +didn't tie my foot to his." + +"No, that's true enough," sighed her mother. + +She would have liked to tell Pei-Hang to go about his business, but +she knew if the red cord had really been tied between his foot and +Yun-Ying's, it would not be safe to do that. + +"Come inside," she said at last; "I'll see what I can promise." + +The inside of the hut was fragrant with the scent of herbs which were +strewn all over the floor, and on a wooden stool in the middle lay a +broken pestle and mortar. + +"Now," said Yun-Ying's mother, "on this stool I pound magic drugs +given to me by the Genii; but my pestle and mortar is broken. I want a +new one." + +"That I can easily buy in Chang-ngan," replied Pei-Hang. + +"No; for it is a pestle and mortar of jade, and you can only get one +like it by going to the home of the Genii, which is on a mountain +above the Lake of Gems. If you will do that, and bring it back to me, +you shall marry Yun-Ying." + +"Yes, I will do that," said Pei-Hang, after a moment's thought. "But I +must see my parents first." + +He had not the least idea where the home of the Genii was; but +Yun-Ying took him out into the garden, and showed him, in the far +distance, a range of snow-capped mountains, with one peak towering +above the rest. + +"That is Mount Sumi," she said, "and it is there the Genii live, +sitting on the snow-peaks, and looking down at the Lake of Gems." + +"But to reach it you must cross the Blue River, the White River, the +Red River, and the Black River, which are all full of monstrous +fishes. That is why my mother is sending you," sighed Yun-Ying. "She +thinks you will never come back alive." + +"I know how to swim," said Pei-Hang, "and fishes don't frighten me." + +"Promise me you won't try to swim," said Yun-Ying, earnestly. "You +would be devoured in a moment. Take this box with you. In it you will +find six red seeds. Throw one into each river as you come to it, and +it will shrink into a little brook, over which you can jump." + +Pei-Hang opened the box, and saw inside six round, red seeds, each +about the size of a pea; and he agreed to use them as Yun-Ying +directed. Then he kissed her, and set out on his journey to Mount +Sumi. + +But on his way across the plain he passed through the town where his +parents lived, and he went to see them, and told them all that had +happened since he left Chang-ngan. + +His mother, who was a very wise woman, as mothers generally are, told +him the Genii would be angry if he turned their four great rivers into +brooks, and would probably refuse to give him a pestle and mortar made +of jade. + +"I never thought of that," said Pei-Hang. + +"Never mind," said his mother, "I will give you a box containing six +white seeds. Cast one into each brook when you have crossed it on your +way home, and the brook will expand into a river again." + +Early the next morning Pei-Hang kissed her and went on his way. + +He rested during the midday heat, and continued his journey when it +grew cool again; and in this way, at the end of seven days, he came to +the Blue River. + +It was a quarter of a mile wide, and as blue as the sky of midsummer, +and fishes were popping their heads out of the water in every +direction. The head of every fish was twice as large as a football, +and had two rows of teeth. But Pei-Hang threw a red seed into the +waves which were lapping the shore, and in a moment, instead of the +wide blue river, a little brook lay at his feet. + +The huge fishes were changed into tiny creatures like tadpoles, and he +hopped across the brook on one foot. + +Soon afterward he came to the White River, which was half a mile wide, +so rapid that it was covered with foam, like new milk, and full of +immense sea serpents. "I shan't be able to hop over _this_ on one +foot," thought Pei-Hang, throwing his red seed into the water. + +But to his surprise the White River shrank just as rapidly as the Blue +River into a tiny rippling brook, with some wee wriggling eels at the +bottom. + +Pei-Hang leaped lightly over it, and walked a long way before he came +in sight of the Red River. + +This was three-quarters of a mile wide, and bright scarlet. It looked +like a flood of melted sealing-wax, and a row of alligators, with +their mouths wide open, stretched right across it like a bridge. + +"Now for my little red seed!" said Pei-Hang, opening his box quite +cheerfully. + +The nearest alligator made a snap at the seed as it sank in the river, +but he missed it, and the next minute he found himself no bigger than +a lizard, sitting at the bottom of a stream not half a yard across. At +the other side of it Pei-Hang was met by one of the Genii, who had +come down from his snow-peak to see who it was that had dared to play +such tricks with the three mighty rivers. + +Pei-Hang showed him the round white seeds in his other box. + +"It is all right," he said, "I can make them as large as they were +before, on my way back. But first I must find the home of the Genii, +and get a pestle and mortar of jade for my future mother-in-law to +pound her magic drugs in." + +"First you must cross the Black River," replied the Geni, with rather +a scornful laugh. "It is a mile wide, and the fish in it are six yards +long, and covered with spikes like porcupines." + +"How did you get across?" inquired Pei-Hang. + +"I? Oh, I can fly," said the Geni. + +"And I can jump," retorted Pei-Hang, sturdily. + +The Geni walked with him as far as the Black River, and when our hero +saw the great waste of water as black as ink, stretching away in front +of him, it must be confessed his heart sank a little. + +But he took out his fourth seed, and watched it disappear beneath a +coal-black wave. + +In an instant, to the Geni's astonishment, the river dried up, leaving +only a shallow stream running through the grass at their feet. + +The Geni was not altogether a bad-hearted fellow, and he was also much +impressed by the wonderful things Pei-Hang seemed able to do; so he +offered to show him the nearest way to the home of the Genii, on the +top of Mount Sumi. + +After a long and wearisome climb they got up there, and found eight of +the Genii sitting on eight snow-peaks, and looking down on the Lake of +Gems, as Yun-Ying had said. + +The Lake of Gems lay on the other side of Mount Sumi, and was a +beautiful sheet of water, flashing all the colours of the rainbow. + +Pei-Hang could not take his eyes off it. He forgot all about the +pestle and mortar as he watched the waves rippling along the shore, +and leaving behind them diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and pearls in +thousands. + +Every pebble on the margin of the lake was a precious stone, and +Pei-Hang wanted to go down and fill his pockets with them. + +He stood there while the Geni who had been his guide explained to the +others why he had come, and told them about the wonderful red and +white seeds he carried about with him. + +"We must let him have the pestle and mortar," he said, "or he won't +give us our rivers back again." The eight Genii nodded their eight +heads, and spoke all at once, with a noise which was like the rumble +of thunder among the hills. "Let him take it, if he can carry it," +they said. + +And they laughed until the snow-peaks shook beneath them; for the +mortar made of jade was six feet high and four feet wide and the +pestle was so heavy no mortal could lift it. + +Pei-Hang, when he had finished staring at the Lake of Gems, walked +round it, and wondered how he was to carry it down the mountain and +across the plains to Chang-ngan. + +Then he sat down on the ground to think the matter over, and the +Genii, even his own good-natured Geni, laughed at him again. + +"Come!" they said. "If you like to fill the mortar with precious +stones, you may do it. Any man who can carry it empty can carry it +full." + +"Because no one can carry it at all," concluded the good-natured Geni, +softly to himself. + +Pei-Hang folded his arms, and sat still, and thought, and thought, and +took no notice of their gibes and sneers. + +He had not studied three years with the wisest man in Chang-ngan for +nothing, and, besides, he was determined to marry Yun-Ying, and when +young men are very much in love, they sometimes accomplish things +which their friends--and enemies--think are impossible. + +At last a light came into his eyes; and he jumped up and asked the +friendly Geni if he would make a little heap of stones at one side of +the mortar. + +"I want to be able to look inside it, and I am not tall enough," said +he. + +"And why don't you do it yourself?" asked the Geni. + +"Because I must go down to the Lake of Gems and collect precious +stones," replied Pei-Hang. + +And he ran down to the shore of the lake and gathered diamonds, +rubies, emeralds, pearls, and sapphires, as many as he could carry. + +This he did again and again, emptying them into the mortar each time, +until it was quite full, and held gems enough to make Pei-Hang the +richest man in China. + +This was exactly what he wanted; for he knew that the yellow-faced +mandarin was only the richest man in Chang-ngan, and that the richest +man in China would have a far greater chance of marrying Yun-Ying. + +"Well, what next?" cried the eight Genii, when he had finished. "Will +you take it on your shoulder or on your head?" + +"I will just carry it under my arm," replied Pei-Hang, easily. + +And he took out his little box, and threw one of his red seeds on top +of the gems. + +In a moment the gigantic pestle and mortar shrank into one of the +ordinary size. + +Pei-Hang put the pestle in his pocket, and took up the mortar +carefully, because he did not wish to spill the precious stones, and +made a low bow to the Genii. + +"Good-bye, and thank you," he said. + +They did not laugh this time, but they pursued him with such a roar of +rage that it sounded as if eight lions were waiting for their dinner. + +But they did not dare to stop him, knowing that he had the power to +turn the four brooks into four rivers again. + +Pei-Hang hurried away, and on his journey did exactly what he had +promised. + +He jumped across the first brook, and threw a white seed into it, and +turned it into a terrible inky black waste of waters a mile wide, full +of fishes six yards long, and every fish covered with spikes. + +The Genii stopped roaring then; they were relieved to see the Black +River rolling once more between them and the outer world. + +When Pei-Hang came to the Red River, and the White River, and the Blue +River, he did the same thing; and from that day to this no one has +been able to find the home of the Genii, because no one but Pei-Hang +could ever cross the Blue River, much less the other three. + +Then Pei-Hang journeyed for seven days, and came to his father's and +mother's house, and told them all that had happened since he had left +them, and he gave them a ruby, a diamond, an emerald, a sapphire, a +pearl, and a pink topaz, a jewel for every white seed his mother had +given him, and each as large as a sparrow's egg. After that he went on +to Chang-ngan, and there he found that, although he had only been a +month away, Yun-Ying's mother had told everyone he was dead, and +invited all her friends to a wedding feast in honour of her daughter's +marriage with the yellow-faced old mandarin. The wedding had not taken +place when Pei-Hang arrived; but Yun-Ying stood under the peach tree, +in her wedding dress, which was of pink silk, all embroidered with +silver, and when she saw Pei-Hang, she threw herself into his arms and +the tears ran down her cheeks. + +Pei-Hang put down the pestle and mortar while he comforted her, and +her mother came running out to look at it. + +"You have come too late to marry Yun-Ying," she said. "But I'll buy +the pestle and mortar from you with some of the money the mandarin has +given me." + +"No, you will not," replied Pei-Hang. And he dropped one of his white +seeds into the mortar, which at once increased in size until it filled +the whole grass plat under the peach tree, and it was full to the brim +of glittering jewels. + +Pei-Hang climbed into one of the branches overhanging it, and from +there he threw down among the wedding guests diamonds, rubies, +emeralds, and all kinds of precious stones. + +And the yellow-faced mandarin was as busy picking them up as anyone. + +"Although he is so rich that his drinking-cups are made of gold!" +cried the others, indignantly. + +"One can never have too much of a good thing. He! he! he!" he +chuckled. + +And when Pei-Hang offered him three rubies, each as large as a +pigeon's egg, if he would go away and forget all about Yun-Ying, he +took them and went. + +Perhaps he knew that Yun-Ying's mother would not have much more to say +to him, now that she had a chance of a son-in-law who scattered jewels +about the grass like pearl barley. + +Or perhaps he really preferred the three great rubies to Yun-Ying. + +At any rate, he went back to Chang-ngan, and Pei-Hang married Yun +Ying, and took her away to the city where his father and mother lived; +and they were as happy as two young people deserve to be when they +love each other dearly. + +As for the pestle and mortar of jade, it stood under the peach tree; +and no one could lift it into the cottage, and no one could have +pounded magic drugs in it, if they could have got it inside. + +Pei-Hang had one red seed left in his box, and he meant to have thrown +it into the mortar as soon as he had taken all the precious stones +out, and made it small again. + +But while he was up in the peach tree the box flew open, and the seed +fell out, and was gobbled up by a turkey underneath. + +The turkey, of course, changed into a bantam cock; but the pestle and +mortar had to remain the size it was. + +And Yun-Ying's mother was very angry about it, although I do not think +she deserved anything else, after the unfair advantage she had tried +to take of her son-in-law. + + + + +_The Sea-Maiden_ + + +There was once a poor old fisherman, and one year he was not getting +much fish. On a day of days, while he was fishing, there rose a +sea-maiden at the side of his boat, and she asked him, "Are you +getting much fish?" The old man answered and said, "Not I." "What +reward would you give me for sending plenty of fish to you?" "Ach!" +said the old man, "I have not much to spare." "Will you give me the +first son you have?" said she. "I would give ye that, were I to have a +son," said he. "Then go home, and remember me when your son is twenty +years of age, and you yourself will get plenty of fish after this." +Everything happened as the sea-maiden said, and he himself got plenty +of fish; but when the end of the twenty years was nearing, the old man +was growing more and more sorrowful and heavy-hearted, while he +counted each day as it came. + +He had rest neither day nor night. The son asked his father one day, +"Is any one troubling you?" The old man said, "Someone is, but that's +nought to do with you nor anyone else." The lad said, "I _must_ know +what it is." His father told him at last how the matter was with him +and the sea-maiden. "Let not that put you in any trouble," said the +son; "I will not oppose you." "You shall not; you shall not go, my +son, though I never get fish any more." "If you will not let me go +with you, go to the smithy, and let the smith make me a great strong +sword, and I will go seek my fortune." + +His father went to the smithy, and the smith made a doughty sword for +him. His father came home with the sword. The lad grasped it and gave +it a shake or two, and it flew into a hundred splinters. He asked his +father to go to the smithy and get him another sword in which there +should be twice as much weight; and so his father did, and so likewise +it happened to the next sword--it broke in two halves. Back went the +old man to the smithy; and the smith made a great sword; its like he +never made before. "There's the sword for thee," said the smith, "and +the fist must be good that plays this blade." The old man gave the +sword to his son; he gave it a shake or two. "This will do," said he; +"it's high time now to travel on my way." + +On the next morning he put a saddle on a black horse that his father +had, and he took the world for his pillow. When he went on a bit, he +fell in with the carcass of a sheep beside the road. And there were a +great black dog, a falcon, and an otter, and they were quarrelling +over the spoil. So they asked him to divide it for them. He came down +off the horse, and he divided the carcass amongst the three, three +shares to the dog, two shares to the otter, and a share to the falcon. +"For this," said the dog, "if swiftness of foot or sharpness of tooth +will give thee aid, mind me, and I will be at thy side." Said the +otter, "If the swimming of foot on the ground of a pool will loose +thee, mind me, and I will be at thy side." Said the falcon, "If +hardship comes on thee, where swiftness of wing or crook of claw will +do good, mind me, and I will be at thy side." + +On this he went onward till he reached a king's house, and he took +service to be a herd, and his wages were to be according to the milk +of the cattle. He went away with the cattle, and the grazing was but +bare. In the evening when he took them home they had not much milk, +the place was so bare, and his meat and drink was but spare that +night. + +On the next day he went farther on with them; and at last he came to a +place exceedingly grassy, in a great glen, of which he never saw the +like. + +But about the time when he should drive the cattle home-wards, whom +should he see coming but a great giant with a sword in his hand? "HI! +HO!! HOGARACH!!!" says the giant. "Those cattle are mine; they are on +my land, and a dead man art thou." "I say not that," says the herd; +"there is no knowing, but that may be easier to say than to do." + +He drew the great clean-sweeping sword, and he neared the giant. The +herd drew back his sword, and the head was off the giant in a +twinkling. He leaped on the black horse, and he went to look for the +giant's house. In went the herd, and that's the place where there was +money in plenty, and dresses of each kind in the wardrobe with gold +and silver, and each thing finer than the other. At the mouth of night +he took himself to the king's house, but he took not a thing from the +giant's house. And when the cattle were milked this night there _was_ +milk! He got good feeding this night, meat and drink without stint, +and the king was hugely pleased that he had caught such a herd. He +went on for a time in this way, but at last the glen grew bare of +grass, and the grazing was not so good. + +So he thought he would go a little farther forward in on the giant's +land; and he sees a great park of grass. He returned for the cattle, +and he put them into the park. + +They were but a short time grazing in the park when a great wild giant +came, full of rage and madness. "HI! HAW!! HOGARAICH!!!" said the +giant; "it is a drink of thy blood that will quench my thirst this +night." "There is no knowing," said the herd, "but that's easier to +say than to do." And at each other went the men. _There_ was shaking +of blades! At length and at last it seemed as if the giant would get +the victory over the herd. Then he called on the dog, and with one +spring the black dog caught the giant by the neck, and swiftly the +herd struck off his head. + +He went home very tired this night, but it's a wonder if the king's +cattle had not milk. The whole family was delighted that they had got +such a herd. + +Next day he betakes himself to the castle. When he reached the door, a +little flattering carlin met him standing in the door. "All hail and +good luck to thee, fisher's son! 't is I myself am pleased to see +thee; great is the honour for this kingdom, for thy like to be come +into it--thy coming in is fame for this little bothy; go in first; +honour to the gentles; go in, and take breath." + +"In before me, thou crone; I like not flattery out of doors; go in and +let's hear thy speech." In went the crone, and when her back was to +him he drew his sword and whips off her head; but the sword flew out +of his hand. And swift the crone gripped her head with both hands, and +put it on her neck as it was before. The dog sprang on the crone, and +she struck the generous dog with the club of magic; and there he lay. +But the herd struggled for a hold of the club of magic, and with one +blow on the top of the head she was on earth in the twinkling of an +eye. He went forward, up a little, and there was spoil! Gold and +silver, and each thing more precious than another, in the crone's +castle. He went back to the king's house, and there was rejoicing. + +He followed herding in this way for a time; but one night after he +came home, instead of getting "All hail!" and "Good luck!" from the +dairymaid, all were at crying and woe. + +He asked what cause of woe there was that night. The dairymaid said, +"There is a great beast with three heads in the loch, and it must get +someone every year, and the lot had come this year on the king's +daughter, and at midday to-morrow she is to meet the Laidly Beast at +the upper end of the loch, but there is a great suitor yonder who is +going to rescue her." + +"What suitor is that?" said the herd. "Oh, he is a great general of +arms," said the dairymaid, "and when he kills the beast, he will marry +the king's daughter, for the king has said that he who could save his +daughter should get her to marry." + +But on the morrow, when the time grew near, the king's daughter and +this hero of arms went to give a meeting to the beast, and they +reached the black rock at the upper end of the loch. They were but a +short time there when the beast stirred in the midst of the loch; but +when the general saw this terror of a beast with three heads, he took +fright, and he slunk away, and he hid himself. And the king's +daughter was under fear and under trembling, with no one at all to +save her. Suddenly she sees a doughty, handsome youth, riding a black +horse, and coming where she was. He was marvellously arrayed and full +armed, and his black dog moved after him. "There is gloom on your +face, girl," said the youth; "what do you here?" + +"Oh! that's no matter," said the king's daughter. "It's not long I'll +be here at all events." + +"I say not that," said he. + +"A champion fled as likely as you, and not long since," said she. + +"He is a champion who stands the war," said the youth. And to meet the +beast he went with his sword and his dog. But there was a spluttering +and a splashing between himself and the beast! The dog kept doing all +he might, and the king's daughter was palsied by fear of the noise of +the beast! One of them would now be under, and now above. But at last +he cut one of the heads off it. It gave one roar, and the son of +earth, echo of the rocks, called to its screech, and it drove the loch +in spindrift from end to end, and in a twinkling it went out of sight. + +"Good luck and victory follow you, lad!" said the king's daughter. "I +am safe for one night, but the beast will come again and again, until +the other two heads come off it." He caught the beast's head, and he +drew a knot through it, and he told her to bring it with her there +to-morrow. She gave him a gold ring, and went home with the head on +her shoulder, and the herd betook himself to the cows. But she had not +gone far when this great general saw her, and he said to her, "I will +kill you if you do not say 't was I took the head off the beast." +"Oh!" says she, "'t is I will say it; who else took the head off the +beast but you!" They reached the king's house, and the head was on the +general's shoulder. But here was rejoicing, that she should come home +alive and whole, and this great captain with the beast's head full of +blood in hand. On the morrow they went away, and there was no +question at all but that this hero would save the king's daughter. + +They reached the same place, and they were not long there when the +fearful Laidly Beast stirred in the midst of the loch, and the hero +slunk away as he did on yesterday: but it was not long after this when +the man of the black horse came, with another dress on. No matter; she +knew that it was the very same lad. "It is I am pleased to see you," +said she. "I am in hopes you will handle your great sword to-day as +you did yesterday. Come up and take breath." But they were not long +there when they saw the beast steaming in the midst of the loch. + +At once he went to meet the beast, but _there_ was Cloopersteich and +Clapersteich, spluttering, splashing, raving, and roaring on the +beast! They kept at it thus for a long time, and about the mouth of +the night he cut another head off the beast. He put it on the knot and +gave it to her. She gave him one of her earrings, and he leaped on the +black horse, and he betook himself to the herding. The king's daughter +went home with the heads. The general met her, and took the heads from +her, and he said to her that she must tell that it was he who took the +head off of the beast this time also. "Who else took the head off the +beast but you?" said she. They reached the king's house with the +heads. Then there was joy and gladness. + +About the same time on the morrow, the two went away. The officer hid +himself as he usually did. The king's daughter betook herself to the +bank of the loch. The hero of the black horse came, and if roaring and +raving were on the beast on the days that were passed, this day it was +horrible. But no matter, he took the third head off the beast, and +drew it through the knot, and gave it to her. She gave him her other +earring, and then she went home with the heads. When they reached the +king's house, all were full of smiles, and the general was to marry +the king's daughter the next day. The wedding was going on, and +everyone about the castle longing till the priest should come. But +when the priest came, she would marry only the one who could take the +heads off the knot without cutting it. "Who should take the heads off +the knot but the man that put the heads on?" said the king. + +The general tried them, but he could not loose them, and at last there +was no one about the house but had tried to take the heads off the +knot, but they could not. The king asked if there was anyone else +about the house that would try to take the heads off the knot. They +said that the herd had not tried them yet. Word went for the herd; and +he was not long throwing them hither and thither. "But stop a bit, my +lad," said the king's daughter; "the man that took the heads off the +beast, he has my ring and my two earrings." The herd put his hand in +his pocket, and he threw them on the board. "Thou art my man," said +the king's daughter. The king was not so pleased when he saw that it +was a herd who was to marry his daughter, and he ordered that he +should be put in a better dress; but his daughter spoke, and she said +that he had a dress as fine as any that ever was in his castle; and +thus it happened. The herd put on the giant's golden dress, and they +were married that same day. + +They were now married, and everything went on well. But one day, and +it was the namesake of the day when his father had promised him to the +sea-maiden, they were sauntering by the side of the loch, and lo, and +behold! she came and took him away to the loch without leave or +asking. The king's daughter was now mournful, tearful, blind-sorrowful +for her married man; she was always with her eye on the loch. An old +soothsayer met her, and she told how it had befallen her married mate. +Then he told her the thing to do to save her mate, and that she did. + +She took her harp to the sea-shore, and sat and played; and the +sea-maiden came up to listen, for sea-maidens are fonder of music than +all other creatures. But when the wife saw the sea-maiden she stopped. +The sea-maiden said, "Play on!" but the princess said, "No, not till I +see my man again." So the sea-maiden put up his head out of the loch. +Then the princess played again, and stopped till the sea-maiden put +him up to the waist. Then the princess played and stopped again, and +this time the sea-maiden put him all out of the loch, and he called on +the falcon and became one, and flew on shore. But the sea-maiden took +the princess, his wife. + +Sorrowful was each one that was in the town on this night. Her man was +mournful, tearful, wandering down and up about the banks of the loch, +by day and night. The old soothsayer met him. The soothsayer told him +that there was no way of killing the sea-maiden but the one way, and +this is it: "In the island that is in the midst of the loch is the +white-footed hind of the slenderest legs and the swiftest step, and +though she be caught, there will spring a hoodie out of her, and +though the hoodie should be caught, there will spring a trout out of +her, but there is an egg in the mouth of the trout, and the soul of +the sea-maiden is in the egg and if the egg breaks she is dead." + +Now, there was no way of getting to this island, for the sea-maiden +would sink each boat and raft that would go on the loch. He thought he +would try to leap the strait with the black horse, and even so he did. +The black horse leaped the strait. He saw the hind; and he let the +black dog after her, but when he was on one side of the island, the +hind would be on the other side. "Oh! would the black dog of the +carcass of flesh were here!" No sooner spoke he the word than the +grateful dog was at his side; and after the hind he went, and they +were not long in bringing her to earth. But he no sooner caught her +than a hoodie sprang out of her. "Would that the falcon grey, of +sharpest eye and swiftest wing, were here!" No sooner said he this +than the falcon was after the hoodie, and she was not long putting her +to earth; and as the hoodie fell on the bank of the loch, out of her +jumps the trout. "Oh! that thou wert by me now, O otter!" No sooner +said than the otter was at his side, and out on the loch she leaped, +and brings the trout from the midst of the loch; but no sooner was the +otter on shore with the trout than the egg came from his mouth. He +sprang and he put his foot on it. 'T was then that the sea-maiden +appeared, and she said, "Break not the egg, and you shall get all you +ask." "Deliver to me my wife!" In the wink of an eye she was by his +side. When he got hold of her hand in both his hands, he let his foot +down on the egg, and the sea-maiden died. + + + + +_The Enchanted Waterfall_ + + +Once upon a time, there lived alone with his father and mother a +simple young wood-cutter. He worked all day on the lonely hillside, or +among the shady trees of the forest. But, work as hard as he might, he +was still very poor, and could bring home but little money to his old +father and mother. This grieved him very much, for he was an +affectionate and dutiful son. + +For himself he had but few wants and was easily pleased. His mother, +too, was always cheerful and contented. The old father, however, was +of a selfish disposition, and often grumbled at the poor supper of +rice, washed down with weak tea, or, if times were very bad, with a +cup of hot water. + +"If we had but a little sake, now," he would say, "it would warm one +up, and do one's heart good." And then he would reproach the simple +young fellow, vowing that in his young days he had always been able to +afford a cup of sake for himself and his friends. + +Grieved at heart, the young man would work harder than ever and think +to himself: "How shall I earn some more money? How shall I get a +little sake for my poor father, who really needs it in his weakness +and old age?" + +He was thinking in this way to himself one day as he was at work on +the wooded hills, when the sound of rushing water caught his ear. He +had often worked in the same spot before, and could not remember that +there was any torrent or waterfall near. So, feeling rather surprised, +he followed the sound, which got louder and louder until at last he +came upon a beautiful little cascade. + +The water looked so clear and cool that he stooped down where it was +flowing away in a quiet stream, and, using his hand as a cup, drank a +little of it. What was his amazement to find that instead of water it +was the most excellent sake! + +Overjoyed at this discovery, he quickly filled the gourd which was +hanging at his girdle, and made the best of his way home, rejoicing +that now at last he had something good to bring back to his poor old +father. The old man was so delighted with the sake that he drank cup +after cup. A neighbour happened to drop in, the story was told to him, +and a cup of sake offered and drunk with many words of astonishment +and gratitude. + +Soon the news spread through the village, and before night there was +hardly a man in the place who had not paid his visit of curiosity, +been told the tale of the magic fountain, and smelt the gourd, which, +alas! was now empty. + +Next morning the young wood-cutter set off to work earlier even than +usual, not forgetting to carry with him a large gourd, for of course +the enchanted waterfall was to be visited again. + +What was the surprise of the young man when he came to the spot, to +find several of his neighbours already there, and all armed with +buckets, jars, pitchers, anything that would carry a good supply of +the coveted sake. Each man had come secretly, believing that he alone +had found his way to the magic waterfall. + +The young wood-cutter was amused to see the looks of disappointment +and anger upon the faces of those who already stood near the water, as +they saw fresh arrivals every moment. Each one looked abashed and +uncomfortable in the presence of his neighbours; but, at last, one +bolder than the others broke the grim silence with a laugh, which soon +the others were fain to join in. + +"Here we are," said he, "all bent on the same errand. Let us fill our +jars and gourds and go home. But first--just one taste of the magic +sake." He stooped down and, filling his gourd, put it to his lips. +Once and yet again did he drink, with a face of astonishment which +soon gave place to anger. + +"Water!" he shouted in a rage; "nothing but cold water! We have been +tricked and deceived by a parcel of made-up stories--where is that +young fellow? Let us duck him in his fine waterfall!" + +But the young man had been wise enough to slip behind a big rock when +he saw the turn things were taking, and was nowhere to be found. + +First one and then another tasted of the stream. It was but too true; +no sake, but clear, cold water was there. Crestfallen and out of +temper, the covetous band returned to their homes. + +When they were fairly gone the good young wood-cutter crept from his +hiding-place. "Could this be true," he thought, "or was it all a +dream? At any rate," said he, "I must taste once more for myself." He +filled the gourd and drank. Sure enough, there was the same +fine-flavoured sake he had tasted yesterday. And so it remained. To +the good, dutiful son the cascade flowed with the finest sake, while +to all others it yielded only cold water. + +The emperor, hearing this wonderful story, sent for the good young +wood-cutter, rewarded him for his kindness to his father, and even +changed the name of the year in his honour as an encouragement to +children in all future time to honour and obey their parents. + + + + +_The Amadan of the Dough_ + + +There was a king, once on a time, that had a son that was an +Amadan.[7] The Amadan's mother died, and the king married again. + +[Footnote 7: Simpleton.] + +The Amadan's stepmother was always afraid of his beating her children, +he was growing so big and strong. So to keep him from growing and to +weaken him, she had him fed on dough made of raw meal and water, and +for that he was called "The Amadan of the Dough." But instead of +getting weaker, it was getting stronger the Amadan was on this fare, +and he was able to thrash all of his stepbrothers together. + +At length his stepmother told his father that he would have to drive +the Amadan away. The father consented to put him away; but the Amadan +refused to go till his father would give him a sword so sharp that it +would cut a pack of wool falling on it. + +After a great deal of time and trouble the father got such a sword and +gave it to the Amadan; and when the Amadan had tried it and found it +what he wanted, he bade them all good-bye and set off. + +For seven days and seven nights he travelled away before him without +meeting anything wonderful, but on the seventh night he came up to a +great castle. He went in and found no one there, but he found a great +dinner spread on the table in the hall. So to be making the most of +his time, down the Amadan sat at the table and whacked away. + +When he had finished with his dinner, up to the castle came three +young princes, stout, strong, able fellows, but very, very tired, and +bleeding from wounds all over them. + +They struck the castle with a flint, and all at once the whole castle +shone as if it were on fire. + +The Amadan sprang at the three of them to kill them. He said, "What +do you mean by putting the castle on fire?" + +"O Amadan!" they said, "don't interfere with us, for we are nearly +killed as it is. The castle isn't on fire. Every day we have to go out +to fight three giants--Slat Mor, Slat Marr, and Slat Beag. We fight +them all day long, and just as night is falling we have them killed. +But however it comes, in the night they always come to life again, and +if they didn't see this castle lit up, they'd come in on top of us and +murder us while we slept. So every night when we come back from the +fight, we light up the castle. Then we can sleep in peace until +morning, and in the morning go off and fight the giants again." + +When the Amadan heard this, he wondered; and he said he would like +very much to help them kill the giants. They said they would be very +glad to have such a fine fellow's help; and so it was agreed that the +Amadan should go with them to the fight next day. + +Then the three princes washed themselves and took their supper, and +they and the Amadan went to bed. + +In the morning all four of them set off, and travelled to the Glen of +the Echoes, where they met the three giants. + +"Now," says the Amadan, "if you three will engage the two smaller +giants, Slat Marr and Slat Beag, I'll engage Slat Mor myself and kill +him." + +They agreed to this. + +Now the smallest of the giants was far bigger and more terrible than +anything ever the Amadan had seen or heard of in his life before, so +you can fancy what Slat Mor must have been like. + +But the Amadan was little concerned at this. He went to meet Slat Mor, +and the two of them fell to the fight, and a great, great fight they +had. They made the hard ground into soft, and the soft into spring +wells; they made the rocks into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, +and the gravel fell over the country like hailstones. All the birds of +the air from the lower end of the world to the upper end of the +world, and all the wild beasts and tame from the four ends of the +earth, came flocking to see the fight; and in the end the Amadan ran +Slat Mor through with his sword and laid him down dead. + +Then he turned to help the three princes, and very soon he laid the +other two giants down dead for them also. + +Then the three princes said they would all go home. The Amadan told +them to go, but warned them not to light up the castle this night, and +said he would sit by the giants' corpses and watch if they came to +life again. + +The three princes begged of him not to do this, for the three giants +would come to life, and then he, having no help, would be killed. + +The Amadan was angry with them, and ordered them off instantly. Then +he sat down by the giants' corpses to watch. But he was so tired from +his great day's fighting that by and by he fell asleep. + +About twelve o'clock at night, when the Amadan was sleeping soundly, +up comes a _cailliach_ [old hag] and four _badachs_ [unwieldy big +fellows], and the cailliach carried with her a feather and a bottle of +_iocshlainte_ [ointment of health], with which she began to rub the +giants' wounds. + +Two of the giants were already alive when the Amadan awoke, and the +third was just opening his eyes. Up sprang the Amadan, and at him +leaped they all--Slat Mor, Slat Marr, Slat Beag, the cailliach, and +the four badachs. + +If the Amadan had had a hard fight during the day, this one was surely +ten times harder. But a brave and a bold fellow he was, and not to be +daunted by numbers of showers of blows. They fought for long and long. +They made the hard ground into soft, and the soft into spring wells; +they made the rocks into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, and the +gravel fell over the country like hailstones. All the birds of the air +from the lower end of the world to the upper end of of the world, and +all the wild beasts and tame from the four ends of the earth, came +flocking to see the fight; and one after the other of them the Amadan +ran his sword through, until he had every man of them stretched on the +ground, dying or dead. + +And when the old cailliach was dying, she called the Amadan to her and +put him under _geasa_ [an obligation that he could not shirk] to lose +the power of his feet, of his strength, of his sight, and of his +memory, if he did not go to meet and fight the Black Bull of the Brown +Wood. + +When the old hag died outright, the Amadan rubbed some of the +iocshlainte to his wounds with the feather, and at once he was as hale +and as fresh as when the fight began. Then he took the feather and the +bottle of iocshlainte, buckled on his sword, and started away before +him to fulfil his geasa. + +He travelled for the length of that lee-long day, and when night was +falling, he came to a little hut on the edge of a wood; and the hut +had no shelter inside or out but one feather over it, and there was a +rough, red woman standing in the door. + +"You're welcome!" says she, "Amadan of the Dough, the king of +Ireland's son. What have you been doing and where are you going?" + +"Last night," says the Amadan, "I fought a great fight, and killed +Slat Mor, Slat Marr, Slat Beag, the Cailliach of the Rocks, and four +badachs. Now I'm under geasa to meet and to fight the Black Bull of +the Brown Wood. Can you tell me where to find him?" + +"I can that," says she, "but it's now night. Come in and eat and +sleep." + +So she spread for the Amadan a fine supper, and made a soft bed, and +he ate heartily and slept heartily that night. + +In the morning she called him early, and she directed him on his way +to meet the Black Bull of the Brown Wood. "But, my poor Amadan," she +said, "no one has ever yet met that bull and come back alive." + +She told him that when he reached the place of meeting, the bull would +come tearing down the hill like a hurricane. + +"Here's a cloak," says she, "to throw upon the rock that is standing +there. You hide yourself behind the rock, and when the bull comes +tearing down, he will dash at the cloak, and blind himself with the +crash against the rock. Then you jump on the bull's back and fight for +life. If, after the fight, you are living, come back and see me; and +if you are dead, I'll go and see you." + +The Amadan took the cloak, thanked her and set off, and travelled on +and on until he came to the place of meeting. + +When the Amadan came there, he saw the Bull of the Brown Wood come +tearing down the hill like a hurricane, and he threw the cloak on the +rock and hid behind it, and with the fury of his dash against the +cloak the bull blinded himself, and the roar of his fury split the +rock. + +The Amadan lost no time jumping on his back, and with his sword began +hacking and slashing him; but he was no easy bull to conquer, and a +great fight the Amadan had. They made the hard ground into soft, and +the soft into spring wells; they made the rocks into pebbles, and the +pebbles into gravel, and the gravel fell over the country like +hailstones. All the birds of the air from the lower end of the world +to the upper end of the world, and all the wild beasts and tame from +the four ends of the earth, came flocking to see the fight; at length, +after a long time, the Amadan ran his sword right through the bull's +heart, and the bull fell down dead. But before he died he put the +Amadan under geasa to meet and to fight the White Wether of the Hill +of the Waterfalls. + +Then the Amadan rubbed his own wounds with the iocshlainte, and he was +as fresh and hale as when he went into the fight. Then he set out and +travelled back again to the little hut that had no shelter without or +within, only one feather over it, and the rough, red woman was +standing in the door: and she welcomed the Amadan and asked him the +news. + +He told her all about the fight, and that the Black Bull of the Woods +had put him under geasa to meet and to fight the White Wether of the +Hill of the Waterfalls. + +"I'm sorry for you, my poor Amadan," says she, "for no one ever met +before that White Wether and came back alive. But come in and eat and +rest, anyhow, for you must be both hungry and sleepy." + +So she spread him a hearty meal and made him a soft bed, and the +Amadan ate and slept heartily; and in the morning she directed him to +where he would meet the White Wether of the Hill of the Waterfalls. +And she told him that no steel was tougher than the hide of the White +Wether, that a sword was never yet made that could go through it, and +that there was only one place--a little white spot just over the +wether's heart--where he could be killed or sword could cut through. +And she told the Amadan that his only chance was to hit this spot. + +The Amadan thanked her, and set out. He travelled away and away before +him until he came to the Hill of the Waterfalls, and as soon as he +reached it he saw the White Wether coming tearing toward him in a +furious rage, and the earth he was throwing up with his horns was +shutting out the sun. + +And when the wether came up and asked the Amadan what great feats he +had done that made him impudent enough to dare to come there, the +Amadan said: "With this sword I have killed Slat Mor, Slatt Marr, +Slatt Beag, the Cailliach of the Rocks and her four badachs, and +likewise the Black Bull of the Brown Wood." + +"Then," said the White Wether, "you'll never kill any other." And at +the Amadan he sprang. + +The Amadan struck at him with his sword, and the sword glanced off as +it might off steel. Both of them fell to the fight with all their +hearts, and such a fight never was before or since. They made the hard +ground into soft, and the soft into spring wells; they made the rocks +into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, and the gravel fell over +the country like hailstones. All the birds of the air from the lower +end of the world to the upper end of the world, and all the wild +beasts and tame from the four ends of the earth, came flocking to see +the fight. But at length and at last, after a long and terrible fight, +the Amadan, seeing the little spot above the heart that the red woman +had told him of, struck for it and hit it, and drove his sword through +the White Wether's heart, and he fell down. And when he was dying, he +called the Amadan and put him under a geasa to meet and fight the +Beggarman of the King of Sweden. + +The Amadan took out his bottle of iocshlainte and rubbed himself with +the iocshlainte, and he was as fresh and hale as when he began the +fight. Then he set out again, and when night was falling, he reached +the hut that had no shelter within or without, only one feather over +it, and the rough, red woman was standing in the door. + +Right glad she was to see the Amadan coming back alive, and she +welcomed him heartily and asked him the news. + +He told her of the wonderful fight he had had, and that he was now +under geasa to meet and fight the Beggarman of the King of Sweden. + +She made him come in and eat and sleep, for he was tired and hungry. +And heartily the Amadan ate and heartily he slept; and in the morning +she called him early, and directed him on his way to meet the +Beggarman of the King of Sweden. + +She told him that when he reached a certain hill, the beggarman would +come down from the sky in a cloud; and that he would see the whole +world between the beggarman's legs and nothing above his head. "If +ever he finds himself beaten," she said, "he goes up into the sky in a +mist and stays there to refresh himself. You may let him go up once; +but if you let him go up the second time, he will surely kill you when +he comes down. Remember that. If you are alive when the fight is over, +come to see me. If you are dead, I will go to see you." + +The Amadan thanked her, parted with her, and travelled away and away +before him until he reached the hill which she had told him of. And +when he came there, he saw a great cloud that shot out of the sky, +descending on the hill, and when it came down on the hill and melted +away, there it left the Beggarman of the King of Sweden standing, and +between his legs the Amadan saw the whole world and nothing over his +head. + +And with a roar and a run the beggarman made for the Amadan, and the +roar of him rattled the stars in the sky. He asked the Amadan who he +was, and what he had done to have the impudence to come there and meet +him. + +The Amadan said: "They call me the Amadan of the Dough, and I have +killed Slat Mor, Slat Marr, Slat Beag, the Cailliach of the Rocks and +her four badachs, the Black Bull of the Brown Wood, and the White +Wether of the Hill of the Waterfalls, and before night I'll have +killed the Beggarman of the King of Sweden." + +"That you never will, you miserable object," says the beggarman. +"You're going to die now, and I'll give you your choice to die either +by a hard squeeze of wrestling, or a stroke of the sword." + +"Well," says the Amadan, "if I have to die, I'd sooner die by a stroke +of the sword." + +"All right," says the beggarman, and drew his sword. + +But the Amadan drew his sword at the same time, and both went at it. +And if his fights before had been hard, this one was harder and +greater and more terrible than the others put together. They made the +hard ground into soft, and the soft into spring wells; they made the +rocks into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, and the gravel fell +over the country like hailstones. All the birds of the air from the +lower end of the world to the upper end of the world, and all the wild +beasts and tame from the four ends of the earth, came flocking to see +the fight. And at length the fight was putting so hard upon the +beggarman, and he was getting so weak, that he whistled, and the mist +came around him, and he went up into the sky before the Amadan knew. +He remained there until he refreshed himself, and then came down +again, and at it again he went for the Amadan, and fought harder and +harder than before, and again it was putting too hard upon him, and he +whistled as before for the mist to come down and take him up. + +But the Amadan remembered what the red woman had warned him; he gave +one leap into the air, and coming down, drove his sword through the +beggarman's heart, and the beggarman fell dead. But before he died he +put geasa on the Amadan to meet and fight the Silver Cat of the Seven +Glens. + +The Amadan rubbed his wounds with the iocshlainte, and he was as fresh +and hale as when he began the fight; and then he set out, and when +night was falling, he reached the hut that had no shelter within or +without, only one feather over it, and the rough, red woman was +standing in the door. + +Right glad she was to see the Amadan coming back alive, and she +welcomed him right heartily, and asked him the news. + +He told her that he had killed the beggarman, and said he was now +under geasa to meet and fight the Silver Cat of the Seven Glens. + +"Well," she said, "I'm sorry for you, for no one ever before went to +meet the Silver Cat and came back alive. But," she says, "you're both +tired and hungry; come in and rest and sleep." + +So in the Amadan went, and had a hearty supper and a soft bed; and in +the morning she called him up early, and she gave him directions where +to meet the cat and how to find it, and she told him there was only +one vital spot on that cat, and it was a black speck on the bottom of +the cat's stomach, and unless he could happen to run his sword right +through this, the cat would surely kill him. She said: + +"My poor Amadan, I'm very much afraid you'll not come back alive. I +cannot go to help you myself, or I would; but there is a well in my +garden, and by watching that well I will know how the fight goes with +you. While there is honey on top of the well, I will know you are +getting the better of the cat; but if the blood comes on top, then the +cat is getting the better of you; and if the blood stays there, I will +know, my poor Amadan, that you are dead." + +The Amadan bade her good-bye, and set out to travel to where the Seven +Glens met at the sea. Here there was a precipice, and under the +precipice a cave. In this cave the Silver Cat lived, and once a day +she came out to sun herself on the rocks. + +The Amadan let himself down over the precipice by a rope, and he +waited until the cat came out to sun herself. + +When the cat came out at twelve o'clock and saw the Amadan, she let a +roar out of her that drove the waters back of the sea and piled them +up a quarter of a mile high, and she asked him who he was and how he +had the impudence to come there to meet her. + +The Amadan said: "They call me the Amadan of the Dough, and I have +killed Slat Mor, Slat Man, Slat Beag, the Cailliach of the Rocks and +her four badachs, the Black Bull of the Brown Woods, the White Wether +of the Hill of the Waterfalls, and the Beggarman of the King of +Sweden, and before night I will have killed the Silver Cat of the +Seven Glens." + +"That you never will," says she, "for a dead man you will be +yourself." And at him she sprang. + +But the Amadan raised his sword and struck at her, and both of them +fell to the fight, and a great, great fight they had. They made the +hard ground into soft, and the soft into spring wells; they made the +rocks into pebbles, and the pebbles into gravel, and the gravel fell +over the country like hailstones. All the birds of the air from the +lower end of the world to the upper end of the world, and all the wild +beasts and tame from the four ends of the earth, came flocking to see +the fight; and if the fights that the Amadan had had on the other days +were great and terrible, this one was far greater and far more +terrible than all the others put together, and the poor Amadan sorely +feared that before night fell he would be a dead man. + +The red woman was watching at the well in her garden, and she was +sorely distressed, for though at one time the honey was uppermost, at +another time it was all blood, and again the blood and the honey would +be mixed; so she felt bad for the poor Amadan. + +At length the blood and the honey got mixed again, and it remained +that way until night; so she cried, for she believed the Amadan +himself was dead, as well as the Silver Cat. + +And so he was. For when the fight had gone on for long and long, the +cat, with a great long nail which she had in the end of her tail, tore +him open from his mouth to his toes; and as she tore the Amadan open +and he was about to fall, she opened her mouth so wide that the Amadan +saw down to the very bottom of her stomach, and there he saw the black +speck that the red woman had told him of. And just before he dropped +he drove his sword through this spot, and the Silver Cat, too, fell +over dead. + +It was not long now till the red woman arrived at the place and found +both the Amadan and the cat lying side by side, dead. At this the poor +woman was frantic with sorrow, but suddenly she saw by the Amadan's +side the bottle of iocshlainte and the feather. She took them up and +rubbed the Amadan with the iocshlainte, and he jumped to his feet, +alive and well, and fresh as when he began the fight. + +He smothered her with kisses and drowned her with tears. He took the +red woman with him, and set out on his journey back, and travelled and +travelled on and on till he came to the Castle of Fire. + +Here he met the three young princes, who were now living happily with +no giants to molest them. They had one sister, the most beautiful +young maiden that the Amadan had ever beheld. They gave her to the +Amadan in marriage, and gave her half of all they owned for fortune. + +The marriage lasted nine days and nine nights. There were nine hundred +fiddlers, nine hundred fluters, and nine hundred pipers, and the last +day and night of the wedding were better than the first. + + + + +_The Rakshas's Palace_ + + +Once upon a time there lived a Rajah who was left a widower with two +little daughters. Not very long after his first wife died he married +again, and his second wife did not care for her stepchildren, and was +often unkind to them; and the Rajah, their father, never troubled +himself to look after them, but allowed his wife to treat them as she +liked. This made the poor girls very miserable, and one day one of +them said to the other, "Don't let us remain any longer here; come +away into the jungle, for nobody here cares whether we go or stay." So +they both walked off into the jungle, and lived for many days on the +jungle fruits. At last, after they had wandered on for a long while, +they came to a fine palace which belonged to a Rakshas, but both the +Rakshas and his wife were out when they got there. Then one of the +Princesses said to the other, "This fine palace, in the midst of the +jungle, can belong to no one but a Rakshas, but the owner has +evidently gone out; let us go in and see if we can find anything to +eat." So they went into the Rakshas's house, and finding some rice, +boiled, and ate it. Then they swept the room and arranged all the +furniture in the house tidily. But hardly had they finished doing so +when the Rakshas and his wife returned home. Then the two Princesses +were so frightened that they ran up to the top of the house and hid +themselves on the flat roof, from whence they could look down on one +side into the inner courtyard of the house, and from the other could +see the open country. The house-top was a favourite resort of the +Rakshas and his wife. Here they would sit upon the hot summer +evenings; here they winnowed the grain and hung out the clothes to +dry; and the two Princesses found a sufficient shelter behind some +sheaves of corn that were waiting to be threshed. When the Rakshas +came into the house, he looked round and said to his wife, "Somebody +has been arranging the house; everything in it is so clean and tidy. +Wife, did you do this?" "No," she said; "I don't know who can have +done all this." "Someone also has been sweeping the courtyard," +continued the Rakshas. "Wife, did you sweep the courtyard?" "No," she +answered; "I did not do it. I don't know who did." Then the Rakshas +walked round and round several times with his nose up in the air, +saying, "Someone is here now. I smell flesh and blood! Where can they +be?" "Stuff and nonsense!" cried his wife; "you smell blood indeed! +Why, you have just been killing and eating a hundred thousand people. +I should wonder if you didn't still smell flesh and blood!" They went +on quarrelling thus until the Rakshas said, "Well, never mind; I don't +know how it is, but I'm very thirsty; let's come and drink some +water." So both the Rakshas and his wife went to a well which was +close to the house, and began letting down jars into it, and drawing +up the water and drinking it. And the Princesses, who were on the top +of the house, saw them. Now the youngest of the two Princesses was a +very wise girl, and when she saw the Rakshas and his wife by the well, +she said to her sister, "I will do something now that will be good for +us both"; and, running down quickly from the top of the house, she +crept close behind the Rakshas and his wife as they stood on tip-toe +more than half over the side of the well, and, catching hold of one of +the Rakshas's heels and one of his wife's, gave each a little push, +and down they both tumbled into the well and were drowned--the Rakshas +and the Rakshas's wife! The Princess then returned to her sister and +said, "I have killed the Rakshas." "What! both?" cried her sister. +"Yes, both," she said. "Won't they come back?" said her sister. "No, +never," answered she. + +The Rakshas being thus killed, the two Princesses took possession of +the house, and lived there very happily for a long time. In it they +found heaps and heaps of rich clothes and jewels, and gold and silver, +which the Rakshas had taken from people he had murdered; and all +round the house were folds for the flocks and sheds for the herds of +cattle which the Rakshas owned. Every morning the youngest Princess +used to drive out the flocks and herds to pasturage, and return home +with them every night, while the eldest stayed at home, cooked the +dinner and kept the house; and the youngest Princess, who was the +cleverest, would often say to her sister, on going away for the day, +"Take care, if you see any stranger (be it man, woman or child) come +by the house, to hide, if possible, that nobody may know of our living +here; and if anyone should call out and ask for a drink of water, or +any poor beggar pray for food, before you give it to him be sure you +put on ragged clothes and cover your face with charcoal, and make +yourself look as ugly as possible, lest, seeing how fair you are, he +should steal you away, and we never meet again." "Very well," the +other Princess would answer, "I will do as you advise." + +But a long time passed, and no one ever came by that way. At last one +day, after the youngest Princess had gone out, a young Prince, the son +of a neighbouring Rajah, who had been hunting with his attendants for +many days in the jungles, came near the place, for he and his people +were tired with hunting, and had been seeking all through the jungle +for a stream of water, but could find none. When the Prince saw the +fine palace standing by itself, he was very much astonished, and said, +"It is a strange thing that any one should have built such a house as +this in the depths of the forest. Let us go in; the owners will +doubtless give us a drink of water." "No, no, do not go," cried his +attendants; "this is most likely the house of a Rakshas." "We can but +see," answered the Prince. "I should scarcely think anything very +terrible lived here, for there is not a sound stirring nor a living +creature to be seen." So he began tapping at the door, which was +bolted, and crying, "Will whoever owns this house give me and my +people some water to drink, for the sake of kind charity?" But nobody +answered, for the Princess, who heard him, was busy up in her room, +blacking her face with charcoal and covering her rich dress with +rags. Then the Prince got impatient and shook the door angrily, +saying, "Let me in, whoever you are! If you don't, I'll force the door +open." At this the poor little Princess got dreadfully frightened; and +having blacked her face and made herself look as ugly as possible, she +ran downstairs with a pitcher of water, and unbolting the door, gave +the Prince the pitcher to drink from; but she did not speak, for she +was afraid. Now, the Prince was a very clever man, and as he raised +the pitcher to his mouth to drink the water, he thought to himself, +"This is a very strange-looking creature who has brought me this jug +of water. She would be pretty, but that her face seems to want +washing, and her dress also is very untidy. What can that black stuff +be on her face and hands? It looks very unnatural." And so thinking to +himself, instead of drinking the water, he threw it in the Princess's +face! The Princess started back with a little cry, while the water, +trickling down, washed off the charcoal, and showed her delicate +features and beautiful, fair complexion. The Prince caught hold of her +hand, and said, "Now, tell me true, who are you? where do you come +from? Who are your father and mother? and why are you here alone by +yourself in the jungle? Answer me, or I'll cut your head off." And he +made as if he would draw his sword. The Princess was so terrified she +could hardly speak, but as best she could she told how she was the +daughter of a Rajah, and had run away into the jungle because of her +cruel stepmother, and, finding the house, had lived there ever since; +and having finished her story, she began to cry. Then the Prince said +to her, "Pretty lady, forgive me for my roughness; do not fear. I will +take you home with me, and you shall be my wife." But the more he +spoke to her the more frightened she got, so frightened that she did +not understand what he said, and could do nothing but cry. Now she had +said nothing to the Prince about her sister, nor even told him that +she had one, for she thought, "This man says he will kill me; if he +hears that I have a sister, he will kill her, too." So the Prince, who +was really kind-hearted, and would never have thought of separating +the two little sisters who had been together so long, knew nothing at +all of the matter, and only seeing she was too much alarmed even to +understand gentle words, said to his servants, "Place this lady in one +of the palkees, and let us set off home." And they did so. When the +Princess found herself shut up in the palkee, and being carried she +knew not where, she thought how terrible it would be for her sister to +return home and find her gone, and determined, if possible, to leave +some sign to show her which way she had been taken. Round her neck +were many strings of pearls. She untied them, and tearing her saree +into little bits, tied one pearl in each piece of the saree, that it +might be heavy enough to fall straight to the ground; and so she went +on, dropping one pearl and then another and another and another, all +the way she went along, until they reached the palace where the Rajah +and Ranee, the Prince's father and mother lived. She threw the last +remaining pearl down just as she reached the palace gate. The old +Rajah and Ranee were delighted to see the beautiful Princess their son +had brought home; and when they heard her tale they said, "Ah, poor +thing! what a sad story! but now she has come to live with us, we will +do all we can to make her happy." And they married her to their son +with great pomp and ceremony, and gave her rich dresses and jewels, +and were very kind to her. But the Princess remained sad and unhappy, +for she was always thinking about her sister, and yet she could not +summon courage to beg the Prince or his father to send and fetch her +to the palace. + +Meantime, the younger Princess, who had been out with her flocks and +herds when the Prince took her sister away, had returned home. When +she came back she found the door wide open and no one standing there. +She thought it very odd, for her sister always came every night to the +door to meet her on her return. She went upstairs; her sister was not +there; the whole house was empty and deserted. There she must stay all +alone, for the evening had closed in, and it was impossible to go +outside and seek her with any hope of success. So all the night long +she waited, crying, "Someone has been here, and they have stolen her +away; they have stolen my darling away! Oh, sister! sister!" Next +morning, very early, going out to continue the search, she found one +of the pearls belonging to her sister's necklace tied up in a small +piece of saree; a little farther on lay another, and yet another, all +along the road the Prince had gone. Then the Princess understood that +her sister had left this clue to guide her on her way, and she at once +set off to find her again. Very, very far she went--a six months' +journey through the jungle, for she could not travel fast, the many +days' walking tired her so much--and sometimes it took her two or +three days to find the next piece of saree with the pearl. At last she +came near a large town, to which it was evident her sister had been +taken. Now, this young Princess was very beautiful indeed--as +beautiful as she was wise--and when she got near the town she thought +to herself, "If people see me, they may steal me away, as they did my +sister, and then I shall never find her again. I will therefore +disguise myself." As she was thus thinking she saw by the side of the +road the corpse of a poor old beggar woman, who had evidently died +from want and poverty. The body was shrivelled up, and nothing of it +remained but the skin and bones. The Princess took the skin and washed +it, and drew it on over her own lovely face and neck, as one draws a +glove on one's hand. Then she took a long stick and began hobbling +along, leaning on it, toward the town. The old woman's skin was all +crumpled and withered, and people who passed by only thought, "What an +ugly old woman!" and never dreamed of the false skin and the beautiful +girl inside. So on she went, picking up the pearls--one here, one +there--until she found the last pearl just in front of the palace +gate. Then she felt certain her sister must be somewhere near, but +where she did not know. She longed to go into the palace and ask for +her, but no guards would have let such a wretched-looking old woman +enter, and she did not dare offer them any of the pearls she had with +her, lest they should think she was a thief. So she determined merely +to remain as close to the palace as possible, and wait till fortune +favoured her with the means of learning something further about her +sister. Just opposite the palace was a small house belonging to a +farmer, and the Princess went up to it and stood by the door. The +farmer's wife saw her and said, "Poor old woman, who are you? What do +you want? Why are you here? Have you no friends?" "Alas, no!" answered +the Princess. "I am a poor old woman, and have neither father nor +mother, son nor daughter, sister nor brother, to take care of me; all +are gone, and I can only beg my bread from door to door." + +"Do not grieve, good mother," answered the farmer's wife, kindly. "You +may sleep in the shelter of our porch, and I will give you some food." +So the Princess stayed there for that night and for many more; and +every day the good farmer's wife gave her food. But all this time she +could learn nothing of her sister. + +Now there was a large tank near the palace, on which grew some fine +lotus plants, covered with rich crimson lotuses--the royal flower--and +of these the Rajah was very fond indeed, and prized them very much. To +this tank (because it was the nearest to the farmer's house) the +Princess used to go every morning, very early, almost before it was +light, at about three o'clock, and take off the old woman's skin and +wash it, and hang it out to dry, and wash her face and hands, and +bathe her feet in the cool water, and comb her beautiful hair. Then +she would gather a lotus flower (such as she had been accustomed to +wear in her hair from a child) and put it on, so as to feel for a few +minutes like herself again! Thus she would amuse herself. Afterward, +as soon as the wind had dried the old woman's skin, she put it on +again, threw away the lotus flower, and hobbled back to the farmer's +door before the sun was up. + +After a time the Rajah discovered that someone had plucked some of his +favourite lotus flowers. People were set to watch, and all the wise +men in the kingdom put their heads together to try to discover the +thief, but without avail. At last, the excitement about this matter +being very great, the Rajah's second son, a brave and noble young +prince (brother to him who had found the eldest Princess in the +forest) said, "I will certainly discover this thief." It chanced that +several fine trees grew around the tank. Into one of these the young +Prince climbed one evening (having made a sort of light thatched roof +across two of the boughs, to keep off the heavy dews), and there he +watched all the night through, but with no more success than his +predecessors. There lay the lotus plants, still in the moonlight, +without so much as a thieving wind coming to break off one of the +flowers. The Prince began to get very sleepy, and thought the +delinquent, whoever he might be, could not intend to return, when, in +the very early morning, before it was light, who should come down to +the tank but an old woman he had often seen near the palace gate? +"Aha!" thought the Prince, "this, then, is the thief; but what can +this queer old woman want with lotus flowers?" Imagine his +astonishment when the old woman sat down on the steps of the tank and +began pulling the skin off her face and arms, and from underneath the +shrivelled yellow skin came the loveliest face he had ever beheld! So +fair, so fresh, so young, so gloriously beautiful, that, appearing +thus suddenly, it dazzled the Prince's eyes like a flash of golden +lightning. "Ah," thought he, "can this be a woman or a spirit? a devil +or an angel in disguise?" + +The Princess twisted up her glossy black hair, and, plucking a red +lotus, placed it in it, and dabbled her feet in the water, and amused +herself by putting round her neck a string of pearls that had been her +sister's necklace. Then, as the sun was rising, she threw away the +lotus, and covering her face and arms again with the withered skin, +went hastily away. When the Prince got home, the first thing he said +to his parents was, "Father! mother! I should like to marry that old +woman who stands all day at the farmer's gate, just opposite!" "What!" +they cried, "the boy is mad! Marry that skinny old thing! You +cannot--you are a King's son. Are there not enough Queens and +Princesses in the world, that you should wish to marry a wretched old +beggar-woman?" But he answered, "Above all things I should like to +marry that old woman. You know that I have ever been a dutiful and +obedient son. In this matter, I pray you, grant me my desire." Then, +seeing he was really in earnest about the matter, and that nothing +they could say would alter his mind, they listened to his urgent +entreaties--not, however, without much grief and vexation--and sent +out the guards, to fetch the old woman (who was really the Princess in +disguise) to the palace, where she was to be married to the Prince as +privately and with as little ceremony as possible, for the family was +ashamed of the match. + +As soon as the wedding was over, the Prince said to his wife, "Gentle +wife, tell me how much longer you intend to wear that old skin? You +had better take it off; do be so kind." The Princess wondered how he +knew of her disguise, or whether it was only a guess of his; and she +thought, "If I take this ugly skin off, my husband will think me +pretty, and shut me up in the palace and never let me go away, so that +I shall not be able to find my sister again. No, I had better not take +it off." So she answered, "I don't know what you mean. I am as all +these years have made me; nobody can change his skin." Then the Prince +pretended to be very angry, and said, "Take off that hideous disguise +this instant, or I'll kill you." But she only bowed her head, saying, +"Kill me then, but nobody can change his skin." And all this she +mumbled as if she were a very old woman indeed, and had lost all her +teeth and could not speak plain. At this the Prince laughed very much +to himself, and thought, "I'll wait and see how long this freak +lasts." But the Princess continued to keep on the old woman's skin; +only every morning, at about three o'clock, before it was light, she +would get up and wash it and put it on again. Then, some time +afterward, the Prince, having found this out, got up softly one +morning early, and followed her to the next room, where she had washed +the skin and placed it on the floor to dry, and stealing it, he ran +away with it and threw it on the fire. So the Princess, having no old +woman's skin to put on, was obliged to appear in her own likeness. As +she walked forth, very sad at missing her disguise, her husband ran to +meet her, smiling and saying, "How do you do, my dear? Where is your +skin now? Can't you take it off, dear?" Soon the whole palace had +heard the joyful news of the beautiful young wife that the Prince had +won; and all the people, when they saw her, cried, "Why, she is +exactly like the beautiful Princess our young Rajah married, the +jungle lady." The old Rajah and Ranee were prouder than all of their +daughter-in-law, and took her to introduce her to their eldest son's +wife Then no sooner did the Princess enter her sister-in-law's room +then she saw that in her she had found her lost sister, and they ran +into each other's arms. Great then, was the joy of all, but the +happiest of all these happy people were the two Princesses. + + + + +_Billy Beg and the Bull_ + + +Once upon a time when pigs were swine, there was a King and Queen, and +they had one son, Billy, and the Queen gave Billy a bull that he was +very fond of, and it was just as fond of him. After some time the +Queen died, and she put it as her last request on the King that he +would never part Billy and the bull, and the King promised that come +what might, come what may, he would not. After the Queen died the King +married again, and the new Queen didn't take to Billy Beg, and no more +did she like the bull, seeing himself and Billy so _thick_. But she +couldn't get the King on no account to part Billy and the Bull, so she +consulted with a hen-wife what they could do as regards separating +Billy and the bull. "What will you give me," says the hen-wife, "and +I'll very soon part them?" "Whatever you ask," says the Queen. "Well +and good then," says the hen-wife; "you are to take to your bed, +making pretend that you are bad with a complaint, and I'll do the rest +of it." And, well and good, to her bed she took, and none of the +doctors could do anything for her, or make out what was her complaint. +So the Queen asked for the hen-wife to be sent for. And sent for she +was, and when she came in and examined the Queen, she said there was +one thing, and only one, could cure her. The King asked what was that, +and the hen-wife said it was three mouthfuls of the blood of Billy +Beg's bull. But the King wouldn't on no account hear of this, and the +next day the Queen was worse, and the third day she was worse still, +and told the King she was dying, and he'd have her death on his head. +So, sooner nor this, the King had to consent to Billy Beg's bull being +killed. When Billy heard this he got very down in the heart entirely, +and he went doitherin' about, and the bull saw him, and asked him +what was wrong with him that he was so mournful; so Billy told the +bull what was wrong with him, and the bull told him to never mind, but +keep up his heart, the Queen would never taste a drop of his blood. +The next day, then, the bull was to be killed, and the Queen got up +and went out to have the delight of seeing his death. When the bull +was led up to be killed, says he to Billy, "Jump up on my back till we +see what kind of a horseman you are." Up Billy jumped on his back, and +with that the bull leapt nine mile high, nine mile deep, and nine mile +broad, and came down with Billy sticking between his horns. Hundreds +were looking on dazed at the sight, and through them the bull rushed, +and over the top of the Queen, killing her dead, and away he galloped +where you wouldn't know day by night, or night by day, over high +hills, low hills, sheep-walks, and bullock-traces, the Cove of Cork, +and old Tom Fox with his bugle horn. When at last they stopped, "Now +then," says the bull to Billy, "you and I must undergo great scenery, +Billy. Put your hand," says the bull, "in my left ear, and you'll get +a napkin, that, when you spread it out, will be covered with eating +and drinking of all sorts, fit for the King himself." Billy did this, +and then he spread out the napkin, and ate and drank to his heart's +content, and he rolled up the napkin and put it back in the bull's ear +again. "Then," says the bull, "now put your hand into my right ear and +you'll find a bit of a stick; if you wind it over your head three +times, it will be turned into a sword and give you the strength of a +thousand men besides your own, and when you have no more need of it as +a sword, it will change back into a stick again." Billy did all this. +Then says the bull, "At twelve o'clock the morrow I'll have to meet +and fight a great bull." Billy then got up again on the bull's back, +and the bull started off and away where you wouldn't know day by +night, or night by day, over low hills, high hills, sheep-walks, and +bullock-traces, the Cove of Cork, and old Tom Fox with his bugle horn. +There he met the other bull, and both of them fought, and the like of +their fight was never seen before or since. They knocked the soft +ground into hard, and the hard into soft; the soft into spring wells, +the spring wells into rocks, and the rocks into high hills. They +fought long, and Billy Beg's bull killed the other, and drank his +blood. Then Billy took the napkin out of his ear again and spread it +out and ate a hearty good dinner. Then says the bull to Billy, says +he, "At twelve o'clock to-morrow, I'm to meet the bull's brother that +I killed the day, and we'll have a hard fight." Billy got on the +bull's back again, and the bull started off and away where you +wouldn't know day by night, or night by day, over high hills, low +hills, sheep-walks and bulloch-traces, the Cove of Cork, and old Tom +Fox with his bugle horn. There he met the bull's brother that he +killed the day before, and they set to, and they fought, and the like +of the fight was never seen before or since. They knocked the soft +ground into hard, the hard into soft, the soft into spring wells, the +spring wells into rocks, and the rocks into high hills. They fought +long, and at last Billy's bull killed the other and drank his blood. +And then Billy took out the napkin out of the bull's ear again and +spread it out and ate another hearty dinner. Then says the bull to +Billy, says he, "The morrow at twelve o'clock I'm to fight the brother +to the two bulls I killed--he's a mighty great bull entirely, the +strongest of them all; he's called the Black Bull of the Forest, and +he'll be too able for me. When I'm dead!" says the bull, "you, Billy, +will take with you the napkin, and you'll never be hungry; and the +stick, and you'll be able to overcome everything that comes in your +way; and take out your knife and cut a strip of the hide off my back +and another strip off my belly, and make a belt of them, and as long +as you wear them you cannot be killed." Billy was very sorry to hear +this, but he got up on the bull's back again, and they started off and +away where you wouldn't know day by night or night by day, over high +hills, low hills, sheep-walks, and bulloch-traces, the Cove of Cork, +and Old Tom Fox with his bugle horn. And sure enough at twelve o'clock +the next day they met the great Black Bull of the Forest and both of +the bulls to it, and commenced to fight, and the like of the fight was +never seen before or since; they knocked the soft ground into hard +ground, and the hard ground into soft; and the soft into spring wells, +the spring wells into rocks, and the rocks into high hills. And they +fought long, but at length the Black Bull of the Forest killed Billy +Beg's bull and drank his blood. Billy Beg was so vexed at this that +for two days he sat over the bull neither eating nor drinking, but +crying salt tears all the time. Then he got up, and he spread out the +napkin, and ate a hearty dinner, for he was very hungry with his long +fast; and after that he cut a strip of the hide off the bull's back +and another off the belly, and made a belt for himself, and taking it +and the bit of stick, and the napkin, he set out to push his fortune, +and he travelled for three days and three nights till at last he came +to a great gentleman's place, Billy asked the gentleman if he could +give him employment, and the gentleman said he wanted just such a boy +as him for herding cattle. Billy asked what cattle would he have to +herd, and what wages would he get. The gentleman said he had three +goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses that he fed in an +orchard, but that no boy who went with them ever came back alive, for +there were three giants, brothers, that came to milk the cows and the +goats every day, and killed the boy that was herding; so if Billy +liked to try, they wouldn't fix the wages till they'd see if he would +come back alive. + +"Agreed, then," said Billy. So the next morning he got up and drove +out the three goats, the three cows, the three horses, and the three +asses to the orchard and commenced to feed them. About the middle of +the day Billy heard three terrible roars that shook the apples off the +bushes, shook the horns on the cows, and made the hair stand up on +Billy's head, and in comes a frightful big giant with three heads, and +begun to threaten Bill. "You're too big," says the giant, "for one +bite, and too small for two. What will I do with you?" "I'll fight +you," says Billy, says he, stepping out to him and swinging the bit of +stick three times over his head, when it changed into a sword and gave +him the strength of a thousand men besides his own. The giant laughed +at the size of him, and says he, "Well, how will I kill you? Will it +be by a swing by the back, a cut of the sword, or a square round of +boxing?" "With a swing by the back," says Billy, "if you can." So they +both laid holds, and Billy lifted the giant clean off the ground, and +fetching him down again sunk him in the earth up to his arm-pits. "Oh, +have mercy!" says the giant. But Billy, taking his sword, killed the +giant, and cut out his tongues. It was evening by this time, so Billy +drove home the three goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses, +and all the vessels in the house wasn't able to hold all the milk the +cows give that night. + +"Well," says the gentleman, "this beats me, for I never saw any one +coming back alive out of there before, nor the cows with a drop of +milk. Did you see anything in the orchard?" says he. "Nothing worse +nor myself," says Billy. "What about my wages, now?" says Billy. +"Well," says the gentleman, "you'll hardly come alive out of the +orchard the morrow. So we'll wait till after that." Next morning his +master told Billy that something must have happened to one of the +giants, for he used to hear cries of three every night, but last night +he only heard two crying. "I don't know," said Billy, "anything about +them." That morning after he got his breakfast Billy drove the three +goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses into the orchard +again, and began to feed them. About twelve o'clock he heard three +terrible roars that shook the apples off the bushes, the horns off the +cows, and made the hair stand up on Billy's head, and in comes a +frightful big giant, with six heads, and he told Billy he had killed +his brother yesterday, but he would make him pay for it the day. +"Ye're too big," says he, "for one bite, and too small for two, and +what will I do with you?" "I'll fight you," says Billy, swinging his +stick three times over his head, and turning it into a sword, and +giving him the strength of a thousand men besides his own. The giant +laughed at him, and says he, "How will I kill you--with a swing by the +back, a cut of the sword, or a square round of boxing?" "With a swing +by the back," says Billy, "if you can." So the both of them laid +holds, and Billy lifted the giant clean off the ground, and fetching +him down again, sunk him in it up to the arm-pits. "Oh, spare my +life!" says the giant. But Billy taking up his sword, killed him and +cut out his tongues. It was evening by this time, and Billy drove home +his three goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses, and what +milk the cows gave that night overflowed all the vessels in the house, +and, running out, turned a rusty mill that hadn't been turned before +for thirty years. If the master was surprised seeing Billy coming back +the night before, he was ten times more surprised now. + +"Did you see anything in the orchard the day?" says the gentleman. +"Nothing worse nor myself," says Billy. "What about my wages now?" +says Billy. "Well, never mind about your wages," says the gentleman, +"till the morrow, for I think you'll hardly come back alive again," +says he. Well and good, Billy went to his bed, and the gentleman went +to his bed, and when the gentleman rose in the morning, says he to +Billy "I don't know what's wrong with two of the giants; I only heard +one crying last night." "I don't know," says Billy, "they must be sick +or something." Well, when Billy got his breakfast that day, again he +set out to the orchard, driving before him the three goats, three +cows, three horses, and three asses, and sure enough about the middle +of the day he hears three terrible roars again, and in comes another +giant, this one with twelve heads on him, and if the other two were +frightful, surely this one was ten times more so. "You villain, you," +says he to Billy, "you killed my two brothers, and I'll have my +revenge on you now. Prepare till I kill you," says he; "you're too big +for one bite, and too small for two; what will I do with you?" "I'll +fight you," says Billy, shaping out and winding the bit of stick three +times over his head. The giant laughed heartily at the size of him, +and says he, "What way do you prefer being killed? Is it with a swing +by the back, a cut of the sword, or a square round of boxing?" "A +swing by the back," says Billy. So both of them again laid holds, and +my brave Billy lifts the giant clean off the ground, and fetching him +down again, sunk him down to his arm-pits in it. "Oh, have mercy! +Spare my life!" says the giant. But Billy took his sword, and, +killing him, cut out his tongues. That evening he drove home his three +goats, three cows, three horses, and three asses, and the milk of the +cows had to be turned into a valley where it made a lough three miles +long, three miles broad, and three miles deep, and that lough has been +filled with salmon and white trout ever since. The gentleman wondered +now more than ever to see Billy back the third day alive. "Did you see +nothing in the orchard the day, Billy?" says he. "No, nothing worse +nor myself," says Billy. "Well, that beats me," says the gentleman. +"What about my wages now?" says Billy. "Well, you're a good, mindful +boy, that I couldn't easy do without," says the gentleman, "and I'll +give you any wages you ask for the future." The next morning, says the +gentleman to Billy, "I heard none of the giants crying last night, +however it comes." "I don't know," says Billy, "they must be sick or +something." "Now, Billy," says the gentleman, "you must look after the +cattle the day again, while I go to see the fight." "What fight?" says +Billy. "Why," says the gentleman, "it's the king's daughter is going +to be devoured by a fiery dragon, if the greatest fighter in the land, +that they have been feeding specially for the last three months, isn't +able to kill the dragon first. And if he's able to kill the dragon the +king is to give him the daughter in marriage." "That will be fine!" +says Billy. Billy drove out his three goats, three cows, three horses, +and three asses to the orchard that day again, and the like of all +that passed that day to see the fight with the man and the fiery +dragon, Billy never witnessed before. They went in coaches and +carriages, on horses and jackasses, riding and walking, crawling and +creeping. "My tight little fellow," says a man that was passing to +Billy, "why don't you come to see the great fight?" "What would take +the likes of me there?" says Billy. But when Billy found them all gone +he saddled and bridled the best black horse his master had, and put on +the best suit of clothes he could get in his master's house, and rode +off to the fight after the rest. When Billy went there he saw the +king's daughter, with the whole court about her, on a platform before +the castle, and he thought he never saw anything half as beautiful, +and the great warrior that was to fight the dragon was walking up and +down on the lawn before her, with three men carrying his sword, and +every one in the whole country gathered there looking at him. But when +the fiery dragon came up with twelve heads on him, and every mouth of +him spitting fire, and let twelve roars out of him, the warrior ran +away and hid himself up to the neck in a well of water, and all they +could do they couldn't get him to come and face the dragon. Then the +king's daughter asked if there was no one there to save her from the +dragon, and get her in marriage. But no one stirred. When Billy saw +this, he tied the belt of the bull's hide round him, swung his stick +over his head, and went in, and after a terrible fight, entirely +killed the dragon. Everyone then gathered about to find who the +stranger was. Billy jumped on his horse and darted away sooner than +let them know; but just as he was getting away the king's daughter +pulled the shoe off his foot. When the dragon was killed the warrior +that had hid in the well of water came out, and cutting off the heads +of the dragon he brought them to the king, and said that it was he who +killed the dragon, in disguise; and he claimed the king's daughter. +But she tried the shoe on him and found it didn't fit him; so she said +it wasn't him, and that she would marry no one only the man the shoe +fitted. When Billy got home he changed his clothes again, and had the +horse in the stable, and the cattle all in before his master came. +When the master came, he began telling Billy about the wonderful day +they had entirely, and about the warrior hiding in the well of water, +and about the grand stranger that came down out of the sky in a cloud +on a black horse, and killed the fiery dragon, and then vanished in a +cloud again. "And now," says he, "Billy, wasn't that wonderful?" "It +was, indeed," says Billy, "very wonderful entirely." After that it was +given out over the country that all the people were to come to the +king's castle on a certain day, till the king's daughter would try the +shoe on them, and whoever it fitted she was to marry them. When the +day arrived Billy was in the orchard with the three goats, three +cows, three horses, and three asses, as usual, and the like of all the +crowds that passed that day going to the king's castle to get the shoe +tried on, he never saw before. They went in coaches and carriages, on +horses and jackasses, riding and walking, and crawling and creeping. +They all asked Billy was not he going to the king's castle, but Billy +said, "Arrah, what would be bringin' the likes of me there?" At last +when all the others had gone there passed an old man with a very +scarecrow suit of rags on him, and Billy stopped him and asked him +what boot would he take and swap clothes with him. "Just take care of +yourself, now," says the old man, "and don't be playing off your jokes +on my clothes, or maybe I'd make you feel the weight of this stick." +But Billy soon let him see it was in earnest he was, and both of them +swapped suits, Billy giving the old man boot. Then off to the castle +started Billy, with the suit of rags on his back and an old stick in +his hand, and when he come there he found all in great commotion, +trying on the shoe, and some of them cutting down their foot, trying +to get it to fit. But it was all of no use, the shoe could be got to +fit none of them at all, and the king's daughter was going to give up +in despair when the wee, ragged-looking boy, which was Billy, elbowed +his way through them, and says he, "Let me try it on; maybe it would +fit me." But the people when they saw him, all began to laugh at the +sight of him, and "Go along out of that, you example, you," says they, +shoving and pushing him back. But the king's daughter saw him, and +called on them by all manner of means to let him come up and try on +the shoe. So Billy went up, and all the people looked on, breaking +their hearts laughing at the conceit of it. But what would you have of +it, but to the dumfounding of them all, the shoe fitted Billy as nice +as if it was made on his foot for a last. So the king's daughter +claimed Billy as her husband. He then confessed that it was he that +killed the fiery dragon; and when the king had him dressed up in a +silk and satin suit, with plenty of gold and silver ornaments, +everyone gave in that his like they never saw afore. He was then +married to the king's daughter, and the wedding lasted nine days, nine +hours, nine minutes, nine half minutes, and nine quarter minutes, and +they lived happy and well from that day to this. I got brogues of +_brochan_[8] and breeches of glass, a bit of pie for telling a lie, +and then I came slithering home. + +[Footnote 8: Porridge.] + + + + +The Princes Fire-flash and Fire-fade + + +His Highness Fire-flash was a Prince who was fond of fishing; and so +great was his luck, that big fishes, and little fishes, and all kinds +of fishes came to his line. His younger brother, Prince Fire-fade, was +fond of hunting, and all his luck was on the hills, and in the woods, +where he caught birds and beasts of every kind. + +One day Prince Fire-fade said to his elder brother, Prince Fire-flash: +"Let us change. You go and hunt instead of me, and I will try my luck +at fishing, if you will lend me your line and hook." Prince Fire-flash +did not care much to change, and at first said "No"; but his brother +kept on teasing him about it, until at last he said, "Very well, then; +let us change." + +Then Prince Fire-fade tried his luck at fishing, but not a single fish +did he catch; and, what was worse, he lost his brother's fish-hook in +the sea. + +Prince Fire-flash asked him for the hook, saying: "Hunting is one +thing, and fishing is another. Let us both go back to our own ways." + +Then said Prince Fire-fade: "I did not catch a single fish with your +hook, and at last I lost it in the sea." + +But Prince Fire-flash said: "I must and shall have my fish-hook." So +the younger brother broke his long sword, that was girded on him, and, +of the pieces, made five hundred fish-hooks, and begged Prince +Fire-flash to take them, but he would not. Then Prince Fire-fade made +a thousand fish-hooks and said: "Please take them instead of the one +which I lost." But the elder brother said: "No, I must have my own +hook, and I will not take any other." + +Then Prince Fire-fade was very sorry, and sat down by the sea-shore, +crying bitterly. + +By and by the Wise Old Man of the Sea came to him and asked: "Why are +you crying so bitterly, Prince Fire-fade?" Fire-fade told him all the +story of the lost fish-hook, and how that his brother was angry, still +saying that he must have that very same hook and no other. Then the +Wise Old Man of the Sea built a stout little boat, and made Prince +Fire-fade sit in it. Having pushed it a little from the land, he said: +"Now go on for some time in the boat; it will be very pleasant, for +the sea is calm. Soon you will come to a palace built like fishes' +scales; this is the palace of the Sea-king. When you reach the gate, +you will see a fine cassia-tree growing above the well by the side of +the gate. If you will sit on the top of that tree, the Sea-king's +daughter will see you, and tell you what to do." + +So Prince Fire-fade did as he was told, and everything came to pass +just as the Wise Old Man of the Sea had told him. As soon as he was +come to the Sea-king's palace, he made haste, and climbed up into the +cassia-tree, and sat there. Then came the maidens of the Princess +Pearl, the Sea-king's daughter, carrying golden water-pots. They were +just going to draw water, when they saw a flood of light upon the +well. They looked up, and there in the cassia-tree was a beautiful +young man. Prince Fire-fade saw the maidens, and asked for some water. +The maidens drew some, and put it in a golden cup, and gave him to +drink. Without tasting the water, the Prince took the jewel that hung +at his neck, put it between his lips, and let it drop into the golden +cup. It stuck to the cup, so that the maidens could not take it off; +so they brought the cup, with the jewel on it, to the Princess Pearl. + +When she saw the jewel, the Princess asked her maidens: "Is there +anyone inside the gate?" So the maidens answered: "There is someone +sitting on the top of the cassia-tree, above our well. It is a +beautiful young man--more beautiful even than our King. He asked for +water, and we gave him some; but, without drinking it, he dropped this +jewel from his lips into the cup, and we have brought it to you." Then +Princess Pearl, thinking this very strange, went out to look. She was +delighted at the sight, but not giving the Prince time to take more +than one little peep at her, she ran to tell her father, saying: +"Father, there is a beautiful person at our gate." + +Then the Sea-king himself went out to look. When he saw the young man +on the top of the tree, he knew that it must be Prince Fire-fade. He +made him come down, and led him into the palace, where he seated him +upon a throne made of sea-asses' skins, and silk rugs, eight layers of +each. Then a great feast was spread, and every one was so kind to +Prince Fire-fade, that the end of it was, he married Princess Pearl, +and lived in that land for three years. + +Now, one night, when the three years had almost passed, Prince +Fire-fade thought of his home, and what had happened there, and heaved +one deep sigh. + +Princess Pearl was grieved, and told her father, saying: "We have been +so happy these three years, and he never sighed before, but, last +night, he heaved one deep sigh. What can the meaning of it be?" So the +Sea-king asked the Prince to tell him what ailed him, and also what +had been the reason of his coming to that land. Then Prince Fire-fade +told the Sea-king all the story of the lost fish-hook, and how his +elder brother had behaved. + +The Sea-king at once called together all the fishes of the sea, great +and small, and asked: "Has any fish taken this fish-hook?" So all the +fishes said: "The _tai_[9] has been complaining of something sticking +in his throat, and hurting him when he eats, so perhaps he has taken +the hook." + +[Footnote 9: A kind of fish.] + +So they made the _tai_ open his mouth, and looked in his throat, and +there, sure enough, was the fish-hook. Then the hook was washed and +given to Prince Fire-fade. The Sea-king also gave him two jewels. One +was called the tide-flowing jewel, and the other was called the +tide-ebbing jewel. And he said then to the Prince: "Go home now to +your own land, and take back the fish-hook to your brother. In this +way you shall plague him. If he plant rice-fields in the upland, make +you your rice-fields in the valley; and if he make rice-fields in the +valley, do you make your rice-fields in the upland. I will rule the +water so that it may do good to you, but harm to him. If Prince +Fire-flash should be angry with you for this, and try to kill you, +then put out the tide-flowing jewel, and the tide will come up to +drown him. But if he is sorry, and asks pardon, then put out the +tide-ebbing jewel, and the tide will go back, and let him live." + +Then the Sea-king called all the crocodiles, and said: "His Highness +Prince Fire-fade is going to the upper world; which of you will take +him there quickly, and bring me back word?" And one crocodile a fathom +long, answered: "I will take him to the upper world, and come back in +a day." + +"Do so, then," said the Sea-king, "and be sure that you do not +frighten him as you are crossing the middle of the sea." He then +seated the Prince upon the crocodile's head, and saw him off. + +The crocodile brought him safe home, in one day, as he had promised. +When the crocodile was going to start back again, Prince Fire-fade +untied the dirk from his own belt, and setting it on the creature's +neck, sent him away. + +Then Prince Fire-fade gave the fish-hook to his elder brother; and, in +all things, did as the Sea-king had told him to do. So from that time, +Prince Fire-flash became poor, and came with great fury to kill his +brother. But, just in time, Prince Fire-fade put forth the +tide-flowing jewel to drown him. When he found himself in such danger, +Prince Fire-flash said he was sorry. So his brother put forth the +tide-ebbing jewel to save him. + +When he had been plagued in this way for a long time, he bowed his +head, saying: "From this time forth, I submit to you, my younger +brother. I will be your guard by day and by night, and in all things +serve you." His struggles in the water, when he thought he was +drowning, are shown at the Emperor's Court even to this very day. + + + + +_Panch-Phul Ranee_ + + +A certain Rajah had two wives, of whom he preferred the second to the +first; the first Ranee had a son, but because he was not the child of +the second Ranee, his father took a great dislike to him, and treated +him so harshly that the poor boy was very unhappy. + +One day, therefore, he said to his mother: "Mother, my father does not +care for me, and my presence is only a vexation to him. I should be +happier anywhere than here; let me therefore go and seek my fortune in +other lands." + +So the Ranee asked her husband if he would allow their son to travel. +He said, "The boy is free to go, but I don't see how he is to live in +any other part of the world, for he is too stupid to earn his living, +and I will give him no money to squander on senseless pleasures." Then +the Ranee told her son that he had his father's permission to travel, +and said to him, "You are going out into the world now to try your +luck; take with you the food and clothes I have provided for your +journey." And she gave him a bundle of clothes and several small +loaves, and in each loaf she placed a gold mohur, that on opening it, +he might find money as well as food inside; and he started on his +journey. + +When the young Rajah had travelled a long way, and left his father's +kingdom far behind, he one day came upon the outskirts of a great +city, where, instead of taking the position due to his rank, and +sending to inform the Rajah of his arrival, he went to a poor +Carpenter's house, and begged of him a lodging for the night. The +Carpenter was busy making wooden clogs in the porch of his house, but +he looked up and nodded, saying, "Young man, you are welcome to any +assistance a stranger may need and we can give. If you are in want of +food, you will find my wife and daughter in the house; they will be +happy to cook for you." The Rajah went inside and said to the +Carpenter's daughter, "I am a stranger and have travelled a long way; +I am both tired and hungry; cook me some dinner as fast as you can, +and I will pay you for your trouble." She answered, "I would willingly +cook you some dinner at once, but I have no wood to light the fire, +and the jungle is some way off." "It matters not," said the Rajah; +"this will do to light the fire, and I'll make the loss good to your +father"; and taking a pair of new clogs which the Carpenter had just +finished making, he broke them up and lighted the fire with them. + +Next morning, he went into the jungle, cut wood, and, having made a +pair of new clogs--better than those with which he had lighted the +fire the evening before--placed them with the rest of the goods for +sale in the Carpenter's shop. Shortly afterward, one of the servants +of the Rajah of that country came to buy a pair of clogs for his +master, and seeing these new ones, said to the Carpenter, "Why, man, +these clogs are better than all the rest put together. I will take +none other to the Rajah. I wish you would always make such clogs as +these." And throwing down ten gold mohurs on the floor of the hut, he +took up the clogs and went away. + +The Carpenter was much surprised at the whole business. In the first +place, he usually received only two or three rupees for each pair of +clogs; and in the second, he knew that these which the Rajah's servant +had judged worth ten gold mohurs had not been made by him; and how +they had come there he could not think, for he felt certain they were +not with the rest of the clogs the night before. He thought and +thought, but the more he thought about the matter the more puzzled he +got, and he went to talk about it to his wife and daughter. Then his +daughter said, "Oh, those must have been the clogs the stranger made!" +And she told her father how he had lighted the fire the night before +with two of the clogs which were for sale, and had afterward fetched +wood from the jungle and made another pair to replace them. + +The Carpenter, at this news, was more astonished than ever, and he +thought to himself, "Since this stranger seems a quiet, peaceable sort +of man, and can make clogs so well, it is a great pity he should leave +this place; he would make a good husband for my daughter"; and, +catching hold of the young Rajah, he propounded his scheme to him. +(But all this time he had no idea that his guest was a Rajah.) + +Now the Carpenter's daughter was a very pretty girl--as pretty as any +Ranee you ever saw; she was also good-tempered, clever, and could cook +extremely well. So when the Carpenter asked the Rajah to be his +son-in-law, he looked at the father, the mother, and the girl, and +thinking to himself that many a better man had a worse fate, he said, +"Yes, I will marry your daughter, and stay here and make clogs." So +the Rajah married the Carpenter's daughter. + +This Rajah was very clever at making all sorts of things in wood. When +he had made all the clogs he wished to sell next day, he would amuse +himself in making toys; and in this way he made a thousand wooden +parrots. They were as like real parrots as possible. They had each two +wings, two legs, two eyes, and a sharp beak. And when the Rajah had +finished them all, he painted and varnished them and put them, one +afternoon, outside the house to dry. + +Night came on, and with it came Parbuttee and Mahdeo, flying round the +world to see the different races of men. Among the many places they +visited was the city where the Carpenter lived; and in the garden in +front of the house they saw the thousand wooden parrots which the +Rajah had made and painted and varnished, all placed out to dry. Then +Parbuttee turned to Mahdeo, and said, "These parrots are very well +made--they need nothing but life. Why should not we give them life?" +Mahdeo answered, "What would be the use of that? It would be a strange +freak, indeed!" "Oh," said Parbuttee, "I only meant you to do it as an +amusement. It would be so funny to see the wooden parrots flying +about! But do not do it if you don't like." "You would like it, +then?" answered Mahdeo. "Very well, I will do it." And he endowed the +thousand parrots with life. + +Parbuttee and Mahdeo then flew away. + +Next morning the Rajah got up early to see if the varnish he had put +on the wooden parrots was dry; but no sooner did he open the door +than--marvel of marvels!--the thousand wooden parrots all came walking +into the house, flapping their wings and chatting to each other. + +Hearing the noise, the Carpenter and the Carpenter's wife and daughter +came running out to see what was the matter, and were not less +astonished than the Rajah himself at the miracle which had taken +place. Then the Carpenter's wife turned to her son-in-law, and said, +"It is all very well that you should have made these wooden parrots; +but I don't know where we are to find food for them! Great, strong +parrots like these will eat not less than a pound of rice apiece every +day. Your father-in-law and I cannot afford to procure as much as that +for them in this poor house. If you wish to keep them, you must live +elsewhere, for we cannot provide for you all." + +"Very well," said the Rajah; "you shall not have cause to accuse me of +ruining you, for from henceforth I will have a house of my own." So he +and his wife went to live in a house of their own, and he took the +thousand parrots with him, and his mother-in-law gave her daughter +some corn and rice and money to begin housekeeping with. Moreover, he +found that the parrots, instead of being an expense, were the means of +increasing his fortune; for they flew away every morning early to get +food, and spent the whole day out in the fields; and every evening, +when they returned home, each parrot brought in his beak a stalk of +corn or rice, or whatever it had found good to eat. Their master +therefore was regularly supplied with more food than enough; and what +with selling what he did not require, and working at his trade, he +soon became quite a rich carpenter. + +After he had been living in this way very happily for some time, one +night, when he fell asleep, the Rajah dreamed a wonderful dream, and +this was the dream: + +He thought that very, very far away beyond the Red Sea was a beautiful +kingdom surrounded by seven other seas; and that it belonged to a +Rajah and Ranee who had one lovely daughter, named Panch-Phul Ranee +(the Five Flower Queen), after whom the whole kingdom was called +Panch-Phul Ranee's country; and that this Princess lived in the centre +of her father's kingdom, in a little house round which were seven wide +ditches, and seven great hedges made of spears; and that she was +called Panch-Phul Ranee because she was so light and delicate that she +weighed no more than five white lotus flowers! Moreover, he dreamed +that this Princess had vowed to marry no one who would not cross the +seven seas, and jump the seven ditches and seven hedges made of +spears. + +After dreaming this the young Rajah awoke, and feeling much puzzled, +got up, and sitting with his head in his hands, tried to think the +matter over and discover if he had ever heard anything like his dream +before; but he could make nothing of it. + +While he was thus thinking, his wife awoke and asked him what was the +matter. He told her, and she said, "That is a strange dream. If I were +you, I'd ask the old parrot about it; he is a wise bird, and perhaps +he knows." This parrot of which she spoke was the most wise of all the +thousand wooden parrots. The Rajah took his wife's advice, and when +all the birds came home that evening, he called the old parrot and +told him his dream, saying, "Can this be true?" To which the parrot +replied, "It is all true. The Panch-Phul Ranee's country lies beyond +the Red Sea, and is surrounded by seven seas, and she dwells in a +house built in the centre of her father's kingdom. Round her house are +seven ditches, and seven hedges made of spears, and she has vowed not +to marry any man who cannot jump these seven ditches and seven hedges; +and because she is very beautiful many great and noble men have tried +to do this, but in vain. + +"The Rajah and Ranee, her father and mother, are very fond of her and +proud of her. Every day she goes to the palace to see them, and they +weigh her in a pair of scales. They put her in one scale and five +lotus flowers in the other, and she's so delicate and fragile she +weighs no heavier than the five little flowers, so they call her the +Panch-Phul Ranee. Her father and mother are very proud of this." + +"I should like to go to that country and see the Panch-Phul Ranee," +said the Rajah; "but I don't know how I could cross the seven seas." +"I will show you how to manage that," replied the old parrot. "I and +another parrot will fly close together, I crossing my left over his +right wing; so that we will move along as if we were one bird (using +only our outside wings to fly with), and on the chair made of our +interlaced wings you shall sit, and we will carry you safely across +the seven seas. On the way we will every evening alight in some high +tree and rest, and every morning we can go on again." "That sounds a +good plan; I have a great desire to try it," said the Rajah. "Wife, +what should you think of my going to the Panch-Phul Ranee's country, +and seeing if I can jump the seven ditches, and seven hedges made of +spears. Will you let me try?" + +"Yes," she answered. "If you like to go and marry her, go; only take +care that you do not kill yourself; and mind you come back some day." +And she prepared food for him to take with him, and took off her gold +and silver bangles, which she placed in a bundle of warm things, that +he might be in need neither of money nor clothes on the journey. He +then charged the nine hundred and ninety-eight parrots he left behind +him to bring her plenty of corn and rice daily (that she might never +need food while he was away), and took her to the house of her father, +in whose care she was to remain during his absence; and he wished her +good-bye, saying, "Do not fear but that I will come back to you, even +if I do win the Panch-Phul Ranee, for you will always be my first +wife, though you are the Carpenter's daughter." + +The old parrot and another parrot then spread their wings, on which +the Rajah seated himself as on a chair, and rising up in the air, they +flew away with him out of sight. + +Far, far, far they flew, as fast as parrots can fly, over hills, over +forests, over rivers, over valleys, on, on, on, hour after hour, day +after day, week after week, only staying to rest every night when it +got too dark to see where they were going. At last they reached the +seven seas which surrounded the Panch-Phul Ranee's country. When once +they began crossing the seas they could not rest (for there was +neither rock nor island on which to alight), so they were obliged to +fly straight across them, night and day, until they gained the shore. + +By reason of this the parrots were too exhausted on their arrival to +go as far as the city where the Rajah, Panch-Phul Ranee's father, +lived, but they flew down to rest on a beautiful banyan tree, which +grew not far from the sea, close to a small village. The Rajah +determined to go into the village and get food and shelter there. He +told the parrots to stay in the banyan tree till his return; then, +leaving his bundle of clothes and most of his money in their charge, +he set off on foot toward the nearest house. + +After a little while he reached a Malee's cottage, and giving a gold +mohur to the Malee's wife, got her to provide him with food and +shelter for the night. + +Next morning he rose early, and said to his hostess, "I am a stranger +here, and know nothing of the place. What is the name of your +country?" "This," she said, "is Panch-Phul Ranee's country." + +"And what is the last news in your town?" he asked, "Very bad news +indeed," she replied. "You must know our Rajah has one only +daughter--a most beautiful Princess--and her name is Panch-Phul Ranee, +for she is so light and delicate that she weighs no heavier than five +lotus flowers. After her this whole country is called Panch-Phul +Ranee's country. She lives in a small bungalow in the centre of the +city you see yonder; but, unluckily for us, she has vowed to marry no +man who cannot jump on foot over the seven hedges made of spears, and +across the seven great ditches that surround her house. This cannot be +done, Babamah! I don't know how many hundreds of thousands of Rajahs +have tried to do it and died in the attempt! Yet the Princess will not +break her vow. Daily, worse and worse tidings come from the city of +fresh people having been killed in trying to jump the seven hedges and +seven ditches, and I see no end to the misfortunes that will arise +from it. Not only are so many brave men lost to the world, but, since +the Princess will marry no one who does not succeed in this, she +stands a chance of not marrying at all; and if that be so, when the +Rajah dies there will be no one to protect her and claim the right to +succeed to the throne. All the nobles will probably fight for the Raj, +and the whole kingdom be turned topsy-turvy." + +"Mahi," said the Rajah, "if that is all there is to do, I will try and +win your Princess, for I can jump right well." + +"Baba," answered the Malee's wife, "do not think of such a thing; are +you mad? I tell you, hundreds of thousands of men have said these +words before, and been killed for their rashness. What power do you +think you possess, to succeed where all before you have failed? Give +up all thought of this, for it is utter folly." + +"I will not do it," answered the Rajah, "before going to consult some +of my friends." + +So he left the Malee's cottage, and returned to the banyan tree to +talk over the matter with the parrots; for he thought they would be +able to carry him on their wings across the seven ditches and seven +hedges made of spears. When he reached the old tree the parrot said to +him, "It is two days since you left us; what news have you brought +from the village?" The Rajah answered, "The Panch-Phul Ranee still +lives in the house surrounded by the seven ditches, and seven hedges +made of spears, and has vowed to marry no man who cannot jump over +them; but cannot you parrots, who brought me all the way over the +seven seas, carry me on your wings across these great barriers?" + +"You stupid man!" answered the old parrot, "of course we could; but +what would be the good of doing so? If we carried you across, it would +not be at all the same thing as your jumping across, and the Princess +would no more consent to marry you than she would now; for she has +vowed to marry no one who has not jumped across _on foot_. If you want +to do the thing, why not do it yourself, instead of talking nonsense. +Have you forgotten how, when you were a little boy, you were taught to +jump by conjurors and tumblers (for the parrot knew all the Rajah's +history)? Now is the time to put their lessons in practice. If you can +jump the seven ditches, and seven hedges made of spears, you will have +done a good work, and be able to marry the Panch-Phul Ranee; but if +not, this is a thing in which we cannot help you." + +"You reason justly," replied the Rajah. "I will try to put in practice +the lessons I learnt when a boy; meantime, do you stay here till my +return." + +So saying, he went away to the city, which he reached by nightfall. +Next morning early he went to where the Princess's bungalow stood, to +try to jump the fourteen great barriers. He was strong and agile, and +he jumped the seven great ditches, and six of the seven hedges made of +spears; but in running to jump the seventh hedge he hurt his foot, +and, stumbling, fell upon the spears and died--run through and through +with the cruel iron spikes. + +When Panch-Phul Ranee's father and mother got up that morning and +looked out, as their custom was, toward their daughter's bungalow, +they saw something transfixed upon the seventh hedge of spears, but +what it was they could not make out, for it dazzled their eyes. So the +Rajah called his Wuzeer and said to him, "For some days I have seen no +one attempt to jump the seven hedges and seven ditches round +Panch-Phul Ranee's bungalow; but what is that which I now see upon the +seventh hedge of spears?" The Wuzeer answered, "That is a Rajah's son, +who has failed, like all who have gone before him." "But how is it," +asked the Rajah, "that he thus dazzles our eyes?" + +"It is," replied the Wuzeer, "because he is so beautiful. Of all that +have died for the sake of Panch-Phul Ranee, this youth is, beyond +doubt, the handsomest." "Alas!" cried the Rajah, "how many and how +many brave men has my daughter killed? I will have no more die for +her. Let us send her and the dead man together away into the jungle." + +Then he ordered the servants to fetch the young Rajah's body. There he +lay, still and beautiful, with a glory shining round him as the +moonlight shines round the clear bright moon, but without a spark of +life. + +When the Rajah saw him, he said, "Oh, pity, pity, that so brave and +handsome a boy should have come dying after this girl! Yet he is but +one of the thousands of thousands who have died thus to no purpose. +Pull up the spears and cast them into the seven ditches, for they +shall remain no longer." + +Then he commanded two palanquins to be prepared and men in readiness +to carry them, and said, "Let the girl be married to the young Rajah, +and let both be taken far away into the jungle, that we may never see +them more. Then there will be quiet in the land again." + +The Ranee, Panch-Phul Ranee's mother, cried bitterly at this, for she +was very fond of her daughter, and she begged her husband not to send +her away so cruelly--the living with the dead; but the Rajah was +inexorable. "That poor boy died," he said; "let my daughter die, too! +I'll have no more men killed here." + +So the two palanquins were prepared. Then he placed his daughter in +the one, and her dead husband in the other, and said to the +palkee-bearers, "Take these palkees and go out into the jungle until +you have reached a place so desolate that not so much as a sparrow is +to be seen, and there leave them both." + +And so they did. Deep down in the jungle, where no bright sun could +pierce the darkness, nor human voice be heard, far from any habitation +of man or means of supporting life, on the edge of a dank, stagnant +morass that was shunned by all but noisome reptiles and wandering +beasts of prey, they set them down and left them, the dead husband and +the living wife, alone to meet the horrors of the coming night--alone, +without a chance of rescue. + +Panch-Phul Ranee heard the bearers' retreating footsteps, and their +voices getting fainter and fainter in the distance, and felt that she +had nothing to hope for but death. + +Night seemed coming on apace, for though the sun had not set, the +jungle was dark so that but little light pierced the gloom; and she +thought she would take a last look at the husband her vow had killed, +and, sitting beside him, wait till starvation should make her as he +was, or some wild animal put a more speedy end to her sufferings. + +She left her palkee and went toward his. There he lay with closed eyes +and close-shut lips; black curling hair, which escaped from under his +turban, concealed a ghastly wound on his temple. There was no look of +pain on the face, and the long, sweeping eyelashes gave it such a +tender, softened expression she could hardly believe that he was dead. +He was, in truth, very beautiful; and, watching him, she said to +herself, "Alas, what a noble being is here lost to the world! what an +earth's joy is extinguished! Was it for this I was cold, and proud, +and stern--to break the cup of my own happiness and to be the death of +such as you? Must you now never know that you won your wife? Must you +never hear her ask your pardon for the past, nor know her cruel +punishment? Ah, if you had but lived, how dearly I would have loved +you! Oh, my husband! my husband!" And sinking down on the ground, she +buried her face in her hands and cried bitterly. + +While she was sitting thus, night closed over the jungle, and brought +with it wild beasts that had left their dens and lairs in search of +prey--to roam about, as the heat of the day was over. Tigers, lions, +elephants, and bison, all came by turns, crushing through the +underwood which surrounded the place where the palkees were, but they +did no harm to Panch-Phul Ranee, for she was so fair that not even the +cruel beasts of the forests would injure her. At last, about four +o'clock in the morning, all the wild animals had gone except two +little jackals, who had been very busy watching the rest and picking +the bones left by the tigers. Tired with running about, they lay down +to rest close to the palkees. Then one little jackal said to the +other, who was her husband, "Do tell me a little story." "Dear me!" +exclaimed he, "what people you women are for stories! Well, look just +in front of you; do you see those two?" "Yes," she answered; "what of +them?" "That woman you see sitting on the ground," he said, "is the +Panch-Phul Ranee." "And what son of a Rajah is the man in the palkee?" +asked she. "That," he replied, "is a very sorrowful son. His father +was so unkind to him that he left his own home, and went to live in +another country very far from this; and there he dreamed about the +Panch-Phul Ranee, and came to our land in order to marry her, but he +was killed in jumping the seventh hedge of spears, and all he gained +was to die for her sake." + +"That is very sad," said the first little jackal; "but could he never +by any chance come to life again?" "Yes," answered the other; "maybe +he could, if only someone knew how to apply the proper remedies." +"What are the proper remedies, and how could he be cured?" asked the +lady jackal. (Now, all this conversation had been heard by Panch-Phul +Ranee, and when this question was asked she listened very eagerly and +attentively for the answer.) + +"Do you see this tree?" replied her husband. "Well, if some of its +leaves were crushed, and a little of the juice put into the Rajah's +two ears and upon his upper lip, and some upon his temples, also, and +some upon the spear-wounds in his side, he would come to life again +and be as well as ever." + +At this moment day dawned, and the two little jackals ran away. +Panch-Phul Ranee did not forget their words. She, a Princess born, who +had never put her foot to the ground before (so delicately and +tenderly had she been reared), walked over the rough clods of earth +and the sharp stones till she reached the place where the tree grew of +which the jackals had spoken. She gathered a number of its leaves, +and, with hands and feet that had never before done coarse or common +work, beat and crushed them down. They were so stiff, and strong that +it took her a long time. At last, after tearing them, and stamping on +them, and pounding them between two stones, and biting the hardest +parts, she thought they were sufficiently crushed; and rolling them up +in a corner of her saree, she squeezed the juice through it on to her +husband's temples, and put a little on his upper lip and into his +ears, and some also on the spear-wound in his side. And when she had +done this, he awoke as if he had been only sleeping, and sat up, +wondering where he was. Before him stood Panch-Phul Ranee shining like +a glorious star, and all around them was the dark jungle. + +It would be hard to say which of them was the more astonished--the +Rajah or the Princess. She was surprised that the remedy should have +taken such speedy effect, and could hardly believe her eyes when she +saw her husband get up. And if he looked beautiful when dead, much +more handsome did he seem to her now, so full of life and animation +and power--the picture of health and strength. And he, in his turn, +was lost in amazement at the exquisite loveliness of the lady who +stood before him. He did not know who she could be, for he had never +seen her like, except in a dream. Could she be really the +world-renowned Panch-Phul Ranee, or was he dreaming still? He feared +to move lest he should break the spell. But as he sat there wondering, +she spoke, saying, "You marvel at what has taken place. You do not +know me--I am Panch-Phul Ranee, your wife." + +Then he said, "Ah, Princess, is it indeed you? You have been very hard +to me." "I know, I know," she answered; "I caused your death, but I +brought you to life again. Let the past be forgotten; come home with +me, and my father and mother will welcome you as a son." + +He replied, "No, I must return first to my own home a while. Do you +rather return there now with me, for it is a long time since I left +it, and afterward we will come again to your father's kingdom." + +To this Panch-Phul Ranee agreed. It took them, however, a long time to +find their way out of the jungle. At last they succeeded in doing so, +for none of the wild animals in it attempted to injure them, so +beautiful and royal did they both look. + +When they reached the banyan tree, where the Rajah had left the two +parrots, the old parrot called out to him, "So you have come back at +last! We thought you never would, you were such a long time away! +There you went, leaving us here all the time, and after all doing no +good, but only getting yourself killed. Why didn't you do as we +advised you, and jump up nicely?" + +"Well, I'm sure," said the Rajah, "yours is a hard case; but I beg +your pardon for keeping you waiting so long, and now I hope you'll +take me and my wife home." + +"Yes, we will do that," answered the parrots; "but you had better get +some dinner first, for it's a long journey over the seven seas." + +So the Rajah went to the village close by and bought food for himself +and the Panch-Phul Ranee. When he returned with it, he said to her, "I +fear the long journey before us for you; had you not better let me +make it alone, and return here for you when it is over?" But she +answered, "No! what could I, a poor weak woman, do here alone? and I +will not return to my father's house till you can come, too. Take me +with you, however far you go; only promise me you will never leave +me." So he promised her, and they both, mounting the parrots, were +carried up in the air across the seven seas, across the Red Sea, on, +on, on, a whole year's journey, until they reached his father's +kingdom, and alighted to rest at the foot of the palace garden. The +Rajah, however, did not know where he was, for all had much changed +since he left it some years before. + +Then a little son was born to the Rajah and Panch-Phul Ranee. He was a +beautiful child, but his father was grieved to think that in that +bleak place there was no shelter for the mother or the baby. So he +said to his wife, "I will go to fetch food for us both, and fire to +cook it with, and inquire what this country is, and seek out a place +of rest for you. Do not be afraid; I shall soon return." Now, far off +in the distance, smoke was to be seen rising from tents which belonged +to some conjurors and dancing-people, and thither the Rajah bent his +steps, feeling certain he should be able to get fire, and perhaps +food also, from the inhabitants. When he got there, he found the place +was much larger than he had expected--quite a good-sized village, in +fact--the abode of Nautch people and conjurors. In all the houses the +people were busy, some dancing, some singing, others trying various +conjuring tricks or practising beating the drum, and all seemed happy +and joyful. + +When the conjurors saw him, they were so much struck with his +appearance (for he was very handsome) that they determined to make +him, if possible, stay among them, and join their band. And they said +one to another, "How well he would look beating the drum for the +dancers! All the world would come to see us dance, if we had such a +handsome man as that to beat the drum." + +The Rajah, unconscious of their intentions, went into the largest hut +he saw, and said to a woman who was grinding corn, "Bai, give me a +little rice, and some fire from your hearth." She immediately +consented, and got up to fetch the burning sticks he asked for; but +before she gave them to him, she and her companions threw upon them a +certain powder, containing a very potent charm; and no sooner did the +Rajah receive them than he forgot about his wife and little child, his +journey, and all that had ever happened to him in his life before; +such was the peculiar property of the powder. And when the conjurors +said to him, "Why should you go away? stay with us, and be one of us," +he willingly consented to do so. + +All this time Panch-Phul Ranee waited and waited for her husband, but +he never came. Night approached without his having brought her any +food or news of having found a place of shelter for her and the baby. +At last, faint and weary, she swooned away. + +It happened that that very day the Ranee (Panch-Phul Ranee's husband's +mother) lost her youngest child, a fine little boy of only a day old; +and her servants took its body to the bottom of the garden to bury it. +Just as they were going to do so, they heard a low cry, and, looking +round, saw close by a beautiful woman lying on the ground, dead, or +apparently so, and beside her a fine little baby boy. The idea +immediately entered their heads of leaving the dead baby beside the +dead woman, and taking her living baby back with them to the palace; +and so they did. + +When they returned, they said to their mistress, "Your child did not +die; see, here it is--it got well again," and showed her Panch-Phul +Ranee's baby. But after a time, when the Ranee questioned them about +it, they told her the whole truth; but she had become meanwhile very +fond of the little boy, and so he continued in the palace and was +brought up as her son; being, in truth, her grandson, though she did +not know it. + +Meantime the palace Malee's wife went out, as her custom was every +morning and evening, to gather flowers. In search of them she wandered +as far as the jungle at the bottom of the garden, and there she found +the Panch-Phul Ranee lying as dead, and the dead baby beside her. + +The good woman felt very sorry, and rubbed the Ranee's cold hands and +gave her sweet flowers to smell in hopes that she might revive. At +last she opened her eyes, and seeing the Malee's wife, said, "Where am +I? Has not my husband come back? and who are you?" + +"My poor lady," answered the Malee's wife, "I do not know where your +husband is. I am the Malee's wife, and coming here to gather flowers, +I found you lying on the ground, and this your little baby, who is +dead; but come home with me, I will take care of you." + +Panch-Phul Ranee answered, "Kind friend, this is not my baby; he did +not die; he was the image of his father, and fairer than this child. +Someone must have taken him away, for but a little while ago, I held +him in my arms, and he was strong and well, while this one could never +have been more than a puny, weakly infant. Take me away; I will go +home with you." + +So the Malee's wife buried the dead child and took the Panch-Phul +Ranee to her house, where she lived for fourteen years; but all that +time she could gain no tidings of her husband or her lost little boy. +The child, meanwhile, grew up in the palace, and became a very +handsome youth. One day he was wandering round the garden and chanced +to pass the Malee's house. The Panch-Phul Ranee was sitting within, +watching the Malee's wife cook their dinner. + +The young Prince saw her, and calling the Malee's wife, said to her, +"What beautiful lady is that in your house? and how did she come +there?" She answered, "Little Prince, what nonsense you talk! there is +no lady here." He said again, "I know there is a beautiful lady here, +for I saw her as I passed the open door." She replied, "If you come +telling such tales about my house, I'll pull your tongue out." For she +thought to herself, "Unless I scold him well, the boy 'll go talking +about what he's seen in the palace, and then perhaps some of the +people from there will come and take the poor Panch-Phul Ranee away +from my care." But while the Malee's wife was talking to the young +Prince, the Panch-Phul Ranee came from the inner room to watch and +listen to him unobserved; and no sooner did she see him than she could +not forbear crying out, "Oh, how like he is to my husband! The same +eyes, the same shaped face and the same king-like bearing! Can he be +my son? He is just the age my son would have been had he lived." + +The young Prince heard her speaking and asked what she said, to which +the Malee's wife replied, "The woman you saw, and who just now spoke, +lost her child fourteen years ago, and she was saying to herself how +like you were to that child, and thinking you must be the same; but +she is wrong, for we know you are the Ranee's son." Then Panch-Phul +Ranee herself came out of the house, and said to him, "Young Prince, I +could not, when I saw you, help exclaiming how like you are to what my +lost husband was, and to what my son might have been; for it is now +fourteen years since I lost them both." And she told him how she had +been a great Princess, and was returning with her husband to his own +home and how her little baby had been born in the jungle, and her +husband had gone away to seek shelter for her and the child, and fire +and food, and had never returned; and also how, when she had fainted +away, someone had certainly stolen her baby and left a dead child in +its place; and how the good Malee's wife had befriended her, and taken +her ever since to live in her house. And when she had ended her story +she began to cry. + +But the Prince said to her, "Be of good cheer; I will endeavour to +recover your husband and child for you; who knows but I may indeed be +your son, beautiful lady?" And running home to the Ranee (his adopted +mother), he said to her, "Are you really my mother? Tell me truly; for +this I must know before the sun goes down." "Why do you ask foolish +questions?" she replied; "have I not always treated you as a son?" +"Yes," he said; "but tell me the very truth; am I your own child, or +the child of someone else, adopted as yours? If you do not tell me, I +will kill myself." And so saying, he drew his sword. She replied, +"Stay, stay, and I will tell you the whole truth; the day before you +were born I had a little baby, but it died; and my servants took it to +the bottom of the garden to bury it, and there they found a beautiful +woman lying as dead, and beside her a living infant. You were that +child. They brought you to the palace, and I adopted you as my son, +and left my baby in your stead." "What became of my mother?" he asked. +"I cannot tell," answered the Ranee; "for, two days afterward, when I +sent to the same place, she and the baby had both disappeared, and I +have never since heard of her." + +The young Prince, on hearing this, said, "There is in the head Malee's +house a beautiful lady, whom the Malee's wife found in the jungle, +fourteen years ago; that must be my mother. Let her be received here +this very day with all honour, for that is the only reparation that +can now be made to her." + +The Ranee consented, and the young Prince went down to the Malee's +house himself to fetch his mother to the palace. + +With him he took a great retinue of people, and a beautiful palanquin +for her to go in, covered with rich trappings; also costly things for +her to wear, and many jewels and presents for the good Malee's wife. + +When Panch-Phul Ranee had put on her son's gifts, and come out of the +Malee's poor cottage to meet him, all the people said there had never +been so royal-looking a queen. As gold and clear crystal are lovely, +as mother-of-pearl is exquisitely fair and delicate-looking, so +beautiful, so fair, so delicate appeared Panch-Phul Ranee. + +Her son conducted her with much pomp and state to the palace, and did +all in his power to honour her; and there she lived long, very +happily, and beloved by all. + +One day the young Prince begged her to tell him again, from the +beginning, the story of her life, and as much as she knew of his +father's life; and so she did. And after that, he said to her, "Be no +longer sad, dear mother, regarding my father's fate; for I will send +into all lands to gather tidings of him, and maybe in the end we shall +find him." And he sent people out to hunt for the Rajah all over the +kingdom, and in all neighbouring countries--to the north, to the +south, to the east and to the west--but they found him not. + +At last, after four years of unsuccessful search, when there seemed no +hope of ever learning what had become of him, Panch-Phul Ranee's son +came to see her, and said, "Mother, I have sent into all lands seeking +my father, but can hear no news of him. If there were only the +slightest clue as to the direction in which he went, there would still +be some chance of tracing him, but that, I fear, cannot be got. Do you +not remember his having said anything of the way which he intended to +go when he left you?" She answered, "When your father went away, his +words to me were, 'I will go to fetch food for us both, and fire to +cook it with, and inquire what this country is, and seek out a place +of shelter for you. Do not be afraid--I shall soon return.' That was +all he said, and then he went away, and I never saw him more." + +"In what direction did he go from the foot of the garden?" asked the +Prince. "He went," answered the Panch-Phul Ranee, "toward that village +of conjurors close by. I thought he was intending to ask some of them +to give us food. But had he done so, he would certainly have returned +in a very short time." + +"Do you think you should know my father, mother darling, if you were +to see him again?" asked the Prince. "Yes," answered she, "I should +know him again." "What!" he said, "even when eighteen years have gone +by since you saw him last? Even though age and sickness and want had +done their utmost to change him?" "Yes!" she replied; "his every +feature is so impressed on my heart that I should know him again +anywhere or in any disguise." + +"Then let us," he said, "send for all those people in the direction of +whose houses he went away. Maybe they have detained him among them to +this day. It is but a chance, but we can hope for nothing more +certain." + +So the Panch-Phul Ranee and her son sent down orders to the conjurors' +village that every one of the whole band should come up to the palace +that afternoon--not a soul was to stay behind. And the dancers were to +dance and the conjurors to play all their tricks for the amusement of +the palace inmates. + +The people came. The nautch girls began to dance--running, jumping, +and flying here, there and everywhere, some up, some down, some round +and round. The conjurors conjured and all began in different ways to +amuse the company. Among the rest was one wild, ragged-looking man, +whose business was to beat the drum. No sooner did the Panch-Phul +Ranee set eyes on him than she said to her son, "Boy, that is your +father!" "What, mother!" he said, "that wretched-looking man who is +beating the drum?" "The same," she answered. + +The Prince said to his servants, "Fetch that man here." And the Rajah +came toward them, so changed that not even his own mother knew him--no +one recognized him but his wife. For eighteen years he had been among +the nautch people; his hair was rough, his; beard untrimmed, his face +thin and worn, sunburnt and wrinkled; he wore a nose-ring and heavy +earrings, such as the nautch people have; and his dress was a rough, +common cumlee. All traces of his former self seemed to have +disappeared. They asked him if he did not remember he had been a Rajah +once, and about his journey to Panch-Phul Ranee's country. But he +said, No, he remembered nothing but how to beat the drum--Rub-a-dub! +tat-tat! tom-tum! tom-tum! He thought he must have beaten it all his +life. + +Then the young Prince gave orders that all the nautch people should be +put into jail until it could be discovered what part they had taken in +reducing his father to so pitiable a state. And sending for the wisest +doctors in the kingdom, he said to them, "Do your best and restore the +health of this Rajah, who has to all appearance lost both memory and +reason; and discover, if possible, what has caused these misfortunes +to befall him." The doctors said, "He has certainly had some potent +charm given to him, which has destroyed both his memory and reason, +but we will do our best to counteract its influence." + +And so they did. And their treatment succeeded so well that, after a +time, the Rajah entirely recovered his former senses. And they took +such good care of him that in a little while he regained his health +and strength also, and looked almost as well as ever. + +He then found to his surprise that he, Panch-Phul Ranee, and their +son, had all this time been living in his father's kingdom. His father +was so delighted to see him again that he was no longer unkind to him, +but treated him as a dearly beloved, long lost son. His mother also +was overjoyed at his return, and they said to him, "Since you have +been restored to us again, why should you wander any more? Your wife +and son are here; do you also remain here, and live among us for the +rest of your days." But he replied, "I have another wife--the +Carpenter's daughter--who first was kind to me in my adopted country. +I also have there nine hundred and ninety-eight talking wooden +parrots, which I greatly prize. Let me first go and fetch them." + +They said, "Very well; go quickly and then return." So he mounted the +two wooden parrots which had brought him from the Panch-Phul Ranee's +country (and which had for eighteen years lived in the jungle close to +the palace), and returned to the land where his first wife lived, and +fetched her and the nine hundred and ninety-eight remaining wooden +parrots to his father's kingdom. Then his father said to him, "Don't +have any quarrelling with your half-brother after I am dead" (for his +half-brother was son of the old Rajah's favourite wife). "I love you +both dearly, and will give each of you half of my kingdom." So he +divided the kingdom into two halves, and gave the one-half to the +Panch-Phul Ranee's husband, who was the son of his first wife, and the +other half to the eldest son of his second but favourite wife. + +A short time after this arrangement was made, Panch-Phul Ranee said to +her husband, "I wish to see my father and mother again before I die; +let me go and see them." He answered, "You shall go, and I and our son +will also go." So he called four of the wooden parrots--two to carry +himself and the Ranee, and two to carry their son. Each pair of +parrots crossed their wings; the young Prince sat upon the two wings +of one pair; and on the wings of the other pair sat his father and +mother. Then they all rose up in the air, and the parrots carried them +(as they had before carried the Rajah alone), up, up, up, on, on, on, +over the Red Sea, and across the seven seas, until they reached the +Panch-Phul Ranee's country. + +Panch-Phul Ranee's father saw them come flying through the air as +quickly as shooting stars, and much wondering who they were, he sent +out many of his nobles and chief officers to inquire. + +The nobles went out to meet them, and called out, "What great Rajah is +this who is dressed so royally, and comes flying through the air so +fast? Tell us, that we may tell our Rajah." + +The Rajah answered, "Go and tell your master that this is Panch-Phul +Ranee's husband, come to visit his father-in-law." So they took that +answer back to the palace, but when the Rajah heard it, he said, "I +cannot tell what this means, for the Panch-Phul Ranee's husband died +long ago. It is twenty years since he fell upon the iron spears and +died; let us, however, all go and discover who this great Rajah really +is." And he and all his court went out to meet the new-comers, just as +the parrots had alighted close to the palace gate. The Panch-Phul +Ranee took her son by the one hand and her husband by the other, and +walking to meet her father, said, "Father, I have come to see you +again. This is my husband who died, and this boy is my son." Then all +the land was glad to see the Panch-Phul Ranee back, and the people +said, "Our Princess is the most beautiful Princess in the world, and +her husband is as handsome as she is, and her son is a fair boy; we +will that they should always live among us and reign over us." + +When they had rested a little, the Panch-Phul Ranee told her father +and mother the story of all her adventures from the time she and her +husband were left in the palkees in the jungle. And when they had +heard it, her father said to the Rajah, her husband, "You must never +go away again; for see, I have no son but you. You and your son must +reign here after me. And behold, all this great kingdom will I now +give you, if you will only stay with us; for I am old and weary of +governing the land." + +But the Rajah answered, "I must return once again to my own country, +and then I will stay with you as long as I live." + +So, leaving the Panch-Phul Ranee and her son with the old Rajah and +Ranee, he mounted his parrots and once more returned to his father's +land. And when he had reached it, he said to his mother, "Mother, my +father-in-law has given me a kingdom ten thousand times larger than +this. So I have but returned to bid you farewell and fetch my first +wife, and then I must go back to live in that other land." She +answered, "Very well; so you are happy anywhere, I am happy, too." + +He then said to his half-brother, "Brother, my father-in-law has given +me all the Panch-Phul Ranee's country, which is very far away; +therefore I give up to you the half of this kingdom that my father +gave to me." Then, bidding his father farewell, he took the +Carpenter's daughter back with him (riding through the air on two of +the wooden parrots, and followed by the rest) to the Panch-Phul +Ranee's country, and there he and his two wives and his son lived very +happily all their mortal days. + + + + +_Schippeitaro_ + + +Long, long ago, in the days of fairies and giants, ogres, and dragons, +valiant knights and distressed damsels; in those good old days, a +brave young warrior went out into the wide world in search of +adventures. + +For some time he went on without meeting with anything out of the +common, but at length, after journeying through a thick forest, he +found himself, one evening, on a wild and lonely mountain side. No +village was in sight, no cottage, not even the hut of a charcoal +burner, so often to be found on the outskirts of the forest. He had +been following a faint and much overgrown path, but at length, even +that was lost sight of. Twilight was coming on, and in vain he strove +to recover the lost track. Each effort seemed only to entangle him +more hopelessly in the briers and tall grasses which grew thickly on +all sides. Faint and weary he stumbled on in the fast gathering +darkness, until suddenly he came upon a little temple, deserted and +half ruined, but which still contained a shrine. Here at least was +shelter from the chilly dews, and here he resolved to pass the night. +Food he had none, but, wrapped in his mantle, and with his good sword +by his side, he lay down, and was soon fast asleep. + +Toward midnight he was awakened by a dreadful noise, At first he +thought it must be a dream, but the noise continued, the whole place +resounding with the most terrible shrieks and yells. The young warrior +raised himself cautiously, and seizing his sword, looked through a +hole in the ruined wall. He beheld a strange and awful sight. A troop +of hideous cats were engaged in a wild and horrible dance, their yells +meanwhile echoing through the night. Mingled with their unearthly +cries the young warrior could clearly distinguish the words: + + Tell it not to Schippeitaro! + Listen for his bark! + Tell it not to Schippeitaro! + Keep it close and dark! + +A beautiful clear full moon shed its light upon this grew-some scene, +which the young warrior watched with amazement and horror. Suddenly, +the midnight hour being passed, the phantom cats disappeared, and all +was silence once more. The rest of the night passed undisturbed, and +the young warrior slept soundly until morning. When he awoke the sun +was already up, and he hastened to leave the scene of last night's +adventure. By the bright morning light he presently discovered traces +of a path which the evening before had been invisible. This he +followed, and found to his great joy, that it led, not as he had +feared, to the forest through which he had come the day before, but in +the opposite direction, toward an open plain. There he saw one or two +scattered cottages, and, a little farther on, a village. Pressed by +hunger, he was making the best of his way toward the village, when he +heard the tones of a woman's voice loud in lamentation and entreaty. +No sooner did these sounds of distress reach the warrior's ears, than +his hunger was forgotten, and he hurried on to the nearest cottage, to +find out what was the matter, and if he could give any help. The +people listened to his questions, and shaking their heads sorrowfully, +told him that all help was vain. "Every year," said they, "the +mountain spirit claims a victim. The time has come, and this very +night will he devour our loveliest maiden. This is the cause of the +wailing and lamentation." And when the young warrior, filled with +wonder, inquired further, they told him that at sunset the victim +would be put into a sort of cage, carried to that very ruined temple +where he had passed the night, and there left alone. In the morning +she would have vanished. So it was each year, and so it would be now; +there was no help for it. As he listened, the young warrior was filled +with an earnest desire to deliver the maiden. And, the mention of the +ruined shrine having brought back to his mind the adventure of the +night before, he asked the people whether they had ever heard the name +of Schippeitaro, and who and what he was. "Schippeitaro is a strong +and beautiful dog," was the reply; "he belongs to the head man of our +Prince who lives only a little way from here. We often see him +following his master; he is a fine, brave fellow." The young knight +did not stop to ask more questions, but hurried off to Schippeitaro's +master and begged him to lend his dog for one night. At first the man +was unwilling, but at length agreed to lend Schippeitaro on condition +that he should be brought back the next day. Overjoyed, the young +warrior led the dog away. + +Next he went to see the parents of the unhappy maiden, and told them +to keep her in the house and watch her carefully until his return. He +then placed the dog Schippeitaro in the cage which had been prepared +for the maiden; and, with the help of some of the young men of the +village, carried it to the ruined temple, and there set it down. The +young men refused to stay one moment on that haunted spot, but hurried +down the mountain as if the whole troop of hobgoblins had been at +their heels. The young warrior, with no companion but the dog, +remained to see what would happen. At midnight, when the full moon was +high in the heaven, and shed her light over the mountain, came the +phantom cats once more. This time they had in their midst a huge black +tom-cat, fiercer and more terrible than all the rest, which the young +warrior had no difficulty in knowing as the frightful mountain fiend +himself. No sooner did this monster catch sight of the cage than he +danced and sprang round it, with yells of triumph and hideous joy, +followed by his companions. When he had long enough jeered at and +taunted his victim, he threw open the door of the cage. + +But this time he met his match. The brave Schippeitaro sprang upon +him, and seizing him with his teeth, held him fast, while the young +warrior with one stroke of his good sword laid the monster dead at +his feet. As for the other cats, too much astonished to fly, they +stood gazing at the dead body of their leader, and were made short +work of by the knight and Schippeitaro. The young warrior brought back +the brave dog to his master, with a thousand thanks, told the father +and mother of the maiden that their daughter was free, and the people +of the village that the fiend had claimed his last victim and would +trouble them no more. "You owe all this to the brave Schippeitaro," he +said as he bade them farewell, and went his way in search of fresh +adventures. + + * * * * * + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Tales of Wonder Every Child Should Know, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF WONDER *** + +***** This file should be named 19461.txt or 19461.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/4/6/19461/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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