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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Favorite Fairy Tales, by Logan Marshall
+
+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: Favorite Fairy Tales
+
+Author: Logan Marshall
+
+Release Date: March 16, 2007 [EBook #20748]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FAVORITE FAIRY TALES ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Bruce Albrecht, Jacqueline Jeremy and the
+Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: _Adventures of Tom Thumb_
+It Shone Down Upon the White Pebbles]
+
+
+
+
+FAVORITE
+FAIRY TALES
+
+ARRANGED BY
+
+LOGAN MARSHALL
+
+[Illustration]
+
+_ONE HUNDRED ILLUSTRATIONS_
+
+THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY
+CHICAGO  PHILADELPHIA  TORONTO
+
+
+
+
+COPYRIGHT, 1917, BY
+L. T. MYERS
+PRINTED IN U. S. A.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+                                   PAGE
+
+LITTLE SNOW WHITE                     5
+
+THE UGLY DUCKLING                    22
+
+ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP       43
+
+THE SLEEPING BEAUTY                  64
+
+PUSS-IN-BOOTS                        73
+
+ADVENTURES OF TOM THUMB              81
+
+THE THREE BEARS                      95
+
+THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL               103
+
+BEAUTY AND THE BEAST                109
+
+THE STORY OF CINDERELLA             122
+
+JACK THE GIANT KILLER               135
+
+JACK AND THE BEANSTALK              155
+
+DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT        167
+
+THE STORY OF BLUEBEARD              184
+
+LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD              195
+
+SINDBAD THE SAILOR                  202
+
+HANSEL AND GRETEL                   230
+
+THE GOOSE GIRL                      247
+
+
+
+
+LITTLE SNOW-WHITE
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow were
+falling like feathers from the clouds, a Queen sat at her palace window,
+which had an ebony black frame, stitching her husband's shirts. While
+she was thus engaged and looking out at the snow she pricked her finger,
+and three drops of blood fell upon the snow. Now the red looked so well
+upon the white that she thought to herself, "Oh, that I had a child as
+white as this snow, as red as this blood, and as black as the wood of
+this frame!" Soon afterwards a little daughter came to her, who was as
+white as snow, and with cheeks as red as blood, and with hair as black
+as ebony, and from this she was named "Snow-White." And at the same time
+her mother died.
+
+About a year afterwards the King married another wife, who was very
+beautiful, but so proud and haughty that she could not bear anyone to be
+better-looking than herself. She owned a wonderful mirror, and when she
+stepped before it and said:
+
+    "Mirror, mirror on the wall,
+     Who is the fairest of us all?"
+
+it replied:
+
+    "The Queen is the fairest of the day."
+
+Then she was pleased, for she knew that the mirror spoke truly.
+
+Little Snow-White, however, grew up, and became prettier and prettier,
+and when she was seven years old she was as fair as the noonday, and
+more beautiful than the Queen herself. When the Queen now asked her
+mirror:
+
+    "Mirror, mirror on the wall,
+     Who is the fairest of us all?"
+
+it replied:
+
+    "The Queen was fairest yesterday;
+     Snow-White is the fairest, now, they say."
+
+This answer so angered the Queen that she became quite yellow with envy.
+From that hour, whenever she saw Snow-White, her heart was hardened
+against her, and she hated the little girl. Her envy and jealousy
+increased so that she had no rest day or night, and she said to a
+Huntsman, "Take the child away into the forest. I will never look
+upon her again. You must kill her, and bring me her heart and tongue
+for a token."
+
+The Huntsman listened and took the maiden away, but when he drew out his
+knife to kill her, she began to cry, saying, "Ah, dear Huntsman, give me
+my life! I will run into the wild forest, and never come home again."
+
+This speech softened the Hunter's heart, and her beauty so touched him
+that he had pity on her and said, "Well, run away then, poor child." But
+he thought to himself, "The wild beasts will soon devour you." Still he
+felt as if a stone had been lifted from his heart, because her death was
+not by his hand. Just at that moment a young boar came roaring along to
+the spot, and as soon as he clapped eyes upon it the Huntsman caught it,
+and, killing it, took its tongue and heart and carried them to the
+Queen, for a token of his deed.
+
+But now poor little Snow-White was left motherless and alone, and
+overcome with grief, she was bewildered at the sight of so many trees,
+and knew not which way to turn. She ran till her feet refused to go
+farther, and as it was getting dark, and she saw a little house near,
+she entered in to rest. In this cottage everything was very small, but
+very neat and elegant. In the middle stood a little table with a white
+cloth over it, and seven little plates upon it, each plate having a
+spoon and a knife and a fork, and there were also seven little mugs.
+Against the wall were seven little beds arranged in a row, each covered
+with snow-white sheets.
+
+Little Snow-White, being both hungry and thirsty, ate a little morsel of
+porridge out of each plate, and drank a drop or two of wine out of each
+mug, for she did not wish to take away the whole share of anyone. After
+that, because she was so tired, she laid herself down on one bed, but it
+did not suit; she tried another, but that was too long; a fourth was too
+short, a fifth too hard. But the seventh was just the thing; and
+tucking herself up in it, she went to sleep, first saying her prayers
+as usual.
+
+When it became quite dark the owners of the cottage came home, seven
+Dwarfs, who dug for gold and silver in the mountains. They first
+lighted seven little lamps, and saw at once--for they lit up the whole
+room--that somebody had been in, for everything was not in the order in
+which they had left it.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The first asked, "Who has been sitting on my chair?" The second, "Who
+has been eating off my plate?" The third said, "Who has been nibbling
+at my bread?" The fourth, "Who has been at my porridge?" The fifth,
+"Who has been meddling with my fork?" The sixth grumbled out, "Who has
+been cutting with my knife?" The seventh said, "Who has been drinking
+out of my mug?"
+
+Then the first, looking round, began again, "Who has been lying on my
+bed?" he asked, for he saw that the sheets were tumbled. At these words
+the others came, and looking at their beds cried out too, "Some one has
+been lying in our beds!" But the seventh little man, running up to his,
+saw Snow-White sleeping in it; so he called his companions, who shouted
+with wonder and held up their seven lamps, so that the light fell upon
+the little girl.
+
+"Oh, heavens! oh, heavens!" said they; "what a beauty she is!" and they
+were so much delighted that they would not awaken her, but left her to
+sleep, and the seventh Dwarf, in whose bed she was, slept with each of
+his fellows one hour, and so passed the night.
+
+As soon as morning dawned Snow-White awoke, and was quite frightened
+when she saw the seven little men; but they were very friendly, and
+asked her what she was called.
+
+"My name is Snow-White," was her reply.
+
+"Why have you come into our cottage?" they asked.
+
+Then she told them how her stepmother would have had her killed, but the
+Huntsman had spared her life, and how she had wandered about the Whole
+day until at last she had found their house.
+
+When her tale was finished the Dwarfs said, "Will you look after our
+household--be our cook, make the beds, wash, sew, and knit for us, and
+keep everything in neat order? If so, we will keep you here, and you
+shall want for nothing."
+
+And Snow-White answered, "Yes, with all my heart and will." And so she
+remained with them, and kept their house in order.
+
+In the morning the Dwarfs went into the mountains and searched for
+silver and gold, and in the evening they came home and found their meals
+ready for them. During the day the maiden was left alone, and therefore
+the good Dwarfs warned her and said, "Be careful of your stepmother, who
+will soon know of your being here. So let nobody enter the cottage."
+
+The Queen meanwhile, supposing that she had eaten the heart and tongue
+of her stepdaughter, believed that she was now above all the most
+beautiful woman in the world. One day she stepped before her mirror,
+and said:
+
+    "Mirror, mirror on the wall,
+     Who is the fairest of us all?"
+
+and it replied:
+
+    "The Queen was fairest yesterday;
+     Snow-White is fairest now, they say.
+     The Dwarfs protect her from thy sway
+     Amid the forest, far away."
+
+This reply surprised her, but she knew that the mirror spoke the truth.
+She knew, therefore, that the Huntsman had deceived her, and that
+Snow-White was still alive. So she dyed her face and clothed herself as
+a pedler woman, so that no one could recognize her, and in this disguise
+she went over the seven hills to the house of the seven Dwarfs. She
+knocked at the door of the hut, and called out, "Fine goods for sale!
+beautiful goods for sale!"
+
+Snow-White peeped out of the window and said, "Good day, my good woman;
+what have you to sell?"
+
+"Fine goods, beautiful goods!" she replied. "Stays of all colors." And
+she held up a pair which were made of many-colored silks.
+
+"I may let in this honest woman," thought Snow-White; and she unbolted
+the door and bargained for one pair of stays.
+
+"You can't think, my dear, how they become you!" exclaimed the old
+woman. "Come, let me lace them up for you."
+
+Snow-White suspected nothing, and let her do as she wished, but the old
+woman laced her up so quickly and so tightly that all her breath went,
+and she fell down like one dead. "Now," thought the old woman to
+herself, hastening away, "now am I once more the most beautiful of all!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+At eventide, not long after she had left, the seven Dwarfs came home,
+and were much frightened at seeing their dear little maid lying on the
+ground, and neither moving nor breathing, as if she were dead. They
+raised her up, and when they saw that she was laced too tight they cut
+the stays to pieces, and presently she began to breathe again, and
+little by little she revived. When the Dwarfs now heard what had taken
+place, they said, "The old pedler woman was no other than your wicked
+stepmother. Take more care of yourself, and let no one enter when we are
+not with you."
+
+Meanwhile, the Queen had reached home, and, going before her mirror, she
+repeated her usual words:
+
+    "Mirror, mirror on the wall,
+     Who is the fairest of us all?"
+
+and it replied as before:
+
+    "The Queen was fairest yesterday;
+     Snow-White is fairest now, they say.
+     The Dwarfs protect her from thy sway
+     Amid the forest, far away."
+
+As soon as it had finished, all her blood rushed to her heart, for
+she was so angry to hear that Snow-White was yet living. "But now,"
+thought she to herself, "will I make something which shall destroy her
+completely." Thus saying, she made a poisoned comb by arts which she
+understood, and then, disguising herself, she took the form of an old
+widow. She went over the seven hills to the house of the seven Dwarfs,
+and knocking at the door, called out, "Good wares to sell to-day!"
+
+Snow-White peeped out and said, "You must go farther, for I dare not
+let you in."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"But still you may look," said the old woman, drawing out her poisoned
+comb and holding it up. The sight of this pleased the maiden so much
+that she allowed herself to be persuaded, and opened the door. As soon
+as she had bought something the old woman said, "Now let me for once
+comb your hair properly," and Snow-White consented. But scarcely was
+the comb drawn through the hair when the poison began to work, and the
+maiden fell down senseless.
+
+"You pattern of beauty," cried the wicked Queen, "it is now all over
+with you." And so saying, she departed.
+
+Fortunately, evening soon came, and the seven Dwarfs returned, and as
+soon as they saw Snow-White lying, like dead, upon the ground, they
+suspected the Queen, and discovering the poisoned comb, they immediately
+drew it out. Then the maiden very soon revived and told them all that
+had happened. So again they warned her against the wicked stepmother,
+and bade her open the door to nobody.
+
+Meanwhile the Queen, on her arrival home, had again consulted her
+mirror, and received the same answer as twice before. This made her
+tremble and foam with rage and jealousy, and she swore that Snow-White
+should die if it cost her her own life. Thereupon she went into an inner
+secret chamber where no one could enter, and made an apple of the most
+deep and subtle poison. Outwardly it looked nice enough, and had rosy
+cheeks which would make the mouth of everyone who looked at it water;
+but whoever ate the smallest piece of it would surely die. As soon as
+the apple was ready the Queen again dyed her face, and clothed herself
+like a peasant's wife, and then over the seven mountains to the house of
+the seven Dwarfs she made her way.
+
+She knocked at the door, and Snow-White stretched out her head and said,
+"I dare not let anyone enter; the seven Dwarfs have forbidden me."
+
+"That is hard on me," said the old woman, "for I must take back my
+apples; but there is one which I will give you."
+
+"No," answered Snow-White; "no, I dare not take it."
+
+"What! are you afraid of it?" cried the old woman. "There, see--I will
+cut the apple in halves; do you eat the red cheeks, and I will eat the
+core." (The apple was so artfully made that the red cheeks alone were
+poisoned.) Snow-White very much wished for the beautiful apple, and
+when she saw the woman eating the core she could no longer resist, but,
+stretching out her hand, took the poisoned part. Scarcely had she placed
+a piece in her mouth when she fell down dead upon the ground. Then the
+Queen, looking at her with glittering eyes, and laughing bitterly,
+exclaimed, "White as snow, red as blood, black as ebony! This time
+the Dwarfs cannot reawaken you."
+
+When she reached home and consulted her mirror--
+
+    "Mirror, mirror on the wall,
+     Who is the fairest of us all?"
+
+it answered:
+
+    "The Queen is fairest of the day."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Then her envious heart was at rest, as peacefully as an envious heart
+can rest.
+
+When the little Dwarfs returned home in the evening they found
+Snow-White lying on the ground, and there appeared to be no life in
+her body; she seemed to be quite dead. They raised her up, and tried
+if they could find anything poisonous. They unlaced her, and even
+uncombed her hair, and washed her with water and with wine. But
+nothing availed: the dear child was really and truly dead.
+
+Then they laid her upon a bier, and all seven placed themselves around
+it, and wept and wept for three days without ceasing. Then they prepared
+to bury her. But she looked still fresh and life-like, and even her red
+cheeks had not deserted her, so they said to one another, "We cannot
+bury her in the black ground." Then they ordered a case to be made of
+glass. In this they could see the body on all sides, and the Dwarfs
+wrote her name with golden letters upon the glass, saying that she was
+a King's daughter. Now they placed the glass case upon the ledge on a
+rock, and one of them always remained by it watching. Even the birds
+bewailed the loss of Snow-White; first came an owl, then a raven, and
+last of all a dove.
+
+For a long time Snow-White lay peacefully in her case, and changed not,
+but looked as if she were only asleep, for she was still white as snow,
+red as blood, and black-haired as ebony. By and by it happened that a
+King's son was traveling in the forest, and came to the Dwarfs' house
+to pass the night. He soon saw the glass case upon the rock, and the
+beautiful maiden lying within, and he read also the golden inscription.
+
+When he had examined it, he said to the Dwarfs, "Let me have this case,
+and I will pay what you like for it."
+
+But the Dwarfs replied, "We will not sell it for all the gold in the
+world."
+
+"Then give it to me," said the Prince; "for I cannot live without
+Snow-White. I will honor and protect her as long as I live."
+
+When the Dwarfs saw that he was so much in earnest, they pitied him,
+and at last gave him the case, and the Prince ordered it to be carried
+away on the shoulders of his attendants. Presently it happened that
+they stumbled over a rut, and with the shock the piece of poisoned
+apple which lay in Snow-White's mouth fell out. Very soon she opened
+her eyes, and raising the lid of the glass case, she rose up and asked,
+"Where am I?"
+
+Full of joy, the Prince answered, "You are safe with me." And he told
+to her what she had suffered, and how he would rather have her than any
+other for his wife, and he asked her to accompany him home to the castle
+of the King his father. Snow-White consented, and when they arrived
+there they were married with great splendor and magnificence.
+
+Snow-White's stepmother was also invited to the wedding, and when she
+was dressed in all her finery to go, she first stepped in front of her
+mirror and asked:
+
+    "Mirror, mirror on the wall,
+     Who is the fairest of us all?"
+
+and it replied:
+
+    "The Queen was fairest yesterday;
+     The Prince's bride is now, they say."
+
+At these words the Queen was in a fury, and was so terribly mortified
+that she knew not what to do with herself. At first she resolved not
+to go to the wedding, but she could not resist the wish to see the
+Princess. So she went; but as soon as she saw the bride she recognized
+Snow-White, and was so terrified with rage and astonishment that she
+rushed out of the castle and was never heard of again.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+THE UGLY DUCKLING
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+It was beautiful in the country. It was summertime. The wheat was
+yellow, the oats were green, the hay was stacked up in the green
+meadows, and the stork paraded about on his long red legs, talking
+in Egyptian, which language he had learnt from his mother.
+
+The fields and meadows were skirted by thick woods, and a deep lake lay
+in the midst of the woods. Yes; it was indeed beautiful in the country!
+The sunshine fell warmly on an old mansion, surrounded by deep canals,
+and from the walls down to the water's edge there grew large burdock
+leaves, so high that children could stand upright among them without
+being seen.
+
+This place was as wild as the thickest part of the wood, and on that
+account a Duck had chosen to make her nest there. She was sitting on
+her eggs; but the pleasure she had felt at first was now almost gone,
+because she had been there so long, and had so few visitors, for the
+other Ducks preferred swimming on the canals to sitting among the
+burdock leaves gossiping with her.
+
+At last the eggs cracked one after another, "Chick, chick!" All the eggs
+were alive, and one little head after another peered forth. "Quack,
+quack!" said the Duck, and all got up as well as they could. They peeped
+about from under the green leaves; and as green is good for the eyes,
+their mother let them look as long as they pleased.
+
+"How large the world is!" said the little ones, for they found their new
+abode very different from their former narrow one in the egg-shells.
+
+"Do you imagine this to be the whole of the world?" said the mother.
+"It extends far beyond the other side of the garden in the pastor's
+field; but I have never been there. Are you all here?" And then she got
+up. "No, not all, for the largest egg is still here. How long will this
+last? I am so weary of it!" And then she sat down again.
+
+"Well, and how are you getting on?" asked an old Duck, who had come to
+pay her a visit.
+
+"This one egg keeps me so long," said the mother. "It will not break.
+But you should see the others! They are the prettiest little Ducklings
+I have seen in all my days. They are all like their father--the
+good-for-nothing fellow, he has not been to visit me once!"
+
+"Let me see the egg that will not break," said the old Duck. "Depend
+upon it, it is a turkey's egg. I was cheated in the same way once
+myself, and I had such trouble with the young ones; for they were afraid
+of the water, and I could not get them there. I called and scolded, but
+it was all of no use. But let me see the egg--ah, yes! to be sure, that
+is a turkey's egg. Leave it, and teach the other little ones to swim."
+
+[Illustration: _The Ugly Duckling_
+"What is the Matter?" asked the Old Woman]
+
+"I will sit on it a little longer," said the Duck. "I have been sitting
+so long, that I may as well spend the harvest here."
+
+"It is no business of mine," said the old Duck, and away she waddled.
+
+The great egg burst at last. "Chick! chick!" said the little one, and
+out it tumbled--but, oh! how large and ugly it was! The Duck looked at
+it. "That is a great, strong creature," said she. "None of the others
+are at all like it. Can it be a young turkey-cock? Well, we shall soon
+find out. It must go into the water, though I push it in myself."
+
+The next day there was delightful weather, and the sun shone warmly upon
+the green leaves when Mother Duck with all her family went down to the
+canal. Plump she went into the water. "Quack! quack!" cried she, and one
+duckling after another jumped in. The water closed over their heads, but
+all came up again, and swam together quite easily. Their legs moved
+without effort. All were there, even the ugly grey one.
+
+"No; it is not a turkey," said the old Duck; "only see how prettily it
+moves its legs, how upright it holds itself! It is my own child. It is
+also really very pretty, when you look more closely at it. Quack! quack!
+now come with me, I will take you into the world and introduce you in
+the duck-yards. But keep close to me, or someone may tread on you; and
+beware of the Cat."
+
+So they came into the duck-yard. There was a horrid noise; two families
+were quarreling about the head of an eel, which in the end was carried
+off by the Cat.
+
+"See, my children, such is the way of the world," said the Mother Duck,
+wiping her beak, for she, too, was fond of eels. "Now use your legs,"
+said she, "keep together, and bow to the old Duck you see yonder. She
+is the most distinguished of all the fowls present, and is of Spanish
+blood, which accounts for her dignified appearance and manners. And
+look, she has a red rag on her leg! That is considered extremely
+handsome, and is the greatest honor a Duck can have. Don't turn your
+feet inwards; a well-educated Duckling always keeps his legs far apart,
+like his father and mother, just so--look! Now bow your necks, and say,
+'Quack.'"
+
+And they did as they were told. But the other Ducks, who were in the
+yard, looked at them and said aloud, "Just see! Now we have another
+brood, as if there were not enough of us already. And fie! how ugly
+that one is. We will not endure it." And immediately one of the Ducks
+flew at him, and bit him in the neck.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Leave him alone," said the mother. "He is doing no one any harm."
+
+"Yes, but he is so large and so strange-looking, and therefore he shall
+be teased," said the others.
+
+"Those are fine children that our good mother has," said the old Duck
+with the red rag on her leg. "All are pretty except one, and that has
+not turned out well; I almost wish it could be hatched over again."
+
+"That cannot be, please your Highness," said the mother. "Certainly he
+is not handsome, but he is a very good child, and swims as well as the
+others, indeed, rather better. I think he will grow like the others all
+in good time, and perhaps will look smaller. He stayed so long in the
+egg-shell, that is the cause of the difference." And she scratched the
+Duckling's neck, and stroked his whole body. "Besides," added she, "he
+is a Drake. I think he will be very strong, so it does not matter so
+much. He will fight his way through."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"The other Ducks are very pretty," said the old Duck. "Pray make
+yourselves at home, and if you find an eel's head you can bring it
+to me."
+
+So they made themselves at home.
+
+But the poor little Duckling, who had come last out of its egg-shell,
+and who was so ugly, was bitten, pecked, and teased by both Ducks and
+Hens. "It is so large!" said they all. And the Turkey-cock, who had come
+into the world with spurs on, and therefore fancied he was an emperor,
+puffed himself up like a ship in full sail, and marched up to the
+Duckling quite red with passion. The poor little thing scarcely knew
+what to do. He was quite distressed, because he was so ugly, and
+because he was the jest of the poultry-yard.
+
+So passed the first day, and afterwards matters grew worse and
+worse--the poor Duckling was scorned by all. Even his brothers and
+sisters behaved unkindly, and were constantly saying, "May the Cat take
+you, you nasty creature!" The mother said, "Ah, if you were only far
+away!" The Ducks bit him, the Hens pecked him, and the girl who fed the
+poultry kicked him.
+
+He ran through the hedge, and the little birds in the bushes were
+terrified. "That is because I am so ugly," thought the Duckling,
+shutting his eyes, but he ran on. At last he came to a wide moor,
+where lived some Wild Ducks; here he lay the whole night, very tired
+and comfortless. In the morning the Wild Ducks flew up, and saw their
+new companion. "Pray who are you?" asked they; and our little Duckling
+turned himself in all directions, and greeted them as politely as
+possible.
+
+"You are really uncommonly ugly!" said the Wild Ducks. "However, that
+does not matter to us, provided you do not marry into our families."
+Poor thing! he had never thought of marrying; he only begged permission
+to lie among the reeds, and drink the water of the moor.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+There he lay for two whole days. On the third day there came two Wild
+Geese, or rather Ganders, who had not been long out of their egg-shells,
+which accounts for their impertinence.
+
+"Hark ye," said they; "you are so ugly that we like you very well. Will
+you come with us and be a bird of passage? On another moor, not far
+from this, are some dear, sweet Wild Geese, as lovely creatures as have
+ever said 'Hiss, hiss.' You are truly in the way to make your fortune,
+ugly as you are."
+
+Bang! a gun went off all at once, and both Wild Geese were stretched
+dead among the reeds; the water became red with blood. Bang! a gun went
+off again. Whole flocks of Wild Geese flew up from among the reeds, and
+another report followed.
+
+There was a grand hunting party. The hunters lay in ambush all around;
+some were even sitting in the trees, whose huge branches stretched far
+over the moor. The blue smoke rose through the thick trees like a mist,
+and was dispersed as it fell over the water. The hounds splashed about
+in the mud, the reeds and rushes bent in all directions.
+
+How frightened the poor little Duck was! He turned his head, thinking
+to hide it under his wings, and in a moment a most formidable-looking
+Dog stood close to him, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, his eyes
+sparkling fearfully. He opened wide his jaws at the sight of our
+Duckling, showing him his sharp white teeth, and, splash, splash!
+he was gone--gone without hurting him.
+
+"Well! let me be thankful," sighed he. "I am so ugly that even the Dog
+will not eat me."
+
+And now he lay still, though the shooting continued among the reeds,
+shot following shot.
+
+The noise did not cease till late in the day, and even then the poor
+little thing dared not stir. He waited several hours before he looked
+around him, and then hurried away from the moor as fast as he could.
+He ran over fields and meadows, though the wind was so high that he
+had some difficulty in moving.
+
+Towards evening he reached a wretched little hut, so wretched that it
+knew not on which side to fall, and therefore remained standing. The
+wind blew violently, so that our poor little Duckling was obliged to
+support himself on his tail, in order to stand against it; but it
+became worse and worse. He then noticed that the door had lost one
+of its hinges, and hung so much awry that he could creep through the
+crack into the room. So he went in.
+
+In this room lived an old woman, with her Tom-cat and her Hen. The Cat,
+whom she called her little son, knew how to set up his back and purr;
+indeed, he could even throw out sparks when stroked the wrong way. The
+Hen had very short legs, and was therefore called "Chickie Short-legs."
+She laid very good eggs, and the old woman loved her as her own child.
+
+The next morning the new guest was discovered, and the Cat began to mew
+and the Hen to cackle.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"What is the matter?" asked the old woman, looking round. But her eyes
+were not good, so she took the young Duckling to be a fat Duck who had
+lost her way. "This is a capital catch," said she, "I shall now have
+Duck's eggs, if it be not a Drake. We shall see."
+
+And so the Duckling was kept on trial for three weeks, but no eggs made
+their appearance. Now the Cat was the master of the house, and the Hen
+was the mistress, and always used to say, "We and the world," for they
+imagined themselves to be not only the half of the world, but also by
+far the better half. The Duckling thought it was possible to be of a
+different opinion, but that the Hen would not allow.
+
+"Can you lay eggs?" asked she.
+
+"No."
+
+"Well, then, hold your tongue."
+
+And the Cat said, "Can you set up your back? Can you purr?"
+
+"No."
+
+"Well, then, you should have no opinion when reasonable people are
+speaking."
+
+So the Duckling sat alone in a corner, and felt very miserable. However,
+he happened to think of the fresh air and bright sunshine, and these
+thoughts gave him such a strong desire to swim again, that he could not
+help telling it to the Hen.
+
+"What ails you?" said the Hen. "You have nothing to do, and therefore
+brood over these fancies. Either lay eggs or purr, then you will forget
+them."
+
+"But it is so delicious to swim!" said the Duckling. "So delicious when
+the waters close over your head, and you plunge to the bottom!"
+
+"Well, that is a queer sort of pleasure," said the Hen. "I think you
+must be crazy. Not to speak of myself, ask the Cat--he is the most
+sensible animal I know--whether he would like to swim, or to plunge to
+the bottom of the water. Ask our mistress, the old woman--there is no
+one in the world wiser than she. Do you think she would take pleasure
+in swimming and in the waters closing over her head?"
+
+"You do not understand me," said the Duckling.
+
+"What! we do not understand you? So you think yourself wiser than the
+Cat and the old woman, not to speak of myself? Do not fancy any such
+thing, child; but be thankful for all the kindness that has been shown
+you. Are you not lodged in a warm room, and have you not the advantage
+of society from which you can learn something? But you are a simpleton,
+and it is wearisome to have anything to do with you. Believe me, I wish
+you well. I tell you unpleasant truths, but it is thus that real
+friendship is shown. Come, for once give yourself the trouble to
+learn to purr, or to lay eggs."
+
+"I think I will go out into the wide world again," said the Duckling.
+
+"Well, go," answered the Hen.
+
+So the Duckling went. He swam on the surface of the water, he plunged
+beneath, but all animals passed him by, on account of his ugliness. And
+the autumn came, the leaves turned yellow and brown, the wind caught
+them and danced them about, the air was very cold, the clouds were heavy
+with hail or snow, and the Raven sat on the hedge and croaked. The poor
+Duckling was certainly not very comfortable.
+
+One evening, just as the sun was setting with unusual brilliancy, a
+flock of large, beautiful birds rose from out of the brushwood. The
+Duckling had never seen anything so beautiful before; their plumage was
+of a dazzling white, and they had long, slender necks. They were Swans.
+They uttered a singular cry, spread out their long splendid wings, and
+flew away from these cold regions to warmer countries, across the open
+sea. They flew so high, so very high! And the little Ugly Duckling's
+feelings were so strange. He turned round and round in the water like a
+mill-wheel, strained his neck to look after them, and sent forth such a
+loud and strange cry that it almost frightened himself. Ah! he could not
+forget them, those noble birds, those happy birds! When he could see
+them no longer he plunged to the bottom of the water, and when he rose
+again was almost beside himself. The Duckling knew not what the birds
+were called, knew not whither they were flying; yet he loved them as he
+had never before loved anything. He envied them not; it would never have
+occurred to him to wish such beauty for himself. He would have been
+quite contented if the Ducks in the duck-yard had but endured his
+company--the poor, ugly creature.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+And the winter was so cold, so cold, the Duckling was obliged to swim
+round and round in the water to keep it from freezing. But every night
+the opening in which he swam became smaller and smaller. It froze so
+that the crust of ice crackled and the Duckling was obliged to make good
+use of his legs to prevent the water from freezing entirely. At last,
+wearied out, he lay stiff and cold in the ice.
+
+Early in the morning there passed by a peasant who saw him, broke the
+ice in pieces with his wooden shoe, and brought him home to his wife.
+
+The poor Duckling soon revived. The children would have played with him,
+but he thought they wished to tease him, and in his terror jumped into
+the milk-pail, so that the milk was spilled about the room. The good
+woman screamed and clapped her hands. He flew from there into the pan
+where the butter was kept, and thence into the meal-barrel, and out
+again, and then how strange he looked!
+
+The woman screamed, and struck at him with the tongs, the children ran
+races with each other trying to catch him, and laughed and screamed
+likewise. It was well for him that the door stood open. He jumped out
+among the bushes into the new-fallen snow, and there he lay as in a
+dream.
+
+But it would be too sad to tell all the trouble and misery that he had
+to suffer from the frost, and snow and storms of the winter. He was
+lying on a moor among the reeds, when the sun began to shine warmly
+again; the larks sang, and beautiful spring had returned.
+
+Once more he shook his wings. They were stronger than formerly and bore
+him forward quickly, and before he was well aware of it he was in a
+large garden where the apple-trees stood in full bloom, where the
+syringas sent forth their fragrance and hung their long green branches
+down into the winding canal. Oh! everything was so lovely, so full of
+the freshness of spring! And out of the thicket came three beautiful
+white Swans. They displayed their feathers so proudly and swam so
+lightly, so lightly! The Duckling knew the glorious creatures, and was
+seized with a strange sadness.
+
+"I will fly to them, those kingly birds!" said he. "They will kill me,
+because I, ugly as I am, have dared to approach them. But it matters
+not. Better to be killed by them than to be bitten by the Ducks, pecked
+by the Hens, kicked by the girl who feeds the poultry, and to have so
+much to suffer during the winter!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+He flew into the water and swam towards the beautiful creatures. They
+saw him and shot forward to meet him. "Only kill me," said the poor
+creature, and he bowed his head low, expecting death. But what did he
+see in the water? He saw beneath him his own form, no longer that of a
+plump, ugly grey bird--it was that of a Swan.
+
+It matters not to have been born in a duck-yard, if one has been hatched
+from a Swan's egg. And now the Swan began to see the good of all the
+trouble he had been through. He would never have known how happy he was
+if he had not first had all his sorrow and unhappiness to bear.
+
+The larger Swans swam round him, and stroked him with their beaks. Some
+little children were running about in the garden; they threw grain and
+bread into the water, and the youngest exclaimed: "There is a new one!"
+The others also cried out: "Yes, a new Swan has come!" and they clapped
+their hands, and danced around.
+
+They ran to their father and mother, bread and cake were thrown into
+the water, and every one said: "The new one is best, so young and so
+beautiful!" And the old Swans bowed before him. The young Swan felt
+quite ashamed, and hid his head under his wings. He scarcely knew what
+to do. He was too happy, but still not proud, for a good heart is never
+proud.
+
+He remembered how he had been persecuted and laughed at, and he now
+heard everyone say that he was the most beautiful of all beautiful
+birds. The syringas bent down their branches toward him low into the
+water, and the sun shone warmly and brightly. He shook his feathers,
+stretched his slender neck, and in the joy of his heart said: "How
+little did I dream of so much happiness when I was the despised Ugly
+Duckling!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Aladdin was the only son of a poor widow who lived in China; but instead
+of helping his mother to earn their living, he let her do all the hard
+work, while he himself only thought of idling and amusement.
+
+One day, as he was playing in the streets, a stranger came up to him,
+saying that he was his father's brother, and claiming him as his
+long-lost nephew. Aladdin had never heard that his father had had a
+brother; but as the stranger gave him money and promised to buy him
+fine clothes and set him up in business, he was quite ready to believe
+all that he told him. The man was a magician, who wanted to use Aladdin
+for his own purposes.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The next day the stranger came again, brought Aladdin a beautiful suit
+of clothes, gave him many good things to eat, and took him for a long
+walk, telling him stories all the while to amuse him. After they had
+walked a long way, they came to a narrow valley, bounded on either side
+by tall, gloomy-looking mountains. Aladdin was beginning to feel tired,
+and he did not like the look of this place at all. He wanted to turn
+back; but the stranger would not let him. He made Aladdin follow him
+still farther, until at length they reached the place where he intended
+to carry out his evil design. Then he made Aladdin gather sticks to make
+a fire, and when they were in a blaze he threw into them some powder,
+at the same time saying some mystical words, which Aladdin could not
+understand.
+
+Immediately they were surrounded with a thick cloud of smoke. The earth
+trembled, and burst open at their feet--disclosing a large flat stone
+with a brass ring fixed in it. Aladdin was so terribly frightened that
+he was about to run away; but the Magician gave him such a blow on the
+ear that he fell to the ground.
+
+Poor Aladdin rose to his feet with eyes full of tears, and said,
+reproachfully--
+
+"Uncle, what have I done that you should treat me so?"
+
+"You should not have tried to run away from me," said the Magician,
+"when I have brought you here only for your own advantage. Under this
+stone there is hidden a treasure which will make you richer than the
+richest monarch in the world. You alone may touch it. If I assist you
+in any way the spell will be broken, but if you obey me faithfully, we
+shall both be rich for the rest of our lives. Come, take hold of the
+brass ring and lift the stone."
+
+Aladdin forgot his fears in the hope of gaining this wonderful treasure,
+and took hold of the brass ring. It yielded at once to his touch, and he
+was able to lift the great stone quite easily and move it away, which
+disclosed a flight of steps, leading down into the ground.
+
+"Go down these steps," commanded the Magician, "and at the bottom you
+will find a great cavern, divided into three halls, full of vessels of
+gold and silver; but take care you do not meddle with these. If you
+touch anything in the halls you will meet with instant death. The third
+hall will bring you into a garden, planted with fine fruit trees. When
+you have crossed the garden, you will come to a terrace, where you will
+find a niche, and in the niche a lighted lamp. Take the lamp down, and
+when you have put out the light and poured away the oil, bring it to me.
+If you would like to gather any of the fruit of the garden you may do
+so, provided you do not linger."
+
+Then the Magician put a ring on Aladdin's finger, which he told him was
+to preserve him from evil, and sent him down into the cavern.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Aladdin found everything just as the Magician had said. He passed
+through the three halls, crossed the garden, took down the lamp from
+the niche, poured out the oil, put the lamp into his bosom, and turned
+to go back.
+
+As he came down from the terrace, he stopped to look at the trees of the
+garden, which were laden with wonderful fruits. To Aladdin's eyes it
+appeared as if these fruits were only bits of colored glass, but in
+reality they were jewels of the rarest quality. Aladdin filled his
+pockets full of the dazzling things, for though he had no idea of their
+real value, yet he was attracted by their dazzling brilliance. He had
+so loaded himself with these treasures that when at last he came to the
+steps he was unable to climb them without assistance.
+
+"Pray, Uncle," he said, "give me your hand to help me out."
+
+"Give me the lamp first," replied the Magician.
+
+"Really, Uncle, I cannot do so until I am out of this place," answered
+Aladdin, whose hands were, indeed, so full that he could not get at the
+lamp.
+
+But the Magician refused to help Aladdin up the steps until he had
+handed over the lamp. Aladdin was equally determined not to give it up
+until he was out of the cavern, and, at last, the Magician fell into a
+furious rage. Throwing some more of the powder into the fire, he again
+said the magic words. No sooner had he done so than there was a
+tremendous thunder-clap, the stone rolled back into its place, and
+Aladdin was a prisoner in the cavern. The poor boy cried aloud to his
+supposed uncle to help him; but it was all in vain, his cries could not
+be heard. The doors in the garden were closed by the same enchantment,
+and Aladdin sat down on the steps in despair, knowing that there was
+little hope of his ever seeing his Mother again.
+
+For two terrible days he lay in the cavern waiting for death. On the
+third day, realizing that it could not now be far off, he clasped his
+hands in anguish, thinking of his Mother's sorrow; and in so doing he
+accidently rubbed the ring which the Magician had put upon his finger.
+
+Immediately a genie of enormous size rose out of the earth, and, as
+Aladdin started back in fright and horror, said to him:
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"What wouldst thou have of me?"
+
+"Who are you?" gasped Aladdin.
+
+"I am the slave of the ring. I am ready to obey thy commands," came the
+answer.
+
+Aladdin was still trembling; but the danger he was in already made him
+answer without hesitation:
+
+"Then, if you are able, deliver me, I beseech you, from this place."
+
+Scarcely had he spoken, when he found himself lying on the ground at the
+place to which the Magician had first brought him.
+
+He hastened home to his Mother, who had mourned him as dead. As soon as
+he had told her all his adventures, he begged her to get him some food,
+for he had now been three days without eating.
+
+"Alas, child!" replied his Mother, "I have not a bit of bread to give
+you."
+
+"Never mind, Mother," said Aladdin, "I will go and sell the old lamp
+which I brought home with me. Doubtless I shall get a little money for
+it."
+
+His Mother reached down the lamp; but seeing how dirty it was, she
+thought it would sell better if she cleaned it. But no sooner had she
+begun to rub it than a hideous genie appeared before her, and said in
+a voice like thunder:
+
+"What wouldst thou have of me? I am ready to obey thy commands, I and
+all the other slaves of the lamp."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Aladdin's Mother fainted away at the sight of this creature; but
+Aladdin, having seen the genie of the ring, was not so frightened,
+and said boldly:
+
+"I am hungry, bring me something to eat."
+
+The genie disappeared, but returned in an instant with twelve silver
+dishes, filled with different kinds of savory meats, six large white
+loaves, two bottles of wine, and two silver drinking cups. He placed
+these things on the table and then vanished.
+
+Aladdin fetched water, and sprinkling some on his Mother's face soon
+brought her back to life again.
+
+When she opened her eyes and saw all the good things the genie had
+provided, she was overcome with astonishment.
+
+"To whom are we indebted for this feast?" she cried. "Has the Sultan
+heard of our poverty and sent us these fine things from his own table?"
+
+"Never mind now how they came here," said Aladdin. "Let us first eat,
+then I will tell you."
+
+Mother and son made a hearty meal, and then Aladdin told his Mother that
+it was the genie of the lamp who had brought them the food. His Mother
+was greatly alarmed, and begged him to have nothing further to do with
+genies, advising him to sell the lamp at once. But Aladdin would not
+part with such a wonderful possession, and resolved to keep both the
+ring and the lamp safely, in case he should ever need them again. He
+showed his Mother the fruits which he had gathered in the garden, and
+his Mother admired their bright colors and dazzling radiance, though
+she had no idea of their real value.
+
+Not many days after this, Aladdin was walking in the streets of the
+city, when he heard a fanfare of trumpets announcing the passing of the
+Princess Badroulboudour, the Sultan's only daughter. Aladdin stopped to
+see her go by, and was so struck by her great beauty that he fell in
+love with her on the spot and made up his mind to win her for his bride.
+
+"Mother," he said, "I cannot live without the Princess Badroulboudour.
+You must go to the Sultan and demand her hand in marriage for me."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Aladdin's Mother burst out laughing at the idea of her son wishing to be
+the son-in-law of the Sultan, and told him to put such thoughts out of
+his head at once. But Aladdin was not to be laughed out of his fancy. He
+knew by this time that the fruits which he had gathered from the magic
+garden were jewels of great value, and he insisted upon his Mother
+taking them to the Sultan for a present, and asking the hand of the
+Princess in marriage for her son.
+
+The poor woman was terribly frightened, fearing lest the Sultan should
+punish her for her impudence; but Aladdin would hear of no excuses, and
+at last she set forth in fear and trembling, bearing the jewels on a
+china dish covered with a napkin.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+When she came before the Sultan, she told him, with many apologies and
+pleas for forgiveness, of her son's mad love for the Princess
+Badroulboudour. The Sultan smiled at the idea of the son of a poor old
+woman asking for the hand of his daughter, and asked her what she had
+under the napkin. But when the woman uncovered the jewels, he started up
+from his throne in amazement, for he had never before seen so many large
+and magnificent jewels collected together. He thought Aladdin must be a
+very unusual and extraordinary person to be able to make him such a
+valuable present, and he began to wonder whether it might not be worth
+while to bestow the Princess's hand upon him. However, he thought he
+would ask for some further proof of his wealth and power; so, turning
+to the woman, he said:
+
+"Good Mother, tell your son he shall have the Princess Badroulboudour
+for his wife as soon as he sends me forty basins of gold, filled with
+jewels as valuable as these, and borne by forty black and forty white
+slaves. Hasten now and carry him my message. I will await your return."
+
+Aladdin's Mother was dismayed at this request.
+
+"Where can Aladdin get such basins and jewels and slaves?" she thought,
+as she hurried home to him. But Aladdin only smiled when his Mother gave
+him the Sultan's message. He rubbed the lamp, and at once the genie
+stood before him, asking him what was his pleasure.
+
+"Go," said Aladdin, "fetch me forty basins all of massive gold, full of
+jewels, borne by forty black and forty white slaves."
+
+The genie brought these things at once, and Aladdin then sent his Mother
+with them to the Sultan.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The Sultan was amazed at this wonderful show of wealth and at the
+quickness with which it had been brought, and he sent for Aladdin to
+come to the Court.
+
+Aladdin first summoned the genie to bring him fine clothes and a
+splendid horse, and a retinue fit for the future son-in-law of the
+Sultan; and then, with a train of slaves bearing magnificent presents
+for the Princess, he set out for the Palace.
+
+The Sultan would have married him to his daughter at once; but Aladdin
+asked him to wait until the next morning, when he hoped to have a Palace
+worthy to receive his wife.
+
+Once again he summoned the genie to his aid, and commanded him to build
+a Palace that in beauty and magnificence should surpass any that had
+ever been built on the earth before.
+
+The next morning when the Sultan awoke and looked out of his window, he
+saw, opposite to his own, the most wonderful Palace he had ever seen.
+The walls were built of gold and silver, and encrusted with diamonds,
+rubies and emeralds, and other rare and precious stones. The stables
+were filled with the finest horses; beautiful gardens surrounded the
+building, and everywhere were hundreds of slaves and servants to wait
+on the Princess.
+
+The Sultan was so overcome with all this magnificence, that he insisted
+upon marrying his daughter to Aladdin that very day, and the young
+couple took up their residence in the Palace the genie had built.
+
+For a time they lived very happily, but the Magician, who had gone to
+Africa after he had left Aladdin to perish in the cavern, at length
+happened to hear of Aladdin's fame and riches; and guessing at once the
+source of all this wealth, he returned once more to China, determined to
+gain possession of the magic lamp.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+He bought a number of new and beautiful lamps, disguised himself as an
+old beggar-man, and then, waiting until Aladdin was out hunting, he came
+to the windows of the Palace, crying out:
+
+"New lamps for old; new lamps for old."
+
+When the Princess heard this strange cry she was very much amused.
+
+"Let us see," she said to her ladies, "whether this foolish fellow means
+what he says; there is an ugly old lamp in Aladdin's room," and taking
+the precious lamp, which Aladdin always kept by his bedside, she sent it
+out to the old man by one of the slaves, saying--
+
+"Give me a new lamp for this!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The Magician was overjoyed. He saw at once that it was the very lamp he
+wanted, and giving the Princess the best of the new ones in exchange, he
+hurried away with his treasure. As soon as he found himself alone, he
+summoned the slave of the lamp, and told him to carry himself, the
+Palace, and the Princess Badroulboudour to the farthest corner of
+Africa. This order the genie at once obeyed.
+
+When Aladdin returned from hunting and found that his wife and his
+Palace had vanished, he was overcome with anguish, guessing that his
+enemy, the Magician, had by some means got possession of the lamp. The
+Sultan, whose grief and anger at the loss of his daughter were terrible,
+ordered him to leave the Court at once, and told him that unless he
+returned in forty days with the Princess safe and well, he would have
+him beheaded.
+
+Aladdin went out from the Sultan's presence, not knowing what to do or
+where to turn. But after he had wandered about for some time in despair,
+he remembered the ring which he still wore on his finger. He rubbed it,
+and in a moment the genie stood before him. But when Aladdin commanded
+him to bring back the Palace and the Princess, the genie answered--
+
+"What you command is not in my power. You must ask the slave of the
+lamp. I am only the slave of the ring."
+
+"Then," said Aladdin, "if you cannot bring my Palace to me, I command
+you to take me to my Palace." No sooner were the words out of his mouth
+than he found himself standing in Africa, close to the missing Palace.
+
+The Princess Badroulboudour, who, since the moment when the Magician had
+had her in his power, had not ceased to weep and lament for her
+foolishness in exchanging the lamp, happened to be looking out of the
+window; and when she saw Aladdin she nearly fainted with joy, and sent
+a slave to bring him secretly into the Palace.
+
+Then she and Aladdin made a plan to get the better of the Magician and
+to recover the lost lamp. Aladdin summoned the genie of the ring, who
+procured for him a very powerful sleeping-powder, which he gave to the
+Princess. Then Aladdin hid himself behind some curtains in the room,
+and the Princess sent a message to the Magician asking him to take
+supper with her.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The Magician was delighted at the Princess's invitation, and accepted
+it joyfully, never dreaming that Aladdin had found his way to Africa.
+
+As they were eating and drinking together, the Princess put the
+sleeping-powder into the Magician's cup of wine--and no sooner had he
+tasted it than he fell down in a deep sleep as if dead.
+
+This was Aladdin's chance. Hastily coming out from behind the curtains,
+he snatched the lamp from the Magician's bosom, and called the genie to
+come to his assistance.
+
+The genie, having first thrown out the Magician, then carried the Palace
+with the Princess and Aladdin back to the spot from which it had been
+taken.
+
+Great was the Sultan's joy at receiving back his daughter. The whole
+city was given over to rejoicings, and for ten days nothing was heard
+but the sound of drums and trumpets and cymbals, and nothing was seen
+but illuminations and gorgeous entertainments in honor of Aladdin's safe
+return.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Aladdin and the Princess ascended the throne after the Sultan died and
+they lived long and happily and had many beautiful children.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who had no children. They
+longed very much for a child; and when at last they had a little
+daughter they were both delighted, and great rejoicings took place.
+
+When the time came for the little Princess to be christened, the King
+made a grand feast and invited all but one of the fairies in his kingdom
+to be godmothers. There happened to be thirteen fairies in the kingdom;
+but as the King had only twelve gold plates, he had to leave one of
+them out.
+
+The twelve fairies that were invited came to the christening, and
+presented the little Princess with the best gifts in their possession.
+One gave her beauty, one gave her wisdom, another grace, another
+goodness, until all but one had presented their offerings. Just as the
+last fairy was about to step forward and offer her gift, there came a
+tremendous knocking at the door, and before anybody could get there to
+open it, it was burst open, and in came the thirteenth fairy, in a
+furious rage at not having been invited to the feast.
+
+When she saw all the gifts which the other fairies had presented the
+child, she laughed and exclaimed:
+
+"A lot of good all this beauty and virtue and wealth will do to you, my
+pretty Princess! You shall pay for the slight your Royal Father has put
+upon me!" Then, turning to the terrified King and Queen, she said, in a
+loud voice:
+
+"When the Princess is fifteen years old she shall prick her finger with
+a spindle and die!" Having said this she flew away as noisily as she
+came.
+
+The King and Queen were in despair, and the courtiers stood aghast at
+the terrible disaster; while the little Princess began to cry piteously,
+as if she knew the fate in store for her. Then the twelfth fairy stepped
+forward.
+
+"Do not be afraid," she said, "I have not yet given my gift. I cannot
+undo the wicked spell, but I can soften the evil. The Princess, on her
+fifteenth birthday, shall prick her finger with a spindle, but she shall
+not die. Instead, she shall fall asleep for a hundred years."
+
+"Alas!" cried the Queen, "what comfort will that be to us? Long before
+the hundred years are past we shall be dead, and our darling child will
+be as lost to us as if she were indeed to die!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"I can make that right," said the fairy. "When the Princess falls
+asleep, you shall sleep, too; and awaken with her when the hundred
+years are passed."
+
+But the King still hoped to save his daughter from such a terrible
+misfortune. So he ordered all the spinning-wheels in his kingdom to be
+burnt or destroyed, and made a law that no one was to use one on pain of
+instant death. But all his care was useless. On her fifteenth birthday
+the Princess slipped away from her attendants, and wandered all through
+the Palace. At last she came to a tower which she had never seen before,
+and, wondering what it contained, she climbed the stairs. From a room at
+the top came a curious humming noise, and the Princess, wondering what
+it could be, pushed open the door and stepped inside.
+
+There sat an old woman, bent with age, working at a strangely shaped
+wheel. The Princess was full of curiosity.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"What is that funny-looking thing?" she asked.
+
+"It is a spinning-wheel, Princess," answered the old woman, who was no
+other than the wicked fairy in disguise.
+
+"A spinning-wheel--what is that? I have never heard of such a thing,"
+said the Princess. She stood watching for a few minutes, then she added:
+
+"It looks quite easy. May I try to do it?"
+
+"Certainly, gracious lady," said the wicked fairy, and the Princess sat
+down and tried to turn the wheel. But no sooner did she lay her hand
+upon it than the spindle, which was enchanted, pricked her finger, and
+the Princess fell back against a silk-covered couch--fast asleep.
+
+In a moment a deep silence fell upon all who were in the castle. The
+King fell asleep in the midst of his councillors, the Queen with her
+ladies-in-waiting. The horses in the stable, the pigeons on the roof,
+the flies upon the walls, even the very fire upon the hearth fell
+asleep, too. The meat which was cooking in the kitchen ceased to
+frizzle; and the cook, who was just about to box the kitchen boy's
+ears, fell asleep with her hand outstretched, and began to snore
+aloud. The butler who was tasting the ale, fell asleep with the
+jug at his lips.
+
+A great hedge sprang up around the castle, which, as the years passed
+on, grew and grew until it formed an impenetrable barrier around the
+sleeping Palace. The old people of the country died, and their children
+grew up and died also, and their children, and their children, and the
+story of the sleeping Princess became a legend, handed down from one
+generation to another; and a cloud of mystery, as thick and impenetrable
+as the hedge of thorns, lay over the old castle. Many brave and gallant
+Princes tried to force their way through the magic hedge, in order to
+solve the mystery and to see for themselves the beautiful maiden who lay
+in an enchanted sleep behind that thorny barrier. But the thorns caught
+them, and held them from going forward or back, and the gallant youths
+perished miserably in the thickets.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+After many, many years there came a King's son into that country, who
+heard the story of the Princess and the hedge of briers; and he made up
+his mind to try and force his way to the castle to awake the sleeping
+Princess. People told him of the fate of the other Princes, who had also
+attempted this difficult task; but the Prince would not be warned.
+
+"I have made up my mind to see this maiden of whose beauty I have heard
+so many wonderful tales," he cried. "I will force a way through the
+hedge of thorns and awake this Sleeping Beauty, or die in the attempt!"
+
+Now, it happened that this day was the last day of the hundred years;
+and when the Prince came to the thicket that surrounded the castle and
+began to push his way through, he found that the briers yielded readily
+to his touch. The thorns had all blossomed into roses that scented the
+air with fragrance as he went by. Primroses sprang up before his feet
+and made a pathway to lead him straight to the castle gates; and the
+birds suddenly broke forth into singing, as if to tell the world that
+the hundred years of enchantment were over, and the Princess about to
+be awakened from her long sleep.
+
+The Prince passed through the council chamber, where the King and his
+councillors were sleeping; through the room where the Queen and her
+ladies slept. He passed on from hall to hall, climbed from stair to
+stair, until at last he reached the tower chamber where the sleeping
+Princess lay. For a moment he stood and gazed in wonder at her lovely
+face; then he sank on his knees beside her, and kissed her as she lay
+asleep.
+
+Instantly the spell was broken. The King and Queen awoke, and all the
+courtiers with them; the horses neighed in the stables, and shook their
+glossy manes; the pigeons cooed upon the roof; the flies on the wall
+moved again; the fire burnt up brightly; and the meat in the kitchen
+began to frizzle once more as the spit turned round. The cook gave the
+kitchen boy the tremendous box on the ear that she had started to give
+him a hundred years ago, and everything and everybody went on just as
+usual, as if nothing at all out of the common had occurred.
+
+And up in the tower chamber the Princess opened her eyes to meet the
+gaze of the Prince, who had dared to risk his life for her sake. What
+they said to each other nobody quite knows, for nobody was there to
+hear or see. But whatever it was, it must have been something very
+satisfactory; for very soon after they were married, and lived happily
+ever afterwards.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+PUSS-IN-BOOTS
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+There was once a Miller, who, at his death, had nothing to leave to his
+three sons except his mill, his ass, and his cat. The eldest son took
+the mill, the second took the ass--and as for the youngest, all that
+remained for him was the cat.
+
+The youngest son grumbled at this. "My brothers," said he, "will be able
+to earn an honest living; but when I have eaten my cat and sold his skin
+I shall die of hunger."
+
+The Cat, who was sitting beside him, overheard this.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Nay, Master," he said, "don't take such a gloomy view of things. If you
+will get me a pair of boots made so that I can walk through the brambles
+without hurting my feet, and give me a bag, you shall soon see what I am
+worth."
+
+The Cat's master was so surprised to hear his Cat talking, that he at
+once got him what he wanted. The Cat drew on the boots and slung the
+bag round his neck and set off for a rabbit warren. When he got there
+he filled his bag with bran and lettuces, and stretching himself out
+beside it as if dead, waited until some young rabbit should be tempted
+into the bag. This happened very soon. A fat, thoughtless rabbit went
+in headlong, and the Cat at once jumped up, pulled the strings and
+killed him.
+
+Puss was very proud of his success, and, going to the King's palace, he
+asked to speak to the King. When he was shown into the King's presence
+he bowed respectfully, and, laying the rabbit down before the throne,
+he said--
+
+"Sire, here is a rabbit, which my master, the Marquis of Carabas,
+desires me to present to your Majesty."
+
+"Tell your master," said the King, "that I accept his present, and am
+very much obliged to him."
+
+A few days later, the Cat went and hid himself in a cornfield and laid
+his bag open as before. This time two splendid partridges were lured
+into the trap, and these also he took to the Palace and presented to the
+King from the Marquis of Carabas. The King was very pleased with this
+gift, and ordered the messenger of the Marquis of Carabas to be
+handsomely rewarded.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+For two or three months the Cat went on in this way, carrying game every
+day to the Palace, and saying it was sent by the Marquis of Carabas.
+
+At last the Cat happened to hear that the King was going to take a drive
+on the banks of the river, with his daughter, the most beautiful
+Princess in the world. He at once went to his master.
+
+"Master," said he, "if you follow my advice, your fortune will be made.
+Go and bathe in the river at a place I shall show you, and I will do the
+rest."
+
+"Very well," said the Miller's son, and he did as the Cat told him. When
+he was in the water, the Cat took away his clothes and hid them, and
+then ran to the road, just as the King's coach went by, calling out as
+loudly as he could--
+
+"Help, help! The Marquis of Carabas will be drowned."
+
+The King looked out of the carriage window, and when he saw the Cat who
+had brought him so many fine rabbits and partridges, he ordered his
+bodyguards to fly at once to the rescue of the Marquis of Carabas.
+
+Then the Cat came up to the carriage and told the King that while his
+master was bathing some robbers had stolen all his clothes. The King
+immediately ordered one of his own magnificent suits of clothes to be
+taken to the Marquis; so when the Miller's son appeared before the
+monarch and his daughter, he looked so handsome, and was so splendidly
+attired, that the Princess fell in love with him on the spot.
+
+The King was so struck with his appearance that he insisted upon his
+getting into the carriage to take a drive with them.
+
+The Cat, delighted with the way his plans were turning out, ran on
+before. He reached a meadow where some peasants were making hay.
+
+"Good people," said he, "if you do not tell the King, when he comes this
+way, that the meadow you are mowing belongs to the Marquis of Carabas,
+you shall all be chopped up into little pieces."
+
+When the King came by, he stopped to ask the haymakers to whom the
+meadow belonged.
+
+"To the Marquis of Carabas, if it please Your Majesty," answered they,
+trembling, for the Cat's threat had frightened them terribly.
+
+The Cat, who continued to run before the carriage, now came to some
+reapers.
+
+"Good people," said he, "if you do not tell the King that all this corn
+belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you shall all be chopped up into
+little pieces."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The King again stopped to ask to whom the land belonged, and the
+reapers, obedient to the Cat's command, answered--
+
+"To the Marquis of Carabas, please Your Majesty."
+
+And all the way the Cat kept running on before the carriage, repeating
+the same instructions to all the laborers he came to; so that the King
+became very astonished at the vast possessions of the Marquis of
+Carabas.
+
+At last the Cat arrived at a great castle, where an Ogre lived who was
+very rich, for all the lands through which the King had been riding were
+part of his estate. The Cat knocked at the castle door, and asked to see
+the Ogre.
+
+The Ogre received him very civilly, and asked him what he wanted.
+
+"If you please, sir," said the Cat, "I have heard that you have the
+power of changing yourself into any sort of animal you please--and I
+came to see if it could possibly be true."
+
+"So I have," replied the Ogre, and in a moment he turned himself into a
+lion. This gave the Cat a great fright, and he scrambled up the curtains
+to the ceiling.
+
+"Indeed, sir," he said, "I am now quite convinced of your power to turn
+yourself into such a huge animal as a lion; but I do not suppose you can
+change yourself into a small one--such as a mouse, for instance?"
+
+"Indeed, I can," cried the Ogre, indignantly; and in a moment the lion
+had vanished, while a little brown mouse frisked about the floor.
+
+In less than half a second the Cat sprang down from the curtains and,
+pouncing upon the mouse, ate him all up before the Ogre had time to
+return to any other shape.
+
+And when the King arrived at the castle gates, there stood the Cat upon
+the doorstep, bowing and saying--
+
+"Welcome to the castle of the Marquis of Carabas!"
+
+The Marquis helped the King and the Princess to alight, and the Cat led
+them into a great hall, where a feast had been spread for the Ogre.
+
+The King was so delighted with the good looks, the charming manners, and
+the great wealth of the Marquis of Carabas, that he said the Marquis
+must marry his daughter.
+
+The Marquis, of course, replied that he should be only too happy; and
+the very next day he and the Princess were married.
+
+As for the Cat, he was given the title of Puss-in-Boots, and ever after
+only caught mice for his own amusement.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+ADVENTURES OF TOM THUMB
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+A long time ago, a woodcutter lived with his wife in a small cottage not
+far from a great forest. They had seven children--all boys; and the
+youngest was the smallest little fellow ever seen. He was called Tom
+Thumb. But though he was so small, he was far cleverer than any of his
+brothers, and he heard a great deal more than anybody ever imagined.
+
+It happened that just at this time there was a famine in the land, and
+the woodcutter and his wife became so poor that they could no longer
+give their boys enough to eat.
+
+One night--after the boys had gone to bed--the husband sighing deeply,
+said--
+
+"We cannot feed our children any longer, and to see them starve before
+our eyes is more than I can bear. To-morrow morning, therefore, we will
+take them into the forest and leave them in the thickest part of it, so
+that they will not be able to find their way back."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+His wife wept bitterly at the thought of leaving their children to
+perish in the forest; but she, too, thought it better than to see them
+die before her eyes. So she consented to her husband's plan.
+
+But all this time Tom Thumb had been awake, and he had overheard all
+the conversation. He lay awake a long while thinking what to do. Then,
+slipping quietly out of bed, he ran down to the river and filled his
+pocket with small white pebbles from the river's brink.
+
+In the morning the parents called the children, and, after giving them a
+crust of bread, they all set out for the wood. Tom Thumb did not say a
+word to his brothers of what he had overheard; but, lingering behind, he
+dropped the pebbles from his pocket one by one, as they walked, so that
+he should be able to find his way home. When they reached a very thick
+part of the forest, the father and mother told the children to wait
+while they went a little farther to cut wood, but as soon as they were
+out of sight they turned and went home by another way.
+
+When darkness fell, the children began to realize that they were
+deserted, and they began to cry loudly. Tom Thumb, however, did not cry.
+
+"Do not weep, my brothers," he said encouragingly. "Only wait until the
+moon rises, and we shall soon be able to find our way home."
+
+When at length the moon rose, it shone down upon the white pebbles
+which Tom Thumb had scattered; and, following this path, the children
+soon reached their father's house.
+
+But at first they were afraid to go in, and waited outside the door to
+hear what their parents were talking about.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Now, it happened that when the father and mother reached home, they
+found a rich gentleman had sent them ten crowns, in payment for work
+which had been done long before. The wife went out at once and bought
+bread and meat, and she and her husband sat down to make a hearty meal.
+But the mother could not forget her little ones; and at last she cried
+to her husband:
+
+"Alas! where are our poor children? How they would have enjoyed this
+good feast!"
+
+The children, listening at the door, heard this and cried out, "Here we
+are, mother; here we are!" and, overjoyed, the mother flew to let them
+in and kissed them all round.
+
+Their parents were delighted to have their little ones with them again;
+but soon the ten crowns were spent, and they found themselves as badly
+off as before. Once more they agreed to leave the children in the
+forest, and once again Tom Thumb overheard them. This time he did not
+trouble himself very much; he thought it would be easy for him to do as
+he had done before. He got up very early the next morning to go and get
+the pebbles; but, to his dismay, he found the house door securely
+locked. Then, indeed, he did not know what to do, and for a little while
+he was in great distress. However, at breakfast the mother gave each of
+the children a slice of bread, and Tom Thumb thought he would manage to
+make his piece of bread do as well as the pebbles, by breaking it up and
+dropping the crumbs as he went.
+
+This time the father and mother took the children still deeper and
+farther into the wood, and then, slipping away, left them alone.
+
+Tom Thumb consoled his brothers as before; but when he came to look for
+the crumbs of bread, not one of them was left. The birds had eaten them
+all up, and the poor children were lost in the forest, with no possible
+means of finding their way home.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Tom Thumb did not lose courage. He climbed to the top of a high tree and
+looked round to see if there was any way of getting help. In the
+distance he saw a light burning, and, coming down from the tree, he led
+his brothers toward the house from which it came.
+
+When they knocked at the door, it was opened by a pleasant-looking
+woman, and Tom Thumb told her they were poor children who had lost their
+road, and begged her to give them a night's shelter.
+
+"Alas, my poor children!" said the woman, "you do not know where you
+have come to. This is the house of an ogre who eats up little boys and
+girls."
+
+"But, madam," replied Tom Thumb, "what shall we do? If we go back to the
+forest we are certain to be torn to pieces by the wolves. We had better,
+I think, stay and be eaten by the ogre."
+
+The ogre's wife had pity on the little things, and she thought she would
+be able to hide them from her husband for one night. She took them in,
+gave them food, and let them warm themselves by the fire.
+
+Very soon there came a loud knocking at the door. It was the ogre come
+home. His wife hid the children under the bed, and then hurried to let
+her husband in.
+
+No sooner had the ogre entered than he began to sniff this way and
+that. "I smell flesh," he said, looking round the room.
+
+"It must be the calf which has just been killed," said his wife.
+
+"I smell child's flesh, I tell you!" cried the ogre, and he suddenly
+made a dive under the bed, and drew out the children one by one.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Oh, ho, madam!" said he; "so you thought to cheat me, did you? But,
+really, this is very lucky! I have invited three ogres to dinner
+to-morrow; these brats will make a nice dish."
+
+He fetched a huge knife and began sharpening it, while the poor boys
+fell on their knees and begged for mercy. But their prayers and
+entreaties were useless. The ogre seized one of the children and was
+just about to kill him, when his wife said--
+
+"What in the world makes you take the trouble of killing them to-night?
+Why don't you leave them till the morning? There will be plenty of time,
+and they will be much fresher."
+
+"That is very true," said the ogre, throwing down the knife. "Give them
+a good supper, so that they may not get lean, and send them to bed."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Now, the ogre had seven young daughters, who were all about the same age
+as Tom Thumb and his brothers. These young ogresses all slept together
+in one large bed, and every one of them had a crown of gold on her head.
+There was another bed of the same size in the room, and in this the
+ogre's wife, having provided them all with nightcaps, put the seven
+little boys.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+But Tom Thumb was afraid that the ogre might change his mind in the
+night, and kill him and his brothers while they were asleep. So he crept
+softly out of bed, took off his brothers' nightcaps and his own, and
+stole over to the bed where the young ogresses lay. He drew off their
+crowns very gently, and put the nightcaps on their heads instead. Then
+he put the crowns on his brothers' heads and his own, and got into bed
+again.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+In the middle of the night the ogre woke up, and began to be sorry that
+he had put off killing the boys until the morning.
+
+"Never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day," he said; and,
+jumping out of bed, he got his knife and walked stealthily to the room
+where the boys were. He walked up to the bed, and they were all asleep
+except Tom Thumb, who, however, kept his eyes fast shut, and did not
+show that he was awake. The ogre touched their heads, one after another,
+and feeling the crowns of gold, he said to himself:
+
+"What a mistake I was going to make!" He then went to bed where his own
+daughters were sleeping, and, feeling the nightcaps, he said:
+
+"Oh, ho, here you are, my lads!" and in a moment he had killed them all.
+He then went back to his own room to sleep till morning.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+As soon as Tom Thumb heard him snoring, he roused his brothers, and told
+them to dress quickly and follow him. He led them downstairs and out of
+the house; and then, stealing on tiptoe through the garden, they jumped
+down from the wall into the road and ran swiftly away.
+
+In the morning, when the ogre found what a dreadful thing he had done,
+he was terribly shocked.
+
+"Fetch me my seven-league boots," he cried to his wife. "I will go and
+catch those young vipers. They shall pay for this piece of work!" And,
+drawing on the magic boots, the ogre set out.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+He went striding over the country, stepping from mountain to mountain,
+and crossing rivers as if they had been streams. The poor children
+watched him coming in fear and trembling. They had found the way to
+their father's home, and had very nearly reached it when they saw the
+ogre racing after them.
+
+Tom Thumb thought for a moment what was to be done. Then he saw a hollow
+place under a large rock.
+
+"Get in there," he said to his brothers.
+
+When they were all in he crept in himself, but kept his eyes fixed on
+the ogre, to see what he would do.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The ogre, seeing nothing of the children, sat down to rest himself on
+the very rock under which the poor boys were hiding. He was tired with
+his journey, and soon fell fast asleep, and began to snore so loudly
+that the little fellows were terrified. Tom Thumb told his brothers to
+creep out softly and run home; which they did. Then he crept up to the
+ogre, pulled off the seven-league boots very gently and put them on his
+own feet, for being fairy boots they could fit themselves to any foot,
+however small.
+
+As soon as Tom Thumb had put on the ogre's seven-league boots, he took
+ten steps to the Palace, which was seventy miles off, and asked to see
+the King. He offered to carry news to the King's army, which was then a
+long way off; and so useful was he with his magic boots, that in a short
+time he had made money enough to keep himself, his father, his mother
+and his six brothers without the trouble of working for the rest of
+their lives.
+
+And now let us see what has become of the wicked ogre, whom we left
+sleeping on the rock.
+
+When he awoke he missed his seven-league boots, and set off for home
+very angry.
+
+On his way he had to cross a bog; and, forgetting that he was no longer
+wearing his magic boots, he tried to cross it with one stride. But,
+instead, he put his foot down in the middle and began to sink. As fast
+as he tried to pull out one foot, the other sank deeper, until at last
+he was swallowed up in the black slime--and that was the end of him.
+
+
+
+
+THE THREE BEARS
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+There were once three bears who lived together in a little house in the
+middle of a wood. One of them was a Little, Small, Wee Bear; one was a
+Middle-Sized Bear; and the other was a Great, Huge Bear.
+
+And they each had a pot to eat their porridge from: a little pot for the
+Little, Small, Wee Bear; a middle-sized pot for the Middle-Sized Bear;
+and a great big pot for the Great, Huge Bear.
+
+And they each had a chair to sit on: a little chair for the Little,
+Small, Wee Bear; a middle-sized chair for the Middle-Sized Bear; and a
+great big chair for the Great, Huge Bear.
+
+And they each had a bed to sleep in: a little bed for the Little, Small,
+Wee Bear; a middle-sized bed for the Middle-Sized Bear; and a great big
+bed for the Great, Huge Bear.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+One day they made the porridge for their breakfast, and poured it into
+their porridge-pots, and then went out in the wood for a walk while the
+porridge for their breakfast was cooling. And while they were out
+walking, a little Old Woman came to the house in the wood and peeped
+inside.
+
+First she peeped through the keyhole; then she peeped through the
+window. Then she lifted the latch and peeped through the doorway; and,
+seeing nobody in the house, she walked in. And when she saw the porridge
+cooling on the table she was very pleased, for she had walked a long
+way, and was getting hungry.
+
+So first she tasted the porridge of the Great, Huge Bear, but that was
+too hot. Then she tasted the porridge of the Middle-Sized Bear, but that
+was too cold. And then she tasted the porridge of the Little, Small, Wee
+Bear, and that was neither too hot nor too cold, but just right. And
+she liked it so much that she ate it all up!
+
+Then the little Old Woman sat down in the chair of the Great, Huge
+Bear, but that was too hard. Then she sat down in the chair of the
+Middle-Sized Bear, but that was too soft. Then she sat down in the
+chair of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and that was neither too hard
+nor too soft, but just right. And she liked it so much that she sat
+in it until suddenly the bottom came out, and she fell down plump
+upon the ground.
+
+Then the little Old Woman went upstairs into the bedroom, where the
+three Bears slept. And first she lay down on the bed of the Great, Huge
+Bear, but that was too high at the head for her. Then she lay down on
+the bed of the Middle-Sized Bear, but that was too high at the foot for
+her. So then she lay down on the bed of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and
+that was neither too high at the head nor too high at the foot, but just
+right. And she liked it so much that she covered herself up and lay
+there till she fell fast asleep!
+
+[Illustration]
+
+By and by the three Bears came home to breakfast. Now, the little Old
+Woman had left the spoon of the Great, Huge Bear standing in his
+porridge pot.
+
+    "=Somebody has been at my porridge!="
+
+said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice.
+
+And when the Middle-Sized Bear looked, she saw that the spoon was
+standing in her porridge-pot too.
+
+    "=Somebody has been at my porridge!="
+
+said the Middle-Sized Bear in her middle-sized voice.
+
+Then the Little, Small, Wee Bear looked, and there was the spoon in
+his porridge-pot; but the porridge was all gone.
+
+    "=Somebody has been at my porridge and has eaten it all up!="
+
+said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Then the three Bears began to look about them. Now, the little Old Woman
+had not put the hard cushion straight after she had sat in the chair of
+the Great, Huge Bear.
+
+    "=Somebody has been sitting in my chair!="
+
+said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice.
+
+And the little Old Woman had squashed the soft cushion of the
+Middle-Sized Bear.
+
+    "=Somebody has been sitting in my chair!="
+
+said the Middle-Sized Bear, in her middle-sized voice.
+
+And you know what the little Old Woman had done to the third chair.
+
+    "=Somebody has been sitting in my chair and has sat the bottom out!="
+
+said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice.
+
+Then the three Bears went upstairs into their bedroom. Now, the little
+Old Woman had pulled the pillow of the Great, Huge Bear out of its
+place.
+
+    "=Somebody has been lying in my bed!="
+
+said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice.
+
+And the little Old Woman had pulled the bolster of the Middle-Sized Bear
+out of its place.
+
+    "=Somebody has been lying in my bed!="
+
+said the Middle-Sized Bear, in her middle-sized voice.
+
+And when the Little, Small, Wee Bear came to look at his bed, there was
+the bolster in its place, and the pillow in its place upon the bolster;
+and upon the pillow was the little Old Woman's head, which was not in
+its place, for she had no business there at all.
+
+    "=Somebody has been lying in my bed--and here she is!="
+
+cried the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The little Old Woman had heard in her sleep the great, rough, gruff
+voice of the Great, Huge Bear, but she was so fast asleep that it seemed
+to her no more than the roaring of the wind, or the rumbling of thunder.
+And she had heard the middle-sized voice of the Middle-Sized Bear, but
+it was only as if she had heard some one speaking in a dream. But when
+she heard the little, small, wee voice of the Little, Small, Wee Bear,
+it was so sharp and shrill that it woke her up at once. Up she started,
+and when she saw the three Bears, on one side of the bed, she tumbled
+out at the other, jumped out of the window and ran away through the wood
+to her own home. And the three Bears never saw anything more of her.
+
+
+
+
+THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL
+
+
+It was dreadfully cold, it was snowing fast, and almost dark; the
+evening--the last evening of the Old Year--was drawing in. But cold and
+dark as it was, a poor little girl, with bare head and feet, was still
+wandering about the streets. When she left her home she had slippers on,
+but they were much too large for her--indeed, really, they belonged to
+her mother--and had dropped off her feet while she was running very fast
+across the road, to get out of the way of two carriages. One of the
+slippers was not to be found; the other had been snatched up by a little
+boy, who ran off with it thinking it might serve him as a doll's cradle.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+So the little girl now walked on, her bare feet quite red and blue with
+the cold. She carried a small bundle of matches in her hand, and a good
+many more in her tattered apron. No one had bought any of them the
+livelong day--no one had given her a single penny. Trembling with cold
+and hunger she crept on, the picture of sorrow; poor little child!
+
+The snowflakes fell on her long fair hair, which curled in such pretty
+ringlets over her shoulders; but she thought not of her own beauty, nor
+of the cold. Lights were glimmering through every window, and the savor
+of roast goose reached her from several houses. It was New Year's Eve,
+and it was of this that she thought.
+
+In a corner formed by two houses, one of which projected beyond the
+other, she sat down, drawing her little feet close under her, but in
+vain--she could not warm them. She dared not go home, she had sold no
+matches, earned not a single penny, and perhaps her father would beat
+her. Besides her home was almost as cold as the street--it was an attic;
+and although the larger of the many chinks in the roof were stopped up
+with straw and rags, the wind and snow often came through.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Her hands were nearly dead with cold; one little match from her bundle
+would warm them, perhaps, if she dare light it. She drew one out, and
+struck it against the wall. Bravo! it was a bright, warm flame, and she
+held her hands over it. It was quite an illumination for that poor
+little girl--nay, call it rather a magic taper--for it seemed to her as
+though she were sitting before a large iron stove with brass ornaments,
+so beautifully blazed the fire within! The child stretched out her feet
+to warm them also. Alas! in an instant the flame had died away, the
+stove vanished, the little girl sat cold and comfortless, with the
+burnt match in her hand.
+
+A second match was struck against the wall. It kindled and blazed, and
+wherever its light fell the wall became transparent as a veil--the
+little girl could see into the room within. She saw the table spread
+with a snow-white damask cloth, whereon were ranged shining china
+dishes; the roast goose, stuffed with apples and dried plums, stood at
+one end, smoking hot, and--which was pleasantest of all to see-the
+goose, with knife and fork still in her breast, jumped down from the
+dish, and waddled along the floor right up to the poor child. Then the
+match went out, and only the thick, hard wall was beside her.
+
+She kindled a third match. Again up shot the flame. And now she was
+sitting under a most beautiful Christmas tree, far larger, and far more
+prettily decked out, than the one she had seen last Christmas Eve
+through the glass doors of the rich merchant's house. Hundreds of wax
+tapers lighted up the green branches, and tiny painted figures, such as
+she had seen in the shop windows, looked down from the tree upon her.
+The child stretched out her hands towards them in delight, and in that
+moment the light of the match was quenched. Still, however, the
+Christmas candles burned higher and higher--she beheld them beaming
+like stars in heaven. One of them fell, the lights streaming behind
+it like a long, fiery tail.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Now someone is dying," said the little girl softly, for she had been
+told by her old grandmother--the only person who had ever been kind to
+her, and who was now dead--that whenever a star falls an immortal spirit
+returns to God who gave it.
+
+She struck yet another match against the wall. It flamed up, and,
+surrounded by its light, appeared before her that same dear grandmother,
+gentle and loving as always, but bright and happy as she had never
+looked during her lifetime.
+
+"Grandmother!" exclaimed the child, "Oh, take me with you! I know you
+will leave me as soon as the match goes out. You will vanish like the
+warm fire in the stove, like the splendid New Year's feast, like the
+beautiful large Christmas tree!" And she hastily lighted all the
+remaining matches in the bundle, lest her grandmother should disappear.
+And the matches burned with such a blaze of splendor, that noonday could
+scarcely have been brighter. Never had the good old grandmother looked
+so tall and stately, so beautiful and kind. She took the little girl in
+her arms, and they both flew together--joyfully and gloriously they
+flew--higher and higher, till they were in that place where neither
+cold, nor hunger, nor pain is ever known--they were in Paradise.
+
+But in the cold morning hour, crouching in the corner of the wall, the
+poor little girl was found--her cheeks glowing, her lips smiling--frozen
+to death on the last night of the Old Year. The New Year's sun shone on
+the lifeless child. Motionless she sat there with the matches in her
+lap, one bundle of them quite burnt out.
+
+"She has been trying to warm herself, poor thing!" the people said; but
+no one knew of the sweet visions she had beheld, or how gloriously she
+and her grandmother were celebrating their New Year's festival.
+
+
+
+
+BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+There was once a Merchant who had three daughters, the youngest of whom
+was so beautiful that everybody called her Beauty. This made the two
+eldest very jealous; and, as they were spiteful and bad-tempered by
+nature, instead of loving their younger sister they felt nothing but
+envy and hatred towards her.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+After some years there came a terrible storm at sea, and most of the
+Merchant's ships were sunk, and he became very poor. He and his family
+were obliged to live in a very small house and do without the servants
+and fine clothes to which they had been used. The two eldest sisters did
+nothing but weep and lament for their lost fortune, but Beauty did her
+best to keep the house bright and cheerful, so that her father might not
+miss too much all the comfort and luxury to which he was used.
+
+One day the Merchant told his daughters that he was going to take a
+journey into foreign lands in the hope of recovering some of his
+property. Then he asked them what they would like him to bring them
+home in case he should be successful. The eldest daughter asked for
+fine gowns and beautiful clothing; the second for jewels and gold
+and silver trinkets.
+
+"And Beauty--what would Beauty like?" asked the father.
+
+Beauty was so happy and contented always that there was scarcely
+anything for which she longed. She thought for a moment, then she said:
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"I should like best of all a red rose!" The other sisters burst out
+laughing and scoffed at Beauty's simple request; but her father promised
+to bring her what she wanted. Then he said good-bye to his children and
+set out on his travels.
+
+He was away for nearly a year, and was so fortunate as to win back a
+great part of his lost wealth. When the time came for his return, he
+was easily able to buy the things his eldest daughters wished for; but
+nowhere could he find a red rose to take home to Beauty, and at last he
+was obliged to set off without one.
+
+When he was within a few miles journey of his home, he lost himself in
+a thick wood. Darkness came on, and he began to be afraid that he would
+have to pass the night under a tree, when suddenly he saw a bright light
+shining in the distance. He went towards it, and on his approach found
+it came from a great castle that was set right in the heart of the
+forest.
+
+The Merchant made up his mind to ask if he might spend the night there;
+but to his surprise, when he reached the door he found it set wide open,
+and nobody about. After awhile, finding that no one came in answer to
+his repeated knocking, he walked inside. There he found a table laid
+with every delicacy, and, being very hungry, he sat down and made a
+good repast. After he had finished his supper he laid himself down
+on a luxurious couch, and in a few minutes was fast asleep.
+
+In the morning, after eating a hearty breakfast, which he found prepared
+for him, he left the mysterious castle, without having set eyes on a
+single person. As he was passing through the garden he found himself in
+an avenue of rose-trees, all covered with beautiful red roses.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Here are such thousands of flowers," he said to himself, "that, surely,
+one bud will not be missed;" and, thinking of Beauty, he broke off a
+rose from one of the bushes.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Scarcely had he done so when he heard a terrible noise, and, turning
+round, he saw coming towards him a hideous Beast, who exclaimed in an
+awful tone:
+
+"Ungrateful wretch! You have partaken of my hospitality, have eaten of
+my food, have slept in my house, and in return you try to rob me of my
+roses. For this theft you shall die!"
+
+The Merchant fell on his knees and begged for pardon, but the Beast
+would not listen to him.
+
+"Either you must die now, or else you must swear to send me in your
+stead the first living thing that meets you on your return home," he
+said; and the Merchant, overcome with terror, and thinking that one of
+his dogs would be sure to be the first creature to greet him, gave his
+promise.
+
+But to his horror and dismay, it was his youngest daughter, Beauty, who
+first ran out to greet him on his return. She had seen him coming from
+afar, and hastened to welcome him home.
+
+She did not at first understand her father's grief at seeing her; but
+when he told her the story of the Beast and his promise she did her
+best to comfort him.
+
+"Do not fear, dear father," she said, "perhaps the Beast will not prove
+so terrible as he looks. He spared your life; he may spare mine, since I
+have done him no harm."
+
+Her father shook his head mournfully; but there was no help for it. He
+had promised to send the Beast the first living creature that met him
+on his return, so he was obliged to send Beauty herself in his place.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+When he left Beauty at the palace of the Beast she found everything
+prepared for her comfort and convenience. A beautiful bedchamber was
+ready for her use; the rooms were filled with everything that she could
+possibly want, and in the great hall of the castle a table was set with
+every delicacy. And everywhere there were bowls full of red roses. No
+servants were visible; but there was no lack of service, for invisible
+hands waited upon her and attended to her every want. She had but to
+wish, and whatever she wanted was at once placed before her.
+
+Beauty was filled with astonishment at all this luxury and magnificence.
+
+"Surely the Beast does not wish to harm me," she thought, "or he would
+never have so ordered everything for my comfort." And she waited with a
+good courage for the coming of the Lord of the Castle.
+
+In the evening the beast appeared. He was certainly very terrible to
+look at, and Beauty trembled at the sight of the hideous monster. But
+she forced herself to appear brave, and, indeed, there was no cause for
+her alarm. The Beast was kindness itself, and so gentle and respectful
+in his attentions to her that Beauty soon lost all fear. She soon became
+very fond of him, and would have been quite happy had it not been for
+the thought of her father and sisters, and the grief which she knew her
+father would be suffering on her account. The thought of his sorrow made
+her sorrowful too; and one night, when the Beast came to visit her at
+his usual hour, she was so sad that he asked her what was the matter.
+
+Then Beauty begged him to let her go and visit her father. The Beast was
+very unwilling to grant her request.
+
+"If I let you go, I am afraid you will never come back to me," he said,
+"and then I shall die of grief."
+
+Beauty promised most earnestly to come back to him if he would only
+allow her to spend a few days with her family; and at last the Beast
+yielded to her entreaties.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+He gave her a ring, saying:
+
+"Put this on your little finger when you go to bed to-night, and wish;
+and in the morning you will find yourself at home in your father's
+house. But if you do not return to me at the end of a week, I shall
+die of sorrow."
+
+Beauty's father was almost overcome with joy at seeing his daughter
+again, and he was delighted to hear of her happiness and good fortune.
+But her two sisters--who in the meantime had married--were more jealous
+than ever of their beautiful sister. They were not very happy with their
+husbands, who were poor and not over-lovable; and they were very envious
+of Beauty's clothes and of all the luxuries with which she told them she
+was surrounded. They tried to think of a plan by which they could
+prevent their sister from enjoying her good fortune.
+
+"Let us keep her beyond the week that the Beast has allowed her," they
+said; "then, doubtless, he will be so angry that he will kill her."
+
+So they pretended to be very fond of Beauty, and when the time came for
+her return, they overwhelmed her with tears and caresses, begging her
+not to leave them, and to stay at least one more day with them. Beauty
+was distressed at their grief, and at last she consented to stay just
+one more day; though her heart misgave her sorely when she thought of
+the poor Beast.
+
+That night, as she lay in bed, she had a dream. She dreamt that she saw
+the Beast dying of sorrow at her forgetfulness; and so real did it seem
+that she woke up in an agony of dismay.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"How could I have been so cruel and ungrateful," she cried. "I promised
+faithfully that I would return at the end of the week. What will he
+think of me for breaking my promise!"
+
+Hastily rising from bed, she searched for the ring the Beast had given
+her. Then putting it on her little finger she wished to be at the Palace
+of the Beast again. In a moment she found herself there; and quickly
+putting on her clothes she hurried out to look for the Beast. She
+searched through room after room; but nowhere could she find him. At
+last she ran out into the garden; and there, on a plot of grass, where
+he and she had often sat together, she found him lying as if dead upon
+the ground.
+
+With a bitter cry she sank on her knees beside the poor Beast.
+
+"Oh, Beast; my dear, dear Beast!" she cried. "How could I have been so
+cruel and wicked and unkind? He has died of sorrow as he said he would!"
+And the tears fell down from her eyes as she spoke. Overcome with grief
+and remorse, she stooped down and tenderly kissed the ugly Beast.
+
+In a moment there was a sudden noise, and Beauty was startled to find
+that the ugly Beast had vanished. The Beast was a beast no longer, but a
+handsome Prince, who knelt at her feet, thanking her for having broken
+his enchantment.
+
+"A wicked fairy," he said, "condemned me to keep the form of a beast
+until a beautiful maiden should forget my ugliness and kiss me. You, by
+your love and tenderness, have broken the spell and released me from my
+horrible disguise. Now, thanks to you, I can take my proper form again."
+And then he begged Beauty to become his bride.
+
+So Beauty married the Prince who had been a Beast, and they lived
+together in the castle and ruled over the Prince's country, and were
+happy ever after.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF CINDERELLA
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+There was once a rich man, whose wife died, leaving him with one little
+girl. After some years, hoping to give his child a mother's love and
+care, he married again, this time a widow, with two grown-up daughters.
+But his second wife was haughty and proud, and her two daughters were
+even worse than their mother; and the poor little girl had a very
+unhappy time with her new relations. Her stepsisters were jealous of
+her, for she was very beautiful, and they themselves were plain and
+ugly. They did all they could to make her miserable; and, at length,
+through their wicked spite and envy, her life became a burden to her.
+The poor child was sent to live in the kitchen, where she had to do all
+the rough and dirty work; and because she was always dressed in rags,
+and sat beside the cinders in the grate, they called her Cinderella.
+
+It happened that the King of the country had an only son. He was very
+anxious that the Prince should be married; so he gave a great ball, and
+invited all the grand ladies in the country to come to it. It was to be
+a very splendid affair, lasting for three nights, and people were very
+eager to be invited to it, for it was known that the Prince would choose
+his bride from among the ladies present.
+
+Cinderella's sisters received invitations; and from the day they arrived
+they talked of nothing but of what they should wear, for each of them
+secretly hoped that she would be chosen as the Prince's bride.
+
+When the great day came at last, they began to dress for the ball
+directly after breakfast. Cinderella had to help them; and they kept
+her busy all day doing their hair, and running messages, and helping
+them to lace up their fine dresses.
+
+When Cinderella saw their beautiful clothes she wished that she could
+go to the ball as well; but when she timidly asked if she might, they
+laughed in mocking scorn.
+
+"You go to the ball!" they cried. "What would you do at the ball, with
+your rags and tatters and your dirty face? No, no, Cinderella, go back
+to your seat amongst the ashes--that is the place for a little kitchen
+girl like you!"
+
+So the two sisters and their mother drove away in a carriage and pair to
+the King's palace, and Cinderella was left behind. She sat down on the
+hearth before the kitchen fire and began to cry softly to herself,
+because she felt so very lonely and miserable.
+
+As she sat there in the dusk, with the firelight dancing over her, and
+her face buried in her hands, she heard a voice calling:
+
+"Cinderella, Cinderella!" and with a start she looked up to see who it
+could be.
+
+There on the hearth in front of her stood an old woman, leaning upon a
+stick. She was dressed in a long red cloak, and she wore high-heeled
+shoes and a tall black hat.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Where she had come from Cinderella could not imagine. She certainly had
+not come in through the door, nor yet through the window for both were
+shut.
+
+Cinderella was so surprised to see her that she stopped crying, and
+stared at her in astonishment.
+
+"What are you crying for?" asked the old woman.
+
+"Because my mother and sisters have gone to the ball, and I am left here
+all alone," said Cinderella.
+
+"Do you want to go to the ball, too!" said the old lady.
+
+"Yes, but it is no good; I have nothing but rags to wear," sobbed poor
+Cinderella.
+
+"Well, well, be a good child and don't cry any more," said the old
+woman, briskly. "I am your Fairy Godmother, and if you do what I tell
+you, perhaps you shall go after all. Run out into the garden and bring
+me in a pumpkin!"
+
+Cinderella ran out into the garden and brought in the biggest pumpkin
+that she could find.
+
+"Now go and fetch the mouse-trap out of the cellar," said her Godmother,
+and Cinderella hurried to get it. There were six mice in the trap, and
+the old woman harnessed them to the pumpkin, put a rat on the top to
+drive them, and two lizards behind, and then waved her wand over them.
+Immediately the pumpkin turned into a gorgeous coach, the mice into six
+beautiful horses, the rat into a stately coachman, and the lizards into
+tall footmen, with powdered hair and silk stockings. "There," said the
+old woman; "there's a carriage to take you to the ball."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Alas," said Cinderella, "how can I go to the ball? I have nothing to
+wear but this!" and she touched her ragged frock.
+
+"Is that all?" said the Fairy Godmother. Once more she waved her wand,
+and Cinderella's rags turned into the most beautiful dress in the world,
+all shining with gold and silver threads and covered with costly gems.
+In her hair was a circlet of pearls, and her feet were shod with the
+prettiest and daintiest pair of glass slippers that ever were seen.
+
+"Now," said the Fairy Godmother, "now you can go to the ball. But mind
+you come away before the clock strikes twelve, for should you linger
+beyond that hour, all your splendor will vanish, and your dress will
+turn into rags again."
+
+Cinderella promised to obey her Godmother's instructions. Then she got
+into the beautiful coach. The footman shut the door, the coachman
+whipped up the horses, and away she went to the ball.
+
+When she arrived there was a great stir in the Palace. So lovely a face
+and so costly and rich a dress had never before been seen, and everybody
+thought it must be some great Princess arrived from foreign lands.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+All the courtiers and other guests stood back to let her pass, and when
+the Prince caught sight of her he fell in love with her on the spot. He
+danced with her the whole of the evening, and people thought there was
+no doubt as to whom he would choose for his bride.
+
+At a quarter to twelve, Cinderella, remembering her Godmother's
+instructions, said good-bye to the Prince and came away.
+
+She arrived home just as the clock struck twelve. At once the coachman
+and footmen turned back into rats and mice, and the coach into a
+pumpkin; and when the sisters came home a little later, there was
+Cinderella, dressed in her old shabby frock, sitting in her usual place
+amongst the cinders.
+
+The two ugly sisters were full of the strange Princess who had come to
+the ball. They talked about her all the next day, little dreaming that
+all the while the beautiful lady was their despised sister Cinderella.
+
+In the evening after they had gone again to the ball, the Fairy
+Godmother made her appearance. Once more Cinderella drove to the Palace
+in her coach and six; this time arrayed in a still more gorgeous and
+beautiful dress; and once more the Prince danced with her all the
+evening.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+But when the third night came Cinderella was enjoying herself so much
+that she quite forgot what her Fairy Godmother had said, until suddenly
+she heard the clock begin to strike twelve. She remembered that as soon
+as it finished striking, all her fine clothes would turn to rags again;
+and, jumping up in alarm, she ran out of the room. The Prince ran after
+her, trying to overtake her; and Cinderella in her fright ran so fast
+that she left one of her little glass slippers on the floor behind her.
+
+The Prince stopped to pick it up, and this gave Cinderella time to
+escape; but she was only just in time. Just as she was crossing the
+Palace yard, the clock finished striking, and immediately all her finery
+vanished; and there she was, dressed in her old ragged frock again.
+
+When the Prince came out upon the Palace steps, he could see no sign of
+the lovely Princess. The guards at the gate told him that nobody at all
+had passed that way, except a little ragged kitchenmaid; and the Prince
+had to go back to the ball with only a little glass slipper to remind
+him of the beautiful lady with whom he was so desperately in love.
+
+The next day the King sent out all his heralds and trumpeters with a
+Proclamation, saying that the Prince would marry the lady whose foot
+the slipper fitted. But though all the ladies in the land tried on the
+slipper it would fit none of them--their feet were all too big!
+
+At last the heralds came to the house where Cinderella lived. The eldest
+stepsister tried the slipper on first, but it was quite impossible for
+her to get her foot into it, for her great toe was too big. Then her
+mother, who was watching eagerly, fetched a carving-knife.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Be quick, cut the toe off," she said; "what does it matter if you are
+lame--if you are the Prince's bride you will always ride in a carriage!"
+
+So the eldest sister cut off her big toe, but it was no use, the slipper
+would not fit, and at last she was obliged to hand it to her sister.
+
+But the other sister had no better luck. She did, indeed, get her toes
+inside, but her foot was much too long, and her heel stuck out behind.
+The mother urged her to cut it off.
+
+"What does it matter?" she said. "If you are the Prince's bride you will
+never need to walk any more."
+
+But although she cut her heel off, the slipper was still too small; and
+at length she, too, had to give up the attempt to force her foot into
+it.
+
+Then Cinderella came shyly out from behind the door where she had been
+standing out of sight, and asked if she might try on the slipper. Her
+stepmother and sisters were very angry, and were about to drive her away
+with blows, but the herald stopped them.
+
+"The Prince wishes every woman in the land to try on this slipper," he
+said; and asking Cinderella to sit on a chair, he knelt down and tried
+the slipper on her foot.
+
+And it fitted her exactly!
+
+While everyone stood and stared in astonishment, Cinderella drew from
+her pocket the other slipper and put it on. No sooner had she done so
+than her ragged frock changed into the beautiful ball dress again, and
+she stood up before them all--the beautiful lady with whom the Prince
+had fallen in love at the ball.
+
+The Prince was overjoyed to find her again; and they were married at
+once with much pomp amid great rejoicings.
+
+As for the wicked sisters they were so jealous that they both turned
+green with envy. They grew uglier and uglier every day, until at last
+they grew so dreadfully ugly that nobody could bear to look at them any
+longer. But Cinderella became more and more beautiful, and lived happily
+with the Prince for ever afterwards.
+
+
+
+
+JACK THE GIANT KILLER
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+In the reign of King Arthur there lived in the County of Cornwall a
+worthy farmer, who had an only son, named Jack. Jack was strong and
+brave and very daring, and was never backward when danger was in the
+way.
+
+Now, in those days there lived a huge giant in a gloomy cavern on St.
+Michael's Mount, which rises out of the sea near the shores of Cornwall.
+The Cornish people had suffered greatly from his thefts and pillaging;
+for he used to wade through the sea to the mainland, and carry off half
+a dozen or more of their oxen at a time.
+
+At last Jack made up his mind to destroy this monster. He took a horn,
+a shovel, a pickaxe, and a dark lantern, and one winter's evening swam
+over the sea to the Mount. Then he set to work, and before morning had
+dug a great pit. He covered it carefully over with sticks and straw,
+and strewed some earth on the top to make it look like solid ground.
+And then he blew his horn so loudly that the Giant awoke, and came
+out roaring like thunder:
+
+"You impudent villain--you shall pay dearly for disturbing my rest. I
+will broil you for my breakfast!"
+
+But almost as he spoke, he tumbled headlong into the pit.
+
+"Oh, ho, Mr. Giant!" said Jack. "How is your appetite now! Will nothing
+serve you for breakfast but broiling poor Jack?" Then he struck the
+giant such a blow on the head with a pickaxe that he killed him.
+
+When the Justices of Cornwall heard of this valiant deed, they sent
+for Jack, and declared that he should always be called Jack the Giant
+Killer; and they gave him a sword, and a belt upon which was written,
+in letters of gold:
+
+    "This is the valiant Cornishman
+     Who slew the giant Cormoran."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+There was another giant in England called Blunderbore, who vowed to take
+revenge on Jack for this exploit. One day, as Jack was passing through a
+wood on a journey to Wales, he fell asleep by the side of a fountain.
+The Giant, coming along, found him there; and, seeing by the writing on
+the belt who Jack was, he lifted him on his shoulder and carried him off
+to his castle.
+
+When Jack awoke and found himself in the clutches of Blunderbore he was
+terribly frightened. The giant carried him into a room and locked him
+up, while he went to fetch another giant who lived close by to help him
+eat Jack for dinner. While he was gone, Jack heard dreadful shrieks and
+groans from different parts of the castle, and soon after he heard a
+mournful voice saying:
+
+    "Haste, valiant stranger, haste away,
+     Lest you become the giant's prey.
+     On his return he'll bring another,
+     Still more savage than his brother;
+     A horrid, cruel monster, who
+     Before he kills will torture you!"
+
+Poor Jack looked out of the window, which was just over the gate of the
+castle, and saw two giants coming along arm in arm.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Now," thought he, "death or freedom is at hand." There happened to
+be two strong cords in the room, and Jack made a large noose with a
+slip-knot in each of them. Then, just as the giants were coming through
+the gate he threw the ropes over their heads, and, fastening the other
+ends to a beam in the ceiling, he pulled the ropes with all his might
+until he had nearly strangled the giants. Then he drew his sword and
+slipped down the ropes and killed them both.
+
+Next Jack took the keys from Giant Blunderbore and searched through the
+castle. In one of the rooms he found three ladies who told him that
+their husbands had been killed by the giant, who had afterwards
+condemned them to be starved to death.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Jack gave them the castle and all the riches it contained to make some
+amends for the dreadful pains they had suffered, and then went on his
+way.
+
+After traveling some days, he lost himself in a lonely valley; but, when
+he had wandered about some while, he at length succeeded in finding a
+large house. He went up to it and knocked loudly at the gate, when, to
+his great horror, a monstrous giant with two heads came forth. He spoke
+very civilly, however, and took Jack into the house, leading him to a
+room where there was a good bed, in which he could pass the night.
+
+Jack took off his clothes; but, though he was very tired, he could not
+go to sleep. Presently he heard the giant walking about in the
+bedchamber, which was the next room, saying to himself:
+
+    "Though here you lodge with me this night;
+     You shall not see the morning light;
+     My club shall dash your brains out quite."
+
+When he heard this, Jack got out of bed, and, taking a large, thick
+piece of wood, he laid it in his own place in the bed, and hid himself
+in a dark corner of the room.
+
+In the middle of the night, the giant came with his great club, and
+struck several heavy blows upon the bed. Then he went off, thinking he
+had broken all Jack's bones.
+
+Early next morning Jack walked into the giant's room and thanked him
+for the night's lodging. The giant was terribly startled to see him,
+and stammered out:
+
+"Oh, dear me! Is it you? Pray, how did you sleep last night? Did you
+hear or see anything to disturb you?"
+
+"Nothing worth speaking of, thank you," answered Jack, carelessly. "A
+rat, I believe, gave me three or four slaps with his tail; but that was
+all."
+
+The giant said nothing; but went and fetched two bowls of hasty pudding
+for their breakfast.
+
+Jack did not wish the giant to think that he could not eat as much as
+himself, so he contrived to fasten a leathern bag inside his coat. He
+then managed to slip the pudding into this bag, while pretending to eat
+it. When breakfast was done, he said to the giant:
+
+"Now I will show you a fine trick. I can cure all wounds with a touch.
+You shall see an example." He then took a knife, ripped up the leathern
+bag, and all the hasty pudding tumbled out upon the floor.
+
+"Ods splutter hur nails!" cried the giant, who was ashamed to be outdone
+by such a little fellow. "Hur can do that hurself!" and, snatching up
+the knife, he plunged it into his stomach and fell down dead.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+After this, Jack went farther on his journey. In a few days he met King
+Arthur's only son, who was traveling into Wales to deliver a beautiful
+lady from the power of a wicked magician. Jack attached himself to the
+Prince, and they traveled on together.
+
+The Prince was very generous, and soon gave away all the money he
+possessed.
+
+After having parted with his last penny to an old beggar-woman, he was
+very uneasy as to where they were to pass the night.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Sir," said Jack, "two miles farther on there lives a giant with three
+heads, who can fight five hundred men at once and make them fly. I will
+go on and visit him--do you wait here until I return."
+
+Jack rode on to the gates of the castle, and gave a loud knock. The
+giant, with a voice like thunder, roared out:
+
+"Who is there?"
+
+"No one but your poor Cousin Jack."
+
+"Well, what news, Cousin Jack?"
+
+"Dear Uncle, I have bad news for you. Here is the King's son coming
+with two thousand men to kill you!"
+
+"Cousin Jack, this is bad news indeed! But I have a large cellar
+underground, where I shall hide myself, and you shall lock, bolt
+and bar me in until the King's son is gone."
+
+So Jack locked, bolted and barred the giant in the cellar, and then
+went back and fetched the Prince, and they feasted and made merry,
+and spent the night very comfortably in the castle.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+In the morning Jack gave the Prince gold and silver from the giant's
+treasury. Then the Prince set forth on his journey, while Jack let
+the giant out of the cellar.
+
+The giant thanked Jack very much for saving him, and asked what he
+should give him as a reward?
+
+"Why, good Uncle," said Jack, "I desire nothing but the coat and cap,
+with the rusty sword and the slippers which are hanging beside the
+bed."
+
+"Take them," said the giant, "and keep them for my sake. They will be
+very useful to you. The coat will make you invisible; the cap will give
+you knowledge; the sword will cut through anything, no matter what it
+may be, and the shoes are of vast swiftness."
+
+Jack took the gifts, thanked the giant, and then quickly caught up with
+the Prince.
+
+After a few day's further journey they reached the dwelling of the
+beautiful lady whom the Prince had come to rescue.
+
+She received the Prince very graciously and made a feast for him. When
+it was ended she rose, and, taking her handkerchief, said:
+
+"My lord; to-morrow morning I command you to tell me on whom I have
+bestowed this handkerchief--or else lose your head."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The Prince went to bed very mournfully; but Jack put on the cap of
+knowledge, which told him that the lady was forced by the power of
+enchantment to meet the wicked magician every night in the forest.
+
+He, therefore, put on his coat of darkness, and his shoes of swiftness,
+and was there before her. When the lady came, she gave the handkerchief
+to the magician. Jack with his sword of sharpness cut off his head with
+one blow; and the enchantment was ended in a minute.
+
+The next day the lady was married to the Prince, and soon after went
+with her husband to the Court of King Arthur, where Jack was made one
+of the Knights of the Round Table for his heroism.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Very soon Jack set off in search of new adventures. On the third day of
+his travel he came to a wide forest. Hardly had he entered it when he
+heard dreadful shrieks and cries, and soon he saw a monstrous giant
+dragging along by the hair of their heads a handsome knight and a
+beautiful lady. Their tears and cries melted Jack's heart. He alighted
+from his horse, and put on his invisible coat, and immediately attacked
+the giant. He could not reach up to the giant's body; so, taking a
+mighty blow, he cut off both the monster's legs just below the garter,
+so that he fell full length upon the ground. Then Jack set his foot upon
+his neck and plunged his sword into the giant's body.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The knight and the lady, overjoyed, begged Jack to come to their house
+to refresh himself after this fight; but Jack, hearing that the giant
+had a brother who was more cruel and wicked even than himself, would
+not rest until he had also destroyed him.
+
+Soon he came in sight of the cavern where the giants lived. There was
+the other giant sitting on a huge block of timber, with a knotted iron
+club lying by his side. Jack, in his coat of darkness, was quite
+invisible. He drew close up to the giant and struck a blow at his head
+with his sword of sharpness; but he missed his aim and only cut off his
+nose. The giant roared with pain, and his roars were like claps of
+thunder. He took up his iron club and began to lay about him, but not
+being able to see Jack, he could not hit him; for Jack slipped nimbly
+behind, and jumping upon the block of wood, stabbed the giant in the
+back; and after a few howls, the monster dropped down dead.
+
+Having thus killed the two monsters Jack entered the cave to search for
+the treasure. One room contained a great boiling cauldron and a dining
+table, where the giants feasted. Another part of the cave was barred
+with iron and was full of miserable men and women whom the giants had
+imprisoned. Jack set them all free and divided the treasure among them.
+
+Jack cut off the giant's head, and sent it with the head of his brother
+to the Court of King Arthur; then he returned to the house of the knight
+and his lady.
+
+He was received with the greatest joy; and the knight gave a grand feast
+in his honor. When all the company was gathered together, the knight
+presented Jack with a ring, on which was engraved the picture of the
+giant dragging the knight and the lady by the hair, with this motto
+round it--
+
+    "Behold, in dire distress were we,
+       Under a giant's fierce command,
+     But gained our lives and liberty
+       From valiant Jack's victorious hand."
+
+But while the merriment was at its height, a herald rushed into the room
+and told the company that Thundel, a savage giant with two heads, had
+heard of the death of his two kinsmen, and was come to take his revenge
+on Jack. The guests trembled with terror and fright; but Jack only drew
+his sword and said, "Let him come!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The knight's house was surrounded by a moat over which there was a
+drawbridge. Jack set men to work to cut the bridge on both sides, nearly
+to the middle, and then, dressed in his magic coat, went out to meet the
+giant. As the giant came along, although he could not see Jack, yet he
+could tell that someone was near for he cried out:
+
+    "Fa, fe, fi, fo, fum,
+     I smell the blood of an Englishman
+     Be he alive, or be he dead,
+     I'll grind his bones to make my bread."
+
+"Say you so, my friend," cried Jack. "You are indeed a monstrous
+miller!"
+
+"Ah!" cried the giant; "you are the villain that killed my kinsmen! I
+will tear you with my teeth, and grind your bones to powder!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"You must catch me first!" said Jack. Then he threw off his coat and put
+on his shoes of swiftness, and began to run, the giant following him
+like a walking castle. Jack led him round and round the house, and then
+he ran over the drawbridge, while the giant rushed after him with his
+club. But when he came to the middle of the bridge, where it had been
+cut on both sides, his great weight broke it, and he tumbled into the
+water.
+
+Jack now got a cart rope and flung it over his two heads, and then, by
+the help of a team of horses, drew him to the edge of the moat, where
+he cut off his heads.
+
+Once again, Jack set out in search of new adventures. He went over
+fields and dales without meeting with any, until he came to the foot of
+a high mountain. Here was a little, lonely house; and when he knocked at
+the door it was opened by an old man with a beard as white as snow. This
+old man was a good hermit, and when Jack had eaten well, he said:
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"My son, I know that you are the famous conqueror of giants. I know, at
+the top of this mountain there is an enchanted castle, kept by a giant
+named Galligantes, who, by the help of a magician, gets many knights
+into his power--whom he changes into beasts. Above all, I lament the
+hard fate of a duke's daughter, whom they have changed into a deer. Many
+knights have tried to destroy the enchantment, yet none have been able
+to do so, because of two fiery griffins who guard the gates of the
+castle. But as you, my son, have an invisible coat, you may pass them by
+without being seen. On the gates of the castle you will find engraved
+the means by which the enchantment may be broken."
+
+Jack promised that in the morning he would risk his life in an endeavor
+to break the enchantment; and, after a sound sleep, he arose early and
+set out on his attempt.
+
+He passed by the fiery griffins without the least fear of danger; for
+they could not see him, because of his invisible coat.
+
+On the castle gate he found a golden trumpet hanging, under which were
+written these words--
+
+    "Whoever can this trumpet blow,
+     Shall cause the giant's overthrow."
+
+Jack seized the golden trumpet and blew a mighty blast, which made the
+gates fly open and shook the castle to its foundations. The giant and
+the magician, knowing that their end was now near, stood biting their
+thumbs and shaking with terror. Jack, with his magic sword, soon killed
+the giant, and the magician was carried off by a whirlwind. The castle
+vanished away like smoke, and the duke's daughter and all the knights
+and lovely ladies who had been turned into birds and beasts returned to
+their proper shape.
+
+Jack's fame rang through the whole country, and the King gave him a
+large estate to reward him for all his brave and knightly deeds. And
+Jack married the duke's daughter, and lived in joy and contentment for
+the rest of his days.
+
+
+
+
+JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Jack was an idle, lazy boy who would do no work to support his widowed
+mother; and at last they both came to such poverty that the poor woman
+had to sell her cow to buy food to keep them from starving. She sent
+Jack to market with the cow, telling him to be sure and sell it for a
+good price.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+As Jack was going along the road to market he met a butcher. The butcher
+offered to buy the cow in exchange for a hatful of colored beans. Jack
+thought the beans looked very pretty, and he was glad to be saved the
+long hot walk to market; so he struck the bargain on the spot and went
+back to his mother with the beans, while the butcher went off with the
+cow.
+
+But the poor widow was very disappointed. She scolded her son for an
+idle, lazy, good-for-nothing boy, and flung the beans out of the window
+in a passion.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Now the beans were magic beans, and the next morning, when Jack awoke,
+he found some of them had taken root in the night and had grown so tall,
+that they reached right up into the sky.
+
+Jack was full of wonder and curiosity; and, being fond of adventure and
+excitement, he set out at once to climb the beanstalk, to see what was
+up at the top of it.
+
+And he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and he
+climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed--until at last he climbed right
+up to the very tiptop of the beanstalk.
+
+Then he found himself standing in a strange country. In the distance
+he could see a big castle; and, as he was hot and tired with his long
+climb, he thought he would go and ask for something to eat and drink.
+
+He had not gone very far before he met a fairy, who told him that the
+castle belonged to a wicked ogre, who had killed and eaten a great
+number of people.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"It was he who killed your father," she said. "And it is your duty to do
+your utmost to destroy the wicked monster. Go now, and see what you can
+do. If you can carry off any of his treasures you are at liberty to do
+so--for none of them really belongs to him. He has taken them all by
+force from the people whom he has robbed and killed."
+
+Jack was delighted at the idea of this adventure, and set off in high
+spirits towards the castle.
+
+The castle was farther off than he had thought, and by the time he
+reached the gates, it was so late that he made up his mind to ask
+for a night's lodging. There was a woman standing in the doorway;
+but when Jack made his request, she was very frightened, and said--
+
+"Indeed, I dare not take you in and give you food and lodging. My
+husband is an ogre who lives on human flesh. If he were to find you
+here, he would think nothing of eating you up in three mouthfuls. I
+advise you to go away at once, before he comes home."
+
+But when she saw how tired and hungry Jack really was, she took him into
+the house and gave him plenty to eat and drink. While Jack was eating
+his food in the kitchen there came a loud knocking at the door. The
+ogre's wife, in a great flurry, hid Jack in the oven, and then hurried
+to let her husband in. Jack peeped through the oven door, and saw a
+terrible-looking ogre, who came stamping into the kitchen, and said in
+a voice like thunder--
+
+"Wife, I smell fresh meat!"
+
+"It is only the people you are fattening in the dungeon," said the wife.
+
+So the ogre sat down and ate his supper. After supper, he commanded his
+wife to bring him his money-bags. He then began to count his
+money--thousands and thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Jack wished he could take some of this money home to his mother; and,
+presently, when the ogre fell asleep, he crept out of his hiding-place,
+and hoisting the bags upon his shoulder, slipped quietly away with them.
+The ogre was snoring so loudly that it sounded like the wind in the
+chimney on a stormy night. So he never heard the little noise Jack
+made, and Jack got safely away and escaped down the beanstalk.
+
+His mother was overjoyed to see him, for she had been very anxious about
+him when he did not come home the night before; and she was delighted
+with the bags of money, which were enough to keep them in comfort and
+luxury for some time.
+
+For many months Jack and his mother lived happily together; but after a
+while the money came to an end, and Jack made up his mind to climb the
+beanstalk again, and carry off some more of the ogre's treasures. So one
+morning he got up early, put on a different suit of clothes, so that the
+ogre's wife should not recognize him, and set out to climb the
+beanstalk.
+
+[Illustration: _Jack and the Beanstalk_
+Down Came the Beanstalk, Down Came the Ogre]
+
+And he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and he
+climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed--until at last he climbed to the
+very top and found himself in the ogre's country again.
+
+When he reached the castle the ogre's wife was again standing in the
+doorway. But when Jack asked for a night's lodging, she said she dared
+not give him one, for only a few months before she had taken in a poor
+boy who seemed half dead with fatigue and hunger, and in return for her
+kindness, he had stolen some of her husband's money and run away in the
+night.
+
+But Jack begged so hard that at last she relented. She gave him a good
+supper and hid him in a closet before her husband came home.
+
+Presently there was a great noise outside and heavy footsteps that shook
+the castle to its foundations. It was the ogre come home. As soon as he
+entered the kitchen, he sniffed suspiciously, and said:
+
+"I smell fresh meat!"
+
+"It is only the crows on the housetops," said his wife. "They have
+brought home a piece of carrion for their young."
+
+After supper, the ogre told his wife to fetch his hen. This hen was a
+very wonderful bird. Whenever the ogre said "Lay" she laid an egg of
+solid gold. Jack thought that if he could only get this wonderful hen
+to take home to his mother, they would never want any more. So when
+the ogre fell asleep--as he did after a little while--he came out of
+the closet, and, seizing the hen in his arms, made off with her. The
+hen squawked, but the ogre's snoring was like the roaring of the sea
+when the tide is coming in, and Jack got safely down the beanstalk.
+
+The hen laid so many golden eggs that Jack and his mother became quite
+rich and prosperous; and there was really no need for Jack to go again
+to the ogre's country. But he liked the danger and excitement, and he
+remembered that the fairy had told him to take as many of the ogre's
+treasures as he could; and at last, without saying a word to anybody,
+he started off once more to climb the magic beanstalk.
+
+And he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and he
+climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed--until at last he reached the
+very tiptop, and stood in the ogre's country.
+
+This time when he reached the castle he began to be afraid that the
+ogre's wife really would not let him in.
+
+"Indeed and indeed, I dare not," she said. "Twice lately have I
+given shelter to a wayfaring youth, and each time he stole some of
+my husband's treasures, and made off with them. Now my husband has
+forbidden me, on pain of instant death, to give food or lodging
+to any traveler."
+
+But Jack pleaded and pleaded, and at last the good-natured woman, moved
+to pity by his travel-stained appearance, gave way and let him into the
+castle.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+When the ogre came home, the wife hid Jack in the copper. As usual, the
+ogre's first words were:
+
+"Wife, wife, I smell fresh meat!" And, in spite of all his wife could
+say, he insisted upon searching all round the room. Jack was in a
+terrible fright whilst he was hunting: but fortunately, he forgot to
+look in the copper, and after a time he sat down to his supper.
+
+When supper was over, the ogre told his wife to fetch his harp. Jack
+peeped out of the copper and saw the harp brought in and set down
+before the ogre. It was marvelously made; and when the ogre said "Play!"
+it played the finest music without being touched. Jack was enchanted,
+for he had never before heard such wonderful music, and he felt that he
+must have the harp for his own.
+
+The ogre was soon lulled to sleep by the sweet sound of the harp; and
+when he was snoring heavily, Jack crept out of the copper, and taking up
+the harp was about to make off with it. But the harp was a fairy harp,
+and it called out loudly: "Master, master, master;" and, although the
+ogre was snoring so noisily that it was like the sound of a hundred
+dragons roaring at once, yet to Jack's dismay and horror he heard the
+voice of his harp, and, starting to his feet with a bellow of anger,
+rushed after the daring thief.
+
+Jack ran faster than he had ever run in his life before--still carrying
+the precious harp--while the ogre ran after him, shouting and roaring
+and making such a noise that it sounded like a thousand thunder storms
+all going at once. If he had not drunk so much wine for supper, the ogre
+must very soon have caught Jack; but as it was, the wine had got into
+his head, and so he could not run nearly so fast as usual, and Jack
+reached the beanstalk just in front of him.
+
+It was a very close shave. Jack slid down the beanstalk at his top
+speed, calling at the top of his voice for his mother to fetch him an
+axe. The ogre came tumbling down the beanstalk after him; but Jack
+seized the axe and chopped the beanstalk off close to the root. Down
+came the beanstalk, down came the ogre, and falling headlong into the
+garden he was killed on the spot.
+
+After this, Jack quite gave up his lazy, idle ways, and he and his
+mother, with the magic hen and the wonderful harp, lived in happiness
+and prosperity the rest of their lives.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+In the reign of King Edward the Third there was a poor orphan boy, named
+Dick Whittington, living in a country village a long way from London. He
+was a sharp little lad, and the stories that he heard of London being
+paved with gold made him long to visit that city.
+
+One day, a large wagon and eight horses, with bells at their heads,
+drove through the village. Dick thought it must be going to London, so
+he asked the driver to let him walk by the side of the wagon. As soon as
+the driver heard that poor Dick had neither father nor mother, and saw
+by his ragged clothes that he could not be worse off than he was, he
+told him he might go if he would; so they set off together.
+
+Dick got safely to London, and was in such a hurry to see the fine
+streets paved with gold, that he ran through many of them, thinking
+every moment to come to those that were paved with gold; for Dick had
+seen a guinea three times in his own little village, and remembered what
+a lot of money it brought in change; so he thought he had nothing to do
+but to take up some little bits of pavement, and he would then have as
+much money as he could wish for. Poor Dick ran till he was tired, and
+had quite forgotten his friend the driver. At last, finding it grow
+dark, and that every way he turned he saw nothing but dirt instead of
+gold, he sat down in a dark corner, and cried himself to sleep. Next
+morning, being very hungry, he got up and walked about, and asked
+everybody he met to give him a halfpenny to keep him from starving.
+At last, a good-natured-looking gentleman saw how hungry he looked.
+
+"Why don't you go to work, my lad?" said he.
+
+"I would," answered Dick, "but I do not know how to get any."
+
+"If you are willing," said the gentleman, "come with me;" and so
+saying, he took him to a hayfield, where Dick worked briskly, and lived
+merrily till the hay was all made. After this, he found himself as badly
+off as before; and being almost starved again, he laid himself down at
+the door of Mr. Fitzwarren, a rich merchant. Here the cook, an
+ill-tempered woman, called out to poor Dick:
+
+"What business have you there, you lazy rogue? If you do not take
+yourself away, we will see how you like a sousing of some dish-water I
+have here, that is hot enough to make you jump."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+At this time Mr. Fitzwarren himself came home to dinner; and when he saw
+a dirty ragged boy lying at the door, he said, in a kind and gentle
+voice:
+
+"Why do you lie there, my lad? you seem old enough to work; I am afraid
+you are lazy."
+
+"No, sir," said Dick to him. "I would work with all my heart; but I do
+not know anybody, and I am sick for want of food."
+
+"Poor fellow!" answered Mr. Fitzwarren; "get up, and let me see what
+ails you."
+
+Dick tried to rise, but was too weak to stand, for he had not eaten
+anything for three days. So the kind merchant ordered him to be taken
+into the house, and have a good dinner given to him; and to be kept to
+do what dirty work he could for the cook.
+
+Dick would have lived happily in this good family, if it had not been
+for the ill-natured cook, who was finding fault and scolding him from
+morning till night; and, besides, she was so fond of basting, that,
+when she had no roast meat to baste, she would be basting poor Dick.
+
+But though the cook was so ill-tempered, the footman was quite
+different. He had lived in the family many years, and was an elderly
+man, and very kind-hearted. He had once a little son of his own, who
+died when about the age of Dick; so he could not help feeling pity for
+the poor boy, and sometimes gave him a halfpenny to buy gingerbread or
+a top. The footman was fond of reading, and used often in the evening to
+entertain the other servants with some amusing book. Little Dick took
+pleasure in hearing this good man, which made him wish very much to
+learn to read too; so the next time the footman gave him a halfpenny,
+he bought a little book with it; and with the footman's help, Dick soon
+learnt his letters, and afterwards to read.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+About this time, Miss Alice, Mr. Fitzwarren's daughter, was going out
+one morning for a walk, and Dick was told to put on a suit of good
+clothes that Mr. Fitzwarren gave him, and walk behind her. As they went,
+Miss Alice saw a poor woman with one child in her arms and another on
+her back. She pulled out her purse and gave the woman some money; but as
+she was putting it into her pocket again, she dropped it on the ground
+and walked on. It was lucky that Dick was behind, and saw what she had
+done, for he picked up the purse and gave it to her again. Another time,
+when Miss Alice was sitting with the window open and amusing herself
+with a favorite parrot, it suddenly flew away to the branch of a high
+tree, where all the servants were afraid to venture after it. As soon as
+Dick heard of this, he pulled off his coat, and climbed up the tree as
+nimbly as a squirrel; and, after a great deal of trouble, caught her and
+brought her down safely to his mistress. Miss Alice thanked him, and
+liked him ever after for this.
+
+The ill-humored cook was now a little kinder; but, besides this, Dick
+had another hardship to get over. His bed stood in a garret, where there
+were so many holes in the floor and the walls, that every night he was
+waked in his sleep by the rats and mice, which ran over his face, and
+made such a noise that he sometimes thought the walls were tumbling down
+about him. One day, a gentleman who came to see Mr. Fitzwarren wanted
+his shoes polished; Dick took great pains to make them shine, and the
+gentleman gave him a penny. With this he thought he would buy a cat; so
+the next day, seeing a little girl with a cat under her arm, he went up
+to her, and asked if she would let him have it for a penny. The girl
+said she would, and that it was a very good mouser. Dick hid the cat in
+the garret, and always took care to carry a part of his dinner to her;
+and in a short time he had no more trouble from the rats and mice.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Soon after, his master had a ship ready to sail; and as he thought it
+right all his servants should have some chance for good fortune as well
+as himself, he called them into the parlor, and asked them if they
+wanted to take a share in the trading trip. They all had some money that
+they were willing to venture, except poor Dick, who had neither money
+nor goods. For this reason he did not come into the parlor with the
+rest; but Miss Alice guessed what was the matter, and ordered him to be
+called in. She then said she would put in money for him from her own
+purse; but her father told her this would not do, for Dick must send
+something of his own. When poor Dick heard this, he said he had nothing
+but a cat.
+
+"Fetch your cat then, my good boy," said Mr. Fitzwarren, "and let her
+go."
+
+Dick went upstairs and brought down poor puss, and gave her to the
+captain with tears in his eyes. All the company laughed at Dick's odd
+venture; and Miss Alice, who felt pity for the poor boy, gave him some
+halfpence to buy another cat.
+
+This, and other marks of kindness shown him by Miss Alice, made the
+ill-tempered cook jealous of poor Dick; and she began to use him more
+cruelly than ever, and always made fun of him for sending his cat to
+sea. She asked him if he thought his cat would sell for as much money as
+would buy a stick to beat him. At last, poor Dick could not bear this
+any longer, and thought he would run away from his place; so he packed
+up his few things, and set out very early in the morning on the first
+of November. He walked as far as Highgate, and there sat down on a
+stone, which to this day is called Whittington's stone, and began to
+think which road he should take farther. While he was thinking what he
+should do, the bells of Bow Church began to ring, and he fancied their
+sounds seemed to say:
+
+    "Turn again, Whittington,
+     Lord Mayor of London."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Lord Mayor of London!" said he to himself. "Why, to be sure I would put
+up with almost anything, now, to be Lord Mayor of London, and ride in a
+fine coach, when I grow to be a man! I will go back and think nothing of
+the cuffing and scolding of the old cook, if I am to be Lord Mayor of
+London at last."
+
+Dick went back, and was lucky enough to get into the house and set about
+his work before the cook came down.
+
+The ship, with the cat on board, was a long time at sea; and was at last
+driven by the winds on a part of the coast of Barbary. The people came
+in great numbers to see the sailors, and treated them very civilly; and,
+when they became better acquainted, were eager to buy the fine things
+with which the ship was laden. When the captain saw this, he sent
+patterns of the best things he had to the King of the country; who was
+so much pleased with them, that he sent for the captain and the chief
+mate to the palace. Here they were placed, as is the custom of the
+country, on rich carpets, marked with gold and silver flowers. The King
+and Queen were seated at the upper end of the room; and a number of
+dishes, of the greatest rarities, were brought in for dinner; but,
+before they had been on the table a minute, a vast number of rats and
+mice rushed in, and helped themselves from every dish. The captain
+wondered at this, and asked if these vermin were not very unpleasant.
+
+"Oh, yes!" they said, "and the King would give half of his riches to get
+rid of them; for they not only waste his dinner, as you see, but disturb
+him in his bedroom, so that he is obliged to be watched while he is
+asleep."
+
+The captain was ready to jump for joy when he heard of this. He thought
+of poor Dick's cat, and told the King he had a creature on board his
+ship that would kill all the rats and mice. The King was still more
+glad than the captain.
+
+"Bring this creature to me," said he, "and if it can do what you say, I
+will give you your ship full of gold for her."
+
+The captain, to make quite sure of his good luck, answered, that she was
+such a clever cat for catching rats and mice, that he could hardly bear
+to part with her; but that to oblige His Majesty he would fetch her.
+
+"Run, run!" said the Queen, "for I long to see the creature that will
+do such service." Away went the captain to the ship while another dinner
+was got ready. He came back to the palace soon enough to see the table
+full of rats and mice again, and the second dinner likely to be lost in
+the same way as the first. The cat did not wait for bidding, but jumped
+out of the captain's arm, and in a few moments laid almost all the rats
+and mice dead at her feet. The rest, in a fright, scampered away to
+their holes.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The King and Queen were delighted to get rid of such a plague so easily.
+They desired that the creature might be brought for them to look at. On
+this, the captain called out: "Puss, puss!" and the cat ran and jumped
+upon his knee. He then held her out to the Queen, who was afraid to
+touch an animal that was able to kill so many rats and mice; but when
+she saw how gentle the cat seemed, and how glad she was at being stroked
+by the captain, she ventured to touch her too, saying all the time:
+"Poot, poot," for she could not speak English. At last the Queen took
+puss on her lap, and by degrees became quite free with her, till puss
+purred herself to sleep. When the King had seen the actions of mistress
+puss, and was told that she would soon have young ones, which might in
+time kill all the rats and mice in his country, he bought the captain's
+whole ship's cargo; and afterwards gave him a great deal of gold
+besides, which was worth still more, for the cat. The captain then took
+leave, and set sail with a fair wind, and arrived safe at London.
+
+One morning, when Mr. Fitzwarren had come into the counting house, and
+seated himself at the desk, somebody came tap, tap, tap, at the door.
+
+"Who is there?" asked Mr. Fitzwarren.
+
+"A friend," answered someone; and who should it be but the captain,
+followed by several men carrying vast lumps of gold, that had been paid
+him by the King of Barbary for the ship's cargo. They then told the
+story of the cat, and showed the rich present that the King had sent to
+Dick for her; upon which the merchantman called out to his servants:
+
+    "Go fetch him, we will tell him of the same;
+     Pray call him Mr. Whittington by name."
+
+Mr. Fitzwarren now showed himself a really good man, for while some of
+his clerks said so great a treasure was too much for such a boy as
+Dick, he answered:
+
+"I will not keep the value of a single penny from him! It is all his
+own, and he shall have every farthing's worth of it."
+
+He sent for Dick, who happened to be scouring the cook's kettles, and
+was quite dirty; so that he wanted to excuse himself from going to his
+master. Mr. Fitzwarren, however, made him come in, and ordered a chair
+to be set for him, so that poor Dick thought they were making fun of
+him, and began to beg his master not to play tricks with a poor boy,
+but to let him go again to his work.
+
+"Indeed, Mr. Whittington," said the merchant, "we are all in earnest
+with you; and I heartily rejoice in the news these gentlemen have
+brought you; for the captain has sold your cat to the King of Barbary,
+and brought you, in return for her, more riches than I possess; and I
+wish you may long enjoy them!"
+
+Mr. Fitzwarren then told the men to open the great treasure they had
+brought with them, and said, "Mr. Whittington has now nothing to do
+but to put it in some place of safety."
+
+Poor Dick hardly knew how to behave himself for joy. He begged his
+master to take what part of it he pleased, since he owed it all to
+his kindness.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"No, no," answered Mr. Fitzwarren, "this is all your own; and I have no
+doubt you will use it well."
+
+Dick next asked his mistress, and then Miss Alice, to accept a part of
+his good fortune; but they would not, and at the same time told him that
+his success afforded them great pleasure. But the poor fellow was too
+kind-hearted to keep it all to himself; so he made a handsome present to
+the captain, the mate, and every one of the sailors, and afterwards to
+his good friend the footman, and the rest of Mr. Fitzwarren's servants;
+and even to the ill-natured cook. After this, Mr. Fitzwarren advised
+him to get himself dressed like a gentleman; and told him he was welcome
+to live in his house till he could provide himself with a better.
+
+When Whittington's face was washed, his hair curled, his hat cocked,
+and he was dressed in a nice suit of clothes, he was as handsome as any
+young man who visited at Mr. Fitzwarren's; so that Miss Alice, who had
+been so kind to him, and thought of him with pity, now looked upon him
+as fit to be her sweetheart; and the more so, no doubt, because
+Whittington was now always thinking what he could do to oblige her,
+and making her the prettiest presents that could be. Mr. Fitzwarren
+soon saw their love for each other, and proposed to join them in
+marriage; and to this they both readily agreed. A day for the wedding
+was soon fixed; and they were attended to church by the Lord Mayor,
+the Court of Aldermen, the Sheriffs, and a great number of the richest
+merchants in London, whom they afterwards treated with a fine feast.
+
+History tells us that Mr. Whittington and his lady lived in great
+splendor, and were very happy. They had several children. He was Sheriff
+of London in the year 1360, and several times afterwards Lord Mayor;
+the last time, he entertained King Henry the Fifth, on his Majesty's
+return from the famous Battle of Agincourt. In this company, the King,
+on account of Whittington's gallantry, said:
+
+"Never had prince such a subject;" and when Whittington was told this at
+the table, he answered:
+
+"Never had subject such a king."
+
+Going with an address from the city, on one of the King's victories, he
+received the honor of knighthood. Sir Richard Whittington supported many
+poor; he built a church, and also a college, with a yearly allowance to
+poor scholars, and near it raised a hospital. The figure of Sir Richard
+Whittington, with his cat in his arms, carved in stone, was to be seen
+till the year 1780, over the archway of the old prison of Newgate, that
+stood across Newgate Street.
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF BLUE BEARD
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Many years ago there was a rich man who had a singular blue beard, which
+made him very ugly. Being left a widower, he wished to marry one of the
+two beautiful daughters of a neighboring lady, and at last the younger
+of these girls consented to be his wife.
+
+About a month after the marriage, Blue Beard told his bride that he must
+leave her for a time, as he had some business to attend to at a
+distance. He gave her his keys, and told her to make free of everything
+and entertain her friends while he was absent, but ending by drawing
+one key from the bunch and saying:
+
+"This small key belongs to the room at the end of the long gallery--and
+that, my dear, is the one room you must not enter, nor even put the key
+into the lock. Should you disobey, your punishment would be dreadful."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Blue Beard set out on his journey, and for a time his wife found
+pleasure in showing her friends all her magnificence; but again and
+again she wondered what could be the reason why she was not to visit the
+room at the end of the long gallery. At last her curiosity became such
+that she could not resist the temptation to take just one peep within
+the forbidden door. When she reached the door she stopped for a few
+moments to think of her husband's warning, that he would not fail to
+keep his word should she disobey him. But she was so very curious to
+know what was inside, that she determined to venture in spite of
+everything.
+
+So, with a trembling hand, she put the key into the lock, and the door
+immediately opened. The window shutters being closed, she at first saw
+nothing; but in a short time she noticed that the floor was covered with
+clotted blood, on which the bodies of several dead women were lying.
+(These were all the wives whom Blue Beard had married, and murdered one
+after another!) She was ready to sink with fear, and the key of the
+door, which she held in her hand, fell on the floor. When she had
+somewhat recovered from her fright, she took it up, locked the door
+and hurried to her own room, terrified by what she had seen.
+
+As she observed that the key had got stained with blood in falling on
+the floor, she wiped it two or three times to clean it; but the blood
+still remained; she next washed it; but the blood did not go; she then
+scoured it with brickdust, and afterwards with sand. But notwithstanding
+all she could do, the blood was still there, for the key was a fairy,
+who was Blue Beard's friend, so that as fast as she got the stain off
+one side it appeared again on the other. Early in the evening Blue
+Beard returned, saying he had not proceeded far before he was met by a
+messenger, who told him that the business was concluded without his
+presence being necessary. His wife said everything she could think of
+to make him believe that she was delighted at his unexpected return.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The next morning, he asked for the keys. She gave them, but, as she
+could not help showing her fright, Blue Beard easily guessed what had
+happened.
+
+"How is it," said he, "that the key of the closet upon the ground floor
+is not here."
+
+"Is it not?" said the wife. "I must have left it on my dressing table."
+
+"Be sure you give it me by and by," replied Blue Beard.
+
+After going several times backwards and forwards, pretending to look for
+the key, she was at last obliged to give it to Blue Beard. He looked at
+it attentively, and then said:
+
+"How came this blood upon the key?"
+
+"I am sure I do not know," replied the lady, turning as pale as death.
+
+"You do not know?" said Blue Beard sternly. "But I know well enough. You
+have been in the closet on the ground floor. Very well, madam; since you
+are so mightily fond of this closet, you shall certainly take your place
+among the ladies you saw there."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+His wife, almost dead with fear, fell upon her knees, asked his pardon
+a thousand times for her disobedience, and begged him to forgive her,
+looking all the time so sorrowful and lovely that she would have melted
+any heart that was not harder than a rock.
+
+But Blue Beard answered:
+
+"No, no, madam; you shall die this very minute."
+
+"Alas," said the poor creature, "if I must die, allow me, at least, a
+little time to say my prayers!"
+
+"I give you," replied the cruel Blue Beard, "half a quarter of an
+hour--not one moment longer."
+
+When Bluebeard had left her to herself, she called her sister; and,
+after telling her that she had but half a quarter of an hour to live:
+
+"Please," said she, "Sister Ann" (this was her sister's name), "run up
+to the tower, and see if my brothers are in sight; they promised to come
+and visit me to-day; and if you see them, make a sign for them to gallop
+on as fast as possible."
+
+Her sister instantly did as she was desired, and the terrified lady
+every minute called out:
+
+"Sister Ann, do you see anyone coming?"
+
+And her sister answered:
+
+"I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, which
+looks green."
+
+In the meanwhile, Blue Beard, with a great simitar in his hand, bawled
+as loud as he could:
+
+"Come down instantly, or I will fetch you."
+
+"One moment longer, I beseech you," replied she, and again called softly
+to her sister:
+
+"Sister Ann, do you see anyone coming?"
+
+To which she answered:
+
+"I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, which
+looks green."
+
+Blue Beard again bawled out:
+
+"Come down, I say, this very moment, or I shall come and fetch you."
+
+"I am coming; indeed I will come in one minute," sobbed his unhappy
+wife. Then she once more cried out:
+
+"Sister Ann, do you see anyone coming?"
+
+"I see," said her sister, "a cloud of dust a little to the left."
+
+"Do you think it is my brothers?" continued the wife.
+
+"Alas, no, dear sister," replied she, "it is only a flock of sheep!"
+
+"Will you come down or not, madam?" said Blue Beard, in the greatest
+rage imaginable.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Only one moment more," answered she. And then she called out for the
+last time:
+
+"Sister Ann! do you see no one coming?"
+
+"I see," replied her sister, "two men on horseback coming to the house;
+but they are still at a great distance."
+
+"God be praised!" cried she; "it is my brothers. Give them a sign to
+make what haste they can."
+
+At the same moment Blue Beard cried out so loud for her to come down,
+that his voice shook the whole house. The poor lady, with her hair
+loose and her eyes swimming in tears, came down, and fell on her knees
+before Blue Beard, and was going to beg him to spare her life, but he
+interrupted her, saying: "All this is of no use, for you shall die;"
+then, seizing her with one hand by the hair, and raising the simitar he
+held in the other, he was going with one blow to strike off her head.
+
+The unfortunate woman, turning toward him, desired to have a single
+moment allowed her to compose herself.
+
+"No, no," said Blue Beard; "I will give you no more time, I am
+determined. You have had too much already."
+
+Again he raised his arm. Just at this instant a loud knocking was
+heard at the gates, which made Blue Beard wait for a moment to see
+who it was. The gates were opened, and two officers entered with
+their swords in their hands. Blue Beard, seeing they were his wife's
+brothers, endeavored to escape, but they pursued and seized him
+before he had got twenty steps, and, plunging their swords into
+his body, laid him dead at their feet.
+
+The poor wife, who was almost as dead as her husband, was unable at
+first to rise and embrace her brothers, but she soon recovered.
+
+As Blue Beard had no heirs, she found herself the possessor of his great
+riches. She used part of her vast fortune in giving a marriage dowry to
+her sister Ann, who soon after was married. With another part she bought
+captains' commissions for her two brothers; and the rest she presented
+to a most worthy gentleman whom she married soon after, and whose kind
+treatment soon made her forget Blue Beard's cruelty.
+
+
+
+
+LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived a little girl, who was so sweet and pretty
+and good that everybody loved her. Her old grandmother, who was very
+fond of her, made her a little red cloak and hood, which suited her so
+well that everyone called her "Little Red Riding-Hood."
+
+One day, Little Red Riding-Hood's mother told her to take a basket with
+some butter and eggs and fresh-baked cake to her grandmother, who was
+ill. The little girl, who was always willing and obliging, ran at once
+to fetch her red cloak, and, taking her basket, set out on her journey.
+
+On her way she met a wolf, who wished very much to eat her up; but who
+dared not do so because some wood-cutters were working close by. So he
+only said:
+
+"Good-morning, Little Red Riding-Hood; where are you off to so early?"
+
+Little Red Riding-Hood, who did not know how dangerous it was to talk to
+a wolf, replied:
+
+"I am going to see my grandmother, who is ill in bed, to take her some
+butter and eggs and a fresh-baked cake that my mother has made for her!"
+
+"Where does your grandmother live?" asked the wolf.
+
+"In the little white cottage at the other side of the wood," answered
+Red Riding-Hood.
+
+"Well," said the wolf, "I am going that way, too. If you will let me, I
+will walk part of the way with you." So Little Red Riding-Hood, who
+suspected no harm, set off with the wolf for her companion.
+
+Presently Red Riding-Hood stopped to gather a nosegay of wild flowers
+for her grandmother, and the wolf, who had thought of a plan to get the
+little girl for his dinner, said "Good morning," and trotted away.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+As soon as he was out of sight, he began to run as fast as he could. In
+a short time he reached the grandmother's cottage and knocked at the
+door.
+
+"Who is there?" asked the old grandmother, as she lay in bed.
+
+"It is Little Red Riding-Hood," answered the wolf. "I have brought you
+some butter and eggs and a fresh-baked cake which mother has made for
+you."
+
+"Pull the bobbin and the latch will go up," said the old grandmother. So
+the wolf pulled the bobbin and opened the door, and sprang upon the poor
+old grandmother and ate her all up in a twinkling.
+
+Then he put on her night-cap and got into bed, and lay down to wait for
+Red Riding-Hood.
+
+Very soon there came a little soft tap at the door.
+
+"Who is there?" called out the wolf.
+
+"It is Little Red Riding-Hood, grandmother dear. I have brought you some
+butter and eggs and a fresh-baked cake which mother has made for you."
+
+Then the wolf called out, disguising his voice as much as he could:
+
+"Pull the bobbin and the latch will go up." So Little Red Riding-Hood
+pulled the bobbin and went inside.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Good morning, dear grandmother," she said. "How are you feeling today?"
+
+"Very bad indeed, my dear," answered the wolf, trying to hide himself
+under the bedclothes.
+
+"How strange and hoarse your voice sounds, grandmother," said the little
+girl.
+
+"I have got a bad cold, my dear," said the wicked wolf.
+
+"Grandmother, what very bright eyes you have!" went on Red Riding-Hood,
+surprised to see how strange her grandmother looked in her nightclothes.
+
+"The better to see you with, my dear," said the wolf.
+
+"Grandmother, what very big ears you have!"
+
+"The better to hear you with, my child."
+
+"Grandmother, what very long arms you have!"
+
+"The better to hug you with, my dear."
+
+"But, grandmother, what great big teeth you have," said Red Riding-Hood,
+who was beginning to get frightened.
+
+"The better to eat you with," roared the wolf, suddenly jumping out of
+bed. He seized hold of poor Little Red Riding-Hood, and was just about
+to eat her up, when there was a great noise outside, and the door burst
+open and in rushed the wood-cutters, who had seen the wolf talking to
+the little girl in the wood, and came to see what mischief he was up to.
+
+They killed the wicked wolf quite dead; and so Little Red Riding-Hood
+was saved, and ran home to tell her mother all about her terrible
+adventure.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+SINDBAD THE SAILOR
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Sindbad the sailor, after all his adventures and wanderings, settled
+down in happiness and prosperity in Bagdad. Here are the stories which
+he told to his friends of his seven marvelous voyages.
+
+
+THE FIRST VOYAGE
+
+My father died while I was young and left me a fortune. Having no one to
+restrain me, I fell into bad ways, by which I not only wasted my time,
+but injured my health, and destroyed my property.
+
+When I recovered, I collected together what was left of my fortune, and
+bought merchandise, which I loaded on board a vessel for the port of
+Balsora.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+During the voyage we touched at several islands, where we sold or
+exchanged our goods. We were one day becalmed near a small island. As
+its appearance was inviting, we determined to dine upon it. But while we
+were laughing and preparing for dinner, the island began to move, and at
+the same moment the people in the ship called out that we were on the
+back of a monstrous whale. Some jumped into the boat, and others swam to
+the ship; but before I could get off the animal dived into the sea, and
+I had only time to catch hold of a piece of wood that had been brought
+from the ship to serve as a table. Upon this piece of timber I was
+carried away by the current. The others reached the vessel, but a gale
+sprang up and the ship sailed without me. I floated during that and the
+next night, but the following morning was thrown on a small island.
+
+I found fresh water and fruit. I looked about for some house, but found
+none. There were a number of colts grazing together, but no traces of
+other animals. When evening approached I took some more fruit and
+climbed in a tree to sleep. About midnight the sound of trumpets and
+drums seemed to pass around the island, which continued until morning,
+when again it seemed to be uninhabited. On the next day I found that the
+island was small, and that no other land was in sight. I therefore gave
+myself up as lost. Nor were my fears lessened when I found that the
+shore abounded with enormous serpents and other sea monsters. I found,
+however, that they were timid, and that the rattling of sticks would
+make them dive into the water.
+
+[Illustration: _Sindbad the Sailor_
+We Rowed as Fast as we Could]
+
+I climbed the tree next night, and the drums and trumpets returned as
+before. On the third day, I had the satisfaction of seeing a body of
+men, who, on landing, were astonished to see me there. Having related
+to them how I came hither, they told me they were grooms of King
+Mihrage; that the island belonged to genii, who visited it every night
+with drums and trumpets; that the genii had allowed their sovereign to
+train his colts upon the island; and that they, being sent every six
+months to select some, had arrived for that purpose.
+
+The grooms carried me to King Mihrage, who allowed me apartments in his
+palace.
+
+One day I saw men unloading a ship in the harbor, and saw that some of
+the bales were those which I had sent to Balsora. Going up to the
+captain, I said:
+
+"Captain, I am Sindbad."
+
+"Surely," said he, "I and the passengers saw Sindbad swallowed in the
+waves many hundred miles away."
+
+Some others, however, coming up, I was recognized; and the captain then
+restored me the bales, with many congratulations. I made a valuable
+present to King Mihrage, who bestowed a rich gift on me in return; and,
+having made some advantageous purchases, I arrived at Balsora, where,
+after I had sold my goods, I found myself possessed of a hundred
+thousand sequins.
+
+
+THE SECOND VOYAGE
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Becoming weary of a quiet life in Balsora, and having bought trading
+goods, I again went to sea with some merchants. After touching at
+several places, we landed at an uninhabited island. We amused ourselves
+in different ways, but I, having taken my wine and provisions, sat down
+and fell asleep. When I awoke, I found that my companions were gone, and
+that the ship had sailed. I climbed to the top of a very high tree, and
+perceived at a distance an object that was very large and white. I
+descended to the ground, and ran toward this strange-looking object.
+When I approached it I found it was about fifty paces in circumference,
+quite round, and as smooth as ivory, but had no sort of opening. It was
+now almost sunset, and suddenly the sky became darkened. I looked up and
+beheld a bird of enormous size, moving like a prodigious cloud toward
+me. I recollected that I had heard of a bird called the roc, so large
+that it could carry away young elephants, and I therefore conjectured
+that the large object I had been looking at was the egg of this bird.
+
+As the bird approached I crept close to the egg, so that I had one of
+the legs of this winged animal before me when it alighted. This limb
+being as large as the trunk of a tree, I tied myself firmly to it with
+my turban.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The next morning the bird flew away, and carried me from this desert
+island. I was borne so high that I could not see the earth, and then
+carried downward so swiftly that I lost my senses. When I recovered, I
+was on the ground. I quickly untied the cloth that bound me, and
+scarcely was I free when the bird, having taken up a large serpent,
+again flew away. I found myself in a deep valley, the sides of which
+were too steep to be climbed. As I walked up and down in despair I
+noticed that the valley was covered with diamonds of enormous size. But
+I soon saw other objects of much less agreeable appearance. Immense
+serpents were peeping out of holes on every side. When night came, I
+took shelter in a cave, the entrance of which I guarded with the largest
+stones I could find, but the hissing of the serpents entirely deprived
+me of sleep. When day returned, the serpents retired to their holes; and
+I came out of my cave, but with extreme fear. I walked heedless of the
+serpents until I became weary, and then sat down and fell asleep. I was
+awakened by something which fell near me. It was a large piece of fresh
+meat, and presently I saw several other pieces.
+
+I was now convinced that I must be in the famous valley of diamonds, and
+that the pieces of meat were thrown in by merchants, who expected eagles
+to pounce upon the flesh, to which diamonds were almost sure to
+adhere. I hastened to pick up some of the largest diamonds I could find,
+which I put into a little bag, and fastened it to my girdle. I then
+selected the largest piece of flesh in the valley, which I tied to my
+waist with the cloth of my turban, and then lay down upon my face to
+wait for the eagles. Very soon one of the strongest pounced upon the
+meat on my back, and flew with me to its nest on the top of the
+mountain. The merchants began shouting to frighten the eagles, and when
+they had forced the birds to quit their prey, one of them came to the
+nest where I was. At first the man was frightened when he saw me there,
+but after recovering himself, asked me how I got there. I told him and
+the rest of the merchants my story. I then opened my bag, and they
+declared that they had never seen diamonds of equal luster and size with
+mine. The merchants having gathered their diamonds together, we left the
+place the next morning, and crossed the mountains until we reached a
+port. We there took ship and proceeded to the island of Roha. At that
+place I exchanged some of my diamonds for other merchandise, and we went
+on to Balsora. From Balsora I reached my native city, Bagdad, in which I
+lived easily upon the vast riches I had won.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+THE THIRD VOYAGE
+
+I soon resolved upon a third voyage, and once more took ship at Balsora.
+After we had been at sea a few weeks, we were overtaken by a dreadful
+storm, and were obliged to cast anchor near an island which the captain
+had endeavored to avoid; for he assured us that it was inhabited by
+pigmy savages, covered with hair, who would speedily attack us in great
+numbers. Soon an innumerable multitude of frightful savages, about two
+feet high, boarded the ship. Resistance was useless. They took down our
+sails, cut our cable, towed the ship to land, and made us all go on
+shore. We went towards the interior of the island and discovered a large
+building. It was a lofty palace, having a gate of ebony, which we pushed
+open, and soon discovered a room in which were human bones and roasting
+spits. Presently there appeared a hideous black man, who was as tall as
+a palm tree. He had but one eye, his teeth were long and sharp, and his
+nails like the talons of a bird. He took me up as I would a kitten, but
+finding I was little better than skin and bone, put me down with
+contempt. The captain, being the fattest of the party, was sacrificed
+to his appetite. When the monster had finished his meal he stretched
+himself upon a great stone bench in the portico, and fell asleep,
+snoring louder than thunder. In this manner he slept till morning. In
+the morning he went out. I said to my companions:
+
+"Do not waste time in useless sorrow; let us hurry to look for timber
+to make rafts."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+We found some timber on the seashore, and labored hard; but having no
+tools, it was evening before we had finished; and while we were on the
+point of pushing the raft off the beach, our hideous tyrant returned
+and drove us to his palace, as if we had been a flock of sheep. We saw
+another of our companions sacrificed, and the giant lay down to sleep as
+before. Our desperate condition gave us courage; nine of us got up very
+softly, and held the points of the roasting spits in the fire until we
+made them red-hot; we then thrust them at once into the monster's eye.
+He uttered a frightful scream, and having tried in vain to find us,
+opened the ebony gate and left the palace. We did not stay long behind
+him, but ran to the seashore, got our rafts ready, and waited for
+daylight to embark. But at dawn we beheld our monstrous enemy, led by
+two giants of equal size, and followed by many others. We jumped upon
+our rafts, and pushed them from the shore, the tide helping us. The
+giants seeing us likely to escape, tore great pieces of rock, and wading
+in the water up to their waists, hurled them at us with all their might.
+They sank every one of the rafts but that on which I was; thus all my
+companions, except two, were drowned. We rowed as fast as we could, and
+got out of the reach of these monsters. We were at sea two days, but at
+last found a pleasant island. After eating some fruit, we lay down to
+sleep, but were soon awakened by the hissing of an enormous serpent. One
+of my comrades was instantly devoured by this terrific creature. I
+climbed up a tree as fast as I could, and reached the topmost branches;
+my remaining companion was following me, but the dreadful reptile
+entwined itself round the tree and caught him. The serpent then went
+down and glided away. I waited until late the next day before I ventured
+to descend. Evening again approached, and I gathered together a great
+quantity of small wood, brambles, and thorns. Having made them into
+fagots, I formed a circle round the tree, and fastened the uppermost to
+the branches of the tree. I then climbed up to the highest branches. At
+night the serpent came again, but could not reach the tree; and crawling
+vainly round and round my little fortification until daylight, he went
+away. The next day I spied a ship in full sail a long way off. With the
+linen of my turban I made a signal, which was perceived. I was taken on
+board the ship and there told my adventures. The captain was very kind
+to me. He said that he had some bales of goods which had belonged to a
+merchant who had unintentionally left him some time ago on an
+uninhabited island. As this man was undoubtedly dead, he intended to
+sell the goods for the benefit of his relatives, and I should have the
+profit of selling them. I now recollected this was the captain with whom
+I sailed on my second voyage. I soon convinced him that I was really
+Sindbad, whom he supposed to have been lost. He was delighted at the
+discovery, and eagerly acknowledged that the property was mine. I
+continued my voyage, sold my goods to great advantage, and returned
+to Bagdad.
+
+
+MY FOURTH VOYAGE
+
+[Illustration]
+
+My desire of seeing foreign countries rendered my pleasures at home
+unsatisfactory. I therefore arranged my affairs, commenced a voyage to
+Persia, and having bought a large stock of goods loaded a ship and again
+embarked. The ship struck upon a rock, and the cargo was lost. A few
+others and myself were borne by the current to an island, on which we
+were surrounded by black savages, and carried to their huts. The savages
+offered us herbs; my companions eagerly took them, for they were hungry.
+Grief would not allow me to eat; and presently I saw that the herbs had
+made my comrades senseless. Rice, mixed with oil of cocoanuts, was then
+offered to us, which my companions ate greedily and grew fat. My unhappy
+friends were then devoured one after another, having become appetizing
+to the cannibals. But I languished so much that they did not think me
+fit to eat. They left me to the care of an old man, from whom I managed
+to escape; and taking care to go a contrary way from that which the
+savages had taken I never stopped till night. At the end of seven days,
+on the seashore I found a number of white persons gathering pepper. They
+asked me in Arabic who I was, and whence I came; and I gave them an
+account of the shipwreck, and of my escape. They treated me kindly and
+presented me to their King, who treated me with great liberality. During
+my stay with them, I observed that when the King and his nobles went
+hunting, they rode their horses without bridle or saddle. With the
+assistance of some workmen I made a bridle and saddle, and having put
+them upon one of the King's horses, presented the animal, thus
+equipped, to His Majesty. He was so delighted that he instantly mounted
+and rode about the grounds almost the whole day. All the ministers of
+state and the nobility induced me to make saddles and bridles for them,
+for which they made me such magnificent presents that I soon became very
+rich. The King at last requested that I would marry, and become one of
+his nation. From a variety of circumstances I could not refuse, and he
+therefore gave me one of the ladies of his Court, who was young, rich,
+beautiful, and virtuous. We lived in the greatest harmony in a palace
+belonging to my wife. I had made a good friend of a very worthy man who
+lived in this place. Hearing one day that his wife had just died, I went
+to condole with him on this unexpected calamity. We were alone together,
+and he appeared to be in the deepest grief. After I had talked with him
+some time on the uselessness of so much sorrow, he told me that it was
+an established law that the living husband should be buried with the
+deceased wife, and that within an hour he must submit. I shuddered at
+the dreadful custom. In a short time the woman was attired in her most
+costly dress and jewels, and placed in an open coffin. The procession
+then began, the husband following the corpse. They ascended to the top
+of an exceedingly high mountain, and a great stone was removed, which
+covered the mouth of a deep pit. The corpse was let down, and the
+husband, having taken leave of his friends, was put into another open
+coffin, with a pot of water and seven small loaves, and he was let down.
+The stone was replaced and they all returned. The horror of this was
+still fresh upon my mind, when my wife fell sick and died. The King and
+the whole Court, out of respect to me, instantly prepared to assist at a
+similar ceremony with me. I restrained the feeling of despair until we
+arrived at the top of the mountain, when I fell at the feet of the King
+and begged him to spare my life. All I said was ineffectual, and after
+my wife was let down, I also was put into the deep pit, everyone being
+totally indifferent to my cries and lamentations. I made the cave echo
+with my vain complaints. I lived some days on the bread and water which
+had been put into my coffin, but this supply was at length exhausted. I
+then wandered to a remote part of this frightful cave and lay down to
+prepare for death. I was thus wishing only for a speedy termination of
+my misery, when I heard something walking and panting. I started up,
+upon which the thing panted still more, and then ran away. I pursued it,
+and sometimes it seemed to stop, but on my approach continued to go on
+before me. I pursued it, until at last I saw a glimmering light like a
+star. This redoubled my eagerness, until at last I discovered a hole
+large enough to allow my escape. I crept through the aperture, and found
+myself on the seashore, and discovered that the creature was a sea
+monster which had been accustomed to enter at that hole to feed upon the
+dead bodies. Having eaten some shellfish, I returned to the cave, where
+I collected all the jewels I could find in the dark. These I carried to
+the seashore, and tied them up very neatly into bales with the cords
+that let down the coffins. I laid them on the beach, waiting till some
+ship should pass. In two days a ship came out of the harbor, and passed
+by that part of the coast. I made a signal, and a boat took me on board.
+I was obliged to say that I had been wrecked; for, had they known my
+real story, I should have been carried back, as the captain was a
+native of this country. We touched at several islands, and at the port
+of Kela, where I found a ship ready to sail for Balsora; and having
+presented some jewels to the captain who had brought me to Kela, I
+sailed, and at last arrived at Bagdad.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+THE FIFTH VOYAGE
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Having forgotten my former perils, I built a ship at my own expense,
+loaded it with a rich cargo, and, taking with me other merchants, once
+more set sail. We were much driven about by a storm, and at length
+landed upon a desert island to search for fresh water. There we found a
+roc's egg, equal in size to the one I had seen before. The merchants and
+sailors gathered round it, and though I advised them not to meddle with
+it, they nevertheless made a hole in it with their hatchets, and picked
+out the young roc, piece after piece, and roasted it. They had scarcely
+finished when two of the old birds appeared in the air. We hurried on
+board ship and set sail, but had not gone far before we saw the immense
+birds approaching us, and soon after they hovered over the ship. One of
+them let fall an enormous fragment of stone, which fell into the sea
+close beside the ship, but the other let fall a piece which split our
+ship. I caught hold of a bit of the wreck, on which I was borne by the
+wind and tide to an island, the shore of which was very steep. I reached
+the dry land, and found the most delicious fruits and excellent water,
+which refreshed me. Farther in the island I saw a feeble old man sitting
+near a rivulet. When I enquired of him how he came there, he only
+answered by signs for me to carry him over the rivulet, that he might
+eat some fruit. I took him on my back, and crossed the brook, but
+instead of getting down, he clasped his legs so firmly round my throat
+that I thought he would strangle me. I soon fainted with pain and
+fright. When I recovered, the old fellow was still sitting on my neck,
+and he quickly made me rise up and walk under the trees, while he
+gathered the fruit at his ease. This lasted a long time. One day, while
+carrying him about, I picked up a large gourd called a calabash, and,
+having cleared out the inside, I pressed into it the juice of grapes.
+Having filled it, I left it for several days, and at length found that
+it became excellent wine. I drank of this, and for a while forgot my
+sorrows, so that I began to sing with cheerfulness. The old man made me
+give him the calabash, and liking the flavor of the wine, he drank it
+off, soon became intoxicated, fell from my shoulders, and, died in
+convulsions. I hastened to the seaside, and presently found the crew of
+a ship. They told me I had fallen into the hands of the Old Man of the
+Sea, and was the first person that had ever escaped. I sailed with them,
+and the captain, when we landed, took me to some persons whose
+employment was to gather cocoanuts. We all took up stones and pelted the
+monkeys that were at the very top of the cocoanut trees, and these
+animals in return pelted us with cocoanuts. When we had obtained as
+many as we could carry, we returned to the town. I soon obtained a
+considerable sum by the cocoanuts I thus gathered, and at length sailed
+for my native land.
+
+
+THE SIXTH VOYAGE
+
+[Illustration]
+
+At the expiration of another year, I prepared for a sixth voyage. This
+proved very long and unfortunate, for the pilot lost his course and knew
+not where to steer. At length he told us we must inevitably be dashed to
+pieces against a rock, which we were fast approaching. In a few moments
+the vessel was a complete wreck. We saved our lives, our provisions, and
+our goods.
+
+The shore on which we were cast was at the foot of a mountain which it
+was impossible to climb, so that I shortly beheld my companions die one
+after another. There was a frightful cavern in the rock, through which
+flowed a river. To this, in a fit of desperation, I resolved to trust
+myself. I went to work and made a long raft. I loaded it with bales of
+rich stuffs, and large pieces of rock crystal, of which the mountain was
+in a great measure formed. I went on board the raft, and the current
+carried me along. I was carried in darkness during many days, and at
+last fell asleep. When I awoke, I found myself in a pleasant country.
+My raft was tied up and some blacks, who were near me, said that they
+had found me floating in the river which waters their land. They took me
+to their King, and carefully conducted my cargo with me. When we came to
+the city of Serindib, I related my story to the monarch, who ordered it
+to be written in letters of gold. I presented the King with some of the
+most beautiful pieces of rock crystal, and entreated him to let me
+return to my own country, which he readily agreed to, and even gave me
+a letter and a present to my sovereign, the Caliph Haroun Alrashid. The
+present consisted of a ruby made into a cup, and decorated with pearls;
+the skin of a serpent, which appeared like burnished gold, and which
+could repel disease; some aloe-wood, camphire, and a beautiful female
+slave. I returned to my native country, delivered the present to the
+Caliph, and received his thanks, with a reward.
+
+
+THE SEVENTH AND LAST VOYAGE
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The Caliph Haroun Alrashid one day sent for me, and told me I must bear
+a present to the King of Serindib. I ventured to protest on account of
+my age, but I could not persuade him to give up his plan. I arrived at
+Serindib, and prayed an audience with the King. I was conducted to the
+palace with great respect, and delivered to the monarch the Caliph's
+letter and present. The present consisted of the most ingenious and
+valuable works of art, with which the King was exceedingly delighted,
+and he was also pleased to acknowledge how much he esteemed my services.
+When I departed, the monarch bestowed on me some rich gifts; but the
+ship had not long been at sea, before it was attacked by pirates, who
+seized the vessel, and carried us away as slaves. I was sold to a
+merchant. When my master found that I could use the bow and arrow with
+skill, he took me upon an elephant, and carried me to a vast forest in
+the country. My master ordered me to climb a high tree, and wait there
+until I saw a troop of elephants pass by. I was then to shoot at them,
+and if one of them fell, I was to go to the city and give the merchant
+notice. Having given me these directions, and a bag of provisions, he
+left me. On the morning of the second day, I saw a great number of
+elephants. I succeeded in shooting one of them, upon which the others
+went away, and I returned to the city and told my employer, who praised
+my work. We went back to the forest and dug a hole, in which the
+elephant was to remain until it decayed and left the teeth free. I
+continued this trade nearly two months, and killed an elephant almost
+every day. One morning all the elephants came up to the tree in which I
+was and trumpeted dreadfully. One of them fastened his trunk round the
+tree and tore it up by the roots. I fell with the tree; the animal took
+me up with his trunk, and placed me on his back, and then, at the head
+of his troop, he brought me to a place where he gently laid me on the
+ground, and they all went away. I discovered that I was upon a large
+broad hill, covered all over with the bones and teeth of elephants, and
+was soon convinced that this was their burying-place. I reached the city
+once more; my master thought I was lost, for he had seen the torn tree,
+and found my bow and arrows. I told him what had happened, and led him
+to the hill. We loaded the elephant on which we had come, and thus
+collected more teeth than a man could have obtained in his whole life.
+The merchant told me that not only he himself, but the whole city, was
+indebted to me, and that I should return to my own country with
+sufficient wealth to make me happy. My patron loaded a ship with ivory,
+and the other merchants made me valuable presents. I reached Balsora
+and landed my ivory, which I found to be more valuable than I had
+expected. I set out with caravans to travel overland, and at last
+reached Bagdad, where I presented myself to the Caliph, and gave an
+account of my embassy. He was so astonished at my adventure with the
+elephants that he ordered the narrative of it to be written in letters
+of gold and to be deposited in his treasury.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+HANSEL AND GRETEL
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Once upon a time there dwelt near a large wood a poor wood-cutter, with
+his wife and two children by his former marriage, a little boy called
+Hansel and a girl named Gretel. He had little enough to eat; and once,
+when there was a great famine in the land, he could not get even his
+daily bread. As he lay thinking in his bed one evening, rolling about
+for trouble, he sighed, and said to his wife, "What will become of us?
+How can we feed our children, when we have no more than we can eat
+ourselves?"
+
+"Well, then, my husband," answered she, "we will lead them away, quite
+early in the morning, into the thickest part of the wood, and there make
+them a fire, and give them each a little piece of bread. Then we will go
+to our work and leave them alone, so they will not find the way home
+again, and we shall be freed from them."
+
+"No, wife," replied he; "that I can never do. How can you bring your
+heart to leave my children all alone in the wood; for the wild beasts
+will soon come and tear them to pieces?"
+
+"Oh, you simpleton!" said she. "Then we must all four die of hunger."
+
+But she gave him no peace until he consented, saying, "Ah, but I shall
+regret the poor children."
+
+The two children, however, had not gone to sleep for very hunger, and so
+they overheard what the stepmother said to their father. Gretel wept
+bitterly, and said to Hansel, "What will become of us?"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Be quiet, Gretel," said he. "Do not cry--I will soon help you." And as
+soon as their parents had fallen asleep he got up, put on his coat,
+and, unbarring the back door, slipped out. The moon shone brightly, and
+the white pebbles which lay before the door seemed like silver pieces,
+they glittered so brightly. Hansel stooped down, and put as many into
+his pocket as it would hold; and then, going back, he said to Gretel,
+"Be comforted, dear sister, and sleep in peace; God will not forsake
+us." And so saying, he went to bed again.
+
+The next morning, before the sun arose, the wife went and awoke the two
+children. "Get up, you lazy things; we are going into the forest to chop
+wood." Then she gave them each a piece of bread, saying, "There is
+something for your dinner; do not eat it before the time, for you will
+get nothing else."
+
+Gretel took the bread in her apron, for Hansel's pocket was full of
+pebbles; and so they all set out upon their way. When they had gone a
+little distance, Hansel stood still, and peeped back at the house; and
+this he repeated several times, till his father said, "Hansel, what are
+you peeping at, and why do you lag behind? Take care, and remember
+your legs."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Ah, father," said Hansel, "I am looking at my white cat sitting upon
+the roof of the house, and trying to say good-bye."
+
+"You simpleton!" said the wife, "that is not a cat; it is only the sun
+shining on the white chimney."
+
+But in reality Hansel was not looking at a cat; but every time he
+stopped he dropped a pebble out of his pocket upon the path.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+When they came to the middle of the wood the father told the children to
+collect wood, and he would make them a fire, so that they should not be
+cold. So Hansel and Gretel gathered together quite a little mountain of
+twigs. Then they set fire to them; and as the flame burnt up high, the
+wife said, "Now, you children, lie down near the fire, and rest
+yourselves, while we go into the forest and chop wood. When we are
+ready I will come and call you."
+
+Hansel and Gretel sat down by the fire, and when it was noon each ate
+the piece of bread; and because they could hear the blows of an axe,
+they thought their father was near; but it was not an axe, but a branch
+which he had bound to a withered tree, so as to be blown to and fro by
+the wind.
+
+They waited so long, that at last their eyes closed from weariness, and
+they fell fast asleep. When they awoke it was quite dark, and Gretel
+began to cry, "How shall we get out of the wood?" But Hansel tried to
+comfort her, saying, "Wait a little while till the moon rises, and then
+we will quickly find the way."
+
+The moon soon shone forth, and Hansel, taking his sister's hand,
+followed the pebbles, which glittered like new-coined silver pieces, and
+showed them the path. All night long they walked on, and as day broke
+they came to their father's house. They knocked at the door, and when
+the wife opened it and saw Hansel and Gretel, she exclaimed, "You wicked
+children! why did you sleep so long in the wood? We thought you were
+never coming home again." But their father was very glad, for it had
+grieved his heart to leave them all alone.
+
+Not long afterwards there was again great scarcity in every corner of
+the land; and one night the children overheard their mother saying to
+their father, "Everything is again eaten. We have only half a loaf left,
+and then we must starve. The children must be sent away. We will take
+them deeper into the wood, so that they may not find the way out again;
+it is the only means of escape for us."
+
+But her husband felt heavy at heart, and thought. "It were better to
+share the last crust with the children." His wife, however, would listen
+to nothing that he said, and scolded and reproached him without end.
+
+Now the children had heard what had been said as they lay awake, and as
+soon as the old people went to sleep Hansel got up, intending to pick up
+some pebbles as before; but the wife had locked the door, so that he
+could not get out. Nevertheless he comforted Gretel, saying, "Do not
+cry; sleep in peace; the good God will not forsake us."
+
+Early in the morning the stepmother came and pulled them out of bed, and
+gave them each a slice of bread, which was still smaller than the one
+they had last time. On the way Hansel broke his in his pocket, and,
+stooping every now and then, dropped a crumb upon the path.
+
+"Hansel, why do you stop and look about?" said the father. "Keep in the
+path."
+
+"I am looking at my little dove," answered Hansel, "nodding a good-bye
+to me."
+
+"Simpleton!" said the wife, "that is no dove, but only the sun shining
+on the chimney."
+
+But Hansel kept still dropping crumbs as he went along.
+
+The mother led the children deep into the wood, where they had never
+been before, and there, making an immense fire, she said to them, "Sit
+down here and rest, and when you feel tired you can sleep for a little
+while. We are going into the forest to hew wood, and in the evening,
+when we are ready, we will come and fetch you."
+
+When noon came Gretel shared her bread with Hansel, who had strewn his
+on the path. They then went to sleep; but the evening arrived and no one
+came to visit the poor children, and in the dark night they awoke, and
+Hansel comforted his sister by saying, "Only wait, Gretel, till the moon
+comes out, then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I have dropped,
+and they will show us the way home."
+
+When the moon shone they got up, but they could not see any crumbs, for
+the thousands of birds which had been flying about in the woods and
+fields had picked them all up. Hansel kept saying to Gretel, "We will
+soon find the way." But they did not. They walked the whole night long
+and the next day, but still they did not come out of the wood; and they
+got very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but the berries which they
+found upon the bushes. Soon they got so tired that they could not drag
+themselves along, so they lay down under a tree and went to sleep.
+
+It was now the third morning since they had left their father's house,
+and they still walked on; but they only got deeper and deeper into the
+wood, and Hansel saw that if help did not come very soon they would die
+of hunger. About the middle of the day they saw a beautiful snow-white
+bird sitting on a bough, which sang so sweetly that they stood still and
+listened to it. It soon left off and, spreading its wings, flew away.
+They followed it until it arrived at a cottage, upon the roof of which
+it perched; and when they went close up to it they saw that the cottage
+was made of bread and cakes, and the window-panes were of clear sugar.
+
+"We will go in there," said Hansel, "and have a glorious feast. I will
+eat a piece of the roof, and you can eat the window. Will they not be
+sweet?"
+
+So Hansel reached up and broke a piece off the roof, in order to see how
+it tasted; while Gretel stepped up to the window and began to bite it.
+Then a sweet voice called out in the room, "Tip-tap, tip-tap, who raps
+at my door?" and the children answered, "The wind, the wind, the child
+of heaven;" and they went on eating.
+
+Hansel thought the roof tasted very nice, and so he tore off a great
+piece; while Gretel broke a large round pane out of the window and sat
+down quite contentedly. Just then the door opened, and a very old
+woman, walking upon crutches, came out. Hansel and Gretel were so
+frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands; but the
+old woman, nodding her head, said, "Ah, you dear children, what has
+brought you here? Come in and stay with me, and no harm shall befall
+you." And so saying, she took them both by the hand and led them into
+her cottage.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+A good meal of milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples and nuts, was
+spread on the table, and in the back room were two nice little beds,
+covered with white, where Hansel and Gretel laid themselves down, and
+rested happily after all their hardships. The old woman was very kind
+to them, but in reality she was a wicked witch who waylaid children,
+and built the bread-house in order to entice them in; then as soon as
+they were in her power she killed them, cooked and ate them, and made
+a great festival of the day.
+
+Witches have red eyes and cannot see very far; but they have a fine
+sense of smell, like wild beasts, so that they know when children
+approach them. When Hansel and Gretel came near the witch's house she
+laughed wickedly, saying, "Here come two who shall not escape me." And
+early in the morning, before they awoke, she went up to them, and saw
+how lovingly they lay sleeping, with their chubby red cheeks; and she
+mumbled to herself, "That will be a good bite." Then she took up
+Hansel with her rough hand, and shut him up in a little cage with a
+lattice-door; and although he screamed loudly it was of no use. Gretel
+came next, and, shaking her till she awoke, she said, "Get up, you lazy
+thing, and fetch some water to cook something good for your brother, who
+must remain in that stall and get fat; when he is fat enough I shall eat
+him."
+
+Gretel began to cry, but it was all useless, for the old witch made her
+do as she wished. So a nice meal was cooked for Hansel, but Gretel got
+nothing but a crab's claw.
+
+Every morning the old witch came to the cage and said, "Hansel, stretch
+out your finger that I may feel whether you are getting fat." But Hansel
+used to stretch out a bone, and the old woman, having very bad sight,
+thought that it was his finger, and wondered very much that he did not
+get fatter.
+
+When four weeks had passed, and Hansel was still quite lean, she lost
+all her patience, and would not wait any longer. "Gretel," she called
+out in a passion, "get some water quickly; be Hansel fat or lean, this
+morning I will kill and cook him."
+
+Oh, how the poor little sister grieved, as she was forced to fetch the
+water, and fast the tears ran down her cheeks! "Dear good God, help us
+now!" she exclaimed. "Had we only been eaten by the wild beasts in the
+wood, then we should have died together."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+But the old witch called out, "Stop that noise; it will not help you a
+bit."
+
+So, early in the morning, Gretel was forced to go out and fill the
+kettle, and make a fire.
+
+"First, we will bake, however," said the old woman; "I have already
+heated the oven and kneaded the dough;" and so saying, she pushed poor
+Gretel up to the oven, out of which the flames were burning fiercely.
+"Creep in," said the witch, "and see if it is hot enough, and then we
+will put in the bread." But she intended when Gretel got in to shut up
+the oven and let her bake, so that she might eat her as well as Hansel.
+
+Gretel saw what her thoughts were and said, "I do not know how to do it;
+how shall I get in?"
+
+"You stupid goose," said she, "the opening is big enough. See, I could
+even get in myself!" And she got up, and put her head into the oven.
+
+Then Gretel gave her a push, so that she fell right in, and then,
+shutting the iron door, she bolted it. Oh! how horribly she howled; but
+Gretel ran away, and left the wicked witch to burn to ashes.
+
+Now she ran to Hansel, and, opening his door, called out, "Hansel we are
+saved; the old witch is dead!" So he sprang out, like a bird out of his
+cage when the door is opened; and they were so glad that they fell upon
+each other's neck, and kissed each other over and over again.
+
+And now, as there was nothing to fear, they went into the witch's house,
+where, in every corner, were caskets full of pearls and precious stones.
+"These are better than pebbles," said Hansel, putting as many into his
+pocket as it would hold; while Gretel thought, "I will take some home
+too," and filled her apron full. "We must be off now," said Hansel, "and
+get out of this enchanted forest."
+
+When they had walked for two hours they came to a large piece of water.
+"We cannot get over," said Hansel. "I can see no bridge at all."
+
+"And there is no boat, either," said Gretel; "but there swims a white
+duck--I will ask her to help us over," and she sang:
+
+    "Little Duck so blithe and merry,
+       Hansel, Gretel, here we stand;
+     There is neither bridge nor ferry,
+       Row us on your back to land."
+
+So the Duck came to them, and Hansel sat himself on her back, and bade
+his sister sit behind him.
+
+"No," answered Gretel, "that will be too much for the Duck; she shall
+take us over one at a time."
+
+This the good little bird did, and when both were happily arrived on the
+other side, and had gone a little way, they came to a wood, which they
+knew the better every step they went, and at last they saw their
+father's house. Then they began to run, and, bursting into the house,
+they fell on their father's neck.
+
+He had not had one happy hour since he had left the children in the
+forest; and his wife was dead. Gretel shook her apron, and the pearls
+and precious stones rolled out on the floor, and Hansel threw down one
+handful after another out of his pocket. Then all their sorrows were
+ended, and they lived together in great happiness.
+
+
+
+
+THE GOOSE GIRL
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived an old Queen, whose husband had been dead
+some years, and left her with one child, a beautiful daughter. When this
+daughter grew up she was to be married to a King's son, who lived far
+away.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Now when the time came for her to leave, the mother gave her daughter a
+lock of hair, saying, "Dear child, preserve this well, and it will help
+you out of trouble."
+
+Afterwards the mother and daughter took a sorrowful leave of each other,
+and the princess placed the lock of hair in her bosom, mounted her horse
+Falada, and rode away to her intended bridegroom. Now this horse could
+speak. After she had ridden for about an hour she became very thirsty,
+and said to her servant, "Dismount, and bring me some water from yonder
+stream in the cup which you carry with you, for I am very thirsty."
+
+"If you are thirsty," replied the servant, "dismount yourself, and stoop
+down to drink the water, for I will not be your maid!"
+
+The Princess, on account of her great thirst, did as she was bid, and
+bending over the brook she drank of its water without daring to use her
+golden cup. While she did so the lock of hair said, "Ah! if thy mother
+knew this, her heart would break."
+
+As she leaned over the water, the lock of hair fell out of her bosom and
+floated down the stream without her noticing it, because of her great
+anguish. But her servant had seen what happened, and she was glad, for
+now she had power over her mistress, because with the loss of the lock
+of hair, she became weak and helpless. When, then, the Princess was
+going to mount her horse again, the maid said, "No, Falada belongs to
+me; you must get upon this horse:" and she was forced to yield. Then
+the servant bade her take off her royal clothes, and put on her common
+ones instead; and, lastly, she made the Princess promise and swear by
+the open sky that she would say nought of what had passed at the King's
+palace; for if she had not sworn she would have been murdered. But
+Falada, the horse, observed all that passed with great attention.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Then the servant mounted upon Falada, and the rightful Princess upon
+a sorry hack; and in that way they traveled on till they came to the
+King's palace. On their arrival there were great rejoicings, and the
+young Prince, running towards them, lifted the servant off her horse,
+supposing that she was the true bride; and she was led up the steps in
+state, while the real Princess had to stop below. Just then the old King
+chanced to look out of his window and saw her standing in the court,
+and he remarked how delicate and beautiful she was; and, going to the
+royal apartments, he inquired there of the bride who it was she had
+brought with her and left below in the courtyard.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Only a girl whom I brought with me for company," said the bride. "Give
+the wench some work to do, that she may not grow idle."
+
+The old King, however, had no work for her, and knew of nothing; until
+at last he said, "Ah! there is a boy who keeps the geese: she can help
+him." This youth was called Conrad, and the true bride was set to keep
+geese with him.
+
+Soon after this, the false bride said to her betrothed, "Dearest, will
+you grant me a favor?"
+
+"Yes," said he; "with the greatest pleasure."
+
+"Then let the butcher be summoned, that he may cut off the head of the
+horse on which I rode hither, for it has angered me on the way." In
+reality she feared lest the horse might tell how she had used the
+rightful Princess, and she was glad when it was decided that Falada
+should die.
+
+This came to the ears of the Princess, and she promised secretly to the
+butcher to give him a piece of gold if he would show her a kindness,
+which was, that he would nail the head of Falada over a certain large
+and gloomy arch, through which she had to pass daily with the geese, so
+that then she might still see her old steed as she had been accustomed.
+The butcher promised, and, after killing the horse, nailed the head in
+the place which the Princess pointed out, over the door of the arch.
+
+Early in the morning, when she and Conrad drove the geese through the
+arch, she said in passing:
+
+    "Ah, Falada, that you
+     hang so high!"
+
+and the head replied:
+
+    "Ah Princess, that you go humbly by!
+     Thy mother's heart would surely break
+     Were she to know of your heart-ache!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Then she drove on through the town to a field. When they arrived in the
+meadow, she sat down and unloosened her hair, which was of pure gold.
+Its shining appearance so charmed Conrad that he tried to pull out a
+couple of locks. So she sang:
+
+    "Blow, blow, thou wind,
+     Blow Conrad's hat away."
+
+Immediately there came a strong wind, which snatched Conrad's hat off
+his head, and led him a rare chase; and when he returned what with
+combing and curling, the Princess had rearranged her hair, so that he
+could not catch a loose lock. This made Conrad very angry, and he would
+not speak to her; so all day long they tended their geese in silence.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+After they returned home Conrad went to the old King and declared he
+would no longer keep geese with the servant.
+
+"Why not?" asked the old King.
+
+"Oh! she vexes me the whole day long," said Conrad; and then the King
+bade him tell all that had happened. So Conrad did, and told how, in
+the morning, when they passed through a certain archway, she spoke to
+a horse's head, which was nailed up over the door, and said:
+
+    "Ah, Falada, that you hang so high!"
+
+and it replied:
+
+    "Ah, Princess, that you go humbly by!
+     Thy mother's heart would surely break
+     Were she to know of your heart-ache!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+And, further, he told how when they arrived in the meadow, she caused
+the wind to blow his hat off, so that he had to run after it ever so
+far. When he had finished his tale, the old King ordered him to drive
+the geese out again the next morning; and he himself, when morning came,
+stationed himself behind the gloomy archway, and heard the servant talk
+to the head of Falada. Then he followed them also into the fields. There
+he saw with his own eyes the Goose Girl and boy drive in the geese; and
+after a while she sat down and, unloosening her hair, which shone like
+gold, began to sing the old rhyme:
+
+    "Blow, blow, thou wind,
+     Blow Conrad's hat away."
+
+Then the King felt a breeze come, which took off Conrad's hat, so that
+he had to run a long way after it; while the Goose Girl combed out her
+hair and put it back in proper trim before his return. All this the King
+observed, and then went home unnoticed; and when the Goose Girl returned
+at evening, he called her aside, and asked her what it all meant.
+
+"That I dare not tell you, nor any other man," replied she; "for I have
+sworn by the free sky not to speak of my griefs, else lose my life."
+
+The King pressed her to say what it was, and left her no peace about it;
+but still she refused. So at last he said, "If you will not tell me,
+tell your griefs to this fireplace;" and he went away.
+
+Then she crept into the fireplace and began to weep and groan; and soon
+she relieved her heart by telling her tale. "Here sit I," she said
+"forsaken by all the world, and yet I am a King's daughter; and a false
+servant has exercised some charm over me, whereby I was compelled to lay
+aside my royal clothes; and she has also taken my place at the
+bridegroom's side, and I am forced to perform the common duties of a
+Goose Girl. Oh, if my mother knew this, her heart would break with
+grief!"
+
+The old King, meanwhile, stood outside by the chimney and listened to
+what she said; and when she had finished he came in, and called her away
+from the fireplace. Then her royal clothes were put on, and the old
+King, calling his son, showed him that he had taken a false bride, who
+was only a servant-girl, and that the true bride stood there as a Goose
+Girl.
+
+The prince was glad indeed at heart when he saw her beauty and virtue.
+Then there was a great feast, at which the bridegroom sat, with the
+Princess on one side and the servant-girl on the other. But the latter
+was dazzled, and recognized her mistress no longer in her shining dress.
+
+When they had finished their feasting, and were beginning to be gay, the
+old King set a riddle to the real servant-girl: What such an one were
+worthy of who had, in such and such a manner, deceived her masters; and
+he related all that had happened to the true bride. The servant-girl
+replied, "Such an one deserves nothing better than to be put into a
+cask, lined with sharp nails, and then to be dragged by two horses
+through the streets till the wretch be killed."
+
+"You are the woman then!" exclaimed the King; "You have proclaimed your
+own punishment, and it shall be strictly fulfilled."
+
+The sentence was at once carried out, and afterwards the Prince married
+his rightful bride, and they lived long in peace and happiness.
+
+
+
+
+FAVORITE FAIRY TALES
+
+This is a collection of the fairy tales that children love best, told in
+simple language and lavishly illustrated. They are written by various
+authors, a selection of the best and most popular fairy stories, culled
+from many sources and here collected and presented in most attractive
+form, printed in large clear type, with many pictures, some of them
+colored.
+
+
+THE CHILDREN'S BOOKSHELF
+
+BOOKS EVERY CHILD SHOULD OWN
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Wonder Book of Myths and Legends
+The Wonder Book of Bible Stories
+Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes
+Dickens' Stories About Children
+King Arthur and His Knights
+The Man Without a Country
+The Boy's Story of Lindbergh
+Folk Tales from the Far East
+Fairy Tales of Many Lands
+The Wings of the Morning
+Tales From Shakespeare
+The Story of a Bad Boy
+Swiss Family Robinson
+An Old-Fashioned Girl
+Andersen's Fairy Tales
+Alice in Wonderland
+Favorite Fairy Tales
+Grimm's Fairy Tales
+Robinson Crusoe
+Treasure Island
+Arabian Nights
+Hans Brinker
+Water Babies
+Little Women
+Black Beauty
+Robin Hood
+Little Men
+Kidnapped
+Pinocchio
+Heidi
+
+Each volume is bound in cloth, with colored inlay on front cover, also
+with an attractive jacket in full colors. This Children's Bookshelf
+series is made up of titles taken from the most popular children's
+books. Each volume contains 262 to 320 pages. Size, 6-3/4 x 8-3/4
+inches. 1-1/4 inches thick.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+PRICE $1.25
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO.
+
+_Publishers_ PHILADELPHIA
+
+
++----------------------------------------------+
+|Transcriber's Notes:                          |
+|                                              |
+|Variations between stories in the spelling of |
+|today and to-day, woodcutter and wood-cutter, |
+|and toward and towards, have been retained.   |
++----------------------------------------------+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Favorite Fairy Tales, by Logan Marshall
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FAVORITE FAIRY TALES ***
+
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