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diff --git a/old/greyf10.txt b/old/greyf10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..af5b2c8 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/greyf10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11923 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Grey Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang, Ed. + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Grey Fairy Book + +Author: Andrew Lang, Ed. + +Release Date: October, 2004 [EBook #6746] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on January 20, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE GREY FAIRY BOOK *** + + + + +Scanned by JC Byers and Proofread by Wendy Crockett, Sally +Gellert, Christine Sturrock and JC Byers(www.wollamshram.ca/1001) + + + + + + The Grey Fairy Book + Edited by Andrew Lang + + + + Preface + + + +The tales in the Grey Fairy Book are derived from many countries- +-Lithuania, various parts of Africa, Germany, France, Greece, and +other regions of the world. They have been translated and adapted +by Mrs. Dent, Mrs. Lang, Miss Eleanor Sellar, Miss Blackley, and +Miss hang. ‘The Three Sons of Hali' is from the last century +‘Cabinet des Fees,' a very large collection. The French author +may have had some Oriental original before him in parts; at all +events he copied the Eastern method of putting tale within tale, +like the Eastern balls of carved ivory. The stories, as usual, +illustrate the method of popular fiction. A certain number of +incidents are shaken into many varying combinations, like the +fragments of coloured glass in the kaleidoscope. Probably the +possible combinations, like possible musical combinations, are +not unlimited in number, but children may be less sensitive in +the matter of fairies than Mr. John Stuart Mill was as regards +music. + + + + + + Contents + + + +Donkey Skin +The Goblin Pony +An Impossible Enchantment +The Story of Dschemil and Dachemila +Janni and the Draken +The Partnership of the Thief and the Liar +Fortunatus and his Purse +The Goat-faced Girl +What came of picking Flowers +The Story of Bensurdatu +The Magician's Horse +The Little Gray Man +Herr Lazarus and the Draken +The Story of the Queen of the Flowery Isles +Udea and her Seven Brothers +The White Wolf +Mohammed with the Magic Finger +Bobino +The Dog and the Sparrow +The Story of the Three Sons of Hali +The Story of the Fair Circassians +The Jackal and the Spring The Bear +The Sunchild The Daughter of Buk Ettemsuch +Laughing Eye and Weeping Eye, or the Limping Fox +The Unlooked for Prince +The Simpleton +The Street Musicians +The Twin Brothers +Cannetella +The Ogre +A Fairy's Blunder +Long, Broad, and Quickeye +Prunella + + + + + + Donkey Skin + + + +There was once upon a time a king who was so much beloved by his +subjects that he thought himself the happiest monarch in the +whole world, and he had everything his heart could desire. His +palace was filled with the rarest of curiosities, and his gardens +with the sweetest flowers, while in the marble stalls of his +stables stood a row of milk-white Arabs, with big brown eyes. + +Strangers who had heard of the marvels which the king had +collected, and made long journeys to see them, were, however, +surprised to find the most splendid stall of all occupied by a +donkey, with particularly large and drooping ears. It was a very +fine donkey; but still, as far as they could tell, nothing so +very remarkable as to account for the care with which it was +lodged; and they went away wondering, for they could not know +that every night, when it was asleep, bushels of gold pieces +tumbled out of its ears, which were picked up each morning by the +attendants. + +After many years of prosperity a sudden blow fell upon the king +in the death of his wife, whom he loved dearly. But before she +died, the queen, who had always thought first of his happiness, +gathered all her strength, and said to him: + +‘Promise me one thing: you must marry again, I know, for the good +of your people, as well as of yourself. But do not set about it +in a hurry. Wait until you have found a woman more beautiful and +better formed than myself.' + +‘Oh, do not speak to me of marrying,' sobbed the king; ‘rather +let me die with you!' But the queen only smiled faintly, and +turned over on her pillow and died. + +For some months the king's grief was great; then gradually he +began to forget a little, and, besides, his counsellors were +always urging him to seek another wife. At first he refused to +listen to them, but by-and-by he allowed himself to be persuaded +to think of it, only stipulating that the bride should be more +beautiful and attractive than the late queen, according to the +promise he had made her. + +Overjoyed at having obtained what they wanted, the counsellors +sent envoys far and wide to get portraits of all the most famous +beauties of every country. The artists were very busy and did +their best, but, alas! nobody could even pretend that any of the +ladies could compare for a moment with the late queen. + +At length, one day, when he had turned away discouraged from a +fresh collection of pictures, the king's eyes fell on his adopted +daughter, who had lived in the palace since she was a baby, and +he saw that, if a woman existed on the whole earth more lovely +than the queen, this was she! He at once made known what his +wishes were, but the young girl, who was not at all ambitious, +and had not the faintest desire to marry him, was filled with +dismay, and begged for time to think about it. That night, when +everyone was asleep, she started in a little car drawn by a big +sheep, and went to consult her fairy godmother. + +‘I know what you have come to tell me,' said the fairy, when the +maiden stepped out of the car; ‘and if you don't wish to marry +him, I will show you how to avoid it. Ask him to give you a dress +that exactly matches the sky. It will be impossible for him to +get one, so you will be quite safe.' The girl thanked the fairy +and returned home again. + +The next morning, when her father (as she had always called him) +came to see her, she told him that she could give him no answer +until he had presented her with a dress the colour of the sky. +The king, overjoyed at this answer, sent for all the choicest +weavers and dressmakers in the kingdom, and commanded them to +make a robe the colour of the sky without an instant's delay, or +he would cut off their heads at once. Dreadfully frightened at +this threat, they all began to dye and cut and sew, and in two +days they brought back the dress, which looked as if it had been +cut straight out of the heavens! The poor girl was thunderstruck, +and did not know what to do; so in the night she harnessed her +sheep again, and went in search of her godmother. + +‘The king is cleverer than I thought,' said the fairy; ‘but tell +him you must have a dress of moonbeams.' + +And the next day, when the king summoned her into his presence, +the girl told him what she wanted. + +‘Madam, I can refuse you nothing,' said he; and he ordered the +dress to be ready in twenty-four hours, or every man should be +hanged. + +They set to work with all their might, and by dawn next day, the +dress of moonbeams was laid across her bed. The girl, though she +could not help admiring its beauty, began to cry, till the fairy, +who heard her, came to her help. + +‘Well, I could not have believed it of him!' said she; ‘but ask +for a dress of sunshine, and I shall be surprised indeed if he +manages that! ‘ + +The goddaughter did not feel much faith in the fairy after her +two previous failures; but not knowing what else to do, she told +her father what she was bid. + +The king made no difficulties about it, and even gave his finest +rubies and diamonds to ornament the dress, which was so dazzling, +when finished, that it could not be looked at save through smoked +glasses! + +When the princess saw it, she pretended that the sight hurt her +eyes, and retired to her room, where she found the fairy awaiting +her, very much ashamed of herself. + +‘There is only one thing to be done now,' cried she; ‘you must +demand the skin of the ass he sets such store by. It is from that +donkey he obtains all his vast riches, and I am sure he will +never give it to you.' + +The princess was not so certain; however, she went to the king, +and told him she could never marry him till he had given her the +ass's skin. + +The king was both astonished and grieved at this new request, but +did not hesitate an instant. The ass was sacrificed, and the skin +laid at the feet of the princess. + +The poor girl, seeing no escape from the fate she dreaded, wept +afresh, and tore her hair; when, suddenly, the fairy stood before +her. + +‘Take heart,' she said, ‘ all will now go well! Wrap yourself in +this skin, and leave the palace and go as far as you can. I will +look after you. Your dresses and your jewels shall follow you +underground, and if you strike the earth whenever you need +anything, you will have it at once. But go quickly: you have no +time to lose.' + +So the princess clothed herself in the ass's skin, and slipped +from the palace without being seen by anyone. + +Directly she was missed there was a great hue and cry, and every +corner, possible and impossible, was searched. Then the king sent +out parties along all the roads, but the fairy threw her +invisible mantle over the girl when they approached, and none of +them could see her. + +The princess walked on a long, long way, trying to find some one +who would take her in, and let her work for them; but though the +cottagers, whose houses she passed, gave her food from charity, +the ass's skin was so dirty they would not allow her to enter +their houses. For her flight had been so hurried she had had no +time to clean it. + +Tired and disheartened at her ill-fortune, she was wandering, one +day, past the gate of a farmyard, situated just outside the walls +of a large town, when she heard a voice calling to her. She +turned and saw the farmer's wife standing among her turkeys, and +making signs to her to come in. + +‘I want a girl to wash the dishes and feed the turkeys, and clean +out the pig-sty,' said the w omen, ‘and, to judge by your dirty +clothes, you would not be too fine for the work.' + +The girl accepted her offer with joy, and she was at once set to +work in a corner of the kitchen, where all the farm servants came +and made fun of her, and the ass's skin in which she was wrapped. +But by-and-by they got so used to the sight of it that it ceased +to amuse them, and she worked so hard and so well, that her +mistress grew quite fond of her. And she was so clever at keeping +sheep and herding turkeys that you would have thought she had +done nothing else during her whole life! + +One day she was sitting on the banks of a stream bewailing her +wretched lot, when she suddenly caught sight of herself in the +water. Her hair and part of her face was quite concealed by the +ass's head, which was drawn right over like a hood, and the +filthy matted skin covered her whole body. It was the first time +she had seen herself as other people saw her, and she was filled +with shame at the spectacle. Then she threw off her disguise and +jumped into the water, plunging in again and again, till she +shone like ivory. When it was time to go back to the farm, she +was forced to put on the skin which disguised her, and now seemed +more dirty than ever; but, as she did so, she comforted herself +with the thought that to-morrow was a holiday, and that she would +be able for a few hours to forget that she was a farm girl, and +be a princess once more. + +So, at break of day, she stamped on the ground, as the fairy had +told her, and instantly the dress like the sky lay across her +tiny bed. Her room was so small that there was no place for the +train of her dress to spread itself out, but she pinned it up +carefully when she combed her beautiful hair and piled it up on +the top of her head, as she had always worn it. When she had +done, she was so pleased with herself that she determined never +to let a chance pass of putting on her splendid clothes, even if +she had to wear them in the fields, with no one to admire her but +the sheep and turkeys. + +Now the farm was a royal farm, and, one holiday, when ‘Donkey +Skin' (as they had nicknamed the princess) had locked the door of +her room and clothed herself in her dress of sunshine, the king's +son rode through the gate, and asked if he might come and rest +himself a little after hunting. Some food and milk were set +before him in the garden, and when he felt rested he got up, and +began to explore the house, which was famous throughout the whole +kingdom for its age and beauty. He opened one door after the +other, admiring the old rooms, when he came to a handle that +would not turn. He stooped and peeped through the keyhole to see +what was inside, and was greatly astonished at beholding a +beautiful girl, clad in a dress so dazzling that he could hardly +look at it. + +The dark gallery seemed darker than ever as he turned away, but +he went back to the kitchen and inquired who slept in the room at +the end of the passage. The scullery maid, they told him, whom +everybody laughed at, and called ‘ Donkey Skin;' and though he +perceived there was some strange mystery about this, he saw quite +clearly there was nothing to be gained by asking any more +questions. So he rode back to the palace, his head filled with +the vision he had seen through the keyhole. + +All night long he tossed about, and awoke the next morning in a +high fever. The queen, who had no other child, and lived in a +state of perpetual anxiety about this one, at once gave him up +for lost, and indeed his sudden illness puzzled the greatest +doctors, who tried the usual remedies in vain. At last they told +the queen that some secret sorrow must be at the bottom of all +this, and she threw herself on her knees beside her son's bed, +and implored him to confide his trouble to her. If it was +ambition to be king, his father would gladly resign the cares of +the crown, and suffer him to reign in his stead; or, if it was +love, everything should be sacrificed to get for him the wife he +desired, even if she were daughter of a king with whom the +country was at war at present! + +‘Madam,' replied the prince, whose weakness would hardly allow +him to speak, ‘do not think me so unnatural as to wish to deprive +my father of his crown. As long as he lives I shall remain the +most faithful of his subjects! And as to the princesses you speak +of, I have seen none that I should care for as a wife, though I +would always obey your wishes, whatever it might cost me.' + +‘Ah! my son,' cried she, ‘we will do anything in the world to +save your life ----and ours too, for if you die, we shall die +also.' + +‘Well, then,' replied the prince, ‘I will tell you the only thing +that will cure me ---a cake made by the hand of "Donkey Skin." ‘ + +‘Donkey Skin?' exclaimed the queen, who thought her son had gone +mad; ‘and who or what is that?' + +‘Madam,' answered one of the attendants present, who had been +with the prince at the farm, "'Donkey Skin" is, next to the wolf, +the most disgusting creature on the face of the earth. She is a +girl who wears a black, greasy skin, and lives at your farmer's +as hen-wife.' + +‘Never mind,' said the queen; ‘my son seems to have eaten some of +her pastry. It is the whim of a sick man, no doubt; but send at +once and let her bake a cake.' + +The attendant bowed and ordered a page to ride with the message. + +Now it is by no means certain that ‘Donkey Skin' had not caught a +glimpse of the prince, either when his eyes looked through the +keyhole, or else from her little window, which was over the road. +But whether she had actually seen him or only heard him spoken +of, directly she received the queen's command, she flung off the +dirty skin, washed herself from head to foot, and put on a skirt +and bodice of shining silver. Then, locking herself into her +room, she took the richest cream, the finest flour, and the +freshest eggs on the farm, and set about making her cake. + +As she was stirring the mixture in the saucepan a ring that she +sometimes wore in secret slipped from her finger and fell into +the dough. Perhaps ‘Donkey Skin' saw it, or perhaps she did not; +but, any way, she went on stirring, and soon the cake was ready +to be put in the oven. When it was nice and brown she took off +her dress and put on her dirty skin, and gave the cake to the +page, asking at the same time for news of the prince. But the +page turned his head aside, and would not even condescend to +answer. + +The page rode like the wind, and as soon as he arrived at the +palace he snatched up a silver tray and hastened to present the +cake to the prince. The sick man began to eat it so fast that the +doctors thought he would choke; and, indeed, he very nearly did, +for the ring was in one of the bits which he broke off, though he +managed to extract it from his mouth without anyone seeing him. + +The moment the prince was left alone he drew the ring from under +his pillow and kissed it a thousand times. Then he set his mind +to find how he was to see the owner---for even he did not dare to +confess that he had only beheld ‘Donkey Skin' through a keyhole, +lest they should laugh at this sudden passion. All this worry +brought back the fever, which the arrival of the cake had +diminished for the time; and the doctors, not knowing what else +to say, informed the queen that her son was simply dying of love. +The queen, stricken with horror, rushed into the king's presence +with the news, and together they hastened to their son's bedside. + +‘My boy, my dear boy!' cried the king, ‘who is it you want to +marry? We will give her to you for a bride; even if she is the +humblest of our slaves. What is there in the whole world that we +would not do for you?' + +The prince, moved to tears at these words, drew the ring, which +was an emerald of the purest water, from under his pillow. + +‘Ah, dear father and mother, let this be a proof that she whom I +love is no peasant girl. The finger which that ring fits has +never been thickened by hard work. But be her condition what it +may, I will marry no other.' + +The king and queen examined the tiny ring very closely, and +agreed, with their son, that the wearer could be no mere farm +girl. Then the king went out and ordered heralds and trumpeters +to go through the town, summoning every maiden to the palace. And +she whom the ring fitted would some day be queen. + +First came all the princesses, then all the duchesses' daughters, +and so on, in proper order. But not one of them could slip the +ring over the tip of her finger, to the great joy of the prince, +whom excitement was fast curing. At last, when the high-born +damsels had failed, the shopgirls and chambermaids took their +turn; but with no better fortune. + +‘Call in the scullions and shepherdesses,' commanded the prince; +but the sight of their fat, red fingers satisfied everybody. + +‘There is not a woman left, your Highness,' said the chamberlain; +but the prince waved him aside. + +‘Have you sent for "Donkey Skin," who made me the cake?' asked +he, and the courtiers began to laugh, and replied that they would +not have dared to introduce so dirty a creature into the palace. + +‘Let some one go for her at once,' ordered the king. ‘ I +commanded the presence of every maiden, high or low, and I meant +it.' + +The princess had heard the trumpets and the proclamations, and +knew quite well that her ring was at the bottom of it all. She, +too, had fallen in love with the prince in the brief glimpse she +had had of him, and trembled with fear lest someone else's finger +might be as small as her own. When, therefore, the messenger from +the palace rode up to the gate, she was nearly beside herself +with delight. Hoping all the time for such a summons, she had +dressed herself with great care, putting on the garment of +moonlight, whose skirt was scattered over with emeralds. But when +they began calling to her to come down, she hastily covered +herself with her donkey-skin and announced she was ready to +present herself before his Highness. She was taken straight into +the hall, where the prince was awaiting her, but at the sight of +the donkey-skin his heart sank. Had he been mistaken after all? + +‘Are you the girl,' he said, turning his eyes away as he spoke, +‘are you the girl who has a room in the furthest corner of the +inner court of the farmhouse?' + +‘Yes, my lord, I am,' answered she. + +‘Hold out your hand then,' continued the prince, feeling that he +must keep his word, whatever the cost, and, to the astonishment +of every one present, a little hand, white and delicate, came +from beneath the black and dirty skin. The ring slipped on with +the utmost ease, and, as it did so, the skin fell to the ground, +disclosing a figure of such beauty that the prince, weak as he +was, fell on his knees before her, while the king and queen +joined their prayers to his. Indeed, their welcome was so warm, +and their caresses so bewildering, that the princess hardly knew +how to find words to reply, when the ceiling of the hall opened, +and the fairy godmother appeared, seated in a car made entirely +of white lilac. In a few words she explained the history of the +princess, and how she came to be there, and, without losing a +moment, preparations of the most magnificent kind were made for +the wedding. + +The kings of every country in the earth were invited, including, +of course, the princess's adopted father (who by this time had +married a widow), and not one refused. + +But what a strange assembly it was! Each monarch travelled in the +way he thought most impressive; and some came borne in litters, +others had carriages of every shape and kind, while the rest were +mounted on elephants, tigers, and even upon eagles. So splendid a +wedding had never been seen before; and when it was over the king +announced that it was to be followed by a coronation, for he and +the queen were tired of reigning, and the young couple must take +their place. The rejoicings lasted for three whole months, then +the new sovereigns settled down to govern their kingdom, and made +themselves so much beloved by their subjects, that when they +died, a hundred years later, each man mourned them as his own +father and mother. + +[From le Cabinet de Fees.] + + + + + + The Goblin Pony + + + +‘Don't stir from the fireplace to-night,' said old Peggy, ‘for +the wind is blowing so violently that the house shakes; besides, +this is Hallow-e'en, when the witches are abroad, and the +goblins, who are their servants, are wandering about in all sorts +of disguises, doing harm to the children of men.' + +‘Why should I stay here?' said the eldest of the young people. +‘No, I must go and see what the daughter of old Jacob, the rope- +maker, is doing. She wouldn't close her blue eyes all night if I +didn't visit her father before the moon had gone down.' + +‘I must go and catch lobsters and crabs' said the second, ‘and +not all the witches and goblins in the world shall hinder me.' + +So they all determined to go on their business or pleasure, and +scorned the wise advice of old Peggy. Only the youngest child +hesitated a minute, when she said to him, ‘You stay here, my +little Richard, and I will tell you beautiful stories.' + +But he wanted to pick a bunch of wild thyme and some blackberries +by moonlight, and ran out after the others. When they got outside +the house they said: ‘The old woman talks of wind and storm, but +never was the weather finer or the sky more clear; see how +majestically the moon stalks through the transparent clouds!' + +Then all of a sudden they noticed a little black pony close +beside them. + +‘Oh, ho!' they said, ‘that is old Valentine's pony; it must have +escaped from its stable, and is going down to drink at the horse- +pond.' + +‘My pretty little pony,' said the eldest, patting the creature +with his hand, ‘you mustn't run too far; I'll take you to the +pond myself.' + +With these words he jumped on the pony's back and was quickly +followed by his second brother, then by the third, and so on, +till at last they were all astride the little beast, down to the +small Richard, who didn't like to be left behind. + +On the way to the pond they met several of their companions, and +they invited them all to mount the pony, which they did, and the +little creature did not seem to mind the extra weight, but +trotted merrily along. + +The quicker it trotted the more the young people enjoyed the fun; +they dug their heels into the pony's sides and called out, +‘Gallop, little horse, you have never had such brave riders on +your back before!' + +In the meantime the wind had risen again, and the waves began to +howl; but the pony did not seem to mind the noise, and instead of +going to the pond, cantered gaily towards the sea-shore. + +Richard began to regret his thyme and blackberries, and the +eldest brother seized the pony by the mane and tried to make it +turn round, for he remembered the blue eyes of Jacob the rope- +maker's daughter. But he tugged and pulled in vain, for the pony +galloped straight on into the sea, till the waves met its +forefeet. As soon as it felt the water it neighed lustily and +capered about with glee, advancing quickly into the foaming +billows. When the waves had covered the children's legs they +repented their careless behaviour, and cried out: ‘The cursed +little black pony is bewitched. If we had only listened to old +Peggy's advice we shouldn't have been lost.' + +The further the pony advanced, the higher rose the sea; at last +the waves covered the children's heads and they were all drowned. + +Towards morning old Peggy went out, for she was anxious about the +fate of her grandchildren. She sought them high and low, but +could not find them anywhere. She asked all the neighbours if +they had seen the children, but no one knew anything about them, +except that the eldest had not been with the blue-eyed daughter +of Jacob the rope-maker. + +As she was going home, bowed with grief, she saw a little black +pony coming towards her, springing and curveting in every +direction. When it got quite near her it neighed loudly, and +galloped past her so quickly that in a moment it was out of her +sight. + +[From the French, Kletke.] + + + + + + An Impossible Enchantment + + + +There once lived a king who was much loved by his people, and he, +too, loved them warmly. He led a very happy life, but he had the +greatest dislike to the idea of marrying, nor had he ever felt +the slightest wish to fall in love. His subjects begged him to +marry, and at last he promised to try to do so. But as, so far, +he had never cared for any woman he had seen, he made up his mind +to travel in hopes of meeting some lady he could love. + +So he arranged all the affairs of state in an orderly manner, and +set out, attended by only one equerry, who, though not very +clever, had most excellent good sense. These people indeed +generally make the best fellow travellers. + +The king explored several countries, doing all he could to fall +in love, but in vain; and at the end of two years' journeys he +turned his face towards home, with as free a heart as when he set +out. + +As he was riding along through a forest he suddenly heard the +most awful miawing and shrieking of cats you can imagine. The +noise drew nearer, and nearer, and at last they saw a hundred +huge Spanish cats rush through the trees close to them. They were +so closely packed together that you could easily have covered +them with a large cloak, and all were following the same track. +They were closely pursued by two enormous apes, dressed in purple +suits, with the prettiest and best made boots you ever saw. + +The apes were mounted on superb mastiffs, and spurred them on in +hot haste, blowing shrill blasts on little toy trumpets all the +time. + +The king and his equerry stood still to watch this strange hunt, +which was followed by twenty or more little dwarfs, some mounted +on wolves, and leading relays, and others with cats in leash. The +dwarfs were all dressed in purple silk liveries like the apes. + +A moment later a beautiful young woman mounted on a tiger came in +sight. She passed close to the king, riding at full speed, +without taking any notice of him; but he was at once enchanted by +her, and his heart was gone in a moment. + +To his great joy he saw that one of the dwarfs had fallen behind +the rest, and at once began to question him. + +The dwarf told him that the lady he had just seen was the +Princess Mutinosa, the daughter of the king in whose country they +were at that moment. He added that the princess was very fond of +hunting, and that she was now in pursuit of rabbits. + +The king then asked the way to the court, and having been told +it, hurried off, and reached the capital in a couple of hours. + +As soon as he arrived, he presented himself to the king and +queen, and on mentioning his own name and that of his country, +was received with open arms. Not long after, the princess +returned, and hearing that the hunt had been very successful, the +king complimented her on it, but she would not answer a word. + +Her silence rather surprised him, but he was still more +astonished when he found that she never spoke once all through +supper-time. Sometimes she seemed about to speak, but whenever +this was the case her father or mother at once took up the +conversation. However, this silence did not cool the king's +affection, and when he retired to his rooms at night he confided +his feelings to his faithful equerry. But the equerry was by no +means delighted at his king's love affair, and took no pains to +hide his disappointment. + +‘But why are you vexed?' asked the king. ‘Surely the princess is +beautiful enough to please anyone?' + +‘She is certainly very handsome,' replied the equerry, ‘but to be +really happy in love something more than beauty is required. To +tell the truth, sire,' he added, ‘her expression seems to me +hard.' + +‘That is pride and dignity,' said the king, ‘and nothing can be +more becoming.' + +‘Pride or hardness, as you will,' said the equerry; ‘but to my +mind the choice of so many fierce creatures for her amusements +seems to tell of a fierce nature, and I also think there is +something suspicious in the care taken to prevent her speaking.' + +The equerry's remarks were full of good sense; but as opposition +is only apt to increase love in the hearts of men, and especially +of kings who hate being contradicted, this king begged, the very +next day, for the hand of the Princess Mutinosa. It was granted +him on two conditions. + +The first was that the wedding should take place the very next +day; and the second, that he should not speak to the princess +till she was his wife; to all of which the king agreed, in spite +of his equerry's objections, so that the first word he heard his +bride utter was the ‘Yes' she spoke at their marriage. + +Once married, however, she no longer placed any check on herself, +and her ladies-in-waiting came in for plenty of rude speeches---- +even the king did not escape scolding; but as he was a good- +tempered man, and very much in love, he bore it patiently. A few +days after the wedding the newly married pair set out for their +kingdom without leaving many regrets behind. + +The good equerry's fears proved only too true, as the king found +out to his cost. The young queen made her self most disagreeable +to all her court, her spite and bad temper knew no bounds, and +before the end of a month she was known far and wide as a regular +vixen. + +One day, when riding out, she met a poor old woman walking along +the road, who made a curtsy and was going on, when the queen had +her stopped, and cried: ‘You are a very impertinent person; don't +you know that I am the queen? And how dare you not make me a +deeper curtsy?' + +‘Madam,' said the old woman, ‘I have never learnt how to measure +curtsies; but I had no wish to fail in proper respect.' + +‘What!' screamed the queen; ‘she dares to answer! Tie her to my +horse's tail and I'll just carry her at once to the best dancing- +master in the town to learn how to curtsy.' + +The old woman shrieked for mercy, but the queen would not listen, +and only mocked when she said she was protected by the fairies. +At last the poor old thing submitted to be tied up, but when the +queen urged her horse on he never stirred. In vain she spurred +him, he seemed turned to bronze. At the same moment the cord with +which the old woman was tied changed into wreaths of flowers, and +she herself into a tall and stately lady. + +Looking disdainfully at the queen, she said, ‘Bad woman, unworthy +of your crown; I wished to judge for myself whether all I heard +of you was true. I have now no doubt of it, and you shall see +whether the fairies are to be laughed at.' + +So saying the fairy Placida (that was her name) blew a little +gold whistle, and a chariot appeared drawn by six splendid +ostriches. In it was seated the fairy queen, escorted by a dozen +other fairies mounted on dragons. + +All having dismounted, Placida told her adventures, and the fairy +queen approved all she had done, and proposed turning Mutinosa +into bronze like her horse. + +Placida, however, who was very kind and gentle, begged for a +milder sentence, and at last it was settled that Mutinosa should +become her slave for life unless she should have a child to take +her place. + +The king was told of his wife's fate and submitted to it, which, +as he could do nothing to help it, was the only course open to +him. + +The fairies then all dispersed, Placida taking her slave with +her, and on reaching her palace she said: ‘You ought by rights to +be scullion, but as you have been delicately brought up the +change might be too great for you. I shall therefore only order +you to sweep my rooms carefully, and to wash and comb my little +dog.' + +Mutinosa felt there was no use in disobeying, so she did as she +was bid and said nothing. + +After some time she gave birth to a most lovely little girl, and +when she was well again the fairy gave her a good lecture on her +past life, made her promise to behave better in future, and sent +her back to the king, her husband. + +Placida now gave herself up entirely to the little princess who +was left in her charge. She anxiously thought over which of the +fairies she would invite to be godmothers, so as to secure the +best gift, for her adopted child. + +At last she decided on two very kindly and cheerful fairies, and +asked them to the christening feast. Directly it was over the +baby was brought to them in a lovely crystal cradle hung with red +silk curtains embroidered with gold. + +The little thing smiled so sweetly at the fairies that they +decided to do all they could for her. They began by naming her +Graziella, and then Placida said: ‘You know, dear sisters, that +the commonest form of spite or punishment amongst us consists of +changing beauty to ugliness, cleverness to stupidity, and oftener +still to change a person's form altogether. Now, as we can only +each bestow one gift, I think the best plan will be for one of +you to give her beauty, the other good understanding, whilst I +will undertake that she shall never be changed into any other +form.' + +The two godmothers quite agreed, and as soon as the little +princess had received their gifts, they went home, and Placida +gave herself up to the child's education. She succeeded so well +with it, and little Graziella grew so lovely, that when she was +still quite a child her fame was spread abroad only too much, and +one day Placida was surprised by a visit from the Fairy Queen, +who was attended by a very grave and severe- looking fairy. + +The queen began at once: ‘I have been much surprised by your +behaviour to Mutinosa; she had insulted our whole race, and +deserved punishment. You might forgive your own wrongs if you +chose, but not those of others. You treated her very gently +whilst she was with you, and I come now to avenge our wrongs on +her daughter. You have ensured her being lovely and clever, and +not subject to change of form, but I shall place her in an +enchanted prison, which she shall never leave till she finds +herself in the arms of a lover whom she herself loves. It will be +my care to prevent anything of the kind happening.' + +The enchanted prison was a large high tower in the midst of the +sea, built of shells of all shapes and colours. The lower floor +was like a great bathroom, where the water was let in or off at +will. The first floor contained the princess's apartments, +beautifully furnished. On the second was a library, a large +wardrobe-room filled with beautiful clothes and every kind of +linen, a music-room, a pantry with bins full of the best wines, +and a store-room with all manner of preserves, bonbons, pastry +and cakes, all of which remained as fresh as if just out of the +oven. + +The top of the tower was laid out like a garden, with beds of the +loveliest flowers, fine fruit trees, and shady arbours and +shrubs, where many birds sang amongst the branches. + +The fairies escorted Graziella and her governess, Bonnetta, to +the tower, and then mounted a dolphin which was waiting for them. +At a little distance from the tower the queen waved her wand and +summoned two thousand great fierce sharks, whom she ordered to +keep close guard, and not to let a soul enter the tower + +The good governess took such pains with Graziella's education +that when she was nearly grown up she was not only most +accomplished, but a very sweet, good girl. + +One day, as the princess was standing on a balcony, she saw the +most extraordinary figure rise out of the sea. She quickly called +Bonnetta to ask her what it could be. It looked like some kind of +man, with a bluish face and long sea-green hair. He was swimming +towards the tower, but the sharks took no notice of him. + +‘It must be a merman,' said Bonnetta. + +‘A man, do you say?' cried Graziella; ‘let us hurry down to the +door and see him nearer.' + +When they stood in the doorway the merman stopped to look at the +princess and made many signs of admiration. His voice was very +hoarse and husky, but when he found that he was not understood he +took to signs. He carried a little basket made of osiers and +filled with rare shells, which he presented to the princess. + +She took it with signs of thanks; but as it was getting dusk she +retired, and the merman plunged back into the sea. + +When they were alone, Graziella said to her governess: ‘What a +dreadful-looking creature that was! Why do those odious sharks +let him come near the tower? I suppose all men are not like him?' + +‘No, indeed,' replied Bonnetta. ‘I suppose the sharks look on him +as a sort of relation, and so did not attack him.' + +A few days later the two ladies heard a strange sort of music, +and looking out of the window, there was the merman, his head +crowned with water plants, and blowing a great sea-shell with all +his might. + +They went down to the tower door, and Graziella politely accepted +some coral and other marine curiosities he had brought her. After +this he used to come every evening, and blow his shell, or dive +and play antics under tile princess's window. She contented +herself with bowing to him from the balcony, but she would not go +down to the door in spite of all his signs. + +Some days later he came with a person of his own kind, but of +another sex. Her hair was dressed with great taste, and she had a +lovely voice. This new arrival induced the ladies to go down to +the door. They were surprised to find that, after trying various +languages, she at last spoke to them in their own, and paid +Graziella a very pretty compliment on her beauty. + +The mermaid noticed that the lower floor was full of water. +‘Why,' cried she, ‘ that is just the place for us, for we can't +live quite out of water.' So saying, she and her brother swam in +and took up a position in the bathroom, the princess and her +governess seating themselves on the steps which ran round the +room. + +‘No doubt, madam,' said the mermaid, ‘you have given up living on +land so as to escape from crowds of lovers; but I fear that even +here you cannot avoid them, for my brother is already dying of +love for you, and I am sure that once you are seen in our city he +will have many rivals.' + +She then went on to explain how grieved her brother was not to be +able to make himself understood, adding: ‘I interpret for him, +having been taught several languages by a fairy.' + +‘Oh, then, you have fairies, too?' asked Graziella, with a sigh. + +‘Yes, we have,' replied the mermaid; ‘but if I am not mistaken +you have suffered from the fairies on earth.' + +The princess, on this, told her entire history to the mermaid, +who assured her how sorry she felt for her, but begged her not to +lose courage; adding, as she took her leave: Perhaps, some day, +you may find a way out of your difficulties.' + +The princess was delighted with this visit and with the hopes the +mermaid held out. It was something to meet someone fresh to talk +to. + +‘We will make acquaintance with several of these people,' she +said to her governess, ‘and I dare say they are not all as +hideous as the first one we saw. Anyhow, we shan't be so +dreadfully lonely.' + +‘Dear me,' said Bonnetta, ‘ how hopeful young people are to be +sure! As for me I feel afraid of these folk. But what do you +think of the lover you have captivated?' + +‘Oh, I could never love him,' cried the princess; ‘I can't bear +him. But, perhaps, as his sister says they are related to the +fairy Marina, they may be of some use to us.' + +The mermaid often returned, and each time she talked of her +brother's love, and each time Graziella talked of her longing to +escape from her prison, till at length the mermaid promised to +bring the fairy Marina to see her, in hopes she might suggest +something. + +Next day the fairy came with the mermaid, and the princess +received her with delight. After a little talk she begged +Graziella to show her the inside of the tower and let her see the +garden on the top, for with the help of crutches she could manage +to move about, and being a fairy could live out of water for a +long time, provided she wetted her forehead now and then. + +Graziella gladly consented, and Bonnetta stayed below with the +mermaid. + +When they were in the garden the fairy said: ‘Let us lose no +time, but tell me how I can be of use to you.' Graziella then +told all her story and Marina replied: ‘My dear princess, I can +do nothing for you as regards dry land, for my power does not +reach beyond my own element. I can only say that if you will +honour my cousin by accepting his hand, you could then come and +live amongst us. I could teach you in a moment to swim and dive +with the best of us. I can harden your skin without spoiling its +colour. My cousin is one of the best matches in the sea, and I +will bestow so many gifts on him that you will be quite happy.' + +The fairy talked so well and so long that the princess was rather +impressed, and promised to think the matter over. + +Just as they were going to leave the garden they saw a ship +sailing nearer the tower than any other had done before. On the +deck lay a young man under a splendid awning, gazing at the tower +through a spy-glass; but before they could see anything clearly +the ship moved away, and the two ladies parted, the fairy +promising to return shortly. + +As soon as she was gone Graziella told her governess what she had +said. Bonnetta was not at all pleased at the turn matters were +taking, for she did not fancy being turned into a mermaid in her +old age. She thought the matter well over, and this was what she +did. She was a very clever artist, and next morning she began to +paint a picture of a handsome young man, with beautiful curly +hair, a fine complexion, and lovely blue eyes. When it was +finished she showed it to Graziella, hoping it would show her the +difference there was between a fine young man and her marine +suitor. + +The princess was much struck by the picture, and asked anxiously +whether there could be any man so good looking in the world. +Bonnetta assured her that there were plenty of them; indeed, many +far handsomer. + +‘I can hardly believe that,' cried the princess; ‘but, alas! If +there are, I don't suppose I shall ever see them or they me, so +what is the use? Oh, dear, how unhappy I am!' + +She spent the rest of the day gazing at the picture, which +certainly had the effect of spoiling all the merman's hopes or +prospects. + +After some days, the fairy Marina came back to hear what was +decided; but Graziella hardly paid any attention to her, and +showed such dislike to the idea of the proposed marriage that the +fairy went off in a regular huff. + +Without knowing it, the princess had made another conquest. On +board the ship which had sailed so near was the handsomest prince +in the world. He had heard of the enchanted tower, and determined +to get as near it as he could. He had strong glasses on board, +and whilst looking through them he saw the princess quite +clearly, and fell desperately in love with her at once. He wanted +to steer straight for the tower and to row off to it in a small +boat, but his entire crew fell at his feet and begged him not to +run such a risk. The captain, too, urged him not to attempt it. +‘You will only lead us all to certain death,' he said. ‘Pray +anchor nearer land, and I will then seek a kind fairy I know, who +has always been most obliging to me, and who will, I am sure, try +to help your Highness.' + +The prince rather unwillingly listened to reason. He landed at +the nearest point, and sent off the captain in all haste to beg +the fairy's advice and help. Meantime he had a tent pitched on +the shore, and spent all his time gazing at the tower and looking +for the princess through his spyglass. + +After a few days the captain came back, bringing the fairy with +him. The prince was delighted to see her, and paid her great +attention. ‘I have heard about this matter,' she said; ‘and, to +lose no time, I am going to send off a trusty pigeon to test the +enchantment. If there is any weak spot he is sure to find it out +and get in. I shall bid him bring a flower back as a sign of +success; and if he does so I quite hope to get you in too.' + +‘But,' asked the prince, ‘could I not send a line by the pigeon +to tell the princess of my love?' + +‘Certainly,' replied the fairy, ‘it would be a very good plan.' + +So the prince wrote as follows:--- + + ‘Lovely Princess,---I adore you, and beg you to accept my heart, +and to believe there is nothing I will not do to end your +misfortunes.---BLONDEL. + +This note was tied round the pigeon's neck, and he flew off with +it at once. He flew fast till he got near the tower, when a +fierce wind blew so hard against him that he could not get on. +But he was not to be beaten, but flew carefully round the top of +the tower till he came to one spot which, by some mistake, had +not been enchanted like the rest. He quickly slipped into the +arbour and waited for the princess. + +Before long Graziella appeared alone, and the pigeon at once +fluttered to meet her, and seemed so tame that she stopped to +caress the pretty creature. As she did so she saw it had a pink +ribbon round its neck, and tied to the ribbon was a letter. She +read it over several times and then wrote this answer :--- + +‘You say you love me; but I cannot promise to love you without +seeing you. Send me your portrait by this faithful messenger. If +I return it to you, you must give up hope; but if I keep it you +will know that to help me will be to help yourself.---GRAZIELA. + +Before flying back the pigeon remembered about the flower, so, +seeing one in the princess's dress, he stole it and flew away. + +The prince was wild with joy at the pigeon's return with the +note. After an hour's rest the trusty little bird was sent back +again, carrying a miniature of the prince, which by good luck he +had with him. + +On reaching the tower the pigeon found the princess in the +garden. She hastened to untie the ribbon, and on opening the +miniature case what was her surprise and delight to find it very +like the picture her governess had painted for her. She hastened +to send the pigeon back, and you can fancy the prince's joy when +he found she had kept his portrait. + +‘Now,' said the fairy, ‘let us lose no more time. I can only make +you happy by changing you into a bird, but I will take care to +give you back your proper shape at the right time.' + +The prince was eager to start, so the fairy, touching him with +her wand, turned him into the loveliest humming-bird you ever +saw, at the same time letting him keep the power of speech. The +pigeon was told to show him the way. + +Graziella was much surprised to see a perfectly strange bird, and +still more so when it flew to her saying, ‘Good-morning, sweet +princess.' + +She was delighted with the pretty creature, and let him perch on +her finger, when he said, ‘Kiss, kiss, little birdie,' which she +gladly did, petting and stroking him at the same time. + +After a time the princess, who had been up very early, grew +tired, and as the sun was hot she went to lie down on a mossy +bank in the shade of the arbour. She held the pretty bird near +her breast, and was just falling asleep, when the fairy contrived +to restore the prince to his own shape, so that as Graziella +opened her eyes she found herself in the arms of a lover whom she +loved in return! + +At the same moment her enchantment came to an end. The tower +began to rock and to split. Bonnetta hurried up to the top so +that she might at least perish with her dear princess. Just as +she reached the garden, the kind fairy who had helped the prince +arrived with the fairy Placida, in a car of Venetian glass drawn +by six eagles. + +‘Come away quickly,' they cried, ‘the tower is about to sink!' +The prince, princess, and Bonnetta lost no time in stepping into +the car, which rose in the air just as, with a terrible crash, +the tower sank into the depths of the sea, for the fairy Marina +and the mermen had destroyed its foundations to avenge themselves +on Graziella. Luckily their wicked plans were defeated, and the +good fairies took their way to the kingdom of Graziella's +parents. + +They found that Queen Mutinosa had died some years ago, but her +kind husband lived on peaceably, ruling his country well and +happily. He received his daughter with great delight, and there +were universal rejoicings at the return of the lovely princess. + +The wedding took place the very next day, and, for many days +after, balls, dinners, tournaments, concerts and all sorts of +amusements went on all day and all night. + +All the fairies were carefully invited, and they came in great +state, and promised the young couple their protection and all +sorts of good gifts. Prince Blondel and Princess Graziella lived +to a good old age, beloved by every one, and loving each other +more and more as time went on. + + + + + + The Story Of Dschemil and Dschemila + + + +There was once a man whose name was Dschemil, and he had a cousin +who was called Dschemila. They had been betrothed by their +parents when they were children, and now Dschemil thought that +the time had come for them to be married, and he went two or +three days' journey, to the nearest big town, to buy furniture +for the new house. + +While he was away, Dschemila and her friends set off to the +neighbouring woods to pick up sticks, and as she gathered them +she found an iron mortar lying on the ground. She placed it on +her bundle of sticks, but the mortar would not stay still, and +whenever she raised the bundle to put it on her shoulders it +slipped off sideways. At length she saw the only way to carry the +mortar was to tie it in the very middle of her bundle, and had +just unfastened her sticks, when she heard her companions' +voices. + +‘Dschemila, what are you doing? it is almost dark, and if you +mean to come with us you must be quick!' + +But Dschemila only replied, ‘You had better go back without me, +for I am not going to leave my mortar behind, if I stay here till +midnight.' + +‘Do as you like,' said the girls, and started on their walk home. + +The night soon fell, and at the last ray of light the mortar +suddenly became an ogre, who threw Dschemila on his back, and +carried her off into a desert place, distant a whole month's +journey from her native town. Here he shut her into a castle, and +told her not to fear, as her life was safe. Then he went back to +his wife, leaving Dschemila weeping over the fate that she had +brought upon herself. + +Meanwhile the other girls had reached home, and Dschemila's +mother came out to look for her daughter. + +‘What have you done with her?' she asked anxiously. + +‘We had to leave her in the wood,' they replied, ‘for she had +picked up an iron mortar, and could not manage to carry it.' + +So the old woman set off at once for the forest, calling to her +daughter as she hurried along. + +‘Do go home,' cried the townspeople, as they heard her; ‘we will +go and look for your daughter; you are only a woman, and it is a +task that needs strong men.' + +But she answered, ‘Yes, go; but I will go with you! Perhaps it +will be only her corpse that we shall find after all. She has +most likely been stung by asps, or eaten by wild beasts.' + +The men, seeing her heart was bent on it, said no more, but told +one of the girls she must come with them, and show them the place +where they had left Dschemila. They found the bundle of wood +lying where she had dropped it, but the maiden was nowhere to be +seen. + +‘Dschemila! Dschemila!' cried they; but nobody answered. + +‘If we make a fire, perhaps she will see it,' said one of the +men. And they lit a fire, and then went, one this way, and one +that, through the forest, to look for her, whispering to each +other that if she had been killed by a lion they would be sure to +find some trace of it; or if she had fallen asleep, the sound of +their voices would wake her; or if a snake had bitten her, they +would at least come on her corpse. + +All night they searched, and when morning broke and they knew no +more than before what had become of the maiden, they grew weary, +and said to the mother: ‘It is no use. Let us go home, nothing +has happened to your daughter, except that she has run away with +a man.' + +‘Yes, I will come,' answered she, ‘but I must first look in the +river. Perhaps some one has thrown her in there.' But the maiden +was not in the river. + +For four days the father and mother waited and watched for their +child to come back; then they gave up hope, and said to each +other: ‘What is to be done? What are we to say to the man to whom +Dschemila is betrothed? Let us kill a goat, and bury its head in +the grave, and when the man returns we must tell him Dschemila is +dead.' + +Very soon the bridegroom came back, bringing with him carpets and +soft cushions for the house of his bride. And as he entered the +town Dschemila's father met him, saying, ‘Greeting to you. She is +dead.' + +At these words the young man broke into loud cries, and it was +some time before he could speak. Then he turned to one of the +crowd who had gathered round him, and asked: ‘Where have they +buried her?' + +‘Come to the churchyard with me,' answered he; and the young man +went with him, carrying with him some of the beautiful things he +had brought. These he laid on the grass and then began to weep +afresh. All day he stayed, and at nightfall he gathered up his +stuffs and carried them to his own house. But when the day dawned +he took them in his arms and returned to the grave, where he +remained as long as it was light, playing softly on his flute. +And this he did daily for six months. + +One morning, a man who was wandering through the desert, having +lost his way, came upon a lonely castle. The sun was very hot, +and the man was very tired, so he said to himself, ‘I will rest a +little in the shadow of this castle.' He stretched himself out +comfortably, and was almost asleep, when he heard a voice calling +to him softly: + +‘Are you a ghost,' it said, ‘or a man?' + +He looked up, and saw a girl leaning out of a window, and he +answered: + +‘I am a man, and a better one, too, than your father or your +grandfather.' + +‘May all good luck be with you,' said she; ‘but what has brought +you into this land of ogres and horrors?' + +‘Does an ogre really live in this castle?' asked he. + +‘Certainly he does,' replied the girl, ‘and as night is not far +off he will be here soon. So, dear friend, depart quickly, lest +he return and snap you up for supper.' + +‘But I am so thirsty! ‘ said the man. ‘Be kind, and give me some +drink, or else I shall die! Surely, even in this desert there +must be some spring?' + +‘Well, I have noticed that whenever the ogre brings back water he +always comes from that side; so if you follow the same direction +perhaps you may find some.' + +The man jumped up at once and was about to start, when the maiden +spoke again: ‘Tell me, where are you going?' + +‘Why do you want to know?' + +‘I have an errand for you; but tell me first whether you go east +or west.' + +‘I travel to Damascus.' + +‘Then do this for me. As you pass through our village, ask for a +man called Dschemil, and say to him: "Dschemila greets you, from +the castle, which lies far away, and is rocked by the wind. In my +grave lies only a goat. So take heart." ‘ + +And the man promised, and went his way, till he came to a spring +of water. And he drank a great draught and then lay on the bank +and slept quietly. When he woke he said to himself, ‘The maiden +did a good deed when she told me where to find water. A few hours +more, and I should have been dead. So I will do her bidding, and +seek out her native town and the man for whom the message was +given.' + +For a whole month he travelled, till at last he reached the town +where Dschemil dwelt, and as luck would have it, there was the +young man sitting before his door with his beard unshaven and his +shaggy hair hanging over his eyes. + +‘Welcome, stranger,' said Dschemil, as the man stopped. 'Where +have you come from?' + +‘I come from the west, and go towards the east,' he answered. + +‘Well, stop with us awhile, and rest and eat!' said Dschemil. And +the man entered; and food was set before him, and he sat down +with the father of the maiden and her brothers, and Dschemil. +Only Dschemil himself was absent, squatting on the threshold. + +‘Why do you not eat too?' asked the stranger. But one of the +young men whispered hastily: ‘Leave him alone. Take no notice! It +is only at night that he ever eats.' + +So the stranger went on silently with his food. Suddenly one of +Dschemil's brothers called out and said: ‘Dschemil, bring us some +water! ‘ And the stranger remembered his message and said: + +‘Is there a man here named "Dschemil"? I lost my way in the +desert, and came to a castle, and a maiden looked out of the +window and . . . ‘ + +‘Be quiet,' they cried, fearing that Dschemil might hear. But +Dschemil had heard, and came forward and said: + +‘What did you see? Tell me truly, or I will cut off your head +this instant!' + +‘My lord,' replied the stranger, ‘as I was wandering, hot and +tired, through the desert, I saw near me a great castle, and I +said aloud, "I will rest a little in its shadow." And a maiden +looked out of a window and said, "Are you a ghost or a man? "And +I answered, "I am a man, and a better one, too, than your father +or your grandfather." And I was thirsty and asked for water, but +she had none to give me, and I felt like to die. Then she told me +that the ogre, in whose castle she dwelt, brought in water always +from the same side, and that if I too went that way most likely I +should come to it. But before I started she begged me to go to +her native town, and if I met a man called Dschemil I was to say +to him, "Dschemila greets you, from the castle which lies far +away, and is rocked by the wind. In my grave lies only a goat. So +take heart."' + +Then Dschemil turned to his family and said: ‘Is this true? and +is Dschemila not dead at all, but simply stolen from her home?' + +‘No, no,' replied they, ‘his story is a pack of lies. Dschemila +is really dead. Everybody knows it.' + +‘That I shall see for myself,' said Dschemil, and, snatching up a +spade, hastened off to the grave where the goat's head lay +buried. + +And they answered, ‘Then hear what really happened. When you were +away, she went with the other maidens to the forest to gather +wood. And there she found an iron mortar, which she wished to +bring home; but she could not carry it, neither would she leave +it. So the maidens returned without her, and as night was come, +we all set out to look for her, but found nothing. And we said, +"The bridegroom will be here to- morrow, and when he learns that +she is lost, he will set out to seek her, and we shall lose him +too. Let us kill a goat, and bury it in her grave, and tell him +she is dead." Now you know, so do as you will. Only, if you go to +seek her, take with you this man with whom she has spoken that he +may show you the way.' ‘Yes; that is the best plan,' replied +Dschemil; ‘so give me food, and hand me my sword, and we will set +out directly.' + +But the stranger answered: ‘I am not going to waste a whole month +in leading you to the castle! If it were only a day or two's +journey I would not mind; but a month--no!' + +‘Come with me then for three days,' said Dschemil, 'and put me in +the right road, and I will reward you richly.' + +‘Very well,' replied the stranger, ‘so let it be.' + +For three days they travelled from sunrise to sunset, then the +stranger said: ‘Dschemil?' + +‘Yes,' replied he. + +‘Go straight on till you reach a spring, then go on a little +farther, and soon you will see the castle standing before you.' + +‘So I will,' said Dschemil. + +‘Farewell, then,' said the stranger, and turned back the way he +had come. + +It was six and twenty days before Dschemil caught sight of a +green spot rising out of the sandy desert, and knew that the +spring was near at last. He hastened his steps, and soon was +kneeling by its side, drinking thirstily of the bubbling water. +Then he lay down on the cool grass, and began to think. ‘If the +man was right, the castle must be somewhere about. I had better +sleep here to-night, and to-morrow I shall be able to see where +it is.' So he slept long and peacefully. When he awoke the sun +was high, and he jumped up and washed his face and hands in the +spring, before going on his journey. He had not walked far, when +the castle suddenly appeared before him, though a moment before +not a trace of it could be seen. ‘How am I to get in?' he +thought. ‘I dare not knock, lest the ogre should hear me. Perhaps +it would be best for me to climb up the wall, and wait to see +what will happen. So he did, and after sitting on the top for +about an hour, a window above him opened, and a voice said: +‘Dschemil!' He looked up, and at the sight of Dschemila, whom he +had so long believed to be dead, he began to weep. + +‘Dear cousin,' she whispered, ‘what has brought you here?' + +‘My grief at losing you.' + +‘Oh! go away at once. If the ogre comes back he will kill you.' + +‘I swear by your head, queen of my heart, that I have not found +you only to lose you again! If I must die, well, I must!' + +‘Oh, what can I do for you?' + +‘Anything you like!' + +‘If I let you down a cord, can you make it fast under your arms, +and climb up?' + +'Of course I can,' said he. + +So Dschemila lowered the cord, and Dschemil tied it round him, +and climbed up to her window. Then they embraced each other +tenderly, and burst into tears of joy. + +‘But what shall I do when the ogre returns?' asked she. + +‘Trust to me,' he said. + +Now there was a chest in the room, where Dschemila kept her +clothes. And she made Dschemil get into it, and lie at the +bottom, and told him to keep very still. + +He was only hidden just in time, for the lid was hardly closed +when the ogre's heavy tread was heard on the stairs. He flung +open the door, bringing men's flesh for himself and lamb's flesh +for the maiden. ‘I smell the smell of a man!' he thundered. ‘What +is he doing here?' + +‘How could any one have come to this desert place?' asked the +girl, and burst into tears. + +‘Do not cry,' said the ogre; ‘perhaps a raven has dropped some +scraps from his claws.' + +‘Ah, yes, I was forgetting,' answered she. ‘One did drop some +bones about.' + +‘Well, burn them to powder,' replied the ogre, ‘so that I may +swallow it.' + +So the maiden took some bones and burned them, and gave them to +the ogre, saying, ‘ Here is the powder, swallow it.' + +And when he had swallowed the powder the ogre stretched himself +out and went to sleep. + +In a little while the man's flesh, which the maiden was cooking +for the ogre's supper, called out and said: + + ‘Hist! Hist! + A man lies in the kist! ‘ + +And the lamb's flesh answered: + + ‘He is your brother, + And cousin of the other.' + +The ogre moved sleepily, and asked, ‘What did the meat say, +Dschemila?' + +‘Only that I must be sure to add salt.' + +‘Well, add salt.' + +‘Yes, I have done so,' said she. + +The ogre was soon sound asleep again, when the man's flesh called +out a second time: + + ‘Hist! Hist! + A man lies in the kist!' + +And the lamb's flesh answered: + + ‘He is your brother, + And cousin of the other.' + +‘What did it say, Dschemila?' asked the ogre. + +‘Only that I must add pepper.' + +‘Well, add pepper.' + +‘Yes, I have done so,' said she. + +The ogre had had a long day's hunting, and could not keep himself +awake. In a moment his eyes were tight shut, and then the man's +flesh called out for the third time: + + ‘Hist! Hist + A man lies in the kist,' + +And the lamb's flesh answered: + + ‘He is your brother, + And cousin of the other.' + +‘What did it say, Dschemila?' asked the ogre. + +‘Only that it was ready, and that I had better take it off the +fire.' + +‘Then if it is ready, bring it to me, and I will eat it.' + +So she brought it to him, and while he was eating she supped off +the lamb's flesh herself, and managed to put some aside for her +cousin. + +When the ogre had finished, and had washed his hands, he said to +Dschemila: ‘Make my bed, for I am tired.' + +So she made his bed, and put a nice soft pillow for his head, and +tucked him up. + +‘Father,' she said suddenly. + +‘Well, what is it?' + +‘Dear father, if you are really asleep, why are your eyes always +open?' + +‘Why do you ask that, Dschemila? Do you want to deal +treacherously with me?' + +‘No, of course not, father. How could I, and what would be the +use of it?' + +‘Well, why do you want to know?' + +‘Because last night I woke up and saw the whole place shining in +a red light, which frightened me.' + +‘That happens when I am fast asleep.' + +‘And what is the good of the pin you always keep here so +carefully?' + +‘If I throw that pin in front of me, it turns into an iron +mountain.' + +‘And this darning needle?' + +‘That becomes a sea.' + +‘And this hatchet?' + +‘That becomes a thorn hedge, which no one can pass through. But +why do you ask all these questions? I am sure you have something +in your head.' + +‘Oh, I just wanted to know; and how could anyone find me out +here?' and she began to cry. + +‘Oh, don't cry, I was only in fun,' said the ogre. + +He was soon asleep again, and a yellow light shone through the +castle. + +‘Come quick!' called Dschemil from the chest; ‘we must fly now +while the ogre is asleep.' + +‘Not yet,' she said, ‘there is a yellow light shining. I don't +think he is asleep.' + +So they waited for an hour. Then Dschemil whispered again: ‘Wake +up! There is no time to lose!' + +‘Let me see if he is asleep,' said she, and she peeped in, and +saw a red light shining. Then she stole back to her cousin, and +asked, ‘But how are we to get out?' + +‘Get the rope, and I will let you down.' + +So she fetched the rope, the hatchet, and the pin and the +needles, and said, ‘Take them, and put them in the pocket of your +cloak, and be sure not to lose them.' + +Dschemil put them carefully in his pocket, and tied the rope +round her, and let her down over the wall. + +‘Are you safe?' he asked. + +‘Yes, quite.' + +‘Then untie the rope, so that I may draw it up.' + +And Dschemila did as she was told, and in a few minutes he stood +beside her. + +Now all this time the ogre was asleep, and had heard nothing. +Then his dog came to him and said, ‘O, sleeper, are you having +pleasant dreams? Dschemila has forsaken you and run away.' + +The ogre got out of bed, gave the dog a kick, then went back +again, and slept till morning. + +When it grew light, he rose, and called, ‘Dschemila! Dschemila!' +but he only heard the echo of his own voice! Then he dressed +himself quickly; buckled on his sword and whistled to his dog, +and followed the road which he knew the fugitives must have +taken. ‘Cousin,' said Dschemila suddenly, and turning round as +she spoke. + +‘What is it?' answered he. + +‘The ogre is coming after us. I saw him.' + +‘But where is he? I don't see him.' + +‘Over there. He only looks about as tall as a needle.' + +Then they both began to run as fast as they could, while the ogre +and his dog kept drawing always nearer. A few more steps, and he +would have been by their side, when Dschemila threw the darning +needle behind her. In a moment it became an iron mountain between +them and their enemy. + +‘We will break it down, my dog and I,' cried the ogre in a rage, +and they dashed at the mountain till they had forced a path +through, and came ever nearer and nearer. + +‘Cousin! ‘ said Dschemila suddenly. + +‘What is it?' + +‘The ogre is coming after us with his dog.' + +‘You go on in front then,' answered he; and they both ran on as +fast as they could, while the ogre and the dog drew always nearer +and nearer. + +‘They are close upon us! ‘ cried the maiden, glancing behind, +‘you must throw the pin.' + +So Dschemil took the pin from his cloak and threw it behind him, +and a dense thicket of thorns sprang up round them, which the +ogre and his dog could not pass through. + +‘I will get through it somehow, if I burrow underground,' cried +he, and very soon he and the dog were on the other side. + +‘Cousin,' said Dschemila, ‘they are close to us now.' + +‘Go on in front, and fear nothing,' replied Dschemil. + +So she ran on a little way, and then stopped. + +‘He is only a few yards away now,' she said, and Dschemil flung +the hatchet on the ground, and it turned into a lake. + +‘I will drink, and my dog shall drink, till it is dry,' shrieked +the ogre, and the dog drank so much that it burst and died. But +the ogre did not stop for that, and soon the whole lake was +nearly dry. Then he exclaimed, ‘Dschemila, let your head become a +donkey's head, and your hair fur!' + +But when it was done, Dschemil looked at her in horror, and said, +‘ She is really a donkey, and not a woman at all! ‘ + +And he left her, and went home. + +For two days poor Dschemila wandered about alone, weeping +bitterly. When her cousin drew near his native town, he began to +think over his conduct, and to feel ashamed of himself. + +‘Perhaps by this time she has changed back to her proper shape,' +he said to himself, ‘I will go and see!' + +So he made all the haste he could, and at last he saw her seated +on a rock, trying to keep off the wolves, who longed to have her +for dinner. He drove them off and said, ‘Get up, dear cousin, you +have had a narrow escape.' + +Dschemila stood up and answered, ‘Bravo, my friend. You persuaded +me to fly with you, and then left me helplessly to my fate.' + +‘Shall I tell you the truth?' asked he. + +‘Tell it.' + +‘I thought you were a witch, and I was afraid of you.' + +‘Did you not see me before my transformation? and did you not +watch it happen under your very eyes, when the ogre bewitched +me?' + +‘What shall I do?' said Dschemil. ‘If I take you into the town, +everyone will laugh, and say, "Is that a new kind of toy you have +got? It has hands like a woman, feet like a woman, the body of a +woman; but its head is the head of an ass, and its hair is fur." +‘ + +‘Well, what do you mean to do with me?' asked Dschemila. ‘Better +take me home to my mother by night, and tell no one anything +about it.' + +‘So I will,' said he. + +They waited where they were till it was nearly dark, then +Dschemil brought his cousin home. + +‘Is that Dschemil?' asked the mother when he knocked softly. + +‘Yes, it is.' + +‘And have you found her?' + +‘Yes, and I have brought her to you.' + +‘Oh, where is she? let me see her!' cried the mother. + +‘Here, behind me,' answered Dschemil. + +But when the poor woman caught sight of her daughter, she +shrieked, and exclaimed, ‘Are you making fun of me? When did I +ever give birth to an ass?' + +‘Hush!' said Dschemil, ‘it is not necessary to let the whole +world know! And if you look at her body, you will see two scars +on it.' + +‘Mother,' sobbed Dschemila, ‘do you really not know your own +daughter?' + +‘Yes, of course I know her.' + +‘What are her two scars then?' + +‘On her thigh is a scar from the bite of a dog, and on her breast +is the mark of a burn, where she pulled a lamp over her when she +was little.' + +‘Then look at me, and see if I am not your daughter,' said +Dschemila, throwing off her clothes and showing her two scars. + +And at the sight her mother embraced her, weeping. + +‘Dear daughter,' she cried, ‘what evil fate has befallen you?' + +‘It was the ogre who carried me off first, and then bewitched +me,' answered Dschemila. + +‘But what is to be done with you?' asked her mother. + +‘Hide me away, and tell no one anything about me. And you, dear +cousin, say nothing to the neighbours, and if they should put +questions, you can make answer that I have not yet been found.' + +‘So I will,' replied he. + +Then he and her mother took her upstairs and hid her in a +cupboard, where she stayed for a whole month, only going out to +walk when all the world was asleep. + +Meanwhile Dschemil had returned to his own home, where his father +and mother, his brothers and neighbours, greeted him joyfully. + +‘When did you come back?' said they, ‘and have you found +Dschemila?' + +‘No, I searched the whole world after her, and could hear nothing +of her.' + +‘Did you part company with the man who started with you?' + +‘Yes; after three days he got so weak and useless he could not go +on. It must be a month by now since he reached home again. I went +on and visited every castle, and looked in every house. But there +were no signs of her; and so I gave it up.' + +And they answered him: ‘We told you before that it was no good. +An ogre or an ogress must have snapped her up, and how can you +expect to find her?' + +‘I loved her too much to be still,' he said. + +But his friends did not understand, and soon they spoke to him +again about it. + +‘We will seek for a wife for you. There are plenty of girls +prettier than Dschemila.' + +‘I dare say; but I don't want them.' + +‘But what will you do with all the cushions and carpets, and +beautiful things you bought for your house?' + +‘They can stay in the chests.' + +‘But the moths will eat them! For a few weeks, it is of no +consequence, but after a year or two they will be quite useless.' + +‘And if they have to lie there ten years I will have Dschemila, +and her only, for my wife. For a month, or even two months, I +will rest here quietly. Then I will go and seek her afresh.' + +‘Oh, you are quite mad! Is she the only maiden in the world? +There are plenty of others better worth having than she is.' + +‘If there are I have not seen them! And why do you make all this +fuss? Every man knows his own business best. + +‘Why, it is you who are making all the fuss yourself.' + +But Dschemil turned and went into the house, for he did not want +to quarrel. + +Three months later a Jew, who was travelling across the desert, +came to the castle, and laid himself down under the wall to rest. + +In the evening the ogre saw him there and said to him, 'Jew, what +are you doing here? Have you anything to sell?' + +‘I have only some clothes,' answered the Jew, who was in mortal +terror of the ogre. + +‘Oh, don't be afraid of me,' said the ogre, laughing. ‘I shall +not eat you. Indeed, I mean to go a bit of the way with you +myself.' + +‘I am ready, gracious sir,' replied the Jew, rising to his feet. + +‘Well, go straight on till you reach a town, and in that town you +will find a maiden called Dschemila and a young man called +Dschemil. Take this mirror and this comb with you, and say to +Dschemila, "Your father, the ogre, greets you, and begs you to +look at your face in this mirror, and it will appear as it was +before, and to comb your hair with this comb, and it will be as +formerly." If you do not carry out my orders, I will eat you the +next time we meet.' + +‘Oh, I will obey you punctually,' cried the Jew. + +After thirty days the Jew entered the gate of the town, and sat +down in the first street he came to, hungry, thirsty, and very +tired. + +Quite by chance, Dschemil happened to pass by, and seeing a man +sitting there, full in the glare of the sun, he stopped, and +said, ‘ Get up at once, Jew; you will have a sunstroke if you sit +in such a place.' + +‘Ah, good sir,' replied the Jew, ‘for a whole month I have been +travelling, and I am too tired to move.' + +‘Which way did you come?' asked Dschemil. + +‘From out there,' answered the Jew pointing behind him. + +‘And you have been travelling for a month, you say? Well, did you +see anything remarkable?' + +‘Yes, good sir; I saw a castle, and lay down to rest under its +shadow. And an ogre woke me, and told me to come to this town, +where I should find a young man called Dschemil, and a girl +called Dschemila.' + +‘My name is Dschemil. What does the ogre want with me?' + +‘He gave me some presents for Dschemila. How can I see her?' + +‘Come with me, and you shall give them into her own hands.' + +So the two went together to the house of Dschemil's uncle, and +Dschemil led the Jew into his aunt's room. + +‘Aunt!' he cried, ‘this Jew who is with me has come from the +ogre, and has brought with him, as presents, a mirror and a comb +which the ogre has sent her.' + +‘But it may be only some wicked trick on the part of the ogre,' +said she. + +‘Oh, I don't think so,' answered the young man, ‘give her the +things.' + +Then the maiden was called, and she came out of her hiding place, +and went up to the Jew, saying, ‘Where have you come from, Jew?' + +‘From your father the ogre.' + +‘And what errand did he send you on?' + +‘He told me I was to give you this mirror and this comb, and to +say "Look in this mirror, and comb your hair with this comb, and +both will become as they were formerly." ‘ + +And Dschemila took the mirror and looked into it, and combed her +hair with the comb, and she had no longer an ass's head, but the +face of a beautiful maiden. + +Great was the joy of both mother and cousin at this wonderful +sight, and the news that Dschemila had returned soon spread, and +the neighbours came flocking in with greetings. + +‘When did you come back?' + +‘My cousin brought me.' + +‘Why, he told us he could not find you! ‘ + +‘Oh, I did that on purpose,' answered Dschemil. ‘I did not want +everyone to know.' + +Then he turned to his father and his mother, his brothers and his +sisters-in-law, and said, ‘We must set to work at once, for the +wedding will be to-day.' + +A beautiful litter was prepared to carry the bride to her new +home, but she shrank back, saying, ‘I am afraid, lest the ogre +should carry me off again.' + +‘How can the ogre get at you when we are all here?' they said. +‘There are two thousand of us all told, and every man has his +sword.' + +‘He will manage it somehow,' answered Dschemila, ‘he is a +powerful king!' + +‘She is right,' said an old man. ‘Take away the litter, and let +her go on foot if she is afraid.' + +‘But it is absurd!' exclaimed the rest; ‘how can the ogre get +hold of her?' + +‘I will not go,' said Dschemila again. ‘You do not know that +monster; I do.' + +And while they were disputing the bridegroom arrived. + +‘Let her alone. She shall stay in her father's house. After all, +I can live here, and the wedding feast shall be made ready.' + +And so they were married at last, and died without having had a +single quarrel. + +[Marehen und Gedichte aus der Stadt Tripolis,] + + + + + + + Janni and the Draken + + + +Once there was a man who shunned the world, and lived in the +wilderness. He owned nothing but a flock of sheep, whose milk and +wool he sold, and so procured himself bread to eat; he also +carried wooden spoons, and sold them. He had a wife and one +little girl, and after a long time his wife had another child. +The evening it was born the man went to the nearest village to +fetch a nurse, and on the way he met a monk who begged him for a +night's lodging. This the man willingly granted, and took him +home with him. There being no one far nor near to baptize the +child, the man asked the monk to do him this service, and the +child was given the name of Janni. + +In the course of time Janni's parents died, and he and his sister +were left alone in the world; soon affairs went badly with them, +so they determined to wander away to seek their fortune. In +packing up, the sister found a knife which the monk had left for +his godson, and this she gave to her brother. + +Then they went on their way, taking with them the three sheep +which were all that remained of their flocks. After wandering for +three days they met a man with three dogs who proposed that they +should exchange animals, he taking the sheep, and they the dogs. +The brother and sister were quite pleased at this arrangement, +and after the exchange was made they separated, and went their +different ways. + +Janni and his sister in course of time came to a great castle, in +which dwelt forty Draken, who, when they heard that Janni had +come, fled forty fathoms underground. + +So Janni found the castle deserted, and abode there with his +sister, and every day went out to hunt with the weapons the +Draken had left in the castle. + +One day, when he was away hunting, one of the Draken came up to +get provisions, not knowing that there was anyone in the castle. +When he saw Janni's sister he was terrified, but she told him not +to be afraid, and by-and-by they fell in love with each other, +for every time that Janni went to hunt the sister called the +Drakos up. Thus they went on making love to each other till at +length, unknown to Janni, they got married. Then, when it was too +late, the sister repented, and was afraid of Janni's wrath when +he found it out. + +One day the Drakos came to her, and said: ‘You must pretend to be +ill, and when Janni asks what ails you, and what you want, you +must answer: "Cherries," and when he inquires where these are to +be found, you must say: "There are some in a garden a day's +journey from here." Then your brother will go there, and will +never come back, for there dwell three of my brothers who will +look after him well.' + +Then the sister did as the Drakos advised, and next day Janni set +out to fetch the cherries, taking his three dogs with him. When +he came to the garden where the cherries grew he jumped off his +horse, drank some water from the spring, which rose there, and +fell directly into a deep sleep. The Draken came round about to +eat him, but the dogs flung themselves on them and tore them in +pieces, and scratched a grave in the ground with their paws, and +buried the Draken so that Janni might not see their dead bodies. +When Janni awoke, and saw his dogs all covered with blood, he +believed that they had caught, somewhere, a wild beast, and was +angry because they had left none of it for him. But he plucked +the cherries, and took them back to his sister. + +When the Drakos heard that Janni had come back, he fled for fear +forty fathoms underground. And the sister ate the cherries and +declared herself well again. + +The next day, when Janni was gone to hunt, the Drakos came out, +and advised the sister that she should pretend to be ill again, +and when her brother asked her what she would like, she should +answer ‘Quinces,' and when he inquired where these were to be +found, she should say: ‘In a garden distant about two days' +journey.' Then would Janni certainly be destroyed, for there +dwelt six brothers of the Drakos, each of whom had two heads. + +The sister did as she was advised, and next day Janni again set +off, taking his three dogs with him. When he came to the garden +he dismounted, sat down to rest a little, and fell fast asleep. +First there came three Draken round about to eat him, and when +these three had been worried by the dogs, there came three others +who were worried in like manner. Then the dogs again dug a grave +and buried the dead Draken, that their master might not see them. +When Janni awoke and beheld the dogs all covered with blood, he +thought, as before, that they had killed a wild beast, and was +again angry with them for leaving him nothing. But he took the +quinces and brought them back to his sister, who, when she had +eaten them, declared herself better. The Drakos, when he heard +that Janni had come back, fled for fear forty fathoms deeper +underground. + +Next day, when Janni was hunting, the Drakos went to the sister +and advised that she should again pretend to be ill, and should +beg for some pears, which grew in a garden three days' journey +from the castle. From this quest Janni would certainly never +return, for there dwelt nine brothers of the Drakos, each of whom +had three heads. + +The sister did as she was told, and next day Janni, taking his +three dogs with him, went to get the pears. When he came to the +garden he laid himself down to rest, and soon fell asleep. + +Then first came three Draken to eat him, and when the dogs had +worried these, six others came and fought the dogs a long time. +The noise of this combat awoke Janni, and he slew the Draken, and +knew at last why the dogs were covered with blood. + +After that he freed all whom the Draken held prisoners, amongst +others, a king's daughter. Out of gratitude she would have taken +him for her husband; but he put her off, saying: ‘For the +kindness that I have been able to do to you, you shall receive in +this castle all the blind and lame who pass this way.' The +princess promised him to do so, and on his departure gave him a +ring. + +So Janni plucked the pears and took them to his sister, who, when +she had eaten them, declared she felt better. When, however, the +Drakos heard that Janni had come back yet a third time safe and +sound, he fled for fright forty fathoms deeper underground; and, +next day, when Janni was away hunting, he crept out and said to +the sister: ‘Now are we indeed both lost, unless you find out +from him wherein his strength lies, and then between us we will +contrive to do away with him.' + +When, therefore, Janni had come back from hunting, and sat at +evening with his sister by the fire, she begged him to tell her +wherein lay his strength, and he answered: ‘It lies in my two +fingers; if these are bound together then all my strength +disappears.' + +‘That I will not believe,' said the sister, ‘unless I see it for +myself.' + +Then he let her tie his fingers together with a thread, and +immediately he became powerless. Then the sister called up the +Drakos, who, when he had come forth, tore out Janni's eyes, gave +them to his dogs to eat, and threw him into a dry well. + +Now it happened that some travellers, going to draw water from +this well, heard Janni groaning at the bottom. They came near, +and asked him where he was, and he begged them to draw him up +from the well, for he was a poor unfortunate man. + +The travellers let a rope down and drew him up to daylight. It +was not till then that he first became aware that he was blind, +and he begged the travellers to lead him to the country of the +king whose daughter he had freed, and they would be well repaid +for their trouble. + +When they had brought him there he sent to beg the princess to +come to him; but she did not recognise him till he had shown her +the ring she had given him. + +Then she remembered him, and took him with her into the castle. + +When she learnt what had befallen him she called together all the +sorceresses in the country in order that they should tell her +where the eyes were. At last she found one who declared that she +knew where they were, and that she could restore them. This +sorceress then went straight to the castle where dwelt the sister +and the Drakos, and gave something to the dogs to eat which +caused the eyes to reappear. She took them with her and put them +back in Janni's head, so that he saw as well as before. + +Then he returned to the castle of the Drakos, whom he slew as +well as his sister; and, taking his dogs with him, went back to +the princess and they were immediately married. + + + + + + The Partnership of the Thief and the Liar. + + + +There was once upon a time a thief, who, being out of a job, was +wandering by himself up and down the seashore. As he walked he +passed a man who was standing still, looking at the waves. + +‘I wonder,' said the thief, addressing the stranger, ‘if you have +ever seen a stone swimming?' + +‘Most certainly I have,' replied the other man, ‘and, what is +more, I saw the same stone jump out of the water and fly through +the air.' + +‘This is capital,' replied the thief. ‘You and I must go into +partnership. We shall certainly make our fortunes. Let us start +together for the palace of the king of the neighbouring country. +When we get there, I will go into his presence alone, and will +tell him the most startling thing I can invent. Then you must +follow and back up my lie.' + +Having agreed to do this, they set out on their travels. After +several days' journeying, they reached the town where the king's +palace was, and here they parted for a few hours, while the thief +sought an interview with the king, and begged his majesty to give +him a glass of beer. + +‘That is impossible,' said the king, ‘as this year there has been +a failure of all the crops, and of the hops and the vines; so we +have neither wine nor beer in the whole kingdom.' + +‘How extraordinary!' answered the thief. ‘I have just come from a +country where the crops were so fine that I saw twelve barrels of +beer made out of one branch of hops.' + +‘I bet you three hundred florins that is not true,' answered the +king. + +‘And I bet you three hundred florins it is true,' replied the +thief. + +Then each staked his three hundred florins, and the king said he +would decide the question by sending a servant into that country +to see if it was true. + +So the servant set out on horseback, and on the way he met a man, +and he asked him whence he came. And the man told him that he +came from the self-same country to which the servant was at that +moment bound. + +‘If that is the case,' said the servant, ‘you can tell me how +high the hops grow in your country, and how many barrels of beer +can be brewed from one branch?' + +‘I can't tell you that,' answered the man, ‘but I happened to be +present when the hops were being gathered in, and I saw that it +took three men with axes three days to cut down one branch.' + +Then the servant thought that he might save himself a long +journey; so he gave the man ten florins, and told him he must +repeat to the king what he had just told him. And when they got +back to the palace, they came together into the king's presence. + +And the king asked him: ‘Well, is it true about the hops?' + +‘Yes, sire, it is,' answered the servant; ‘and here is a man I +have brought with me from the country to confirm the tale.' + +So the king paid the thief the three hundred florins; and the +partners once more set out together in search of adventures. As +they journeyed, the thief said to his comrade: ‘I will now go to +another king, and will tell him something still more startling; +and you must follow and back up my lie, and we shall get some +money out of him; just see if we don't.' + +When they reached the next kingdom, the thief presented himself +to the king, and requested him to give him a cauliflower. And the +king answered: ‘Owing to a blight among the vegetables we have no +cauliflower.' + +‘That is strange,' answered the thief. ‘I have just come from a +country where it grows so well that one head of cauliflower +filled twelve water-tubs.' + +‘I don't believe it,' answered the king. + +‘I bet you six hundred florins it is true,' replied the thief. + +‘And I bet you six hundred florins it is not true,' answered the +king. And he sent for a servant, and ordered him to start at once +for the country whence the thief had come, to find out if his +story of the cauliflower was true. On his journey the servant met +with a man. Stopping his horse he asked him where he came from, +and the man replied that he came from the country to which the +other was travelling. + +‘If that is the case,' said the servant, ‘you can tell me to what +size cauliflower grows in your country? Is it so large that one +head fills twelve water-tubs?' + +‘I have not seen that,' answered the man. ‘But I saw twelve +waggons, drawn by twelve horses, carrying one head of cauliflower +to the market.' + +And the servant answered: ‘Here are ten florins for you, my man, +for you have saved me a long journey. Come with me now, and tell +the king what you have just told me.' + +‘All right,' said the man, and they went together to the palace; +and when the king asked the servant if he had found out the truth +about the cauliflower, the servant replied: ‘Sire, all that you +heard was perfectly true; here is a man from the country who will +tell you so.' + +So the king had to pay the thief the six hundred florins. And the +two partners set out once more on their travels, with their nine +hundred florins. When they reached the country of the +neighbouring king, the thief entered the royal presence, and +began conversation by asking if his majesty knew that in an +adjacent kingdom there was a town with a church steeple on which +a bird had alighted, and that the steeple was so high, and the +bird's beak so long, that it had pecked the stars till some of +them fell out of the sky. + +‘I don't believe it,' said the king. + +‘Nevertheless I am prepared to bet twelve hundred florins that it +is true,' answered the thief. + +‘And I bet twelve hundred florins that it is a lie,' replied the +king. And he straightway sent a servant into the neighbouring +country to find out the truth. + +As he rode, the servant met a man coming in the opposite +direction. So he hailed him and asked him where he came from. And +the man replied that he came out of the very town to which the +man was bound. Then the servant asked him if the story they had +heard about the bird with the long beak was true. + +‘I don't know about that,' answered the man, ‘as I have never +seen the bird; but I once saw twelve men shoving all their might +and main with brooms to push a monster egg into a cellar.' + +‘That is capital,' answered the servant, presenting the man with +ten florins. ‘Come and tell your tale to the king, and you will +save me a long journey.' + +So, when the story was repeated to the king, there was nothing +for him to do but to pay the thief the twelve hundred florins. + +Then the two partners set out again with their ill- gotten gains, +which they proceeded to divide into two equal shares; but the +thief kept back three of the florins that belonged to the liar's +half of the booty. Shortly afterwards they each married, and +settled down in homes of their own with their wives. One day the +liar discovered that he had been done out of three florins by his +partner, so he went to his house and demanded them from him. + +‘Come next Saturday, and I will give them to you,' answered the +thief. But as he had no intention of giving the liar the money, +when Saturday morning came he stretched himself out stiff and +stark upon the bed, and told his wife she was to say he was dead. +So the wife rubbed her eyes with an onion, and when the liar +appeared at the door, she met him in tears, and told him that as +her husband was dead he could not be paid the three florins. + +But the liar, who knew his partner's tricks, instantly suspected +the truth, and said: ‘As he has not paid me, I will pay him out +with three good lashes of my riding whip.' + +At these words the thief sprang to his feet, and, appearing at +the door, promised his partner that if he would return the +following Saturday he would pay him. So the liar went away +satisfied with this promise. + +But when Saturday morning came the thief got up early and hid +himself under a truss of hay in the hay- loft. + +When the liar appeared to demand his three florins, the wife met +him with tears in her eyes, and told him that her husband was +dead. + +‘Where have you buried him?' asked the liar. + +‘In the hay-loft,' answered the wife. + +‘Then I will go there, and take away some hay in payment of his +debt,' said the liar. And proceeding to the hay-loft, he began to +toss about the hay with a pitchfork, prodding it into the trusses +of hay, till, in terror of his life, the thief crept out and +promised his partner to pay him the three florins on the +following Saturday. + +When the day came he got up at sunrise, and going down into the +crypt of a neighbouring chapel, stretched himself out quite still +and stiff in an old stone coffin. But the liar, who was quite as +clever as his partner, very soon bethought him of the crypt, and +set out for the chapel, confident that he would shortly discover +the hiding-place of his friend. He had just entered the crypt, +and his eyes were not yet accustomed to the darkness, when he +heard the sound of whispering at the grated windows. Listening +intently, he overheard the plotting of a band of robbers, who had +brought their treasure to the crypt, meaning to hide it there, +while they set out on fresh adventures. All the time they were +speaking they were removing the bars from the window, and in +another minute they would all have entered the crypt, and +discovered the liar. Quick as thought he wound his mantle round +him and placed himself, standing stiff and erect, in a niche in +the wall, so that in the dim light he looked just like an old +stone statue. As soon as the robbers entered the crypt, they set +about the work of dividing their treasure. Now, there were twelve +robbers, but by mistake the chief of the band divided the gold +into thirteen heaps. When he saw his mistake he said they had not +time to count it all over again, but that the thirteenth heap +should belong to whoever among them could strike off the head of +the old stone statue in the niche with one stroke. With these +words he took up an axe, and approached the niche where the liar +was standing. But, just as he had waved the axe over his head +ready to strike, a voice was heard from the stone coffin saying, +in sepulchral tones: ‘Clear out of this, or the dead will arise +from their coffins, and the statues will descend from the walls, +and you will be driven out more dead than alive.' And with a +bound the thief jumped out of his coffin and the liar from his +niche, and the robbers were so terrified that they ran +helter-skelter out of the crypt, leaving all their gold behind +them, and vowing that they would never put foot inside the +haunted place again. So the partners divided the gold between +them, and carried it to their homes; and history tells us no more +about them. + + + + Fortunatus and His Purse + + + +Once upon a time there lived in the city of Famagosta, in the +island of Cyprus, a rich man called Theodorus. He ought to have +been the happiest person in the whole world, as he had all he +could wish for, and a wife and little son whom he loved dearly; +but unluckily, after a short time he always grew tired of +everything, and had to seek new pleasures. When people are made +like this the end is generally the same, and before Fortunatus +(for that was the boy's name) was ten years old, his father had +spent all his money and had not a farthing left. + +But though Theodorus had been so foolish he was not quite without +sense, and set about getting work at once. His wife, too, instead +of reproaching him sent away the servants and sold their fine +horses, and did all the work of the house herself, even washing +the clothes of her husband and child. + +Thus time passed till Fortunatus was sixteen. One day when they +were sitting at supper, the boy said to Theodorus, ‘Father, why +do you look so sad. Tell me what is wrong, and perhaps I can help +you.' + +‘Ah, my son, I have reason enough to be sad; but for me you would +now have been enjoying every kind of pleasure, instead of being +buried in this tiny house.' + +‘Oh, do not let that trouble you,' replied Fortunatus, ‘it is +time I made some money for myself. To be sure I have never been +taught any trade. Still there must be something I can do. I will +go and walk on the seashore and think about it.' + +Very soon--sooner than he expected--a chance came, and +Fortunatus, like a wise boy, seized on it at once. The post +offered him was that of page to the Earl of Flanders, and as the +Earl's daughter was just going to be married, splendid +festivities were held in her honour, and at some of the tilting +matches Fortunatus was lucky enough to win the prize. These +prizes, together with presents from the lords and ladies of the +court, who liked him for his pleasant ways, made Fortunatus feel +quite a rich man. + +But though his head was not turned by the notice taken of him, it +excited the envy of some of the other pages about the Court, and +one of them, called Robert, invented a plot to move Fortunatus +out of his way. So he told the young man that the Earl had taken +a dislike to him and meant to kill him; Fortunatus believed the +story, and packing up his fine clothes and money, slipped away +before dawn. + +He went to a great many big towns and lived well, and as he was +generous and not wiser than most youths of his age, he very soon +found himself penniless. Like his father, he then began to think +of work, and tramped half over Brittany in search of it. Nobody +seemed to want him, and he wandered about from one place to +another, till he found himself in a dense wood, without any +paths, and not much light. Here he spent two whole days, with +nothing to eat and very little water to drink, going first in one +direction and then in another, but never being able to find his +way out. During the first night he slept soundly, and was too +tired to fear either man or beast, but when darkness came on for +the second time, and growls were heard in the distance, he grew +frightened and looked about for a high tree out of reach of his +enemies. Hardly had he settled himself comfortably in one of the +forked branches, when a lion walked up to a spring that burst +from a rock close to the tree, and crouching down drank greedily. +This was bad enough, but after all, lions do not climb trees, and +as long as Fortunatus stayed up on his perch, he was quite safe. +But no sooner was the lion out of sight, than his place was taken +by a bear, and bears, as Fortunatus knew very well, are +tree-climbers. His heart beat fast, and not without reason, for +as the bear turned away he looked up and saw Fortunatus! + +Now in those days every young man carried a sword slung to his +belt, and it was a fashion that came in very handily for +Fortunatus. He drew his sword, and when the bear got within a +yard of him he made a fierce lunge forward. The bear, wild with +pain, tried to spring, but the bough he was standing on broke +with his weight, and he fell heavily to the ground. Then +Fortunatus descended from his tree (first taking good care to see +no other wild animals were in sight) and killed him with a single +blow. He was just thinking he would light a fire and make a +hearty dinner off bear's flesh, which is not at all bad eating, +when he beheld a beautiful lady standing by his side leaning on a +wheel, and her eyes hidden by a bandage. + +‘I am Dame Fortune,' she said, ‘and I have a gift for you. Shall +it be wisdom, strength, long life, riches, health, or beauty? +Think well, and tell me what you will have.' + +But Fortunatus, who had proved the truth of the proverb that +‘It's ill thinking on an empty stomach,' answered quickly, ‘Good +lady, let me have riches in such plenty that I may never again be +as hungry as I am now.' + +And the lady held out a purse and told him he had only to put his +hand into it, and he and his children would always find ten +pieces of gold. But when they were dead it would be a magic purse +no longer. + +At this news Fortunatus was beside himself with joy, and could +hardly find words to thank the lady. But she told him that the +best thing he could do was to find his way out of the wood, and +before bidding him farewell pointed out which path he should +take. He walked along it as fast as his weakness would let him, +until a welcome light at a little distance showed him that a +house was near. It turned out to be an inn, but before entering +Fortunatus thought he had better make sure of the truth of what +the lady had told him, and took out the purse and looked inside. +Sure enough there were the ten pieces of gold, shining brightly. +Then Fortunatus walked boldly up to the inn, and ordered them to +get ready a good supper at once, as he was very hungry, and to +bring him the best wine in the house. And he seemed to care so +little what he spent that everybody thought he was a great lord, +and vied with each other who should run quickest when he called. + +After a night passed in a soft bed, Fortunatus felt so much +better that he asked the landlord if he could find him some +men-servants, and tell him where any good horses were to be got. +The next thing was to provide himself with smart clothes, and +then to take a big house where he could give great feasts to the +nobles and beautiful ladies who lived in palaces round about. + +In this manner a whole year soon slipped away, and Fortunatus was +so busy amusing himself that he never once remembered his parents +whom he had left behind in Cyprus. But though he was thoughtless, +he was not bad-hearted. As soon as their existence crossed his +mind, he set about making preparations to visit them, and as he +was not fond of being alone he looked round for some one older +and wiser than himself to travel with him. It was not long before +he had the good luck to come across an old man who had left his +wife and children in a far country many years before, when he +went out into the world to seek the fortune which he never found. +He agreed to accompany Fortunatus back to Cyprus, but only on +condition he should first be allowed to return for a few weeks to +his own home before venturing to set sail for an island so +strange and distant. Fortunatus agreed to his proposal, and as he +was always fond of anything new, said that he would go with him. + +The journey was long, and they had to cross many large rivers, +and climb over high mountains, and find their way through thick +woods, before they reached at length the old man's castle. His +wife and children had almost given up hopes of seeing him again, +and crowded eagerly round him. Indeed, it did not take Fortunatus +five minutes to fall in love with the youngest daughter, the most +beautiful creature in the whole world, whose name was Cassandra. + +‘Give her to me for my wife,' he said to the old man, ‘and let us +all go together to Famagosta.' + +So a ship was bought big enough to hold Fortunatus, the old man +and his wife, and their ten children-- five of them sons and five +daughters. And the day before they sailed the wedding was +celebrated with magnificent rejoicings, and everybody thought +that Fortunatus must certainly be a prince in disguise. But when +they reached Cyprus, he learned to his sorrow that both his +father and mother were dead, and for some time he shut himself up +in his house and would see nobody, full of shame at having +forgotten them all these years. Then he begged that the old man +and his wife would remain with him, and take the place of his +parents. + +For twelve years Fortunatus and Cassandra and their two little +boys lived happily in Famagosta. They had a beautiful house and +everything they could possibly want, and when Cassandra's sisters +married the purse provided them each with a fortune. But at last +Fortunatus grew tired of staying at home, and thought he should +like to go out and see the world again. Cassandra shed many tears +at first when he told her of his wishes, and he had a great deal +of trouble to persuade her to give her consent. But on his +promising to return at the end of two years she agreed to let him +go. Before he went away he showed her three chests of gold, which +stood in a room with an iron door, and walls twelve feet thick. +‘If anything should happen to me,' he said, ‘and I should never +come back, keep one of the chests for yourself, and give the +others to our two sons.' Then he embraced them all and took ship +for Alexandria. + +The wind was fair and in a few days they entered the harbour, +where Fortunatus was informed by a man whom he met on landing, +that if he wished to be well received in the town, he must begin +by making a handsome present to the Sultan. ‘That is easily +done,' said Fortunatus, and went into a goldsmith's shop, where +he bought a large gold cup, which cost five thousand pounds. This +gift so pleased the Sultan that he ordered a hundred casks of +spices to be given to Fortunatus; Fortunatus put them on board +his ship, and commanded the captain to return to Cyprus and +deliver them to his wife, Cassandra. He next obtained an audience +of the Sultan, and begged permission to travel through the +country, which the Sultan readily gave him, adding some letters +to the rulers of other lands which Fortunatus might wish to +visit. + +Filled with delight at feeling himself free to roam through the +world once more, Fortunatus set out on his journey without losing +a day. From court to court he went, astonishing everyone by the +magnificence of his dress and the splendour of his presents. At +length he grew as tired of wandering as he had been of staying at +home, and returned to Alexandria, where he found the same ship +that had brought him from Cyprus lying in the harbour. Of course +the first thing he did was to pay his respects to the Sultan, who +was eager to hear about his adventures. + +When Fortunatus had told them all, the Sultan observed: ‘Well, +you have seen many wonderful things, but I have something to show +you more wonderful still;' and he led him into a room where +precious stones lay heaped against the walls. Fortunatus' eyes +were quite dazzled, but the Sultan went on without pausing and +opened a door at the farther end. As far as Fortunatus could see, +the cupboard was quite bare, except for a little red cap, such as +soldiers wear in Turkey. + +‘Look at this,' said the Sultan. + +‘But there is nothing very valuable about it,' answered +Fortunatus. ‘I've seen a dozen better caps than that, this very +day.' + +‘Ah,' said the Sultan, ‘you do not know what you are talking +about. Whoever puts this cap on his head and wishes himself in +any place, will find himself there in a moment.' + +‘But who made it?' asked Fortunatus. + +‘That I cannot tell you,' replied the Sultan. + +‘Is it very heavy to wear?' asked Fortunatus. + +‘No, quite light,' replied the Sultan, ‘just feel it.' + +Fortunatus took the cap and put it on his head, and then, without +thinking, wished himself back in the ship that was starting for +Famagosta. In a second he was standing at the prow, while the +anchor was being weighed, and while the Sultan was repenting of +his folly in allowing Fortunatus to try on the cap, the vessel +was making fast for Cyprus. + +When it arrived, Fortunatus found his wife and children well, but +the two old people were dead and buried. His sons had grown tall +and strong, but unlike their father had no wish to see the world, +and found their chief pleasure in hunting and tilting. In the +main, Fortunatus was content to stay quietly at home, and if a +restless fit did seize upon him, he was able to go away for a few +hours without being missed, thanks to the cap, which he never +sent back to the Sultan. + +By-and-by he grew old, and feeling that he had not many days to +live, he sent for his two sons, and showing them the purse and +cap, he said to them: ‘Never part with these precious +possessions. They are worth more than all the gold and lands I +leave behind me. But never tell their secret, even to your wife +or dearest friend. That purse has served me well for forty years, +and no one knows whence I got my riches.' Then he died and was +buried by his wife Cassandra, and he was mourned in Famagosta for +many years. + + + + + + The Goat-faced Girl + + + +There was once upon a time a peasant called Masaniello who had +twelve daughters. They were exactly like the steps of a +staircase, for there was just a year between each sister. It was +all the poor man could do to bring up such a large family, and in +order to provide food for them he used to dig in the fields all +day long. In spite of his hard work he only just succeeded in +keeping the wolf from the door, and the poor little girls often +went hungry to bed. + +One day, when Masaniello was working at the foot of a high +mountain, he came upon the mouth of a cave which was so dark and +gloomy that even the sun seemed afraid to enter it. Suddenly a +huge green lizard appeared from the inside and stood before +Masaniello, who nearly went out of his mind with terror, for the +beast was as big as a crocodile and quite as fierce looking. + +But the lizard sat down beside him in the most friendly manner, +and said: ‘Don't be afraid, my good man, I am not going to hurt +you; on the contrary, I am most anxious to help you.' + +When the peasant heard these words he knelt before the lizard and +said: ‘Dear lady, for I know not what to call you, I am in your +power; but I beg of you to be merciful, for I have twelve +wretched little daughters at home who are dependent on me.' + +‘That's the very reason why I have come to you,' replied the +lizard. ‘Bring me your youngest daughter to-morrow morning. I +promise to bring her up as if she were my own child, and to look +upon her as the apple of my eye.' + +When Masaniello heard her words he was very unhappy, because he +felt sure, from the lizard's wanting one of his daughters, the +youngest and tenderest too, that the poor little girl would only +serve as dessert for the terrible creature's supper. At the same +time he said to himself, ‘If I refuse her request, she will +certainly eat me up on the spot. If I give her what she asks she +does indeed take part of myself, but if I refuse she will take +the whole of me. What am I to do, and how in the world am I to +get out of the difficulty?' + +As he kept muttering to himself the lizard said, ‘Make up your +mind to do as I tell you at once. I desire to have your youngest +daughter, and if you won't comply with my wish, I can only say it +will be the worse for you.' + +Seeing that there was nothing else to be done, Masaniello set off +for his home, and arrived there looking so white and wretched +that his wife asked him at once: ‘What has happened to you, my +dear husband? Have you quarrelled with anyone, or has the poor +donkey fallen down?' + +‘Neither the one nor the other,' answered her husband,' but +something far worse than either. A terrible lizard has nearly +frightened me out of my senses, for she threatened that if I did +not give her our youngest daughter, she would make me repent it. +My head is going round like a mill-wheel, and I don't know what +to do. I am indeed between the Devil and the Deep Sea. You know +how dearly I love Renzolla, and yet, if I fail to bring her to +the lizard to-morrow morning, I must say farewell to life. Do +advise me what to do.' + +When his wife had heard all he had to say, she said to him: ‘How +do you know, my dear husband, that the lizard is really our +enemy? May she not be a friend in disguise? And your meeting with +her may be the beginning of better things and the end of all our +misery. Therefore go and take the child to her, for my heart +tells me that you will never repent doing so.' + +Masaniello was much comforted by her words, and next morning as +soon as it was light he took his little daughter by the hand and +led her to the cave. + +The lizard, who was awaiting the peasant's arrival, came forward +to meet him, and taking the girl by the hand, she gave the father +a sack full of gold, and said: ‘Go and marry your other +daughters, and give them dowries with this gold, and be of good +cheer, for Renzolla will have both father and mother in me; it is +a great piece of luck for her that she has fallen into my hands.' + +Masaniello, quite overcome with gratitude, thanked the lizard, +and returned home to his wife. + +As soon as it was known how rich the peasant had become, suitors +for the hands of his daughters were not wanting, and very soon he +married them all off; and even then there was enough gold left to +keep himself and his wife in comfort and plenty all their days. + +As soon as the lizard was left alone with Renzolla, she changed +the cave into a beautiful palace, and led the girl inside. Here +she brought her up like a little princess, and the child wanted +for nothing. She gave her sumptuous food to eat, beautiful +clothes to wear, and a thousand servants to wait on her. + +Now, it happened, one day, that the king of the country was +hunting in a wood close to the palace, and was overtaken by the +dark. Seeing a light shining in the palace he sent one of his +servants to ask if he could get a night's lodging there. + +When the page knocked at the door the lizard changed herself into +a beautiful woman, and opened it herself. When she heard the +king's request she sent him a message to say that she would be +delighted to see him, and give him all he wanted. + +The king, on hearing this kind invitation, instantly betook +himself to the palace, where he was received in the most +hospitable manner. A hundred pages with torches came to meet him, +a hundred more waited on him at table, and another hundred waved +big fans in the air to keep the flies from him. Renzolla herself +poured out the wine for him, and, so gracefully did she do it, +that his Majesty could not take his eyes off her. + +When the meal was finished and the table cleared, the king +retired to sleep, and Renzolla drew the shoes from his feet, at +the same time drawing his heart from his breast. So desperately +had he fallen in love with her, that he called the fairy to him, +and asked her for Renzolla's hand in marriage. As the kind fairy +had only the girl's welfare at heart, she willingly gave her +consent, and not her consent only, but a wedding portion of seven +thousand golden guineas. + +The king, full of delight over his good fortune, prepared to take +his departure, accompanied by Renzolla, who never so much as +thanked the fairy for all she had done for her. When the fairy +saw such a base want of gratitude she determined to punish the +girl, and, cursing her, she turned her face into a goat's head. +In a moment Renzolla's pretty mouth stretched out into a snout, +with a beard a yard long at the end of it, her cheeks sank in, +and her shining plaits of hair changed into two sharp horns. When +the king turned round and saw her he thought he must have taken +leave of his senses. He burst into tears, and cried out: ‘Where +is the hair that bound me so tightly, where are the eyes that +pierced through my heart, and where are the lips I kissed? Am I +to be tied to a goat all my life? No, no! nothing will induce me +to become the laughing-stock of my subjects for the sake of a +goat-faced girl!' + +When they reached his own country he shut Renzolla up in a little +turret chamber of his palace, with a waiting-maid, and gave each +of them ten bundles of flax to spin, telling them that their task +must be finished by the end of the week. + +The maid, obedient to the king's commands, set at once to work +and combed out the flax, wound it round the spindle, and sat +spinning at her wheel so diligently that her work was quite done +by Saturday evening. But Renzolla, who had been spoilt and petted +in the fairy's house, and was quite unaware of the change that +had taken place in her appearance, threw the flax out of the +window and said: ‘What is the king thinking of that he should +give me this work to do? If he wants shirts he can buy them. It +isn't even as if he had picked me out of the gutter, for he ought +to remember that I brought him seven thousand golden guineas as +my wedding portion, and that I am his wife and not his slave. He +must be mad to treat me like this.' + +All the same, when Saturday evening came, and she saw that the +waiting-maid had finished her task, she took fright lest she +should be punished for her idleness. So she hurried off to the +palace of the fairy, and confided all her woes to her. The fairy +embraced her tenderly, and gave her a sack full of spun flax, in +order that she might show it to the king, and let him see what a +good worker she was. Renzolla took the sack without one word of +thanks, and returned to the palace, leaving the kind fairy very +indignant over her want of gratitude. + +When the king saw the flax all spun, he gave Renzolla and the +waiting-maid each a little dog, and told them to look after the +animals and train them carefully. + +The waiting-maid brought hers up with the greatest possible care, +and treated it almost as if it were her son. But Renzolla said: +‘I don't know what to think. Have I come among a lot of lunatics? +Does the king imagine that I am going to comb and feed a dog with +my own hands?' With these words she opened the window and threw +the poor little beast out, and he fell on the ground as dead as a +stone. + +When a few months had passed the king sent a message to say he +would like to see how the dogs were getting on. Renzolla, who +felt very uncomfortable in her mind at this request, hurried off +once more to the fairy. This time she found an old man at the +door of the fairy's palace, who said to her: ‘Who are you, and +what do you want?' + +When Renzolla heard his question she answered angrily: ‘Don't you +know me, old Goat-beard? And how dare you address me in such a +way?' + +‘The pot can't call the kettle black,' answered the old man, ‘for +it is not I, but you who have a goat's head. Just wait a moment, +you ungrateful wretch, and I will show you to what a pass your +want of gratitude has brought you.' + +With these words he hurried away, and returned with a mirror, +which he held up before Renzolla. At the sight of her ugly, hairy +face, the girl nearly fainted with horror, and she broke into +loud sobs at seeing her countenance so changed. + +Then the old man said: ‘You must remember, Renzolla, that you are +a peasant's daughter, and that the fairy turned you into a queen; +but you were ungrateful, and never as much as thanked her for all +she had done for you. Therefore she has determined to punish you. +But if you wish to lose your long white beard, throw yourself at +the fairy's feet and implore her to forgive you. She has a tender +heart, and will, perhaps, take pity on you.' + +Renzolla, who was really sorry for her conduct, took the old +man's advice, and the fairy not only gave her back her former +face, but she dressed her in a gold embroidered dress, presented +her with a beautiful carriage, and brought her back, accompanied +by a host of servants, to her husband. When the king saw her +looking as beautiful as ever, he fell in love with her once more, +and bitterly repented having caused her so much suffering. + +So Renzolla lived happily ever afterwards, for she loved her +husband, honoured the fairy, and was grateful to the old man for +having told her the truth. + +[From the Italian. Kletke.] + + + + + + What Came of Picking Flowers + + + +There was once a woman who had three daughters whom she loved +very much. One day the eldest was walking in a water-meadow, when +she saw a pink growing in the stream. She stooped to pick the +flower, but her hand had scarcely touched it, when she vanished +altogether. The next morning the second sister went out into the +meadow, to see if she could find any traces of the lost girl, and +as a branch of lovely roses lay trailing across her path, she +bent down to move it away, and in so doing, could not resist +plucking one of the roses. In a moment she too had disappeared. +Wondering what could have become of her two sisters, the youngest +followed in their footsteps, and fell a victim to a branch of +delicious white jessamine. So the old woman was left without any +daughters at all. + +She wept, and wept, and wept, all day and all night, and went on +weeping so long, that her son, who had been a little boy when his +sisters disappeared, grew up to be a tall youth. Then one night +he asked his mother to tell him what was the matter. + +When he had heard the whole story, he said, ‘Give me your +blessing, mother, and I will go and search the world till I find +them.' + +So he set forth, and after he had travelled several miles without +any adventures, he came upon three big boys fighting in the road. +He stopped and inquired what they were fighting about, and one of +them answered: + +‘My lord! our father left to us, when he died, a pair of boots, a +key, and a cap. Whoever puts on the boots and wishes himself in +any place, will find himself there. The key will open every door +in the world, and with the cap on your head no one can see you. +Now our eldest brother wants to have all three things for +himself, and we wish to draw lots for them.' + +‘Oh, that is easily settled,' said the youth. ‘I will throw this +stone as far as I can, and the one who picks it up first, shall +have the three things.' So he took the stone and flung it, and +while the three brothers were running after it, he drew hastily +on the boots, and said, ‘Boots, take me to the place where I +shall find my eldest sister.' + +The next moment the young man was standing on a steep mountain +before the gates of a strong castle guarded by bolts and bars and +iron chains. The key, which he had not forgotten to put in his +pocket, opened the doors one by one, and he walked through a +number of halls and corridors, till he met a beautiful and +richly-dressed young lady who started back in surprise at the +sight of him, and exclaimed, ‘Oh, sir, how did you contrive *to* +get in here?' The young man replied that he was her brother, and +told her by what means he had been able to pass through the +doors. In return, she told him how happy she was, except for one +thing, and that was, her husband lay under a spell, and could +never break it till there should be put to death a man who could +not die. + +They talked together for a long time, and then the lady said he +had better leave her as she expected her husband back at any +moment, and he might not like him to be there; but the young man +assured her she need not be afraid, as he had with him a cap +which would make him invisible. They were still deep in +conversation when the door suddenly opened, and a bird flew in, +but he saw nothing unusual, for, at the first noise, the youth +had put on his cap. The lady jumped up and brought a large golden +basin, into which the bird flew, reappearing directly after as a +handsome man. Turning to his wife, he cried, ‘I am sure someone +is in the room!' She got frightened, and declared that she was +quite alone, but her husband persisted, and in the end she had to +confess the truth. + +‘But if he is really your brother, why did you hide him?' asked +he. ‘I believe you are telling me a lie, and if he comes back I +shall kill him!' + +At this the youth took off his cap, and came forward. Then the +husband saw that he was indeed so like his wife that he doubted +her word no longer, and embraced his brother-in-law with delight. +Drawing a feather from his bird's skin, he said, ‘If you are in +danger and cry, "Come and help me, King of the Birds," everything +will go well with you.' + +The young man thanked him and went away, and after he had left +the castle he told the boots that they must take him to the place +where his second sister was living. As before, he found himself +at the gates of a huge castle, and within was his second sister, +very happy with her husband, who loved her dearly, but longing +for the moment when he should be set free from the spell that +kept him half his life a fish. When he arrived and had been +introduced by his wife to her brother, he welcomed him warmly, +and gave him a fish-scale, saying, ‘If you are in danger, call to +me, "Come and help me, King of the Fishes," and everything will +go well with you.' + +The young man thanked him and took his leave, and when he was +outside the gates he told the boots to take him to the place +where his youngest sister lived. The boots carried him to a dark +cavern, with steps of iron leading up to it. Inside she sat, +weeping and sobbing, and as she had done nothing else the whole +time she had been there, the poor girl had grown very thin. When +she saw a man standing before her, she sprang to her feet and +exclaimed, ‘Oh, whoever you are, save me and take me from this +horrible place!' Then he told her who he was, and how he had seen +her sisters, whose happiness was spoilt by the spell under which +both their husbands lay, and she, in turn, related her story. She +had been carried off in the water-meadow by a horrible monster, +who wanted to make her marry him by force, and had kept her a +prisoner all these years because she would not submit to his +will. Every day he came to beg her to consent to his wishes, and +to remind her that there was no hope of her being set free, as he +was the most constant man in the world, and besides that he could +never die. At these words the youth remembered his two enchanted +brothers-in-law, and he advised his sister to promise to marry +the old man, if he would tell her why he could never die. +Suddenly everything began to tremble, as if it was shaken by a +whirlwind, and the old man entered, and flinging himself at the +feet of the girl, he said: ‘Are you still determined never to +marry me? If so you will have to sit there weeping till the end +of the world, for I shall always be faithful to my wish to marry +you!' ‘Well, I will marry you,' she said, ‘if you will tell me +why it is that you can never die.' + +Then the old man burst into peals of laughter. ‘Ah, ah, ah! You +are thinking how you would be able to kill me? Well, to do that, +you would have to find an iron casket which lies at the bottom of +the sea, and has a white dove inside, and then you would have to +find the egg which the dove laid, and bring it here, and dash it +against my head.' And he laughed again in his certainty that no +one had ever got down to the bottom of the sea, and that if they +did, they would never find the casket, or be able to open it. +When he could speak once more, he said, ‘Now you will be obliged +to marry me, as you know my secret.' But she begged so hard that +the wedding might be put off for three days, that he consented, +and went away rejoicing at his victory. When he had disappeared, +the brother took off the cap which had kept him invisible all +this time, and told his sister not to lose heart as he hoped in +three days she would be free. Then he drew on his boots, and +wished himself at the seashore, and there he was directly. +Drawing out the fish-scale, he cried, ‘Come and help me, King of +the Fishes!' and his brother-in-law swam up, and asked what he +could do. The young man related the story, and when he had +finished his listener summoned all the fishes to his presence. +The last to arrive was a little sardine, who apologised for being +so late, but said she had hurt herself by knocking her head +against an iron casket that lay in the bottom of the sea. The +king ordered several of the largest and strongest of his subjects +to take the little sardine as a guide, and bring him the iron +casket. They soon returned with the box placed across their backs +and laid it down before him. Then the youth produced the key and +said ‘Key, open that box!' and the key opened it, and though they +were all crowding round, ready to catch it, the white dove within +flew away. + +It was useless to go after it, and for a moment the young man's +heart sank. The next minute, however, he remembered that he had +still his feather, and drew it out crying, ‘Come to me, King of +the Birds!' and a rushing noise was heard, and the King of the +Birds perched on his shoulder, and asked what he could do to help +him. His brother-in-law told him the whole story, and when he had +finished the King of the Birds commanded all his subjects to +hasten to his presence. In an instant the air was dark with birds +of all sizes, and at the very last came the white dove, +apologising for being so late by saying that an old friend had +arrived at his nest, and he had been obliged to give him some +dinner. The King of the Birds ordered some of them to show the +young man the white dove's nest, and when they reached it, there +lay the egg which was to break the spell and set them all free. +When it was safely in his pocket, he told the boots to carry him +straight to the cavern where his youngest sister sat awaiting +him. + +Now it was already far on into the third day, which the old man +had fixed for the wedding, and when the youth reached the cavern +with his cap on his head, he found the monster there, urging the +girl to keep her word and let the marriage take place at once. At +a sign from her brother she sat down and invited the old monster +to lay his head on her lap. He did so with delight, and her +brother standing behind her back passed her the egg unseen. She +took it, and dashed it straight at the horrible head, and the +monster started, and with a groan that people took for the +rumblings of an earthquake, he turned over and died. + +As the breath went out of his body the husbands of the two eldest +daughters resumed their proper shapes, and, sending for their +mother-in-law, whose sorrow was so unexpectedly turned into joy, +they had a great feast, and the youngest sister was rich to the +end of her days with the treasures she found in the cave, +collected by the monster. + +[From the Portuguese.] + + + + + + The Story of Bensurdatu + + + +There was once a king and a queen who had three wonderfully +beautiful daughters, and their one thought, from morning till +night, was how they could make the girls happy. + +One day the princesses said to the king, ‘Dear father, we want so +much to have a picnic, and eat our dinner in the country.' + +‘Very well, dear children, let us have a picnic by all means,' +answered he, and gave orders that everything should be got ready. + +When luncheon was prepared it was put into a cart, and the royal +family stepped into a carriage and drove right away into the +country. After a few miles they reached a house and garden +belonging to the king, and close by was their favourite place for +lunch. The drive had made them very hungry, and they ate with a +hearty appetite, till almost all the food had disappeared. + +When they had quite done, they said to their parents: ‘Now we +should like to wander about the garden a little, but when you +want to go home, just call to us.' And they ran off, laughing, +down a green glade, which led to the garden. + +But no sooner had they stepped across the fence, than a dark +cloud came down and covered them, and prevented them seeing +whither they were going. + +Meanwhile the king and queen sat lazily among the heather, and an +hour or two slipped away. The sun was dropping towards the +horizon, and they began to think it was time to go home. So they +called to their daughters and called again, but no one answered +them. + +Frightened at the silence, they searched every corner of the +garden, the house, and the neighbouring wood, but no trace of the +girls was to be found anywhere. The earth seemed to have +swallowed them up. The poor parents were in despair. The queen +wept all the way home, and for many days after, and the king +issued a proclamation that whoever should bring back his lost +daughters should have one of them to wife, and should, after his +death, reign in his stead. + +Now two young generals were at that time living at the court, and +when they heard the king's declaration, they said one to the +other: ‘Let us go in search of them; perhaps we shall be the +lucky persons.' + +And they set out, each mounted on a strong horse, taking with +them a change of raiment and some money. + +But though they inquired at every village they rode through, they +could hear nothing of the princesses, and by-and-by their money +was all spent, and they were forced to sell their horses, or give +up the search. Even this money only lasted a little while longer, +and nothing but their clothes lay between them and starvation. +They sold the spare garments that were bound on their saddles, +and went in the coats they stood up in to the inn, to beg for +some food, as they were really starving. When, however, they had +to pay for what they had eaten and drank, they said to the host: +‘We have no money, and naught but the clothes we stand up in. +Take these, and give us instead some old rags, and let us stay +here and serve you.' And the innkeeper was content with the +bargain, and the generals remained, and were his servants. + +All this time the king and queen remained in their palace +hungering for their children, but not a word was heard of either +of them or of the generals who had gone to seek for them. + +Now there was living in the palace a faithful servant of the +king's called Bensurdatu, who had served him for many years, and +when Bensurdatu saw how grieved the king was, he lifted up his +voice and said to him: ‘Your majesty, let me go and seek your +daughters.' + +‘No, no, Bensurdatu,' replied the king. ‘Three daughters have I +lost, and two generals, and shall I lose you also?' + +But Bensurdatu said again: ‘Let me now go, your majesty; trust +me, and I will bring you back your daughters.' + +Then the king gave way, and Bensurdatu set forth, and rode on +till he came to the inn, where he dismounted and asked for food. +It was brought by the two generals, whom he knew at once in spite +of their miserable clothes, and, much astonished, asked them how +in the world they came there. + +They told him all their adventures, and he sent for the +innkeeper, and said to him: ‘Give them back their garments, and I +will pay everything that they owe you.' + +And the innkeeper did as he was bid, and when the two generals +were dressed in their proper clothes, they declared they would +join Bensurdatu, and with him seek for the king's daughters. + +The three companions rode on for many miles, and at length they +came to a wild place, without sign of a human being. It was +getting dark, and fearing to be lost on this desolate spot they +pushed on their horses, and at last saw a light in the window of +a tiny hut. + +‘Who comes there?' asked a voice, as they knocked at the door. + +‘Oh! have pity on us, and give us a night's shelter,' replied +Bensurdatu; ‘we are three tired travellers who have lost our +way.' + +Then the door was opened by a very old woman who stood back, and +beckoned them to enter. ‘Whence do you come, and whither do you +go?' said she. + +‘Ah, good woman, we have a heavy task before us,' answered +Bensurdatu, ‘we are bound to carry the king's daughters back to +the palace!' + +‘Oh, unhappy creatures,' cried she, ‘you know not what you are +doing! The king's daughters were covered by a thick cloud, and no +one knows where they may now be.' + +‘Oh, tell us, if you know, my good woman,' entreated Bensurdatu, +‘for with them lies all our happiness.' + +‘Even if I were to tell you,' answered she, ‘you could not rescue +them. To do that you would have to go to the very bottom of a +deep river, and though certainly you would find the king's +daughters there, yet the two eldest are guarded by two giants, +and the youngest is watched by a serpent with seven heads.' + +The two generals, who stood by listening, were filled with terror +at her words, and wished to return immediately; but Bensurdatu +stood firm, and said: ‘Now we have got so far we must carry the +thing through. Tell us where the river is, so that we may get +there as soon as possible.' And the old woman told them, and gave +them some cheese, wine, and bread, so that they should not set +forth starving; and when they had eaten and drunk they laid +themselves down to sleep. + +The sun had only just risen above the hills next morning before +they all woke, and, taking leave of the wise woman who had helped +them, they rode on till they came to the river. + +‘I am the eldest,' said one of the generals, ‘and it is my right +to go down first.' + +So the others fastened a cord round him, and gave him a little +bell, and let him down into the water. But scarcely had the river +closed above his head when such dreadful rushing sounds and peals +of thunder came crashing round about him that he lost all his +courage, and rang his bell, if perchance it might be heard amidst +all this clamour. Great was his relief when the rope began slowly +to pull him upwards. + +Then the other general plunged in; but he fared no better than +the first, and was soon on dry ground again. + +‘Well, you are a brave pair!' said Bensurdatu, as he tied the +rope round his own waist; ‘let us see what will happen to me.' +And when he heard the thunder and clamour round about him he +thought to himself, ‘Oh, make as much noise as you like, it won't +hurt me!' When his feet touched the bottom he found himself in a +large, brilliantly lighted hall, and in the middle sat the eldest +princess, and in front of her lay a huge giant, fast asleep. +Directly she saw Bensurdatu she nodded to him, and asked with her +eyes how he had come there. + +For answer he drew his sword, and was about to cut off the +giant's head, when she stopped him quickly, and made signs to +hide himself, as the giant was just beginning to wake. ‘I smell +the flesh of a man!' murmured he, stretching his great arms. + +‘Why, how in the world could any man get down here?' replied she; +‘you had better go to sleep again.' + +So he turned over and went to sleep. Then the princess signed to +Bensurdatu, who drew his sword and cut off the giant's head with +such a blow that it flew into the corner. And the heart of the +princess leapt within her, and she placed a golden crown on the +head of Bensurdatu, and called him her deliverer. + +‘Now show me where your sisters are,' he said, ‘that I may free +them also.' + +So the princess opened a door, and led him into another hall, +wherein sat her next sister, guarded by a giant who was fast +asleep. When the second princess saw them, she made a sign to +them to hide themselves, for the giant was showing symptoms of +waking. + +‘I smell man's flesh!' murmured he, sleepily. + +‘Now, how could any man get down here?' asked she; ‘go to sleep +again.' And as soon as he closed his eyes, Bensurdatu stole out +from his corner, and struck such a blow at his head that it flew +far, far away. The princess could not find words to thank +Bensurdatu for what he had done, and she too placed in his hand a +golden crown. + +‘Now show me where your youngest sister is,' said he, ‘that I may +free her also.' + +‘Ah! that I fear you will never be able to do,' sighed they, ‘for +she is in the power of a serpent with seven heads.' + +‘Take me to him,' replied Bensurdatu. ‘It will be a splendid +fight.' + +Then the princess opened a door, and Bensurdatu passed through, +and found himself in a hall that was even larger than the other +two. And there stood the youngest sister, chained fast to the +wall, and before her was stretched a serpent with seven heads, +horrible to see. As Bensurdatu came forward it twisted all its +seven heads in his direction, and then made a quick dart to +snatch him within its grasp. But Bensurdatu drew his sword and +laid about him, till the seven heads were rolling on the floor. +Flinging down his sword he rushed to the princess and broke her +chains, and she wept for joy, and embraced him, and took the +golden crown from off her head, and placed it in his hand. + +‘Now we must go back to the upper world,' said Bensurdatu, and +led her to the bottom of the river. The other princesses were +waiting there, and he tied the rope round the eldest, and rung +his bell. And the generals above heard, and drew her gently up. +They then unfastened the cord and threw it back into the river, +and in a few moments the second princess stood beside her sister. + +So now there were left only Bensurdatu and the youngest princess. +‘Dear Bensurdatu,' said she, ‘do me a kindness, and let them draw +you up before me. I dread the treachery of the generals. + +‘No, no,' replied Bensurdatu, ‘I certainly will not leave you +down here. There is nothing to fear from my comrades.' + +‘If it is your wish I will go up then; but first I swear that if +you do not follow to marry me, I shall stay single for the rest +of my life.' Then he bound the rope round her, and the generals +drew her up. + +But instead of lowering the rope again into the river, envy at +the courage and success of Bensurdatu so filled the hearts of the +two generals, that they turned away and left him to perish. And, +more than that, they threatened the princesses, and forced them +to promise to tell their parents that it was the two generals who +had set them free. ‘And if they should ask you about Bensurdatu, +you must say you have never seen him,' they added; and the +princesses, fearing for their lives, promised everything, and +they rode back to court together. + +The king and queen were beside themselves with joy when they saw +their dear children once more. But when the generals had told +their story, and the dangers they had run, the king declared that +they had gained their reward, and that the two eldest princesses +should become their wives. + +And now we must see what poor Bensurdatu was doing. + +He waited patiently a long, long time, but when the rope never +came back he knew he had been right, and that his comrades had +betrayed him. ‘Ah, now I shall never reach the world again,' +murmured he; but being a brave man, and knowing that moaning his +fate would profit him nothing, he rose and began to search +through the three halls, where, perhaps, he might find something +to help him. In the last one stood a dish, covered with food, +which reminded him that he was hungry, and he sat down and ate +and drank. + +Months passed away, when, one morning, as he was walking through +the halls, he noticed a purse hanging on the wall, which had +never been there before. He took it down to examine it, and +nearly let it fall with surprise when a voice came from the purse +saying: ‘What commands have you?' + +‘Oh, take me out of this horrible place, and up into the world +again; ‘and in a moment he was standing by the river bank, with +the purse tightly grasped in his hand. + +‘Now let me have the most beautiful ship that ever was built, all +manned and ready for sea.' And there was the ship, with a flag +floating from its mast on which were the words, ‘King with the +three crowns.' Then Bensurdatu climbed on board, and sailed away +to the city where the three princesses dwelt; and when he reached +the harbour he blew trumpets and beat drums, so that every one +ran to the doors and windows. And the king heard too, and saw the +beautiful vessel, and said to himself: ‘That must indeed be a +mighty monarch, for he has three crowns while I have only one.' +So he hastened to greet the stranger, and invited him to his +castle, for, thought he, ‘this will be a fine husband for my +youngest daughter.' Now, the youngest princess had never married, +and had turned a deaf ear to all her wooers. + +Such a long time had passed since Bensurdatu had left the palace, +that the king never guessed for a moment that the splendidly clad +stranger before him was the man whom he had so deeply mourned as +dead. ‘Noble lord,' said he, ‘let us feast and make merry +together, and then, if it seem good to you, do me the honour to +take my youngest daughter to wife.' + +And Bensurdatu was glad, and they all sat down to a great feast, +and there were great rejoicings. But only the youngest daughter +was sad, for her thoughts were with Bensurdatu. After they arose +from the table the king said to her, ‘Dear child, this mighty +lord does you the honour to ask your hand in marriage.' + +‘Oh, father,' answered she, ‘spare me, I pray you, for I desire +to remain single.' + +Then Bensurdatu turned to her, and said: ‘And if I were +Bensurdatu, would you give the same answer to me?' + +And as she stood silently gazing at him, he added: ‘Yes, I am +Bensurdatu; and this is my story.' + +The king and queen had their hearts stirred within them at the +tale of his adventures, and when he had ended the king stretched +out his hand, and said: ‘Dear Bensurdatu, my youngest daughter +shall indeed be your wife; and when I die my crown shall be +yours. As for the men who have betrayed you, they shall leave the +country and you shall see them no more.' + +And the wedding feast was ordered, and rejoicings were held for +three days over the marriage of Bensurdatu and the youngest +princess. + +[From the Sicilianische Märchen.] + + + + + + The Magician's Horse + + + +Once upon a time, there was a king who had three sons. Now it +happened that one day the three princes went out hunting in a +large forest at some distance from their father's palace, and the +youngest prince lost his way, so his brothers had to return home +without him. + +For four days the prince wandered through the glades of the +forest, sleeping on moss beneath the stars at night, and by day +living on roots and wild berries. At last, on the morning of the +fifth day, he came to a large open space in the middle of the +forest, and here stood a stately palace; but neither within nor +without was there a trace of human life. The prince entered the +open door and wandered through the deserted rooms without seeing +a living soul. At last he came on a great hall, and in the centre +of the hall was a table spread with dainty dishes and choice +wines. The prince sat down, and satisfied his hunger and thirst, +and immediately afterwards the table disappeared from his sight. +This struck the prince as very strange; but though he continued +his search through all the rooms, upstairs and down, he could +find no one to speak to. At last, just as it was beginning to get +dark, he heard steps in the distance and he saw an old man coming +towards him up the stairs. + +‘What are you doing wandering about my castle?' asked the old +man. + +To whom the prince replied: ‘I lost my way hunting in the forest. +If you will take me into your service, I should like to stay with +you, and will serve you faithfully.' + +‘Very well,' said the old man. ‘You may enter my service. You +will have to keep the stove always lit, you will have to fetch +the wood for it from the forest, and you will have the charge of +the black horse in the stables. I will pay you a florin a day, +and at meal times you will always find the table in the hall +spread with food and wine, and you can eat and drink as much as +you require.' + +The prince was satisfied, and he entered the old man's service, +and promised to see that there was always wood on the stove, so +that the fire should never die out. Now, though he did not know +it, his new master was a magician, and the flame of the stove was +a magic fire, and if it had gone out the magician would have lost +a great part of his power. + +One day the prince forgot, and let the fire burn so low that it +very nearly burnt out. Just as the flame was flickering the old +man stormed into the room. + +‘What do you mean by letting the fire burn so low?' he growled. +‘I have only arrived in the nick of time.' And while the prince +hastily threw a log on the stove and blew on the ashes to kindle +a glow, his master gave him a severe box on the ear, and warned +him that if ever it happened again it would fare badly with him. + +One day the prince was sitting disconsolate in the stables when, +to his surprise, the black horse spoke to him. + +‘Come into my stall,' it said, ‘I have something to say to you. +Fetch my bridle and saddle from that cupboard and put them on me. +Take the bottle that is beside them; it contains an ointment +which will make your hair shine like pure gold; then put all the +wood you can gather together on to the stove, till it is piled +quite high up.' + +So the prince did what the horse told him; he saddled and bridled +the horse, he put the ointment on his hair till it shone like +gold, and he made such a big fire in the stove that the flames +sprang up and set fire to the roof, and in a few minutes the +palace was burning like a huge bonfire. + +Then he hurried back to the stables, and the horse said to him: +‘There is one thing more you must do. In the cupboard you will +find a looking-glass, a brush and a riding-whip. Bring them with +you, mount on my back, and ride as hard as you can, for now the +house is burning merrily.' + +The prince did as the horse bade him. Scarcely had he got into +the saddle than the horse was off and away, galloping at such a +pace that, in a short time, the forest and all the country +belonging to the magician lay far behind them. + +In the meantime the magician returned to his palace, which he +found in smouldering ruins. In vain he called for his servant. At +last he went to look for him in the stables, and when he +discovered that the black horse had disappeared too, he at once +suspected that they had gone together; so he mounted a roan horse +that was in the next stall, and set out in pursuit. + +As the prince rode, the quick ears of his horse heard the sound +of pursuing feet. + +‘Look behind you,' he said, ‘and see if the old man is +following.' And the prince turned in his saddle and saw a cloud +like smoke or dust in the distance. + +‘We must hurry,' said the horse. + +After they had galloped for some time, the horse said again: +‘Look behind, and see if he is still at some distance.' + +‘He is quite close,' answered the prince. + +‘Then throw the looking-glass on the ground,' said the horse. So +the prince threw it; and when the magician came up, the roan +horse stepped on the mirror, and crash! his foot went through the +glass, and he stumbled and fell, cutting his feet so badly that +there was nothing for the old man to do but to go slowly back +with him to the stables, and put new shoes on his feet. Then they +started once more in pursuit of the prince, for the magician set +great value on the horse, and was determined not to lose it. + +In the meanwhile the prince had gone a great distance; but the +quick ears of the black horse detected the sound of following +feet from afar. + +‘Dismount,' he said to the prince; ‘put your ear to the ground, +and tell me if you do not hear a sound.' + +So the prince dismounted and listened. ‘I seem to hear the earth +tremble,' he said; ‘I think he cannot be very far off.' + +‘Mount me at once,' answered the horse, ‘and I will gallop as +fast as I can.' And he set off so fast that the earth seemed to +fly from under his hoofs. + +‘Look back once more,' he said, after a short time, ‘and see if +he is in sight.' + +‘I see a cloud and a flame,' answered the prince; ‘but a long way +off.' + +‘We must make haste,' said the horse. And shortly after he said: +‘Look back again; he can't be far off now.' + +The prince turned in his saddle, and exclaimed: ‘He is close +behind us, in a minute the flame from his horse's nostrils will +reach us.' + +‘Then throw the brush on the ground,' said the horse. + +And the prince threw it, and in an instant the brush was changed +into such a thick wood that even a bird could not have got +through it, and when the old man got up to it the roan horse came +suddenly to a stand-still, not able to advance a step into the +thick tangle. So there was nothing for the magician to do but to +retrace his steps, to fetch an axe, with which he cut himself a +way through the wood. But it took him some time, during which the +prince and the black horse got on well ahead. + +But once more they heard the sound of pursuing feet. ‘Look back,' +said the black horse, ‘and see if he is following.' + +‘Yes,' answered the prince, ‘this time I hear him distinctly. + +‘Let us hurry on,' said the horse. And a little later he said: +‘Look back now, and see if he is in sight.' + +‘Yes,' said the prince, turning round, ‘I see the flame; he is +close behind us.' + +‘Then you must throw down the whip,' answered the horse.' And in +the twinkling of an eye the whip was changed into a broad river. +When the old man got up to it he urged the roan horse into the +water, but as the water mounted higher and higher, the magic +flame which gave the magician all his power grew smaller and +smaller, till, with a fizz, it went out, and the old man and the +roan horse sank in the river and disappeared. When the prince +looked round they were no longer to be seen. + +‘Now,' said the horse, ‘you may dismount; there is nothing more +to fear, for the magician is dead. Beside that brook you will +find a willow wand. Gather it, and strike the earth with it, and +it will open and you will see a door at your feet.' + +When the prince had struck the earth with the wand a door +appeared, and opened into a large vaulted stone hall. + +‘Lead me into that hall,' said the horse, ‘I will stay there; but +you must go through the fields till you reach a garden, in the +midst of which is a king's palace. When you get there you must +ask to be taken into the king's service. Good-bye, and don't +forget me.' + +So they parted; but first the horse made the prince promise not +to let anyone in the palace see his golden hair. So he bound a +scarf round it, like a turban, and the prince set out through the +fields, till he reached a beautiful garden, and beyond the garden +he saw the walls and towers of a stately palace. At the garden +gate he met the gardener, who asked him what he wanted. + +‘I want to take service with the king,' replied the prince. + +‘Well, you may stay and work under me in the garden,' said the +man; for as the prince was dressed like a poor man, he could not +tell that he was a king's son. ‘I need someone to weed the ground +and to sweep the dead leaves from the paths. You shall have a +florin a day, a horse to help you to cart the leaves away, and +food and drink.' + +So the prince consented, and set about his work. But when his +food was given to him he only ate half of it; the rest he carried +to the vaulted hall beside the brook, and gave to the black +horse. And this he did every day, and the horse thanked him for +his faithful friendship. + +One evening, as they were together, after his work in the garden +was over, the horse said to him: ‘To-morrow a large company of +princes and great lords are coming to your king's palace. They +are coming from far and near, as wooers for the three princesses. +They will all stand in a row in the courtyard of the palace, and +the three princesses will come out, and each will carry a diamond +apple in her hand, which she will throw into the air. At +whosesoever feet the apple falls he will be the bridegroom of +that princess. You must be close by in the garden at your work. +The apple of the youngest princess, who is much the most +beautiful of the sisters, will roll past the wooers and stop in +front of you. Pick it up at once and put it in your pocket.' + +The next day, when the wooers were all assembled in the courtyard +of the castle, everything happened just as the horse had said. +The princesses threw the apples into the air, and the diamond +apple of the youngest princess rolled past all the wooers, out on +to the garden, and stopped at the feet of the young gardener, who +was busy sweeping the leaves away. In a moment he had stooped +down, picked up the apple and put it in his pocket. As he stooped +the scarf round his head slipped a little to one side, and the +princess caught sight of his golden hair, and loved him from that +moment. + +But the king was very sad, for his youngest daughter was the one +he loved best. But there was no help for it; and the next day a +threefold wedding was celebrated at the palace, and after the +wedding the youngest princess returned with her husband to the +small hut in the garden where he lived. + +Some time after this the people of a neighbouring country went to +war with the king, and he set out to battle, accompanied by the +husbands of his two eldest daughters mounted on stately steeds. +But the husband of the youngest daughter had nothing but the old +broken-down horse which helped him in his garden work; and the +king, who was ashamed of this son-in-law, refused to give him any +other. + +So as he was determined not to be left behind, he went into the +garden, mounted the sorry nag, and set out. But scarcely had he +ridden a few yards before the horse stumbled and fell. So he +dismounted and went down to the brook, to where the black horse +lived in the vaulted hall. And the horse said to him: ‘Saddle and +bridle me, and then go into the next room and you will find a +suit of armour and a sword. Put them on, and we will ride forth +together to battle.' + +And the prince did as he was told; and when he had mounted the +horse his armour glittered in the sun, and he looked so brave and +handsome, that no one would have recognised him as the gardener +who swept away the dead leaves from the paths. The horse bore him +away at a great pace, and when they reached the battle-field they +saw that the king was losing the day, so many of his warriors had +been slain. But when the warrior on his black charger and in +glittering armour appeared on the scene, hewing right and left +with his sword, the enemy were dismayed and fled in all +directions, leaving the king master of the field. Then the king +and his two sons-in-law, when they saw their deliverer, shouted, +and all that was left of the army joined in the cry: ‘A god has +come to our rescue!' And they would have surrounded him, but his +black horse rose in the air and bore him out of their sight. + +Soon after this, part of the country rose in rebellion against +the king, and once more he and his two sons-in- law had to fare +forth to battle. And the son-in-law who was disguised as a +gardener wanted to fight too. So he came to the king and said: +‘Dear father, let me ride with you to fight your enemies.' + +‘I don't want a blockhead like you to fight for me,' answered the +king. ‘Besides, I haven't got a horse fit for you. But see, there +is a carter on the road carting hay; you may take his horse.' + +So the prince took the carter's horse, but the poor beast was old +and tired, and after it had gone a few yards it stumbled and +fell. So the prince returned sadly to the garden and watched the +king ride forth at the head of the army accompanied by his two +sons-in-law. When they were out of sight the prince betook +himself to the vaulted chamber by the brook-side, and having +taken counsel of the faithful black horse, he put on the +glittering suit of armour, and was borne on the back of the horse +through the air, to where the battle was being fought. And once +more he routed the king's enemies, hacking to right and left with +his sword. And again they all cried: ‘A god has come to our +rescue!' But when they tried to detain him the black horse rose +in the air and bore him out of their sight. + +When the king and his sons-in-law returned home they could talk +of nothing but the hero who had fought for them, and all wondered +who he could be. + +Shortly afterwards the king of a neighbouring country declared +war, and once more the king and his sons-in-law and his subjects +had to prepare themselves for battle, and once more the prince +begged to ride with them, but the king said he had no horse to +spare for him. ‘But,' he added, ‘you may take the horse of the +woodman who brings the wood from the forest, it is good enough +for you.' + +So the prince took the woodman's horse, but it was so old and +useless that it could not carry him beyond the castle gates. So +he betook himself once more to the vaulted hall, where the black +horse had prepared a still more magnificent suit of armour for +him than the one he had worn on the previous occasions, and when +he had put it on, and mounted on the back of the horse, he bore +him straight to the battle-field, and once more he scattered the +king's enemies, fighting single-handed in their ranks, and they +fled in all directions. But it happened that one of the enemy +struck with his sword and wounded the prince in the leg. And the +king took his own pocket- handkerchief, with his name and crown +embroidered on it, and bound it round the wounded leg. And the +king would fain have compelled him to mount in a litter and be +carried straight to the palace, and two of his knights were to +lead the black charger to the royal stables. But the prince put +his hand on the mane of his faithful horse, and managed to pull +himself up into the saddle, and the horse mounted into the air +with him. Then they all shouted and cried: ‘The warrior who has +fought for us is a god! He must be a god.' + +And throughout all the kingdom nothing else was spoken about, and +all the people said: ‘Who can the hero be who has fought for us +in so many battles? He cannot be a man, he must be a god.' + +And the king said: ‘If only I could see him once more, and if it +turned out that after all he was a man and not a god, I would +reward him with half my kingdom.' + +Now when the prince reached his home--the gardener's hut where he +lived with his wife--he was weary, and he lay down on his bed and +slept. And his wife noticed the handkerchief bound round his +wounded leg, and she wondered what it could be. Then she looked +at it more closely and saw in the corner that it was embroidered +with her father's name and the royal crown. So she ran straight +to the palace and told her father. And he and his two sons-in-law +followed her back to her house, and there the gardener lay asleep +on his bed. And the scarf that he always wore bound round his +head had slipped off, and his golden hair gleamed on the pillow. +And they all recognised that this was the hero who had fought and +won so many battles for them. + +Then there was great rejoicing throughout the land, and the king +rewarded his son-in-law with half of his kingdom, and he and his +wife reigned happily over it. + + + + + + The Little Gray Man + + + +A nun, a countryman, and a blacksmith were once wandering through +the world together. One day they lost their way in a thick, dark +forest, and were thankful when they saw, in the distance, the +walls of a house, where they hoped they might obtain refuge for +the night. When they got close to the house they found that it +was an old deserted castle, fast falling into ruins, but with +some of the rooms in it still habitable. As they were homeless +they determined to take up their abode in the castle, and they +arranged that one of them should always stay at home and keep +house, while the other two went out into the world to seek their +fortunes. + +The lot of remaining at home fell first to the nun, and when the +countryman and the blacksmith had gone out into the wood, she set +to work, tidied up the house, and prepared all the food for the +day. As her companions did not come home for their mid-day meal, +she ate up her own portion and put the rest in the oven to keep +warm. Just as she was sitting down to sew, the door opened and a +little gray man came in, and, standing before her, said: ‘Oh! how +cold I am!' + +The nun was very sorry for him, and said at once: ‘Sit down by +the fire and warm yourself.' + +The little man did as he was told, and soon called out: ‘Oh! how +hungry I am!' + +The nun answered: ‘There is food in the oven, help yourself.' + +The little man did not need to be told twice, for he set to work +and ate up everything with the greatest possible despatch. When +the nun saw this she was very angry, and scolded the dwarf +because he had left nothing for her companions. + +The little man resented her words, and flew into such a passion +that he seized the nun, beat her, and threw her first against one +wall and then against the other. When he had nearly killed her he +left her lying on the floor, and hastily walked out of the house. + +In the evening the countryman and the blacksmith returned home, +and when they found, on demanding their dinner, that there was +nothing left for them, they reproached the nun bitterly, and +refused to believe her when she tried to tell them what had +happened. + +The next day the countryman asked to be left in charge of the +house, and promised that, if he remained at home, no one should +go hungry to bed. So the other two went out into the forest, and +the countryman having prepared the food for the day, ate up his +own portion, and put the rest in the oven. Just as he had +finished clearing away, the door opened and the little gray man +walked in, and this time he had two heads. He shook and trembled +as before, and exclaimed: ‘Oh! how cold I am.' + +The countryman, who was frightened out of his wits, begged him to +draw near the fire and warm himself. + +Soon after the dwarf looked greedily round, and said: ‘Oh! how +hungry I am!' + +‘There is food in the oven, so you can eat,' replied the +countryman. + +Then the little man fell to with both his heads, and soon +finished the last morsel. + +When the countryman scolded him for this proceeding he treated +him exactly as he had done the nun, and left the poor fellow more +dead than alive. + +Now when the blacksmith came home with the nun in the evening, +and found nothing for supper, he flew into a passion; and swore +that he would stay at home the following day, and that no one +should go supperless to bed. + +When day dawned the countryman and the nun set out into the wood, +and the blacksmith prepared all the food for the day as the +others had done. Again the gray dwarf entered the house without +knocking, and this time he had three heads. When he complained of +cold, the blacksmith told him to sit near the fire; and when he +said he was hungry, the blacksmith put some food on a plate and +gave it to him. The dwarf made short work of what was provided +for him, and then, looking greedily round with his six eyes, he +demanded more. When the blacksmith refused to give him another +morsel, he flew into a terrible rage, and proceeded to treat him +in the same way as he had treated his companions. + +But the blacksmith was a match for him, for he seized a huge +hammer and struck off two of the dwarf's heads with it. The +little man yelled with pain and rage, and hastily fled from the +house. The blacksmith ran after him, and pursued him for a long +way; but at last they came to an iron door, and through it the +little creature vanished. The door shut behind him, and the +blacksmith had to give up the pursuit and return home. He found +that the nun and the countryman had come back in the meantime, +and they were much delighted when he placed some food before +them, and showed them the two heads he had struck off with his +hammer. The three companions determined there and then to free +themselves from the power of the gray dwarf, and the very next +day they set to work to find him. + +They had to walk a long way, and to search for many hours, before +they found the iron door through which the dwarf had disappeared; +and when they had found it they had the greatest difficulty in +opening it. When at last they succeeded in forcing the lock, they +entered a large hall, in which sat a young and lovely girl, +working at a table. The moment she saw the nun, the blacksmith, +and the countryman, she fell at their feet, thanking them with +tears in her eyes for having set her free. She told them that she +was a king's daughter, who had been shut up in the castle by a +mighty magician. The day before, just about noon, she had +suddenly felt the magic power over her disappear, and ever since +that moment she had eagerly awaited the arrival of her +deliverers. She went on to say that there was yet another +princess shut up in the castle, who had also fallen under the +might of the magician. + +They wandered through many halls and rooms till at last they +found the second princess, who was quite as grateful as the +first, and thanked the three companions most warmly for having +set her free. + +Then the princesses told their rescuers that a great treasure lay +hidden in the cellars of the castle, but that it was carefully +guarded by a fierce and terrible dog. + +Nothing daunted, they all went down below at once, and found the +fierce animal mounting guard over the treasure as the princesses +had said. But one blow from the blacksmith's hammer soon made an +end of the monster, and they found themselves in a vaulted +chamber full of gold and silver and precious stones. Beside the +treasure stood a young and handsome man, who advanced to meet, +them, and thanked the nun, the blacksmith, and the countryman, +for having freed him from the magic spell he was under. He told +them that he was a king's son, who had been banished to this +castle by a wicked magician, and that he had been changed into +the three- headed dwarf. When he had lost two of his heads the +magic power over the two princesses had been removed, and when +the blacksmith had killed the horrible dog, then he too had been +set free. + +To show his gratitude he begged the three companions to divide +the treasure between them, which they did; but there was so much +of it that it took a very long time. + +The princesses, too, were so grateful to their rescuers, that one +married the blacksmith, and the other the countryman. + +Then the prince claimed the nun as his bride, and they all lived +happily together till they died. + +[From the German. Kletke.] + + + + + + Herr Lazarus and the Draken + + + +Once upon a time there was a cobbler called Lazarus, who was very +fond of honey. One day, as he ate some while he sat at work, the +flies collected in such numbers that with one blow he killed +forty. Then he went and ordered a sword to be made for him, on +which he had written these words: ‘With one blow I have slain +forty.' When the sword was ready he took it and went out into the +world, and when he was two days' journey from home he came to a +spring, by which he laid himself down and slept. + +Now in that country there dwelt Draken, one of whom came to the +spring to draw water; there he found Lazarus sleeping, and read +what was written on his sword. Then he went back to his people +and told them what he had seen, and they all advised him to make +fellowship with this powerful stranger. So the Draken returned to +the spring, awoke Lazarus, and said that if it was agreeable to +him they should make fellowship together. + +Lazarus answered that he was willing, and after a priest had +blessed the fellowship, they returned together to the other +Draken, and Lazarus dwelt among them. After some days they told +him that it was their custom to take it in turns to bring wood +and water, and as he was now of their company, he must take his +turn. They went first for water and wood, but at last it came to +be Lazarus's turn to go for water. The Draken had a great +leathern bag, holding two hundred measures of water. This Lazarus +could only, with great difficulty, drag empty to the spring, and +because he could not carry it back full, he did not fill it at +all, but, instead, he dug up the ground all round the spring. + +As Lazarus remained so long away, the Draken sent one of their +number to see what had become of him, and when this one came to +the spring, Lazarus said to him: ‘We will no more plague +ourselves by carrying water every day. I will bring the entire +spring home at once, and so we shall be freed from this burden.' + +But the Draken called out: ‘On no account, Herr Lazarus, else we +shall all die of thirst; rather will we carry the water ourselves +in turns, and you alone shall be exempt.' + +Next it comes to be Lazarus's turn to bring the wood. Now the +Draken, when they fetched the wood, always took an entire tree on +their shoulder, and so carried it home. Because Lazarus could not +imitate them in this, he went to the forest, tied all the trees +together with a thick rope, and remained in the forest till +evening. Again the Draken sent one of them after him to see what +had become of him, and when this one asked what he was about, +Lazarus answered: ‘I will bring the entire forest home at once, +so that after that we may have rest.' + +But the Draken called out: ‘By no means, Herr Lazarus, else we +shall all die of cold; rather will we go ourselves to bring wood, +and let you be free.' And then the Draken tore up one tree, threw +it over his shoulder, and so carried it home. + +When they had lived together some time, the Draken became weary +of Lazarus, and agreed among themselves to kill him; each Draken, +in the night while Lazarus slept, should strike him a blow with a +hatchet. But Lazarus heard of this scheme, and when the evening +came, he took a log of wood, covered it with his cloak, laid it +in the place where he usually slept, and then hid himself. In the +night the Draken came, and each one hit the log a blow with his +hatchet, till it flew in pieces. + +Then they believed their object was gained, and they lay down +again. + +Thereupon Lazarus took the log, threw it away, and laid himself +down in its stead. Towards dawn, he began to groan, and when the +Draken heard that, they asked what ailed him, to which he made +answer: ‘The gnats have stung me horribly.' This terrified the +Draken, for they believed that Lazarus took their blows for +gnat-stings, and they determined at any price to get rid of him. +Next morning, therefore, they asked him if he had not wife or +child, and said that if he would like to go and visit them they +would give him a bag of gold to take away with him. He agreed +willingly to this, but asked further that one of the Draken +should go with him to carry the bag of gold. They consented, and +one was sent with him. + +When they had come to within a short; distance of Lazarus's +house, he said to the Draken: ‘Stop here, in the meantime, for I +must go on in front and tie up my children, lest they eat you.' + +So he went and tied his children with strong ropes, and said to +them: ‘As soon as the Draken comes in sight, call out as loud as +you can, "Drakenflesh! Drakenflesh!"' + +So, when the Draken appeared, the children cried out: +‘Drakenflesh! Drakenflesh!' and this so terrified the Draken that +he let the bag fall and fled. + +On the road he met a fox, which asked him why he seemed so +frightened. He answered that he was afraid of the children of +Herr Lazarus, who had been within a hair-breadth of eating him +up. But the fox laughed, and said: ‘What! you were afraid of +the children of Herr Lazarus? He had two fowls, one of which I +ate yesterday, the other I will go and fetch now--if you do not +believe me, come and see for yourself; but you must first tie +yourself on to my tail.' + +The Draken then tied himself on to the fox's tail, and went back +thus with it to Lazarus's house, in order to see what it would +arrange. There stood Lazarus with his gun raised ready to fire, +who, when he saw the fox coming along with the Draken, called out +to the fox: ‘Did I not tell you to bring me all the Draken, and +you bring me only one?' + +When the Draken heard that he made off to the rightabout at once, +and ran so fast that the fox was dashed in pieces against the +stones. + +When Lazarus had got quit of the Draken he built himself, with +their gold, a, magnificent house, in which he spent the rest of +his days in great enjoyment. + + + + + + The Story of the Queen of the Flowery Isles + + + +There once lived a queen who ruled over the Flowery Isles, whose +husband, to her extreme grief, died a few years after their +marriage. On being left a widow she devoted herself almost +entirely to the education of the two charming princesses, her +only children. The elder of them was so lovely that as she grew +up her mother greatly feared she would excite the jealousy of the +Queen of all the Isles, who prided herself on being the most +beautiful woman in the world, and insisted on all rivals bowing +before her charms. + +In order the better to gratify her vanity she had urged the king, +her husband, to make war on all the surrounding islands, and as +his greatest wish was to please her, the only conditions he +imposed on any newly-conquered country was that each princess of +every royal house should attend his court as soon as she was +fifteen years old, and do homage to the transcendent beauty of +his queen. + +The queen of the Flowery Isles, well aware of this law, was fully +determined to present her daughter to the proud queen as soon as +her fifteenth birthday was past. + +The queen herself had heard a rumour of the young princess's +great beauty, and awaited her visit with some anxiety, which soon +developed into jealousy, for when the interview took place it was +impossible not to be dazzled by such radiant charms, and she was +obliged to admit that she had never beheld anyone so exquisitely +lovely. + +Of course she thought in her own mind ‘excepting myself!' for +nothing could have made her believe it possible that anyone could +eclipse her. + +But the outspoken admiration of the entire court soon undeceived +her, and made her so angry that she pretended illness and retired +to her own rooms, so as to avoid witnessing the princess's +triumph. She also sent word to the Queen of the Flowery Isles +that she was sorry not to be well enough to see her again, and +advised her to return to her own states with the princess, her +daughter. + +This message was entrusted to one of the great ladies of the +court, who was an old friend of the Queen of the Flowery Isles, +and who advised her not to wait to take a formal leave but to go +home as fast as she could. + +The queen was not slow to take the hint, and lost no time in +obeying it. Being well aware of the magic powers of the incensed +queen, she warned her daughter that she was threatened by some +great danger if she left the palace for any reason whatever +during the next six months. + +The princess promised obedience, and no pains were spared to make +the time pass pleasantly for her. + +The six months were nearly at an end, and on the very last day a +splendid fête was to take place in a lovely meadow quite near the +palace. The princess, who had been able to watch all the +preparations from her window, implored her mother to let her go +as far as the meadow; and the queen, thinking all risk must be +over, consented, and promised to take her there herself. + +The whole court was delighted to see their much-loved princess at +liberty, and everyone set off in high glee to join in the fête. + +The princess, overjoyed at being once more in the open air, was +walking a little in advance of her party when suddenly the earth +opened under her feet and closed again after swallowing her up! + +The queen fainted away with terror, and the younger princess +burst into floods of tears and could hardly be dragged away from +the fatal spot, whilst the court was overwhelmed with horror at +so great a calamity. + +Orders were given to bore the earth to a great depth, but in +vain; not a trace of the vanished princess was to be found. + +She sank right through the earth and found herself in a desert +place with nothing but rocks and trees and no sign of any human +being. The only living creature she saw was a very pretty little +dog, who ran up to her and at once began to caress her. She took +him in her arms, and after playing with him for a little put him +down again, when he started off in front of her, looking round +from time to time as though begging her to follow. + +She let him lead her on, and presently reached a little hill, +from which she saw a valley full of lovely fruit trees, bearing +flowers and fruit together. The ground was also covered with +fruit and flowers, and in the middle of the valley rose a +fountain surrounded by a velvety lawn. + +The princess hastened to this charming spot, and sitting down on +the grass began to think over the misfortune which had befallen +her, and burst into tears as she reflected on her sad condition. + +The fruit and clear fresh water would, she knew, prevent her from +dying of hunger or thirst, but how could she escape if any wild +beast appeared and tried to devour her? + +At length, having thought over every possible evil which could +happen, the princess tried to distract her mind by playing with +the little dog. She spent the whole day near the fountain, but as +night drew on she wondered what she should do, when she noticed +that the little dog was pulling at her dress. + +She paid no heed to him at first, but as he continued to pull her +dress and then run a few steps in one particular direction, she +at last decided to follow him; he stopped before a rock with a +large opening in the centre, which he evidently wished her to +enter. + +The princess did so and discovered a large and beautiful cave lit +up by the brilliancy of the stones with which it was lined, with +a little couch covered with soft moss in one corner. She lay down +on it and the dog at once nestled at her feet. Tired out with all +she had gone through she soon fell asleep. + +Next morning she was awakened very early by the songs of many +birds. The little dog woke up too, and sprang round her in his +most caressing manner. She got up and went outside, the dog as +before running on in front and turning back constantly to take +her dress and draw her on. + +She let him have his way and he soon led her back to the +beautiful garden where she had spent part of the day before. Here +she ate some fruit, drank some water of the fountain, and felt as +if she had made an excellent meal. She walked about amongst the +flowers, played with her little dog, and at night returned to +sleep in the cave. + +In this way the princess passed several months, and as her first +terrors died away she gradually became more resigned to her fate. +The little dog, too, was a great comfort, and her constant +companion. + +One day she noticed that he seemed very sad and did not even +caress her as usual. Fearing he might be ill she carried him to a +spot where she had seen him eat some particular herbs, hoping +they might do him good, but he would not touch them. He spent all +the night, too, sighing and groaning as if in great pain. + +At last the princess fell asleep, and when she awoke her first +thought was for her little pet, but not finding him at her feet +as usual, she ran out of the cave to look for him. As she stepped +out of the cave she caught sight of an old man, who hurried away +so fast that she had barely time to see him before he +disappeared. + +This was a fresh surprise and almost as great a shock as the loss +of her little dog, who had been so faithful to her ever since the +first day she had seen him. She wondered if he had strayed away +or if the old man had stolen him. + +Tormented by all kinds of thoughts and fears she wandered on, +when suddenly she felt herself wrapped in a thick cloud and +carried through the air. She made no resistance and before very +long found herself, to her great surprise, in an avenue leading +to the palace in which she had been born. No sign of the cloud +anywhere. + +As the princess approached the palace she perceived that everyone +was dressed in black, and she was filled with fear as to the +cause of this mourning. She hastened on and was soon recognised +and welcomed with shouts of joy. Her sister hearing the cheers +ran out and embraced the wanderer, with tears of happiness, +telling her that the shock of her disappearance had been so +terrible that their mother had only survived it a few days. Since +then the younger princess had worn the crown, which she now +resigned to her sister to whom it by right belonged. + +But the elder wished to refuse it, and would only accept the +crown on condition that her sister should share in all the power. + +The first acts of the new queen were to do honour to the memory +of her dear mother and to shower every mark of generous affection +on her sister. Then, being still very grieved at the loss of her +little dog, she had a careful search made for him in every +country, and when nothing could be heard of him she was so +grieved that she offered half her kingdom to whoever should +restore him to her. + +Many gentlemen of the court, tempted by the thought of such a +reward, set off in all directions in search of the dog; but all +returned empty-handed to the queen, who, in despair announced +that since life was unbearable without her little dog, she would +give her hand in marriage to the man who brought him back. + +The prospect of such a prize quickly turned the court into a +desert, nearly every courtier starting on the quest. Whilst they +were away the queen was informed one day that a very ill-looking +man wished to speak with her. She desired him to be shown into a +room where she was sitting with her sister. + +On entering her presence he said that he was prepared to give the +queen her little dog if she on her side was ready to keep her +word. + +The princess was the first to speak. She said that the queen had +no right to marry without the consent of the nation, and that on +so important an occasion the general council must be summoned. +The queen could not say anything against this statement; but she +ordered an apartment in the palace to be given to the man, and +desired the council to meet on the following day. + +Next day, accordingly, the council assembled in great state, and +by the princess's advice it was decided to offer the man a large +sum of money for the dog, and should he refuse it, to banish him +from the kingdom without seeing the queen again. The man refused +the price offered and left the hall. + +The princess informed the queen of what had passed, and the queen +approved of all, but added that as she was her own mistress she +had made up her mind to abdicate her throne, and to wander +through the world till she had found her little dog. + +The princess was much alarmed by such a resolution, and implored +the queen to change her mind. Whilst they were discussing the +subject, one of the chamberlains appeared to inform the queen +that the bay was covered with ships. The two sisters ran to the +balcony, and saw a large fleet in full sail for the port. + +In a little time they came to the conclusion that the ships must +come from a friendly nation, as every vessel was decked with gay +flags, streamers, and pennons, and the way was led by a small +ship flying a great white flag of peace. + +The queen sent a special messenger to the harbour, and was soon +informed that the fleet belonged to the Prince of the Emerald +Isles, who begged leave to land in her kingdom, and to present +his humble respects to her. The queen at once sent some of the +court dignitaries to receive the prince and bid him welcome. + +She awaited him seated on her throne, but rose on his appearance, +and went a few steps to meet him; then begged him to be seated, +and for about an hour kept him in close conversation. + +The prince was then conducted to a splendid suite of apartments, +and the next day he asked for a private audience. He was admitted +to the queen's own sitting- room, where she was sitting alone +with her sister. + +After the first greetings the prince informed the queen that he +had some very strange things to tell her, which she only would +know to be true. + +‘Madam,' said he, ‘I am a neighbour of the Queen of all the +Isles; and a small isthmus connects part of my states with hers. +One day, when hunting a stag, I had the misfortune to meet her, +and not recognising her, I did not stop to salute her with all +proper ceremony. You, Madam, know better than anyone how +revengeful she is, and that she is also a mistress of magic. I +learnt both facts to my cost. The ground opened under my feet, +and I soon found myself in a far distant region transformed into +a little dog, under which shape I had the honour to meet your +Majesty. After six months, the queen's vengeance not being yet +satisfied, she further changed me into a hideous old man, and in +this form I was so afraid of being unpleasant in your eyes, +Madam, that I hid myself in the depths of the woods, where I +spent three months more. At the end of that time I was so +fortunate as to meet a benevolent fairy who delivered me from the +proud queen's power, and told me all your adventures and where to +find you. I now come to offer you a heart which has been entirely +yours, Madam, since first we met in the desert.' + +A few days later a herald was sent through the kingdom to +proclaim the joyful news of the marriage of the Queen of the +Flowery Isles with the young prince. They lived happily for many +years, and ruled their people well. + +As for the bad queen, whose vanity and jealousy had caused so +much mischief, the Fairies took all her power away for a +punishment. + +[‘Cabinet des Fées.'] + + + + + + Udea and Her Seven Brothers + + + +Once upon a time there was a man and his wife who had seven boys. +The children lived in the open air and grew big and strong, and +the six eldest spent part of every day hunting wild beasts. The +youngest did not care so much about sport, and he often stayed +with his mother. + +One morning, however, as the whole seven were going out for a +long expedition, they said to their aunt, 'Dear aunt, if a baby +sister comes into the world to-day, wave a white handkerchief, +and we will return immediately; but if it is only a boy, just +brandish a sickle, and we will go on with what we are doing.' + +Now the baby when it arrived really proved to be a girl, but as +the aunt could not bear the boys, she thought it was a good +opportunity to get rid of them. So she waved the sickle. And when +the seven brothers saw the sign they said, 'Now we have nothing +to go back for,' and plunged deeper into the desert. + +The little girl soon grew to be a big girl, and she was called by +all her friends (though she did not know it) 'Udea, who had +driven her seven brothers into strange lands.' + +One day, when she had been quarrelling with her playmates, the +oldest among them said to her, 'It is a pity you were born, as +ever since, your brothers have been obliged to roam about the +world.' + +Udea did not answer, but went home to her mother and asked her, +'Have I really got brothers?' + +'Yes,' replied her mother, 'seven of them. But they went away the +day you were born, and I have never heard of them since.' + +Then the girl said, 'I will go and look for them till I find +them.' + +'My dear child,' answered her mother, 'it is fifteen years since +they left, and no man has seen them. How will you know which way +to go?' + +'Oh, I will follow them, north and south, east and west, and +though I may travel far, yet some day I will find them.' + +Then her mother said no more, but gave her a camel and some food, +and a negro and his wife to take care of her, and she fastened a +cowrie shell round the camel's neck for a charm, and bade her +daughter go in peace. + +During the first day the party journeyed on without any +adventures, but the second morning the negro said to the girl, +'Get down, and let the negress ride instead of you.' + +'Mother,' cried Udea. + +'What is it?' asked her mother. + +'Barka wants me to dismount from my camel.' + +'Leave her alone, Barka,' commanded the mother, and Barka did not +dare to persist. + +But on the following day he said again to Udea, 'Get down, and +let the negress ride instead of you,' and though Udea called to +her mother she was too far away, and the mother never heard her. +Then the negro seized her roughly and threw her on the ground, +and said to his wife, 'Climb up,' and the negress climbed up, +while the girl walked by the side. She had meant to ride all the +way on her camel as her feet were bare and the stones cut them +till the blood came. But she had to walk on till night, when they +halted, and the next morning it was the same thing again. Weary +and bleeding the poor girl began to cry, and implored the negro +to let her ride, if only for a little. But he took no notice, +except to bid her walk a little faster. + +By-and-by they passed a caravan, and the negro stopped and asked +the leader if they had come across seven young men, who were +thought to be hunting somewhere about. And the man answered, 'Go +straight on, and by midday you will reach the castle where they +live.' + +When he heard this, the black melted some pitch in the sun, and +smeared the girl with it, till she looked as much a negro as he +did. Next he bade his wife get down from the camel, and told Udea +to mount, which she was thankful to do. So they arrived at her +brothers' castle. + +Leaving the camel kneeling at the entrance for Udea to dismount, +the negro knocked loudly at the door, which was opened by the +youngest brother, all the others being away hunting. He did not +of course recognise Udea, but he knew the negro and his wife, and +welcomed them gladly, adding, 'But who does the other negress +belong to?' + +'Oh, that is your sister!' said they. + +'My sister! but she is coal black!' + +'That may be, but she is your sister for all that.' + +The young man asked no more questions, but took them into the +castle, and he himself waited outside till his brothers came +home. + +As soon as they were alone, the negro whispered to Udea, 'If you +dare to tell your brothers that I made you walk, or that I +smeared you with pitch, I will kill you.' + +'Oh, I will be sure to say nothing,' replied the girl, trembling, +and at that moment the six elder brothers appeared in sight. + +'I have some good news for you,' said the youngest, hastening to +meet them; 'our sister is here!' + +'Nonsense,' they answered. 'We have no sister; you know the child +that was born was a boy.' + +'But that was not true,' replied he, 'and here she is with the +negro and his wife. Only--she too is black,' he added softly, but +his brothers did not hear him, and pushed past joyfully. + +'How are you, good old Barka?' they said to the negro; 'and how +comes it that we never knew that we had a sister till now?' and +they greeted Udea warmly, while she shed tears of relief and +gladness. + +The next morning they all agreed that they would not go out +hunting. And the eldest brother took Udea on his knee, and she +combed his hair and talked to him of their home till the tears +ran down his cheeks and dropped on her bare arm. And where the +tears fell a white mark was made. Then the brother took a cloth +and rubbed the place, and he saw that she was not black at all. + +'Tell me, who painted you over like this?' cried he. + +'I am afraid to tell you,' sobbed the girl, 'the negro will kill +me.' + +'Afraid! and with seven brothers!' + +'Well, I will tell you then,' she answered. 'The negro forced me +to dismount from the camel and let his wife ride instead. And the +stones cut my feet till they bled and I had to bind them. And +after that, when we heard your castle was near by, he took pitch +and smeared my body with it.' + +Then the brother rushed in wrath from the room, and seizing his +sword, cut off first the negro's head and then his wife's. He +next brought in some warm water, and washed his sister all over, +till her skin was white and shining again. + +'Ah, now we see that you are our sister!' they all said. 'What +fools the negro must have thought us, to believe for an instant +that we could have a sister who was black!' And all that day and +the next they remained in the castle. + +But on the third morning they said to their sister: 'Dear sister, +you must lock yourself into this castle, with only the cat for +company. And be very careful never to eat anything which she does +not eat too. You must be sure to give her a bit of everything. In +seven days we shall be back again.' + +'All right,' she answered, and locked herself into the castle +with the cat. + +On the eighth day the brothers came home. 'How are you?' they +asked. 'You have not been anxious?' + +'No, why should I be anxious? The gates were fast locked, and in +the castle are seven doors, and the seventh is of iron. What is +there to frighten me?' + +'No one will try to hurt us,' said the brothers, 'for they fear +us greatly. But for yourself, we implore you to do nothing +without consulting the cat, who has grown up in the house, and +take care never to neglect her advice.' + +'All right,' replied Udea, 'and whatever I eat she shall have +half.' + +'Capital! and if ever you are in danger the cat will come and +tell us--only elves and pigeons, which fly round your window, +know where to find us.' + +'This is the first I have heard of the pigeons,' said Udea. 'Why +did you not speak of them before?' + +We always leave them food and water for seven days,' replied the +brothers. + +'Ah,' sighed the girl, 'if I had only known, I would have given +them fresh food and fresh water; for after seven days anything +becomes bad. Would it not be better if I fed them every day?' + +'Much better,' said they, 'and we shall feel any kindnesses you +do towards the cat or the pigeons exactly as if they were shown +to ourselves.' + +'Set your minds at ease,' answered the girl, 'I will treat them +as if they were my brothers.' + +That night the brothers slept in the castle, but after breakfast +next morning they buckled on their weapons and mounted their +horses, and rode off to their hunting grounds, calling out to +their sister, 'Mind you let nobody in till we come back.' + +'Very well,' cried she, and kept the doors carefully locked for +seven days and on the eighth the brothers returned as before. +Then, after spending one evening with her, they departed as soon +as they had done breakfast. + +Directly they were out of sight Udea began to clean the house, +and among the dust she found a bean which she ate. + +'What are you eating?' asked the cat. + +'Nothing,' said she. + +'Open your mouth, and let me see.' The girl did as she was told, +and then the cat said 'Why did you not give me half?' + +'I forgot,' answered she, 'but there are plenty of beans about, +you can have as many as you like.' + +'No, that won't do. I want half of that particular bean.' + +'But how can I give it you? I tell you I have eaten it. I can +roast you a hundred others.' + +'No, I want half of that one.' + +'Oh! do as you like, only go away!' cried she. + +So the cat ran straight to the kitchen fire, and spit on it and +put it out, and when Udea came to cook the supper she had nothing +to light it with. 'Why did you put the fire out?' asked she. + +'Just to show you how nicely you would be able to cook the +supper. Didn't you tell me to do what I liked?' + +The girl left the kitchen and climbed up on the roof of the +castle and looked out. Far, far away, so far that she could +hardly see it, was the glow of a fire. 'I will go and fetch a +burning coal from there and light my fire,' thought she, and +opened the door of the castle. When she reached the place where +the fire was kindled, a hideous man-eater was crouching over it. + +'Peace be with you, grandfather,' said she. + +'The same to you,' replied the man-eater. 'What brings you here, +Udea?' + +'I came to ask for a lump of burning coal, to light my fire +with.' + +'Do you want a big lump or a little lump?' + +'Why, what difference does it make?' said she. + +'If you have a big lump you must give me a strip of your skin +from your ear to your thumb, and if you have a little lump, you +must give me a strip from your ear to your little finger.' + +Udea, who thought that one sounded as bad as the other, said she +would take the big lump, and when the man-eater had cut the skin, +she went home again. And as she hastened on a raven beheld the +blood on the ground, and plastered it with earth, and stayed by +her till she reached the castle. And as she entered the door he +flew past, and she shrieked from fright, for up to that moment +she had not seen him. In her terror she called after him. 'May +you get the same start as you have given me!' + +'Why should you wish me harm,' asked the raven pausing in his +flight, 'when I have done you a service?' + +'What service have you done me?' said she. + +'Oh, you shall soon see,' replied the raven, and with his bill he +scraped away all the earth he had smeared over the blood and then +flew away. + +In the night the man-eater got up, and followed the blood till he +came to Udea's castle. He entered through the gate which she had +left open, and went on till he reached the inside of the house. +But here he was stopped by the seven doors, six of wood and one +of iron, and all fast locked. And he called through them 'Oh +Udea, what did you see your grandfather doing?' + +'I saw him spread silk under him, and silk over him, and lay +himself down in a four-post bed.' + +When he heard that, the man-eater broke in one door, and laughed +and went away. + +And the second night he came back, and asked her again what she +had seen her grandfather doing, and she answered him as before, +and he broke in another door, and laughed and went away, and so +each night till he reached the seventh door. Then the maiden +wrote a letter to her brothers, and bound it round the neck of a +pigeon, and said to it, 'Oh, thou pigeon that served my father +and my grandfather, carry this letter to my brothers, and come +back at once.' And the pigeon flew away. + +It flew and it flew and it flew till it found the brothers. The +eldest unfastened the letter from the pigeon's neck, and read +what his sister had written: 'I am in a great strait, my +brothers. If you do not rescue me to-night, to-morrow I shall be +no longer living, for the man-eater has broken open six doors, +and only the iron door is left. So haste, haste, post haste.' + +'Quick, quick! my brothers,' cried he. + +'What is the matter?' asked they. + +'If we cannot reach our sister to-night, to-morrow she will be +the prey of the man-eater.' + +And without more words they sprang on their horses, and rode like +the wind. + +The gate of the castle was thrown down, and they entered the +court and called loudly to their sister. But the poor girl was so +ill with fear and anxiety that she could not even speak. Then the +brothers dismounted and passed through the six open doors, till +they stood before the iron one, which was still shut. 'Udea, +open!' they cried, 'it is only your brothers!' And she arose and +unlocked the door, and throwing herself on the neck of the eldest +burst into tears. + +'Tell us what has happened,' he said, 'and how the man- eater +traced you here.' 'It is all the cat's fault,' replied Udea. +'She put out my fire so that I could not cook. All about a bean! +I ate one and forgot to give her any of it.' + +'But we told you so particularly,' said the eldest brother, +'never to eat anything without sharing it with the cat.' + +'Yes, but I tell you I forgot,' answered Udea. + +'Does the man-eater come here every night?' asked the brothers. + +'Every night,' said Udea, 'and he breaks one door in and then +goes away.' + +Then all the brothers cried together, 'We will dig a great hole, +and fill it with burning wood, and spread a covering over the +top; and when the man-eater arrives we will push him into it.' So +they all set to work and prepared the great hole, and set fire to +the wood, till it was reduced to a mass of glowing charcoal. And +when the man-eater came, and called as usual, 'Udea, what did you +see your grandfather doing?' she answered, 'I saw him pull off +the ass' skin and devour the ass, and he fell in the fire, and +the fire burned him up.' + +Then the man-eater was filled with rage, and he flung himself +upon the iron door and burst it in. On the other side stood +Udea's seven brothers, who said, 'Come, rest yourself a little on +this mat.' And the man-eater sat down, and he fell right into the +burning pit which was under the mat, and they heaped on more +wood, till nothing was left of him, not even a bone. Only one of +his finger-nails was blown away, and fell into an upper chamber +where Udea was standing, and stuck under one of the nails of her +own fingers. And she sank lifeless to the earth. + +Meanwhile her brothers sat below waiting for her and wondering +why she did not come. 'What can have happened to her!' exclaimed +the eldest brother. 'Perhaps she has fallen into the fire, too.' +So one of the others ran upstairs and found his sister stretched +on the floor. 'Udea! Udea!' he cried, but she did not move or +reply. Then he saw that she was dead, and rushed down to his +brothers in the courtyard and called out, 'Come quickly, our +sister is dead!' In a moment they were all beside her and knew +that it was true, and they made a bier and laid her on it, and +placed her across a camel, and said to the camel, 'Take her to +her mother, but be careful not to halt by the way, and let no man +capture you, and see you kneel down before no man, save him who +shall say "string" [Footnote: 'Riemen.'] to you. But to him who +says "string," then kneel.' + +So the camel started, and when it had accomplished half its +journey it met three men, who ran after it in order to catch it; +but they could not. Then they cried 'Stop!' but the camel only +went the faster. The three men panted behind till one said to the +others, 'Wait a minute! The string of my sandal is broken!' The +camel caught the word 'string' and knelt down at once, and the +men came up and found a dead girl lying on a bier, with a ring on +her finger. And as one of the young men took hold of her hand to +pull off the ring, he knocked out the man-eater's finger-nail, +which had stuck there, and the maiden sat up and said, 'Let him +live who gave me life, and slay him who slew me!' And when the +camel heard the maiden speak, it turned and carried her back to +her brothers. + +Now the brothers were still seated in the court bewailing their +sister, and their eyes were dim with weeping so that they could +hardly see. And when the camel stood before them they said, +'Perhaps it has brought back our sister!' and rose to give it a +beating. But the camel knelt down and the girl dismounted, and +they flung themselves on her neck and wept more than ever for +gladness. + +'Tell me,' said the eldest, as soon as he could speak, 'how it +all came about, and what killed you.' + +'I was waiting in the upper chamber,' said she, 'and a nail of +the man-eater's stuck under my nail, and I fell dead upon the +ground. That is all I know.' + +'But who pulled out the nail?' asked he. + +'A man took hold of my hand and tried to pull off my ring, and +the nail jumped out and I was alive again. And when the camel +heard me say "Let him live who gave me life, slay him who slew +me!" it turned and brought me back to the castle. That is my +story.' + +She was silent and the eldest brother spoke. 'Will you listen to +what I have to say, my brothers?' + +And they replied, 'How should we not hear you? Are you not our +father as well as our brother?' + +'Then this is my advice. Let us take our sister back to our +father and mother, that we may see them once more before they +die.' + +And the young men agreed, and they mounted their horses and +placed their sister in a litter on the camel. So they set out. + +At the end of five days' journey they reached the old home where +their father and mother dwelt alone. And the heart of their +father rejoiced, and he said to them, 'Dear sons, why did you go +away and leave your mother and me to weep for you night and day?' + +'Dear father,' answered the son, 'let us rest a little now, and +then I will tell you everything from the beginning.' + +'All right,' replied the father, and waited patiently for three +days. + +And on the morning of the fourth day the eldest brother said, +'Dear father, would you like to hear our adventures?' + +'Certainly I should!' + +'Well, it was our aunt who was the cause of our leaving home, for +we agreed that if the baby was a sister she should wave a white +handkerchief, and if it was a brother, she should brandish a +sickle, for then there would be nothing to come back for, and we +might wander far away. Now our aunt could not bear us, and hated +us to live in the same house with her, so she brandished the +sickle, and we went away. That is all our story.' + +And that is all this story. + +[Märchen und Gedichte aus der Stadt Tripolis. Von Hans Stumme.] + + + + + + The White Wolf + + + +Once upon a time there was a king who had three daughters; they +were all beautiful, but the youngest was the fairest of the +three. Now it happened that one day their father had to set out +for a tour in a distant part of his kingdom. Before he left, his +youngest daughter made him promise to bring her back a wreath of +wild flowers. When the king was ready to return to his palace, he +bethought himself that he would like to take home presents to +each of his three daughters; so he went into a jeweller's shop +and bought a beautiful necklace for the eldest princess; then he +went to a rich merchant's and bought a dress embroidered in gold +and silver thread for the second princess, but in none of the +flower shops nor in the market could he find the wreath of wild +flowers that his youngest daughter had set her heart on. So he +had to set out on his homeward way without it. Now his journey +led him through a thick forest. While he was still about four +miles distant from his palace, he noticed a white wolf squatting +on the roadside, and, behold! on the head of the wolf, there was +a wreath of wild flowers. + +Then the king called to the coachman, and ordered him to get down +from his seat and fetch him the wreath from the wolf's head. But +the wolf heard the order and said: 'My lord and king, I will let +you have the wreath, but I must have something in return.' + +'What do you want?' answered the king. 'I will gladly give you +rich treasure in exchange for it.' + +'I do not want rich treasure,' replied the wolf. 'Only promise to +give me the first thing that meets you on your way to your +castle. In three days I shall come and fetch it.' + +And the king thought to himself: 'I am still a good long way from +home, I am sure to meet a wild animal or a bird on the road, it +will be quite safe to promise.' So he consented, and carried the +wreath away with him. But all along the road he met no living +creature till he turned into the palace gates, where his youngest +daughter was waiting to welcome him home. + +That evening the king was very sad, remembering his promise; and +when he told the queen what had happened, she too shed bitter +tears. And the youngest princess asked them why they both looked +so sad, and why they wept. Then her father told her what a price +he would have to pay for the wreath of wild flowers he had +brought home to her, for in three days a white wolf would come +and claim her and carry her away, and they would never see her +again. But the queen thought and thought, and at last she hit +upon a plan. + +There was in the palace a servant maid the same age and the same +height as the princess, and the queen dressed her up in a +beautiful dress belonging to her daughter, and determined to give +her to the white wolf, who would never know the difference. + +On the third day the wolf strode into the palace yard and up the +great stairs, to the room where the king and queen were seated. + +'I have come to claim your promise,' he said. 'Give me your +youngest daughter.' + +Then they led the servant maid up to him, and he said to her: +'You must mount on my back, and I will take you to my castle.' +And with these words he swung her on to his back and left the +palace. + +When they reached the place where he had met the king and given +him the wreath of wild flowers, he stopped, and told her to +dismount that they might rest a little. + +So they sat down by the roadside. + +'I wonder,' said the wolf, 'what your father would do if this +forest belonged to him?' + +And the girl answered: 'My father is a poor man, so he would cut +down the trees, and saw them into planks, and he would sell the +planks, and we should never be poor again; but would always have +enough to eat.' + +Then the wolf knew that he had not got the real princess, and he +swung the servant-maid on to his back and carried her to the +castle. And he strode angrily into the king's chamber, and spoke. + +'Give me the real princess at once. If you deceive me again I +will cause such a storm to burst over your palace that the walls +will fall in, and you will all be buried in the ruins.' + +Then the king and the queen wept, but they saw there was no +escape. So they sent for their youngest daughter, and the king +said to her: 'Dearest child, you must go with the white wolf, for +I promised you to him, and I must keep my word.' + +So the princess got ready to leave her home; but first she went +to her room to fetch her wreath of wild flowers, which she took +with her. Then the white wolf swung her on his back and bore her +away. But when they came to the place where he had rested with +the servant-maid, he told her to dismount that they might rest +for a little at the roadside. Then he turned to her and said: 'I +wonder what your father would do if this forest belonged to him?' + +And the princess answered: 'My father would cut down the trees +and turn it into a beautiful park and gardens, and he and his +courtiers would come and wander among the glades in the summer +time.' + +'This is the real princess,' said the wolf to himself. But aloud +he said: 'Mount once more on my back, and I will bear you to my +castle.' + +And when she was seated on his back he set out through the woods, +and he ran, and ran, and ran, till at last he stopped in front of +a stately courtyard, with massive gates. + +'This is a beautiful castle,' said the princess, as the gates +swung back and she stepped inside. 'If only I were not so far +away from my father and my mother!' + +But the wolf answered: 'At the end of a year we will pay a visit +to your father and mother.' + +And at these words the white furry skin slipped from his back, +and the princess saw that he was not a wolf at all, but a +beautiful youth, tall and stately; and he gave her his hand, and +led her up the castle stairs. + +One day, at the end of half a year, he came into her room and +said: 'My dear one, you must get ready for a wedding. Your eldest +sister is going to be married, and I will take you to your +father's palace. When the wedding is over, I shall come and fetch +you home. I will whistle outside the gate, and when you hear me, +pay no heed to what your father or mother say, leave your dancing +and feasting, and come to me at once; for if I have to leave +without you, you will never find your way back alone through the +forests.' + +When the princess was ready to start, she found that he had put +on his white fur skin, and was changed back into the wolf; and he +swung her on to his back, and set out with her to her father's +palace, where he left her, while he himself returned home alone. +But, in the evening, he went back to fetch her, and, standing +outside the palace gate, he gave a long, loud whistle. In the +midst of her dancing the princess heard the sound, and at once +she went to him, and he swung her on his back and bore her away +to his castle. + +Again, at the end of half a year, the prince came into her room, +as the white wolf, and said: 'Dear heart, you must prepare for +the wedding of your second sister. I will take you to your +father's palace to-day, and we will remain there together till +to-morrow morning.' + +So they went together to the wedding. In the evening, when the +two were alone together, he dropped his fur skin, and, ceasing to +be a wolf, became a prince again. Now they did not know that the +princess's mother was hidden in the room. When she saw the white +skin lying on the floor, she crept out of the room, and sent a +servant to fetch the skin and to burn it in the kitchen fire. The +moment the flames touched the skin there was a fearful clap of +thunder heard, and the prince disappeared out of the palace gate +in a whirlwind, and returned to his palace alone. + +But the princess was heart-broken, and spent the night weeping +bitterly. Next morning she set out to find her way back to the +castle, but she wandered through the woods and forests, and she +could find no path or track to guide her. For fourteen days she +roamed in the forest, sleeping under the trees, and living upon +wild berries and roots, and at last she reached a little house. +She opened the door and went in, and found the wind seated in the +room all by himself, and she spoke to the wind and said: 'Wind, +have you seen the white wolf?' + +And the wind answered: 'All day and all night I have been blowing +round the world, and I have only just come home; but I have not +seen him.' + +But he gave her a pair of shoes, in which, he told her, she would +be able to walk a hundred miles with every step. Then she walked +through the air till she reached a star, and she said: 'Tell me, +star, have you seen the white wolf?' + +And the star answered: 'I have been shining all night, and I have +not seen him.' + +But the star gave her a pair of shoes, and told her that if she +put them on she would be able to walk two hundred miles at a +stride. So she drew them on, and she walked to the moon, and she +said: 'Dear moon, have you not seen the white wolf?' + +But the moon answered, 'All night long I have been sailing +through the heavens, and I have only just come home; but I did +not see him.' + +But he gave her a pair of shoes, in which she would be able to +cover four hundred miles with every stride. So she went to the +sun, and said: 'Dear sun, have you seen the white wolf?' + +And the sun answered, 'Yes, I have seen him, and he has chosen +another bride, for he thought you had left him, and would never +return, and he is preparing for the wedding. But I will help you. +Here are a pair of shoes. If you put these on you will be able to +walk on glass or ice, and to climb the steepest places. And here +is a spinning-wheel, with which you will be able to spin moss +into silk. When you leave me you will reach a glass mountain. Put +on the shoes that I have given you and with them you will be able +to climb it quite easily. At the summit you will find the palace +of the white wolf.' + +Then the princess set out, and before long she reached the glass +mountain, and at the summit she found the white wolf's palace, as +the sun had said. + +But no one recognised her, as she had disguised herself as an old +woman, and had wound a shawl round her head. Great preparations +were going on in the palace for the wedding, which was to take +place next day. Then the princess, still disguised as an old +woman, took out her spinning-wheel, and began to spin moss into +silk. And as she spun the new bride passed by, and seeing the +moss turn into silk, she said to the old woman: 'Little mother, I +wish you would give me that spinning-wheel.' + +And the princess answered, 'I will give it to you if you will +allow me to sleep to-night on the mat outside the prince's door.' + +And the bride replied, 'Yes, you may sleep on the mat outside the +door.' + +So the princess gave her the spinning-wheel. And that night, +winding the shawl all round her, so that no one could recognise +her, she lay down on the mat outside the white wolf's door. And +when everyone in the palace was asleep she began to tell the +whole of her story. She told how she had been one of three +sisters, and that she had been the youngest and the fairest of +the three, and that her father had betrothed her to a white wolf. +And she told how she had gone first to the wedding of one sister, +and then with her husband to the wedding of the other sister, and +how her mother had ordered the servant to throw the white fur +skin into the kitchen fire. And then she told of her wanderings +through the forest; and of how she had sought the white wolf +weeping; and how the wind and star and moon and sun had +befriended her, and had helped her to reach his palace. And when +the white wolf heard all the story, he knew that it was his first +wife, who had sought him, and had found him, after such great +dangers and difficulties. + +But he said nothing, for he waited till the next day, when many +guests--kings and princes from far countries --were coming to his +wedding. Then, when all the guests were assembled in the +banqueting hall, he spoke to them and said: 'Hearken to me, ye +kings and princes, for I have something to tell you. I had lost +the key of my treasure casket, so I ordered a new one to be made; +but I have since found the old one. Now, which of these keys is +the better?' + +Then all the kings and royal guests answered: 'Certainly the old +key is better than the new one.' + +'Then,' said the wolf, 'if that is so, my former bride is better +than my new one.' + +And he sent for the new bride, and he gave her in marriage to one +of the princes who was present, and then he turned to his guests, +and said: 'And here is my former bride'--and the beautiful +princess was led into the room and seated beside him on his +throne. 'I thought she had forgotten me, and that she would never +return. But she has sought me everywhere, and now we are together +once more we shall never part again.' + + + + + + Mohammed with the Magic Finger + + + +Once upon a time, there lived a woman who had a son and a +daughter. One morning she said to them: 'I have heard of a town +where there is no such thing as death: let us go and dwell +there.' So she broke up her house, and went away with her son and +daughter. + +When she reached the city, the first thing she did was to look +about and see if there was any churchyard, and when she found +none, she exclaimed, 'This is a delightful spot. We will stay +here for ever.' + +By-and-by, her son grew to be a man, and he took for a wife a +girl who had been born in the town. But after a little while he +grew restless, and went away on his travels, leaving his mother, +his wife, and his sister behind him. + +He had not been gone many weeks when one evening his mother said, +'I am not well, my head aches dreadfully.' + +'What did you say?' inquired her daughter-in-law. + +'My head feels ready to split,' replied the old woman. + +The daughter-in-law asked no more questions, but left the house, +and went in haste to some butchers in the next street. + +'I have got a woman to sell; what will you give me for her?' said +she. + +The butchers answered that they must see the woman first, and +they all returned together. + +Then the butchers took the woman and told her they must kill her. + +'But why?' she asked. + +'Because,' they said, 'it is always our custom that when persons +are ill and complain of their head they should be killed at once. +It is a much better way than leaving them to die a natural +death.' + +'Very well,' replied the woman. 'But leave, I pray you, my lungs +and my liver untouched, till my son comes back. Then give both to +him.' + +But the men took them out at once, and gave them to the +daughter-in-law, saying: 'Put away these things till your husband +returns.' And the daughter-in-law took them, and hid them in a +secret place. + +When the old woman's daughter, who had been in the woods, heard +that her mother had been killed while she was out, she was filled +with fright, and ran away as fast as she could. At last she +reached a lonely spot far from the town, where she thought she +was safe, and sat down on a stone, and wept bitterly. As she was +sitting, sobbing, a man passed by. + +'What is the matter, little girl? Answer me! I will be your +friend.' + +'Ah, sir, they have killed my mother; my brother is far away, and +I have nobody.' + +'Will you come with me?' asked the man. + +'Thankfully,' said she, and he led her down, down, under the +earth, till they reached a great city. Then he married her, and +in course of time she had a son. And the baby was known +throughout the city as 'Mohammed with the magic finger,' because, +whenever he stuck out his little finger, he was able to see +anything that was happening for as far as two days' distance. + +By-and-by, as the boy was growing bigger, his uncle returned from +his long journey, and went straight to his wife. + +'Where are my mother and sister?' he asked; but his wife +answered: 'Have something to eat first, and then I will tell +you.' + +But he replied: 'How can I eat till I know what has become of +them?' + +Then she fetched, from the upper chamber, a box full of money, +which she laid before him, saying, 'That is the price of your +mother. She sold well.' + +'What do you mean?' he gasped. + +'Oh, your mother complained one day that her head was aching, so +I got in two butchers and they agreed to take her. However, I +have got her lungs and liver hidden, till you came back, in a +safe place.' + +'And my sister?' + +'Well, while the people were chopping up your mother she ran +away, and I heard no more of her.' + +'Give me my mother's liver and lungs,' said the young man. And +she gave them to him. Then he put them in his pocket, and went +away, saying: 'I can stay no longer in this horrible town. I go +to seek my sister.' + +Now, one day, the little boy stretched out his finger and said to +his mother, 'My uncle is coming!' + +'Where is he?' she asked. + +'He is still two days' journey off: looking for us; but he will +soon be here.' And in two days, as the boy had foretold, the +uncle had found the hole in the earth, and arrived at the gate of +the city. All his money was spent, and not knowing where his +sister lived, he began to beg of all the people he saw. + +'Here comes my uncle,' called out the little boy. 'Where?' +asked his mother. 'Here at the house door;' and the woman ran +out and embraced him, and wept over him. When they could both +speak, he said: 'My sister, were you by when they killed my +mother?' + +'I was absent when they slew her,' replied she, 'and as I could +do nothing, I ran away. But you, my brother, how did you get +here?' + +'By chance,' he said, 'after I had wandered far; but I did not +know I should find you!' 'My little boy told me you were +coming,' she explained, 'when you were yet two days distant; he +alone of all men has that great gift.' + +But she did not tell him that her husband could change himself +into a serpent, a dog, or a monster, whenever he pleased. He was +a very rich man, and possessed large herds of camels, goats, +sheep, cattle, horses and asses; all the best of their kind. And +the next morning, the sister said: 'Dear brother, go and watch +our sheep, and when you are thirsty, drink their milk!' + +'Very well,' answered he, and he went. + +Soon after, she said again, 'Dear brother, go and watch our +goats.' + +'But why? I like tending sheep better!' + +'Oh, it is much nicer to be a goatherd,' she said; so he took the +goats out. + +When he was gone, she said to her husband, 'You must kill my +brother, for I cannot have him living here with me.' + +'But, my dear, why should I? He has done me no harm.' + +'I wish you to kill him,' she answered, 'or if not I will leave.' + +'Oh, all right, then,' said he; 'to-morrow I will change myself +into a serpent, and hide myself in the date barrel; and when he +comes to fetch dates I will sting him in the hand.' + +'That will do very well,' said she. + +When the sun was up next day, she called to her brother, 'Go and +mind the goats.' + +'Yes, of course,' he replied; but the little boy called out: +'Uncle, I want to come with you.' + +'Delighted,' said the uncle, and they started together. + +After they had got out of sight of the house the boy said to him, +'Dear uncle, my father is going to kill you. He has changed +himself into a serpent, and has hidden himself in the date +barrel. My mother has told him to do it.' + +'And what am I to do?' asked the uncle. + +'I will tell you. When we bring the goats back to the house, and +my mother says to you, "I am sure you must be hungry: get a few +dates out of the cask," just say to me, "I am not feeling very +well, Mohammed, you go and get them for me."' + +So, when they reached the house the sister came out to meet them, +saying, 'Dear brother, you must certainly be hungry: go and get a +few dates.' + +But he answered, 'I am not feeling very well. Mohammed, you go +and get them for me.' + +'Of course I will,' replied the little boy, and ran at once to +the cask. + +'No, no,' his mother called after him; 'come here directly! Let +your uncle fetch them himself!' + +But the boy would not listen, and crying out to her 'I would +rather get them,' thrust his hand into the date cask. + +Instead of the fruit, it struck against something cold and slimy, +and he whispered softly, 'Keep still; it is I, your son!' + +Then he picked up his dates and went away to his uncle. + +'Here they are, dear uncle; eat as many as you want.' + +And his uncle ate them. + +When he saw that the uncle did not mean to come near the cask, +the serpent crawled out and regained his proper shape. + +'I am thankful I did not kill him,' he said to his wife; 'for, +after all, he is my brother-in-law, and it would have been a +great sin!' + +'Either you kill him or I leave you,' said she. + +'Well, well!' sighed the man, 'to-morrow I will do it.' + +The woman let that night go by without doing anything further, +but at daybreak she said to her brother, 'Get up, brother; it is +time to take the goats to pasture!' + +'All right,' cried he. + +'I will come with you, uncle,' called out the little boy. + +'Yes, come along,' replied he. + +But the mother ran up, saying, 'The child must not go out in this +cold or he will be ill;' to which he only answered, 'Nonsense! I +am going, so it is no use your talking! I am going! I am! I am!' + +'Then go!' she said. + +And so they started, driving the goats in front of them. + +When they reached the pasture the boy said to his uncle: 'Dear +uncle, this night my father means to kill you. While we are away +he will creep into your room and hide in the straw. Directly we +get home my mother will say to you, "Take that straw and give it +to the sheep," and, if you do, he will bite you.' + +'Then what am I to do?' asked the man. + +'Oh, do not be afraid, dear uncle! I will kill my father myself.' + +'All right,' replied the uncle. + +As they drove back the goats towards the house, the sister cried: +'Be quick, dear brother, go and get me some straw for the sheep.' + +'Let me go,' said the boy. + +'You are not big enough; your uncle will get it,' replied she. + +'We will both get it,' answered the boy; 'come, uncle, let us go +and fetch that straw!' + +'All right,' replied the uncle, and they went to the door of the +room. + +'It seems very dark,' said the boy; 'I must go and get a light;' +and when he came back with one, he set fire to the straw, and the +serpent was burnt. + +Then the mother broke into sobs and tears. 'Oh, you wretched boy! +What have you done? Your father was in that straw, and you have +killed him!' + +'Now, how was I to know that my father was lying in that straw, +instead of in the kitchen?' said the boy. + +But his mother only wept the more, and sobbed out, 'From this day +you have no father. You must do without him as best you can!' + +'Why did you marry a serpent?' asked the boy. 'I thought he was a +man! How did he learn those odd tricks?' + +As the sun rose, she woke her brother, and said, 'Go and take the +goats to pasture!' + +'I will come too,' said the little boy. + +'Go then!' said his mother, and they went together. + +On the way the boy began: 'Dear uncle, this night my mother means +to kill both of us, by poisoning us with the bones of the +serpent, which she will grind to powder and sprinkle in our +food.' + +'And what are we to do?' asked the uncle. + +'I will kill her, dear uncle. I do not want either a father or a +mother like that!' + +When they came home in the evening they saw the woman preparing +supper, and secretly scattering the powdered bones of the serpent +on one side of the dish. On the other, where she meant to eat +herself, there was no poison. + +And the boy whispered to his uncle, 'Dear uncle, be sure you eat +from the same side of the dish as I do!' + +'All right,' said the uncle. + +So they all three sat down to the table, but before they helped +themselves the boy said, 'I am thirsty, mother; will you get me +some milk?' + +'Very well,' said she, 'but you had better begin your supper.' + +And when she came back with the milk they were both eating +busily. + +'Sit down and have something too,' said the boy, and she sat down +and helped herself from the dish, but at the very first moment +she sank dead upon the ground. + +'She has got what she meant for us,' observed the boy; 'and now +we will sell all the sheep and cattle.' + +So the sheep and cattle were sold, and the uncle and nephew took +the money and went to see the world. + +For ten days they travelled through the desert, and then they +came to a place where the road parted in two. + +'Uncle!' said the boy. + +'Well, what is it?' replied he. + +'You see these two roads? You must take one, and I the other; for +the time has come when we must part.' + +But the uncle cried, 'No, no, my boy, we will keep together +always.' + +'Alas! that cannot be,' said the boy; 'so tell me which way you +will go.' + +'I will go to the west,' said the uncle. + +'One word before I leave you,' continued the boy. 'Beware of any +man who has red hair and blue eyes. Take no service under him.' + +'All right,' replied the uncle, and they parted. + +For three days the man wandered on without any food, till he was +very hungry. Then, when he was almost fainting, a stranger met +him and said, 'Will you work for me?' + +'By contract?' asked the man. + +'Yes, by contract,' replied the stranger, 'and whichever of us +breaks it, shall have a strip of skin taken from his body.' + +'All right,' replied the man; 'what shall I have to do?' + +'Every day you must take the sheep out to pasture, and carry my +old mother on your shoulders, taking great care her feet shall +never touch the ground. And, besides that, you must catch, every +evening, seven singing birds for my seven sons.' + +'That is easily done,' said the man. + +Then they went back together, and the stranger said, 'Here are +your sheep; and now stoop down, and let my mother climb on your +back.' + +'Very good,' answered Mohammed's uncle. + +The new shepherd did as he was told, and returned in the evening +with the old woman on his back, and the seven singing birds in +his pocket, which he gave to the seven boys, when they came to +meet him. So the days passed, each one exactly like the other. + +At last, one night, he began to weep, and cried: 'Oh, what have I +done, that I should have to perform such hateful tasks?' + +And his nephew Mohammed saw him from afar, and thought to +himself, 'My uncle is in trouble--I must go and help him;' and +the next morning he went to his master and said: 'Dear master, I +must go to my uncle, and I wish to send him here instead of +myself, while I serve under his master. And that you may know it +is he and no other man, I will give him my staff, and put my +mantle on him.' + +'All right,' said the master. + +Mohammed set out on his journey, and in two days he arrived at +the place where his uncle was standing with the old woman on his +back trying to catch the birds as they flew past. And Mohammed +touched him on the arm, and spoke: 'Dear uncle, did I not warn +you never to take service under any blue-eyed red-haired man! + +'But what could I do?' asked the uncle. 'I was hungry, and he +passed, and we signed a contract.' + +'Give the contract to me!' said the young man. + +'Here it is,' replied the uncle, holding it out. + +'Now,' continued Mohammed, 'let the old woman get down from your +back.' + +'Oh no, I mustn't do that!' cried he. + +But the nephew paid no attention, and went on talking: 'Do not +worry yourself about the future. I see my way out of it all. And, +first, you must take my stick and my mantle, and leave this +place. After two days' journey, straight before you, you will +come to some tents which are inhabited by shepherds. Go in there, +and wait.' + +'All right!' answered the uncle. + +Then Mohammed with the Magic Finger picked up a stick and struck +the old woman with it, saying, 'Get down, and look after the +sheep; I want to go to sleep.' + +'Oh, certainly!' replied she. + +So Mohammed lay down comfortably under a tree and slept till +evening. Towards sunset he woke up and said to the old woman: +'Where are the singing birds which you have got to catch?' + +'You never told me anything about that,' replied she. + +'Oh, didn't I?' he answered. 'Well, it is part of your business, +and if you don't do it, I shall just kill you.' + +'Of course I will catch them!' cried she in a hurry, and ran +about the bushes after the birds, till thorns pierced her foot, +and she shrieked from pain and exclaimed, 'Oh dear, how unlucky I +am! and how abominably this man is treating me!' However, at last +she managed to catch the seven birds, and brought them to +Mohammed, saying, 'Here they are!' + +'Then now we will go back to the house,' said he. + +When they had gone some way he turned to her sharply: + +'Be quick and drive the sheep home, for I do not know where their +fold is.' And she drove them before her. By-and-by the young man +spoke: + +'Look here, old hag; if you say anything to your son about my +having struck you, or about my not being the old shepherd, I'll +kill you!' + +'Oh, no, of course I won't say anything!' + +When they got back, the son said to his mother: 'That is a good +shepherd I've got, isn't he?' + +'Oh, a splendid shepherd!' answered she. 'Why, look how fat the +sheep are, and how much milk they give!' + +'Yes, indeed!' replied the son, as he rose to get supper for his +mother and the shepherd. + +In the time of Mohammed's uncle, the shepherd had had nothing to +eat but the scraps left by the old woman; but the new shepherd +was not going to be content with that. + +'You will not touch the food till I have had as much as I want,' +whispered he. + +'Very good!' replied she. And when he had had enough, he said: + +'Now, eat!' But she wept, and cried: 'That was not written in +your contract. You were only to have what I left!' + +'If you say a word more, I will kill you!' said he. + +The next day he took the old woman on his back, and drove the +sheep in front of him till he was some distance from the house, +when he let her fall, and said: 'Quick! go and mind the sheep!' + +Then he took a ram, and killed it. He lit a fire and broiled some +of its flesh, and called to the old woman: + +'Come and eat with me!' and she came. But instead of letting her +eat quietly, he took a large lump of the meat and rammed it down +her throat with his crook, so that she died. And when he saw she +was dead, he said: 'That is what you have got for tormenting my +uncle!' and left her lying where she was, while he went after the +singing birds. It took him a long time to catch them; but at +length he had the whole seven hidden in the pockets of his tunic, +and then he threw the old woman's body into some bushes, and +drove the sheep before him, back to their fold. And when they +drew near the house the seven boys came to meet him, and he gave +a bird to each. + +'Why are you weeping?' asked the boys, as they took their birds. + +'Because your grandmother is dead!' And they ran and told their +father. Then the man came up and said to Mohammed: 'What was the +matter? How did she die?' + +And Mohammed answered: 'I was tending the sheep when she said to +me, "Kill me that ram; I am hungry!" So I killed it, and gave her +the meat. But she had no teeth, and it choked her.' + +'But why did you kill the ram, instead of one of the sheep?' +asked the man. + +'What was I to do?' said Mohammed. 'I had to obey orders!' + +'Well, I must see to her burial!' said the man; and the next +morning Mohammed drove out the sheep as usual, thinking to +himself, 'Thank goodness I've got rid of the old woman! Now for +the boys!' + +All day long he looked after the sheep, and towards evening he +began to dig some little holes in the ground, out of which he +took six scorpions. These he put in his pockets, together with +one bird which he caught. After this he drove his flock home. + +When he approached the house the boys came out to meet him as +before, saying: 'Give me my bird!' and he put a scorpion into the +hand of each, and it stung him, and he died. But to the youngest +only he gave a bird. + +As soon as he saw the boys lying dead on the ground, Mohammed +lifted up his voice and cried loudly: 'Help, help! the children +are dead!' + +And the people came running fast, saying: 'What has happened? How +have they died?' + +And Mohammed answered: 'It was your own fault! The boys had been +accustomed to birds, and in this bitter cold their fingers grew +stiff, and could hold nothing, so that the birds flew away, and +their spirits flew with them. Only the youngest, who managed to +keep tight hold of his bird, is still alive.' + +And the father groaned, and said, 'I have borne enough! Bring no +more birds, lest I lose the youngest also!' + +'All right,' said Mohammed. + +As he was driving the sheep out to grass he said to his master: +'Out there is a splendid pasture, and I will keep the sheep there +for two or, perhaps, three days, so do not be surprised at our +absence.' + +'Very good!' said the man; and Mohammed started. For two days he +drove them on and on, till he reached his uncle, and said to him, +'Dear uncle, take these sheep and look after them. I have killed +the old woman and the boys, and the flock I have brought to you!' + +Then Mohammed returned to his master; and on the way he took a +stone and beat his own head with it till it bled, and bound his +hands tight, and began to scream. The master came running and +asked, 'What is the matter?' + +And Mohammed answered: 'While the sheep were grazing, robbers +came and drove them away, and because I tried to prevent them, +they struck me on the head and bound my hands. See how bloody I +am!' + +'What shall we do?' said the master; 'are the animals far off?' + +'So far that you are not likely ever to see them again,' replied +Mohammed. 'This is the fourth day since the robbers came down. +How should you be able to overtake them?' + +'Then go and herd the cows!' said the man. + +'All right!' replied Mohammed, and for two days he went. But on +the third day he drove the cows to his uncle, first cutting off +their tails. Only one cow he left behind him. + +'Take these cows, dear uncle,' said he. 'I am going to teach that +man a lesson.' + +'Well, I suppose you know your own business best,' said the +uncle. 'And certainly he almost worried me to death.' + +So Mohammed returned to his master, carrying the cows' tails tied +up in a bundle on his back. When he came to the sea-shore, he +stuck all the tails in the sand, and went and buried the one cow, +whose tail he had not cut off, up to her neck, leaving the tail +projecting. After he had got everything ready, he began to shriek +and scream as before, till his master and all the other servants +came running to see what was the matter. + +'What in the world has happened?' they cried + +'The sea has swallowed up the cows,' said Mohammed, 'and nothing +remains but their tails. But if you are quick and pull hard, +perhaps you may get them out again!' + +The master ordered each man instantly to take hold of a tail, but +at the first pull they nearly tumbled backwards, and the tails +were left in their hands. + +'Stop,' cried Mohammed, 'you are doing it all wrong. You have +just pulled off their tails, and the cows have sunk to the bottom +of the sea.' + +'See if you can do it any better,' said they; and Mohammed ran to +the cow which he had buried in the rough grass, and took hold of +her tail and dragged the animal out at once. + +'There! that is the way to do it!' said he, 'I told you you knew +nothing about it!' + +The men slunk away, much ashamed of themselves; but the master +came up to Mohammed. 'Get you gone!' he said, 'there is nothing +more for you to do! You have killed my mother, you have slain my +children, you have stolen my sheep, you have drowned my cows; I +have now no work to give you.' + +'First give me the strip of your skin which belongs to me of +right, as you have broken your contract!' + +'That a judge shall decide,' said the master; 'we will go before +him.' + +'Yes, we will,' replied Mohammed. And they went before the judge. + +'What is your case?' asked the judge of the master. + +'My lord,' said the man, bowing low, 'my shepherd here has robbed +me of everything. He has killed my children and my old mother; he +has stolen my sheep, he has drowned my cows in the sea.' + +The shepherd answered: 'He must pay me what he owes me, and then +I will go.' + +'Yes, that is the law,' said the judge. + +'Very well,' returned the master, 'let him reckon up how long he +has been in my service.' + +'That won't do,' replied Mohammed, 'I want my strip of skin, as +we agreed in the contract.' + +Seeing there was no help for it, the master cut a bit of skin, +and gave it to Mohammed, who went off at once to his uncle. + +'Now we are rich, dear uncle,' cried he; 'we will sell our cows +and sheep and go to a new country. This one is no longer the +place for us.' + +The sheep were soon sold, and the two comrades started on their +travels. That night they reached some Bedouin tents, where they +had supper with the Arabs. Before they lay down to sleep, +Mohammed called the owner of the tent aside. 'Your greyhound will +eat my strip of leather,' he said to the Arab. + +'No; do not fear.' + +'But supposing he does?' + +'Well, then, I will give him to you in exchange,' replied the +Arab. + +Mohammed waited till everyone was fast asleep, then he rose +softly, and tearing the bit of skin in pieces, threw it down +before the greyhound, setting up wild shrieks as he did so. + +'Oh, master, said I not well that your dog would eat my thong?' + +'Be quiet, don't make such a noise, and you shall have the dog.' + +So Mohammed put a leash round his neck, and led him away. + +In the evening they arrived at the tents of some more Bedouin, +and asked for shelter. After supper Mohammed said to the owner of +the tent, 'Your ram will kill my greyhound.' + +'Oh, no, he won't.' + +'And supposing he does?' + +'Then you can take him in exchange.' + +So in the night Mohammed killed the greyhound, and laid his body +across the horns of the ram. Then he set up shrieks and yells, +till he roused the Arab, who said: 'Take the ram and go away.' + +Mohammed did not need to be told twice, and at sunset he reached +another Bedouin encampment. He was received kindly, as usual, and +after supper he said to his host: 'Your daughter will kill my +ram.' + +'Be silent, she will do nothing of the sort; my daughter does not +need to steal meat, she has some every day.' + +'Very well, I will go to sleep; but if anything happens to my ram +I will call out.' + +'If my daughter touches anything belonging to my guest I will +kill her,' said the Arab, and went to his bed. + +When everybody was asleep, Mohammed got up, killed the ram, and +took out his liver, which he broiled on the fire. He placed a +piece of it in the girl's hands, and laid some more on her +night-dress while she slept and knew nothing about it. After this +he began to cry out loudly. + +'What is the matter? be silent at once!' called the Arab. + +'How can I be silent, when my ram, which I loved like a child, +has been slain by your daughter?' + +'But my daughter is asleep,' said the Arab. + +'Well, go and see if she has not some of the flesh about her.' + +'If she has, you may take her in exchange for the ram;' and as +they found the flesh exactly as Mohammed had foretold, the Arab +gave his daughter a good beating, and then told her to get out of +sight, for she was now the property of this stranger. + +They wandered in the desert till, at nightfall, they came to a +Bedouin encampment, where they were hospitably bidden to enter. +Before lying down to sleep, Mohammed said to the owner of the +tent: 'Your mare will kill my wife.' + +'Certainly not.' + +'And if she does?' + +'Then you shall take the mare in exchange.' + +When everyone was asleep, Mohammed said softly to his wife: +'Maiden, I have got such a clever plan! I am going to bring in +the mare and put it at your feet, and I will cut you, just a few +little flesh wounds, so that you may be covered with blood, and +everybody will suppose you to be dead. But remember that you must +not make a sound, or we shall both be lost.' + +This was done, and then Mohammed wept and wailed louder than +ever. + +The Arab hastened to the spot and cried, 'Oh, cease making that +terrible noise! Take the mare and go; but carry off the dead girl +with you. She can lie quite easily across the mare's back.' + +Then Mohammed and his uncle picked up the girl, and, placing her +on the mare's back, led it away, being very careful to walk one +on each side, so that she might not slip down and hurt herself. +After the Arab tents could be seen no longer, the girl sat up on +the saddle and looked about her, and as they were all hungry they +tied up the mare, and took out some dates to eat. When they had +finished, Mohammed said to his uncle: 'Dear uncle, the maiden +shall be your wife; I give her to you. But the money we got from +the sheep and cows we will divide between us. You shall have +two-thirds and I will have one. For you will have a wife, but I +never mean to marry. And now, go in peace, for never more will +you see me. The bond of bread and salt is at an end between us.' + +So they wept, and fell on each other's necks, and asked +forgiveness for any wrongs in the past. Then they parted and went +their ways. + +[Märchen und Gedichte aus der Stadt Tripolis. Von Haus Stumme.] + + + + + + Bobino + + + +Once on a time there was a rich merchant, who had an only son +called Bobino. Now, as the boy was clever, and had a great desire +for knowledge, his father sent him to be under a master, from +whom he thought he would learn to speak all sorts of foreign +languages. After some years with this master, Bobino returned to +his home. + +One evening, as he and his father were walking in the garden, the +sparrows in the trees above their heads began such a twittering, +that they found it impossible to hear each other speak. This +annoyed the merchant very much, so, to soothe him, Bobino said: +'Would you like me to explain to you what the sparrows are saying +to each other?' + +The merchant looked at his son in astonishment, and answered: +'What can you mean? How can you explain what the sparrows say? Do +you consider yourself a soothsayer or a magician?' + +'I am neither a soothsayer nor a magician,' answered Bobino; 'but +my master taught me the language of all the animals.' + +'Alas! for my good money!' exclaimed the merchant. 'The master +has certainly mistaken my intention. Of course I meant you to +learn the languages that human beings talk, and not the language +of animals.' + +'Have patience,' answered the son. 'My master thought it best to +begin with the language of animals, and later to learn the +languages of human beings.' + +On their way into the house the dog ran to meet them, barking +furiously. + +'What can be the matter with the beast?' said the merchant. 'Why +should he bark at me like that, when he knows me quite well?' + +'Shall I explain to you what he is saying?' said Bobino. + +'Leave me in peace, and don't trouble me with your nonsense,' +said the merchant quite crossly. 'How my money has been wasted!' + +A little later, as they sat down to supper, some frogs in a +neighbouring pond set up such a croaking as had never been heard. +The noise so irritated the merchant that he quite lost his temper +and exclaimed: 'This only was wanting to add the last drop to my +discomfort and disappointment.' + +'Shall I explain to you?' began Bobino. + +'Will you hold your tongue with your explanations?' shouted the +merchant. 'Go to bed, and don't let me see your face again!' + +So Bobino went to bed and slept soundly. But his father, who +could not get over his disappointment at the waste of his money, +was so angry, that he sent for two servants, and gave them +orders, which they were to carry out on the following day. + +Next morning one of the servants awakened Bobino early, and made +him get into a carriage that was waiting for him. The servant +placed himself on the seat beside him, while the other servant +rode alongside the carriage as an escort. Bobino could not +understand what they were going to do with him, or where he was +being taken; but he noticed that the servant beside him looked +very sad, and his eyes were all swollen with crying. + +Curious to know the reason he said to him: 'Why are you so sad? +and where are you taking me?' + +But the servant would say nothing. At last, moved by Bobino's +entreaties, he said: 'My poor boy, I am taking you to your death, +and, what is worse, I am doing so by the order of your father.' + +'But why,' exclaimed Bobino, 'does he want me to die? What evil +have I done him, or what fault have I committed that he should +wish to bring about my death?' + +'You have done him no evil,' answered the servant 'neither have +you committed any fault; but he is half mad with anger because, +in all these years of study, you have learnt nothing but the +language of animals. He expected something quite different from +you, that is why he is determined you shall die.' + +'If that is the case, kill me at once,' said Bobino. 'What is the +use of waiting, if it must be done?' + +'I have not the heart to do it,' answered the servant. 'I would +rather think of some way of saving your life, and at the same +time of protecting ourselves from your father's anger. By good +luck the dog has followed us. We will kill it, and cut out the +heart and take it back to your father. He will believe it is +yours, and you, in the meantime, will have made your escape.' + +When they had reached the thickest part of the wood, Bobino got +out of the carriage, and having said good-bye to the servants set +out on his wanderings. + +On and on he walked, till at last, late in the evening, he came +to a house where some herdsmen lived. He knocked at the door and +begged for shelter for the night. The herdsmen, seeing how gentle +a youth he seemed, made him welcome, and bade him sit down and +share their supper. + +While they were eating it, the dog in the courtyard began to +bark. Bobino walked to the window, listened attentively for a +minute, and then turning to the herdsmen said: 'Send your wives +and daughters at once to bed, and arm yourselves as best you can, +because at midnight a band of robbers will attack this house.' + +The herdsmen were quite taken aback, and thought that the youth +must have taken leave of his senses. + +'How can you know,' they said, 'that a band of robbers mean to +attack us? Who told you so?' + +'I know it from the dog's barking,' answered Bobino. 'I +understand his language, and if I had not been here, the poor +beast would have wasted his breath to no purpose. You had better +follow my advice, if you wish to save your lives and property.' + +The herdsmen were more and more astonished, but they decided to +do as Bobino advised. They sent their wives and daughters +upstairs, then, having armed themselves, they took up their +position behind a hedge, waiting for midnight. + +Just as the clock struck twelve they heard the sound of +approaching footsteps, and a band of robbers cautiously advanced +towards the house. But the herdsmen were on the look-out; they +sprang on the robbers from behind the hedge, and with blows from +their cudgels soon put them to flight. + +You may believe how grateful they were to Bobino, to whose timely +warning they owed their safety. They begged him to stay and make +his home with them; but as he wanted to see more of the world, he +thanked them warmly for their hospitality, and set out once more +on his wanderings. All day he walked, and in the evening he came +to a peasant's house. While he was wondering whether he should +knock and demand shelter for the night, he heard a great croaking +of frogs in a ditch behind the house. Stepping to the back he saw +a very strange sight. Four frogs were throwing a small bottle +about from one to the other, making a great croaking as they did +so. Bobino listened for a few minutes, and then knocked at the +door of the house. It was opened by the peasant, who asked him to +come in and have some supper. + +When the meal was over, his host told him that they were in great +trouble, as his eldest daughter was so ill, that they feared she +could not recover. A great doctor, who had been passing that way +some time before, had promised to send her some medicine that +would have cured her, but the servant to whom he had entrusted +the medicine had let it drop on the way back, and now there +seemed no hope for the girl. + +Then Bobino told the father of the small bottle he had seen the +frogs play with, and that he knew that was the medicine which the +doctor had sent to the girl. The peasant asked him how he could +be sure of this, and Bobino explained to him that he understood +the language of animals, and had heard what the frogs said as +they tossed the bottle about. So the peasant fetched the bottle +from the ditch, and gave the medicine to his daughter. In the +morning she was much better, and the grateful father did not know +how to thank Bobino enough. But Bobino would accept nothing from +him, and having said good-bye, set out once more on his +wanderings. + +One day, soon after this, he came upon two men resting under a +tree in the heat of the day. Being tired he stretched himself on +the ground at no great distance from them, and soon they all +three began to talk to one another. In the course of +conversation, Bobino asked the two men where they were going; and +they replied that they were on their way to a neighbouring town, +where, that day, a new ruler was to be chosen by the people. + +While they were still talking, some sparrows settled on the tree +under which they were lying. Bobino was silent, and appeared to +be listening attentively. At the end of a few minutes he said to +his companions, 'Do you know what those sparrows are saying? They +are saying that to-day one of us will be chosen ruler of that +town.' + +The men said nothing, but looked at each other. A few minutes +later, seeing that Bobino had fallen asleep, they stole away, and +made with all haste for the town, where the election of a new +ruler was to take place. + +A great crowd was assembled in the market-place, waiting for the +hour when an eagle should be let loose from a cage, for it had +been settled that on whose-soever house the eagle alighted, the +owner of that house should become ruler of the town. At last the +hour arrived; the eagle was set free, and all eyes were strained +to see where it would alight. But circling over the heads of the +crowd, it flew straight in the direction of a young man, who was +at that moment entering the town. This was none other than +Bobino, who had awakened soon after his companions had left him, +and had followed in their footsteps. All the people shouted and +proclaimed that he was their future ruler, and he was conducted +by a great crowd to the Governor's house, which was for the +future to be his home. And here he lived happily, and ruled +wisely over the people. + + + + + + The Dog and the Sparrow + + + +There was once upon a time a sheep-dog whose master was so unkind +that he starved the poor beast, and ill- treated him in the +cruellest manner. At last the dog determined to stand this +ill-usage no longer, and, one day, he ran away from home. As he +was trotting along the road he met a sparrow, who stopped him and +said: 'Brother, why do you look so sad?' + +The dog answered: 'I am sad because I am hungry, and have nothing +to eat.' + +'If that's all, dear brother,' said the sparrow, 'come to the +town with me, and I'll soon get food for you.' + +So they went together to the town, and when they came to a +butcher's shop, the sparrow said to the dog: 'You stand still and +I'll peck down a piece of meat for you.' + +First she looked all round to see that no one was watching her, +and then she set to work to peck at a piece of meat that lay on +the edge of a shelf, till at last it fell down. The dog seized it +ravenously, and ran with it to a dark corner where he gobbled it +up in a very few minutes. + +When he had finished it, the sparrow said: 'Now come with me to +another shop, and I will get you a second piece, so that your +hunger may be satisfied.' When the dog had finished the second +piece of meat, the sparrow asked him: 'Brother, have you had +enough now?' + +'Yes,' replied the dog, 'I've had quite enough meat, but I +haven't had any bread yet.' + +The sparrow said: 'You shall have as much bread as you like, only +come with me.' Then she led him to a baker's shop, and pecked so +long at two rolls on a shelf that at last they fell down, and the +dog ate them up. + +But still his hunger was not appeased; so the sparrow took him to +another baker's shop, and got some more rolls for him. Then she +asked him: 'Well, brother, are you satisfied?' + +'Yes,' he replied; 'and now let us go for a little walk outside +the town.' + +So the two went for a stroll into the country; but the day was +very hot, and after they had gone a short distance the dog said: +'I am very tired, and would like to go to sleep.' + +'Sleep, then,' said the sparrow, 'and I will keep watch meantime +on the branch of a tree.' + +So the dog lay down in the middle of the road, and was soon fast +asleep. While he was sleeping a carter passed by, driving a +waggon drawn by three horses, and laden with two barrels of wine. +The sparrow noticed that the man was not going out of his way to +avoid the dog, but was driving right in the middle of the road +where the poor animal lay; so she called out: 'Carter, take care +what you are about, or I shall make you suffer for it.' + +But the carter merely laughed at her words, and, cracking his +whip, he drove his waggon right over the dog, so that the heavy +wheels killed him. + +Then the sparrow called out: 'You have caused my brother's death, +and your cruelty will cost you your waggon and horses.' + +'Waggon and horses, indeed,' said the carter; 'I'd like to know +how you could rob me of them!' + +The sparrow said nothing, but crept under the cover of the waggon +and pecked so long at the bunghole of one of the barrels that at +last she got the cork away, and all the wine ran out without the +carter's noticing it. + +But at last he turned round and saw that the bottom of the cart +was wet, and when he examined it, he found that one of the +barrels was quite empty. 'Oh! what an unlucky fellow I am!' he +exclaimed. + +'You'll have worse luck still,' said the sparrow, as she perched +on the head of one of the horses and pecked out its eyes. + +When the carter saw what had happened, he seized an axe and tried +to hit the sparrow with it, but the little bird flew up into the +air, and the carter only hit the blind horse on the head, so that +it fell down dead. 'Oh! what an unlucky fellow I am!' he +exclaimed again. + +'You'll have worse luck yet,' said the sparrow; and when the +carter drove on with his two horses she crept under the covering +again, and pecked away at the cork of the second barrel till she +got it away, and all the wine poured out on to the road. + +When the carter perceived this fresh disaster he called out once +more: 'Oh! what an unlucky fellow I am!' + +But the sparrow answered: 'Your bad luck is not over yet,' and +flying on to the head of the second horse she pecked out its +eyes. + +The carter jumped out of the waggon and seized his axe, with +which he meant to kill the sparrow; but the little bird flew high +into the air, and the blow fell on the poor blind horse instead, +and killed it on the spot. Then the carter exclaimed: 'Oh! what +an unlucky fellow I am!' + +'You've not got to the end of your bad luck yet,' sang the +sparrow; and, perching on the head of the third horse, she pecked +out its eyes. + +The carter, blind with rage, let his axe fly at the bird; but +once more she escaped the blow, which fell on the only remaining +horse, and killed it. And again the carter called out: 'Oh! what +an unlucky fellow I am!' + +'You'll have worse luck yet,' said the sparrow, 'for now I mean +to make your home desolate.' + +The carter had to leave his waggon on the road, and he went home +in a towering passion. As soon as he saw his wife, he called out: +'Oh! what bad luck I have had! all my wine is spilt, and my +horses are all three dead.' + +'My dear husband,' replied his wife, 'your bad luck pursues you, +for a wicked little sparrow has assembled all the other birds in +the world, and they are in our barn eating everything up.' + +The carter went out to the barn where he kept his corn and found +it was just as his wife had said. Thousands and thousands of +birds were eating up the grain, and in the middle of them sat the +little sparrow. When he saw his old enemy, the carter cried out: +'Oh! what an unlucky fellow I am!' + +'Not unlucky enough yet,' answered the sparrow; 'for, mark my +words, carter, your cruel conduct will cost you your life;' and +with these words she flew into the air. + +The carter was much depressed by the loss of all his worldly +goods, and sat down at the fire plotting vengeance on the +sparrow, while the little bird sat on the window ledge and sang +in mocking tones: 'Yes, carter, your cruel conduct will cost you +your life.' + +Then the carter seized his axe and threw it at the sparrow, but +he only broke the window panes, and did not do the bird a bit of +harm. She hopped in through the broken window and, perching on +the mantelpiece, she called out; 'Yes, carter, it will cost you +your life.' + +The carter, quite beside himself with rage, flew at the sparrow +again with his axe, but the little creature always eluded his +blows, and he only succeeded in destroying all his furniture. At +last, however, he managed to catch the bird in his hands. Then +his wife called out: 'Shall I wring her neck?' + +'Certainly not,' replied her husband, 'that would be far too easy +a death for her; she must die in a far crueller fashion than +that. I will eat her alive;' and he suited the action to his +words. But the sparrow fluttered and struggled inside him till +she got up into the man's mouth, and then she popped out her head +and said: 'Yes, carter, it will cost you your life.' + +The carter handed his wife the axe, and said: 'Wife, kill the +bird in my mouth dead.' + +The woman struck with all her might, but she missed the bird and +hit the carter right on the top of his head, so that he fell down +dead. But the sparrow escaped out of his mouth and flew away into +the air. + +[From the German, Kletke.] + + + + + + The Story of the Three Sons of Hali + + + +Till his eighteenth birthday the young Neangir lived happily in a +village about forty miles from Constantinople, believing that +Mohammed and Zinebi his wife, who had brought him up, were his +real parents. + +Neangir was quite content with his lot, though he was neither +rich nor great, and unlike most young men of his age had no +desire to leave his home. He was therefore completely taken by +surprise when one day Mohammed told him with many sighs that the +time had now come for him to go to Constantinople, and fix on a +profession for himself. The choice would be left to him, but he +would probably prefer either to be a soldier or one of the +doctors learned in the law, who explain the Koran to the ignorant +people. 'You know the holy book nearly by heart,' ended the old +man, 'so that in a very short time you would be fitted to teach +others. But write to us and tell us how you pass your life, and +we, on our side, will promise never to forget you.' + +So saying, Mohammed gave Neangir four piastres to start him in +the great city, and obtained leave for him to join a caravan +which was about to set off for Constantinople. + +The journey took some days, as caravans go very slowly, but at +last the walls and towers of the capital appeared in the +distance. When the caravan halted the travellers went their +different ways, and Neangir was left, feeling very strange and +rather lonely. He had plenty of courage and made friends very +easily; still, not only was it the first time he had left the +village where he had been brought up, but no one had ever spoken +to him of Constantinople, and he did not so much as know the name +of a single street or of a creature who lived in it. + +Wondering what he was to do next, Neangir stood still for a +moment to look about him, when suddenly a pleasant-looking man +came up, and bowing politely, asked if the youth would do him the +honour of staying in his house till he had made some plans for +himself. Neangir, not seeing anything else he could do, accepted +the stranger's offer and followed him home. + +They entered a large room, where a girl of about twelve years old +was laying three places at the table. + +'Zelida,' said the stranger, 'was I not quite right when I told +you that I should bring back a friend to sup with us?' + +'My father,' replied the girl, 'you are always right in what you +say, and what is better still, you never mislead others.' As she +spoke, an old slave placed on the table a dish called pillau, +made of rice and meat, which is a great favourite among people in +the East, and setting down glasses of sherbet before each person, +left the room quietly. + +During the meal the host talked a great deal upon all sorts of +subjects; but Neangir did nothing but look at Zelida, as far as +he could without being positively rude. + +The girl blushed and grew uncomfortable, and at last turned to +her father. 'The stranger's eyes never wander from me,' she said +in a low and hesitating voice. 'If Hassan should hear of it, +jealousy will make him mad.' + +'No, no,' replied the father, 'you are certainly not for this +young man. Did I not tell you before that I intend him for your +sister Argentine. I will at once take measures to fix his heart +upon her,' and he rose and opened a cupboard, from which be took +some fruits and a jug of wine, which he put on the table, +together with a small silver and mother-of-pearl box. + +'Taste this wine,' he said to the young man, pouring some into a +glass. + +'Give me a little, too,' cried Zelida. + +'Certainly not,' answered her father, 'you and Hassan both had as +much as was good for you the other day.' + +'Then drink some yourself,' replied she, 'or this young man will +think we mean to poison him.' + +'Well, if you wish, I will do so,' said the father; 'this elixir +is not dangerous at my age, as it is at yours.' + +When Neangir had emptied his glass, his host opened the +mother-of-pearl box and held it out to him. Neangir was beside +himself with delight at the picture of a young maiden more +beautiful than anything he had ever dreamed of. He stood +speechless before it, while his breast swelled with a feeling +quite new to him. + +His two companions watched him with amusement, until at last +Neangir roused himself. 'Explain to me, I pray you,' he said, +'the meaning of these mysteries. Why did you ask me here? Why did +you force me to drink this dangerous liquid which has set fire to +my blood? Why have you shown me this picture which has almost +deprived me of reason?' + +'I will answer some of your questions,' replied his host, 'but +all, I may not. The picture that you hold in your hand is that of +Zelida's sister. It has filled your heart with love for her; +therefore, go and seek her. When you find her, you will find +yourself.' + +'But where shall I find her?' cried Neangir, kissing the charming +miniature on which his eyes were fixed. + +'I am unable to tell you more,' replied his host cautiously. + +'But I can' interrupted Zelida eagerly. 'To-morrow you must go to +the Jewish bazaar, and buy a watch from the second shop on the +right hand. And at midnight--' + +But what was to happen at midnight Neangir did not hear, for +Zelida's father hastily laid his hand over her mouth, crying: +'Oh, be silent, child! Would you draw down on you by imprudence +the fate of your unhappy sisters?' Hardly had he uttered the +words, when a thick black vapour rose about him, proceeding from +the precious bottle, which his rapid movement had overturned. The +old slave rushed in and shrieked loudly, while Neangir, upset by +this strange adventure, left the house. + +He passed the rest of the night on the steps of a mosque, and +with the first streaks of dawn he took his picture out of the +folds of his turban. Then, remembering Zelida's words, he +inquired the way to the bazaar, and went straight to the shop she +had described. + +In answer to Neangir's request to be shown some watches, the +merchant produced several and pointed out the one which he +considered the best. The price was three gold pieces, which +Neangir readily agreed to give him; but the man made a difficulty +about handing over the watch unless he knew where his customer +lived. + +'That is more than I know myself,' replied Neangir. 'I only +arrived in the town yesterday and cannot find the way to the +house where I went first.' + +'Well,' said the merchant, 'come with me, and I will take you to +a good Mussulman, where you will have everything you desire at a +small charge.' + +Neangir consented, and the two walked together through several +streets till they reached the house recommended by the Jewish +merchant. By his advice the young man paid in advance the last +gold piece that remained to him for his food and lodging. + +As soon as Neangir had dined he shut himself up in his room, and +thrusting his hand into the folds of his turban, drew out his +beloved portrait. As he did so, he touched a sealed letter which +had apparently been hidden there without his knowledge, and +seeing it was written by his foster-mother, Zinebi, he tore it +eagerly open. Judge of his surprise when he read these words: + +'My dearest Child,--This letter, which you will some day find in +your turban, is to inform you that you are not really our son. We +believe your father to have been a great lord in some distant +land, and inside this packet is a letter from him, threatening to +be avenged on us if you are not restored to him at once. We shall +always love you, but do not seek us or even write to us. It will +be useless.' + +In the same wrapper was a roll of paper with a few words as +follows, traced in a hand unknown to Neangir: + +'Traitors, you are no doubt in league with those magicians who +have stolen the two daughters of the unfortunate Siroco, and have +taken from them the talisman given them by their father. You have +kept my son from me, but I have found out your hiding-place and +swear by the Holy Prophet to punish your crime. The stroke of my +scimitar is swifter than the lightning.' + +The unhappy Neangir on reading these two letters-- of which he +understood absolutely nothing--felt sadder and more lonely than +ever. It soon dawned on him that he must be the son of the man +who had written to Mohammed and his wife, but he did not know +where to look for him, and indeed thought much more about the +people who had brought him up and whom he was never to see again. + +To shake off these gloomy feelings, so as to be able to make some +plans for the future, Neangir left the house and walked briskly +about the city till darkness had fallen. He then retraced his +steps and was just crossing the threshold when he saw something +at his feet sparkling in the moonlight. He picked it up, and +discovered it to be a gold watch shining with precious stones. He +gazed up and down the street to see if there was anyone about to +whom it might belong, but there was not a creature visible. So he +put it in his sash, by the side of a silver watch which he had +bought from the Jew that morning. + +The possession of this piece of good fortune cheered Neangir up a +little, 'for,' thought he, 'I can sell these jewels for at least +a thousand sequins, and that will certainly last me till I have +found my father.' And consoled by this reflection he laid both +watches beside him and prepared to sleep. + +In the middle of the night he awoke suddenly and heard a soft +voice speaking, which seemed to come from one of the watches. + +'Aurora, my sister,' it whispered gently. 'Did they remember to +wind you up at midnight?' + +'No, dear Argentine,' was the reply. 'And you?' + +'They forgot me, too,' answered the first voice, 'and it is now +one o'clock, so that we shall not be able to leave our prison +till to-morrow--if we are not forgotten again--then.' + +'We have nothing now to do here,' said Aurora. 'We must resign +ourselves to our fate--let us go.' + +Filled with astonishment Neangir sat up in bed, and beheld by the +light of the moon the two watches slide to the ground and roll +out of the room past the cats' quarters. He rushed towards the +door and on to the staircase, but the watches slipped downstairs +without his seeing them, and into the street. He tried to unlock +the door and follow them, but the key refused to turn, so he gave +up the chase and went back to bed. + +The next day all his sorrows returned with tenfold force. He felt +himself lonelier and poorer than ever, and in a fit of despair he +thrust his turban on his head, stuck his sword in his belt, and +left the house determined to seek an explanation from the +merchant who had sold him the silver watch. + +When Neangir reached the bazaar he found the man he sought was +absent from his shop, and his place filled by another Jew. + +'It is my brother you want,' said he; 'we keep the shop in turn, +and in turn go into the city to do our business.' + +'Ah! what business?' cried Neangir in a fury. 'You are the +brother of a scoundrel who sold me yesterday a watch that ran +away in the night. But I will find it somehow, or else you shall +pay for it, as you are his brother!' + +'What is that you say?' asked the Jew, around whom a crowd had +rapidly gathered. 'A watch that ran away. If it had been a cask +of wine, your story might be true, but a watch--! That is hardly +possible!' + +'The Cadi shall say whether it is possible or not,' replied +Neangir, who at that moment perceived the other Jew enter the +bazaar. Darting up, he seized him by the arm and dragged him to +the Cadi's house; but not before the man whom he had found in the +shop contrived to whisper to his brother, in a tone loud enough +for Neangir to hear, 'Confess nothing, or we shall both be lost.' + +When the Cadi was informed of what had taken place he ordered the +crowd to be dispersed by blows, after the Turkish manner, and +then asked Neangir to state his complaint. After hearing the +young man's story, which seemed to him most extraordinary, he +turned to question the Jewish merchant, who instead of answering +raised his eyes to heaven and fell down in a dead faint. + +The judge took no notice of the swooning man, but told Neangir +that his tale was so singular he really could not believe it, and +that he should have the merchant carried back to his own house. +This so enraged Neangir that he forgot the respect due to the +Cadi, and exclaimed at the top of his voice, 'Recover this fellow +from his fainting fit, and force him to confess the truth,' +giving the Jew as he spoke a blow with his sword which caused him +to utter a piercing scream. + +'You see for yourself,' said the Jew to the Cadi, 'that this +young man is out of his mind. I forgive him his blow, but do not, +I pray you, leave me in his power.' + +At that moment the Bassa chanced to pass the Cadi's house, and +hearing a great noise, entered to inquire the cause. When the +matter was explained he looked attentively at Neangir, and asked +him gently how all these marvels could possibly have happened. + +'My lord,' replied Neangir, 'I swear I have spoken the truth, and +perhaps you will believe me when I tell you that I myself have +been the victim of spells wrought by people of this kind, who +should be rooted out from the earth. For three years I was +changed into a three- legged pot, and only returned to man's +shape when one day a turban was laid upon my lid.' + +At these words the Bassa rent his robe for joy, and embracing +Neangir, he cried, 'Oh, my son, my son, have I found you at last? +Do you not come from the house of Mohammed and Zinebi?' + +'Yes, my lord,' replied Neangir, 'it was they who took care of me +during my misfortune, and taught me by their example to be less +worthy of belonging to you.' + +'Blessed be the Prophet,' said the Bassa, 'who has restored one +of my sons to me, at the time I least expected it! You know,' he +continued, addressing the Cadi, 'that during the first years of +my marriage I had three sons by the beautiful Zambac. When he was +three years old a holy dervish gave the eldest a string of the +finest coral, saying "Keep this treasure carefully, and be +faithful to the Prophet, and you will be happy." To the second, +who now stands before you, he presented a copper plate on which +the name of Mahomet was engraved in seven languages, telling him +never to part from his turban, which was the sign of a true +believer, and he would taste the greatest of all joys; while on +the right arm of the third the dervish clasped a bracelet with +the prayer that his right hand should be pure and the left +spotless, so that he might never know sorrow. + +'My eldest son neglected the counsel of the dervish and terrible +troubles fell on him, as also on the youngest. To preserve the +second from similar misfortunes I brought him up in a lonely +place, under the care of a faithful servant named Gouloucou, +while I was fighting the enemies of our Holy Faith. On my return +from the wars I hastened to embrace my son, but both he and +Gouloucou had vanished, and it is only a few months since that I +learned that the boy was living with a man called Mohammed, whom +I suspected of having stolen him. Tell me, my son, how it came +about that you fell into his hands.' + +'My lord,' replied Neangir, 'I can remember little of the early +years of my life, save that I dwelt in a castle by the seashore +with an old servant. I must have been about twelve years old when +one day as we were out walking we met a man whose face was like +that of this Jew, coming dancing towards us. Suddenly I felt +myself growing faint. I tried to raise my hands to my head, but +they had become stiff and hard. In a word, I had been changed +into a copper pot, and my arms formed the handle. What happened +to my companion I know not, but I was conscious that someone had +picked me up, and was carrying me quickly away. + +'After some days, or so it seemed to me, I was placed on the +ground near a thick hedge, and when I heard my captor snoring +beside me I resolved to make my escape. So I pushed my way among +the thorns as well as I could, and walked on steadily for about +an hour. + +'You cannot imagine, my lord, how awkward it is to walk with +three legs, especially when your knees are as stiff as mine were. +At length after much difficulty I reached a market-garden, and +hid myself deep down among the cabbages, where I passed a quiet +night. + +'The next morning, at sunrise, I felt some one stooping over me +and examining me closely. "What have you got there, Zinebi?" said +the voice of a man a little way off. + +'"The most beautiful pot in the whole world," answered the woman +beside me, "and who would have dreamed of finding it among my +cabbages!" + +'Mohammed lifted me from the ground and looked at me with +admiration. That pleased me, for everyone likes to be admired, +even if he is only a pot! And I was taken into the house and +filled with water, and put on the fire to boil. + +'For three years I led a quiet and useful life, being scrubbed +bright every day by Zinebi, then a young and beautiful woman. + +'One morning Zinebi set me on the fire, with a fine fillet of +beef inside me to cook for dinner. Being afraid that some of the +steam would escape through the lid, and that the taste of her +stew would be spoilt, she looked about for something to put over +the cover, but could see nothing handy but her husband's turban. +She tied it firmly round the lid, and then left the room. For the +first time during three years I began to feel the fire burning +the soles of my feet, and moved away a little-- doing this with a +great deal more ease than I had felt when making my escape to +Mohammed's garden. I was somehow aware, too, that I was growing +taller; in fact in a few minutes I was a man again. + +'After the third hour of prayer Mohammed and Zinebi both +returned, and you can guess their surprise at finding a young man +in the kitchen instead of a copper pot! I told them my story, +which at first they refused to believe, but in the end I +succeeded in persuading them that I was speaking the truth. For +two years more I lived with them, and was treated like their own +son, till the day when they sent me to this city to seek my +fortune. And now, my lords, here are the two letters which I +found in my turban. Perhaps they may be another proof in favour +of my story.' + +Whilst Neangir was speaking, the blood from the Jew's wound had +gradually ceased to flow; and at this moment there appeared in +the doorway a lovely Jewess, about twenty-two years old, her hair +and her dress all disordered, as if she had been flying from some +great danger. In one hand she held two crutches of white wood, +and was followed by two men. The first man Neangir knew to be the +brother of the Jew he had struck with his sword, while in the +second the young man thought he recognised the person who was +standing by when he was changed into a pot. Both of these men had +a wide linen band round their thighs and held stout sticks. + +The Jewess approached the wounded man and laid the two crutches +near him; then, fixing her eyes on him, she burst into tears. + +'Unhappy Izouf,' she murmured, 'why do you suffer yourself to be +led into such dangerous adventures? Look at the consequences, not +only to yourself, but to your two brothers,' turning as she spoke +to the men who had come in with her, and who had sunk down on the +mat at the feet of the Jew. + +The Bassa and his companions were struck both with the beauty of +the Jewess and also with her words, and begged her to give them +an explanation. + +'My lords,' she said, 'my name is Sumi, and I am the daughter of +Moizes, one of our most famous rabbis. I am the victim of my love +for Izaf,' pointing to the man who had entered last, 'and in +spite of his ingratitude, I cannot tear him from my heart. Cruel +enemy of my life,' she continued turning to Izaf, 'tell these +gentlemen your story and that of your brothers, and try to gain +your pardon by repentance.' + +'We all three were born at the same time,' said the Jew, obeying +the command of Sumi at a sign from the Cadi, 'and are the sons of +the famous Nathan Ben-Sadi, who gave us the names of Izif, Izouf, +and Izaf. From our earliest years we were taught the secrets of +magic, and as we were all born under the same stars we shared the +same happiness and the same troubles. + +'Our mother died before I can remember, and when we were fifteen +our father was seized with a dangerous illness which no spells +could cure. Feeling death draw near, he called us to his bedside +and took leave of us in these words: + +'"My sons, I have no riches to bequeath to you; my only wealth +was those secrets of magic which you know. Some stones you +already have, engraved with mystic signs, and long ago I taught +you how to make others. But you still lack the most precious of +all talismans--the three rings belonging to the daughters of +Siroco. Try to get possession of them, but take heed on beholding +these young girls that you do not fall under the power of their +beauty. Their religion is different from yours, and further, they +are the betrothed brides of the sons of the Bassa of the Sea. And +to preserve you from a love which can bring you nothing but +sorrow, I counsel you in time of peril to seek out the daughter +of Moizes the Rabbi, who cherishes a hidden passion for Izaf, and +possesses the Book of Spells, which her father himself wrote with +the sacred ink that was used for the Talmud." So saying, our +father fell back on his cushions and died, leaving us burning +with desire for the three rings of the daughters of Siroco. + +'No sooner were our sad duties finished than we began to make +inquiries where these young ladies were to be found, and we +learned after much trouble that Siroco, their father, had fought +in many wars, and that his daughters, whose beauty was famous +throughout all the land, were named Aurora, Argentine, and +Zelida.' + +At the second of these names, both the Bassa and his son gave a +start of surprise, but they said nothing and Izaf went on with +his story. + +'The first thing to be done was to put on a disguise, and it was +in the dress of foreign merchants that we at length approached +the young ladies, taking care to carry with us a collection of +fine stones which we had hired for the occasion. But alas! it was +to no purpose that Nathan Ben-Sadi had warned us to close our +hearts against their charms! The peerless Aurora was clothed in a +garment of golden hue, studded all over with flashing jewels; the +fair-haired Argentine wore a dress of silver, and the young +Zelida, loveliest of them all, the costume of a Persian lady. + +'Among other curiosities that we had brought with us, was a flask +containing an elixir which had the quality of exciting love in +the breasts of any man or woman who drank of it. This had been +given me by the fair Sumi, who had used it herself and was full +of wrath because I refused to drink it likewise, and so return +her passion. I showed this liquid to the three maidens who were +engaged in examining the precious stones, and choosing those that +pleased them best; and I was in the act of pouring some in a +crystal cup, when Zelida's eyes fell on a paper wrapped round the +flask containing these words. "Beware lest you drink this water +with any other man than him who will one day be your husband." +"Ah, traitor!" she exclaimed, "what snare have you laid for me?" +and glancing where her finger pointed I recognised the writing of +Sumi. + +'By this time my two brothers had already got possession of the +rings of Aurora and Argentine in exchange for some merchandise +which they coveted, and no sooner had the magic circles left +their hands than the two sisters vanished completely, and in +their place nothing was to be seen but a watch of gold and one of +silver. At this instant the old slave whom we had bribed to let +us enter the house, rushed into the room announcing the return of +Zelida's father. My brothers, trembling with fright, hid the +watches in their turbans, and while the slave was attending to +Zelida, who had sunk fainting to the ground, we managed to make +our escape. + +'Fearing to be traced by the enraged Siroco, we did not dare to +go back to the house where we lodged, but took refuge with Sumi. + +'"Unhappy wretches!" cried she, "is it thus that you have +followed the counsels of your father? This very morning I +consulted my magic books, and saw you in the act of abandoning +your hearts to the fatal passion which will one day be your ruin. +No, do not think I will tamely bear this insult! It was I who +wrote the letter which stopped Zelida in the act of drinking the +elixir of love! As for you," she went on, turning to my brothers, +"you do not yet know what those two watches will cost you! But +you can learn it now, and the knowledge of the truth will only +serve to render your lives still more miserable." + +'As she spoke she held out the sacred book written by Moizes, and +pointed to the following lines: + +'"If at midnight the watches are wound with the key of gold and +the key of silver, they will resume their proper shapes during +the first hour of the day. They will always remain under the care +of a woman, and will come back to her wherever they may be. And +the woman appointed to guard them is the daughter of Moizes." + +'My brothers were full of rage when they saw themselves +outwitted, but there was no help for it. The watches were +delivered up to Sumi and they went their way, while I remained +behind curious to see what would happen. + +'As night wore on Sumi wound up both watches, and when midnight +struck Aurora and her sister made their appearance. They knew +nothing of what had occurred and supposed they had just awakened +from sleep, but when Sumi's story made them understand their +terrible fate, they both sobbed with despair and were only +consoled when Sumi promised never to forsake them. Then one +o'clock sounded, and they became watches again. + +'All night long I was a prey to vague fears, and I felt as if +something unseen was pushing me on--in what direction I did not +know. At dawn I rose and went out, meeting Izif in the street +suffering from the same dread as myself. We agreed that +Constantinople was no place for us any longer, and calling to +Izouf to accompany us, we left the city together, but soon +determined to travel separately, so that we might not be so +easily recognised by the spies of Siroco. + +'A few days later I found myself at the door of an old castle +near the sea, before which a tall slave was pacing to and fro. +The gift of one or two worthless jewels loosened his tongue, and +he informed me that he was in the service of the son of the Bassa +of the Sea, at that time making war in distant countries. The +youth, he told me, had been destined from his boyhood to marry +the daughter of Siroco, whose sisters were to be the brides of +his brothers, and went on to speak of the talisman that his +charge possessed. But I could think of nothing but the beautiful +Zelida, and my passion, which I thought I had conquered, awoke in +full force. + +'In order to remove this dangerous rival from my path, I resolved +to kidnap him, and to this end I began to act a madman, and to +sing and dance loudly, crying to the slave to fetch the boy and +let him see my tricks. He consented, and both were so diverted +with my antics that they laughed till the tears ran down their +cheeks, and even tried to imitate me. Then I declared I felt +thirsty and begged the slave to fetch me some water, and while he +was absent I advised the youth to take off his turban, so as to +cool his head. He complied gladly, and in the twinkling of an eye +was changed into a pot. A cry from the slave warned me that I had +no time to lose if I would save my life, so I snatched up the pot +and fled with it like the wind. + +'You have heard, my lords, what became of the pot, so I will only +say now that when I awoke it had disappeared; but I was partly +consoled for its loss by finding my two brothers fast asleep not +far from me. "How did you get here?" I inquired, "and what has +happened to you since we parted?" + +'"Alas!" replied Izouf, "we were passing a wayside inn from which +came sounds of songs and laughter, and fools that we were--we +entered and sat down. Circassian girls of great beauty were +dancing for the amusement of several men, who not only received +us politely, but placed us near the two loveliest maidens. Our +happiness was complete, and time flew unknown to us, when one of +the Circassians leaned forward and said to her sister, 'Their +brother danced, and they must dance too.' What they meant by +these words I know not, but perhaps you can tell us?" + +'"I understand quite well," I replied. "They were thinking of the +day that I stole the son of the Bassa, and had danced before +him." + +'"Perhaps you are right," continued Izouf, "for the two ladies +took our hands and danced with us till we were quite exhausted, +and when at last we sat down a second time to table we drank more +wine than was good for us. Indeed, our heads grew so confused, +that when the men jumped up and threatened to kill us, we could +make no resistance and suffered ourselves to be robbed of +everything we had about us, including the most precious +possession of all, the two talismans of the daughters of Siroco." + +'Not knowing what else to do, we all three returned to +Constantinople to ask the advice of Sumi, and found that she was +already aware of our misfortunes, having read about them in the +book of Moizes. The kind-hearted creature wept bitterly at our +story, but, being poor herself, could give us little help. At +last I proposed that every morning we should sell the silver +watch into which Argentine was changed, as it would return to +Sumi every evening unless it was wound up with the silver key-- +which was not at all likely. Sumi consented, but only on the +condition that we would never sell the watch without ascertaining +the house where it was to be found, so that she might also take +Aurora thither, and thus Argentine would not be alone if by any +chance she was wound up at the mystic hour. For some weeks now we +have lived by this means, and the two daughters of Siroco have +never failed to return to Sumi each night. Yesterday Izouf sold +the silver watch to this young man, and in the evening placed the +gold watch on the steps by order of Sumi, just before his +customer entered the house; from which both watches came back +early this morning.' + +'If I had only known!' cried Neangir. 'If I had had more presence +of mind, I should have seen the lovely Argentine, and if her +portrait is so fair, what must the original be!' + +'It was not your fault,' replied the Cadi, 'you are no magician; +and who could guess that the watch must be wound at such an hour? +But I shall give orders that the merchant is to hand it over to +you, and this evening you will certainly not forget.' + +'It is impossible to let you have it to-day,' answered Izouf, +'for it is already sold.' + +'If that is so,' said the Cadi, 'you must return the three gold +pieces which the young man paid.' + +The Jew, delighted to get off so easily, put his hand in his +pocket, when Neangir stopped him. + +'No, no,' he exclaimed, 'it is not money I want, but the adorable +Argentine; without her everything is valueless.' + +'My dear Cadi,' said the Bassa, 'he is right. The treasure that +my son has lost is absolutely priceless.' + +'My lord,' replied the Cadi, 'your wisdom is greater than mine. +Give judgment I pray you in the matter.' + +So the Bassa desired them all to accompany him to his house, and +commanded his slaves not to lose sight of the three Jewish +brothers. + +When they arrived at the door of his dwelling, he noticed two +women sitting on a bench close by, thickly veiled and beautifully +dressed. Their wide satin trousers were embroidered in silver, +and their muslin robes were of the finest texture. In the hand of +one was a bag of pink silk tied with green ribbons, containing +something that seemed to move. + +At the approach of the Bassa both ladies rose, and came towards +him. Then the one who held the bag addressed him saying, 'Noble +lord, buy, I pray you, this bag, without asking to see what it +contains.' + +'How much do you want for it?' asked the Bassa. + +'Three hundred sequins,' replied the unknown. + +At these words the Bassa laughed contemptuously, and passed on +without speaking. + +'You will not repent of your bargain,' went on the woman. +'Perhaps if we come back to-morrow you will be glad to give us +the four hundred sequins we shall then ask. And the next day the +price will be five hundred.' + +'Come away,' said her companion, taking hold of her sleeve. 'Do +not let us stay here any longer. It may cry, and then our secret +will be discovered.' And so saying, the two young women +disappeared. + +The Jews were left in the front hall under the care of the +slaves, and Neangir and Sumi followed the Bassa inside the house, +which was magnificently furnished. At one end of a large, +brilliantly-lighted room a lady of about thirty-five years old +reclined on a couch, still beautiful in spite of the sad +expression of her face. + +'Incomparable Zambac,' said the Bassa, going up to her, 'give me +your thanks, for here is the lost son for whom you have shed so +many tears,' but before his mother could clasp him in her arms +Neangir had flung himself at her feet. + +'Let the whole house rejoice with me,' continued the Bassa, 'and +let my two sons Ibrahim and Hassan be told, that they may embrace +their brother.' + +'Alas! my lord!' said Zambac, 'do you forget that this is the +hour when Hassan weeps on his hand, and Ibrahim gathers up his +coral beads?' + +'Let the command of the Prophet be obeyed,' replied the Bassa; +'then we will wait till the evening.' + +'Forgive me, noble lord,' interrupted Sumi, 'but what is this +mystery? With the help of the Book of Spells perhaps I may be of +some use in the matter.' + +'Sumi,' answered the Bassa, 'I owe you already the happiness of +my life; come with me then, and the sight of my unhappy sons will +tell you of our trouble better than any words of mine.' + +The Bassa rose from his divan and drew aside the hangings leading +to a large hall, closely followed by Neangir and Sumi. There they +saw two young men, one about seventeen, and the other nineteen +years of age. The younger was seated before a table, his forehead +resting on his right hand, which he was watering with his tears. +He raised his head for a moment when his father entered, and +Neangir and Sumi both saw that this hand was of ebony. + +The other young man was occupied busily in collecting coral beads +which were scattered all over the floor of the room, and as he +picked them up he placed them on the same table where his brother +was sitting. He had already gathered together ninety-eight beads, +and thought they were all there, when they suddenly rolled off +the table and he had to begin his work over again. + +'Do you see,' whispered the Bassa, 'for three hours daily one +collects these coral beads, and for the same space of time the +other laments over his hand which has become black, and I am +wholly ignorant what is the cause of either misfortune.' + +'Do not let us stay here,' said Sumi, 'our presence must add to +their grief. But permit me to fetch the Book of Spells, which I +feel sure will tell us not only the cause of their malady but +also its cure.' + +The Bassa readily agreed to Sumi's proposal, but Neangir objected +strongly. 'If Sumi leaves us,' he said to his father, 'I shall +not see my beloved Argentine when she returns to-night with the +fair Aurora. And life is an eternity till I behold her.' + +'Be comforted,' replied Sumi. 'I will be back before sunset; and +I leave you my adored Izaf as a pledge.' + +Scarcely had the Jewess left Neangir, when the old female slave +entered the hall where the three Jews still remained carefully +guarded, followed by a man whose splendid dress prevented Neangir +from recognising at first as the person in whose house he had +dined two days before. But the woman he knew at once to be the +nurse of Zelida. + +He started eagerly forward, but before he had time to speak the +slave turned to the soldier she was conducting. 'My lord,' she +said, 'those are the men; I have tracked them from the house of +the Cadi to this palace. They are the same; I am not mistaken, +strike and avenge yourself.' + +As he listened the face of the stranger grew scarlet with anger. +He drew his sword and in another moment would have rushed on the +Jews, when Neangir and the slaves of the Bassa seized hold of +him. + +'What are you doing?' cried Neangir. 'How dare you attack those +whom the Bassa has taken under his protection?' + +'Ah, my son,' replied the soldier, 'the Bassa would withdraw his +protection if he knew that these wretches have robbed me of all I +have dearest in the world. He knows them as little as he knows +you.' + +'But he knows me very well,' replied Neangir, 'for he has +recognised me as his son. Come with me now into his presence.' + +The stranger bowed and passed through the curtain held back by +Neangir, whose surprise was great at seeing his father spring +forward and clasp the soldier in his arms. + +'What! is it you, my dear Siroco?' cried he. 'I believed you had +been slain in that awful battle when the followers of the Prophet +were put to flight. But why do your eyes kindle with the flames +they shot forth on that fearful day? Calm yourself and tell me +what I can do to help you. See, I have found my son, let that be +a good omen for your happiness also.' + +'I did not guess,' answered Siroco, 'that the son you have so +long mourned had come back to you. Some days since the Prophet +appeared to me in a dream, floating in a circle of light, and he +said to me, "Go to-morrow at sunset to the Galata Gate, and there +you will find a young man whom you must bring home with you. He +is the second son of your old friend the Bassa of the Sea, and +that you may make no mistake, put your fingers in his turban and +you will feel the plaque on which my name is engraved in seven +different languages."' + +'I did as I was bid,' went on Siroco, 'and so charmed was I with +his face and manner that I caused him to fall in love with +Argentine, whose portrait I gave him. But at the moment when I +was rejoicing in the happiness before me, and looking forward to +the pleasure of restoring you your son, some drops of the elixir +of love were spilt on the table, and caused a thick vapour to +arise, which hid everything. When it had cleared away he was +gone. This morning my old slave informed me that she had +discovered the traitors who had stolen my daughters from me, and +I hastened hither to avenge them. But I place myself in your +hands, and will follow your counsel.' + +'Fate will favour us, I am sure,' said the Bassa, 'for this very +night I expect to secure both the silver and the gold watch. So +send at once and pray Zelida to join us.' + +A rustling of silken stuffs drew their eyes to the door, and +Ibrahim and Hassan, whose daily penance had by this time been +performed, entered to embrace their brother. Neangir and Hassan, +who had also drunk of the elixir of love, could think of nothing +but the beautiful ladies who had captured their hearts, while the +spirits of Ibrahim had been cheered by the news that the daughter +of Moizes hoped to find in the Book of Spells some charm to +deliver him from collecting the magic beads. + +It was some hours later that Sumi returned, bringing with her the +sacred book. + +'See,' she said, beckoning to Hassan, 'your destiny is written +here.' And Hassan stooped and read these words in Hebrew. 'His +right hand has become black as ebony from touching the fat of an +impure animal, and will remain so till the last of its race is +drowned in the sea.' + +'Alas!' sighed the unfortunate youth. 'It now comes back to my +memory. One day the slave of Zambac was making a cake. She warned +me not to touch, as the cake was mixed with lard, but I did not +heed her, and in an instant my hand became the ebony that it now +is.' + +'Holy dervish!' exclaimed the Bassa, 'how true were your words! +My son has neglected the advice you gave him on presenting him +the bracelet, and he has been severely punished. But tell me, O +wise Sumi, where I can find the last of the accursed race who has +brought this doom on my son?' + +'It is written here,' replied Sumi, turning over some leaves. +'The little black pig is in the pink bag carried by the two +Circassians.' + +When he read this the Bassa sank on his cushions in despair. + +'Ah,' he said, 'that is the bag that was offered me this morning +for three hundred sequins. Those must be the women who caused +Izif and Izouf to dance, and took from them the two talismans of +the daughters of Siroco. They only can break the spell that has +been cast on us. Let them be found and I will gladly give them +the half of my possessions. Idiot that I was to send them away!' + +While the Bassa was bewailing his folly, Ibrahim in his turn had +opened the book, and blushed deeply as he read the words: 'The +chaplet of beads has been defiled by the game of "Odd and Even." +Its owner has tried to cheat by concealing one of the numbers. +Let the faithless Moslem seek for ever the missing bead.' + +'O heaven,' cried Ibrahim, 'that unhappy day rises up before me. +I had cut the thread of the chaplet, while playing with Aurora. +Holding the ninety-nine beads in my hand she guessed "Odd," and +in order that she might lose I let one bead fall from my hand. +Since then I have sought it daily, but it never has been found.' + +'Holy dervish!' cried the Bassa, 'how true were your words! From +the time that the sacred chaplet was no longer complete, my son +has borne the penalty. But may not the Book of Spells teach us +how to deliver Ibrahim also?' + +'Listen,' said Sumi, 'this is what I find: "The coral bead lies +in the fifth fold of the dress of yellow brocade."' 'Ah, what +good fortune!' exclaimed the Bassa; 'we shall shortly see the +beautiful Aurora, and Ibrahim shall at once search in the fifth +fold of her yellow brocade. For it is she no doubt of whom the +book speaks.' + +As the Jewess closed the Book of Moizes, Zelida appeared, +accompanied by a whole train of slaves and her old nurse. At her +entrance Hassan, beside himself with joy, flung himself on his +knees and kissed her hand. + +'My lord,' he said to the Bassa, 'pardon me these transports. No +elixir of love was needed to inflame my heart! Let the marriage +rite make us speedily one.' + +'My son, are you mad?' asked the Bassa. 'As long as the +misfortunes of your brothers last, shall you alone be happy? And +whoever heard of a bridegroom with a black hand? Wait yet a +little longer, till the black pig is drowned in the sea.' + +'Yes! dear Hassan,' said Zelida, 'our happiness will be increased +tenfold when my sisters have regained their proper shapes. And +here is the elixir which I have brought with me, so that their +joy may equal ours.' And she held out the flask to the Bassa, who +had it closed in his presence. + +Zambac was filled with joy at the sight of Zelida, and embraced +her with delight. Then she led the way into the garden, and +invited all her friends to seat themselves under the thick +overhanging branches of a splendid jessamine tree. No sooner, +however, were they comfortably settled, than they were astonished +to hear a man's voice, speaking angrily on the other side of the +wall. + +'Ungrateful girls!' it said, 'is this the way you treat me? Let +me hide myself for ever! This cave is no longer dark enough or +deep enough for me.' + +A burst of laughter was the only answer, and the voice continued, +'What have I done to earn such contempt? Was this what you +promised me when I managed to get for you the talismans of +beauty? Is this the reward I have a right to expect when I have +bestowed on you the little black pig, who is certain to bring you +good luck?' + +At these words the curiosity of the listeners passed all bounds, +and the Bassa commanded his slaves instantly to tear down the +wall. It was done, but the man was nowhere to be seen, and there +were only two girls of extraordinary beauty, who seemed quite at +their ease, and came dancing gaily on to the terrace. With them +was an old slave in whom the Bassa recognised Gouloucou, the +former guardian of Neangir. + +Gouloucou shrank with fear when he saw the Bassa, as he expected +nothing less than death at his hands for allowing Neangir to be +snatched away. But the Bassa made him signs of forgiveness, and +asked him how he had escaped death when he had thrown himself +from the cliff. Gouloucou explained that he had been picked up by +a dervish who had cured his wounds, and had then given him as +slave to the two young ladies now before the company, and in +their service he had remained ever since. + +'But,' said the Bassa, 'where is the little black pig of which +the voice spoke just now?' + +'My lord,' answered one of the ladies, 'when at your command the +wall was thrown down, the man whom you heard speaking was so +frightened at the noise that he caught up the pig and ran away.' + +'Let him be pursued instantly,' cried the Bassa; but the ladies +smiled. + +'Do not be alarmed, my lord,' said one, 'he is sure to return. +Only give orders that the entrance to the cave shall be guarded, +so that when he is once in he shall not get out again.' + +By this time night was falling and they all went back to the +palace, where coffee and fruits were served in a splendid +gallery, near the women's apartments. The Bassa then ordered the +three Jews to be brought before him, so that he might see whether +these were the two damsels who had forced them to dance at the +inn, but to his great vexation it was found that when their +guards had gone to knock down the wall the Jews had escaped. + +At this news the Jewess Sumi turned pale, but glancing at the +Book of Spells her face brightened, and she said half aloud, +'There is no cause for disquiet; they will capture the dervish,' +while Hassan lamented loudly that as soon as fortune appeared on +one side she fled on the other! + +On hearing this reflection one of the Bassa's pages broke into a +laugh. 'This fortune comes to us dancing my lord,' said he, 'and +the other leaves us on crutches. Do not be afraid. She will not +go very far.' + +The Bassa, shocked at his impertinent interference, desired him +to leave the room and not to come back till he was sent for. + +'My lord shall be obeyed,' said the page, 'but when I return, it +shall be in such good company that you will welcome me gladly.' +So saying, he went out. + +When they were alone, Neangir turned to the fair strangers and +implored their help. 'My brothers and myself,' he cried, 'are +filled with love for three peerless maidens, two of whom are +under a cruel spell. If their fate happened to be in your hands, +would you not do all in your power to restore them to happiness +and liberty?' + +But the young man's appeal only stirred the two ladies to anger. +'What,' exclaimed one, 'are the sorrows of lovers to us? Fate has +deprived us of our lovers, and if it depends on us the whole +world shall suffer as much as we do!' + +This unexpected reply was heard with amazement by all present, +and the Bassa entreated the speaker to tell them her story. +Having obtained permission of her sister, she began: + + + + + + The Story of the Fair Circassians + + + +'We were born in Circassia of poor people, and my sister's name +is Tezila and mine Dely. Having nothing but our beauty to help us +in life, we were carefully trained in all the accomplishments +that give pleasure. We were both quick to learn, and from our +childhood could play all sorts of instruments, could sing, and +above all could dance. We were besides, lively and merry, as in +spite of our misfortunes we are to this day. + +'We were easily pleased and quite content with our lives at home, +when one morning the officials who had been sent to find wives +for the Sultan saw us, and were struck with our beauty. We had +always expected something of the sort, and were resigned to our +lot, when we chanced to see two young men enter our house. The +elder, who was about twenty years of age, had black hair and very +bright eyes. The other could not have been more than fifteen, and +was so fair that he might easily have passed for a girl. + +'They knocked at the door with a timid air and begged our parents +to give them shelter, as they had lost their way. After some +hesitation their request was granted, and they were invited into +the room in which we were. And if our parents' hearts were +touched by their beauty, our own were not any harder, so that our +departure for the palace, which had been arranged for the next +day, suddenly became intolerable to us. + +'Night came, and I awoke from my sleep to find the younger of the +two strangers sitting at my bedside and felt him take my hand. + +'"Fear nothing, lovely Dely," he whispered, "from one who never +knew love till he saw you. My name," he went on, "is Prince +Delicate, and I am the son of the king of the Isle of Black +Marble. My friend, who travels with me, is one of the richest +nobles of my country, and the secrets which he knows are the envy +of the Sultan himself. And we left our native country because my +father wished me to marry a lady of great beauty, but with one +eye a trifle smaller than the other." + +'My vanity was flattered at so speedy a conquest, and I was +charmed with the way the young man had declared his passion. I +turned my eyes slowly on him, and the look I gave him caused him +almost to lose his senses. He fell fainting forward, and I was +unable to move till Tezila, who had hastily put on a dress, ran +to my assistance together with Thelamis, the young noble of whom +the Prince had spoken. + +'As soon as we were all ourselves again we began to bewail our +fate, and the journey that we were to take that very day to +Constantinople. But we felt a little comforted when Thelamis +assured us that he and the prince would follow in our steps, and +would somehow contrive to speak to us. Then they kissed our +hands, and left the house by a side-way. + +'A few moments later our parents came to tell us that the escort +had arrived, and having taken farewell of them we mounted the +camels, and took our seats in a kind of box that was fixed to the +side of the animal. These boxes were large enough for us to sleep +in comfortably, and as there was a window in the upper part, we +were able to see the country through which we passed. + +'For several days we journeyed on, feeling sad and anxious as to +what might become of us, when one day as I was looking out of the +window of our room, I heard my name called, and beheld a +beautifully dressed girl jumping out of the box on the other side +of our camel. One glance told me that it was the prince, and my +heart bounded with joy. It was, he said, Thelamis's idea to +disguise him like this, and that he himself had assumed the +character of a slave-dealer who was taking this peerless maiden +as a present to the Sultan. Thelamis had also persuaded the +officer in charge of the caravan to let him hire the vacant box, +so it was easy for the prince to scramble out of his own window +and approach ours. + +This ingenious trick enchanted us, but our agreeable conversation +was soon interrupted by the attendants, who perceived that the +camel was walking in a crooked manner and came to find out what +was wrong. Luckily they were slow in their movements, and the +prince had just time to get back to his own box and restore the +balance, before the trick was discovered. + +'But neither the prince nor his friend had any intention of +allowing us to enter the Sultan's palace, though it was difficult +to know how we were to escape, and what was to become of us when +once we had escaped. At length, one day as we were drawing near +Constantinople, we learned from the prince that Thelamis had made +acquaintance with a holy dervish whom he had met on the road, and +had informed him that we were his sisters, who were being sold as +slaves against his will. The good man was interested in the +story, and readily agreed to find us shelter if we could manage +to elude the watchfulness of our guards. The risk was great, but +it was our only chance. + +'That night, when the whole caravan was fast asleep, we raised +the upper part of our boxes and by the help of Thelamis climbed +silently out. We next went back some distance along the way we +had come, then, striking into another road, reached at last the +retreat prepared for us by the dervish. Here we found food and +rest, and I need not say what happiness it was to be free once +more. + +'The dervish soon became a slave to our beauty, and the day after +our escape he proposed that we should allow him to conduct us to +an inn situated at a short distance, where we should find two +Jews, owners of precious talismans which did not really belong to +them. "Try," said the dervish, "by some means to get possession +of them." + +'The inn, though not on the direct road to Constantinople, was a +favourite one with merchants, owing to the excellence of the +food, and on our arrival we discovered at least six or eight +other people who had stopped for refreshment. They greeted us +politely, and we sat down to table together. + +'In a short time the two men described by the dervish entered the +room, and at a sign from him my sister made room at her side for +one, while I did the same for the other. + +'Now the dervish had happened to mention that "their brother had +danced." At the moment we paid no attention to this remark, but +it came back to our minds now, and we determined that they should +dance also. To accomplish this we used all our arts and very soon +bent them to our wills, so that they could refuse us nothing. At +the end of the day we remained possessors of the talismans and +had left them to their fate, while the prince and Thelamis fell +more in love with us than ever, and declared that we were more +lovely than any women in the world. + +'The sun had set before we quitted the inn, and we had made no +plans as to where we should go next, so we readily consented to +the prince's proposal that we should embark without delay for the +Isle of Black Marble. What a place it was! Rocks blacker than jet +towered above its shores and shed thick darkness over the +country. Our sailors had not been there before and were nearly as +frightened as ourselves, but thanks to Thelamis, who undertook to +be our pilot, we landed safely on the beach. + +'When we had left the coast behind us, with its walls of jet, we +entered a lovely country where the fields were greener, the +streams clearer, and the sun brighter than anywhere else. The +people crowded round to welcome their prince, whom they loved +dearly, but they told him that the king was still full of rage at +his son's refusal to marry his cousin the Princess Okimpare, and +also at his flight. Indeed, they all begged him not to visit the +capital, as his life would hardly be safe. So, much as I should +have enjoyed seeing the home of my beloved prince, I implored him +to listen to this wise advice and to let us all go to Thelamis's +palace in the middle of a vast forest. + +'To my sister and myself, who had been brought up in a cottage, +this house of Thelamis's seemed like fairyland. It was built of +pink marble, so highly polished that the flowers and streams +surrounding it were reflected as in a mirror. One set of rooms +was furnished especially for me in yellow silk and silver, to +suit my black hair. Fresh dresses were provided for us every day, +and we had slaves to wait on us. Ah, why could not this happiness +have lasted for ever! + +'The peace of our lives was troubled by Thelamis's jealousy of my +sister, as he could not endure to see her on friendly terms with +the prince, though knowing full well that his heart was mine. +Every day we had scenes of tender reproaches and of explanations, +but Tezila's tears never failed to bring Thelamis to his knees, +with prayers for forgiveness. + +'We had been living in this way for some months when one day the +news came that the king had fallen dangerously ill. I begged the +prince to hurry at once to the Court, both to see his father and +also to show himself to the senators and nobles, but as his love +for me was greater than his desire of a crown, he hesitated as if +foreseeing all that afterwards happened. At last Tezila spoke to +him so seriously in Thelamis's presence, that he determined to +go, but promised that he would return before night. + +'Night came but no prince, and Tezila, who had been the cause of +his departure, showed such signs of uneasiness that Thelamis's +jealousy was at once awakened. As for me, I cannot tell what I +suffered. Not being able to sleep I rose from my bed and wandered +into the forest, along the road which he had taken so many hours +before. Suddenly I heard in the distance the sound of a horse's +hoofs, and in a few moments the prince had flung himself down and +was by my side. "Ah, how I adore you!" he exclaimed; "Thelamis's +love will never equal mine." The words were hardly out of his +mouth when I heard a slight noise behind, and before we could +turn round both our heads were rolling in front of us, while the +voice of Thelamis cried: + +'"Perjured wretches, answer me; and you, faithless Tezila, tell +me why you have betrayed me like this?" + +'Then I understood what had happened, and that, in his rage, he +had mistaken me for my sister. + +'"Alas," replied my head in weak tones, "I am not Tezila, but +Dely, whose life you have destroyed, as well as that of your +friend." At this Thelamis paused and seemed to reflect for an +instant. + +'"Be not frightened," he said more quietly, "I can make you whole +again," and laying a magic powder on our tongues he placed our +heads on our necks. In the twinkling of an eye our heads were +joined to our bodies without leaving so much as a scar; only +that, blinded with rage as he still was, Thelamis had placed my +head on the prince's body, and his on mine! + +'I cannot describe to you how odd we both felt at this strange +transformation. We both instinctively put up our hands--he to +feel his hair, which was, of course, dressed like a woman's, and +I to raise the turban which pressed heavily on my forehead. But +we did not know what had happened to us, for the night was still +dark. + +'At this point Tezila appeared, followed by a troop of slaves +bearing flowers. It was only by the light of their torches that +we understood what had occurred. Indeed the first thought of both +of us was that we must have changed clothes. + +'Now in spite of what we may say, we all prefer our own bodies to +those of anybody else, so notwithstanding our love for each +other, at first we could not help feeling a little cross with +Thelamis. However, so deep was the prince's passion for me, that +very soon he began to congratulate himself on the change. " My +happiness is perfect," he said; "my heart, beautiful Dely, has +always been yours, and now I have your head also." + +'But though the prince made the best of it, Thelamis was much +ashamed of his stupidity. "I have," he said hesitatingly, "two +other pastilles which have the same magic properties as those I +used before. Let me cut off your heads again, and that will put +matters straight." The proposal sounded tempting, but was a +little risky, and after consulting together we decided to let +things remain as they were. "Do not blame me then," continued +Thelamis, "if you will not accept my offer. But take the two +pastilles, and if it ever happens that you are decapitated a +second time, make use of them in the way I have shown you, and +each will get back his own head." So saying he presented us with +the pastilles, and we all returned to the castle. + +'However, the troubles caused by the unfortunate exchange were +only just beginning. My head, without thinking what it was doing, +led the prince's body to my apartments. But my women, only +looking at the dress, declared I had mistaken the corridor, and +called some slaves to conduct me to his highness's rooms. This +was bad enough, but when--as it was still night my servants began +to undress me, I nearly fainted from surprise and confusion, and +no doubt the prince's head was suffering in the same manner at +the other end of the castle! + +'By the next morning--you will easily guess that we slept but +little--we had grown partly accustomed to our strange situation, +and when we looked in the mirror, the prince had become +brown-skinned and black-haired, while my head was covered with +his curly golden locks. And after that first day, everyone in the +palace had become so accustomed to the change that they thought +no more about it. + +'Some weeks after this, we heard that the king of the Isle of +Black Marble was dead. The prince's head, which once was mine, +was full of ambitious desires, and he longed to ride straight to +the capital and proclaim himself king. But then came the question +as to whether the nobles would recognise the prince with a girl's +body, and indeed, when we came to think of it, which was prince +and which was girl? + +'At last, after much argument, my head carried the day and we set +out; but only to find that the king had declared the Princess +Okimpare his successor. The greater part of the senators and +nobles openly professed that they would much have preferred the +rightful heir, but as they could not recognise him either in the +prince or me, they chose to consider us as impostors and threw us +into prison. + +'A few days later Tezila and Thelamis, who had followed us to the +capital, came to tell us that the new queen had accused us of +high treason, and had herself been present at our trial--which +was conducted without us. They had been in mortal terror as to +what would be our sentence, but by a piece of extraordinary luck +we had been condemned to be beheaded. + +'I told my sister that I did not see exactly where the luck came +in, but Thelamis interrupted me rudely: + +'"What!" he cried, "of course I shall make use of the pastilles, +and--" but here the officers arrived to lead us to the great +square where the execution was to take place--for Okimpare was +determined there should be no delay. + +'The square was crowded with people of all ages and all ranks, +and in the middle a platform had been erected on which was the +scaffold, with the executioner, in a black mask, standing by. At +a sign from him I mounted first, and in a moment my head was +rolling at his feet. With a bound my sister and Thelamis were +beside me, and like lightning Thelamis seized the sabre from the +headsman, and cut off the head of the prince. And before the +multitude had recovered from their astonishment at these strange +proceedings, our bodies were joined to our right heads, and the +pastilles placed on our tongues. Then Thelamis led the prince to +the edge of the platform and presented him to the people, saying, +"Behold your lawful king." + +'Shouts of joy rent the air at the sound of Thelamis's words, and +the noise reached Okimpare in the palace. Smitten with despair at +the news, she fell down unconscious on her balcony, and was +lifted up by the slaves and taken back to her own house. + +'Meanwhile our happiness was all turned to sorrow. I had rushed +up to the prince to embrace him fondly, when he suddenly grew +pale and staggered. + +'"I die faithful to you," he murmured, turning his eyes towards +me, "and I die a king!" and leaning his head on my shoulder he +expired quietly, for one of the arteries in his neck had been cut +through. + +'Not knowing what I did I staggered towards the sabre which was +lying near me, with the intention of following my beloved prince +as speedily as possible. And when Thelamis seized my hand (but +only just in time), in my madness I turned the sabre upon him, +and he fell struck through the heart at my feet.' + + The whole company were listening to the story with breathless +attention, when it became plain that Dely could go no further, +while Tezila had flung herself on a heap of cushions and hidden +her face. Zambac ordered her women to give them all the attention +possible, and desired they should be carried into her own rooms. + +When the two sisters were in this condition, Ibrahim, who was a +very prudent young man, suggested to his parents that, as the two +Circassians were both unconscious, it would be an excellent +opportunity to search them and see if the talismans belonging to +the daughters of Siroco were concealed about their persons. But +the Bassa, shocked at the notion of treating his guests in so +inhospitable a manner, refused to do anything of the kind, adding +that the next day he hoped to persuade them to give the talismans +up of their own free will. + +By this time it was nearly midnight and Neangir, who was standing +near the Jewess Sumi, drew out the portrait of Argentine, and +heard with delight that she was even more beautiful than her +picture. Everyone was waiting on tip-toe for the appearance of +the two watches, who were expected when the clock struck twelve +to come in search of Sumi, and that there might be no delay the +Bassa ordered all the doors to be flung wide open. It was done, +and there entered not the longed-for watches, but the page who +had been sent away in disgrace. + +Then the Bassa arose in wrath. 'Azemi,' he said, 'did I not order +you to stand no more in my presence?' + +'My lord,' replied Azemi, modestly, 'I was hidden outside the +door, listening to the tale of the two Circassians. And as I know +you are fond of stories, give me also leave to tell you one. I +promise you it shall not be long.' + +'Speak on,' replied the Bassa, 'but take heed what you say.' + +'My lord,' began Azemi, 'this morning I was walking in the town +when I noticed a man going in the same direction followed by a +slave. He entered a baker's shop, where he bought some bread +which he gave to the slave to carry. I watched him and saw that +he purchased many other kinds of provisions at other places, and +when the slave could carry no more his master commanded him to +return home and have supper ready at midnight. + +'When left alone the man went up the street, and turning into a +jeweller's shop, brought out a watch that as far as I could see +was made of silver. He walked on a few steps, then stooped and +picked up a gold watch which lay at his feet. At this point I ran +up and told him that if he did not give me half its price I would +report him to the Cadi; he agreed, and conducting me to his house +produced four hundred sequins, which he said was my share, and +having got what I wanted I went away. + +'As it was the hour for attending on my lord I returned home and +accompanied you to the Cadi, where I heard the story of the three +Jews and learned the importance of the two watches I had left at +the stranger's. I hastened to his house, but he had gone out, and +I could only find the slave, whom I told that I was the bearer of +important news for his master. Believing me to be one of his +friends, he begged me to wait, and showed me into a room where I +saw the two watches lying on the table. I put them in my pocket, +leaving the four hundred sequins in place of the gold watch and +three gold pieces which I knew to be the price of the other. As +you know the watches never remain with the person who buys them, +this man may think himself very lucky to get back his money. I +have wound them both up, and at this instant Aurora and Argentine +are locked safely into my own room.' + +Everybody was so delighted to hear this news that Azemi was +nearly stifled with their embraces, and Neangir could hardly be +prevented from running to break in the door, though he did not +even know where the page slept. + +But the page begged to have the honour of fetching the ladies +himself, and soon returned leading them by the hand. + +For some minutes all was a happy confusion, and Ibrahim took +advantage of it to fall on his knees before Aurora, and search in +the fifth fold of her dress for the missing coral bead. The Book +of Spells had told the truth; there it was, and as the chaplet +was now complete the young man's days of seeking were over. + +In the midst of the general rejoicing Hassan alone bore a gloomy +face. + +'Alas!' he said, 'everyone is happy but the miserable being you +see before you. I have lost the only consolation in my grief, +which was to feel that I had a brother in misfortune!' + +'Be comforted,' replied the Bassa; 'sooner or later the dervish +who stole the pink bag is sure to be found.' + +Supper was then served, and after they had all eaten of rare +fruits which seemed to them the most delicious in the whole +world, the Bassa ordered the flask containing the elixir of love +to be brought and the young people to drink of it. Then their +eyes shone with a new fire, and they swore to be true to each +other till death. + +This ceremony was scarcely over when the clock struck one, and in +an instant Aurora and Argentine had vanished, and in the place +where they stood lay two watches. Silence fell upon all the +company--they had forgotten the enchantment; then the voice of +Azemi was heard asking if he might be allowed to take charge of +the watches till the next day, pledging his head to end their +enchantment. With the consent of Sumi, this was granted, and the +Bassa gave Azemi a purse containing a thousand sequins, as a +reward for the services he had already rendered to them. After +this everybody went to his own apartment. + +Azemi had never possessed so much money before, and never closed +his eyes for joy the whole night long. Very early he got up and +went into the garden, thinking how he could break the enchantment +of the daughters of Siroco. Suddenly the soft tones of a woman +fell on his ear, and peeping through the bushes he saw Tezila, +who was arranging flowers in her sister's hair. The rustling of +the leaves caused Dely to start; she jumped up as if to fly, but +Azemi implored her to remain and begged her to tell him what +happened to them after the death of their lovers, and how they +had come to find the dervish. + +'The punishment decreed to us by the Queen Okimpare,' answered +Dely, 'was that we were to dance and sing in the midst of our +sorrow, at a great fete which was to be held that very day for +all her people. This cruel command nearly turned our brains, and +we swore a solemn oath to make all lovers as wretched as we were +ourselves. In this design we succeeded so well that in a short +time the ladies of the capital came in a body to Okimpare, and +prayed her to banish us from the kingdom, before their lives were +made miserable for ever. She consented, and commanded us to be +placed on board a ship, with our slave Gouloucou. + +'On the shore we saw an old man who was busily engaged in +drowning some little black pigs, talking to them all the while, +as if they could understand him. + +'"Accursed race," said he, "it is you who have caused all the +misfortunes of him to whom I gave the magic bracelet. Perish all +of you!" + +'We drew near from curiosity, and recognised in him the dervish +who had sheltered us on our first escape from the caravan. + +'When the old man discovered who we were he was beside himself +with pleasure, and offered us a refuge in the cave where he +lived. We gladly accepted his offer, and to the cave we all went, +taking with us the last little pig, which he gave us as a +present. + +'"The Bassa of the Sea," he added, "will pay you anything you +like to ask for it." + +'Without asking why it was so precious I took the pig and placed +it in my work bag, where it has been ever since. Only yesterday +we offered it to the Bassa, who laughed at us, and this so +enraged us against the dervish that we cut off his beard when he +was asleep, and now he dare not show himself.' + +'Ah,' exclaimed the page, 'it is not fitting that such beauty +should waste itself in making other people miserable. Forget the +unhappy past and think only of the future. And accept, I pray +you, this watch, to mark the brighter hours in store.' So saying +he laid the watch upon her knee. Then he turned to Tezila. 'And +you fair maiden, permit me to offer you this other watch. True it +is only of silver, but it is all I have left to give. And I feel +quite sure that you must have somewhere a silver seal, that will +be exactly the thing to go with it.' + +'Why, so you have,' cried Dely; 'fasten your silver seal to your +watch, and I will hang my gold one on to mine.' + +The seals were produced, and, as Azemi had guessed, they were the +talismans which the two Circassians had taken from Izif and +Izouf, mounted in gold and silver. As quick as lightning the +watches slid from the hands of Tezila and her sister, and Aurora +and Argentine stood before them, each with her talisman on her +finger. + +At first they seemed rather confused themselves at the change +which had taken place, and the sunlight which they had not seen +for so long, but when gradually they understood that their +enchantment had come to an end, they could find no words to +express their happiness. + +The Circassians could with difficulty be comforted for the loss +of the talismans, but Aurora and Argentine entreated them to dry +their tears, as their father, Siroco, who was governor of +Alexandria, would not fail to reward them in any manner they +wished. This promise was soon confirmed by Siroco himself, who +came into the garden with the Bassa and his two sons, and was +speedily joined by the ladies of the family. Only Hassan was +absent. It was the hour in which he was condemned to bewail his +ebony hand. + +To the surprise of all a noise was at this moment heard in a +corner of the terrace, and Hassan himself appeared surrounded by +slaves, clapping his hands and shouting with joy. 'I was weeping +as usual,' cried he, 'when all at once the tears refused to come +to my eyes, and on looking down at my hand I saw that its +blackness had vanished. And now, lovely Zelida, nothing prevents +me any longer from offering you the hand, when the heart has been +yours always.' + +But though Hassan never thought of asking or caring what had +caused his cure, the others were by no means so indifferent. It +was quite clear that the little black pig must be dead--but how, +and when? To this the slaves answered that they had seen that +morning a man pursued by three others, and that he had taken +refuge in the cavern which they had been left to guard. Then, in +obedience to orders, they had rolled a stone over the entrance. + +Piercing shrieks interrupted their story, and a man, whom the +Circassians saw to be the old dervish, rushed round the corner of +the terrace with the three Jews behind him. When the fugitive +beheld so many people collected together, he turned down another +path, but the slaves captured all four and brought them before +their master. + +What was the surprise of the Bassa when he beheld in the old +dervish the man who had given the chaplet, the copper plaque, and +the bracelet to his three sons. 'Fear nothing, holy father,' he +said, 'you are safe with me. But tell us, how came you here?' + +'My lord,' explained the dervish, 'when my beard was cut off +during my sleep by the two Circassians, I was ashamed to appear +before the eyes of men, and fled, bearing with me the pink silk +bag. In the night these three men fell in with me, and we passed +some time in conversation, but at dawn, when it was light enough +to see each other's faces, one of them exclaimed that I was the +dervish travelling with the two Circassians who had stolen the +talismans from the Jews. I jumped up and tried to fly to my cave, +but they were too quick for me, and just as we reached your +garden they snatched the bag which contained the little black pig +and flung it into the sea. By this act, which delivers your son, +I would pray you to forgive them for any wrongs they may have +done you--nay more, that you will recompense them for it.' The +Bassa granted the holy man's request, and seeing that the two +Jews had fallen victims to the charms of the Circassian ladies, +gave his consent to their union, which was fixed to take place at +the same time as that of Izaf with the wise Sumi. The Cadi was +sent for, and the Jews exchanged the hats of their race for the +turbans of the followers of the Prophet. Then, after so many +misfortunes, the Bassa's three sons entreated their father to +delay their happiness no longer, and the six marriages were +performed by the Cadi at the hour of noon. + +[Cabinet des Fees.] + + + + + + The Jackal and the Spring + + + +Once upon a time all the streams and rivers ran so dry that the +animals did not know how to get water. After a very long search, +which had been quite in vain, they found a tiny spring, which +only wanted to be dug deeper so as to yield plenty of water. So +the beasts said to each other, 'Let us dig a well, and then we +shall not fear to die of thirst;' and they all consented except +the jackal, who hated work of any kind, and generally got +somebody to do it for him. + +When they had finished their well, they held a council as to who +should be made the guardian of the well, so that the jackal might +not come near it, for, they said, 'he would not work, therefore +he shall not drink.' + +After some talk it was decided that the rabbit should be left in +charge; then all the other beasts went back to their homes. + +When they were out of sight the jackal arrived. 'Good morning! +Good morning, rabbit!' and the rabbit politely said, 'Good +morning!' Then the jackal unfastened the little bag that hung at +his side, and pulled out of it a piece of honeycomb which he +began to eat, and turning to the rabbit he remarked: + +'As you see, rabbit, I am not thirsty in the least, and this is +nicer than any water.' + +'Give me a bit,' asked the rabbit. So the jackal handed him a +very little morsel. + +'Oh, how good it is!' cried the rabbit; 'give me a little more, +dear friend!' + +But the jackal answered, 'If you really want me to give you some +more, you must have your paws tied behind you, and lie on your +back, so that I can pour it into your mouth.' + +The rabbit did as he was bid, and when he was tied tight and +popped on his back, the jackal ran to the spring and drank as +much as he wanted. When he had quite finished he returned to his +den. + +In the evening the animals all came back, and when they saw the +rabbit lying with his paws tied, they said to him: 'Rabbit, how +did you let yourself be taken in like this?' + +'It was all the fault of the jackal,' replied the rabbit; 'he +tied me up like this, and told me he would give me something nice +to eat. It was all a trick just to get at our water.' + +'Rabbit, you are no better than an idiot to have let the jackal +drink our water when he would not help to find it. Who shall be +our next watchman? We must have somebody a little sharper than +you!' and the little hare called out, 'I will be the watchman.' + +The following morning the animals all went their various ways, +leaving the little hare to guard the spring. When they were out +of sight the jackal came back. 'Good morning! good morning, +little hare,' and the little hare politely said, 'Good morning.' + +'Can you give me a pinch of snuff?' said the jackal. + +'I am so sorry, but I have none,' answered the little hare. + +The jackal then came and sat down by the little hare, and +unfastened his little bag, pulling out of it a piece of +honeycomb. He licked his lips and exclaimed, 'Oh, little hare, if +you only knew how good it is!' + +'What is it?' asked the little hare. + +'It is something that moistens my throat so deliciously,' +answered the jackal, 'that after I have eaten it I don't feel +thirsty any more, while I am sure that all you other beasts are +for ever wanting water.' + +'Give me a bit, dear friend,' asked the little hare. + +'Not so fast,' replied the jackal. 'If you really wish to enjoy +what you are eating, you must have your paws tied behind you, and +lie on your back, so that I can pour it into your mouth.' + +'You can tie them, only be quick,' said the little hare, and when +he was tied tight and popped on his back, the jackal went quietly +down to the well, and drank as much as he wanted. When he had +quite finished he returned to his den. + +In the evening the animals all came back; and when they saw the +little hare with his paws tied, they said to him: 'Little hare, +how did you let yourself be taken in like this? Didn't you boast +you were very sharp? You undertook to guard our water; now show +us how much is left for us to drink!' + +'It is all the fault of the jackal,' replied the little hare. 'He +told me he would give me something nice to eat if I would just +let him tie my hands behind my back.' + +Then the animals said, 'Who can we trust to mount guard now?' And +the panther answered, 'Let it be the tortoise.' + +The following morning the animals all went their various ways, +leaving the tortoise to guard the spring. When they were out of +sight the jackal came back. 'Good morning, tortoise; good +morning.' + +But the tortoise took no notice. + +'Good morning, tortoise; good morning.' But still the tortoise +pretended not to hear. + +Then the jackal said to himself, 'Well, to-day I have only got to +manage a bigger idiot than before. I shall just kick him on one +side, and then go and have a drink.' So he went up to the +tortoise and said to him in a soft voice, 'Tortoise! tortoise!' +but the tortoise took no notice. Then the jackal kicked him out +of the way, and went to the well and began to drink, but scarcely +had he touched the water, than the tortoise seized him by the +leg. The jackal shrieked out: 'Oh, you will break my leg!' but +the tortoise only held on the tighter. The jackal then took his +bag and tried to make the tortoise smell the honeycomb he had +inside; but the tortoise turned away his head and smelt nothing. +At last the jackal said to the tortoise, 'I should like to give +you my bag and everything in it,' but the only answer the +tortoise made was to grasp the jackal's leg tighter still. + +So matters stood when the other animals came back. The moment he +saw them, the jackal gave a violent tug, and managed to free his +leg, and then took to his heels as fast as he could. And the +animals all said to the tortoise: + +'Well done, tortoise, you have proved your courage; now we can +drink from our well in peace, as you have got the better of that +thieving jackal!' + +[Contes Populaires des Bassoutos, recueillis et traduits par E. +Jacottet. Paris: Leroux, editeur.] + + + + + + The Bear + + + +Once on a time there was a king who had an only daughter. He was +so proud and so fond of her, that he was in constant terror that +something would happen to her if she went outside the palace, and +thus, owing to his great love for her, he forced her to lead the +life of a prisoner, shut up within her own rooms. + +The princess did not like this at all, and one day she complained +about it very bitterly to her nurse. Now, the nurse was a witch, +though the king did not know it. For some time she listened and +tried to soothe the princess; but when she saw that she would not +be comforted, she said to her: 'Your father loves you very +dearly, as you know. Whatever you were to ask from him he would +give you. The one thing he will not grant you is permission to +leave the palace. Now, do as I tell you. Go to your father and +ask him to give you a wooden wheel-barrow, and a bear's skin. +When you have got them bring them to me, and I will touch them +with my magic wand. The wheel-barrow will then move of itself, +and will take you at full speed wherever you want to go, and the +bear's skin will make such a covering for you, that no one will +recognise you.' + +So the princess did as the witch advised her. The king, when he +heard her strange request, was greatly astonished, and asked her +what she meant to do with a wheel-barrow and a bear's skin. And +the princess answered, 'You never let me leave the house--at +least you might grant me this request' So the king granted it, +and the princess went back to her nurse, taking the barrow and +the bear's skin with her. + +As soon as the witch saw them, she touched them with her magic +wand, and in a moment the barrow began to move about in all +directions. The princess next put on the bear's skin, which so +completely changed her appearance, that no one could have known +that she was a girl and not a bear. In this strange attire she +seated herself on the barrow, and in a few minutes she found +herself far away from the palace, and moving rapidly through a +great forest. Here she stopped the barrow with a sign that the +witch had shown her, and hid herself and it in a thick grove of +flowering shrubs. + +Now it happened that the prince of that country was hunting with +his dogs in the forest. Suddenly he caught sight of the bear +hiding among the shrubs, and calling his dogs, hounded them on to +attack it. But the girl, seeing what peril she was in, cried, +'Call off your dogs, or they will kill me. What harm have I ever +done to you?' At these words, coming from a bear, the prince was +so startled that for a moment he stood stock-still, then he said +quite gently, 'Will you come with me? I will take you to my +home.' + +'I will come gladly,' replied the bear; and seating herself on +the barrow it at once began to move in the direction of the +prince's palace. You may imagine the surprise of the prince's +mother when she saw her son return accompanied by a bear, who at +once set about doing the house-work better than any servant that +the queen had ever seen. + +Now it happened that there were great festivities going on in the +palace of a neighbouring prince, and at dinner, one day, the +prince said to his mother: 'This evening there is to be a great +ball, to which I must go.' + +And his mother answered, 'Go and dance, and enjoy yourself.' + +Suddenly a voice came from under the table, where the bear had +rolled itself, as was its wont: 'Let me come to the ball; I, too, +would like to dance.' + +But the only answer the prince made was to give the bear a kick, +and to drive it out of the room. + +In the evening the prince set off for the ball. As soon as he had +started, the bear came to the queen and implored to be allowed to +go to the ball, saying that she would hide herself so well that +no one would know she was there. The kind-hearted queen could not +refuse her. + +Then the bear ran to her barrow, threw off her bear's skin, and +touched it with the magic wand that the witch had given her. In a +moment the skin was changed into an exquisite ball dress woven +out of moon-beams, and the wheel-barrow was changed into a +carriage drawn by two prancing steeds. Stepping into the carriage +the princess drove to the grand entrance of the palace. When she +entered the ball-room, in her wondrous dress of moon-beams, she +looked so lovely, so different from all the other guests, that +everyone wondered who she was, and no one could tell where she +had come from. + +From the moment he saw her, the prince fell desperately in love +with her, and all the evening he would dance with no one else but +the beautiful stranger. + +When the ball was over, the princess drove away in her carriage +at full speed, for she wished to get home in time to change her +ball dress into the bear's skin, and the carriage into the +wheel-barrow, before anyone discovered who she was. + +The prince, putting spurs into his horse, rode after her, for he +was determined not to let her out of his sight. But suddenly a +thick mist arose and hid her from him. When he reached his home +he could talk to his mother of nothing else but the beautiful +stranger with whom he had danced so often, and with whom he was +so much in love. And the bear beneath the table smiled to itself, +and muttered: 'I am the beautiful stranger; oh, how I have taken +you in!' + +The next evening there was a second ball, and, as you may +believe, the prince was determined not to miss it, for he thought +he would once more see the lovely girl, and dance with her and +talk to her, and make her talk to him, for at the first ball she +had never opened her lips. + +And, sure enough, as the music struck up the first dance, the +beautiful stranger entered the room, looking even more radiant +than the night before, for this time her dress was woven out of +the rays of the sun. All evening the prince danced with her, but +she never spoke a word. + +When the ball was over he tried once more to follow her carriage, +that he might know whence she came, but suddenly a great +waterspout fell from the sky, and the blinding sheets of rain hid +her from his sight. + +When he reached his home he told his mother that he had again +seen the lovely girl, and that this time she had been even more +beautiful than the night before. And again the bear smiled +beneath the table, and muttered: 'I have taken him in a second +time, and he has no idea that I am the beautiful girl with whom +he is so much in love.' + +On the next evening, the prince returned to the palace for the +third ball. And the princess went too, and this time she had +changed her bear's skin into a dress woven out of the star-light, +studded all over with gems, and she looked so dazzling and so +beautiful, that everyone wondered at her, and said that no one so +beautiful had ever been seen before. And the prince danced with +her, and, though he could not induce her to speak, he succeeded +in slipping a ring on her finger. + +When the ball was over, he followed her carriage, and rode at +such a pace that for long he kept it in sight. Then suddenly a +terrible wind arose between him and the carriage, and he could +not overtake it. + +When he reached his home he said to his mother, 'I do not know +what is to become of me; I think I shall go mad, I am so much in +love with that girl, and I have no means of finding out who she +is. I danced with her and I gave her a ring, and yet I do not +know her name, nor where I am to find her.' + +Then the bear laughed beneath the table and muttered to itself. + +And the prince continued: 'I am tired to death. Order some soup +to be made for me, but I don't want that bear to meddle with it. +Every time I speak of my love the brute mutters and laughs, and +seems to mock at me. I hate the sight of the creature!' + +When the soup was ready, the bear brought it to the prince; but +before handing it to him, she dropped into the plate the ring the +prince had given her the night before at the ball. The prince +began to eat his soup very slowly and languidly, for he was sad +at heart, and all his thoughts were busy, wondering how and where +he could see the lovely stranger again. Suddenly he noticed the +ring at the bottom of the plate. In a moment he recognised it, +and was dumb with surprise. + +Then he saw the bear standing beside him, looking at him with +gentle, beseeching eyes, and something in the eyes of the bear +made him say: 'Take off that skin, some mystery is hidden beneath +it.' + +And the bear's skin dropped off, and the beautiful girl stood +before him, in the dress woven out of the star-light, and he saw +that she was the stranger with whom he had fallen so deeply in +love. And now she appeared to him a thousand times more beautiful +than ever, and he led her to his mother. And the princess told +them her story, and how she had been kept shut up by her father +in his palace, and how she had wearied of her imprisonment. And +the prince's mother loved her, and rejoiced that her son should +have so good and beautiful a wife. + +So they were married, and lived happily for many years, and +reigned wisely over their kingdom. + + + + + + The Sunchild + + + +Once there was a woman who had no children, and this made her +very unhappy. So she spoke one day to the Sunball, saying: 'Dear +Sunball, send me only a little girl now, and when she is twelve +years old you may take her back again.' + +So soon after this the Sunball sent her a little girl, whom the +woman called Letiko, and watched over with great care till she +was twelve years old. Soon after that, while Letiko was away one +day gathering herbs, the Sunball came to her, and said: 'Letiko, +when you go home, tell your mother that she must bethink herself +of what she promised me.' + +Then Letiko went straight home, and said to her mother: 'While I +was gathering herbs a fine tall gentleman came to me and charged +me to tell you that you should remember what you promised him.' + +When the woman heard that she was sore afraid, and immediately +shut all the doors and windows of the house, stopped up all the +chinks and holes, and kept Letiko hidden away, that the Sunball +should not come and take her away. But she forgot to close up the +keyhole, and through it the Sunball sent a ray into the house, +which took hold of the little girl and carried her away to him. + +One day, the Sunball having sent her to the straw shed to fetch +straw, the girl sat down on the piles of straw and bemoaned +herself, saying: 'As sighs this straw under my feet so sighs my +heart after my mother.' + +And this caused her to be so long away that the Sunball asked +her, when she came back: 'Eh, Letiko, where have you been so +long?' + +She answered: 'My slippers are too big, and I could not go +faster.' + +Then the Sunball made the slippers shorter. + +Another time he sent her to fetch water, and when she came to the +spring, she sat down and lamented, saying: 'As flows the water +even so flows my heart with longing for my mother.' + +Thus she again remained so long away that the Sunball asked her: +'Eh, Letiko, why have you remained so long away?' + +And she answered: 'My petticoat is too long and hinders me in +walking.' + +Then the Sunball cut her petticoat to make it shorter. + +Another time the Sunball sent her to bring him a pair of sandals, +and as the girl carried these in her hand she began to lament, +saying: 'As creaks the leather so creaks my heart after my little +mother.' + +When she came home the Sunball asked her again: 'Eh, Letiko, why +do you come home so late?' + +'My red hood is too wide, and falls over my eyes, therefore I +could not go fast.' + +Then he made the hood narrower. + +At last, however, the Sunball became aware how sad Letiko was. He +sent her a second time to bring straw, and, slipping in after +her, he heard how she lamented for her mother. Then he went home, +called two foxes to him, and said: 'Will you take Letiko home?' + +'Yes, why not?' + +'But what will you eat and drink if you should become hungry and +thirsty by the way?' + +'We will eat her flesh and drink her blood.' + +When the Sunball heard that, he said: 'You are not suited for +this affair.' + +Then he sent them away, and called two hares to him, and said: +'Will you take Letiko home to her mother?' + +'Yes, why not?' + +'What will you eat and drink if you should become hungry and +thirsty by the way?' + +'We will eat grass and drink from streamlets.' + +'Then take her, and bring her home.' + +Then the hares set out, taking Letiko with them, and because it +was a long way to her home they became hungry by the way. Then +they said to the little girl: 'Climb this tree, dear Letiko, and +remain there till we have finished eating.' + +So Letiko climbed the tree, and the hares went grazing. + +It was not very long, however, before a lamia came under the tree +and called out: 'Letiko, Letiko, come down and see what beautiful +shoes I have on.' + +'Oh! my shoes are much finer than yours.' + +'Come down. I am in a hurry, for my house is not yet swept.' + +'Go home and sweep it then, and come back when you are ready.' + +Then the lamia went away and swept her house, and when she was +ready she came back and called out: 'Letiko, Letiko, come down +and see what a beautiful apron I have.' + +'Oh! my apron is much finer than yours.' + +'If you will not come down I will cut down the tree and eat you.' + +'Do so, and then eat me.' + +Then the lamia hewed with all her strength at the tree, but could +not cut it down. And when she saw that, she called out: 'Letiko, +Letiko, come down, for I must feed my children.' + +'Go home then and feed them, and come back when you are ready.' + +When the lamia was gone away, Letiko called out: 'Little hares! +little hares!' + +Then said one hare to the other: 'Listen, Letiko is calling;' and +they both ran back to her as fast as they could go. Then Letiko +came down from the tree, and they went on their way. + +The lamia ran as fast as she could after them, to catch them up, +and when she came to a field where people were working she asked +them: 'Have you seen anyone pass this way?' + +They answered: 'We are planting beans.' + +'Oh! I did not ask about that; but if anyone had passed this +way.' + +But the people only answered the louder: 'Are you deaf? It is +beans, beans, beans we are planting.' + +When Letiko had nearly reached her home the dog knew her, and +called out, 'Bow wow! see here comes Letiko!' + +And the mother said, 'Hush! thou beast of ill-omen! wilt thou +make me burst with misery?' + +Next the cat on the roof saw her, and called out 'Miaouw! miaouw! +see here comes Letiko!' + +And the mother said, 'Keep silence! thou beast of ill-omen! wilt +thou make me burst with misery?' + +Then the cock spied, and called out: 'Cock-a-doodle-do! see here +comes Letiko!' + +And the mother said again: 'Be quiet! thou bird of ill-omen! wilt +thou make me burst with misery?' + +The nearer Letiko and the two hares came to the house the nearer +also came the lamia, and when the hare was about to slip in by +the house door she caught it by its little tail and tore it out. + +When the hare came in the mother stood up and said to it: +'Welcome, dear little hare; because you have brought me back +Letiko I will silver your little tail.' + +And she did so; and lived ever after with her daughter in +happiness and content. + + + + + + The Daughter 0f Buk Ettemsuch + + + +Once upon a time there lived a man who had seven daughters. For a +long time they dwelt quite happily at home together, then one +morning the father called them all before him and said: + +'Your mother and I are going on a journey, and as we do not know +how long we may be away, you will find enough provisions in the +house to last you three years. But see you do not open the door +to anyone till we come home again.' + +'Very well, dear father,' replied the girls. + +For two years they never left the house or unlocked the door; but +one day, when they had washed their clothes, and were spreading +them out on the roof to dry, the girls looked down into the +street where people were walking to and fro, and across to the +market, with its stalls of fresh meat, vegetables, and other nice +things. + +'Come here,' cried one. 'It makes me quite hungry! Why should not +we have our share? Let one of us go to the market, and buy meat +and vegetables.' + +'Oh, we mustn't do that!' said the youngest. 'You know our father +forbade us to open the door till he came home again.' + +Then the eldest sister sprang at her and struck her, the second +spit at her, the third abused her, the fourth pushed her, the +fifth flung her to the ground, and the sixth tore her clothes. +Then they left her lying on the floor, and went out with a +basket. + +In about an hour they came back with the basket full of meat and +vegetables, which they put in a pot, and set on the fire, quite +forgetting that the house door stood wide open. The youngest +sister, however, took no part in all this, and when dinner was +ready and the table laid, she stole softly out to the entrance +hall, and hid herself behind a great cask which stood in one +corner. + +Now, while the other sisters were enjoying their feast, a witch +passed by, and catching sight of the open door, she walked in. +She went up to the eldest girl, and said: 'Where shall I begin on +you, you fat bolster?' + +'You must begin,' answered she, 'with the hand which struck my +little sister.' + +So the witch gobbled her up, and when the last scrap had +disappeared, she came to the second and asked: 'Where shall I +begin on you, my fat bolster?' + +And the second answered, 'You must begin on my mouth, which spat +on my sister.' + +And so on to the rest; and very soon the whole six had +disappeared. And as the witch was eating the last mouthful of the +last sister, the youngest, who had been crouching, frozen with +horror, behind the barrel, ran out through the open door into the +street. Without looking behind her, she hastened on and on, as +fast as her feet would carry her, till she saw an ogre's castle +standing in front of her. In a corner near the door she spied a +large pot, and she crept softly up to it and pulled the cover +over it, and went to sleep. + +By-and-by the ogre came home. 'Fee, Fo, Fum,' cried he, 'I smell +the smell of a man. What ill fate has brought him here?' And he +looked through all the rooms, and found nobody. 'Where are you?' +he called. 'Do not be afraid, I will do you no harm.' + +But the girl was still silent. + +'Come out, I tell you,' repeated the ogre. 'Your life is quite +safe. If you are an old man, you shall be my father. If you are a +boy, you shall be my son. If your years are as many as mine, you +shall be my brother. If you are an old woman, you shall be my +mother. If you are a young one, you shall be my daughter. If you +are middle-aged, you shall be my wife. So come out, and fear +nothing.' + +Then the maiden came out of her hiding-place, and stood before +him. + +'Fear nothing,' said the ogre again; and when he went away to +hunt he left her to look after the house. In the evening he +returned, bringing with him hares, partridges, and gazelles, for +the girl's supper; for himself he only cared for the flesh of +men, which she cooked for him. He also gave into her charge the +keys of six rooms, but the key of the seventh he kept himself. + +And time passed on, and the girl and the ogre still lived +together. + +She called him 'Father,' and he called her 'Daughter,' and never +once did he speak roughly to her. + +One day the maiden said to him, 'Father, give me the key of the +upper chamber.' + +'No, my daughter,' replied the ogre. 'There is nothing there that +is any use to you.' + +'But I want the key,' she repeated again. + +However the ogre took no notice, and pretended not to hear. The +girl began to cry, and said to herself: 'To-night, when he thinks +I am asleep, I will watch and see where he hides it;' and after +she and the ogre had supped, she bade him good-night, and left +the room. In a few minutes she stole quietly back, and watched +from behind a curtain. In a little while she saw the ogre take +the key from his pocket, and hide it in a hole in the ground +before he went to bed. And when all was still she took out the +key, and went back to the house. + +The next morning the ogre awoke with the first ray of light, and +the first thing he did was to look for the key. It was gone, and +he guessed at once what had become of it. + +But instead of getting into a great rage, as most ogres would +have done, he said to himself, 'If I wake the maiden up I shall +only frighten her. For to-day she shall keep the key, and when I +return to-night it will be time enough to take it from her.' So +he went off to hunt. + +The moment he was safe out of the way, the girl ran upstairs and +opened the door of the room, which was quite bare. The one window +was closed, and she threw back the lattice and looked out. +Beneath lay a garden which belonged to the prince, and in the +garden was an ox, who was drawing up water from the well all by +himself --for there was nobody to be seen anywhere. The ox raised +his head at the noise the girl made in opening the lattice, and +said to her, 'Good morning, O daughter of Buk Ettemsuch! Your +father is feeding you up till you are nice and fat, and then he +will put you on a spit and cook you.' + +These words so frightened the maiden that she burst into tears +and ran out of the room. All day she wept, and when the ogre came +home at night, no supper was ready for him. + +'What are you crying for?' said he. 'Where is my supper, and is +it you who have opened the upper chamber?' + +'Yes, I opened it,' answered she. + +'And what did the ox say to you?' + +'He said, "Good morning, O daughter of Buk Ettemsuch. Your father +is feeding you up till you are nice and fat, and then he will put +you on a spit and cook you."' + +'Well, to-morrow you can go to the window and say, "My father is +feeding me up till I am nice and fat, but he does not mean to eat +me. If I had one of your eyes I would use it for a mirror, and +look at myself before and behind; and your girths should be +loosened, and you should be blind--seven days and seven nights."' + +'All right,' replied the girl, and the next morning, when the ox +spoke to her, she answered him as she had been told, and he fell +down straight upon the ground, and lay there seven days and seven +nights. But the flowers in the garden withered, for there was no +one to water them. + +When the prince came into his garden he found nothing but yellow +stalks; in the midst of them the ox was lying. With a blow from +his sword he killed the animal, and, turning to his attendants, +he said, 'Go and fetch another ox!' And they brought in a great +beast, and he drew the water out of the well, and the flowers +revived, and the grass grew green again. Then the prince called +his attendants and went away. + +The next morning the girl heard the noise of the waterwheel, and +she opened the lattice and looked out of the window. + +'Good morning, O daughter of Buk Ettemsuch!' said the new ox. +'Your father is feeding you up till you are nice and fat, and +then he will put you on a spit and cook you.' + +And the maiden answered: 'My father is feeding me up till I am +nice and fat, but he does not mean to eat me. If I had one of +your eyes I would use it for a mirror, and look at myself before +and behind; and your girths should be loosened, and you should be +blind--seven days and seven nights.' + +Directly she uttered these words the ox fell to the ground and +lay there, seven days and seven nights. Then he arose and began +to draw the water from the well. He had only turned the wheel +once or twice, when the prince took it into his head to visit his +garden and see how the new ox was getting on. When he entered the +ox was working busily; but in spite of that the flowers and grass +were dried up. And the prince drew his sword, and rushed at the +ox to slay him, as he had done the other. But the ox fell on his +knees and said: + +'My lord, only spare my life, and let me tell you how it +happened.' + +'How what happened?' asked the prince. + +'My lord, a girl looked out of that window and spoke a few words +to me, and I fell to the ground. For seven days and seven nights +I lay there, unable to move. But, O my lord, it is not given to +us twice to behold beauty such as hers.' + +'It is a lie,' said the prince. 'An ogre dwells there. Is it +likely that he keeps a maiden in his upper chamber?' + +'Why not?' replied the ox. 'But if you come here at dawn +to-morrow, and hide behind that tree, you will see for yourself.' + +'So I will,' said the prince; 'and if I find that you have not +spoken truth, I will kill you.' + +The prince left the garden, and the ox went on with his work. +Next morning the prince came early to the garden, and found the +ox busy with the waterwheel. + +'Has the girl appeared yet?' he asked. + +'Not yet; but she will not be long. Hide yourself in the branches +of that tree, and you will soon see her.' + +The prince did as he was told, and scarcely was he seated when +the maiden threw open the lattice. + +'Good morning, O daughter of Buk Ettemsuch!' said the ox. 'Your +father is feeding you up till you are nice and fat, and then he +will put you on a spit and cook you.' + +'My father is feeding me up till I am nice and fat, but he does +not mean to eat me. If I had one of your eyes I would use it for +a mirror, and look at myself before and behind; and your girths +should be loosened, and you should be blind--seven days and seven +nights.' And hardly had she spoken when the ox fell on the +ground, and the maiden shut the lattice and went away. But the +prince knew that what the ox had said was true, and that she had +not her equal in the whole world. And he came down from the tree, +his heart burning with love. + +'Why has the ogre not eaten her?' thought he. 'This night I will +invite him to supper in my palace and question him about the +maiden, and find out if she is his wife.' + +So the prince ordered a great ox to be slain and roasted whole, +and two huge tanks to be made, one filled with water and the +other with wine. And towards evening he called his attendants and +went to the ogre's house to wait in the courtyard till he came +back from hunting. The ogre was surprised to see so many people +assembled in front of his house; but he bowed politely and said, +'Good morning, dear neighbours! To what do I owe the pleasure of +this visit? I have not offended you, I hope?' + +'Oh, certainly not!' answered the prince. + +'Then,' continued the ogre, 'What has brought you to my house +to-day for the first time?' + +'We should like to have supper with you,' said the prince. + +'Well, supper is ready, and you are welcome,' replied the ogre, +leading the way into the house, for he had had a good day, and +there was plenty of game in the bag over his shoulder. + +A table was quickly prepared, and the prince had already taken +his place, when he suddenly exclaimed, 'After all, Buk Ettemsuch, +suppose you come to supper with me?' + +'Where?' asked the ogre. + +'In my house. I know it is all ready.' + +'But it is so far off--why not stay here?' + +'Oh, I will come another day; but this evening I must be your +host.' + +So the ogre accompanied the prince and his attendants back to the +palace. After a while the prince turned to the ogre and said: + +'It is as a wooer that I appear before you. I seek a wife from an +honourable family.' + +'But I have no daughter,' replied the ogre. + +'Oh, yes you have, I saw her at the window.' + +'Well, you can marry her if you wish,' said he. + +So the prince's heart was glad as he and his attendants rode back +with the ogre to his house. And as they parted, the prince said +to his guest, 'You will not forget the bargain we have made?' + +'I am not a young man, and never break my promises,' said the +ogre, and went in and shut the door. + +Upstairs he found the maiden, waiting till he returned to have +her supper, for she did not like eating by herself. + +'I have had my supper,' said the ogre, 'for I have been spending +the evening with the prince.' + +'Where did you meet him?' asked the girl. + +'Oh, we are neighbours, and grew up together, and to-night I +promised that you should be his wife.' + +'I don't want to be any man's wife,' answered she; but this was +only pretence, for her heart too was glad. + +Next morning early came the prince, bringing with him bridal +gifts, and splendid wedding garments, to carry the maiden back to +his palace. + +But before he let her go the ogre called her to him, and said, +'Be careful, girl, never to speak to the prince; and when he +speaks to you, you must be dumb, unless he swears "by the head of +Buk Ettemsuch." Then you may speak.' + +'Very well,' answered the girl. + +They set out; and when they reached the palace, the prince led +his bride to the room he had prepared for her, and said 'Speak to +me, my wife,' but she was silent; and by-and-by he left her, +thinking that perhaps she was shy. The next day the same thing +happened, and the next. + +At last he said, 'Well, if you won't speak, I shall go and get +another wife who will.' And he did. + +Now when the new wife was brought to the palace the daughter of +Buk Ettemsuch rose, and spoke to the ladies who had come to +attend on the second bride. 'Go and sit down. I will make ready +the feast.' And the ladies sat down as they were told, and +waited. + +The maiden sat down too, and called out, 'Come here, firewood,' +and the firewood came. 'Come here, fire,' and the fire came and +kindled the wood. 'Come here, pot.' 'Come here, oil;' and the pot +and the oil came. 'Get into the pot, oil!' said she, and the oil +did it. When the oil was boiling, the maiden dipped all her +fingers in it, and they became ten fried fishes. 'Come here, +oven,' she cried next, and the oven came. 'Fire, heat the oven.' +And the fire heated it. When it was hot enough, the maiden jumped +in, just as she was, with her beautiful silver and gold dress, +and all her jewels. In a minute or two she had turned into a +snow-white loaf, that made your mouth water. + +Said the loaf to the ladies, 'You can eat now; do not stand so +far off;' but they only stared at each other, speechless with +surprise. + +'What are you staring at?' asked the new bride. + +'At all these wonders,' replied the ladies. + +'Do you call these wonders?' said she scornfully; 'I can do that +too,' and she jumped straight into the oven, and was burnt up in +a moment. + +Then they ran to the prince and said: 'Come quickly, your wife is +dead!' + +'Bury her, then!' returned he. 'But why did she do it? I am sure +I said nothing to make her throw herself into the oven.' + +Accordingly the burnt woman was buried, but the prince would not +go to the funeral as all his thoughts were still with the wife +who would not speak to him. The next night he said to her, 'Dear +wife, are you afraid that something dreadful will happen if you +speak to me? If you still persist in being dumb, I shall be +forced to get another wife.' The poor girl longed to speak, but +dread of the ogre kept her silent, and the prince did as he had +said, and brought a fresh bride into the palace. And when she and +her ladies were seated in state, the maiden planted a sharp stake +in the ground, and sat herself down comfortably on it, and began +to spin. + +'What are you staring at so?' said the new bride to her ladies. +'Do you think that is anything wonderful? Why, I can do as much +myself!' + +'I am sure you can't,' said they, much too surprised to be +polite. + +Then the maid sprang off the stake and left the room, and +instantly the new wife took her place. But the sharp stake ran +through, and she was dead in a moment. So they sent to the prince +and said, 'Come quickly, and bury your wife.' + +'Bury her yourselves,' he answered. 'What did she do it for? It +was not by my orders that she impaled herself on the stake.' + +So they buried her; and in the evening the prince came to the +daughter of Buk Ettemsuch, and said to her, 'Speak to me, or I +shall have to take another wife.' But she was afraid to speak to +him. + +The following day the prince hid himself in the room and watched. +And soon the maiden woke, and said to the pitcher and to the +water-jug, 'Quick! go down to the spring and bring me some water; +I am thirsty.' + +And they went. But as they were filling themselves at the spring, +the water-jug knocked against the pitcher and broke off its +spout. And the pitcher burst into tears, and ran to the maiden, +and said: 'Mistress, beat the water-jug, for he has broken my +spout!' + +'By the head of Buk Ettemsuch, I implore you not to beat me!' + +'Ah,' she replied, 'if only my husband had sworn by that oath, I +could have spoken to him from the beginning, and he need never +have taken another wife. But now he will never say it, and he +will have to go on marrying fresh ones.' + +And the prince, from his hiding-place, heard her words, and he +jumped up and ran to her and said, 'By the head of Buk Ettemsuch, +speak to me.' + +So she spoke to him, and they lived happily to the end of their +days, because the girl kept the promise she had made to the ogre. + +[Märchen und Gedichte aus der Stadt Tripolis. Von Hans Stumme.] + + + + + + Laughing Eye and Weeping Eye, or the Limping Fox + + (Servian Story) + + + +Once upon a time there lived a man whose right eye always smiled, +and whose left eye always cried; and this man had three sons, two +of them very clever, and the third very stupid. Now these three +sons were very curious about the peculiarity of their father's +eyes, and as they could not puzzle out the reason for themselves, +they determined to ask their father why he did not have eyes like +other people. + +So the eldest of the three went one day into his father's room +and put the question straight out; but, instead of answering, the +man flew into a fearful rage, and sprang at him with a knife. The +young fellow ran away in a terrible fright, and took refuge with +his brothers, who were awaiting anxiously the result of the +interview. + +‘You had better go yourselves,' was all the reply they got, ‘and +see if you will fare any better.' + +Upon hearing this, the second son entered his father's room, only +to be treated in the same manner as his brother; and back he came +telling the youngest, the fool of the family, that it was his +turn to try his luck. + +Then the youngest son marched boldly up to his father and said to +him, ‘My brothers would not let me know what answer you had given +to their question. But now, do tell me why your right eye always +laughs and your left eye always weeps.' + +As before, the father grew purple with fury, and rushed forwards +with his knife. But the simpleton did not stir a step; he knew +that he had really nothing to fear from his father. + +‘Ah, now I see who is my true son,' exclaimed the old man; ‘the +others are mere cowards. And as you have shown me that you are +brave, I will satisfy your curiosity. My right eye laughs because +I am glad to have a son like you; my left eye weeps because a +precious treasure has been stolen from me. I had in my garden a +vine that yielded a tun of wine every hour--someone has managed +to steal it, so I weep its loss.' + +The simpleton returned to his brothers and told them of their +father's loss, and they all made up their minds to set out at +once in search of the vine. They travelled together till they +came to some cross roads, and there they parted, the two elder +ones taking one road, and the simpleton the other. + +‘Thank goodness we have got rid of that idiot,' exclaimed the two +elder. ‘Now let us have some breakfast.' And they sat down by the +roadside and began to eat. + +They had only half finished, when a lame fox came out of a wood +and begged them to give him something to eat. But they jumped up +and chased him off with their sticks, and the poor fox limped +away on his three pads. As he ran he reached the spot where the +youngest son was getting out the food he had brought with him, +and the fox asked him for a crust of bread. The simpleton had not +very much for himself, but he gladly gave half of his meal to the +hungry fox. + +‘Where are you going, brother?' said the fox, when he had +finished his share of the bread; and the young man told him the +story of his father and the wonderful vine. + +‘Dear me, how lucky!' said the fox. ‘I know what has become of +it. Follow me!' So they went on till they came to the gate of a +large garden. + +‘You will find here the vine that you are seeking, but it will +not be at all easy to get it. You must listen carefully to what I +am going to say. Before you reach the vine you will have to pass +twelve outposts, each consisting of two guards. If you see these +guards looking straight at you, go on without fear, for they are +asleep. But if their eyes are shut then beware, for they are wide +awake. If you once get to the vine, you will find two shovels, +one of wood and the other of iron. Be sure not to take the iron +one; it will make a noise and rouse the guards, and then you are +lost.' + +The young man got safely through the garden without any +adventures till he came to the vine which yielded a tun of wine +an hour. But he thought he should find it impossible to dig the +hard earth with only a wooden shovel, so picked up the iron one +instead. The noise it made soon awakened the guards. They seized +the poor simpleton and carried him to their master. + +‘Why do you try to steal my vine?' demanded he; ‘and how did you +manage to get past the guards?' + +‘The vine is not yours; it belongs to my father, and if you will +not give it to me now, I will return and get it somehow.' + +‘You shall have the vine if you will bring me in exchange an +apple off the golden apple-tree that flowers every twenty-four +hours, and bears fruit of gold.' So saying, he gave orders that +the simpleton should be released, and this done, the youth +hurried off to consult the fox. + +‘Now you see,' observed the fox, ‘this comes of not following my +advice. However, I will help you to get the golden apple. It +grows in a garden that you will easily recognise from my +description. Near the apple-tree are two poles, one of gold, the +other of wood. Take the wooden pole, and you will be able to +reach the apple.' + +Master Simpleton listened carefully to all that was told him, and +after crossing the garden, and escaping as before from the men +who were watching it, soon arrived at the apple-tree. But he was +so dazzled by the sight of the beautiful golden fruit, that he +quite forgot all that the fox had said. He seized the golden +pole, and struck the branch a sounding blow. The guards at once +awoke, and conducted him to their master. Then the simpleton had +to tell his story. + +‘I will give you the golden apple,' said the owner of the garden, +‘if you will bring me in exchange a horse which can go round the +world in four-and-twenty hours.' And the young man departed, and +went to find the fox. + +This time the fox was really angry, and no wonder. + +‘If you had listened to me, you would have been home with your +father by this time. However I am willing to help you once more. +Go into the forest, and you will find the horse with two halters +round his neck. One is of gold, the other of hemp. Lead him by +the hempen halter, or else the horse will begin to neigh, and +will waken the guards. Then all is over with you.' + +So Master Simpleton searched till he found the horse, and was +struck dumb at its beauty. + +‘What!' he said to himself, ‘put the hempen halter on an animal +like that? Not I, indeed!' + +Then the horse neighed loudly; the guards seized our young friend +and conducted him before their master. + +‘I will give you the golden horse,' said he, ‘if you will bring +me in exchange a golden maiden who has never yet seen either sun +or moon.' + +‘But if I am to bring you the golden maiden you must lend me +first the golden steed with which to seek for her.' + +‘Ah,' replied the owner of the golden horse, ‘but who will +undertake that you will ever come back?' + +‘I swear on the head of my father,' answered the young man, ‘that +I will bring back either the maiden or the horse.' And he went +away to consult the fox. + +Now, the fox who was always patient and charitable to other +people's faults, led him to the entrance of a deep grotto, where +stood a maiden all of gold, and beautiful as the day. He placed +her on his horse and prepared to mount. + +‘Are you not sorry,' said the fox, ‘to give such a lovely maiden +in exchange for a horse? Yet you are bound to do it, for you have +sworn by the head of your father. But perhaps I could manage to +take her place.' So saying, the fox transformed himself into +another golden maiden, so like the first that hardly anyone could +tell the difference between them. + +The simpleton took her straight to the owner of the horse, who +was enchanted with her. + +And the young man got back his father's vine and married the real +golden maiden into the bargain. + +[Contes Populaires Slaves. Traduits par Louis Léger. Paris: +Ernest Leroux, éditeur.] + + + + + + The Unlooked-for Prince + + (Polish Story) + + + +A long time ago there lived a king and queen who had no children, +although they both wished very much for a little son. They tried +not to let each other see how unhappy they were, and pretended to +take pleasure in hunting and hawking and all sorts of other +sports; but at length the king could bear it no longer, and +declared that he must go and visit the furthest corners of his +kingdom, and that it would be many months before he should return +to his capital. + +By that time he hoped he would have so many things to think about +that he would have forgotten to trouble about the little son who +never came. + +The country the king reigned over was very large, and full of +high, stony mountains and sandy deserts, so that it was not at +all easy to go from one place to another. One day the king had +wandered out alone, meaning to go only a little distance, but +everything looked so alike he could not make out the path by +which he had come. He walked on and on for hours, the sun beating +hotly on his head, and his legs trembling under him, and he might +have died of thirst if he had not suddenly stumbled on a little +well, which looked as if it had been newly dug. On the surface +floated a silver cup with a golden handle, but as it bobbed about +whenever the king tried to seize it, he was too thirsty to wait +any longer and knelt down and drank his fill. + +When he had finished he began to rise from his knees, but somehow +his beard seemed to have stuck fast in the water, and with all +his efforts he could not pull it out. After two or three jerks to +his head, which only hurt him without doing any good, he called +out angrily, ‘Let go at once! Who is holding me?' + +‘It is I, the King Kostiei,' said a voice from the well, and +looking up through the water was a little man with green eyes and +a big head. ‘You have drunk from my spring, and I shall not let +you go until you promise to give me the most precious thing your +palace contains, which was not there when you left it.' + +Now the only thing that the king much cared for in his palace was +the queen herself, and as she was weeping bitterly on a pile of +cushions in the great hall when he had ridden away, he knew that +Kostiei's words could not apply to her. So he cheerfully gave the +promise asked for by the ugly little man, and in the twinkling of +an eye, man, spring, and cup had disappeared, and the king was +left kneeling on the dry sand, wondering if it was all a dream. +But as he felt much stronger and better he made up his mind that +this strange adventure must really have happened, and he sprang +on his horse and rode off with a light heart to look for his +companions. + +In a few weeks they began to set out on their return home, which +they reached one hot day, eight months after they had all left. +The king was greatly beloved by his people, and crowds lined the +roads, shouting and waving their hats as the procession passed +along. On the steps of the palace stood the queen, with a +splendid golden cushion in her arms, and on the cushion the most +beautiful boy that ever was seen, wrapped about in a cloud of +lace. In a moment Kostiei's words rushed into the king's mind, +and he began to weep bitterly, to the surprise of everybody, who +had expected him nearly to die of joy at the sight of his son. +But try as he would and work as hard as he might he could never +forget his promise, and every time he let the baby out of his +sight he thought that he had seen it for the last time. + +However, years passed on and the prince grew first into a big +boy, and then into a fine young man. Kostiei made no sign, and +gradually even the anxious king thought less and less about him, +and in the end forgot him altogether. + +There was no family in the whole kingdom happier than the king +and queen and prince, until one day when the youth met a little +old man as he was hunting in a lonely part of the woods. ‘How +are you my unlooked-for Prince?' he said. ‘You kept them waiting +a good long time!' + +‘And who are you?' asked the prince. + +‘You will know soon enough. When you go home give my compliments +to your father and tell him that I wish he would square accounts +with me. If he neglects to pay his debts he will bitterly repent +it.' + +So saying the old man disappeared, and the prince returned to the +palace and told his father what had happened. + +The king turned pale and explained to his son the terrible story. + +‘Do not grieve over it, father,' answered the prince. ‘It is +nothing so dreadful after all! I will find some way to force +Kostiei to give up his rights over me. But if I do not come back +in a year's time, you must give up all hopes of ever seeing me.' + +Then the prince began to prepare for his journey. His father gave +him a complete suit of steel armour, a sword, and a horse, while +his mother hung round his neck a cross of gold. So, kissing him +tenderly, with many tears they let him go. + +He rode steadily on for three days, and at sunset on the fourth +day he found himself on the seashore. On the sand before him lay +twelve white dresses, dazzling as the snow, yet as far as his +eyes could reach there was no one in sight to whom they could +belong. Curious to see what would happen, he took up one of the +garments, and leaving his horse loose, to wander about the +adjoining fields, he hid himself among some willows and waited. +In a few minutes a flock of geese which had been paddling about +in the sea approached the shore, and put on the dresses, struck +the sand with their feet and were transformed in the twinkling of +an eye into eleven beautiful young girls, who flew away as fast +as they could. The twelfth and youngest remained in the water, +stretching out her long white neck and looking about her +anxiously. Suddenly, among the willows, she perceived the king's +son, and called out to him with a human voice: + +‘Oh Prince, give me back my dress, and I shall be for ever +grateful to you.' + +The prince hastened to lay the dress on the sand, and walked +away. When the maiden had thrown off the goose-skin and quickly +put on her proper clothes, she came towards him and he saw that +none had ever seen or told of such beauty as hers. She blushed +and held out her hand, saying to him in a soft voice: + +‘I thank you, noble Prince, for having granted my request. I am +the youngest daughter of Kostiei the immortal, who has twelve +daughters and rules over the kingdoms under the earth. Long time +my father has waited for you, and great is his anger. But trouble +not yourself and fear nothing, only do as I bid you. When you see +the King Kostiei, fall straightway upon your knees and heed +neither his threats nor his cry, but draw near to him boldly. +That which will happen after, you will know in time. Now let us +go.' + +At these words she struck the ground with her foot and a gulf +opened, down which they went right into the heart of the earth. +In a short time they reached Kostiei's palace, which gives light, +with a light brighter than the sun, to the dark kingdoms below. +And the prince, as he had been bidden, entered boldly into the +hall. + +Kostiei, with a shining crown upon his head, sat in the centre +upon a golden throne. His green eyes glittered like glass, his +hands were as the claws of a crab. When he caught sight of the +prince he uttered piercing yells, which shook the walls of the +palace. The prince took no notice, but continued his advance on +his knees towards the throne. When he had almost reached it, the +king broke out into a laugh and said: + +‘It has been very lucky for you that you have been able to make +me laugh. Stay with us in our underground empire, only first you +will have to do three things. To-night it is late. Go to sleep; +to-morrow I will tell you.' + +Early the following morning the prince received a message that +Kostiei was ready to see him. He got up and dressed, and hastened +to the presence chamber, where the little king was seated on his +throne. When the prince appeared, bowing low before him, Kostiei +began: + +‘Now, Prince, this is what you have to do. By to-night you must +build me a marble palace, with windows of crystal and a roof of +gold. It is to stand in the middle of a great park, full of +streams and lakes. If you are able to build it you shall be my +friend. If not, off with your head.' + +The prince listened in silence to this startling speech, and then +returning to his room set himself to think about the certain +death that awaited him. He was quite absorbed in these thoughts, +when suddenly a bee flew against the window and tapped, saying, +‘Let me come in.' He rose and opened the window, and there stood +before him the youngest princess. + +‘What are you dreaming about, Prince?' + +‘I was dreaming of your father, who has planned my death.' + +‘Fear nothing. You may sleep in peace, and to-morrow morning when +you awake you will find the palace all ready.' + +What she said, she did. The next morning when the prince left his +room he saw before him a palace more beautiful than his fancy had +ever pictured. Kostiei for his part could hardly believe his +eyes, and pondered deeply how it had got there. + +‘Well, this time you have certainly won; but you are not going to +be let off so easily. To-morrow all my twelve daughters shall +stand in a row before you, and if you cannot tell me which of +them is the youngest, off goes your head.' + +‘What! Not recognise the youngest princess!' said the Prince to +himself, as he entered his room, ‘a likely story!' + +‘It is such a difficult matter that you will never be able to do +it without my help,' replied the bee, who was buzzing about the +ceiling. ‘We are all so exactly alike, that even our father +scarcely knows the difference between us.' + +‘Then what must I do?' + +‘This. The youngest is she who will have a ladybird on her +eyelid. Be very careful. Now good-bye.' + +Next morning King Kostiei again sent for the prince. The young +princesses were all drawn up in a row, dressed precisely in the +same manner, and with their eyes all cast down. As the prince +looked at them, he was amazed at their likeness. Twice he walked +along the line, without being able to detect the sign agreed +upon. The third time his heart beat fast at the sight of a tiny +speck upon the eyelid of one of the girls. + +‘This one is the youngest,' he said. + +‘How in the world did you guess?' cried Kostiei in a fury. ‘There +is some jugglery about it! But you are not going to escape me so +easily. In three hours you shall come here and give me another +proof of your cleverness. I shall set alight a handful of straw, +and before it is burnt up you will have turned it into a pair of +boots. If not, off goes your head.' + +So the prince returned sadly into his room, but the bee was there +before him. + +‘Why do you look so melancholy, my handsome Prince?' + +‘How can I help looking melancholy when your father has ordered +me to make him a pair of boots? Does he take me for a shoemaker?' + +‘What do you think of doing?' + +‘Not of making boots, at any rate! I am not afraid of death. One +can only die once after all.' + +‘No, Prince, you shall not die. I will try to save you. And we +will fly together or die together.' + +As she spoke she spat upon the ground, and then drawing the +prince after her out of the room, she locked the door behind her +and threw away the key. Holding each other tight by the hand, +they made their way up into the sunlight, and found themselves by +the side of the same sea, while the prince's horse was still +quietly feeding in the neighbouring meadow. The moment he saw his +master, the horse whinnied and galloped towards him. Without +losing an instant the prince sprang into the saddle, swung the +princess behind him, and away they went like an arrow from a bow. + +When the hour arrived which Kostiei had fixed for the prince's +last trial, and there were no signs of him, the king sent to his +room to ask why he delayed so long. The servants, finding the +door locked, knocked loudly and received for answer, ‘In one +moment.' It was the spittle, which was imitating the voice of the +prince. + +The answer was taken back to Kostiei. He waited; still no prince. +He sent the servants back again, and the same voice replied, +‘Immediately.' + +‘He is making fun of me!' shrieked Kostiei in a rage. ‘Break in +the door, and bring him to me!' + +The servants hurried to do his bidding. The door was broken open. +Nobody inside; but just the spittle in fits of laughter! Kostiei +was beside himself with rage, and commanded his guards to ride +after the fugitives. If the guards returned without the +fugitives, their heads should pay for it. + +By this time the prince and princess had got a good start, and +were feeling quite happy, when suddenly they heard the sound of a +gallop far behind them. The prince sprang from the saddle, and +laid his ear to the ground. + +‘They are pursuing us,' he said. + +‘Then there is no time to be lost,' answered the princess; and as +she spoke she changed herself into a river, the prince into a +bridge, the horse into a crow, and divided the wide road beyond +the bridge into three little ones. When the soldiers came up to +the bridge, they paused uncertainly. How were they to know which +of the three roads the fugitives had taken? They gave it up in +despair and returned in trembling to Kostiei. + +‘Idiots!' he exclaimed, in a passion. ‘They were the bridge and +the river, of course! Do you mean to say you never thought of +that? Go back at once!' and off they galloped like lightning. + +But time had been lost, and the prince and princess were far on +their way. + +‘I hear a horse,' cried the princess. + +The prince jumped down and laid his ear to the ground. + +‘Yes,' he said, ‘they are not far off now.' + +In an instant prince, princess, and horse had all disappeared, +and instead was a dense forest, crossed and recrossed by +countless paths. Kostiei's soldiers dashed hastily into the +forest, believing they saw before them the flying horse with its +double burden. They seemed close upon them, when suddenly horse, +wood, everything disappeared, and they found themselves at the +place where they started. There was nothing for it but to return +to Kostiei, and tell him of this fresh disaster. + +‘A horse! a horse!' cried the king. ‘I will go after them myself. +This time they shall not escape.' And he galloped off, foaming +with anger. + +‘I think I hear someone pursuing us,' said the princess + +‘Yes, so do I.' + +‘And this time it is Kostiei himself. But his power only reaches +as far as the first church, and he can go no farther. Give me +your golden cross.' So the prince unfastened the cross which was +his mother's gift, and the princess hastily changed herself into +a church, the prince into a priest, and the horse into a belfry. + +It was hardly done when Kostiei came up. + +‘Greeting, monk. Have you seen some travellers on horseback pass +this way?' + +‘Yes, the prince and Kostiei's daughter have just gone by. They +have entered the church, and told me to give you their greetings +if I met you.' + +Then Kostiei knew that he had been hopelessly beaten, and the +prince and princess continued their journey without any more +adventures. + +[Contes Populaires Slaves. Traduits par Louis Léger. Paris: +Leroux, éditeur.] + + + + + + The Simpleton + + + +There lived, once upon a time, a man who was as rich as he could +be; but as no happiness in this world is ever quite complete, he +had an only son who was such a simpleton that he could barely add +two and two together. At last his father determined to put up +with his stupidity no longer, and giving him a purse full of +gold, he sent him off to seek his fortune in foreign lands, +mindful of the adage: + + How much a fool that's sent to roam + Excels a fool that stays at home. + +Moscione, for this was the youth's name, mounted a horse, and set +out for Venice, hoping to find a ship there that would take him +to Cairo. After he had ridden for some time he saw a man standing +at the foot of a poplar tree, and said to him: ‘What's your name, +my friend; where do you come from, and what can you do?' + +The man replied, ‘My name is Quick-as-Thought, I come from +Fleet-town, and I can run like lightning.' + +‘I should like to see you,' returned Moscione. + +‘Just wait a minute, then,' said Quick-as-Thought, ‘and I will +soon show you that I am speaking the truth.' + +The words were hardly out of his mouth when a young doe ran right +across the field they were standing in. + +Quick-as-Thought let her run on a short distance, in order to +give her a start, and then pursued her so quickly and so lightly +that you could not have tracked his footsteps if the field had +been strewn with flour. In a very few springs he had overtaken +the doe, and had so impressed Moscione with his fleetness of foot +that he begged Quick-as-Thought to go with him, promising at the +same time to reward him handsomely. + +Quick-as-Thought agreed to his proposal, and they continued on +their journey together. They had hardly gone a mile when they met +a young man, and Moscione stopped and asked him: ‘What's your +name, my friend; where do you come from, and what can you do?' + +The man thus addressed answered promptly, ‘I am called +Hare's-ear, I come from Curiosity Valley, and if I lay my ear on +the ground, without moving from the spot, I can hear everything +that goes on in the world, the plots and intrigues of court and +cottage, and all the plans of mice and men.' + +‘If that's the case,' replied Moscione, ‘just tell me what's +going on in my own home at present.' + +The youth laid his ear to the ground and at once reported: ‘An +old man is saying to his wife, "Heaven be praised that we have +got rid of Moscione, for perhaps, when he has been out in the +world a little, he may gain some common sense, and return home +less of a fool than when he set out."' + +‘Enough, enough,' cried Moscione. ‘You speak the truth, and I +believe you. Come with us, and your fortune's made.' + +The young man consented; and after they had gone about ten miles, +they met a third man, to whom Moscione said: ‘What's your name, +my brave fellow; where were you born, and what can you do?' + +The man replied, ‘I am called Hit-the-Point, I come from the city +of Perfect-aim, and I draw my bow so exactly that I can shoot a +pea off a stone.' + +‘I should like to see you do it, if you've no objection,' said +Moscione. + +The man at once placed a pea on a stone, and, drawing his bow, he +shot it in the middle with the greatest possible ease. + +When Moscione saw that he had spoken the truth, he immediately +asked Hit-the-Point to join his party. + +After they had all travelled together for some days, they came +upon a number of people who were digging a trench in the blazing +sun. + +Moscione felt so sorry for them, that he said: ‘My dear friends, +how can you endure working so hard in heat that would cook an egg +in a minute?' + +But one of the workmen answered: ‘We are as fresh as daisies, for +we have a young man among us who blows on our backs like the west +wind.' + +‘Let me see him,' said Moscione. + +The youth was called, and Moscione asked him: ‘What's your name; +where do you come from, and what can you do?' + +He answered: ‘I am called Blow-Blast, I come from Wind-town, and +with my mouth I can make any winds you please. If you wish a west +wind I can raise it for you in a second, but if you prefer a +north wind I can blow these houses down before your eyes.' + +‘Seeing is believing,' returned the cautious Moscione. + +Blow-Blast at once began to convince him of the truth of his +assertion. First he blew so softly that it seemed like the gentle +breeze at evening, and then he turned round and raised such a +mighty storm, that he blew down a whole row of oak trees. + +When Moscione saw this he was delighted, and begged Blow-Blast to +join his company. And as they went on their way they met another +man, whom Moscione addressed as usual: ‘What's your name: where +do you come from, and what can you do?' + +‘I am called Strong-Back; I come from Power-borough, and I +possess such strength that I can take a mountain on my back, and +it seems a feather to me.' + +‘If that's the case,' said Moscione, ‘you are a clever fellow; +but I should like some proof of your strength.' + +Then Strong-Back loaded himself with great boulders of rock and +trunks of trees, so that a hundred waggons could not have taken +away all that he carried on his back. + +When Moscione saw this he prevailed on Strong-Back to join his +troop, and they all continued their journey till they came to a +country called Flower Vale. Here there reigned a king whose only +daughter ran as quickly as the wind, and so lightly that she +could run over a field of young oats without bending a single +blade. The king had given out a proclamation that anyone who +could beat the princess in a race should have her for a wife, but +that all who failed in the competition should lose their head. + +As soon as Moscione heard of the Royal Proclamation, he hastened +to the king and challenged the princess to race with him. But on +the morning appointed for the trial he sent word to the king that +he was not feeling well, and that as he could not run himself he +would supply someone to take his place. + +‘It's just the same to me,' said Canetella, the princess; ‘let +anyone come forward that likes, I am quite prepared to meet him.' + +At the time appointed for the race the whole place was crowded +with people anxious to see the contest, and, punctual to the +moment, Quick-as-Thought, and Canetella dressed in a short skirt +and very lightly shod, appeared at the starting-point. + +Then a silver trumpet sounded, and the two rivals started on +their race, looking for all the world like a greyhound chasing a +hare. + +But Quick-as-Thought, true to his name, outran the princess, and +when the goal was reached the people all clapped their hands and +shouted, ‘Long live the stranger!' + +Canetella was much depressed by her defeat; but, as the race had +to be run a second time, she determined she would not be beaten +again. Accordingly she went home and sent Quick-as-Thought a +magic ring, which prevented the person who wore it, not only from +running, but even from walking, and begged that he would wear it +for her sake. + +Early next morning the crowd assembled on the race-course, and +Canetella and Quick as-Thought began their trial afresh. The +princess ran as quickly as ever, but poor Quick-as-Thought was +like an overloaded donkey, and could not go a step. + +Then Hit-the-Point, who had heard all about the princess's +deception from Hare's-ear, when he saw the danger his friend was +in, seized his bow and arrow and shot the stone out of the ring +Quick-as-Thought was wearing. In a moment the youth's legs became +free again, and in five bounds he had overtaken Canetella and won +the race. + +The king was much disgusted when he saw that he must acknowledge +Moscione as his future son-in-law, and summoned the wise men of +his court to ask if there was no way out of the difficulty. The +council at once decided that Canetella was far too dainty a +morsel for the mouth of such a travelling tinker, and advised the +king to offer Moscione a present of gold, which no doubt a beggar +like him would prefer to all the wives in the world. + +The king was delighted at this suggestion, and calling Moscione +before him, he asked him what sum of money he would take instead +of his promised bride. + +Moscione first consulted with his friends, and then answered: ‘I +demand as much gold and precious stones as my followers can carry +away.' + +The king thought he was being let off very easily, and produced +coffers of gold, sacks of silver, and chests of precious stones; +but the more Strong-Back was loaded with the treasure the +straighter he stood. + +At last the treasury was quite exhausted, and the king had to +send his courtiers to his subjects to collect all the gold and +silver they possessed. But nothing was of any avail, and +Strong-Back only asked for more. + +When the king's counsellors saw the unexpected result of their +advice, they said it would be more than foolish to let some +strolling thieves take so much treasure out of the country, and +urged the king to send a troop of soldiers after them, to recover +the gold and precious stones. + +So the king sent a body of armed men on foot and horse, to take +back the treasure Strong-Back was carrying away with him. + +But Hare's-ear, who had heard what the counsellors had advised +the king, told his companions just as the dust of their pursuers +was visible on the horizon. + +No sooner had Blow-Blast taken in their danger than he raised +such a mighty wind that all the king's army was blown down like +so many nine-pins, and as they were quite unable to get up again, +Moscione and. his companions proceeded on their way without +further let or hindrance. + +As soon as they reached his home, Moscione divided his spoil with +his companions, at which they were much delighted. He, himself, +stayed with his father, who was obliged at last to acknowledge +that his son was not quite such a fool as he looked. + +[From the Italian, Kletke.] + + + + + + The Street Musicians + + + +A man once possessed a donkey which had served him faithfully for +many years, but at last the poor beast grew old and feeble, and +every day his work became more of a burden. As he was no longer +of any use, his master made up his mind to shoot him; but when +the donkey learnt the fate that was in store for him, he +determined not to die, but to run away to the nearest town and +there to become a street musician. + +When he had trotted along for some distance he came upon a +greyhound lying on the road, and panting for dear life. ‘Well, +brother,' said the donkey, ‘what's the matter with you? You look +rather tired.' + +‘So I am,' replied the dog, ‘but because I am getting old and am +growing weaker every day, and cannot go out hunting any longer, +my master wanted to poison me; and, as life is still sweet, I +have taken leave of him. But how I am to earn my own livelihood I +haven't a notion.' + +‘Well,' said the donkey, ‘I am on my way to the nearest big town, +where I mean to become a street musician. Why don't you take up +music as a profession and come along with me? I'll play the flute +and you can play the kettle-drum.' + +The greyhound was quite pleased at the idea, and the two set off +together. When they had gone a short distance they met a cat with +a face as long as three rainy days. ‘Now, what has happened to +upset your happiness, friend puss?' inquired the donkey. + +‘It's impossible to look cheerful when one feels depressed,' +answered the cat. ‘I am well up in years now, and have lost most +of my teeth; consequently I prefer sitting in front of the fire +to catching mice, and so my old mistress wanted to drown me. I +have no wish to die yet, so I ran away from her; but good advice +is expensive, and I don't know where I am to go to, or what I am +to do.' + +‘Come to the nearest big town with us,' said the donkey, ‘and try +your fortune as a street musician. I know what sweet music you +make at night, so you are sure to be a success.' + +The cat was delighted with the donkey's proposal, and they all +continued their journey together. In a short time they came to +the courtyard of an inn, where they found a cock crowing lustily. +‘What in the world is the matter with you?' asked the donkey. +‘The noise you are making is enough to break the drums of our +ears.' + +‘I am only prophesying good weather,' said the cock; ‘for +to-morrow is a feast day, and just because it is a holiday and a +number of people are expected at the inn, the landlady has given +orders for my neck to be wrung to-night, so that I may be made +into soup for to-morrow's dinner.' + +‘I'll tell you what, redcap,' said the donkey; ‘you had much +better come with us to the nearest town. You have got a good +voice, and could join a street band we are getting up.' The cock +was much pleased with the idea, and the party proceeded on their +way. + +But the nearest big town was a long way off, and it took them +more than a day to reach it. In the evening they came to a wood, +and they made up their minds to go no further, but to spend the +night there. The donkey and the greyhound lay down under a big +tree, and the cat and the cock got up into the branches, the cock +flying right up to the topmost twig, where he thought he would be +safe from all danger. Before he went to sleep he looked round the +four points of the compass, and saw a little spark burning in the +distance. He called out to his companions that he was sure there +must be a house not far off, for he could see a light shining. + +When he heard this, the donkey said at, once: ‘Then we must get +up, and go and look for the house, for this is very poor +shelter.' And the greyhound added: ‘Yes; I feel I'd be all the +better for a few bones and a scrap or two of meat.' + +So they set out for the spot where the light was to be seen +shining faintly in the distance, but the nearer they approached +it the brighter it grew, till at last they came to a brilliantly +lighted house. The donkey being the biggest of the party, went to +the window and looked in. + +‘Well, greyhead, what do you see?' asked the cock. + +‘I see a well-covered table,' replied the donkey, ‘with excellent +food and drink, and several robbers are sitting round it, +enjoying themselves highly.' + +‘I wish we were doing the same,' said the cock. + +‘So do I,' answered the donkey. ‘Can't we think of some plan for +turning out the robbers, and taking possession of the house +ourselves?' + +So they consulted together what they were to do, and at last they +arranged that the donkey should stand at the window with his +fore-feet on the sill, that the greyhound should get on his back, +the cat on the dog's shoulder, and the cock on the cat's head. +When they had grouped themselves in this way, at a given signal, +they all began their different forms of music. The donkey brayed, +the greyhound barked, the cat miawed, and the cock crew. Then +they all scrambled through the window into the room, breaking the +glass into a thousand pieces as they did so. + +The robbers were all startled by the dreadful noise, and thinking +that some evil spirits at the least were entering the house, they +rushed out into the wood, their hair standing on end with terror. +The four companions, delighted with the success of their trick, +sat down at the table, and ate and drank all the food and wine +that the robbers had left behind them. + +When they had finished their meal they put out the lights, and +each animal chose a suitable sleeping-place. The donkey lay down +in the courtyard outside the house, the dog behind the door, the +cat in front of the fire, and the cock flew up on to a high +shelf, and, as they were all tired after their long day, they +soon went to sleep. + +Shortly after midnight, when the robbers saw that no light was +burning in the house and that all seemed quiet, the captain of +the band said: ‘We were fools to let ourselves be so easily +frightened away;' and, turning to one of his men, he ordered him +to go and see if all was safe. + +The man found everything in silence and darkness, and going into +the kitchen he thought he had better strike a light. He took a +match, and mistaking the fiery eyes of the cat for two glowing +coals, he tried to light his match with them. But the cat didn't +see the joke, and sprang at his face, spitting and scratching him +in the most vigorous manner. The man was terrified out of his +life, and tried to run out by the back door; but he stumbled over +the greyhound, which bit him in the leg. Yelling with pain he ran +across the courtyard only to receive a kick from the donkey's +hind leg as he passed him. In the meantime the cock had been +roused from his slumbers, and feeling very cheerful he called +out, from the, shelf where he was perched, ‘Kikeriki!' + +Then the robber hastened back to his captain and said: ‘Sir, +there is a dreadful witch in the house, who spat at me and +scratched my face with her long fingers; and before the door +there stands a man with a long knife, who cut my leg severely. In +the courtyard outside lies a black monster, who fell upon me with +a huge wooden club; and that is not all, for, sitting on the +roof, is a judge, who called out: "Bring the rascal to me." So I +fled for dear life.' + +After this the robbers dared not venture into the house again, +and they abandoned it for ever. But the four street musicians +were so delighted with their lodgings that they determined to +take up their abode in the robbers' house, and, for all I know to +the contrary, they may be living there to this day. + +[From the German, Kletke.] + + + + + + The Twin Brothers + + + +Once there was a fisherman who had plenty of money but no +children. One day an old woman came to his wife and said: ‘What +use is all your prosperity to you when you have no children?' + +‘It is God's will,' answered the fisherman's wife. + +‘Nay, my child, it is not God's will, but the fault of your +husband; for if he would but catch the little gold-fish you would +surely have children. To-night, when he comes home, tell him he +must go back and catch the little fish. He must then cut it in +six pieces--one of these you must eat, and your husband the +second, and soon after you will have two children. The third +piece you must give to the dog, and she will have two puppies. +The fourth piece give to the mare, and she will have two foals. +The fifth piece bury on the right of the house door, and the +sixth on the left, and two cypress trees will spring up there.' + +When the fisherman came home at evening his wife told him all +that the old woman had advised, and he promised to bring home the +little gold-fish. Next morning, therefore, he went very early to +the water, and caught the little fish. Then they did as the old +woman had ordered, and in due time the fisherman's wife had two +sons, so like each other that no one could tell the difference. +The dog had two puppies exactly alike, the mare had two foals, +and on each side of the front door there sprang up two cypress +trees precisely similar. + +When the two boys were grown up, they were not content to remain +at home, though they had wealth in plenty; but they wished to go +out into the world, and make a name for themselves. Their father +would not allow them both to go at once, as they were the only +children he had. He said: ‘First one shall travel, and when he is +come back then the other may go.' + +So the one took his horse and his dog, and went, saying to his +brother: ‘So long as the cypress trees are green, that is a sign +that I am alive and well; but if one begins to wither, then make +haste and come to me.' So he went forth into the world. + +One day he stopped at the house of an old woman, and as at +evening he sat before the door, he perceived in front of him a +castle standing on a hill. He asked the old woman to whom it +belonged, and her answer was: ‘My son, it is the castle of the +Fairest in the Land!' + +‘And I am come here to woo her!' + +‘That, my son, many have sought to do, and have lost their lives +in the attempt; for she has cut off their heads and stuck them on +the post you see standing there.' + +‘And the same will she do to me, or else I shall be victor, for +to-morrow I go there to court her.' + +Then he took his zither and played upon it so beautifully that no +one in all that land had ever heard the like, and the princess +herself came to the window to listen. + +The next morning the Fairest in the Land sent for the old woman +and asked her, ‘Who is it that lives with you, and plays the +zither so well?' + +‘It is a stranger, princess, who arrived yesterday evening,' +answered the old woman. + +And the princess then commanded that the stranger should be +brought to her. + +When he appeared before the princess she questioned him about his +home and his family, and about this and that; and confessed at +length that his zither-playing gave her great pleasure, and that +she would take him for her husband. The stranger replied that it +was with that intent he had come. + +The princess then said: ‘You must now go to my father, and tell +him you desire to have me to wife, and when he has put the three +problems before you, then come back and tell me.' + +The stranger then went straight to the king, and told him that he +wished to wed his daughter. + +And the king answered: ‘I shall be well pleased, provided you can +do what I impose upon you; if not you will lose your head. Now, +listen; out there on the ground, there lies a thick log, which +measures more than two fathoms; if you can cleave it in two with +one stroke of your sword, I will give you my daughter to wife. If +you fail, then it will cost you your head.' + +Then the stranger withdrew, and returned to the house of the old +woman sore distressed, for he could believe nothing but that next +day he must atone to the king with his head. And so full was he +of the idea of how to set about cleaving the log that he forgot +even his zither. + +In the evening came the princess to the window to listen to his +playing, and behold all was still. Then she called to him: ‘Why +are you so cast down this evening, that you do not play on your +zither?' + +And he told her his trouble. + +But she laughed at it, and called to him: ‘And you grieve over +that? Bring quickly your zither, and play something for my +amusement, and early to-morrow come to me.' + +Then the stranger took his zither and played the whole evening +for the amusement of the princess. + +Next morning she took a hair from her locks and gave it to him, +saying: ‘Take this hair, and wind it round your sword, then you +will be able to cleave the log in two.' + +Then the stranger went forth, and with one blow cleft the log in +two. + +But the king said: ‘I will impose another task upon you, before +you can wed my daughter.' + +‘Speak on,' said the stranger. + +‘Listen, then,' answered the king; ‘you must mount a horse and +ride three miles at full gallop, holding in each hand a goblet +full of water. If you spill no drop then I shall give you my +daughter to wife, but should you not succeed then I will take +your life.' + +Then the stranger returned to the house of the old woman, and +again he was so troubled as to forget his zither. + +In the evening the princess came to the window as before to +listen to the music, but again all was still; and she called to +him: ‘What is the matter that you do not play on your zither?' + +Then he related all that the king had ordered him to do, and the +princess answered: ‘Do not let yourself be disturbed, only play +now, and come to me to-morrow morning.' + +Then next morning he went to her, and she gave him her ring, +saying: ‘Throw this ring into the water and it will immediately +freeze, so that you will not spill any.' + +The stranger did as the princess bade him, and carried the water +all the way. + +Then the king said: ‘Now I will give you a third task, and this +shall be the last. I have a negro who will fight with you +to-morrow, and if you are the conqueror you shall wed my +daughter.' + +The stranger returned, full of joy, to the house of the old +woman, and that evening was so merry that the princess called to +him;: ‘You seem very cheerful this evening; what has my father +told you that makes you so glad?' + +He answered: ‘Your father has told me that to-morrow I must fight +with his negro. He is only another man like myself, and I hope to +subdue him, and to gain the contest.' + +But the princess answered: ‘This is the hardest of all. I myself +am the black man, for I swallow a drink that changes me into a +negro of unconquerable strength. Go to-morrow morning to the +market, buy twelve buffalo hides and wrap them round your horse; +fasten this cloth round you, and when I am let loose upon you +to-morrow show it to me, that I may hold myself back and may not +kill you. Then when you fight me you must try to hit my horse +between the eyes, for when you have killed it you have conquered +me.' + +Next morning, therefore, he went to the market and bought the +twelve buffalo hides which he wrapped round his horse. Then he +began to fight with the black man, and when the combat had +already lasted a long time, and eleven hides were torn, then the +stranger hit the negro's horse between the eyes, so that it fell +dead, and the black man was defeated. + +Then said the king: ‘Because you have solved the three problems I +take you for my son-in-law.' + +But the stranger answered: ‘I have some business to conclude +first; in fourteen days I will return and bring the bride home.' + +So he arose and went into another country, where he came to a +great town, and alighted at the house of an old woman. When he +had had supper he begged of her some water to drink, but she +answered: ‘My son, I have no water; a giant has taken possession +of the spring, and only lets us draw from it once a year, when we +bring him a maiden. He eats her up, and then he lets us draw +water; just now it is the lot of the king's daughter, and +to-morrow she will be led forth.' + +The next day accordingly the princess was led forth to the +spring, and bound there with a golden chain. After that all the +people went away and she was left alone. + +When they had gone the stranger went to the maiden and asked her +what ailed her that she lamented so much, and she answered that +the reason was because the giant would come and eat her up. And +the stranger promised that he would set her free if she would +take him for her husband, and the princess joyfully consented. + +When the giant appeared the stranger set his dog at him, and it +took him by the throat and throttled him till he died; so the +princess was set free. + +Now when the king heard of it he gladly consented to the +marriage, and the wedding took place with great rejoicings. The +young bridegroom abode in the palace one hundred and one weeks. +Then he began to find it too dull, and he desired to go out +hunting. The king would fain have prevented it, but in this he +could not succeed. Then he begged his son-in-law at least to take +sufficient escort with him, but this, too, the young man evaded, +and took only his horse and his dog. + +He had ridden already a long way, when he saw in the distance a +hut, and rode straight towards it in order to get some water to +drink. There he found an old woman from whom he begged the water. +She answered that first he should allow her to beat his dog with +her little wand, that it might not bite her while she fetched the +water. The hunter consented; and as soon as she had touched the +dog with her wand it immediately turned to stone. Thereupon she +touched the hunter and also his horse, and both turned to stone. +As soon as that had happened, the cypress trees in front of his +father's house began to wither. And when the other brother saw +this, he immediately set out in search of his twin. He came first +to the town where his brother had slain the giant, and there fate +led him to the same old woman where his brother had lodged. When +she saw him she took him for his twin brother, and said to him: +‘Do not take it amiss of me, my son, that I did not come to wish +you joy on your marriage with the king's daughter.' + +The stranger perceived what mistake she had made, but only said: +‘That does not matter, old woman,' and rode on, without further +speech, to the king's palace, where the king and the princess +both took him for his twin brother, and called out: ‘Why have you +tarried so long away? We thought something evil had befallen +you.' + +When night came and he slept with the princess, who still +believed him to be her husband, he laid his sword between them, +and when morning came he rose early and went out to hunt. Fate +led him by the same way which his brother had taken, and from a +distance he saw him and knew that he was turned to stone. Then he +entered the hut and ordered the old woman to disenchant his +brother. But she answered: ‘Let me first touch your dog with my +wand, and then I will free your brother.' + +He ordered the dog, however, to take hold of her, and bite her up +to the knee, till she cried out: ‘Tell your dog to let me go and +I will set your brother free!' + +But he only answered: ‘Tell me the magic words that I may +disenchant him myself;' and as she would not he ordered his dog +to bite her up to the hip. + +Then the old woman cried out: ‘I have two wands, with the green +one I turn to stone, and with the red one I bring to life again.' + +So the hunter took the red wand and disenchanted his brother, +also his brother's horse, and his dog, and ordered his own dog to +eat the old woman up altogether. + +While the brothers went on their way back to the castle of the +king, the one brother related to the other how the cypress tree +had all at once dried up and withered, how he had immediately set +out in search of his twin, and how he had come to the castle of +his father-in-law, and had claimed the princess as his wife. But +the other brother became furious on hearing this, and smote him +over the forehead till he died, and returned alone to the house +of his father-in-law. + +When night came and he was in bed the princess asked him: ‘What +was the matter with you last night, that you never spoke a word +to me?' + +Then he cried out: ‘That was not me, but my brother, and I have +slain him, because he told me by the way that he had claimed you +for his wife!' + +‘Do you know the place where you slew him?' asked the princess, +‘and can you find the body?' + +‘I know the place exactly.' + +‘Then to-morrow we shall ride thither,' said the princess. Next +morning accordingly they set out together, and when they had come +to the place, the princess drew forth a small bottle that she had +brought with her, and sprinkled the body with some drops of the +water so that immediately he became alive again. + +When he stood up, his brother said to him: ‘Forgive me, dear +brother, that I slew you in my anger.' Then they embraced and +went together to the Fairest in the Land, whom the unmarried +brother took to wife. + +Then the brothers brought their parents to live with them, and +all dwelt together in joy and happiness. + + + + + + Cannetella + + + +There was once upon a time a king who reigned over a country +called ‘Bello Puojo.' He was very rich and powerful, and had +everything in the world he could desire except a child. But at +last, after he had been married for many years, and was quite an +old man, his wife Renzolla presented him with a fine daughter, +whom they called Cannetella. + +She grew up into a beautiful girl, and was as tall and straight +as a young fir-tree. When she was eighteen years old her father +called her to him and said: ‘You are of an age now, my daughter, +to marry and settle down; but as I love you more than anything +else in the world, and desire nothing but your happiness, I am +determined to leave the choice of a husband to yourself. Choose a +man after your own heart, and you are sure to satisfy me.' +Cannetella thanked her father very much for his kindness and +consideration, but told him that she had not the slightest wish +to marry, and was quite determined to remain single. + +The king, who felt himself growing old and feeble, and longed to +see an heir to the throne before he died, was very unhappy at her +words, and begged her earnestly not to disappoint him. + +When Cannetella saw that the king had set his heart on her +marriage, she said: ‘Very well, dear father, I will marry to +please you, for I do not wish to appear ungrateful for all your +love and kindness; but you must find me a husband handsomer, +cleverer, and more charming than anyone else in the world.' + +The king was overjoyed by her words, and from early in the +morning till late at night he sat at the window and looked +carefully at all the passers-by, in the hopes of finding a +son-in-law among them. + +One day, seeing a very good-looking man crossing the street, the +king called his daughter and said: ‘Come quickly, dear +Cannetella, and look at this man, for I think he might suit you +as a husband.' + +They called the young man into the palace, and set a sumptuous +feast before him, with every sort of delicacy you can imagine. In +the middle of the meal the youth let an almond fall out of his +mouth, which, however, he picked up again very quickly and hid +under the table-cloth. + +When the feast was over the stranger went away, and the king +asked Cannetella: ‘Well, what did you think of the youth?' + +‘I think he was a clumsy wretch,' replied Cannetella. ‘Fancy a +man of his age letting an almond fall out of his mouth!' + +When the king heard her answer he returned to his watch at the +window, and shortly afterwards a very handsome young man passed +by. The king instantly called his daughter to come and see what +she thought of the new comer. + +‘Call him in,' said Cannetella, ‘that we may see him close.' + +Another splendid feast was prepared, and when the stranger had +eaten and drunk as much as he was able, and had taken his +departure, the king asked Cannetella how she liked him. + +‘Not at all,' replied his daughter; ‘what could you do with a man +who requires at least two servants to help him on with his cloak, +because he is too awkward to put it on properly himself?' + +‘If that's all you have against him,' said the king, ‘I see how +the land lies. You are determined not to have a husband at all; +but marry someone you shall, for I do not mean my name and house +to die out.' + +‘Well, then, my dear parent,' said Cannetella, ‘I must tell you +at once that you had better not count upon me, for I never mean +to marry unless I can find a man with a gold head and gold +teeth.' + +The king was very angry at finding his daughter so obstinate; but +as he always gave the girl her own way in everything, he issued a +proclamation to the effect that any man with a gold head and gold +teeth might come forward and claim the princess as his bride, and +the kingdom of Bello Puojo as a wedding gift. + +Now the king had a deadly enemy called Scioravante, who was a +very powerful magician. No sooner had this man heard of the +proclamation than he summoned his attendant spirits and commanded +them to gild his head and teeth. The spirits said, at first, that +the task was beyond their powers, and suggested that a pair of +golden horns attached to his forehead would both be easier to +make and more comfortable to wear; but Scioravante would allow no +compromise, and insisted on having a head and teeth made of the +finest gold. When it was fixed on his shoulders he went for a +stroll in front of the palace. And the king, seeing the very man +he was in search of, called his daughter, and said: ‘Just look +out of the window, and you will find exactly what you want.' + +Then, as Scioravante was hurrying past, the king shouted out to +him: ‘Just stop a minute, brother, and don't be in such desperate +haste. If you will step in here you shall have my daughter for a +wife, and I will send attendants with her, and as many horses and +servants as you wish.' + +‘A thousand thanks,' returned Scioravante; ‘I shall be delighted +to marry your daughter, but it is quite unnecessary to send +anyone to accompany her. Give me a horse and I will carry off the +princess in front of my saddle, and will bring her to my own +kingdom, where there is no lack of courtiers or servants, or, +indeed, of anything your daughter can desire.' + +At first the king was very much against Cannetella's departing in +this fashion; but finally Scioravante got his way, and placing +the princess before him on his horse, he set out for his own +country. + +Towards evening he dismounted, and entering a stable he placed +Cannetella in the same stall as his horse, and said to her: ‘Now +listen to what I have to say. I am going to my home now, and that +is a seven years' journey from here; you must wait for me in this +stable, and never move from the spot, or let yourself be seen by +a living soul. If you disobey my commands, it will be the worse +for you.' + +The princess answered meekly: ‘Sir, I am your servant, and will +do exactly as you bid me; but I should like to know what I am to +live on till you come back?' + +‘You can take what the horses leave,' was Scioravante's reply. + +When the magician had left her Cannetella felt very miserable, +and bitterly cursed the day she was born. She spent all her time +weeping and bemoaning the cruel fate that had driven her from a +palace into a stable, from soft down cushions to a bed of straw, +and from the dainties of her father's table to the food that the +horses left. + +She led this wretched life for a few months, and during that time +she never saw who fed and watered the horses, for it was all done +by invisible hands. + +One day, when she was more than usually unhappy, she perceived a +little crack in the wall, through which she could see a beautiful +garden, with all manner of delicious fruits and flowers growing +in it. The sight and smell of such delicacies were too much for +poor Cannetella, and she said to herself, ‘I will slip quietly +out, and pick a few oranges and grapes, and I don't care what +happens. Who is there to tell my husband what I do? and even if +he should hear of my disobedience, he cannot make my life more +miserable than it is already.' + +So she slipped out and refreshed her poor, starved body with the +fruit she plucked in the garden. + +But a short time afterwards her husband returned unexpectedly, +and one of the horses instantly told him that Cannetella had gone +into the garden, in his absence, and had stolen some oranges and +grapes. + +Scioravante was furious when he heard this, and seizing a huge +knife from his pocket he threatened to kill his wife for her +disobedience. But Cannetella threw herself at his feet and +implored him to spare her life, saying that hunger drove even the +wolf from the wood. At last she succeeded in so far softening her +husband's heart that he said, ‘I will forgive you this time, and +spare your life; but if you disobey me again, and I hear, on my +return, that you have as much as moved out of the stall, I will +certainly kill you. So, beware; for I am going away once more, +and shall be absent for seven years.' + +With these words he took his departure, and Cannetella burst into +a flood of tears, and, wringing her hands, she moaned: ‘Why was I +ever born to such a hard fate? Oh! father, how miserable you have +made your poor daughter! But, why should I blame my father? for I +have only myself to thank for all my sufferings. I got the cursed +head of gold, and it has brought all this misery on me. I am +indeed punished for not doing as my father wished!' + +When a year had gone by, it chanced, one day, that the king's +cooper passed the stables where Cannetella was kept prisoner. She +recognised the man, and called him to come in. At first he did +not know the poor princess, and could not make out who it was +that called him by name. But when he heard Cannetella's tale of +woe, he hid her in a big empty barrel he had with him, partly +because he was sorry for the poor girl, and, even more, because +he wished to gain the king's favour. Then he slung the barrel on +a mule's back, and in this way the princess was carried to her +own home. They arrived at the palace about four o'clock in the +morning, and the cooper knocked loudly at the door. When the +servants came in haste and saw only the cooper standing at the +gate, they were very indignant, and scolded him soundly for +coming at such an hour and waking them all out of their sleep. + +The king hearing the noise and the cause of it, sent for the +cooper, for he felt certain the man must have some important +business, to have come and disturbed the whole palace at such an +early hour. + +The cooper asked permission to unload his mule, and Cannetella +crept out of the barrel. At first the king refused to believe +that it was really his daughter, for she had changed so terribly +in a few years, and had grown so thin and pale, that it was +pitiful to see her. At last the princess showed her father a mole +she had on her right arm, and then he saw that the poor girl was +indeed his long-lost Cannetella. He kissed her a thousand times, +and instantly had the choicest food and drink set before her. + +After she had satisfied her hunger, the king said to her: ‘Who +would have thought, my dear daughter, to have found you in such a +state? What, may I ask, has brought you to this pass?' + +Cannetella replied: ‘That wicked man with the gold head and teeth +treated me worse than a dog, and many a time, since I left you, +have I longed to die. But I couldn't tell you all that I have +suffered, for you would never believe me. It is enough that I am +once more with you, and I shall never leave you again, for I +would rather be a slave in your house than queen in any other.' + +In the meantime Scioravante had returned to the stables, and one +of the horses told him that Cannetella had been taken away by a +cooper in a barrel. + +When the wicked magician heard this he was beside himself with +rage, and, hastening to the kingdom of Bello Puojo, he went +straight to an old woman who lived exactly opposite the royal +palace, and said to her: ‘If you will let me see the king's +daughter, I will give you whatever reward you like to ask for.' + +The woman demanded a hundred ducats of gold, and Scioravante +counted them out of his purse and gave them to her without a +murmur. Then the old woman led him to the roof of the house, +where he could see Cannetella combing out her long hair in a room +in the top story of the palace. + +The princess happened to look out of the window, and when she saw +her husband gazing at her, she got such a fright that she flew +downstairs to the king, and said: ‘My lord and father, unless you +shut me up instantly in a room with seven iron doors, I am lost.' + +‘If that's all,' said the king, ‘it shall be done at once.' And +he gave orders for the doors to be closed on the spot. + +When Scioravante saw this he returned to the old woman, and said: +‘I will give you whatever you like if you will go into the +palace, hide under the princess's bed, and slip this little piece +of paper beneath her pillow, saying, as you do so: "May everyone +in the palace, except the princess, fall into a sound sleep."' + +The old woman demanded another hundred golden ducats, and then +proceeded to carry out the magician's wishes. No sooner had she +slipped the piece of paper under Cannetella's pillow, than all +the people in the palace fell fast asleep, and only the princess +remained awake. + +Then Scioravante hurried to the seven doors and opened them one +after the other. Cannetella screamed with terror when she saw her +husband, but no one came to her help, for all in the palace lay +as if they were dead. The magician seized her in the bed on which +she lay, and was going to carry her off with him, when the little +piece of paper which the old woman had placed under her pillow +fell on the floor. + +In an instant all the people in the palace woke up, and as +Cannetella was still screaming for help, they rushed to her +rescue. They seized Scioravante and put him to death; so he was +caught in the trap which he had laid for the princess--and, as is +so often the case in this world, the biter himself was bit. + +[From the Italian, Kletke.] + + + + + + The Ogre + + + +There lived, once upon a time, in the land of Marigliano, a poor +woman called Masella, who had six pretty daughters, all as +upright as young fir-trees, and an only son called Antonio, who +was so simple as to be almost an idiot. Hardly a day passed +without his mother saying to him, ‘What are you doing, you +useless creature? If you weren't too stupid to look after +yourself, I would order you to leave the house and never to let +me see your face again.' + +Every day the youth committed some fresh piece of folly, till at +last Masella, losing all patience, gave him a good beating, which +so startled Antonio that he took to his heels and never stopped +running till it was dark and the stars were shining in the +heavens. He wandered on for some time, not knowing where to go, +and at last he came to a cave, at the mouth of which sat an ogre, +uglier than anything you can conceive. + +He had a huge head and wrinkled brow--eyebrows that met, +squinting eyes, a flat broad nose, and a great gash of a mouth +from which two huge tusks stuck out. His skin was hairy, his arms +enormous, his legs like sword blades, and his feet as flat as +ducks'. In short, he was the most hideous and laughable object in +the world. + +But Antonio, who, with all his faults, was no coward, and was +moreover a very civil-spoken lad, took off his hat, and said: +‘Good-day, sir; I hope you are pretty well. Could you kindly tell +me how far it is from here to the place where I wish to go?' + +When the ogre heard this extraordinary question he burst out +laughing, and as he liked the youth's polite manners he said to +him: ‘Will you enter my service?' + +‘What wages do you give?' replied Antonio. + +‘If you serve me faithfully,' returned the ogre, ‘I'll be bound +you'll get enough wages to satisfy you.' + +So the bargain was struck, and Antonio agreed to become the +ogre's servant. He was very well treated, in every way, and he +had little or no work to do, with the result that in a few days +he became as fat as a quail, as round as a barrel, as red as a +lobster, and as impudent as a bantam-cock. + +But, after two years, the lad got weary of this idle life, and +longed desperately to visit his home again. The ogre, who could +see into his heart and knew how unhappy he was, said to him one +day: ‘My dear Antonio, I know how much you long to see your +mother and sisters again, and because I love you as the apple of +my eye, I am willing to allow you to go home for a visit. +Therefore, take this donkey, so that you may not have to go on +foot; but see that you never say "Bricklebrit" to him, for if you +do you'll be sure to regret it.' + +Antonio took the beast without as much as saying thank you, and +jumping on its back he rode away in great haste; but he hadn't +gone two hundred yards when he dismounted and called out +‘Bricklebrit.' + +No sooner had he pronounced the word than the donkey opened its +mouth and poured forth rubies, emeralds, diamonds and pearls, as +big as walnuts. + +Antonio gazed in amazement at the sight of such wealth, and +joyfully filling a huge sack with the precious stones, he mounted +the donkey again and rode on till he came to an inn. Here he got +down, and going straight to the landlord, he said to him: ‘My +good man, I must ask you to stable this donkey for me. Be sure +you give the poor beast plenty of oats and hay, but beware of +saying the word "Bricklebrit" to him, for if you do I can promise +you will regret it. Take this heavy sack, too, and put it +carefully away for me.' + +The landlord, who was no fool, on receiving this strange warning, +and seeing the precious stones sparkling through the canvas of +the sack, was most anxious to see what would happen if he used +the forbidden word. So he gave Antonio an excellent dinner, with +a bottle of fine old wine, and prepared a comfortable bed for +him. As soon as he saw the poor simpleton close his eyes and had +heard his lusty snores, he hurried to the stables and said to the +donkey ‘Bricklebrit,' and the animal as usual poured out any +number of precious stones. + +When the landlord saw all these treasures he longed to get +possession of so valuable an animal, and determined to steal the +donkey from his foolish guest. As soon as it was light next +morning Antonio awoke, and having rubbed his eyes and stretched +himself about a hundred times he called the landlord and said to +him: ‘Come here, my friend, and produce your bill, for short +reckonings make long friends.' + +When Antonio had paid his account he went to the stables and took +out his donkey, as he thought, and fastening a sack of gravel, +which the landlord had substituted for his precious stones, on +the creature's back, he set out for his home. + +No sooner had he arrived there than he called out: ‘Mother, come +quickly, and bring table-cloths and sheets with you, and spread +them out on the ground, and you will soon see what wonderful +treasures I have brought you.' + +His mother hurried into the house, and opening the linen-chest +where she kept her daughters' wedding outfits, she took out +table-cloths and sheets made of the finest linen, and spread them +flat and smooth on the ground. Antonio placed the donkey on them, +and called out ‘Bricklebrit.' But this time he met with no +success, for the donkey took no more notice of the magic word +than he would have done if a lyre had been twanged in his ear. +Two, three, and four times did Antonio pronounce ‘Bricklebrit,' +but all in vain, and he might as well have spoken to the wind. + +Disgusted and furious with the poor creature, he seized a thick +stick and began to beat it so hard that he nearly broke every +bone in its body. The miserable donkey was so distracted at such +treatment that, far from pouring out precious stones, it only +tore and dirtied all the fine linen. + +When poor Masella saw her table-cloths and sheets being +destroyed, and that instead of becoming rich she had only been +made a fool of, she seized another stick and belaboured Antonio +so unmercifully with it, that he fled before her, and never +stopped till he reached the ogre's cave. + +When his master saw the lad returning in such a sorry plight, he +understood at once what had happened to him, and making no bones +about the matter, he told Antonio what a fool he had been to +allow himself to be so imposed upon by the landlord, and to let a +worthless animal be palmed off on him instead of his magic +donkey. + +Antonio listened humbly to the ogre's words, and vowed solemnly +that he would never act so foolishly again. And so a year passed, +and once more Antonio was overcome by a fit of home-sickness, and +felt a great longing to see his own people again. + +Now the ogre, although he was so hideous to look upon, had a very +kind heart, and when he saw how restless and unhappy Antonio was, +he at once gave him leave to go home on a visit. At parting he +gave him a beautiful table-cloth, and said: ‘Give this to your +mother; but see that you don't lose it as you lost the donkey, +and till you are safely in your own house beware of saying +"Table-cloth, open," and "Table-cloth, shut." If you do, the +misfortune be on your own head, for I have given you fair +warning.' + +Antonio set out on his journey, but hardly had he got out of +sight of the cave than he laid the table-cloth on the ground and +said, ‘Table-cloth, open.' In an instant the table-cloth unfolded +itself and disclosed a whole mass of precious stones and other +treasures. + +When Antonio perceived this he said, ‘Table-cloth, shut,' and +continued his journey. He came to the same inn again, and calling +the landlord to him, he told him to put the table-cloth carefully +away, and whatever he did not to say ‘Table-cloth, open,' or +‘Table-cloth, shut,' to it. + +The landlord, who was a regular rogue, answered, ‘Just leave it +to me, I will look after it as if it were my own.' + +After he had given Antonio plenty to eat and drink, and had +provided him with a comfortable bed, he went straight to the +table-cloth and said, ‘Table-cloth, open.' It opened at once, and +displayed such costly treasures that the landlord made up his +mind on the spot to steal it. + +When Antonio awoke next morning, the host handed him over a +table-cloth exactly like his own, and carrying it carefully over +his arm, the foolish youth went straight to his mother's house, +and said: ‘Now we shall be rich beyond the dreams of avarice, and +need never go about in rags again, or lack the best of food.' + +With these words he spread the table-cloth on the ground and +said, ‘Table-cloth, open.' + +But he might repeat the injunction as often as he pleased, it was +only waste of breath, for nothing happened. When Antonio saw this +he turned to his mother and said: ‘That old scoundrel of a +landlord has done me once more; but he will live to repent it, +for if I ever enter his inn again, I will make him suffer for the +loss of my donkey and the other treasures he has robbed me of.' + +Masella was in such a rage over her fresh disappointment that she +could not restrain her impatience, and, turning on Antonio, she +abused him soundly, and told him to get out of her sight at once, +for she would never acknowledge him as a son of hers again. The +poor boy was very depressed by her words, and slunk back to his +master like a dog with his tail between his legs. When the ogre +saw him, he guessed at once what had happened. He gave Antonio a +good scolding, and said, ‘I don't know what prevents me smashing +your head in, you useless ne'er-do-well! You blurt everything +out, and your long tongue never ceases wagging for a moment. If +you had remained silent in the inn this misfortune would never +have overtaken you, so you have only yourself to blame for your +present suffering.' + +Antonio listened to his master's words in silence, looking for +all the world like a whipped dog. When he had been three more +years in the ogre's service he had another bad fit of +home-sickness, and longed very much to see his mother and sisters +again. + +So he asked for permission to go home on a visit, and it was at +once granted to him. Before he set out on his journey the ogre +presented him with a beautifully carved stick and said, ‘Take +this stick as a remembrance of me; but beware of saying, "Rise +up, Stick," and "Lie down, Stick," for if you do, I can only say +I wouldn't be in your shoes for something.' + +Antonio took the stick and said, ‘Don't be in the least alarmed, +I'm not such a fool as you think, and know better than most +people what two and two make.' + +‘I'm glad to hear it,' replied the ogre, ‘but words are women, +deeds are men. You have heard what I said, and forewarned is +forearmed.' + +This time Antonio thanked his master warmly for all his kindness, +and started on his homeward journey in great spirits; but he had +not gone half a mile when he said ‘Rise up, Stick.' + +The words were hardly out of his mouth when the stick rose and +began to rain down blows on poor Antonio's back with such +lightning-like rapidity that he had hardly strength to call out, +‘Lie down, Stick;' but as soon as he uttered the words the stick +lay down, and ceased beating his back black and blue. + +Although he had learnt a lesson at some cost to himself, Antonio +was full of joy, for he saw a way now of revenging himself on the +wicked landlord. Once more he arrived at the inn, and was +received in the most friendly and hospitable manner by his host. +Antonio greeted him cordially, and said: ‘My friend, will you +kindly take care of this stick for me? But, whatever you do, +don't say "Rise up, Stick." If you do, you will be sorry for it, +and you needn't expect any sympathy from me.' + +The landlord, thinking he was coming in for a third piece of good +fortune, gave Antonio an excellent supper; and after he had seen +him comfortably to bed, he ran to the stick, and calling to his +wife to come and see the fun, he lost no time in pronouncing the +words ‘Rise up, Stick.' + +The moment he spoke the stick jumped up and beat the landlord so +unmercifully that he and his wife ran screaming to Antonio, and, +waking him up, pleaded for mercy. + +When Antonio saw how successful his trick had been, he said: ‘I +refuse to help you, unless you give me all that you have stolen +from me, otherwise you will be beaten to death.' + +The landlord, who felt himself at death's door already, cried +out: ‘Take back your property, only release me from this terrible +stick;' and with these words he ordered the donkey, the +table-cloth, and other treasures to be restored to their rightful +owner. + +As soon as Antonio had recovered his belongings he said ‘Stick, +lie down,' and it stopped beating the landlord at once. + +Then he took his donkey and table-cloth and arrived safely at his +home with them. This time the magic words had the desired effect, +and the donkey and table-cloth provided the family with treasures +untold. Antonio very soon married off his sister, made his mother +rich for life, and they all lived happily for ever after. + +[From the Italian, Kletke.] + + + + + + A Fairy's Blunder + + + +Once upon a time there lived a fairy whose name was Dindonette. +She was the best creature in the world, with the kindest heart; +but she had not much sense, and was always doing things, to +benefit people, which generally ended in causing pain and +distress to everybody concerned. No one knew this better than the +inhabitants of an island far off in the midst of the sea, which, +according to the laws of fairyland, she had taken under her +special protection, thinking day and night of what she could do +to make the isle the pleasantest place in the whole world, as it +was the most beautiful. + +Now what happened was this: + +As the fairy went about, unseen, from house to house, she heard +everywhere children longing for the time when they would be +‘grown-up,' and able, they thought, to do as they liked; and old +people talking about the past, and sighing to be young again. + +‘Is there no way of satisfying these poor things?' she thought. +And then one night an idea occurred to her. ‘Oh, yes, of course! +It has been tried before; but I will manage better than the rest, +with their old Fountain of Youth, which, after all, only made +people young again. I will enchant the spring that bubbles up in +the middle of the orchard, and the children that drink of it +shall at once become grown men and women, and the old people +return to the days of their childhood.' + +And without stopping to consult one single other fairy, who might +have given her good advice, off rushed Dindonette, to cast her +spell over the fountain. + +It was the only spring of fresh water in the island, and at dawn +was crowded with people of all ages, come to drink at its source. +Delighted at her plan for making them all happy, the fairy hid +herself behind a thicket of roses, and peeped out whenever +footsteps came that way. It was not long before she had ample +proof of the success of her enchantments. Almost before her eyes +the children put on the size and strength of adults, while the +old men and women instantly became helpless, tiny babies. Indeed, +so pleased was she with the result of her work, that she could no +longer remain hidden, and went about telling everybody what she +had done, and enjoying their gratitude and thanks. + +But after the first outburst of delight at their wishes being +granted, people began to be a little frightened at the rapid +effects of the magic water. It was delicious to feel yourself at +the height of your power and beauty, but you would wish to keep +so always! Now this was exactly what the fairy had been in too +much of a hurry to arrange, and no sooner had the children become +grown up, and the men and women become babies, than they all +rushed on to old age at an appalling rate! The fairy only found +out her mistake when it was too late to set it right. + +When the inhabitants of the island saw what had befallen them, +they were filled with despair, and did everything they could +think of to escape from such a dreadful fate. They dug wells in +their places, so that they should no longer need to drink from +the magic spring; but the sandy soil yielded no water, and the +rainy season was already past. They stored up the dew that fell, +and the juice of fruits and of herbs, but all this was as a drop +in the ocean of their wants. Some threw themselves into the sea, +trusting that the current might carry them to other shores--they +had no boats--and a few, still more impatient, put themselves to +death on the spot. The rest submitted blindly to their destiny. + +Perhaps the worst part of the enchantment was, that the change +from one age to another was so rapid that the person had no time +to prepare himself for it. It would not have mattered so much if +the man who stood up in the assembly of the nation, to give his +advice as to peace or war, had looked like a baby, as long as he +spoke with the knowledge and sense of a full-grown man. But, +alas! with the outward form of an infant, he had taken on its +helplessness and foolishness, and there was no one who could +train him to better things. The end of it all was, that before a +month had passed the population had died out, and the fairy +Dindonette, ashamed and grieved at the effects of her folly, had +left the island for ever. + +Many centuries after, the fairy Selnozoura, who had fallen into +bad health, was ordered by her doctors to make the tour of the +world twice a week for change of air, and in one of these +journeys she found herself at Fountain Island. Selnozoura never +made these trips alone, but always took with her two children, of +whom she was very fond--Cornichon, a boy of fourteen, bought in +his childhood at a slave-market, and Toupette, a few months +younger, who had been entrusted to the care of the fairy by her +guardian, the genius Kristopo. Cornichon and Toupette were +intended by Selnozoura to become husband and wife, as soon as +they were old enough. Meanwhile, they travelled with her in a +little vessel, whose speed through the air was just a thousand +nine hundred and fifty times greater than that of the swiftest of +our ships. + +Struck with the beauty of the island, Selnozoura ran the vessel +to ground, and leaving it in the care of the dragon which lived +in the hold during the voyage, stepped on shore with her two +companions. Surprised at the sight of a large town whose streets +and houses were absolutely desolate, the fairy resolved to put +her magic arts in practice to find out the cause. While she was +thus engaged, Cornichon and Toupette wandered away by themselves, +and by-and-by arrived at the fountain, whose bubbling waters +looked cool and delicious on such a hot day. Scarcely had they +each drunk a deep draught, when the fairy, who by this time had +discovered all she wished to know, hastened to the spot. + +‘Oh, beware! beware!' she cried, the moment she saw them. ‘If you +drink that deadly poison you will be ruined for ever!' + +‘Poison?' answered Toupette. ‘It is the most refreshing water I +have ever tasted, and Cornichon will say so too!' + +‘Unhappy children, then I am too late! Why did you leave me? +Listen, and I will tell you what has befallen the wretched +inhabitants of this island, and what will befall you too. The +power of fairies is great,' she added, when she had finished her +story, ‘but they cannot destroy the work of another fairy. Very +shortly you will pass into the weakness and silliness of extreme +old age, and all I can do for you is to make it as easy to you as +possible, and to preserve you from the death that others have +suffered, from having no one to look after them. But the charm is +working already! Cornichon is taller and more manly than he was +an hour ago, and Toupette no longer looks like a little girl.' + +It was true; but this fact did not seem to render the young +people as miserable as it did Selnozoura. + +‘Do not pity us,' said Cornichon. ‘If we are fated to grow old so +soon, let us no longer delay our marriage. What matter if we +anticipate our decay, if we only anticipate our happiness too?' + +The fairy felt that Cornichon had reason on his side, and seeing +by a glance at Toupette's face that there was no opposition to be +feared from her, she answered, ‘Let it be so, then. But not in +this dreadful place. We will return at once to Bagota, and the +festivities shall be the most brilliant ever seen.' + +They all returned to the vessel, and in a few hours the four +thousand five hundred miles that lay between the island and +Bagota were passed. Everyone was surprised to see the change +which the short absence had made in the young people, but as the +fairy had promised absolute silence about the adventure, they +were none the wiser, and busied themselves in preparing their +dresses for the marriage, which was fixed for the next night. + +Early on the following morning the genius Kristopo arrived at the +Court, on one of the visits he was in the habit of paying his +ward from time to time. Like the rest, he was astonished at the +sudden improvement in the child. He had always been fond of her, +and in a moment he fell violently in love. Hastily demanding an +audience of the fairy, he laid his proposals before her, never +doubting that she would give her consent to so brilliant a match. +But Selnozoura refused to listen, and even hinted that in his own +interest Kristopo had better turn his thoughts elsewhere. The +genius pretended to agree, but, instead, he went straight to +Toupette's room, and flew away with her through the window, at +the very instant that the bridegroom was awaiting her below. + +When the fairy discovered what had happened, she was furious, and +sent messenger after messenger to the genius in his palace at +Ratibouf, commanding him to restore Toupette without delay, and +threatening to make war in case of refusal. + +Kristopo gave no direct answer to the fairy's envoys, but kept +Toupette closely guarded in a tower, where the poor girl used all +her powers of persuasion to induce him to put off their marriage. +All would, however, have been quite vain if, in the course of a +few days, sorrow, joined to the spell of the magic water, had not +altered her appearance so completely that Kristopo was quite +alarmed, and declared that she needed amusement and fresh air, +and that, as his presence seemed to distress her, she should be +left her own mistress. But one thing he declined to do, and that +was to send her back to Bagota. + +In the meantime both sides had been busily collecting armies, and +Kristopo had given the command of his to a famous general, while +Selnozoura had placed Cornichon at the head of her forces. But +before war was actually declared, Toupette's parents, who had +been summoned by the genius, arrived at Ratibouf. They had never +seen their daughter since they parted from her as a baby, but +from time to time travellers to Bagota had brought back accounts +of her beauty. What was their amazement, therefore, at finding, +instead of a lovely girl, a middle-aged woman, handsome indeed, +but quite faded--looking, in fact, older than themselves. +Kristopo, hardly less astonished than they were at the sudden +change, thought that it was a joke on the part of one of his +courtiers, who had hidden Toupette away, and put this elderly +lady in her place. Bursting with rage, he sent instantly for all +the servants and guards of the town, and inquired who had the +insolence to play him such a trick, and what had become of their +prisoner. They replied that since Toupette had been in their +charge she had never left her rooms unveiled, and that during her +walks in the surrounding gardens, her food had been brought in +and placed on her table; as she preferred to eat alone no one had +ever seen her face, or knew what she was like. + +The servants were clearly speaking the truth, and Kristopo was +obliged to believe them. ‘But,' thought he, ‘if they have not had +a hand in this, it must be the work of the fairy,' and in his +anger he ordered the army to be ready to march. + +On her side, Selnozoura of course knew what the genius had to +expect, but was deeply offended when she heard of the base trick +which she was believed to have invented. Her first desire was to +give battle to Kristopo at once, but with great difficulty her +ministers induced her to pause, and to send an ambassador to +Kristopo to try to arrange matters. + +So the Prince Zeprady departed for the court of Ratibouf, and on +his way he met Cornichon, who was encamped with his army just +outside the gates of Bagota. The prince showed him the fairy's +written order that for the present peace must still be kept, and +Cornichon, filled with longing to see Toupette once more, begged +to be allowed to accompany Zeprady on his mission to Ratibouf. + +By this time the genius's passion for Toupette, which had caused +all these troubles, had died out, and he willingly accepted the +terms of peace offered by Zeprady, though he informed the prince +that he still believed the fairy to be guilty of the dreadful +change in the girl. To this the prince only replied that on that +point he had a witness who could prove, better than anyone else, +if it was Toupette or not, and desired that Cornichon should be +sent for. + +When Toupette was told that she was to see her old lover again, +her heart leapt with joy; but soon the recollection came to her +of all that had happened, and she remembered that Cornichon would +be changed as well as she. The moment of their meeting was not +all happiness, especially on the part of Toupette, who could not +forget her lost beauty, and the genius, who was present, was at +last convinced that he had not been deceived, and went out to +sign the treaty of peace, followed by his attendants. + +‘Ah, Toupette: my dear Toupette!' cried Cornichon, as soon as +they were left alone; ‘now that we are once more united, let our +past troubles be forgotten.' + +‘Our past troubles!' answered she, ‘and what do you call our lost +beauty and the dreadful future before us? You are looking fifty +years older than when I saw you last, and I know too well that +fate has treated me no better!' + +‘Ah, do not say that,' replied Cornichon, clasping her hand. ‘You +are different, it is true; but every age has its graces, and +surely no woman of sixty was ever handsomer than you! If your +eyes had been as bright as of yore they would have matched badly +with your faded skin. The wrinkles which I notice on your +forehead explain the increased fulness of your cheeks, and your +throat in withering is elegant in decay. Thus the harmony shown +by your features, even as they grow old, is the best proof of +their former beauty.' + +‘Oh, monster!' cried Toupette, bursting into tears, ‘is that all +the comfort you can give me?' + +‘But, Toupette,' answered Cornichon, ‘you used to declare that +you did not care for beauty, as long as you had my heart.' + +‘Yes, I know,' said she, ‘but how can you go on caring for a +person who is as old and plain as I?' + +‘Toupette, Toupette,' replied Cornichon, ‘you are only talking +nonsense. My heart is as much yours as ever it was, and nothing +in the world can make any difference.' + +At this point of the conversation the Prince Zeprady entered the +room, with the news that the genius, full of regret for his +behaviour, had given Cornichon full permission to depart for +Bagota as soon as he liked, and to take Toupette with him; adding +that, though he begged they would excuse his taking leave of them +before they went, he hoped, before long, to visit them at Bagota. + +Neither of the lovers slept that night--Cornichon from joy at +returning home, Toupette from dread of the blow to her vanity +which awaited her at Bagota. It was hopeless for Cornichon to try +to console her during the journey with the reasons he had given +the day before. She only grew worse and worse, and when they +reached the palace went straight to her old apartments, +entreating the fairy to allow both herself and Cornichon to +remain concealed, and to see no one. + +For some time after their arrival the fairy was taken up with the +preparations for the rejoicings which were to celebrate the +peace, and with the reception of the genius, who was determined +to do all in his power to regain Selnozoura's lost friendship. +Cornichon and Toupette were therefore left entirely to +themselves, and though this was only what they wanted, still, +they began to feel a little neglected. + +At length, one morning, they saw from the windows that the fairy +and the genius were approaching, in state, with all their +courtiers in attendance. Toupette instantly hid herself in the +darkest corner of the room, but Cornichon, forgetting that he was +now no longer a boy of fourteen, ran to meet them. In so doing he +tripped and fell, bruising one of his eyes severely. At the sight +of her lover lying helpless on the floor, Toupette hastened to +his side; but her feeble legs gave way under her, and she fell +almost on top of him, knocking out three of her loosened teeth +against his forehead. The fairy, who entered the room at this +moment, burst into tears, and listened in silence to the genius, +who hinted that by-and-by everything would be put right. + +‘At the last assembly of the fairies,' he said, ‘when the doings +of each fairy were examined and discussed, a proposal was made to +lessen, as far as possible, the mischief caused by Dindonette by +enchanting the fountain. And it was decided that, as she had +meant nothing but kindness, she should have the power of undoing +one half of the spell. Of course she might always have destroyed +the fatal fountain, which would have been best of all; but this +she never thought of. Yet, in spite of this, her heart is so +good, that I am sure that the moment she hears that she is wanted +she will fly to help. Only, before she comes, it is for you, +Madam, to make up your mind which of the two shall regain their +former strength and beauty.' + +At these words the fairy's soul sank. Both Cornichon and Toupette +were equally dear to her, and how could she favour one at the +cost of the other? As to the courtiers, none of the men were able +to understand why she hesitated a second to declare for Toupette; +while the ladies were equally strong on the side of Cornichon. + +But, however undecided the fairy might be, it was quite different +with Cornichon and Toupette. + +‘Ah, my love,' exclaimed Cornichon, ‘at length I shall be able to +give you the best proof of my devotion by showing you how I value +the beauties of your mind above those of your body! While the +most charming women of the court will fall victims to my youth +and strength, I shall think of nothing but how to lay them at +your feet, and pay heart-felt homage to your age and wrinkles.' + +‘Not so fast,' interrupted Toupette, ‘I don't see why you should +have it all. Why do you heap such humiliations upon me? But I +will trust to the justice of the fairy, who will not treat me +so.' + +Then she entered her own rooms, and refused to leave them, in +spite of the prayers of Cornichon, who begged her to let him +explain. + +No one at the court thought or spoke of any other subject during +the few days before the arrival of Dindonette, whom everybody +expected to set things right in a moment. But, alas! she had no +idea herself what was best to be done, and always adopted the +opinion of the person she was talking to. At length a thought +struck her, which seemed the only way of satisfying both parties, +and she asked the fairy to call together all the court and the +people to hear her decision. + +‘Happy is he,' she began, ‘who can repair the evil he has caused, +but happier he who has never caused any.' + +As nobody contradicted this remark, she continued: + +‘To me it is only allowed to undo one half of the mischief I have +wrought. I could restore you your youth,' she said to Cornichon, +‘or your beauty,' turning to Toupette. ‘I will do both; and I +will do neither.' + +A murmur of curiosity arose from the crowd, while Cornichon and +Toupette trembled with astonishment. + +‘No,' went on Dindonette, ‘never should I have the cruelty to +leave one of you to decay, while the other enjoys the glory of +youth. And as I cannot restore you both at once to what you were, +one half of each of your bodies shall become young again, while +the other half goes on its way to decay. I will leave it to you +to choose which half it shall be--if I shall draw a line round +the waist, or a line straight down the middle of the body.' + +She looked about her proudly, expecting applause for her clever +idea. But Cornichon and Toupette were shaking with rage and +disappointment, and everyone else broke into shouts of laughter. +In pity for the unhappy lovers, Selnozoura came forward. + +‘Do you not think,' she said, ‘that instead of what you propose, +it would be better to let them take it in turns to enjoy their +former youth and beauty for a fixed time? I am sure you could +easily manage that.' + +‘What an excellent notion!' cried Dindonette. ‘Oh, yes, of course +that is best! Which of you shall I touch first?' + +‘Touch her,' replied Cornichon, who was always ready to give way +to Toupette. ‘I know her heart too well to fear any change.' + +So the fairy bent forward and touched her with her magic ring, +and in one instant the old woman was a girl again. The whole +court wept with joy at the sight, and Toupette ran up to +Cornichon, who had fallen down in his surprise, promising to pay +him long visits, and tell him of all her balls and water parties. + +The two fairies went to their own apartments, where the genius +followed them to take his leave. + +‘Oh, dear!' suddenly cried Dindonette, breaking in to the +farewell speech of the genius. ‘I quite forgot to fix the time +when Cornichon should in his turn grow young. How stupid of me! +And now I fear it is too late, for I ought to have declared it +before I touched Toupette with the ring. Oh, dear! oh, dear! why +did nobody warn me?' + +‘You were so quick,' replied Selnozoura, who had long been aware +of the mischief the fairy had again done, ‘and we can only wait +now till Cornichon shall have reached the utmost limits of his +decay, when he will drink of the water, and become a baby once +more, so that Toupette will have to spend her life as a nurse, a +wife, and a caretaker.' + +After the anxiety of mind and the weakness of body to which for +so long Toupette had been a prey, it seemed as if she could not +amuse herself enough, and it was seldom indeed that she found +time to visit poor Cornichon, though she did not cease to be fond +of him, or to be kind to him. Still, she was perfectly happy +without him, and this the poor man did not fail to see, almost +blind and deaf from age though he was. + +But it was left to Kristopo to undo at last the work of +Dindonette, and give Cornichon back the youth he had lost, and +this the genius did all the more gladly, as he discovered, quite +by accident, that Cornichon was in fact his son. It was on this +plea that he attended the great yearly meeting of the fairies, +and prayed that, in consideration of his services to so many of +the members, this one boon might be granted him. Such a request +had never before been heard in fairyland, and was objected to by +some of the older fairies; but both Kristopo and Selnozoura were +held in such high honour that the murmurs of disgust were set +aside, and the latest victim to the enchanted fountain was +pronounced to be free of the spell. All that the genius asked in +return was that he might accompany the fairy back to Bagota, and +be present when his son assumed his proper shape. + +They made up their minds they would just tell Toupette that they +had found a husband for her, and give her a pleasant surprise at +her wedding, which was fixed for the following night. She heard +the news with astonishment, and many pangs for the grief which +Cornichon would certainly feel at his place being taken by +another; but she did not dream of disobeying the fairy, and spent +the whole day wondering who the bridegroom could be. + +At the appointed hour, a large crowd assembled at the fairy's +palace, which was decorated with the sweetest flowers, known only +to fairyland. Toupette had taken her place, but where was the +bridegroom? + +‘Fetch Cornichon!' said the fairy to her chamberlain. + +But Toupette interposed: ‘Oh, Madam, spare him, I entreat you, +this bitter pain, and let him remain hidden and in peace.' + +‘It is necessary that he should be here,' answered the fairy, +‘and he will not regret it.' + +And, as she spoke, Cornichon was led in, smiling with the +foolishness of extreme old age at the sight of the gay crowd. + +‘Bring him here,' commanded the fairy, waving her hand towards +Toupette, who started back from surprise and horror. + +Selnozoura then took the hand of the poor old man, and the genius +came forward and touched him three times with his ring, when +Cornichon was transformed into a handsome young man. + +‘May you live long,' the genius said, ‘to enjoy happiness with +your wife, and to love your father.' + +And that was the end of the mischief wrought by the fairy +Dindonette! + +[Cabinet des Fées.] + + + + + + Long, Broad, and Quickeye + + (A Bohemian Story) + + + +Once upon a time there lived a king who had an only son whom he +loved dearly. Now one day the king sent for his son and said to +him: + +‘My dearest child, my hair is grey and I am old, and soon I shall +feel no more the warmth of the sun, or look upon the trees and +flowers. But before I die I should like to see you with a good +wife; therefore marry, my son, as speedily as possible.' + +‘My father,' replied the prince, ‘now and always, I ask nothing +better than to do your bidding, but I know of no daughter-in-law +that I could give you.' + +On hearing these words the old king drew from his pocket a key of +gold, and gave it to his son, saying: + +‘Go up the staircase, right up to the top of the tower. Look +carefully round you, and then come and tell me which you like +best of all that you see.' + +So the young man went up. He had never before been in the tower, +and had no idea what it might contain. + +The staircase wound round and round and round, till the prince +was almost giddy, and every now and then he caught sight of a +large room that opened out from the side. But he had been told to +go to the top, and to the top he went. Then he found himself in a +hall, which had an iron door at one end. This door he unlocked +with his golden key, and he passed through into a vast chamber +which had a roof of blue sprinkled with golden stars, and a +carpet of green silk soft as turf. Twelve windows framed in gold +let in the light of the sun, and on every window was painted the +figure of a young girl, each more beautiful than the last. While +the prince gazed at them in surprise, not knowing which he liked +best, the girls began to lift their eyes and smile at him. He +waited, expecting them to speak, but no sound came. + +Suddenly he noticed that one of the windows was covered by a +curtain of white silk. + +He lifted it, and saw before him the image of a maiden beautiful +as the day and sad as the tomb, clothed in a white robe, having a +girdle of silver and a crown of pearls. The prince stood and +gazed at her, as if he had been turned into stone, but as he +looked the sadness which, was on her face seemed to pass into his +heart, and he cried out: + +‘This one shall be my wife. This one and no other.' + +As he said the words the young girl blushed and hung her head, +and all the other figures vanished. + +The young prince went quickly back to his father, and told him +all he had seen and which wife he had chosen. The old man +listened to him full of sorrow, and then he spoke: + +‘You have done ill, my son, to search out that which was hidden, +and you are running to meet a great danger. This young girl has +fallen into the power of a wicked sorcerer, who lives in an iron +castle. Many young men have tried to deliver her, and none have +ever come back. But what is done is done! You have given your +word, and it cannot be broken. Go, dare your fate, and return to +me safe and sound.' + +So the prince embraced his father, mounted his horse, and set +forth to seek his bride. He rode on gaily for several hours, till +he found himself in a wood where he had never been before, and +soon lost his way among its winding paths and deep valleys. He +tried in vain to see where he was: the thick trees shut out the +sun, and he could not tell which was north and which was south, +so that he might know what direction to make for. He felt in +despair, and had quite given up all hope of getting out of this +horrible place, when he heard a voice calling to him. + +‘Hey! hey! stop a minute!' + +The prince turned round and saw behind him a very tall man, +running as fast as his legs would carry him. + +‘Wait for me,' he panted, ‘and take me into your service. If you +do, you will never be sorry.' + +‘Who are you?' asked the prince, ‘and what can you do?' + +‘Long is my name, and I can lengthen my body at will. Do you see +that nest up there on the top of that pine-tree? Well, I can get +it for you without taking the trouble of climbing the tree,' and +Long stretched himself up and up and up, till he was very soon as +tall as the pine itself. He put the nest in his pocket, and +before you could wink your eyelid he had made himself small +again, and stood before the prince. + +‘Yes; you know your business,' said he, ‘but birds' nests are no +use to me. I am too old for them. Now if you were only able to +get me out of this wood, you would indeed be good for something.' + +‘Oh, there's no difficulty about that,' replied Long, and he +stretched himself up and up and up till he was three times as +tall as the tallest tree in the forest. Then he looked all round +and said, ‘We must go in this direction in order to get out of +the wood,' and shortening himself again, he took the prince's +horse by the bridle, and led him along. Very soon they got clear +of the forest, and saw before them a wide plain ending in a pile +of high rocks, covered here and there with trees, and very much +like the fortifications of a town. + +As they left the wood behind, Long turned to the prince and said, +‘My lord, here comes my comrade. You should take him into your +service too, as you will find him a great help.' + +‘Well, call him then, so that I can see what sort of a man he +is.' + +‘He is a little too far off for that,' replied Long. ‘He would +hardly hear my voice, and he couldn't be here for some time yet, +as he has so much to carry. I think I had better go and bring him +myself,' and this time he stretched himself to such a height that +his head was lost in the clouds. He made two or three strides, +took his friend on his back, and set him down before the prince. +The new-comer was a very fat man, and as round as a barrel. + +‘Who are you?' asked the prince, ‘and what can you do?' + +‘Your worship, Broad is my name, and I can make myself as wide as +I please.' + +‘Let me see how you manage it.' + +‘Run, my lord, as fast as you can, and hide yourself in the +wood,' cried Broad, and he began to swell himself out. + +The prince did not understand why he should run to the wood, but +when he saw Long flying towards it, he thought he had better +follow his example. He was only just in time, for Broad had so +suddenly inflated himself that he very nearly knocked over the +prince and his horse too. He covered all the space for acres +round. You would have thought he was a mountain! + +At length Broad ceased to expand, drew a deep breath that made +the whole forest tremble, and shrank into his usual size. + +‘You have made me run away,' said the prince. ‘But it is not +every day one meets with a man of your sort. I will take you into +my service.' + +So the three companions continued their journey, and when they +were drawing near the rocks they met a man whose eyes were +covered by a bandage. + +‘Your excellency,' said Long, ‘this is our third comrade. You +will do well to take him into your service, and, I assure you, +you will find him worth his salt.' + +‘Who are you?' asked the prince. ‘And why are your eyes bandaged? +You can never see your way!' + +‘It is just the contrary, my lord! It is because I see only too +well that I am forced to bandage my eyes. Even so I see as well +as people who have no bandage. When I take it off my eyes pierce +through everything. Everything I look at catches fire, or, if it +cannot catch fire, it falls into a thousand pieces. They call me +Quickeye.' + +And so saying he took off his bandage and turned towards the +rock. As he fixed his eyes upon it a crack was heard, and in a +few moments it was nothing but a heap of sand. In the sand +something might be detected glittering brightly. Quickeye picked +it up and brought it to the prince. It turned out to be a lump of +pure gold. + +‘You are a wonderful creature,' said the prince, ‘and I should be +a fool not to take you into my service. But since your eyes are +so good, tell me if I am very far from the Iron Castle, and what +is happening there just now.' + +‘If you were travelling alone,' replied Quickeye, ‘it would take +you at least a year to get to it; but as we are with you, we +shall arrive there to-night. Just now they are preparing supper.' + +‘There is a princess in the castle. Do you see her?' + +‘A wizard keeps her in a high tower, guarded by iron bars.' + +‘Ah, help me to deliver her!' cried the prince. + +And they promised they would. + +Then they all set out through the grey rocks, by the breach made +by the eyes of Quickeye, and passed over great mountains and +through deep woods. And every time they met with any obstacle the +three friends contrived somehow to put it aside. As the sun was +setting, the prince beheld the towers of the Iron Castle, and +before it sank beneath the horizon he was crossing the iron +bridge which led to the gates. He was only just in time, for no +sooner had the sun disappeared altogether, than the bridge drew +itself up and the gates shut themselves. + +There was no turning back now! + +The prince put up his horse in the stable, where everything +looked as if a guest was expected, and then the whole party +marched straight up to the castle. In the court, in the stables, +and all over the great halls, they saw a number of men richly +dressed, but every one turned into stone. They crossed an endless +set of rooms, all opening into each other, till they reached the +dining-hall. It was brilliantly lighted; the table was covered +with wine and fruit, and was laid for four. They waited a few +minutes expecting someone to come, but as nobody did, they sat +down and began to eat and drink, for they were very hungry. + +When they had done their supper they looked about for some place +to sleep. But suddenly the door burst open, and the wizard +entered the hall. He was old and hump-backed, with a bald head +and a grey beard that fell to his knees. He wore a black robe, +and instead of a belt three iron circlets clasped his waist. He +led by the hand a lady of wonderful beauty, dressed in white, +with a girdle of silver and a crown of pearls, but her face was +pale and sad as death itself. + +The prince knew her in an instant, and moved eagerly forward; but +the wizard gave him no time to speak, and said: + +‘I know why you are here. Very good; you may have her if for +three nights following you can prevent her making her escape. If +you fail in this, you and your servants will all be turned into +stone, like those who have come before you.' And offering the +princess a chair, he left the hall. + +The prince could not take his eyes from the princess, she was so +lovely! He began to talk to her, but she neither answered nor +smiled, and sat as if she were made of marble. He seated himself +by her, and determined not to close his eyes that night, for fear +she should escape him. And in order that she should be doubly +guarded, Long stretched himself like a strap all round the room, +Broad took his stand by the door and puffed himself out, so that +not even a mouse could slip by, and Quickeye leant against a +pillar which stood in the middle of the floor and supported the +roof. But in half a second they were all sound asleep, and they +slept sound the whole night long. + +In the morning, at the first peep of dawn, the prince awoke with +a start. But the princess was gone. He aroused his servants and +implored them to tell him what he must do. + +‘Calm yourself, my lord,' said Quickeye. ‘I have found her +already. A hundred miles from here there is a forest. In the +middle of the forest, an old oak, and on the top of the oak, an +acorn. This acorn is the princess. If Long will take me on his +shoulders, we shall soon bring her back.' And sure enough, in +less time than it takes to walk round a cottage, they had +returned from the forest, and Long presented the acorn to the +prince. + +‘Now, your excellency, throw it on the ground.' + +The prince obeyed, and was enchanted to see the princess appear +at his side. But when the sun peeped for the first time over the +mountains, the door burst open as before, and the wizard entered +with a loud laugh. Suddenly he caught sight of the princess; his +face darkened, he uttered a low growl, and one of the iron +circlets gave way with a crash. He seized the young girl by the +hand and bore her away with him. + +All that day the prince wandered about the castle, studying the +curious treasures it contained, but everything looked as if life +had suddenly come to a standstill. In one place he saw a prince +who had been turned into stone in the act of brandishing a sword +round which his two hands were clasped. In another, the same doom +had fallen upon a knight in the act of running away. In a third, +a serving man was standing eternally trying to convey a piece of +beef to his mouth, and all around them were others, still +preserving for evermore the attitudes they were in when the +wizard had commanded ‘From henceforth be turned into marble.' In +the castle, and round the castle all was dismal and desolate. +Trees there were, but without leaves; fields there were, but no +grass grew on them. There was one river, but it never flowed and +no fish lived in it. No flowers blossomed, and no birds sang. + +Three times during the day food appeared, as if by magic, for the +prince and his servants. And it was not until supper was ended +that the wizard appeared, as on the previous evening, and +delivered the princess into the care of the prince. + +All four determined that this time they would keep awake at any +cost. But it was no use. Off they went as they had done before, +and when the prince awoke the next morning the room was again +empty. + +With a pang of shame, he rushed to find Quickeye. ‘Awake! Awake! +Quickeye! Do you know what has become of the princess?' + +Quickeye rubbed his eyes and answered: ‘Yes, I see her. Two +hundred miles from here there is a mountain. In this mountain is +a rock. In the rock, a precious stone. This stone is the +princess. Long shall take me there, and we will be back before +you can turn round.' + +So Long took him on his shoulders and they set out. At every +stride they covered twenty miles, and as they drew near Quickeye +fixed his burning eyes on the mountain; in an instant it split +into a thousand pieces, and in one of these sparkled the precious +stone. They picked it up and brought it to the prince, who flung +it hastily down, and as the stone touched the floor the princess +stood before him. When the wizard came, his eyes shot forth +flames of fury. Cric-crac was heard, and another of his iron +bands broke and fell. He seized the princess by the hand and led +her off, growling louder than ever. + +All that day things went on exactly as they had done the day +before. After supper the wizard brought back the princess, and +looking him straight in the eyes he said, ‘We shall see which of +us two will gain the prize after all!' + +That night they struggled their very hardest to keep awake, and +even walked about instead of sitting down. But it was quite +useless. One after another they had to give in, and for the third +time the princess slipped through their fingers. + +When morning came, it was as usual the prince who awoke the +first, and as usual, the princess being gone, he rushed to +Quickeye. + +‘Get up, get up, Quickeye, and tell me where is the princess?' + +Quickeye looked about for some time without answering. ‘Oh, my +lord, she is far, very far. Three hundred miles away there lies a +black sea. In the middle of this sea there is a little shell, and +in the middle of the shell is fixed a gold ring. That gold ring +is the princess. But do not vex your soul; we will get her. Only +to-day, Long must take Broad with him. He will be wanted badly.' + +So Long took Quickeye on one shoulder, and Broad on the other, +and they set out. At each stride they left thirty miles behind +them. When they reached the black sea, Quickeye showed them the +spot where they must seek the shell. But though Long stretched +down his hand as far as it would go, he could not find the shell, +for it lay at the bottom of the sea. + +‘Wait a moment, comrades, it will be all right. I will help you,' +said Broad. + +Then he swelled himself out so that you would have thought the +world could hardly have held him, and stooping down he drank. He +drank so much at every mouthful, that only a minute or so passed +before the water had sunk enough for Long to put his hand to the +bottom. He soon found the shell, and pulled the ring out. But +time had been lost, and Long had a double burden to carry. The +dawn was breaking fast before they got back to the castle, where +the prince was waiting for them in an agony of fear. + +Soon the first rays of the sun were seen peeping over the tops of +the mountains. The door burst open, and finding the prince +standing alone the wizard broke into peals of wicked laughter. +But as he laughed a loud crash was heard, the window fell into a +thousand pieces, a gold ring glittered in the air, and the +princess stood before the enchanter. For Quickeye, who was +watching from afar, had told Long of the terrible danger now +threatening the prince, and Long, summoning all his strength for +one gigantic effort, had thrown the ring right through the +window. + +The wizard shrieked and howled with rage, till the whole castle +trembled to its foundations. Then a crash was heard, the third +band split in two, and a crow flew out of the window. + +Then the princess at length broke the enchanted silence, and +blushing like a rose, gave the prince her thanks for her +unlooked-for deliverance. + +But it was not only the princess who was restored to life by the +flight of the wicked black crow. The marble figures became men +once more, and took up their occupations just as they had left +them off. The horses neighed in the stables, the flowers +blossomed in the garden, the birds flew in the air, the fish +darted in the water. Everywhere you looked, all was life, all was +joy! + +And the knights who had been turned into stone came in a body to +offer their homage to the prince who had set them free. + +‘Do not thank me,' he said, ‘for I have done nothing. Without my +faithful servants, Long, Broad, and Quickeye, I should even have +been as one of you.' + +With these words he bade them farewell, and departed with the +princess and his faithful companions for the kingdom of his +father. + +The old king, who had long since given up all hope, wept for joy +at the sight of his son, and insisted that the wedding should +take place as soon as possible. + +All the knights who had been enchanted in the Iron Castle were +invited to the ceremony, and after it had taken place, Long, +Broad, and Quickeye took leave of the young couple, saying that +they were going to look for more work. + +The prince offered them all their hearts could desire if they +would only remain with him, but they replied that an idle life +would not please them, and that they could never be happy unless +they were busy, so they went away to seek their fortunes, and for +all I know are seeking still. + +[Contes populaires. Traduits par Louis Léger. Paris: Leroux, +éditeur.] + + + + + + Prunella + + + +There was once upon a time a woman who had an only daughter. When +the child was about seven years old she used to pass every day, +on her way to school, an orchard where there was a wild plum +tree, with delicious ripe plums hanging from the branches. Each +morning the child would pick one, and put it into her pocket to +eat at school. For this reason she was called Prunella. Now, the +orchard belonged to a witch. One day the witch noticed the child +gathering a plum, as she passed along the road. Prunella did it +quite innocently, not knowing that she was doing wrong in taking +the fruit that hung close to the roadside. But the witch was +furious, and next day hid herself behind the hedge, and when +Prunella came past, and put out her hand to pluck the fruit, she +jumped out and seized her by the arm. + +‘Ah! you little thief!' she exclaimed. ‘I have caught you at +last. Now you will have to pay for your misdeeds.' + +The poor child, half dead with fright, implored the old woman to +forgive her, assuring her that she did not know she had done +wrong, and promising never to do it again. But the witch had no +pity, and she dragged Prunella into her house, where she kept her +till the time should come when she could have her revenge. + +As the years passed Prunella grew up into a very beautiful girl. +Now her beauty and goodness, instead of softening the witch's +heart, aroused her hatred and jealousy. + +One day she called Prunella to her, and said: ‘Take this basket, +go to the well, and bring it back to me filled with water. If you +don't I will kill you.' + +The girl took the basket, went and let it down into the well +again and again. But her work was lost labour. Each time, as she +drew up the basket, the water streamed out of it. At last, in +despair, she gave it up, and leaning against the well she began +to cry bitterly, when suddenly she heard a voice at her side +saying ‘Prunella, why are you crying?' + +Turning round she beheld a handsome youth, who looked kindly at +her, as if he were sorry for her trouble. + +‘Who are you,' she asked, ‘and how do you know my name?' + +‘I am the son of the witch,' he replied, ‘and my name is +Bensiabel. I know that she is determined that you shall die, but +I promise you that she shall not carry out her wicked plan. Will +you give me a kiss, if I fill your basket?' + +‘No,' said Prunella, ‘I will not give you a kiss, because you are +the son of a witch.' + +‘Very well,' replied the youth sadly. ‘Give me your basket and I +will fill it for you.' And he dipped it into the well, and the +water stayed in it. Then the girl returned to the house, carrying +the basket filled with water. When the witch saw it, she became +white with rage, and exclaimed ‘Bensiabel must have helped you.' +And Prunella looked down, and said nothing. + +‘Well, we shall see who will win in the end,' said the witch, in +a great rage. + +The following day she called the girl to her and said: ‘Take this +sack of wheat. I am going out for a little; by the time I return +I shall expect you to have made it into bread. If you have not +done it I will kill you.' Having said this she left the room, +closing and locking the door behind her. + +Poor Prunella did not know what to do. It was impossible for her +to grind the wheat, prepare the dough, and bake the bread, all in +the short time that the witch would be away. At first she set to +work bravely, but when she saw how hopeless her task was, she +threw herself on a chair, and began to weep bitterly. She was +roused from her despair by hearing Bensiabel's voice at her side +saying: ‘Prunella, Prunella, do not weep like that. If you will +give me a kiss I will make the bread, and you will be saved.' + +‘I will not kiss the son of a witch,' replied Prunella. + +But Bensiabel took the wheat from her, and ground it, and made +the dough, and when the witch returned the bread was ready baked +in the oven. + +Turning to the girl, with fury in her voice, she said: ‘Bensiabel +must have been here and helped you;' and Prunella looked down, +and said nothing. + +‘We shall see who will win in the end,' said the witch, and her +eyes blazed with anger. + +Next day she called the girl to her and said: ‘Go to my sister, +who lives across the mountains. She will give you a casket, which +you must bring back to me.' This she said knowing that her +sister, who was a still more cruel and wicked witch than herself, +would never allow the girl to return, but would imprison her and +starve her to death. But Prunella did not suspect anything, and +set out quite cheerfully. On the way she met Bensiabel. + +‘Where are you going, Prunella?' he asked. + +‘I am going to the sister of my mistress, from whom I am to fetch +a casket.' + +‘Oh poor, poor girl!' said Bensiabel. ‘You are being sent +straight to your death. Give me a kiss, and I will save you.' + +But again Prunella answered as before, ‘I will not kiss the son +of a witch.' + +‘Nevertheless, I will save your life,' said Bensiabel, ‘for I +love you better than myself. Take this flagon of oil, this loaf +of bread, this piece of rope, and this broom. When you reach the +witch's house, oil the hinges of the door with the contents of +the flagon, and throw the loaf of bread to the great fierce +mastiff, who will come to meet you. When you have passed the dog, +you will see in the courtyard a miserable woman trying in vain to +let down a bucket into the well with her plaited hair. You must +give her the rope. In the kitchen you will find a still more +miserable woman trying to clean the hearth with her tongue; to +her you must give the broom. You will see the casket on the top +of a cupboard, take it as quickly as you can, and leave the house +without a moment's delay. If you do all this exactly as I have +told you, you will not be killed.' + +So Prunella, having listened carefully to his instructions, did +just what he had told her. She reached the house, oiled the +hinges of the door, threw the loaf to the dog, gave the poor +woman at the well the rope, and the woman in the kitchen the +broom, caught up the casket from the top of the cupboard, and +fled with it out of the house. But the witch heard her as she ran +away, and rushing to the window called out to the woman in the +kitchen: ‘Kill that thief, I tell you!' + +But the woman replied: ‘I will not kill her, for she has given me +a broom, whereas you forced me to clean the hearth with my +tongue.' + +Then the witch called out in fury to the woman at the well: ‘Take +the girl, I tell you, and fling her into the water, and drown +her!' + +But the woman answered: ‘No, I will not drown her, for she gave +me this rope, whereas you forced me to use my hair to let down +the bucket to draw water.' + +Then the witch shouted to the dog to seize the girl and hold her +fast; but the dog answered: ‘No, I will not seize her, for she +gave me a loaf of bread, whereas you let me starve with hunger.' + +The witch was so angry that she nearly choked, as she called out: +‘Door, bang upon her, and keep her a prisoner.' + +But the door answered: ‘I won't, for she has oiled my hinges, so +that they move quite easily, whereas you left them all rough and +rusty.' + +And so Prunella escaped, and, with the casket under her arm, +reached the house of her mistress, who, as you may believe, was +as angry as she was surprised to see the girl standing before +her, looking more beautiful than ever. Her eyes flashed, as in +furious tones she asked her, ‘Did you meet Bensiabel?' + +But Prunella looked down, and said nothing. + +‘We shall see,' said the witch, ‘who will win in the end. Listen, +there are three cocks in the hen-house; one is yellow, one black, +and the third is white. If one of them crows during the night you +must tell me which one it is. Woe to you if you make a mistake. I +will gobble you up in one mouthful.' + +Now Bensiabel was in the room next to the one where Prunella +slept. At midnight she awoke hearing a cock crow. + +‘Which one was that?' shouted the witch. + +Then, trembling, Prunella knocked on the wall and whispered: +‘Bensiabel, Bensiabel, tell me, which cock crowed?' + +‘Will you give me a kiss if I tell you?' he whispered back +through the wall. + +But she answered ‘No.' + +Then he whispered back to her: ‘Nevertheless, I will tell you. It +was the yellow cock that crowed.' + +The witch, who had noticed the delay in Prunella's answer, +approached her door calling angrily: ‘Answer at once, or I will +kill you.' + +So Prunella answered: ‘It was the yellow cock that crowed.' + +And the witch stamped her foot and gnashed her teeth. + +Soon after another cock crowed. ‘Tell me now which one it is,' +called the witch. And, prompted by Bensiabel, Prunella answered: +‘That is the black cock.' + +A few minutes after the crowing was heard again, and the voice of +the witch demanding ‘Which one was that?' + +And again Prunella implored Bensiabel to help her. But this time +he hesitated, for he hoped that Prunella might forget that he was +a witch's son, and promise to give him a kiss. And as he +hesitated he heard an agonised cry from the girl: ‘Bensiabel, +Bensiabel, save me! The witch is coming, she is close to me, I +hear the gnashing of her teeth!' + +With a bound Bensiabel opened his door and flung himself against +the witch. He pulled her back with such force that she stumbled, +and falling headlong, dropped down dead at the foot of the +stairs. + +Then, at last, Prunella was touched by Bensiabel's goodness and +kindness to her, and she became his wife, and they lived happily +ever after. + + + + + +End of The Grey Fairy Book. + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE GREY FAIRY BOOK *** + +This file should be named greyf10.txt or greyf10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, greyf11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, greyf10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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