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diff --git a/old/64606-0.txt b/old/64606-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 1a9f20f..0000000 --- a/old/64606-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3208 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of A China cup and other stories for children, -by Felix Vilkhovsky - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: A China cup and other stories for children - -Author: Felix Vilkhovsky - -Illustrator: Malischeff - -Release Date: February 21, 2021 [eBook #64606] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Carlos Colón, Harvard University and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was - produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital - Library.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHINA CUP AND OTHER STORIES FOR -CHILDREN *** - - - - - - Transcriber's Notes: - - Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by - =equal signs=. - - Small uppercase have been replaced with regular uppercase. - - Blank pages have been eliminated. - - Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been left as in the - original. - - - - THE CHILDREN'S - LIBRARY - - [Illustration] - - A CHINA CUP - - AND - - OTHER STORIES FOR CHILDREN - - [Illustration] - - [Illustration] - - - - -_THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARY._ - - - THE BROWN OWL. - A CHINA CUP, AND OTHER STORIES. - STORIES FROM FAIRYLAND. - THE STORY OF A PUPPET. - THE LITTLE PRINCESS. - TALES FROM THE MABINOGION. - - - - -[Illustration: "_Seizing a heavy silver candlestick, the Magnate flung -it violently at the fowl._" - - PAGE 46.] - - - - - A - - CHINA CUP - - AND - - OTHER STORIES FOR CHILDREN - - - BY - - FELIX VOLKHOVSKY - - - _ILLUSTRATED BY MALISCHEFF_ - - - LONDON - T. FISHER UNWIN - 1892 - - SECOND EDITION - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - I. A CHINA CUP 3 - - II. HOW SCARLET-COMB THE COCK - DEFENDED THE RIGHT 37 - - III. THE TINY SCREW 65 - - IV. THE DREAM 85 - - V. BROWNY 115 - - VI. THE OLD SWORD'S MISTAKE 125 - - VII. 'MY OWN' 141 - - VIII. THE TALE ABOUT HOW ALL - THESE TALES CAME TO LIGHT 167 - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -A CHINA CUP - - -A waggon drove to the great pit dug in the clay--not common clay, but -such as china vessels are made of. A man with an iron spade jumped -from the waggon; he entered the pit and began to dig the clay. After -the first stroke of the spade a little lump fell out of the native -ground, and with a bitter, plaintive murmur rolled down. Nobody heard -the murmur; it seemed to the workman that the Lump in rolling down made -a slight noise, whereas it was groaning: it was hard to be torn away -from mother earth. 'All is over,' it whispered; 'oh, how hard it is to -live in the world!' - -The workman took it up on his spade with the other clay, and threw it -into the waggon. 'Oh!' groaned the bit of clay from pain, as it fell on -the bottom of the waggon; 'not only was I torn away from my mother, but -thrown far away from her. Alas! is there any one more unhappy in this -world than I? I should like to die!' - -But the Lump did not die. The workman had soon filled up his waggon, -jumped in himself, and drove away, carrying it to the china factory. -It was pretty well while they were going along an even place, but when -they went down a steep mountain-side, the horse ran fast, and our -Lump was jolted, thrown from side to side, and knocked against the -waggon. Nor did all its torments end then. As soon as it was brought -to the china factory, it was thrown with other clay into a large tub -with water in it, and it felt with horror how it began gradually to -get soft, and to be transformed into a sort of soft mud. It had no -time to recover, as it was taken out with a great ladle and poured -somewhere--it was into the funnel of the great millstones. The driver -shouted, the horses went on, pulled one end of a bar, which was -fastened by the other end to a big axle standing erect in the middle -of the great millstones; the bar again turned the axle to which the -upper millstone was fastened, and the millstones began to grind the -water-softened clay, crushing its smallest particles. Our Lump no -longer existed, but all its little particles which before formed it -were now like clay-jelly, and kept close together. - -Ah, how they suffered! The awful millstone pressed upon them with -its whole weight--squeezed, flattened, ground them. They shrivelled, -groaned, cried from pain and said: 'Oh-o-o! what a torture! it is all -over with us!' - -But that was not all. After the grinding the clay-jelly was poured by -means of gutters into the empty wooden tub to settle. There the hard -particles, heavier than water, sank.... On the bottom was the sand, -next the reddish clay, mixed with iron-rust, then the coarser parts of -the white clay, and finally its lightest particles, quite free from -all other mixture. All the particles of our Lump happened to be of the -same weight and to be nicely ground; they sank together and formed -again the same Lump, only soft, delicate, and free from all unnecessary -admixture. It was very nice, of course, but the little Lump was so -tired from all it suffered, so exhausted, that it did not wish to live -in the world. 'I would rather death would come!' it said. - -Death, however, did not come. A workman came instead, poured off the -water which was on the surface of the clay, cut the clay to the bottom, -separated it into layers, and assorted them, so that the upper, more -delicate layer was for the best china vessels, and the lower for the -coarser plates. As our Lump was in the upper layer, it was taken to a -workman who made the finest vessels. - -The workman took our Lump, put it into the middle of a round table -which turned on its centre, made this table spin round with his feet, -and at the same time pressed the clay here and there till he had made -a coarse cup without a handle. The workman then, with an instrument -like a knife, began to turn the cup, till it became a fine, fine one. -He then handed it to his neighbour, who put a nice little handle to -it. 'Well,' thought the Lump, transformed now into a cup, 'it is not -so bad. I suffered indeed, but what a beauty I am now!' ... and the -Cup looked self-contentedly around. She did not rejoice long. She was -soon put with others into one of the pots of particular form called -'muffles,' and the muffles were put into a furnace, which began to heat -the Cup by scorching degrees to make it red hot. 'Oh, how hot it is!' -stammered the poor Cup, perspiring, crying, and groaning at once. 'Oh, -what a torture! Oh, how hard it is to live in the world! I should like -to die!' - -Still, she did not die. She was taken from the furnace, watered with a -certain mixture, burnt once more. A charming bouquet and garland were -then painted on her, and the Cup did not recognise herself. 'Ah, how -happy I am!' said she to herself; 'it was worth while to suffer all -that I suffered. I am the most beautiful here, and there is and will be -no one happier.' - -Very soon the Cup went from the factory to the shop. She was delighted -to see the fine hall with large windows and nice glass cases. She -enjoyed the society of china cups, teapots, plates, and all sorts of -most beautiful things. - -'Here,' thought she, 'they can appreciate my beauty!' and she -immediately addressed her neighbour, a big, round teapot: 'Please, sir, -have you been long here?' - -'Yes,' answered the teapot gruffly, knocking with his coarse lid. - -'And do you think there was ever before a cup with such fine ornament -and delicate painting as I have?' - -'Ho-ho-ho-ha-ha!' ... laughed the big teapot. 'Just listen!' shouted he -to his companions, as big and coarse as himself; 'this damsel is asking -whether there is in the world a beauty like her?... O-ho-ho-ho!' - -'Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!' burst all the big teapots in laughter, holding their -sides with their handles. - -Our Cup was offended, and ashamed to tears. - -'What are you laughing at?' whispered she in confusion. - -'And how can we help laughing?' exclaimed her neighbour; 'you think too -much of yourself; and what are you good for? To spend all your life on -some nice shelf; you need cheapness and solidity to be of some use. And -as for your ornament, look to your right, on the third shelf; there are -more elegant ones there than you!' - -The Cup looked to the right, and would have grown green from envy if -she could have changed colour. There were standing fine cups on small -feet; such delicate, fine cups, like white, pale, and pink rose petals! -... the beautiful bouquets, the prettiest heads, the finest gold lace, -with black and green ornamentation, were painted upon them. These cups -were also proud of their beauty, and as they were more beautiful than -their new companion, they looked at her with contempt and haughtiness. - -In the china factory the Cup thought herself the most beautiful in -the world, and was quite happy; and now she was forced not only to -acknowledge that there were more beautiful ones, but to listen to the -mocking words and endure the most offensive looks. Envy, vexation, -shame, tormented her, and she would fain run away somewhere, yet she -could not move from the spot. This helplessness added still to her pain -and anger. She would like to have sunk into the earth. 'Ah,' thought -she, 'why did I not die before! Why does death not come now!' - -Death did not come, however. The shop door opened, a fine lady, with a -richly-dressed young girl of about ten years of age, came in. - -'We want a nice cup, not too expensive,' said the lady to the shopman -at the counter. - -The shopman took our Cup and some others from the shelf and put them -on the counter. Oh, what our Cup felt at that moment! She was displayed -with half a dozen of her companions, every one of whom thought herself -more beautiful than the others, and was proud of it. Suppose these -elegant purchasers should give the preference not to her, but to one of -her conceited companions? She felt as if on burning coals. The little -girl stretched her hand to one of our Cup's neighbours, and the Cup -trembled with anxiety. But the little purchaser only touched the rival -of our Cup and finally took the latter. 'This one, mamma,' said the -child, and the mother bought her. Oh, with what a pride shone now this -plaything, and how haughtily she looked at her companions! Her beauty -is now openly acknowledged; she is preferred to others! She was bright -with happiness, and slightly trembled when the shopman took her from -the counter to wrap her in paper. - -'Ah, how happy I am!' said the Cup in the evening, when fragrant tea -was poured in, and all who were sitting at the tea-table admired her; -'of course there is and will be nobody happier than I.' - -Just at this moment the pretty little girl who had chosen her at the -shop came running in from the garden. She was very thirsty. She seized -the Cup and took a sip at once, notwithstanding that they cried to her -that the tea was too hot. The Cup certainly was not to blame that the -girl from her own carelessness had scalded her mouth, and the girl -treated her unjustly. 'Oh, you nasty Cup!' cried she, and threw her to -the floor. - -Crash! ... and the pieces of the poor innocent Cup tinkled plaintively, -and drops of tea, like big tears, trickled on to the floor from her. -The footman came, gathered the pieces of the broken Cup and threw them -away into the backyard on the rubbish heap. There she was with the -bits of old leather, broken glass, rusty pieces of tin, and a pair of -decaying cucumbers. She shivered from contact with the dirt, which she -had never experienced since she was a nice cup, and she felt sick from -the unpleasant odour. 'Oh, how unhappy I am!' said the broken Cup. 'All -is over. I have nothing to expect from life. I have only to die!' - -The Cup did not lie long in the rubbish heap. Early, early the next -morning, when all were yet asleep in the house, there came into the -backyard a poor, wrinkled, dirty, ragged, old woman. She had on her -back a bag, and a big stick with a hook on its end in her hand. She was -a rag-gatherer. She dug into the heaps with her hook, picked out of -them the bones, rags, paper, nails, pieces of glass, and such things -thrown away as seemed to the poor woman of some use. After having -filled up the bag, the rag-gatherer went home, sorted its contents, -and then took the bones to the shoeblacking maker, rags and paper to -the pasteboard maker, the iron to the dealer in old iron, and the glass -to the glass factory. All these places were far from each other and -from her lodging, and the poor woman was exceedingly tired in going -from one place to another. She gained thus a few copecks,[1] without -which neither she nor her sick granddaughter would have had anything to -eat. On the following morning the old woman went again to dig among the -heaps. - - [1] A copeck (in Russian _kopéika_) is a Russian copper; 100 - copecks form one _rouble_. A rouble is worth 2s. 0-2/5d. in - English money. - -Coming near the rubbish heap where the broken Cup was lying, the -woman began to work with her hook, seeking with her old, tearful, -short-sighted eyes something worth having. She had already dug up all -that she wanted, when her hook struck against something hard; the old -woman knew by this sound that there was something like glass in the -heap. She stooped down and took up a fragment of the Cup with a nice -nosegay on it. - -'What fine flowers!' whispered she; 'I will take it home for Mary--a -nice plaything for her--I must take it.' - -The good old woman smiled, as she thought of her beloved granddaughter, -called Mary. She began to search again among the rubbish, and found -that there were many fine pieces, and those not too small. 'Oh, the -pieces are all here,' said she; 'it is possible perhaps to cement them -together.' And taking all the bits she put them by themselves into the -pocket of her worn-out petticoat. - -It was as dark as in a cellar in the pocket of the old woman, and as -oppressively warm as in an uncared-for hospital-room in summer; there -were besides an old onion and the crumbs of spoiled, ill-smelling -cheese. The broken Cup felt still more sick at heart than before; she -shivered; her broken pieces tinkled plaintively at every step the woman -took, and she thought, 'Oh, what suffering! I should like to die!' - -She did not die. It was light when the old woman came to a large brick -house six stories high, near a market-place, in a narrow, dirty lane. -She entered through a dirty passage the courtyard, surrounded on all -sides with buildings, passed through a gloomy basement door down to the -ground-floor, where her lodging was. It was a dark, cheerless room, -with small windows high above the brick floor. In every corner of the -room there was a whole family of beggars. The old woman approached a -heap of rags, groaning, removed from her shoulder the bag with her -day's gains in it, and sat down on an old pine candle-box, turned -upside down, near the rags; she then took from her pocket all the -pieces of the Cup, and put them on another box which stood there for a -table. The first thing our Cup now heard was a harsh, noisy scolding -from the farthest corner of the room; everybody in this beggars' haunt -was so accustomed to it that nobody paid any attention. 'Oh,' thought -the Cup, 'this is too much! In what company am I! What rough people -there are! Oh, there is surely nobody in the world more unhappy than I! -I would like to die as soon as possible!' - -The rags in the corner now moved; under them was lying the sick, -sallow, emaciated darling of the old woman. She looked at her -grandmother with her wearied eyes, and nothing interested her. - -'Here is a piece of _pryáneek_, Mary, which I brought for you,' said -the old woman, taking out a piece of _pryáneek_, which she had bought -for a copeck. - -This was a cake of white, stone-like consistency, supposed to represent -a horse, though it may be doubted whether four stumps instead of feet, -a gilded head and a crimson tail, would give a really good idea of -one. There was indeed enough flour in it, but little sweetness; still -it was a thing as much to delight the heart of a Russian child as a -gingerbread cat to rejoice the heart of an English one. - -The girl looked at it, but shook her head, and did not eat it; she did -not even touch it. - -'Why don't you take it, Mary? Do take it, dear, such a nice piece of -_pryáneek_; look!' - -And the grandmother held up the present, turning it round to show all -its beauty. The girl looked up once more at the cake, and then at her -grandmother, without moving her head. - -'I am so sore!' she whispered feebly. - -'What ails you?' asked the old woman. - -'Everything ails me,' said the sick girl softly, and two big tears -rolled slowly down her cheeks. - -The broken Cup looked at all this, and was very sorry, and her pieces -tinkled plaintively together, and then she felt ashamed that she had -thought herself so unhappy while there was in the world plenty of -sorrow far greater than her own. The girl heard the tinkling, and -silently looked up to see what it was that was tinkling so on the box. -She noticed the beautiful flowers on the broken pieces of the Cup; her -eyes brightened by degrees, and she whispered softly: - -'Give it to me, grandmamma.' - -'Take it, take it, darling! I brought it home for you.' - -Mary took the pieces in her hands, trembling from weakness, and -began to turn them over and over, admiring them. She had never any -playthings, and therefore the pretty pieces seemed to her so much the -finer. The more she looked at them the more her eyes brightened, and -at last she smiled. The old woman had not for a long time seen such an -expression of pleasure on the worn-out face of her poor granddaughter, -and the feeble smile of the sick child rejoiced her to tears. - -'Oh,' thought the Cup, 'I never expected to give to any one so much -pleasure after having been broken to pieces! And I am happier, indeed, -than I was in the rich house where everybody at the tea-table admired -me!' - -'Mary, you know, we shall cement the cup; indeed we shall do it! It -will be a pretty cup,' whispered the old woman. - -Mary became more cheerful, and the Cup thought: 'Ah, it is possible -I am really good for something! It seems to me I was in too great a -hurry to die; it is worth while living in the world.' - -On the next day the old woman came home after her day's work with a -little _toóyes_, a sort of cylindrical vessel of birch bark, in which -there was a handful of curd and an egg. These she had received from -some kind-hearted cook. - -'You see, Mary, we are going to cement the Cup!' said she, sitting down -on her box. - -Mary had been groaning and fretting all the day and night, but now -she smiled again. The old woman broke the egg, poured it into an old -wooden basin, placed on the box some curd, mixed lime with it, and, -kneading all together with the white of egg, she made a thick cement. -Smearing the edges of the pieces of our Cup with the mixture, the old -woman pressed them together, and placed the Cup carefully in a hot -oven, that the cement might harden and become proof against water or -anything else. It was hot in the oven for the Cup--dreadfully hot! but -she was ready to suffer anything to be the same complete beautiful cup -as before. 'Oh, how happy I am!' thought she, awaiting with inward -trembling the end of her trials in the oven. 'All is going on well; I -will live again!' - -Mary in the meantime grew worse: she fretted, groaned, and complained -with bitter tears. - -'Oh, grandmamma, how I ache! how I ache!' - -'Oh, my poor darling!' said the old woman, sobbing, while hot tears -rolled down her wrinkled, unwashed face; 'I cannot tell what to do for -you, my dear pet.' - -In the same room with the old woman, in another corner, there lived a -beggar, an old discharged soldier of the time of the Russian Emperor -Nicholas, when the discipline was so inhumanly severe and the term of -service lasted a whole quarter of a century! He had been in the wars, -fought bravely, and now he was quite alone in the wide world. The -bullets were still in his body, old age prevented him from working, -and he was obliged to get by begging here and there a few copecks. He -became accustomed to sorrow; but now it grieved him to see the misery -of the old woman and the sufferings of the little girl. - -'You are foolish,' said he to the old woman; 'why do you cry, as if the -child was dying? You must not do it! Go rather for the physician.' - -'Will the physician come?' exclaimed the old woman. 'You are indeed -like an innocent child, _Nikítich_.[2] Will the physician come to such -a dirty place?' - - [2] Pronounce 'Neekeéteech.' The reader should rather be - told here that the Russian fashion of calling a person, when - addressing him or her, is not by his or her surname, but by - the Christian name, with the addition of his or her father's - name, somewhat altered in a way to express 'son of' or - 'daughter of' such-a-one; for example--Iván Nikítich (John, - son of Nikíta). Among common people and among friends they - address only in one's Christian name without the addition of - the father's name ('_ót-chest-vo_'); but if, in addressing a - common person, you wish to express some deference, you use - only the 'ótchestvo,' without the person's Christian name; for - example, 'Nikítich' instead of 'Iván Nikítich.' Such is the - case in our tale. - -'And why should he not come? One will not come, another will not come, -but some one perhaps will come at last. There, I know a physician, -Kótov, a nice gentleman! He always gives me a glass of tea and five -copecks. He will not let me go without giving me something. "How do you -do, Nikítich?" says he always to me. I tell you, go to him. Ask him; -you needn't care.' - -'Yes, at his home he will receive me perhaps, but he will not come -here. No, we have nothing to do with physicians. I cannot afford to buy -medicine, and very likely they will not even let me into the house. No, -I dare not.' - -'Well, if you dare not, I will go myself.' - -At these words the old wounded soldier took his stick and hobbled away -to the physician's. - -The physician did come. He was a very good man, only he had the -habit of speaking in an angry tone and even shouting, so that some -were afraid of him. He examined the girl a long time, put his ear to -her back and chest, tapped both with his fingers, spat in disgust, -and complained angrily of the dirt and unwholesome air of the room. -He ordered that nothing but broth be given to the girl, wrote a -prescription on a bit of paper, and said that the medicine would be -given gratuitously at the apothecary's. - -In the evening the old woman brought the bottle with the medicine, -poured some into a wooden spoon and presented it to her granddaughter. -The girl shook her head feebly and turned away. She was afraid of the -medicine; she thought it was something so disagreeable, and for nothing -in the world would she take it. - -'Ah me!' said her grandmother, sighing, 'why won't you take it? It's -too bad! What will the physician say? He ordered it and you will not -take it. Wait, you will see what will happen to disobedient children!' - -The girl was frightened; she began to sob, and when her grandmother -offered her the spoon, she covered her mouth with her hand and hid her -face in her pillow. - -In the morning the old woman took our Cup out of the oven. Oh, how glad -was our Cup when the old woman, looking all over her, said to herself, -'Oh, I see it is as good as new now!' Just at this moment Mary called -for her grandmother and asked for a drink. The old woman went with the -newly-cemented Cup for some water, and as she held her hand over the -tub, the Cup saw herself in the water as in a mirror. Alas! what did -she see there? In many places were ugly cracks; the cement, applied -by an unskilful hand, formed spots and patches. 'Oh,' groaned the -Cup--'oh, how ugly I am! It would have been better for me to perish in -the rubbish heap. Ah, now I would like to die as soon as possible!' - -She did not die, however. The old woman was obliged to put her in haste -on the window-sill, for just then the physician entered the room. - -'How many spoonfuls of medicine did she take?' asked he angrily. - -'She did not take any at all, sir. What shall I do with her? Such an -obstinate, silly girl; she is not willing to take any; what shall I -do?' answered the old woman. - -'What? How does she dare? What does she mean? Give me the spoon!' cried -the doctor. - -At these words Mary screamed, her eyes opened wide from fear, and she -covered her head with the bedclothes. The doctor turned once more to -the old woman. - -'And did she take the broth?' he asked. - -'But, my good sir, where should we get money for the broth?' said the -rag-gatherer, with tears in her eyes. - -'Well, why did you ask me to come if you did not intend to do what I -ordered?' He then took at once a crushed three-rouble bank note from -his pocket, threw it angrily on the box which served as a table, and -turned away. When he reached the door he turned his head, and, flushed -with excitement, said: - -'All the medicine must be taken by to-morrow, and the broth must be -ready, and that's the end of it!' - -When the old woman saw the three roubles in her hand she could hardly -realise her good fortune and believe in her happiness. Just think, -three roubles! For three years or so she had never had more than -thirty copecks at one time, and now she had three roubles! - -'God grant you every happiness, our benefactor!' repeated the poor -woman over and over again. - -As for Mary, she grew worse and worse. She groaned, her dilated eyes -shone with the fire of fever, her lips became parched and black. - -'Oh, you little dove, do take the medicine, and you will feel better,' -entreated the old woman; but Mary obstinately refused to take any. -Seeing the sufferings of the poor girl, the rag-gatherer suddenly -clasped her gray head with her hands. - -'Oh my God! what am I to do with her? what am I to do with her?' wept -she in despair. 'She will die, I am sure, through her own foolishness. -How hard it is to see her suffering just because she will not take a -little medicine.' - -The Cup saw and heard all this, and once more she felt ashamed of -having thought herself unhappy for not being as beautiful as formerly. - -'Is this misery?' thought she now of her own appearance; '_there_ is -misery indeed!' and the little Cup was herself ready to cry for pity. -In the meantime the poor woman dried her tears and approached her sick -grandchild. - -'Do you know that I have mended the little Cup?' she said. - -The face of the little girl brightened, and a faint smile played upon -it. 'Let me see it,' lisped she. - -The grandmother showed her the little Cup, and Mary's face expressed as -much rapture as if she saw some masterpiece of beauty. The poor child -had seen during her life so few beautiful things, that the mended Cup -with the pretty nosegay on her transported her with delight. - -'And wouldn't you take the medicine out of the Cup?' asked the old -woman, in an uncertain, coaxing tone of voice. - -The girl made no reply, but smiled again. - -'Well, will you take it out of the pretty little Cup?' - -'I will,' answered Mary, in an almost inaudible voice. - -The little Cup was standing at that moment on the window-sill, and was -trembling with joy; hitherto no one had loved her so deeply as Mary -did. Was it not for her sake alone that Mary consented to take the -medicine? Perhaps the little girl will recover; perhaps she, the Cup, -will have saved a human life. 'Oh, what a beautiful thing it is to -live,' said the Cup to herself; 'never before was I so happy!' - - * * * * * - -It was a glorious summer day when Mary went the first time after her -dangerous illness to take breath in the open air. She was still thin -and pale, but her large eyes were bright, and she looked happy. She -was sitting in the nearest square, under a big green tree, with her Cup -in both her hands. The little girl was evidently eager to have the Cup -always with her; she would not part with her treasure. The Cup felt -herself also happy--nay, happier than ever--although she was now broken -and spotted with ugly cement patches. She was happy and proud to be the -best friend of the little Mary whom she had helped to restore to life -and health. - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -HOW SCARLET-COMB THE COCK DEFENDED THE RIGHT - - -All this happened long, long ago, in the days when birds and beasts -could talk in human speech, and the Polish magnates went about in -long '_kountoushi_'[3]--coats embroidered with gold and silver, with -sleeves slung on behind--and possessed serfs. Perhaps you do not know -what a 'serf' was in the old times? Well, a serf was a person just like -the rest of us, only he was bound to the land by law; he had not the -right to go and live in any other place, and if the land was sold, he -was sold with it; he tilled the land, though not for his own profit, -but for the profit of the landowner. It was not only in Poland that -there used to be these serfs and landlords who owned them, but in all -countries--in ours as well as every other; and everywhere the serfs -had a hard time of it. Those landlords who had any conscience and -commonsense, and who were not in any great need of money, made their -serfs work for them a certain part of their time, and bring them eggs, -flax, etc.; the rest of their time and goods the serfs could dispose -of as they thought fit. Others regarded their peasants as beasts of -burden, belonging to them body and soul; they forced the peasants to -work for them as much as was possible, and thought they had a right to -all the peasants' property. But whether the serf-owner was personally -good or bad, it was a loathsome thing in itself that one human being -should own another. - - [3] The plural of the Polish word '_koúntoush_.' - -One day a Polish '_Pan_' (nobleman) of this kind was riding through -a village on his land. The green sleeves of his bright-coloured -_koúntoush_ streamed back from his shoulders, fluttering in the breeze; -his fine dappled horse stepped impatiently under its rider, tossing -flakes of white foam from its mouth; and Pan Podliásski himself glanced -haughtily to the right and left. The wretched, bare look of the -peasants' huts and ruinous farmyards did not distress him at all; in -Pan Podliásski's opinion a serf was a serf for nothing else but to be -always ragged, dirty, and miserable. Suddenly, as he passed one of the -huts, the landlord raised his eyebrows in angry surprise; in the bare -and filthy yard stood a first-rate grindstone. - -'Where did a rascally serf get such a capital grindstone?' he thought; -and turning to his steward, who was riding behind with two or three -noble retainers, he asked: 'Whose yard is this?' - -'Stanislas Kogoútek's, most illustrious Pan,' respectfully answered the -steward. - -'Why is the grindstone here?' - -'It does not belong to the manor; we have not such a good grindstone,' -replied the steward, understanding the mistake of the magnate, who -supposed the grindstone to be his, and to have come into the peasant's -yard by chance. - -'Here! _Khlop!_' (serf!), cried Pan Podliásski. - -A middle-aged peasant, bareheaded, barefooted, and wearing nothing but -a shirt and trousers of coarse sacking, ran out of the hut at this -summons. He approached his master, bowing humbly, fell on his knees -before him, bowed to the ground, and, rising, kissed his stirrup, after -which he bowed again. - -'Whose is the grindstone?' asked the landlord, frowning. - -Kogoútek's terror increased, and his eyes glanced round in agitation; -he realised how foolish he had been not to hide the grindstone from his -master's eyes. - -'Whose is the grindstone, _psia krew_?'[4] cried the magnate angrily. - - [4] A Polish term of abuse; literally, blood (or race) of a - dog. - -'Mine, most illustrious Pan,' answered Kogoútek, trembling with fear. - -'How dare you, you rascal, when I myself haven't such a grindstone, the -steward says?' - -'I earned it, please your honour,' stammered Kogoútek faintly. - -'_Earned it_.... What next!' exclaimed Pan Podliásski, amazed at the -peasant's insolence, and reddening with anger. 'How dare you say that, -when you yourself are my property, not only all your work; do you -hear, you dog? Take it up to the manor, and give this scoundrel a good -lesson,' he added, turning to the steward. - -The unfortunate peasant knew what a 'good lesson' meant, and flung -himself, with a piteous cry, at the feet of his master's horse. But -the magnate shook the reins and galloped off with his followers. - -The next morning the grindstone was transferred to the manor yard, and -the wretched Kogoútek was flogged in the manor stables. - -Humiliated, crushed under the sense of injustice and lacerated with the -whip, the unhappy peasant crept home and sank down on a bench with a -groan. - -'What is the matter with our master?' asked the young cock, -Scarlet-Comb, of his mother, as they strolled about the yard with the -white hen Top-knot and the old cock. - -'Why, didn't you see that they took away the grindstone that he had -worked so hard for, and then thrashed him for nothing besides?' - -Scarlet-Comb was still a very young cock; his grand tail-feathers had -not yet grown, so he did not know how cruel and unjust people can be. -His mother's words showed him this for the first time. He spread his -wings and craned his little neck as if he would shout out what he had -just heard to all the world; but a spasm in the throat prevented him -from uttering a sound. When, however, his first burst of grief and -indignation had somewhat abated, he again appealed to his mother. - -'Well, and what will happen now, mother?' - -'What? Why, nothing. Pan Podliásski will have the grindstone, and our -poor master will have his bruises--that's all.' - -'What! And no one will stand up for the right?' - -'Oh, my child, how recklessly you talk!' hurriedly whispered the old -hen. '_Supposing_ any one should overhear you, what then? Why, they -would think you a rebel!... What is the use of talking about "right" -and "standing up" when Pan Podliásski is a great lord, with fifty -horses in his stables, and hundreds of servants at his bidding, while -our master is a poor peasant, wearing himself out with work!' - -'Well, then, _I_ will take our master's part! _I_ will get justice -done!' cried Scarlet-Comb. - -'Hush, you silly child!' answered his mother more anxiously than ever, -and gently seizing his comb with her bill. 'What else do you imagine -you can do? You would like to set the whole world to rights, no doubt!' - -'The thing is impossible!' cried Scarlet-Comb, and turning to the old -cock, he added: 'Am I not right, father?' - -The old cock majestically raised his head, stood on tiptoe, flapped his -wings, and shouted at the top of his voice: 'Cock-a-doodle-doo-oo!...' -then stooped down, and betook himself, with a hurried business walk, to -the other end of the yard, where he stopped beside a squashed worm. -Every one could interpret his expression of opinion according to their -personal taste: the mother was convinced that he was setting their son -an example of thrift and good sense; the son, that the patriarch's -martial air and cry were intended to spur him on to prowess. Without -any further question Scarlet-Comb flew across the fence, and made -straight for the castle of Pan Podliásski. - -Pan Podliásski was not alone. As he had to send to several very -distinguished neighbours invitations for the next day's banquet, and -as, like most of his peers in those days, he could not read or write, -and considered it humiliating to do anything for himself, he had sent -for his chaplain, and commissioned him to write the invitations. The -chaplain had finished writing the letters, and it only remained to -stamp upon them, instead of a signature, the crest of the house of -Podliásski. The magnate took off his signet-ring, which he wore hung -round his neck by a gold chain, and handed it to the chaplain to be -pressed upon the wax. At that moment there appeared in the open window, -from which the magnate and his chaplain were divided by a large table, -an ugly little cock. - -'Pan, give back the grindstone!' he cried. - -Reddening with anger, the magnate raised his eyes to the insolent fowl, -and seizing a heavy silver candlestick, flung it violently at him. All -happened so quickly, that before Scarlet-Comb had time to understand -anything, his wings had carried him from the window and his quick -little legs from the garden. - -When he came to his senses, Scarlet-Comb was quite ashamed. 'Can it be -that I was frightened?... it is impossible!' he thought. But the fact -was plain; he had lost his head and run away from the landlord. - -'Well, and what of that?' said the cock, consoling himself; 'the -important thing is not to stand like a log while things are thrown at -you that may smash your head, but to get justice done!' - -And Scarlet-Comb once more made his way to the castle. - -Pan Podliásski was standing on the front terrace among his retainers -and domestics, giving orders for to-morrow's banquet, when he suddenly -heard the already familiar words: - -'Pan, give back the grindstone!' - -Scarlet-Comb was standing perched upon the nearest post, to which -several horses were tied. - -The magnate became positively frantic, clenched his fists, and shouted -to his servants to set all the hounds upon the insolent bird. The -cock, terrified, rushed with all his might out of the garden. On he -ran, helping himself along with his wings, and hearing how one dog was -gaining on him.... Now it was quite near ... snap! and tore the very -best feathers out of the cock's tail. In his desperation Scarlet-Comb -made one last effort, flew up as high as he could, and perched on a -tree by the wayside. The dog stood underneath, barking and whining, -but, fortunately, the hunting-horn blew, calling back the scattered -dogs, and his persecutor was obliged to go to kennel. - -Meanwhile a discussion was going on in the yard between the servants -and noble retainers. - -'What a plucky little cock!' said some; 'wasn't afraid to tell the Pan -himself the truth to his beard!' - -'If I had him, I'd show him what truth is--with white sauce,' said the -under-cook, laughing. - -'Just think,' remarked another; 'if a silly little chicken like that -can see that a Pan shouldn't take away a poor man's things, it must be -a bad business after all.' - -'Yes, it's a mean trick,' muttered one of the nobles, frowning. - -Early next morning Pan Podliásski's guests began to arrive. Dear -me, how gorgeous they all were! Satin, velvet, brocade, in the most -brilliant colours, simply dazzled your eyes on their _kountoushi_, -_zhoupány_ (doublets), and trunk hose. Their elegant caps were bordered -with valuable furs; both lords and ladies were adorned with ostrich -feathers, pearls, gold, silver, and precious stones. Magnificent horses -of all colours pranced under their graceful riders, who surrounded -the clumsy but richly-decorated coaches in which the fair ladies sat. -Often, on the way, the gallants would bend towards them and exchange -merry jests. The innumerable apartments of the castle were thrown open -for the crowd of guests. - -For dinner all the visitors put on other still more gorgeous dresses. A -gallant was placed at the right hand of each lady. At the head of the -table sat the host, beaming with pleasure and satisfaction. - -The long dinner was almost ended. The guests had feasted upon a wild -boar, which Pan Podliásski had killed in the chase, and which the cook -had roasted whole and cunningly arranged standing erect upon a silver -dish. The dessert was already finished; the noble retainers in their -gala dress had carried round to the guests old mead of the finest -quality, and German and Hungarian wines. The company was lively and -merry. A handsome young nobleman stood up at the foot of the table. He -had lately returned from France, where, at the king's court, he had -grown accustomed to refined manners and courtly ways. Raising a golden -goblet of wine in his right hand, and glancing round, he addressed the -company: - -'It is not the gratitude of a guest which persuades me to lift this -goblet, nor even the courtesy of a Pole. No; I lift it in honour of -our well-beloved host, because by his virtues Pan Joseph Podliásski is -an ornament to the ranks of the Polish nobility. Courageous in war, -generous and hospitable in time of peace, he is incapable of any action -unworthy of his noble standing.' - -Every one listened to the orator with evident pleasure. Pausing a -moment for breath he would have continued, when suddenly an ugly little -cock appeared at one of the open windows of the banqueting-hall, and -cried aloud: - -'Pan, give back the peasant's grindstone!' - -The guests, startled and confused, sat whispering to one another. The -young orator hesitated whether to continue his speech or not. The host -grew first white, then red, and turned to his servants. - -'Why do you stand staring?' he cried. 'Do you suppose that is what -I maintain you for, that village fowls or cattle should disturb the -pleasure of my guests?' - -Then, turning back, Pan Podliásski tried to put on an airy manner. - -'Excuse us, dear guests,' he said; 'the country is the country after -all. We are not in Cracow, where fowls appear at noble banquets only on -silver dishes or in the soup. Still, one can be as merry in the country -as in Cracow, and I hope we shall prove it to be so.' - -For all that, the magnate did not really feel at all so merry as he -tried to appear; the guests, too, were no longer quite at ease. - -'What's that about a grindstone?' many of them asked their neighbours; -and those who had already heard from their servants about the -persistent fowl related the history of the grindstone in a few words. -A contemptuous expression appeared on many of the faces; and those -magnates who disliked Podliásski went so far as to remark that it was -unworthy of a great lord to soil his hands for a miserable grindstone. - -All this did not escape the eyes of Pan Podliásski, and his blood -boiled. Seizing a favourable moment, he beckoned to his most -trustworthy servant, and, in a whisper, ordered him to find the cock, -alive or dead. For that matter the servants had already been hunting -the whole court and garden, but nothing came of it; the cock had long -ago made his escape; and, hiding in the foliage of the highest tree in -the neighbouring forest, waited till the danger was over. - -The guests left earlier than they had intended. Pan Podliásski, -standing on the great terrace to take leave of them, tried to conceal -his annoyance under an affable manner. As soon, however, as the last -rider disappeared from sight, his face grew dark, and he turned to the -crowd of servants. - -'Where is Doubinétzki?' he asked. - -'Here I am, most illustrious Pan,' replied a warrior with gray -moustaches, stepping forward. - -'Look here, my faithful Ignatius; you have served me long and well; do -me one more good service. Shoot that tiresome cock that gives me no -peace.' - -The honest face of the old nobleman, seamed with the scars of war, -lighted up with an ironical smile, and his daring eyes flashed. - -'Probably the Pan Voevoda has had too much to drink at dinner that he -gives me such commands,' said he. 'How am I, Ignatius Doubinétzki, who -have fought in fifty battles against Tartars, Turks, and Swedes; who -last year, without assistance, drove away a whole marauding band of -Tartars, and who in honourable combat have cut off the head of Akhmet -Khan himself,--how I am now to go to war against barn-door fowls? No; I -am a poor nobleman, and the Pan is a great magnate; but our honour is -the same. Indeed, since it has come to speaking truth, perhaps I have -more in the way of honour than the Pan; with all my poverty I would -have been ashamed to covet a peasant's grindstone. And if you want a -word of honest advice from old Doubinétzki, here it is: Leave that sort -of thing alone, Pan Voevoda; it's not an honourable business.' - -For some minutes Pan Podliásski could not believe his ears. But at the -close of the old man's speech he turned white with rage, drew his sword -from its sheath, and made a dash forward at Doubinétzki. - -'Seize him! bind him! cut the rebel down!' he shrieked in frenzy. But -it had all happened so suddenly that for a moment no one obeyed the -magnate, or could decide what to do; all the more so as every one loved -old Doubinétzki, and knew what a glorious fire-eater he was. - -Old Ignatius, meanwhile, in his turn unsheathed his sword, sprang on to -his horse, which stood ready saddled beside the gate, and galloped away -unharmed. He was a free gentleman and a first-rate warrior, and any -magnate would be glad to take him into his service. - -Utterly beside himself with fury, Pan Podliásski went into the -castle, and shut himself up in his bedchamber. He paced up and down -with long strides, brooding over all that had passed. The thought -that a good-for-nothing little fowl could embitter his life made him -frantic. He was ready to instantly call up all his retainers, and give -them strict commands to secure the cock, alive or dead. But then he -remembered the whispering of his guests at dinner, the furtive glances -of his servants, and the open rebellion of Doubinétzki. What was the -use of commanding? Would he not be exposing himself to new failures, -to new humiliations? And all this was the work of that cock! - -Pan Podliásski felt as if he were stifled in the room, and went out -into the garden. The barrels of pitch which had illuminated it during -the banquet were almost burnt out; the pathways and arbours were -deserted. Pan Joseph walked along several avenues, and then lay down -upon a bench. - -'Pan, give back the grindstone!' suddenly resounded over his head the -hated voice of Scarlet-Comb. - -Pan Podliásski started up as if he had been stung, drew the pistol from -his belt, and fired upwards at random in the direction of the voice. -Directly afterwards he heard a piteous shriek from the cock, and a warm -drop of blood fell on to his hand. - -'Ah! ah!' cried the magnate in angry delight; 'now you will leave off -embittering my life, you loathsome little brute!' - -Satisfied and triumphant, he peered about in the dark to find the -cock; but seeing nothing, lay down again upon the bench, and soon fell -asleep. Before half an hour had passed, however, the magnate sprang -to his feet with a fearful cry, clasping his hands over his left eye. -He was conscious of an intolerable pain, and something wet and warm -and sticky was trickling down his face and hands. Dazed and blind, the -Voevoda rushed headlong to the castle. Suddenly behind him there rang -out the well-known cry: - -'Pan, give back the grindstone! give back the peasant's grindstone!' - -'Holy Virgin! The creature has pecked out my eye,' thought the -landowner in horror, and it was only then he vaguely understood that he -had not killed, but merely wounded, his persecutor. - -Pan Podliásski did not confide to any one the manner in which he had -lost his eye. He said that he had struck against a branch in the dark. -He further declared that during his illness every noise disturbed him, -and on this pretext he commanded all the windows in the castle to be -tightly fastened, and placed sentinels at all the outer doors, with -orders not only to admit no one, but even to let no one and nothing -approach, neither dog, cat, nor bird. In reality the magnate was -terribly afraid that Scarlet-Comb would peck out his right eye too. - -The autumn set in. The stone castle was damp, cold, empty, and dreary. -Its master, with a bandage over his left eye, sat in the huge dining -hall, with its richly-carved oak walls, and warmed himself at the -great open hearth where the embers lay smouldering and the fire still -flickered in the remains of two logs. Suddenly, from somewhere in the -distance, he heard a muffled but familiar cry: - -'Pan, give back the grindstone!' - -In an instant the Voevoda started up as though he had been scalded, -and shrieked frantically for his servants. - -'Search the castle and everywhere round it instantly,' he ordered. -'There's a cock somewhere that sets my teeth on edge with his crowing.' - -Fifty Cossack retainers of the magnate, led by three nobles and about -forty servants under the leadership of the steward, rushed to fulfil -the Pan's commands. But though they ransacked all the rooms, corridors, -and doorways,--though they carefully searched the garden and the -courtyard, they came back and reported to their illustrious master that -not the slightest sign of any bird at all was anywhere to be found. -This was not surprising; it did not occur to anybody to climb up on to -the roof; and there, beside the chimney, sat Scarlet-Comb. - -'It must have been my fancy,' thought Pan Podliásski, and sat down -again before the fire. But just at the moment when he was half falling -asleep, there suddenly tumbled down the chimney into the fireplace -something small and black, which instantly hopped out on to the floor -with singed feathers, and cried: - -'Pan, give back the grindstone!' - -The Voevoda shrank away from the fowl in horror. Scarlet-Comb, taking -advantage of his stupefaction, ran through the rooms, and succeeded in -slipping past the sentinels and making his way right to the village. - -The magnate stood breathless. 'One's not safe from him anywhere,' he -thought; and a sense of dread fell upon him. He clapped his trembling -hands, and ordered the servant who came in to fetch the steward -instantly. - -'Give the peasant Kogoútek his grindstone back again at once,' said Pan -Podliásski, avoiding the steward's eyes; 'and give him ten ducats for -compensation.' - -The steward would have replied, but the Voevoda looked at him with -such an expression that the words died on his lips. - -That very day the grindstone was returned to Stanislas Kogoútek's yard. -Thereupon the little cock, Scarlet-Comb, although badly scorched, with -blisters on both claws, with his tail-feathers gone and his wing shot -through, jumped up on to the gate and, proudly raising his little head, -shouted to all the world: - -'Cock-a-doodle-doo! the Pan has given back the peasant's grindstone!' - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -THE TINY SCREW - - -On the watchmaker's bench, which was covered with white paper, so that -all the little things needed for his trade should be easy to see, were -spread out various small pincers, gimlets, screwdrivers, tiny hammers, -watchkeys, files, and other delicate instruments. Under a glass case -lay watches and clocks taken to pieces. There were some open boxes -filled with cog-wheels, and some watch-glasses, in which lay some wee -screws. Among these was a very pretty one, of blue, finely-tempered -steel, but so tiny that he could not be seen properly without a -magnifying-glass. He looked round the workroom quite frightened at all -his new surroundings. Until now he had lain in a dark, closed box and -hardly had ever seen the light; now the watchmaker, Karl Ivánovich, -had taken him out of the box and laid him in a watch-glass, evidently -intending to use him. And now the little blue mite peered round, -wondering and frightened. - -Indeed, what wonder! Round the walls, in shallow cupboards with glass -doors, in flat cases with sloping glass lids, on the large table, on -the benches--everywhere, hung or lay or stood watches and clocks of all -kinds and sizes, and most of them were moving and ticking like live -things. The cheap clocks with tin or china faces, decorated with rather -clumsily-painted roses, wagged their pendulums hastily backwards and -forwards, as though hurrying to work or to business. The huge clocks in -wooden and glass cases, on the contrary, swung their pendulums with a -hardly perceptible motion, as though they feared to compromise their -dignity by any haste. All sorts of wonderful things were on the table. -There was a clock in the shape of a great fallen tree-trunk, across -which a log was thrown, with boys sitting on the ends of it, swinging -in time to the ticking of the clock. Another represented a gray hare -squatting on his haunches, holding the dial between his forefeet and -moving his ears in time as the clock ticked. But our tiny Screw was -most impressed by a large clock, standing at one corner of the shop in -a huge glass case. The clock itself represented an Indian temple with -a dome, all carved in black wood. Inside the temple was the dial, also -black, with gold letters; the hands were gold snakes. Under the dial, -a little in front, sat a gray-haired magician in a long robe and high -cap, holding in his right hand a silver hammer. The old man, with -his grave expression of face, was so well carved that he looked quite -alive. But the most wonderful thing of all was that he never stopped -slowly turning his eyes from side to side, keeping time with the -solemn, hardly audible ticking of the clock; he seemed as if watching -to see that all was in order in his kingdom of time. At his right hand -stood a shining silver bell on a tall and slender pedestal; and at his -left a black cat was sitting on a cushion; it had real fur, and its -green eyes glittered as if alive. - -Our little Screw gazed intently at the magician in his Indian temple, -at his cat and bell--he gazed upon them with involuntary reverence and -awe--and finally decided that the enigmatic old man must be the ruler -of time, and that all the clocks in the place must be in his service. -He was still meditating upon this, when suddenly the black clock -began to hiss, the magician raised his left hand with the forefinger -extended, as if commanding attention, and began slowly striking the -silver bell with his hammer. He struck it ten times, and every time the -cat opened its mouth and mewed at each stroke of the hammer. - -The moment the magician had finished, an indescribable confusion arose -in the shop: in three clocks, which represented houses, windows opened; -from each window a cuckoo jumped out and called 'cuckoo' ten times. The -other clocks, with the tin, china, and copper dials, all began striking -in emulation of each other. Some struck rapidly and with a thin sound, -others slowly and heavily; the first jarred on the ear with their harsh -notes, while the others had a mellow ring; but all struck at once, as -though trying to catch one another up. The brass alarum, which stood on -the table, rattled long and mercilessly, as if it were determined to -silence all the others with its deafening noise; then, when the other -clocks had finished striking, it too struck ten. After that all the -clocks continued busily ticking, just as if nothing had happened. - -All this ringing, banging, and noise made our Screw quite dizzy; the -poor little fellow lay in his watch-glass trembling all over. But -when he recovered from his agitation, he was overwhelmed with silent -ecstasy. He understood for what purpose clocks exist. He knew that -they show to man the divisions of time, thus helping him in both his -intellectual work and his ordinary life. Two men, however far apart -from one another, can, if only they have good watches, come at the -same moment to a particular spot, or do whatever they may have agreed -upon--even the height of mountains is determined by means of watches. -The little Screw understood all this, and his wee frame thrilled all -over with enthusiasm. 'How useful they all are!' he thought. This set -him involuntarily thinking of himself, and he grew sad--sad even to -tears. How tiny he was! how insignificant and pitiable compared with -all these clocks! If you were to hang up even the worst of them in a -house where there was before no clock at all, there would at once be in -that house more order, more reason and utility. But he! wherever you -were to put him, it would make no difference. - -Our Screw was very unhappy; he tried so long to be of use to some -one, and he felt that he was fit for nothing! Once more he looked -attentively round the bench. There were a great number of little -axles, wires, pendulums, pinions, and springs. He did not understand -for what they could be used, but he saw one thing--that every one of -these little objects was _larger_ than himself. 'Oh dear!' he thought, -'even if all these little things are useless in themselves, still, -something useful can be made out of them. But what can be made of such -a non-entity as I am--I, who cannot even be seen with the naked eye? -Nothing, absolutely nothing!...' And all the tiny person of the Screw -quivered with grief. - -At that moment there ran into the workshop a little boy and girl, the -children of Karl Ivánovich. Their father had gone to fetch his pipe; -his assistant, Yegór,[5] had also left the shop, and the children had -a chance to enjoy a peep at the wonders of the workshop, into which -Karl Ivánovich generally would not let them come. The boy ran up to his -father's bench and began quickly examining the things lying upon it. - - [5] _Yegór_ means George in Russian. - -'Look, look at the little Screw!' he said to his sister in a loud -whisper, turning to take the blue steel Screw from the watch-glass. - -'Don't touch! Don't touch; you'll drop it!' whispered the little girl, -half frightened, but also looking inquisitively at our Screw. - -'What next! Drop it!' repeated the boy, mimicking her. 'We're not all -such butter-fingers as you!' and in a fit of obstinacy he picked up the -Screw. But the Screw was so small that the boy could scarcely hold him -with the tips of his fingers. - -'Indeed, you'll drop it!... Papa will be cross!...' continued the -little girl in the utmost anxiety. - -Suddenly they heard the creaking of Karl Ivánovich's boots in the next -room, and he blew his nose as loud as if it were a trumpet. The boy -started, and dropped the Screw from his fingers on to the floor. - -'Aha! aha! There, you see! I told you so!' whispered the girl again. - -'Hush!' answered her brother, also in a whisper, stooping down to -look for the Screw. But it was too late; Karl Ivánovich came into the -workshop, and in his presence the boy was afraid to show what he had -done. - -Our Screw, meanwhile, lay on the floor, and did not grieve over what -had happened. - -'It is all the same,' he thought,--'to be crushed under somebody's -foot, or to go through a whole life such a feeble and useless creature -as I am!' - -Just at that moment Karl Ivánovich came into the workshop, puffing -at his pipe. He was a thorough German, with a flat, red face, and an -embroidered cap with a tassel. Although he had lived in Russia for -about thirty years, and owed his good fortune to Russian people, yet -he had not learnt Russian properly, and thought even that it was a -merit not to know it. He was of the opinion that the Russians were mere -cattle; and when he contrived to gain 50 per cent in selling some watch -to a Russian, this was in his eyes one proof more how right he was to -think contemptuously of the nation. He therefore always spoke German -in his domestic life. - -'_Kinder, fort! fort!_' said Karl Ivánovich sternly. But observing at -once from the frightened faces of the children that something must be -amiss, he frowned still more severely, and going up to the bench, began -inspecting it closely. - -'What mischief have you been up to here, eh?' asked the watchmaker. - -The children hung their heads in silence. - -Karl Ivánovich once more carefully examined his bench, and suddenly his -attention was caught by the watch-glass in which he had laid the wee -blue steel Screw. - -'Where's the Screw? Who has taken the Screw?' shouted Karl Ivánovich at -the top of his voice. - -The little girl got frightened for her brother and began to cry -bitterly; the boy remained silent. - -'Well, are you going to speak or not?' cried the watchmaker, still -louder. - -'It's on the floor,' whispered the girl. - -'That was you dropped it, I'll be bound!' said the watchmaker, shaking -his finger before his little son's face. The boy still held his tongue, -and only hung his head lower and lower. - -'_Oh, welch ein wilder Bube!_' cried Karl Ivánovich in a fury. 'Do you -understand what you've done? It was the only screw of that kind that I -had left, and the new order has got delayed on the journey here. How am -I to mend the chronometer from the telegraph station now, eh?' - -'Papa, it was _so_ tiny,' said the little girl through her tears; she -wanted to say something in her brother's defence and did not know what -plea to put forward. - -'_Oh, du dummes Ding!_' cried the angry watchmaker. 'Do you suppose -because the Screw is small it's of no consequence? Why, can't you -see the value of it is just that it's so small; nothing else will -go into the hole. Without it I can't screw the pieces together in -the chronometer, and how long do you think it will go without being -screwed? Can't you understand that, you little goose?' - -Ah! with what joy our little Screw listened to this speech as he lay -on the floor beside the bench. He was not ill-natured, and felt very -sorry for the children when Karl Ivánovich scolded them so; but how -could the little creature help rejoicing when his dearest wish was thus -suddenly fulfilled? He had been grieving because he was so small, had -been ashamed of his weakness, and had believed himself utterly useless. -He had so longed to be useful--even as useful as any lump of metal that -has not been made into anything; but he had thought himself incapable -even of that.... And now it appeared that he, small as he was, could -be as useful as a first-rate chronometer! Yes, for without him, the -tiny Screw, the chronometer itself would not keep time properly. - -The Screw was wild with joy; he positively choked with delight! - -Soon, however, his rapture was changed into terrible anxiety. Karl -Ivánovich made the children look for the lost Screw, called his -assistant to look too, and finally, straddling his short legs apart, -and leaning his red hands on his knees, stooped down himself with a -magnifying-glass at his eye, and began carefully inspecting the floor. -But all their searching was in vain: the whole four of them looked, -crawled over the floor, felt about with their hands quite close to the -Screw, and could not find him. - -'Oh dear!' thought the poor little fellow, 'what if they don't find me -after all? That would be terrible!' - -It would indeed be terrible; after passing through such bitter -moments, to be at the very point of reaching the utmost possible -happiness, and then after all to miss it and be crushed under a dirty -boot! He would have cried out, 'Here I am! here!' but did not know how -to do that in human speech. - -In his extremity the little Screw looked up at the mighty magician who -ruled over all the clocks. As before, the magician was gravely turning -his eyes from side to side, watching over his kingdom. - -'Oh great, good magician! king of time! benefactor of men! surely thou -wilt not let me perish here for no cause, when I too might be of use? -Help me, oh help me, to be found!' entreated our wee friend. - -The magician glanced benevolently down on the poor little Screw, and -instantly raising his left hand to command attention, began striking on -his bell with the hammer he held in his right; the cat at once began -to mew. - -A ray of sunshine fell through the window straight upon the magician. -When he raised and dropped his hammer, the ray flashed on its smooth -surface and was reflected from it right on to the Screw. The Screw -glittered like a spark of fire, and Karl Ivánovich's little girl cried -out joyfully, 'I've found it!' - -Karl Ivánovich instantly picked up his recovered treasure with a -pair of small pincers and laid him again in the watch-glass. Then he -sat down at his bench and set to work at the telegraph chronometer. -Presently came the turn of our Screw; the watchmaker picked him up -again with the pincers, placed him in a hole in one part of the -chronometer, and screwed him tight with a delicate little screwdriver. - -On finishing his work Karl Ivánovich wound up the watch, held it to -his ear and listened. It was ticking away merrily, and our Screw sat -firmly in his place and held the pieces together as a conscientious -screw should. Then the watchmaker hung up the chronometer in a glass -case to be tested. - -One morning, about a fortnight afterwards, the outer door of Karl -Ivánovich's shop opened, and the director of the telegraph station came -in. - -'Good morning, Karl Ivánovich,' he said; 'what about my watch?' - -'It's ready--quite ready.' - -'And goes well?' - -'Goes perfectly. There was just one screw wanting, and I've put it in. -That was the whole matter.' - -The telegraph director opened the inner lid of the watch and looked -at our Screw; then he shut the lid again and put the chronometer into -his waistcoat pocket. It ticked bravely, and the little blue steel -Screw sat in his hole, saying to himself joyfully: 'And I, too, am of -use!' - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -THE DREAM - - -There once lived a little boy called Basil. He had a good mamma, -who worked hard to educate her child. They lived alone: they had no -relatives, no servants. His mamma tried never to leave Basil alone in -the evening; when she had some work to carry to her employer she always -tried to do it in the daytime. - -A friend once presented Basil's mamma with a ticket for the theatre. -This took place in her absence. When she returned home Basil met her -with great joy. 'Mamma dearest, _Petr Petróvich_ (Mr. Peter) has -been here and left a ticket for you. You shall go to hear the opera -to-night. You like the opera, don't you?' - -'But, my dear boy, what shall I do with the ticket? I cannot go.' - -'And why, mamma?' - -'Why, I can't leave you all alone at home; if we had two tickets we -could both go; but without you I can't go.' - -'No, no, you must go, mamma,' insisted Basil. - -'No, my darling, I can't leave you,' said his mother, sighing; 'you -would be afraid, and something might happen to you.' - -'You might ask Mrs. _Lookina_ to stay with me.' - -Mrs. Lookina was their neighbour, living on the same landing in the -same large house. - -'It is hard to be under an obligation to any one, my dear; the last -time when I had to take home some hurried work I asked Mrs. Lookina to -stay some time with you. I cannot do so too often; she has work of her -own.' - -'Then I shall stay alone, and will not be afraid,' answered Basil; 'and -if anything happens, I shall call Mrs. Lookina; and if nothing happens, -I shall not call her.' - -Basil's mother saw very well that the boy wished her to go to the -theatre. She was much pleased; she kissed him tenderly, but did not say -what she intended to do. But by the glance she cast at the ticket, the -way she put it aside, the sigh which followed, Basil understood all -very well; his mamma would very much like to go to the opera, and it -was hard for her to deprive herself of so rare a pleasure, which she -could now have for nothing; but yet she could not decide to go. Basil -was so disappointed that tears were ready to fall. - -'Oh mamma! you often said that we must help one another, and not find -it difficult. You made a collar for Mrs. Lookina.... And if you do not -go to the theatre I shall cry,' he added, quite unexpectedly beginning -to weep. - -'Don't, dearest, don't cry,' said his mother, taking her boy on her lap -and kissing him; but the child wept, repeating continually: - -'Poor mamma, you never can go to the theatre--you would so much like to -go; I know it.' - -'Well, well, I will go; only don't cry.' - -Then his mamma went to Mrs. Lookina and asked her to give Basil some -tea, put him to bed, and stay with him until her return. When she was -dressed she kissed her boy and set off. - -Soon it was tea-time. Mrs. Lookina never before had had to give Basil -his tea, and did not know that he took very weak tea. She poured him -out some strong tea, and as the boy liked it very much, he took more of -it than usual. Basil well remembered what his mamma said, and did not -wish to tire Mrs. Lookina, so he told her he would undress himself and -go to bed, and she might lock the door from the outside and go home. - -'I shall not be afraid,' concluded he; 'and if anything happens, I -shall knock like this.' - -'But why, my boy? I can stay with you,' answered the neighbour. - -'No, no, you have some work at home,' said Basil, and wrapping himself -up in his quilt with decision, he closed his eyes and said: 'There, I -am asleep already.' - -'Very well, my boy,' said Mrs. Lookina, smiling; 'but you must promise -me to knock as soon as you need anything.' - -'Yes, yes; I shall knock this way,' and kneeling up on his bed, Basil -showed how he would knock. - -Mrs. Lookina left him. Basil heard her leaving their lodging, taking -the candle with her; heard her locking the door. And now Basil was -alone. All was quiet around. He opened his eyes; all was dark. Basil -felt uneasy, to tell the truth, but he tried not to think about it; he -again closed his eyes, and turned his back to the wall. A long time he -lay thus, and the strong tea he had taken kept him awake. He began to -rock himself slightly in his bed and sing-- - - 'Sleep, sleep, come to me. - Sleep, sleep, take me now. - Sleep, lull me into sleep.' - -Basil repeated these words several times, and all at once it seemed -to him as if the room were not as dark as before. He opened his -eyes wide, and was lost in astonishment. The room was full of pale -light--something like moonlight--and not far from his bed Basil noticed -a queer little being. It was a tiny little old man, not more than six -inches high. He wore a short jacket made of red corn-poppy petals; -his trousers were of the same material; his arms and legs were very -thin, like poppy stems, and he wore green stockings; his shoes and -gloves were composed of green poppy leaves. But the Old Man's head was -the most interesting part of his little person. It was a little round -head, perfectly bald and brown, just like the dried fruit of a poppy. -On his head there was a crown such as you see in the poppy. His face -was brown also; it was calm and kind. He smiled fondly as he looked on -Basil. Above the Little Man's head trembled a bluish flame, from which -spread an agreeable light about the room. This flame did not touch the -Old Man's head, but it followed him. When the Little Man stooped, the -flame stooped also; when he rose, it rose with him. - -[Illustration: "_Not far from his bed Basil noticed a queer little -being._"] - -'You called me?' asked he of Basil. His voice was so agreeable, and -sounded so like that of an old acquaintance. - -'I--I--don't know,' stammered the child. - -'But you could not fall asleep, and you kept repeating-- - - '"Sleep, sleep, come to me. - Sleep, sleep, take me now. - Sleep, lull me into sleep."' - -'Yes, Mr. Old Man, I have been repeating all this, but I did not mean -to disturb you; it is hard to be under an obligation to any one. I am -not afraid to be alone, Mr. Old Man.' - -'Oh!' said the Old Man, smiling, 'where did you learn such words; of -all things, as _to be under an obligation_? He! he! he!' - -'No, no, Mr. Old Man; you see, I told Mrs. Lookina to go home. Why -should I disturb you? You have your own business.' - -'Ho! ho! ho!' laughed the Old Man. 'What a sensible young man you are! -But don't trouble yourself about this. My duty consists in being where -people want to sleep, so you only help me to do what I ought to do. You -want to sleep, don't you?' - -'Yes, Mr. Old Man.' - -'And so I will put you to sleep if you like, soundly.' Then the Little -Old Man began to blink with evident enjoyment, and to yawn slowly and -loudly. Somebody immediately yawned in answer, and Basil, who had also -a great desire to yawn, looked around. He saw to his great astonishment -that at the foot of his bed sat a new old man. It was he who had yawned -in answer to the first Old Man. - -This Old Man much resembled the other, only he was a little smaller. -His jacket and trousers were made of lilac poppy petals instead of red -ones, and he had no light on his head. - -'Listen, Basil,' said the little lilac-coloured creature, and with a -gentle voice, like a mother telling fairy tales to her child, he began -to speak: - -'A gnat was born on the moors. It stood on its thin little legs, it -spread its wings, and thought to itself: "It is time to fly after some -booty! If I meet a man or a bull, I will eat him up." - -'The gnat flew away, spread its little legs in the wind, and vanished. -Hardly anybody would notice it--so small, and thin, and weak it was. -Nevertheless, as it flew, it blew its own trumpets-- - - '"Fi-fo-fum! - Here I come! - I will slay - Man and beast! - I will feast - All the day!" - -'Whether the gnat flew for a long or a short time no one knows. Anyhow -it came to a reddish mound. This was a heap of bricks. Some time ago a -hut stood here, but the hut had been burnt down; its brick stove had -fallen to pieces, and now stood in view--a heap of fragments. The gnat -looked at the mound and thought: "This is a fine portion; it will just -suit my appetite." It flew with all its might, settled on a brick, then -flew on to another, and tried to drive its proboscis into it. The gnat -held the brick fast, and fought with its proboscis the best it could; -but it found it hard. Brick was brick, you know; it was not soft stuff. -The gnat raced from place to place. It tried the brick in every way, -but without avail. - -'"No," thought the gnat, "this does not please me; it is not worth -while troubling about." It moved on again, and flew away. It flew on -and blew its own trumpets-- - - '"Fi-fo-fum! - Here I come! - I will slay - Man and beast! - I will feast - All the day!" - -'Presently the gnat came across something large and high, surmounted -by a sharp-pointed deep-green dunce's cap. It was a fir-tree with resin -oozing out. - -'The gnat thought: "This is more in my line; this will suit my -appetite; I will begin at this yellow spot." - -'It flew towards the resin, and, settling down, drove its proboscis -into it. Oh, wonder! It was bitter and sticky. The gnat after a great -effort dragged its proboscis out, and then tried to free its legs. It -tugged and tugged, and managed to free five, but could not succeed with -the sixth. - -'The gnat got angry. "Let go," he called to the fir-tree; "I know a -trick worth two of that." But the fir-tree held the leg tight. The gnat -got still angrier; dashed about until its leg came off, and then flew -away with only five legs; the sixth had remained in the resin. It flew -on, and again blew its own trumpets-- - - '"Fi-fo-fum! - Here I come! - I will slay - Man and beast! - I will feast - All the day!" - -'A tale is quicker told than actions can be done. - -'Our gnat flew over hill and vale, furrowed fields, green meadows, -quick flowing rivers, and whispering woods. It flew along roads, past -cornfields. Nowhere did it find anything profitable. In the meantime -some fine raindrops began to fall. The gnat was not dejected; it -hurried on. Suddenly it met a whole herd of cattle; the young calves -went on in front and the large oxen behind. The gnat's eyes glistened. -It wished to settle on the first calf and fix its proboscis into it, -but it bethought itself: "I see you are small, little calf; it is -better to eat a big ox." He began to examine the oxen. The herd went on -and the gnat still looked around. This one seemed too thin--that one, -though stout, yet not big enough; then came one that looked worse than -the preceding ones. Thus all passed by, and the gnat had not made a -choice. - -'It suddenly flew after the herd, for the purpose of settling down -on the first it could reach. But now it met with a new misfortune. -The rain soaked its wings and made them heavy; it could not fly any -farther, and got angry and began to scold the rain: "So you intend to -wet my wings? you cannot find another place to drop on? Beware! do you -think to take me in with your tricks?" The gnat had hardly spoken thus, -when a large drop of rain fell on its back and maimed it; it was choked -by its last word, and fell head over heels on to the grass. - -'Nobody knows how long the gnat remained there. Anyhow, when the bright -sun peeped out from the clouds and shone upon the earth, the gnat -contrived to creep out of the grassy thicket and to dry itself. Then it -flew on farther, and again, flying, it blew its trumpets-- - - '"Fi-fo-fum! - Here I come! - I will slay - Man and beast! - I will feast - All the day!" - -Suddenly it perceived before it, at some distance, a mare harnessed to -a cart, moving on slowly. A peasant was sitting in the cart. - -'The gnat rejoiced: "Now I can eat my fill; when I shall have dined -off the man I'll taste the horse." So it flew straight on to the man's -forehead, and stung with all its force. - -'The peasant passed the palm of his hand over his forehead, crushed the -gnat, and threw it behind the cart, and all was over with it.' - -The Lilac Old Man had finished his tale. - -'Basil, are you not asleep?' asked the first Old Man. - -'Not yet, Mr. Old Man,' answered Basil. - -'Do you wish to sleep?' - -'I do.' - -'Aaa!' yawned the Red Old Man. - -'Aaa!' yawned after him the Lilac Old Man. - -'Aaa!' yawned after them Basil. - -'Aaa!' yawned yet another near them. When Basil looked round he saw -that a third old man sat on his pillow, looking exactly like the two -others; the only difference was that his coat and trousers were of -white poppy petals. The White Old Man smiled caressingly, laid his hand -on Basil's head, and Basil could not refrain from closing his eyes and -smiling back at him. Meanwhile the new old man gently rocked himself. -Basil heard him sing a little song in a very soft and lulling voice: - - 'Gentle dreams with pinions light - By the window did alight, - Whisp'ring through their tresses bright: - 'Has sweet sleep been here to-night?" - Wearied out a sick man lies - Tossing on a fever bed, - Gazing with wide, hopeless eyes - Through the darkness thick and dread. - Fairy dreams come trooping, shining, - Hand in hand with quiet sleep, - And their tresses, intertwining, - Softly o'er his pillow sweep, - Till his eyelids sink and close - While their song around him flows: - "Sleep, oh sleep! - Night and rest - From thee keep - Sprites unblest! - When to-morrow - Sunbeams peep, - Be thy sorrow - Laid asleep!" - - * * * * * - - 'Gentle dreams with pinions light - By the window did alight, - Whisp'ring through their tresses bright: - "Has sweet sleep been here to-night?" - - 'See! A haggard seamstress, bending, - Bloodless cheek and aching head, - O'er the toil that, never ending, - Hardly gives her children bread. - Cometh sleep, and from her fingers - Steals away the half-turned seam, - And with noiseless footstep lingers, - Weaving many a joyous dream, - Till her eyelids sink and close, - While their song around her flows: - "Work is over! - And we hover - Round thee lightly, - Bringing nightly - Short relief, - Till thy grief - Again is born - With each new morn!" - - * * * * * - - 'Gentle dreams with pinions light - By the window did alight, - Whisp'ring through their tresses bright: - "Has sweet sleep been here to-night?" - - 'No! I hear a baby crying, - Though the curly little head - Long ago should have been lying - Cradled in a cosy bed. - Fairy dreams come round him flocking, - And on many a snowy arm - Lift and bear him, softly rocking, - Covering with kisses warm, - Till his eyelids sink and close, - While their song around him flows: - "Hush, my sweetest! - Shut thine eyes - Till thou greetest - Fair sunrise, - Till dawn's hour - Laughs again; - Like a flower - After rain!"' - -The White Old Man had long finished singing, but Basil was still -listening, longing for more; it pleased him so much. - -'Basil, are you asleep?' suddenly asked the Red Old Man, in a low voice. - -'Not yet, Mr. Old Man,' answered Basil. - -'Do you wish to sleep?' - -'I do.' - -Here the Red Old Man yawned again very loudly; then the Lilac one -yawned; and the White one did the same. Basil also yawned. But then -it seemed as if he heard another yawn still louder than the others -very near to him, somewhere above. Basil looked round and saw on the -side rail of his bedstead, above his head, a fourth old man, who was -dangling his legs. He much resembled the Lilac and White Men, but he -was dressed in many colours. - -The old man smiled, and strewed, as if in fun, many, many poppy petals -on Basil. - -Basil felt so very sleepy that he hardly could keep his eyes open; yet -he wished very much to look at the new old man. - -'Shut your eyes, and I will show you my pictures,' whispered the -Many-Coloured Old Man, and poured a whole handful of poppies on Basil. - -The boy closed his eyelids gladly, and at once saw a beautiful street -in which mamma never allowed Basil to walk alone. - -Now Basil went along with both his hands in his pockets. One pocket was -full of apples, the other full of pears. Basil took them out by turns, -first one and then the other, and ate to his great content. When he -got tired of the fruit he felt nuts in his pockets instead of apples, -and dates and dried figs instead of pears. After a while he could not -help thinking of sweets. And as soon as he did so the nuts turned into -chocolate, and the dates and figs into sugar-candy. - -Besides this, at every curbstone stood a prettily-dressed girl, very -like those who served Basil at the confectioner's when _Petr Petróvich_ -took him there and offered him some choice morsel. - -One regaled him with grapes, another with ice cream, a third with -pineapple, a fourth with strawberries, and a fifth with apricots; and -so on. - -Basil walked on gaily, looking around on all sides, and taking a good -piece from each plate. What was the most wonderful was that he never -suffered after it. - -Basil walked on and on in the happiest frame of mind. Nevertheless -he could not help noticing that the street was somewhat long. He had -hardly thought this when he perceived that the street had vanished, -and he stood in the middle of a toy-shop. Goodness me! what beautiful -things he saw there! Drums, swords, guns, mechanical dogs, balls, -furniture, rocking-horses, loto, pictures--a regular furnished -house.... But no! let us stop enumerating. It would be impossible -to remember all the splendid things displayed in the shop. Basil's -eyes were simply dazzled at the cupboards and shelves. After a good -while, when he had surveyed all these treasures, his attention became -attracted by a crossbow with a steel spring, a capital bowstring, -and the butt end well polished. Next to the crossbow was a quiver -attached to a strap with all sorts of arrows. For a long time Basil had -longed for such a bow. With this bow you might hit any mark, and you -might even, if on the watch, shoot the raven that was in the habit of -stealing small chickens from the yard. Basil had seen just such a bow -at a little friend's house. How easy it was to shoot with it! Basil had -asked his mamma to buy him such a bow, but his mamma said she could -not afford it; it cost five roubles.[6] And now Basil saw his pet bow -in the shop. Suddenly the door creaked, and Basil's mamma entered. -She paid down the money, took the bow and the quiver, and walked out. -Basil was so overjoyed that he nearly jumped out of his bed; but at the -same moment the shop vanished from his sight, and in its place stood -a shoemaker's workshop, where his mamma used to order her boots. How -happy he was walking with her and holding his bow in his hands. He -looked around on all sides, and thought all other people were happy to -see him with his beautiful bow. Suddenly he perceived how greatly he -was mistaken, for he saw the master of the workshop, a rather short, -square-built man, standing before his apprentice, scolding him, and -preparing by his gestures to thrash him. The unhappy boy cried hard, -trembled with fear, and begged for mercy, but the master was angry, and -did not listen to him. Seeing some visitors, the master in a moment put -on an amiable expression, turned to them, and threw away the strap. The -trembling apprentice drew back towards the door. Basil pitied the boy -dreadfully. He went up to the poor fellow and asked in a whisper, 'What -does he want to beat you for?' The boy did not answer, and drew back -towards the door with downcast eyes. Basil went after him and asked -again: 'Did you do anything?' - - [6] About twelve shillings. - -'I've done nothing, and I'm not guilty,' answered the apprentice, after -a long silence. - -'What does he want to beat you for then?' - -'Peter informed about me.' - -'Which Peter?' - -'The son of my master.' - -'Tell me all.' - -'My master bought Peter a bow--a beautiful bow like yours--and told -him to take care of it; and he broke it, and he pretended I had broken -it; and I swear I didn't.' (Here the boy made the sign of the cross in -token of his innocence.) 'The master is going to beat me,' he added in -a whisper, and the tears flowed from his eyes. - -'Now, don't cry,' said Basil, taking the apprentice by the hand. He -pitied the boy dreadfully, but he did not know how to console him. - -'It's all very well for you to say, Don't cry. If you felt his strap -you wouldn't talk like that; my master has a heart of stone.' - -Basil looked at his own bow; the bow was beautiful, and Basil had not -even had time to shoot with it. He sighed and turned away; it would be -too hard for him to part with his bow. But when the unhappy boy began -to cry again Basil could not bear it. He took him by the hand, and -said: 'Here you are; if you wish I'll give you my bow; you can give it -to your master, so that he won't beat you.' - -'How?' asked the apprentice, hardly believing that Basil would give up -his toy, and after looking at him attentively, added: 'Won't you be -sorry to give it up? It is such a beautiful bow. I know what to do: let -him beat me--I'm not afraid. Better keep it and allow me to shoot with -it. Peter never allowed me to shoot, but you will. I'm not afraid.' - -Basil pitied the boy still more, and called out: 'No, no, I don't -want it; take it;' and Basil put the bow in the apprentice's hands. -Immediately after the boy and the bow and the workshop vanished. The -Many-Coloured Old Man left off showing pictures, and at the same time -the Red Man asked in a well-known voice: 'Basil, are you asleep?' - -'No, Mr. Old Man,' answered Basil, with great difficulty. - -'With what Old Man are you talking?' asked the same voice, laughing. -Basil opened his eyes; it was already morning. The sun shone brightly -through the red cotton curtains at the window, and his mamma stood at -his bedside. - -'Mamma?' asked Basil, with wonder. 'Then it was all dream?' - -'What?' - -'The Little Old Man?' - -'Why, certainly it was;' and the mother tenderly kissed her boy. - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -BROWNY - -(A POPULAR OUKRAÏNÏEN TALE) - - -A certain peasant had a dog called Browny. So long as the dog was young -and strong his master fed him; but when he grew old, and the master saw -that he was no longer fit for a watchdog, he began to grudge him his -food, and turned him out of doors. Browny went out into the fields and -wandered on, not caring where--on and on he went, weeping bitterly. - -A wolf came up to him and asked: 'Why do you cry so?' - -'I have something to cry for,' answered the dog. 'So long as I was -strong, and could feed myself, I served my master truly and faithfully, -and now, when I have grown old in his service, he says: "Be off with -you!" Where am I to go now? I have not even the strength to catch a -hare.' - -'Ah, that's too bad!' said the Wolf. 'Now, look here: we wolves are -supposed to be downright robbers, because we have to procure our food -in some way or other. Yet I wouldn't do such a meanness as your master -did. Well, if he does not remember your faithful service, there is -another way of making him give you the food that you have honestly -deserved from him.' - -'Oh! if you could manage that, some day I would repay you for it!' -exclaimed poor Browny, licking his lips at the very thought of a good -dinner. - -'We'll manage it,' said the Wolf. 'When your master comes out into the -field with his family to reap the corn, his wife will lay down the -baby under a rick; you keep close by, so that I may know which is their -field. I will seize the child and run off; you rush after me and make -believe to snatch the child away from me, and I will let it go as if I -were afraid of you. Then everything will go as you wish.' - -No sooner said than done. At harvest-time the man came out into the -field with his family to reap. His wife laid down the baby under a -rick, took a sickle, and went with her husband to reap. Suddenly the -Wolf rushed up, snatched the baby, and ran off. Browny sprang out of -the corn and after him. The baby's father and mother were dreadfully -frightened: the father tore along, shouting, 'Catch him, Browny--bite -him! bite him!...' And Browny did his best: he caught up the Wolf, took -the child from him, and brought it to his master. - -'Good dog, Browny!' said the master. 'Oh you good dog! I thought he -wasn't fit for anything now, and see what a plucky fellow he is!' and -he took half a loaf and a piece of lard out of his bag and gave them to -Browny. - -In the evening the peasants went home, and Browny with them. When they -got in, the man said to his wife: 'Light the fire and make us some -buck-wheat dough-dumplings, with plenty of lard.' - -Browny's mistress made the dumplings--capital dumplings--so nice that -they would make your mouth water to look at them! The master gave -Browny a seat at the table as if the dog were his best friend, and -sat down beside him. Browny, on his part, made an agreeable face, and -expressed by his whole appearance that he would know how to behave -himself, even if he were the _starosta_ (elder) of the village. - -'Now, wife,' said the man, 'turn the dumplings out into the bowl, and -let us have supper!' - -The wife filled the bowl, and the husband put a helping for Browny into -a smaller bowl, and blew it a long time, so that Browny should not burn -his muzzle. He had become such an important person all of a sudden! - -Browny lived in peace and plenty, but he did not forget his benefactor, -the Wolf. He used to think: 'Perhaps the Wolf is wandering about the -steppes now, starving!' Then he would grow quite melancholy, and shake -his head, sighing. - -Meanwhile, Carnival came round, and the peasant began making wedding -preparations--his daughter was to be married. Then Browny shook off -all his melancholy. He went far away from the village, and called the -Wolf. When the Wolf came up, they hardly recognised one another: Browny -had grown fat and glossy, while as for the unhappy Wolf, he was thin, -worn-out--nothing but skin and bones; his fur hung in ragged tufts, and -his teeth chattered from hunger. When Browny looked at his friend his -heart ached for pity. - -'Come on Sunday evening, brother, to my master's garden-plot,' said the -Dog to the Wolf; 'I'll give you such a feast as you have not had in all -your life!' - -Now a good dinner was a rare thing to the poor Wolf; his eyes shone -with delight, and he felt quite sick with hunger. - -On Sunday evening the Wolf came to the place agreed upon. That very -evening was the wedding feast in the house of Browny's master. Browny -came out to his friend, and, seizing a moment when there was no one in -the cottage, led him in and hid him under the table. The feast began. -When the food was put on the table, Browny instantly snatched a big -hunch of bread and the best slice of roast meat and carried it under -the table. The guests shouted at him; some wanted to strike him; but -the master of the house stopped them, saying: 'Don't touch him; that -dog is allowed to do anything he likes; he saved my child, and I will -keep him till he dies!' That was just what Browny wanted: he pulled -all the best things off the table, and gave them to his friend--pies, -everything, even a bottle of _horílka_.[7] The _horílka_ made the Wolf -tipsy, and he said to Browny: - - [7] Oukraïnïen whisky. - -'I want to sing a song!' - -'Heaven forbid!' answered Browny; 'there'll be the devil to pay here! -I'll bring you a bottle of _nalívka_,[8] only hold your tongue!' - - [8] _Nalívka_--sweet pleasant Oukraïnïen liquor made of whisky - and fruit. - -But after drinking the _nalívka_, the Wolf grew merrier than ever. - -'You can do as you like,' said he; 'but now I am going to sing.' He -lifted up his muzzle, and such a howl as he set up under the table! - -Every one was terrified. Some ran right out of the cottage, some caught -up sticks and spades and wanted to kill the Wolf there and then. -Browny, seeing that it was a bad job, flew at his friend as if to -strangle him. Then the host called out to his guests: 'Don't hit the -Wolf, or you will kill my Browny. Let them alone; Browny will settle -the Wolf by himself.' - -The dog, meanwhile, struggling and pretending to bite, managed to get -his friend first out of the cottage, then out of the garden and right -across the fields. Then he stopped. - -'There, brother,' said he to the Wolf; 'you did me a good turn, and -I've done you one. Good-bye!' - -'Thank you!' said the Wolf. 'Good luck to you!' - -And so they parted. - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -THE OLD SWORD'S MISTAKE - - -Once upon a time there was a steel sword, whose blade was forged and -tempered in a most excellent manner. The handle was of precious wood, -with beautiful inlaid work of mother-of-pearl and gold. From his very -birth the Sword was in the service of a gallant knight; and a sturdy, -faithful sword he was. He fought for the sake of truth and of every -fair lady, and against all oppressors of the weak. All who, even by -word or glance, injured a lady dreaded the steel weapon: there was no -man, no arms in the world, whom the steel warrior feared. But the -valiant knight was killed in a hard fight, and the Sword remained lying -on the battle-field. There the wind blew sand upon him, and leaves, -fallen during the autumn from the neighbouring bushes, covered him. -And many long years he lay there buried and unseen, until a peasant -proposed to clear the ground, and his plough ran by chance against the -Sword. The first thing that the ploughman did was to utter an oath, for -his coulter, in striking against the stout weapon, received a notch. -Then the Sword was dug out, taken to town, and sold to an old curiosity -shop. The shopman hung the Sword on a nail. - -From his lofty resting-place the old warrior, in glancing about the -shop, saw in the corner of the hall a white lady of astonishing beauty. -She was clad only in a loose-fitting garment about her fair form. -Her neck, arms, and feet were bare; her hair was all combed back, -then caught up by a diadem, from which it hung down in a shower of -curls. She stood erect, and did not move. On her fair lips played an -enigmatic smile, while her beautiful arms hung loose beside her, and -her whole form seemed to breathe with free, powerful peace. One thing -alone appeared to the steel warrior somewhat strange: the fair one was -all white; her cheeks, eyes, hair; her hands and feet; her garments -and diadem,--all were like fresh snow. But this seemed only to give a -new charm to her beauty. The longer the old Sword gazed at the white -unknown woman, the brighter grew his blade, the more merrily danced all -the rainbow tints in his mother-of-pearl inlaid work, and the stronger -grew his wish to fight as of old for truth's and a lady's sake--nay, -for this very lady. - -The steel warrior longed to speak to the white beauty, but he did not -venture. 'I am so old,' he thought; 'so notched; even somewhat rusty -... while she is so fair!... No, no, it would not do. Methinks she -would not even mind me or look at me.'... - -Now the old Sword glanced at the lady in the corner, and she gazed at -him, smiling enigmatically.... - -'Oh,' thought the sturdy warrior, 'if only I could do something for -her!' But there seemed no chance of being of use to the fair creature. -The Sword could no longer bear such suspense. He summoned up all his -courage, and uttered in a faltering clang: 'Queen of my soul! tell -me what you desire. Only tell me, and I will do it; at least I will -attempt anything for you!' But the White Beauty remained speechless, -and only smiled enigmatically as before. - -'Why does she keep silence?' This was the question that tormented the -old Sword, and he looked at the fair lady with anguish. Oh how much -she might say if she would but speak! What power breathes through her -apparent calm! And her smile! what a rich soul it hides! Nay, if this -heavenly creature does not speak it is certainly only in consequence of -some spell laid upon her! And the old fighter looked around, pondering -over the question, Who could be the malicious sorcerer? It could not be -the gigantic snake, stuffed with tow, that stood in an opposite corner, -for its eyes were but glass, and though they say snakes fascinate birds -and little animals, they need living eyes for the purpose. Nor could it -be yonder ivory-headed cane near the shelf; it had the shape of an old -man's head in a nightcap, with saucy, black goggle eyes. The insolent -creature smiled, it is true, very mockingly, and was capable, as it -seemed, of any rude trick; but he was so placed as not to be able even -to see the White Lady. Somewhat higher than the Sword, hung on the same -wall a red-nosed man, with a mass of tangled hair upon his head. He -had a wine-glass in his hand, and he looked straight at the beauty with -winking, roguish eyes. But that fellow could not have bewitched the -lady either; he was too commonplace and good-natured for such a thing. -The old Sword had seen scores of such fellows in old times, when his -knight was banqueting in some wayside inn, or carousing in some friar's -cellar, after the conquest of a town. Revellers of those days were clad -differently, but they were evidently birds of the same feather. The -Sword even felt some special interest in the old toper--he seemed to be -a clever fellow. - -'Look here, old boy,' said the old warrior in a whisper to his -neighbour, 'who do you think has bewitched the lady in the corner?' - -'And why do you imagine the girl to be bewitched?' retorted the -red-nosed one, in a hoarse, loud bass voice, making no scruples about -the matter, though his companion evidently wished to speak in an -undertone. - -'H'm, h'm ... well, well!' said the old Sword; 'hold your peace! -indeed you speak too loud.... One must be more discreet in delicate -matters.... As to the spell, it is evident: have you not noticed the -lady to be absolutely silent?' - -'Well, what can she say if she has nothing to say? Ha! ha! ha!' - -'What!' roared the Sword, and was about to teach the reveller -politeness in his own way, but the latter checked his ardour with these -words-- - -'Listen to what I am going to tell you, old fellow: if you do not -intend to hear me quietly, why then do you ask my opinion?' - -This remark seemed to the Sword to be reasonable, therefore he -restrained himself and resumed his speech, though not without anger. - -'You have drowned your reason in wine, that's all. How can it be that -such a woman as this has nothing to say? Just look at her smile!' - -'But perhaps she does not know anything but how to smile enigmatically.' - -But such things the old warrior could no longer endure. Indeed, he -would have made a cut at the toper's red nose had he not been taken -down at that moment by the owner of the shop to show to some customer. - -'Very good indeed,' said the latter; 'but it is not to my taste. I like -this far better.' And the customer pointed to the White Beauty. - -'Ha! ha! ha!... I should think you do,' laughed the shopman merrily. -'It is my luck she cannot speak, else she would have been married long -ago, and I should have lost instead of gained by her.' - -'Ah!' thought the old Sword, 'here is the sorcerer; I might have -guessed it long ago. The owner of the shop is the mightiest here; he -may do with us what he will. And that hideous man intends to sell that -heavenly woman! But he shall smart for it.' - -The old Sword broke loose from the nail, and, flashing dreadfully with -his blade, struck the shopkeeper's shoulder. No doubt the man would -have been wounded had the blade been sharp. - -'Dear me,' cried the shopman, rubbing the injured spot, 'such a heavy -old fool! How did those knights in old times fight with such cudgels?' - -All of a sudden there arose a stir in the house. Along the passages and -staircases people were heard running to and fro, shouting 'Fire! fire!' -The owner of the old curiosity shop and his customer were rushing up -and down about the hall, not knowing what to do. At last one of them -seized a pot of withered geranium, and the other his rubbers, and both -hurried out. The White Lady stood near one of the windows with her -usual quiet smile, whilst on the window-sill there sat a pretty little -naked bronze boy. For many long years he had carried on his back a -basket, into which a candlestick was to be put. Though the boy, as I -have said, was only a child, he knew very well what 'fire' meant: he -knew it from the time when the bronze of which he was formed was melted -in a blast furnace. A deadly fear overspread his lovely face, and in a -tender, tinkling voice he addressed his pretty neighbour: 'Pray ... oh -pray ... throw me down into the street.... The fall can do me no harm, -I know ... but the fire will melt me.... Do, I beseech you; you have -only to raise your arm.' - -But the White Beauty remained silent and motionless. She continued to -smile in a most winning and most promising manner, but made no gesture, -uttered no sound. - -The old Sword also knew what 'fire' meant. How many times had he -witnessed in old times the conflagration of whole cities taken by -assault! He saw how unhappy citizens and desperate artisans fled from -their homes; how women sobbed and lamented when they saw the ruins, -and when their little ones were slaughtered or burnt. All this the old -Sword now remembered, and his steel blade ached at the thought: 'What -will happen to the White Lady?' - -The old curiosity shop was situated on the third floor, and the window, -near which stood the beautiful woman who charmed the Sword, was only a -few feet distant from the neighbouring roof. The old Sword collected -all his strength, swung on his nail, and flung himself through the -window, placing his handle on the sill and his point on the cornice of -the neighbouring house. - -'Queen of my soul, hasten! Pass along, treading upon me, and you will -be safe,' so he rang out in a trembling voice. The beauty smiled in -her enigmatic, winning manner, but did not utter a word or make a -motion. 'Make haste, I beseech you!' rang once more the anxious Sword. -'As soon as the fire reaches our hall my handle will be burnt, I shall -fall down, and your escape will be impossible.' - -But these words made on the lady as little impression as his previous -ones: she remained motionless and dumb, but smiling in a bewitching -manner. Suddenly several firemen hurried in and began to seize -everything that their eyes fell upon, and to fling it through the -windows without any distinction. First went the sardonic, goggle-eyed -old man on the cane, and, without injury, tumbled headlong down. Then -came the red-nosed old toper, smiling as usual, his wine-glass still -in his hand; he dashed against a broken stool, and the canvas on which -he was painted was torn to pieces. Scores of solid and fragile things -followed.... One of the firemen seized the Sword and threw him into -the courtyard below. The jagged fighter made several somersaults in -the air, and plunging into the earth stood upright. A few moments -he shivered and made a dull sound. But one thought overpowered him -now: 'What would be the fate of his lady?' All of a sudden he noticed -something white falling from the window, and ... recognised his -goddess: it was she! The old Sword uttered a groan. - -'Oh, why did she not speak? Why did she not avail herself of his -devotion? Why did she answer all his entreaties only by an enigmatic -smile? O Heavens, why?' At this very moment the White Lady fell down -upon the pavement and broke in two, just where men have a heart.... - -Many a time the old Sword had pierced men's hearts, and then their -hot blood flowed along his blade. He therefore cast a shuddering and -anxious look upon the fracture, expecting to see it bleed. He saw, -however, nothing but stone; the whole beauty consisted of marble.... -The marble was white as snow; it was irreproachably fair, but yet it -was only marble, and nothing more. - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -'MY OWN' - -(A Siberian Fairy Tale) - - -The banks of the Vagaï are beautiful--very beautiful[9]--in some -places at least. Steep, almost overhanging, and high as the walls of -a fortress bastion, they rise frowning above the river sternly; yet -they are fair with the rich verdure of the forest that crowns their -heights. This forest is of many kinds. The century-old fir-trees, with -trunks that three men could not gird with outstretched arms, rise in -straight, dark-red columns, so high that to look up at even the lowest -branches you must throw your head back till your hat falls off; beside -them the gray-barked aspens quiver in every leaf, as if frightened -at the twisted, snaky black trunks of the bird-cherry--the tree that -smells so sweet in early spring when the white blossoms cover it like a -sheet of snow. The gentle rowan is not noticeable for its height; its -feathery leaves are the only thing that could attract your attention. -But wait till autumn comes; then it is hung all over with clusters of -scarlet berries, and brightens up the forest. The mighty cedar, with -its long, grand sweeps of feathery needles, towers up higher even than -its comrade the fir; here and there beneath the trees is scattered -about an undergrowth of young pines, almost branchless, like bristles -or long sticks standing up out of the earth. But the commonest trees -in this forest are certainly silver birches. The trunks of these -birches stand out sometimes straight and slender, with delicate heads -of foliage, looking like cadets in their white shirts; sometimes -gnarled, branchy, knotted, with the air of a burly peasant, rugged with -labour. - - [9] The _Vagaï_ is one of the largest tributaries of _Irtýsh_, - a mighty stream, which flows into one of the most gigantic - rivers of Siberia, the Obi. - -Underneath, at the base of all these tree-trunks, so different in -thickness, height, and colour, all the ground is covered with masses -of bright flowers, and a carpet of grass that buries you waist-deep -when you walk. And the longer you look upon this forest scene the -more varied, the more exquisite, it appears to you. There are so many -beautiful shades of green--pale and delicate on the birch-trees, dark -on the cedars, almost black on the _pikhta_. Here the trees cluster -together on the river-bank, pressing one against the other, forming an -impassable barrier,--there they draw back, as if wearied of following -the course of the river, and leave a wide, open space, where you can -see the edge of the nearest bank, and the barren precipice of the -opposite one, also crowned with glorious green forest; and if you -advance to the edge you can see, far below, the torrent itself, swift -and mighty. - -Ah yes, the Vagaï is beautiful! And not only is it beautiful, but it -is a merry life there--in any case it is a merry life for the birds -who live there. So many joys are theirs! The woodpeckers can find in -the bark of the trees (especially the old stumps of fallen trees) -fat caterpillars and beetles; for the snipe and woodcocks there are -endless strawberries, bilberries, cranberries, thick clumps of wild -oats and other edible grasses. The great cones, with their juicy nuts, -cluster on the branches of the pines and giant cedars, like candles -on a Christmas-tree, then late in autumn they fall to the ground. -The clear, fresh water of the Vagaï seems to call you to bathe and -drink. And then the bright sunshine, the transparent, fragrant air, the -green carpet of the forest, the joyous company of comrades, with whom -one can sing, chirp, hop, dart about, and fly like an arrow on light -wings. What more can heart desire? Living such a life, should one not -rejoice in this bright world, fling away all envy and malice, and share -together with one's fellow-creatures all the delights which our common -mother, Nature, gives? - -So thought all the birds of the forest tract we are speaking of, and so -they lived. Early, very early, in the morning, when the first scarlet -flush shone in the sky to herald the golden sunbeams, one little bird -would wake up and open its eyes, and there beside it another would -have begun fluttering its wings, drinking the bright dewdrops from the -leaves, pecking seeds from the grasses. Then the first bird would look -at its friend, thinking, 'There's plenty for all;' and it, too, would -begin chirruping, delighted to have a companion with whom to share -both its labour and its rest. And both together would dart off and -fly to the Vagaï to bathe. So the little birds lived happily, neither -quarrelling nor disagreeing, helping one another in their work and -dangers, and sharing together all that the bright world gave them. - -But this way of living and thinking did not suit a certain -broad-beaked, ponderous cedar-crow,[10] who had taken up her abode in a -huge cedar. - - [10] A rather large brown bird, with white spots, belonging to - the crow family. Its Latin name is _Nucifraga Caryocatœ_. - -This cedar stood apart in a glade, and the Cedar-crow liked it just on -account of its separate position. - -'I will settle here; this shall be _my_ estate. I don't want any one -else's property, and no one shall touch _mine_! It's comfortable and -private and nice!' The clumsy bird flew all round the cedar, and, being -satisfied with it, settled there. - -The Cedar-crow stopped there a day, two days ... the other birds darted -past, chirping, flying races, playing with one another, rejoicing -together in the good gifts of their mother-earth, the bright sun, and -the Vagaï, and the delights of companionship; but the thick-billed -Cedar-crow dared not leave her tree; there she sat watching that no -other bird should touch her private nuts. When a woodcock did but pass, -she flew to him in anxiety, crying out: 'Go away!--go away! There's -nothing here for you; go back where you came from! I don't touch your -things; you let _mine_ alone.' - -'But do you suppose the rest of the forest is only _ours_?' said the -Woodcock. 'You can have them too; of course any one may take as much -as they want. There's enough for every one.' - -'Yes, I dare say. _You_ can do as you like. But _I_ feel safer when I -have something of my _own_.' - -'Why, you foolish one!' exclaimed a thrush, which had flown up to them, -'we always live in whole companies--thousands together--and never cut -up things into "mine" and "thine"; and yet no harm happens to us.' - -'Yes; so long as there is plenty for all, but afterwards there's no -saying what will happen,' thought the Cedar-crow, though she did not -say so aloud. 'If the land is divided between all of us, how much will -each one have? Now I've got the whole of this huge cedar to myself; it -will last my time, and I can leave it to my children and grandchildren; -there will be more for them than for your fledglings....' - -'You're just gone silly with greediness,' said the other birds, and -flew away, chirruping and darting after one another in the air. But -the Cedar-crow, the forest landowner, seeing that she was alone, pulled -a cone from her cedar, and began picking out the nuts. She ate as much -as she could, and then returned to the work of guarding her estate. -She sat and looked about her, and occasionally flew round the tree, -constantly afraid that some one was touching her property. - -The time for nest-building came. All the birds paired and got to -work: one carried a feather, another a straw; each one wove in its -contribution properly; then they would hop about, chirp to one another, -and fly off together to fetch more material. - -The Cedar-crow became more anxious than ever. 'There!' she thought; -'they will lay eggs and hatch new fledglings, and they, too, will all -want to eat and drink; they will simply ravage my cedar. I shall have -nothing left!' - -She even left off going down to the Vagaï to drink. Yet she was -tormented with thirst: her tongue hung out; her eyes distended; she -could hardly breathe; and still she dared not leave her tree. She -endured it till nightfall. At night all the birds settled down to rest -sweetly after their day's work; only here and there an owl with great -round eyes would flit past. But the Cedar-crow could not go to sleep; -she had to fly to the river and drink; and this misery was not only -once--at dawn to-morrow it would begin again! - -At last the envious bird could bear it no longer. Clearly she could not -manage alone. She began thinking how to get out of the difficulty. It -occurred to her that it might be better to take another cedar-crow into -partnership with her, and build a nest; certainly it would be another -mouth to feed, but then the two of them together could guard their -property, and not lose a single cone. And even if they had fledglings, -it would still be better than now: in the first place, she would feel -safer; in the second place, with so many to keep watch, not a single -nut would be lost, let alone a cone. And the cedar was very big; it -would be enough for five, even ten families. - -The Cedar-crow polished her beak, pecked off a cone, glancing about her -as she did so, flew round the cedar, and settled herself to look out -for a mate. There, just opposite her, on a neighbouring fir-tree, sat -another cedar-crow, large and heavy, with a great strong beak. It sat -looking at the cedar; evidently it wanted some nuts. - -The forest landowner flew across to it, and began to explain: 'This is -my estate; no one has a right to touch it; but, if you like, I will -take you into companionship, if you will help me to guard our cedar -from intruders.' The male looked at the cedar-tree, and saw that it was -a fine one. 'You won't get such a cedar every day.' - -'All right,' said he; 'if one lets every one in to share in God's -blessings one will just starve. I've seen enough of these fools that do -nothing and lay by nothing: just fly in coveys, peck everything bare, -and there's not a thing left. I myself was just looking for a good -cedar, to take possession of it, and let no one come near.' - -They paired, and set to work to build their nest; one would bring the -materials, or go down to drink, while the other guarded the estate. - -Well, some time passed, and behold their little fledglings peeped out -of the nest. The old Cedar-crows were more anxious than ever about -their property; formerly they had only watched over the cones, now they -let no one so much as fly past the cedar-tree. - -But how were they to prevent the birds from ever flying past, when -forests and meadows and water alike swarm with them? The greedy birds -drove away their comrades day after day and the whole day long; by the -evening they could hardly move their wings for weariness. At last they -got worn out. What were they to do? They thought and thought, and at -last an idea struck them. - -The male Cedar-crow flew to the Plover. 'Call a meeting of all the -birds,' said he; 'on business.' - -'What business?' asked the Plover. - -'Well, that doesn't matter. Important business.' - -'But still, I must know why to call the birds to a meeting; may be you -want to disturb them for some trifle?' - -'Not for a trifle at all; we want to give up our claim to the forest.' - -'How do you mean "Give up your claim"?' - -'Why, simply to give it up! We are worried out of our lives. And all -because every one considers that we are their comrades, and that they -can poke their beaks into our place as if it were their own.' - -The Plover saw that there was something very strange, and not only -strange, but dismal. The more he thought of it, the worse it seemed -to him. However, there was nothing for it but to call a council. 'All -right,' he said; 'come again at this time to-morrow.' - -The next day the Plover flew over fields, pastures, and forests, -wailing more mournfully than ever: 'Pity! Pity! Pity!...' - -The birds, wondering at the melancholy cry, flew down in countless -numbers to the Vagaï; on all sides resounded chirruping and twittering. -Here the mellow call of the cuckoo predominated; there the elaborate -whistle of the goldhammer. The Cedar-crow, the forest landowner, was -there waiting. She came forward and made her speech-- - -'It is a custom among you, respected birds, to live together and hold -everything in common. That is your own affair; but we cannot live so. -We have children, and are bound to think of them and have something to -leave them. Among you every one snatches the food from his neighbour's -beak, and robs his neighbour without any question; and we find that -all this ends in nothing but anxiety. We don't want things that belong -to others, and we feel it hard when others give us no peace. So we -have resolved to announce to you that we want no part in your communal -forest, and will not touch it; we will not take from it a single seed -or stalk; but you, on your side, agree together that no one shall peck -our nuts, or perch on our cedar, or fly across our glade. This is our -request to you, respected birds.' - -When the Cedar-crow left off speaking there was silence: the birds sat -with their bills wide open, and could not utter a word for amazement. - -The first to recover himself was a starling. 'Why--you--idiot!' he -cried. 'Think yourself what a fool you are! All the wide world is here -before you, and you want to give it up for one little glade!' - -'Oh, the world! The world is not _mine_--it's _every one's_--not much -of it will fall to my share; it's all very well to be so sure! but -the cedar, if it is small, at least it's _mine_!' That is what the -Cedar-crow thought; but aloud she only said: 'Well, if you think it -better to possess the whole world in common than one little glade -separately, what is there to argue about? The world remains to you, so -it must be a good bargain for you; and there's nothing more to be said. -Then give us our glade, leave us in peace, and that is all we ask.' - -'You foolish creature!' exclaimed the other birds; 'he spoke for your -advantage; of course, your glade will be no loss to us; but it's -piteous to see a creature so blind! He only wanted to bring you to your -senses.' - -'You must have a lot of good advice to spare if you can give away so -much of it without being asked,' replied the Cedar-crow, polishing her -broad beak. - -Seeing that the Cedar-crow was hopelessly wrong-headed, the birds -talked the matter over, and decided that she and her mate should be -left in undisturbed possession of their cedar glade, and that no one -should approach within twenty fathoms of it. - -The Cedar-crows were delighted. Now, they thought, at last we shall be -at peace! And so they were. No one ever came near; they had no longer -any need to guard their cedar, or to do anything but eat, drink, and -sleep. The rest of their time they spent in gazing at one another, and -comparing who had the longest beak. Once it chanced that a nightingale, -coming from a far country to seek her lost mate (he had been trapped by -bird-catchers), flew to the cedar. She did not know of the agreement -among the birds of the Vagaï concerning the cedar glade, and she flew -into it. The Cedar-crows were so bored that they were almost glad to -see her! They flew out, however, and entered into a polite explanation. - -'You probably do not know of the agreement concerning this glade. No -one has the right to fly within twenty fathoms of it, because it is -_ours_. We have renounced our claim to all the rest of the forest, and -do not take a single seed or stalk from it; but this glade belongs to -us.' - -'Whatever is that for?' asked the Nightingale, in amazement. 'Why, -supposing there's a bad harvest on your cedar, what will become of you -then?' - -It was the first time that such a question had been put to the -Cedar-crows, and they did not know what to answer. - -'A bad harvest!' Indeed it was possible. It often happens that in -one place the harvest fails, and close by, or very near, such a -quantity ripens that it goes to waste. But the young birds reassured -their parents: on that cedar they had been hatched, and had grown up; -they had always lived upon its fruits; they had always seen it the -same--mighty and burdened with cones--could they imagine it different? - -'A bad harvest! What do you mean?' they cried in chorus. 'The harvest -cannot fail on our cedar!' - -'Of course it can't!' echoed the parent birds in delight. - -The Nightingale shook her little gray head, but made no further comment. - -'Then it is forbidden to fly here?' she said. 'I beg your pardon, I did -not know.' - -'Oh, we are not angry; indeed, as you are on a journey, we shall be -glad to offer you some refreshment,' replied the female Cedar-crow, -glancing at her mate; and she laid before the Nightingale a single nut. - -'Thank you,' said the Nightingale, and flew away without touching the -nut. - -The Cedar-crows settled down again to their ordinary life, and there -is no saying how long they would have gone on in the same way if a -runaway tramp had not happened to make a bonfire in the _taïgá_.[11] It -was a long time since he had enjoyed a hot drink, and he was thirsty. -He made some tea, drank it, and was just going to start on again, -when he heard bells, then a rustling sound and footsteps. The poor -fellow was terrified: 'The _Ispravnik_!'[12] he thought. 'I shall be -caught!' He rushed into the thicket, not stopping even to scatter the -burning brands or stamp out the embers. In the meantime a light wind -rose, the embers glowed, the dry pine-needles caught fire, and soon -the flames were creeping on from one fallen trunk to another--farther -and farther, wider and wider, licking the trees, curling round whole -thickets--and the _taïgá_ was on fire. That is a common thing in -Siberia. - - [11] Virgin forest in Siberia. - - [12] A police-officer, acting as chief of the district. - -For some time the Cedar-crows had noticed that the air was of a milky -colour. For some time the sun had been dull-red by day, and by night -they could see a far-off crimson glare in the sky. Now the smell of -burning was in the air, and still the Cedar-crows could not believe -that their estate was in danger of fire. It disturbed them far more -that innumerable birds began flying past their glade to the Vagaï; the -beasts, too, hurrying to the river, ran straight by the cedar.... Soon -it grew difficult to breathe, yet still the Cedar-crows could not bear -to part from their estate; they still dreaded lest some other birds -or beasts might take possession of their glade. At last, though, they -could bear it no longer; they were forced to go. But when, after all, -they made up their minds to leave the cedar, it was too late. The fire -attacked their glade from all sides at once, and when they attempted -to fly upwards they dropped, stifled with smoke, on to the ground. The -cool, green grass refreshed them, and, in desperation, they struggled -again to reach the river. But all around them rose terrible fiery -pillars, and the unhappy birds, scorched and half dead, sank again to -the ground, and rose no more. - -Presently rain began to pour in torrents, and put out the fire within -a few yards of the glade. That glade was now a dismal scene of ruin: -the tall grass was burnt brown, the mighty cedar was a charred and -naked corpse. All around stood the trees--aspens, birches, limes, and -bird-cherries--burnt to skeletons, or with dead and shrivelled leaves -hanging from them here and there. Mournfully they raised their barren -branches towards the heavens, as though praying for mercy; and thus, -with lifted hands, they perished. - -But beyond that bare skeleton thicket stood in the distance the fresh -and untouched forest. The female Cedar-crow, lying helpless on the -ground, gazed upon it despairingly. Beside her lay her fledgling--the -only one left alive. He was feebly fluttering his scorched wings and -uttering piteous cries. - -'Oh, if only some of the birds would come to us!' thought the unhappy -mother; 'surely they would have pity on my child, and would carry him -down to the waterside and feed him. He would recover there; he would -not die of hunger and thirst!...' - -But no one came near the glade. All the birds remembered the general -agreement: not to disturb the Cedar-crows in their seclusion, and not -to approach within twenty fathoms of their estate. And not one of the -birds knew what had happened to the Cedar-crow family. - -When the bright sun rose next morning no one of that family saw -it--they were all dead.... - -Meanwhile the other birds, leaving the fire-ravaged places for other -parts of the forest that were still fresh and green, rejoiced as -formerly in the fair world, sharing everything together; and far along -the clear Vagaï the air was filled with their joyous and friendly -twittering. - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -THE TALE ABOUT HOW ALL THESE TALES CAME TO LIGHT - - -In our times, but not in this country, there lived a little girl, with -a pair of brown eyes that shone like two big radiant stars. Every time -that she looked with those eyes on her father or her mother, and a -sweet smile beamed on her countenance, the father's and mother's souls -brightened, and it seemed to them as if music, which nobody heard -except themselves, resounded in their hearts. - -Very often on such occasions the father took his beloved girl on his -lap, kissed her tenderly, and asked what she would like. - -'I should like you to tell me a fairy tale,' invariably answered the -little girl, pressing her rosy face to her father's breast. - -'That is in our hands. We can afford that,' answered her father. - -Then he tried to recall what he had ever read or heard from his -grandmother or other old folk, and related some story, while the little -girl listened attentively. Her big eyes became still larger; they -beamed like a pair of evening stars, and she now and then slightly and -slowly nodded, taking to heart everything that happened in the story. -If her father told of some evil, unjust person, she exclaimed: 'I do -not like him!' But if the story ran about some one kind-hearted and -good, she was very glad of it, and said: 'That is good!' - -And again it was as if beautiful music resounded in her father's soul. -He saw that his little one was grieved with other people's grievances -and rejoiced in other people's happiness. He saw how she pondered over -what he said, and he thought of the time when they, the father and -mother, will grow old, while their little one will become a grown-up -girl. They will live together, as to-day, in mutual love and thorough -friendship. Yet then it will be she, their sweet daughter, that will -take care of them and feed them, as they now take care of her and feed -her. And the father again pressed his lips on his beloved pet's head. - -As for the mother, she was never weary of caressing her child and doing -everything for her. But as she had to take care also of the father -and of our girl's baby-sister, who had a pair of eyes like two little -suns, she very often was quite exhausted towards the close of the day. -Therefore when the little girl with starlike eyes went to bed, and, -clasping her mother by the neck with both her hands, asked her to tell -some fairy tale, her mother could not recall any.... Still the little -girl repeated her request again and again.... - -Then the father said to the mother she should go and rest, while he sat -down at the child's bedside and tried to narrate something. - -At last there came a day when all the stories he ever knew were at an -end, while the little girl still entreated for one. The father looked -in his girl's big, starlike eyes and saw that she could not sleep. He -looked also at the mother, who was worried out of her senses by daily -work; and now sat mending the baby's socks. It was evident some story -ought to be told. But what story? What about? - -The father looked around. A china cup was standing on the table. It was -half-broken, and he could not help thinking that it had had a trying -life. It had surely had its story. Well, what kind of a story was it? - -And after having pondered a little, the father told to his girl the -story of the cup, as he imagined it, and as you have found it in this -very little book. - -When he finished the little girl rose in her bed, with her starlike -eyes shining more than usual, and asked: 'Where did you get that story, -father? Did you read it somewhere?' - -'No; I just told it out of my head.' - -Then the little girl clasped her little hands around her father's neck, -kissed him most enthusiastically, and seemed to be very happy. - -Since that time father heard only too often the little girl ask him: -'Father, do tell me some tale of your own.' - -And so he did. But as he repeated his stories again and again he now -and then altered them, as he could not remember everything as he told -it the first time. And if the alterations were happy, the little -girl was pleased, but if he omitted anything, she said: 'You told it -differently the other day,' and would not be happy until he recalled -all the exact words and details of his best narrative. - -Then it became clear that the father should write his stories down. -After having written some new story he now read it to the girl with -a pair of stars instead of eyes, and sometimes she most emphatically -objected to some turn of the story. - -'You wrote it wrongly,' she said on such occasions; 'you must alter it -thus and thus.' - -And indeed the father altered until she said it was all right. - -One morning a little boy came to visit our little girl, his great -friend. They ran about and played together all the forenoon; but in -the afternoon, when her father lay down on a couch to take a moment's -rest, he was struck by the general stillness which was reigning in the -house. To tell you the truth, the boy was a real mischievous monkey, -and there was little hope to have any peace in the house as long as he -was in it. Still, the fact was that everything was quiet, and only in -the neighbouring room the star-eyed girl's voice sounded in an even, -moderate tone. - -The father got up, and went on tiptoe to the next room to look what all -this meant. He saw his little girl sitting on a footstool; her visitor -was beside her on a box, and was all attention. - -... 'A-a-a! yawned the Little Old Man, ...' related the little hostess, -showing to the boy how the old man did yawn.... - -At this moment she perceived her father on the threshold. - -'I am telling him your fairy tale about the little old men, you know,' -she said to her father, and then there was a pause, with a lingering -smile on her face. - -'Well, go on,' said the boy, pulling her by the sleeve. - -The father returned to his couch, and there was a smile on his face -too. He saw clearly that there was something in his stories which made -little folk breathe with indignation, compassion, or joy, when they -heard them. He well knew what it was. He put a good deal of his soul -into his tales, and this soul, coming into contact with those little -souls of his readers, made them bound with delight, or long for redress -of some injustice. Was it not a joy for him too? And if the little -girl with a pair of stars instead of eyes, and the boy, her friend, -found pleasure in his fairy tales, should not the other children have -an opportunity to try the same pleasure? Why should he not print his -stories? - -Thus he decided to print them. He sent them into a printing-office, and -before long a little volume came out of the press in many copies. The -little girl with starlike eyes read and re-read the book. Her little -friends, with blue, black, brown, or gray eyes, read and re-read it. -And when, after all that reading and all the chatter about it, bright -sparks of delight and animation appeared in those eyes, these sparks -found their way into his heart and warmed it up, and he too felt happy. - -Now, I did not tell you that all this happened in Russia, a far-away -country, and that when the man who wrote the stories came afterwards -to England, together with his daughter, he was sorry to find that he -had left all those children's sparkling eyes, shining with emotion when -reading his tales, behind. - -But then he was struck by the thought that in England there were as -many little souls and hearts as in Russia, nay, he has had already some -friends among these little souls both in England and in America; and -thus, perhaps, if he put his stories into English, he might see as many -smiling faces and radiant eyes after the book was read as he did in his -native country? He decided to try at once, and now here is the volume -before you. We will see whether the man was right. He would like to -hear something about it from you. - - - THE END - - - _Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, _Edinburgh_ - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHINA CUP AND OTHER STORIES FOR -CHILDREN *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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