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diff --git a/75166-h/75166-h.htm b/75166-h/75166-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7b03568 --- /dev/null +++ b/75166-h/75166-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7017 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> + <title>Stories Told by the Miller | Project Gutenberg</title> + <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg"/> + <meta name="cover" content="images/cover.jpg" /> + <meta name="DC.Creator" content="Violet Jacob"/> + <meta name="DC.Illustrator" content="William Dacres Adams"/> + <meta name="DC.Title" content="Stories Told by the Miller"/> + <meta name="DC.Language" content="en"/> + <meta name="DC.Created" content="1909"/> + <meta name="DC.date.issued" content="1909"/> + <meta name="DC.Subject" content="Fiction"/> + <meta name="Tags" content="fiction, juvenile, short story, folklore"/> + <meta name="generator" content="fpgen 4.65"/> + <style type="text/css"> + body { margin-left:8%;margin-right:10%; } + .it { font-style:italic; } + .bold { font-weight:bold; } + .sc { font-variant:small-caps; } + p { text-indent:0; margin-top:0.5em; margin-bottom:0.5em; + text-align: justify; } + div.lgc { } + div.lgl { } + div.lgc p { text-align:center; text-indent:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; } + div.lgl p { text-indent: -17px; margin-left:17px; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; } + div.lgp { + display:inline-block; + text-align: left; + } + + div.lgp p { + text-align:left; + margin-top:0; + margin-bottom:0; + } + + .poetry-container { + text-align:center; + } + + h1 { + text-align:center; + font-weight:normal; + page-break-before: always; + font-size:1.2em; margin:2em auto 1em auto + } + + h3 { + text-align:center; + font-weight:normal; + font-size:1.0em; + margin:1em auto 0.5em auto; + page-break-after:avoid; + } + + hr.tbk { border:none; border-bottom:1px solid black; width:30%; margin-left:35%; margin-right:35%; } + hr.pbk { border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:100%; margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:2em } + .figcenter { + text-align:center; + margin:1em auto; + page-break-inside: avoid; + } + + div.blockquote { margin:1em 2em; text-align:justify; } + p.caption { text-align:center; margin:0 auto; width:100%; } + p.credit { text-align:right; margin:0 auto; width: 100%; } + + p.line { text-indent:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; } + div.lgp p.line0 { text-indent:-3em; margin:0 auto 0 3em; } + table { page-break-inside: avoid; } + table.center { margin:0.5em auto; border-collapse: collapse; padding:3px; } + table.flushleft { margin:0.5em 0em; border-collapse: collapse; padding:3px; } + table.left { margin:0.5em 1.2em; border-collapse: collapse; padding:3px; } + .tab1c1 { } + .tab1c2 { } + .tab2c1 { } + .tab2c2 { } + .tab1c1-col2 { border-right: 0px solid black; } + .tab2c1-col2 { border-right: 0px solid black; } + .tdStyle0 { + padding: 2px 5px; text-align:center; vertical-align:top; + } + .tdStyle1 { + padding: 2px 5px; text-align:right; vertical-align:top; + } + .tdStyle2 { + padding: 2px 5px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top;padding-left:29px; text-indent:-24px; + } + .pindent { margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-indent:1.5em; } + .noindent { margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-indent:0; } + .hang { padding-left:1.5em; text-indent:-1.5em; } + </style> + <style type="text/css"> + .poetry-container { margin-top:.5em; margin-bottom:.5em } + .pindent {margin-top: 0.25em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;} + .literal-container { margin-top:.5em; margin-bottom:.5em } + .figcenter { max-width:600px; } + div.lgc { margin-top:.5em; margin-bottom:.5em } + hr.tbk { border:none; border-bottom:1px solid white; + width:30%; margin-left:35%; margin-right:35%; + margin-top: 1.0em; margin-bottom: 1.0em; } + p { margin-top:0em; margin-bottom:0em; } + </style> + </head> + <body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75166 ***</div> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/cover.jpg' alt='Book Cover' id='iid-0000' style='width:95%;height:auto;'/> +</div> + +<hr class='pbk'/> + +<div class='lgc' style=''> <!-- rend=';' --> +<p class='line' style='margin-bottom:2em;font-size:2.4em;'>STORIES</p> +<p class='line' style='font-size:2.4em;'>TOLD BY THE MILLER</p> +<p class='line'> </p> +<p class='line' style='margin-top:.5em;margin-bottom:5em;font-size:1.2em;'>BY VIOLET JACOB</p> +<p class='line' style='font-size:1.2em;'>AUTHOR OF “IRRESOLUTE CATHERINE,” ETC.</p> +<p class='line'> </p> +<p class='line' style='margin-top:.5em;margin-bottom:10em;font-size:1em;'>WITH ILLUSTRATIONS</p> +<p class='line'> </p> +<p class='line' style='margin-top:.5em;font-size:.9em;'>LONDON</p> +<p class='line' style='margin-top:.3em;margin-bottom:.3em;font-size:1.2em;'>JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W.</p> +<p class='line' style='margin-bottom:.8em;font-size:.9em;'>1909</p> +</div> <!-- end rend --> + +<hr class='pbk'/> + +<div class='lgc' style='margin-top:3em;margin-bottom:3em;'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<p class='line'>TO</p> +<p class='line'>MY BOY HARRY</p> +</div> <!-- end rend --> + +<hr class='pbk'/> + +<table id='tab1' summary='' class='center'> +<colgroup> +<col span='1' style='width: 3.5em;'/> +<col span='1' style='width: 22.5em;'/> +</colgroup> +<tr><td class='tab1c1 tab1c1-col2 tdStyle0' colspan='2'>CONTENTS</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'></td><td class='tab1c2 tdStyle2'> </td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'>1.</td><td class='tab1c2 tdStyle2'><a href='#chap00'>STORIES TOLD BY THE MILLER</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'>2.</td><td class='tab1c2 tdStyle2'><a href='#chap01'>THE STORY OF THE WATER-NIX</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'>3.</td><td class='tab1c2 tdStyle2'><a href='#chap02'>THE KING OF GROWGLAND’S CROWN</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'>4.</td><td class='tab1c2 tdStyle2'><a href='#chap03'>THE STORY OF MASTER BOGEY</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'>5.</td><td class='tab1c2 tdStyle2'><a href='#chap04'>THE TREE OF PRIDE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'>6.</td><td class='tab1c2 tdStyle2'><a href='#chap05'>THE STORY OF FARMYARD MAGGIE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'>7.</td><td class='tab1c2 tdStyle2'><a href='#chap06'>THE FIDDLING GOBLIN</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'>8.</td><td class='tab1c2 tdStyle2'><a href='#chap07'>THE WITCH’S CLOAK</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab1c1 tdStyle1'>9.</td><td class='tab1c2 tdStyle2'><a href='#chap08'>CONCLUSION</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class='pbk'/> + +<table id='tab2' summary='' class='center'> +<colgroup> +<col span='1' style='width: 3.5em;'/> +<col span='1' style='width: 22.5em;'/> +</colgroup> +<tr><td class='tab2c1 tab2c1-col2 tdStyle0' colspan='2'>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle1'></td><td class='tab2c2 tdStyle2'> </td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle1'></td><td class='tab2c2 tdStyle2'> </td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle1'><a href='#img00'>1.</a></td><td class='tab2c2 tdStyle2'>“ONCE . . . THE MILLER’S MAN SAW HER”</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle1'><a href='#img01'>2.</a></td><td class='tab2c2 tdStyle2'>“THEN THE BIRD TOLD HER THE WHOLE PLOT”</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle1'><a href='#img02'>3.</a></td><td class='tab2c2 tdStyle2'>“SHE HELD OUT HER HAND, AND HE TOOK IT”</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle1'><a href='#img03'>4.</a></td><td class='tab2c2 tdStyle2'>“SHE WOULD SCARCE ANSWER HER FATHER WHEN HE SPOKE”</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle1'><a href='#img04'>5.</a></td><td class='tab2c2 tdStyle2'>“MAGGIE TOOK IT AND BEGAN TO ROCK IT ABOUT”</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle1'><a href='#img05'>6.</a></td><td class='tab2c2 tdStyle2'>“WHIRLING HER SPANGLED VEIL, SHE BEGAN TO GLIDE ABOUT”</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tab2c1 tdStyle1'><a href='#img06'>7.</a></td><td class='tab2c2 tdStyle2'>“ ‘WHO ARE YOU?’ INQUIRED THE OLD WOMAN”</td></tr> +</table> + +<div><h1 id='chap00'>STORIES TOLD BY THE MILLER</h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>Janet and little Peter lived in an old white-washed +cottage that stood in a field by the +border of the mill-pool. It was a tiny, weather-stained +cot, to which a narrow path led through +a gap in the low wall of the highroad. Across +the road stood the mill itself, grey, windowless, +and solid, with stone steps leading up to a door, +through which, on a grinding day, you could +hear the noise of the machinery and see the +dusty atmosphere within. Peter and Janet +thought the mill-field over the road a charming +place; and so it was, for at one end the overflow +from the tree-hidden dam poured down its +paved slide in a white waterfall, to wander, a +zigzagging stream, through the field and out, +under the road, to the pool near their cottage. +From the farther side of the dam the mill-lead +ran evenly below the gnarled roots of the trees +shadowing its course, and was lost in that dark +hole in the wall behind which the flashing wheel +turned. The water came racing out to join the +overflow and dive with it through the causeway, +coming up in the pool beyond. From there +it meandered over the country into the river, +which carried it to the sea. On wild days in +winter you might hear the roaring sound of the +North Sea beating against the coast.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Janet and her brother were orphans, and +their lives were very hard; for their grandmother, +with whom they had been lately sent +to live, was a cruel old woman who beat poor +little Peter when she was out of temper. Janet +came in for rough words, and blows, too, sometimes, +although she was almost seventeen, and +old enough to take care of herself. Many a +time she longed to run away, but in her heart +she knew that she would never do so because +she could not leave her brother alone. She +was a good girl, and a pretty one besides, for +her hair was like the corn and she was as +slender as a bulrush. The neighbours whose +boys and girls passed on their way from school +would not let their children have anything to +do with little Peter, for many thought that his +wicked old grandmother was a witch. The +children had made a rhyme that they used to +sing. It was like this:</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“Peter, Peter, the witch’s brat,</p> +<p class='line0'>Lives in the house with a green-eyed cat!</p> +<p class='line0'>Peter, Peter, we jump for joy,</p> +<p class='line0'>Throwing stones at the witch’s boy!”</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='noindent'>And then sometimes they would throw them, +but not when Janet was by, for she would catch +them and shake them.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“<span class='it'>You</span> are the green-eyed cat!” they would +shout, as they saw her angry face. But they +took care to run as they said it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>In spite of their troubles, the brother and +sister were not always unhappy, for there were +many things they liked. One was the crooked +old cherry-tree that grew between their cottage +and the pool, and when the leaves turned fiery +rose-colour in the autumn Peter would pick +them up as they dropped and make them stand +in rows against the wood-pile, pretending they +were armies of red soldiers. The brightest and +reddest ones were the generals, the paler ones +the privates. And the wild cherries tasted +delicious.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One day Peter was crying bitterly. The +old woman had beaten him and he was very +sad.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come away,” said Janet. “We will go to +the mill, for I can hear the grinding going on. +No one will notice if we slip into the field, and +we can look right in and see the wheel itself.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Peter forgot all about his trouble and stopped +crying, for she had never allowed him to go so +near the wheel before. They set off and went +round the back of the mill buildings. Oh, how +charmed he was! Janet lifted him up and he +looked through the big hole. Round and round +went the great spokes of the wheel, and the +water, clear as crystal in the darkness, dripped +from it and fell in showers into the brown swirl +below. The sides of the walls were green with +slime and little clumps of fern, and the long +mosses streamed down like tresses of emerald-coloured +hair. At last he drew back and she +sat him on the ground. Then they turned +round to go home, and nearly jumped out of +their skins, for there was the miller looking at +them. He was a tall young man, with a brown +face and clothes covered with white dust; even +the leather leggings he wore were white, and +his hat, which he had pushed back, was white +too.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, my man,” said he to Peter, “and +what do you think of the wheel?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Peter did not know what to say, he was so +much taken aback.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“When I was a little boy,” said the miller, +“I was just like you, and couldn’t keep away +from a mill-wheel if there was one within twenty +miles. ‘When I’m a man,’ said I, ‘it’s a miller +I’ll be.’ And a miller I am.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But little Peter was still too much startled +to understand friendliness. He pointed to the +cottage over the road.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You won’t tell grandmother we came here?” +he asked, his eyes filling with tears.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Not I,” said the miller.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“She would beat him if you did,” remarked +Janet.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That’s bad,” observed the miller, pushing +his hat farther back. “I had a grandmother, +too, when I was a little lad; she had a great +cap and horn spectacles.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And did she beat you?” said Peter, gaining +courage.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Not she!” exclaimed the miller. “But she +used to comfort me if anyone else did. Such +fine tales she used to tell me, too—some out +of a book and some out of her head! I’ve got +the book in the house now.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Little Peter loved stories more than anything +in the world, and every moment he was growing +less afraid of the miller.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, tell me one!” he cried. “Please tell +me one!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Sit down, then,” he said, “and you, too, my +pretty lass. The first I can mind her telling +me was about this very mill. Would you like +to hear about that?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yes, yes!” cried little Peter.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And so they sat down by the mill-lead, and +the miller began his story.</p> + +<div><h1 id='chap01'>THE STORY OF THE WATER-NIX</h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>My grandmother was a wonderful woman +(said he): there was nothing she heard that +she ever forgot and she had a good education +at her back, too. Not a thing happened but +she could make a story out of it, and on the +days when she went to market she used to take +me with her in the cart; she would drive and I +sat up beside her, and it was then I heard from +her what I am going to tell you now.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Long ago there lived in the deep water +round the wheel a Water-Nix. She was the +most beautiful lady ever seen, though it was +not many had the luck to catch sight of her, +for she seldom came out of her hiding-place +near the walls. A body might live here a year +and never see her. But sometimes, on light +nights, she would dive under the door and swim +out, and even sit up on the bank, with her thin +white smock trailing in the water. Once—so +grandmother said—the miller’s man saw her +perched upon the wall by the road, just where +the stream runs under it. The drops were +falling off her white feet on to the grass—so he +told grandmother—and though there was only +a little crescent like a sickle in the sky that +night, he could see the water-lilies twisted in +her hair. She was laughing and holding up +her arms at the moon.</p> + +<div class='figcenter' style='width:80%'> +<img src='images/ill000.jpg' alt='Man espies fairy bathing in water.' id='img00' style='width:99%;height:auto;'/> +<p class='caption'>“ONCE . . . THE MILLER’S MAN SAW HER.”</p> +</div> + +<p class='pindent'>And have <span class='it'>you</span> ever seen her? inquired +little Peter, his eyes round.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Never, said the miller. Well, to go on: +Sometimes she would get through the causeway +and go and lie in the pool over yonder near +your cottage, floating and sending the ripples +widening in great circles round her.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, it happened one day that the Nix was +in her place, hidden behind the door near the +wheel, when a pedlar passed by on the road. +He had a pack on his back, gold rings in his +ears and a staff in his hand; for he was a +lusty fellow, landed off a ship that had come +in from the Baltic, and was travelling inland to +sell what wares he could carry. He was singing +as he went, and the Nix came out and swam +close under the walls to hear him. He sang of +the sea, and there was something in his voice +that reminded you of the wind droning in the +rigging. (How grandmother knew that I don’t +know, for she wasn’t there to hear him; but +she had once been in a ship off the coast of +Jutland, so I suppose she guessed it.)</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“Out and home and out again,</p> +<p class='line0'>  As the tide rolls heavily,</p> +<p class='line0'>With the ship to steer and the fog to fear,</p> +<p class='line0'>  By the grey banks near the sea.</p> +<p class='line'> </p> +</div> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“Hand to the helm and heart to the blast,</p> +<p class='line0'>  And face to the driving rain,</p> +<p class='line0'>And the sea runs high to the glowering sky</p> +<p class='line0'>  As we sail for the North again.</p> +<p class='line'> </p> +</div> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“Hark to the mermaids off the shore,</p> +<p class='line0'>  As they sing so bonnilie</p> +<p class='line0'>Through the rocks and caves to the sounding waves</p> +<p class='line0'>  In the grey lands out at sea,</p> +<p class='line0'>  In the caves across the sea.”</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='pindent'>She had never heard such words or such a +tune in her life, and she rose, head and shoulders, +out of the water, crying to the pedlar to sing it +again. But when he saw the yellow hearts of +the water-lilies round her head, he took them +for gold, and he leaned over the little wall and +made a snatch at them. The Nix dived under +again and went back like a flash to the darkness +by the wheel.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But all day long she sat there, singing to +herself all she could remember of the song of +the pedlar; she was like one possessed:</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“By the grey banks near the sea,”</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='noindent'>she sang, rocking herself about,</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“In the caves across the sea.”</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, as time went on her longing grew +stronger and stronger: all the day she thought +of the sea and the grey caves of the coast, and +all night she sat on the wall, looking out eastwards +and listening for any sound of water that +might come inland. (It was at this time that +the miller’s man saw her.) Why this happened +to her I can’t tell, for I don’t know. Perhaps +her relations were those sea-kelpies that haunt +the Baltic.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Be that as it may, one night she crept out of +the pool and followed the banks of the wet +ditch by which it escapes, making for the river. +It must have been a queer sight to see her as +she went, with her wet garments clinging round +her, running down the fields; I always used to +fancy when I was a boy how she would look +from side to side, afraid of being seen, and how +she would stop here and there to listen for the +sea. She reached the marshes and ran out till +she felt the incoming tide about her feet. The +steeple of the town and its lights were strange +to her, but long before she got near them, the +water was deep, and she swam under the bridge +and out through the shipping in the harbour +till she heard the surf and saw the white line +over the bar.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Outside the sea was thundering and booming, +and the salt spray flew in her face, for a rough +night was setting in. Farther and farther she +swam, and soon she felt the current running +strong with her towards the cliffs that stand +miles out and look towards Denmark. The +gulls came swooping over her, but she did not +care; she had seen them at times screaming +behind the plough in the fields round the mill. +But, as the wind rose and the waves lifted her +up and tossed her, she grew frightened; for all +she knew of waters was the stillness of the +pool.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The storm was louder as night went on, and +by morning she was so much buffeted about that +she lay floating among the seaweed. She had no +strength left to go one way or another, and at +last she was cast up on a bit of sandy shore and +sat under the cliffs wondering what to do, for +the place was strange and she was afraid of all +the world. A track wound upwards, so she +followed it till it brought her out high above +the sands. The size of the sea bewildered her +and she gazed about for some place in which to +hide.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Close by was a little circle of tumble-down +wall; she looked over it into a tangle of weeds, +and saw what seemed to her the strangest thing +of all, for she did not know it was a deserted +graveyard. If she had she would have been no +wiser. The crosses leaned sideways out of the +rank thistles and hemlock. Some of the stones +lay flat, with only their carved corners sticking +out and some had the shape of tables; some +were no more than broken pieces. But one of +the graves had once been a very grand place, +with a little building over it to shelter the +stone; its roof was battered in, but it had a +helmet and strange words cut above the doorway. +The Nix made her way to it through +the hemlock; in she went and crouched against +its farthest corner. It was the quietest spot +she had seen. She was so weary that she did +not know what to do, and the sun dazzled her, +for it was growing strong and she was accustomed +to dark places.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She had lain there some time when she heard +steps not far off. Someone was coming along +the ridge of the cliffs. In another minute a +brown goat had jumped into a gap in the circle, +and stood staring in as though it were counting +the tombstones, moving its upper lip from side +to side. Goats seldom passed the mill, and she +was half scared at its beard and wagging ears +and the horns above its solemn face. As she +looked a boy appeared behind it—a rough-looking +boy, with a shock of yellow hair and +a switch in his hand to drive the beast with. +When he saw her he set up a loud cry of terror, +for he did not expect to find anyone in such a +place, and he had never seen a Water-Nix in +his life. Then he took to his heels, and the +goat galloped after him, baaing as it went. The +Nix lay quite still; she could not think why +anyone should run away like that.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She curled herself closer into her refuge.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Presently she heard a noise like the beating +of pots and pans and voices coming nearer. +She crept to the wall and looked over. A whole +crowd of boys was coming with sticks in their +hands, shouting, and as they caught sight of +her, they cried louder, brandishing them. Some +even had the handles of old brooms and the +goat-boy was at their head, beating a tin kettle. +“<span class='it'>There</span> she is!” he cried.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then the poor Nix understood that they had +come out after her, and she climbed out of the +graveyard on the side nearest the sea and +began to run for her life. She rushed down +a narrow path winding among great boulders, +and, when she was exhausted, she crept behind +one of them and lay there till the voices had +died away and she thought her pursuers had +given up the chase. When all was still she +rose and went on, not knowing where to go for +peace. Great tears stood in her eyes as she +thought of the mill and the trees by the dam.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>In time she came to a huge crag standing +out into the waves and joined to the land by +only a neck of rock no wider than the top of a +wall. She had no fear of growing giddy, for +she knew nothing of the uncomfortable things +that happen to human beings, so she crossed +it. The place looked so lonely that she was +sure there could be nobody there. When she +was over she turned the corner of a rock and +found herself at the foot of a high wall, pierced +by little shot windows and broken by a heavy +iron door. In her astonishment she sprang back, +for in front of it stood a tall man with a fierce +face and eyes like a hawk. The Water-Nix +turned and fled. Poor thing! she did not get +far, for he bounded after her and caught her by +the wrist. She struggled and fought, but it +was no good; he seized her in his strong arms, +and carried her in through the door.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, inside the door was the court of a +great tower, which was hidden on the landward +side by the top of the crag, and the man with +the fierce face was a robber who had made +his home in it. The people who lived in the +country round were terrified of him, for he would +come out at night and harry their villages, +robbing both rich and poor. No one could catch +him, because the narrow crossing over which +the Nix had come was the only way of getting +at the tower, and he and his men would shoot +from behind the loopholes, killing all who approached. +They could not get at him from the +sea, for the rock ran straight down into it like +a wall and nobody could climb it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The robber dragged the Nix into his tower, +not because he wanted to kill her, but because +he had no wife to be mistress of it, and he +thought that so beautiful a lady would be the +very person. He was not at all cruel to her, +and he brought her all the finest things in his +treasure-house. He offered her jewels he had +plundered, necklaces of pearls and diamonds +stolen from the merchant ships he had attacked; +for he was a pirate too and his galleys were +anchored in the deep water of the caves below +his rock. But she scarcely looked at them; the +only ornament she cared for was her wreath +of water-lilies that she used to pluck from the +mill-pool.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But at last the time came when he got angry. +“To-night I am going out,” he said. “The only +thing I have not stolen is a wedding-ring, and +now I want one. I shall land at the first village +up the coast, for I know that the fishermen are +at sea, and at the first house I go to I will seize +the wife’s wedding-ring. To-morrow we will +be married with it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Among the robber’s captives was a priest he +had taken prisoner, so he told him that he must +be ready to marry them as soon as he could +get back with the ring. The priest was sorry +for the Water-Nix and did not want to do it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You will have to,” said the robber, “or you +shall be thrown into the sea.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then the poor Water-Nix wrung her hands +and cried and sobbed so piteously that the +priest’s heart smote him, and he cudgelled his +brains to think of some plan to save her. At +last he found one. As soon as the robber’s back +was turned he said: “Bring me the diamond +necklace that he gave you and I will see what +we can do.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When he had got it he went to one of the +robber’s men.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Look at this,” said he. “If you will open +the great door to-night when your chief is +gone, and let us all three out, you shall have +it the moment we reach the mainland. It is so +valuable that, if you sell it, the price will enable +you to live honestly for the rest of your days.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But I don’t care for honesty,” said the +robber’s man.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, never mind about being honest,” said +the priest. “You can be rich without that.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That is a grand idea,” replied the other. +“The robber is a cruel master, so I will do as +you say. But if you don’t give me the necklace +the moment we get out of sight of the +tower, I will kill you and the Water-Nix +too.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So when it was dark, and the robber’s galley +had rowed away, the priest took the necklace, +hiding it under his clothes, and he and the Nix +stole out to the door. Everyone was asleep or +drinking but the man who waited for them with +the key he had contrived to get.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They let themselves out so noiselessly that +no one heard them, for the robber’s man had +oiled the lock, and when they reached the +mainland the priest gave him the necklace.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, I’m off. Good luck to you!” he said, +as he snatched it. Then he took to his heels +and ran off with his treasure.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And now I think that is all I can do for +you,” said the priest. And he left the Water-Nix +standing where she was, without so much +as giving her his blessing. The sooner he could +put a few miles between himself and the robber’s +tower the better, he thought.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Nix looked round and round about her. +Below lay the sea, moaning and washing the +shore, and not far off was the outline of the +little graveyard in the faint starlight. She ran +on along the cliffs, for far away a few lights of +the town by the river’s mouth could be seen +twinkling in a row, and she knew that up that +river lay the mill. As morning dawned she +found herself in a thick wood. She was glad, +for what she had seen of people made her wish +to get as far from them as possible, and she +determined to hide all day in the wood, and +travel on all night. She ran far in among the +trees, and threw herself down on a bank and +fell asleep, for she was almost worn out and +her feet ached from the rough ground.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She had slept a long time when she woke +and saw, to her dismay, that someone else was +sitting on the bank, quite near. He was a long, +thin, pale young man, with lank, untidy hair +and shabby clothes, and he was reading aloud +to himself out of a book on his knees. As she +moved he turned and saw her over the fallen +trunk behind which she lay. He shut his book, +taking care to keep a finger between the leaves +to mark the place, and looked calmly at her. +He was the first person she had met who did +not seem surprised to see her. All the same, +she prepared to run away.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You needn’t be afraid,” said the student—for +that is what he was. “I notice that you are +a Water-Nix, and, that being so, you are the +very person I should wish to see. This is a +poetry-book that I am reading; the writing is +fine enough, but there is nothing in it as fine +as what <span class='it'>I</span> am going to write. I am going to +make a poem. Three days, I assure you, have +I wandered in this wood trying to think of a +subject for it, and now I have it. It shall be +no less than my meeting with yourself.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And he said a long sentence in Latin, which +the Nix could not understand; but, then, neither +could she understand much of anything else he +had said, so it didn’t matter.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Ah, yes, you are a Water-Nix,” he continued—“<span class='it'>Nixiana +Aquatica</span>.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And he took a pencil out of his pocket and +scribbled down a note on the margin of his +book.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was some time before he left off saying +learned things, and began to consider how his +companion had come to a place so far from the +river, where not even a stream ran through the +trees. He listened to the tale she told him +with astonishment, and at last he put aside his +book and promised to help her to find the way +to the mill. He was very sorry for her, though +now and then he would forget her presence +as he pulled out his pencil to write down the +beginning of the poem he meant to make.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When night came the student and the Nix +started off. He walked in front, and she went +after him, like a dog following its master. In +the morning they hid in an overgrown quarry, +for she was much too frightened to go abroad +in the daylight; and thus they travelled till, +after midnight on the second day, they found +themselves close to the highroad which ran +towards the mill-pool. They sat down to rest. +All was so still that you could hear sounds ever +so far off, and they soon made out that someone +was coming to meet them. Then a man passed +on the road; they could not see him, but he +was singing to himself. And what he sang was +this:</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“Out and home and out again,</p> +<p class='line0'>  As the tide rolls heavily;</p> +<p class='line0'>With the ship to steer and the fog to fear,</p> +<p class='line0'>  By the grey banks near the sea,</p> +<p class='line0'>  In the caves across the sea.”</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='pindent'>The Nix held her breath as the pedlar—for +it was he—went by, and when he began the +second verse the thought of everything that +had happened went from her. All she could +hear or remember was the beating of the +grey sea, calling her with its compelling +voice.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Without a word she got up and followed the +pedlar and left the student sitting by himself in +the dark. He sat open-mouthed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Back to him from the distance came the +sound of footsteps and the floating refrain.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Bless me!” he exclaimed. “Bless me! +<span class='it'>Nixiana Maritima!</span>”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But it was too dark to write that down on +the margin of his book.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The pedlar walked on singing, and she kept +a little way behind him, treading softly. On +they went till the first streak of daylight broke +in the sky, for he was on his way to the town; +he had sold all his wares and meant to go to +sea again in the first ship he could find leaving +the harbour. When they entered the streets +all the world was asleep, and they passed +through the town unnoticed. Beside the quay +a forest of masts stood dark against the sky, +and here the pedlar halted, looking about him. +Then he turned and saw the Nix.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Hullo!” he cried roughly. “What’s this?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But before he could get nearer she dived +into the water. The pedlar began to shout. +In a minute the place was awake, for at the +sound of his voice men sleeping in their boats +at the quay’s edge leaped ashore to see what +was the matter, windows were opened in the +houses, and everyone was calling out to know +what had happened.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Nix looked back and saw the crowd +collecting. She swam for the harbour’s mouth +with all her strength, and she was so afraid that +they might put to sea and follow her that by +the time the sun rose she was miles out in the +clear waters. All was blue around her, sky and +wave, and the land lay behind, a faint line in the +sunshine. The great ocean was as calm as her +own pool by the mill and her heart sang as she +went out farther and farther. It seemed to her +that the voice’s of the mermaids the pedlar had +sung about were resounding from all the caves +on these haunted shores. She had never been +so happy.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She went on and on. Time and space and +distance were as nothing; everything was falling +from her but the sense of a great joy.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Far in the distance something was steering +fast to meet her, making white splashes on the +blue expanse, and soon she could see a face and +brown arms rising above the surface. A great +sea-kelpie was coming towards her, the seaweed +trailing from his hair and his shoulders +breasting the water. As they met he held out +his hand.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She put hers into it. Then they swam out +till the coast was no more, and the remembrance +of the world of men was no more, and disappeared +together into the mists of the +North.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>The miller ceased, and little Peter sat spellbound +for a while, for he had forgotten everything +but the adventures of the Water-Nix.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And what happened to her?” he said at +last.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I can’t tell you any more,” replied the +miller; “and how grandmother knew as much +as that I don’t know, though, to be sure, she +understood more than most people about everything.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The kelpie would take care that she came +to no harm,” said Janet.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You’re right there,” said the miller. “I +make no doubt but they’re living happily among +the sea-caves hundreds of miles away.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But the man with the untidy hair—you +haven’t told what happened to him,” said the +little boy.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Ah yes, there’s more to be said about him,” +answered the miller. “He wrote his poem, +and it made him rich. There was so much +Latin in it that people thought it wonderful. +That brought him in a heap of money. He +married and had a large family, and one of his +daughters was my grandmother. She was a +fine girl, and it seemed to him a bad come-down +in life when she married the miller and came to +live here. But they were very happy, for all +that, and it was from the miller’s man she heard +the story of the Water-Nix.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Is it because your great-grandfather was a +poet that you can tell stories so well?” asked +Janet, with some awe.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, it might be,” said the miller. “Anyhow, +it’s a fine notion. I never thought of it +before.”</p> + +<div><h1 id='chap02'>THE KING OF GROWGLAND’S CROWN</h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>It was almost a week before the brother and +sister saw the miller again, but one evening +as Janet was coming down the road he jumped +over the wall from the mill-field.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Where’s the little boy?” he asked. “I +hope your grandmother has not been bad to +him again.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“No,” said Janet, “she’s very cross, but +she hasn’t beaten him for more than a week.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You go and fetch him,” said he. “I have +been looking for the book I told you about—grandmother’s +story-book. I’m not busy to-night, +and we can sit in the field, and I’ll read +him a story.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“How lovely!” cried Janet. “I’ll run and +bring him at once.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yes, and mind <span class='it'>you</span> come back, too,” called +the miller after her.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>In a few minutes she returned, with Peter +jumping and clapping his hands beside her, +and when they had found a nice place, they sat +down to read.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They sat on the roots of a tree by the mill-lead, +with the water babbling at their feet. The +book was old and tattered, and, unfortunately, +there were no pictures in it, but they did +not mind that. They could see just as good +pictures for themselves, in their own minds’ eyes.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I will read you a story about three brothers,” +said the miller to Peter; “and there’s a magpie +in it, too, and a pretty young woman like your +sister.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And he opened his book and began:</p> + +<p class='line'> </p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was once upon a time a widow who had +three sons; they were fine, strong young men, +and the two elder thought themselves more than +commonly clever. The youngest did not think +much about anything but his business, which +was to keep the sheep, look after the horses, +and supply the pot with the game he brought +home. He was a hard worker, and when he +lay down at night, he was glad enough to sleep, +though the others would usually sit up scheming +how they might grow rich. He thought them +rather grand fellows, all the same, and quite +expected they would do something wonderful.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One day the widow called them all and told +them it was high time they saw something of +the world. “To-morrow morning you shall all +be off round it,” she said to the eldest. “You +must start facing east, your next brother facing +west, and when you meet in the middle at the +other side you can compare all you have learned. +As for you,” she went on, turning to the +youngest, “you shall start southward, and no +doubt will be in time to fall in with them and +profit by their knowledge.” She also had a +great opinion of her elder sons.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So off they went, and when they had gone +half round the world, the two elder brothers +came face to face at the other side in a sandy +hollow. They sat down and began to talk.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, brother, and what have you done?” +asked the second.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“<span class='it'>Done!</span>” exclaimed the first brother; “what +do you mean? I haven’t made a penny or +seen anybody I think as well of as myself. +There is nothing to be got by giving oneself +all this trouble. The world is an overrated +place, I can tell you. What have <span class='it'>you</span> got out +of it?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Nothing,” said the second; “and I agree +heartily with every word you have said.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At this moment they looked up and saw the +third brother coming over a hillock. He did +not look much more prosperous than themselves.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We won’t tell him,” they said; “we will +pretend we have done wonders and made our +mark, and then we’ll get a pretext to be rid of +him before he finds out the truth. It would +never do for him to lose his respect for us.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Hi!” cried the youngest brother, “this is +luck indeed!” And when he had greeted +them he sat down beside them in the sand.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Hullo! how are you?” said the eldest.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, well enough,” replied he.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And how have you got on, and how much +money have you made?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, no money,” replied the young man, +“but I think I have picked up a little experience.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Pooh!” cried the others in a breath. +“That’s all very well, but it isn’t good enough +for <span class='it'>us</span>.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Are you rich, then?” asked the youngest.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Rich?” cried the eldest, “did you say rich? +I am rolling in gold. I have a great shop in +which the merchandise of four kingdoms changes +hands, and my counting-house is so fine that +two Emperors drove up last Sunday and asked +if they might be allowed to go over it. I said +yes, of course. There was a Bishop in the +carriage, too.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The youngest brother’s eyes grew round. +“Well, that’s grand indeed,” he said.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And I,” broke in the middle brother—“I +have no taste for buying and selling; in fact, I +think it rather low. But a lady fell in love with +me, so I married her. She inherited money +from a Duke, who is her uncle, and she asks +nothing better than I should spend it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, well, well!” exclaimed the youngest.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then he looked curiously at his companions. +“And how is it,” said he, “that such great +people as you have come here on foot? I should +have imagined you would have arrived on +horseback or in carriages.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, we live so close by that it was not worth +while disturbing the servants,” they replied +quickly.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Then you live in the nearest town and in +the same house?” continued he.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yes, yes,” answered the second. “My +wife cherishes me so that she insisted upon my +brother living with us, for fear I should feel +homesick. It was very good of her, but what +an idea to be homesick for such a hole as our +mother’s farm, when I live in the finest house in +the market-square!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Indeed, brothers,” said the youngest, “I +think all this is capital, and so much so that I +shall certainly go back with you at once. I will +start for home early to-morrow, but you shall +give me a lodging for the night, and I promise +you that I shall rejoice at the sight of your +prosperity. I have slept under the stars every +night since I began journeying, and a good soft +bed will be a treat to me. Besides which, I +shall see my sister-in-law and be able to tell +mother all about her.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At this the elder men’s faces fell, but there was +nothing for it but to go back by the way they +had come to the nearest town. However, their +brother walked behind as they went, so they +had time to invent a way out of their difficulties. +When they reached their destination, they paused +at the town gate, telling him to stay where he +was while they went to prepare for his coming.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“All right, then,” said he, “but in five minutes +I shall follow.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They could not help smiling at his innocence, +for they intended to escape as quickly as they +could.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“How are you going to find the way?” they +inquired.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Why, haven’t you been telling me that you +live in the finest house in the market-square? +I shall soon find that.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>This was rather a blow to the others, for they +knew that he was swift of foot and that they +would not get far in five minutes.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It doesn’t matter,” whispered the middle +brother; “I know a fine trick. We will have +dinner and a night’s lodging at his expense, and +in the morning we will be off before he is awake, +and leave him to pay the reckoning. Come, +look sharp, or he will be after us.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>With that they ran to a large, handsome inn +which stood in the middle of the market-square. +It had a tower on it, and an entrance good +enough for an Alderman’s family.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Landlord,” said the middle brother, “I am +a gentleman from a distance, and in a most +unexpected dilemma. Help me out of it, and I +can assure you you shall profit. A great lord, +finding that I am in the town, has sent me a +message. You must know that he is under +heavy obligations to me, and has sworn that on +the day I am married he will give me a +thousand crowns as a wedding gift. Now, I am +not married at all; but if he arrives and can +be made to believe I have a wife, he will +immediately redeem his word. My plan is +simply this: I shall entertain him well at your +inn, and, if you have a daughter—or even a +decent-looking serving-maid—who will sit at +the head of the table during dinner and act as +though she were mistress of the house, I will +divide the sum with you the moment I receive +it. Should he go back from his word, there +will be no harm done, and I will pay you +liberally for your hospitality. I will give the +girl a new gown, too, as a remembrance of her +assistance.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, the landlord was the first rogue in the +kingdom, and the scheme so pleased him that +he nearly died of laughter.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You are a sharp one!” he exclaimed. +“Why, I have a daughter clever enough to +act any part in the world, and she shall do her +best, you may be sure. Come, I will get ready +a good dinner and take down the signboard, +so that the place shall appear as a private +house.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>By the time he had done this and acquainted +the girl with the plan, a loud thumping was +heard at the door, and the third brother stood +outside.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, the landlord’s girl was goddaughter to +a witch, and very beautiful; she had also +learned some useful things from her godmother, +who had brought her up till she was sixteen +and obliged to return and help her father with +his inn. So, when the plot was explained, she +said: “I hope no harm will come of it,” and +before getting ready to preside at the table, she +took a good look at the two men.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“They have rascals’ faces,” she said to herself.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She then ran to a top window, and looked +out to see what sort of a person the great lord +who was coming to dinner might be.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It chanced that, as she leaned out, the third +brother glanced up.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“If that is my brother’s wife,” said he, “she +is indeed a beauty!” And he sighed, wishing +that such luck had come his way.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the girl saw his face, she thought:</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That is no great lord, but he is a handsome +fellow, for all that. I will see, at least, that he +gets the best of everything in the house.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So when the table was spread, and before +the three brothers came into the dining-room, +the girl said to the magpie that hung in a cage +behind the window-curtain:</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Take notice of every word that is said +to-night, and repeat it to me, or I will wring +your neck!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The magpie promised, and she went forward +to receive the guest.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Here,” said the second brother, “is madam, +my wife.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>With that the youngest brother kissed his +sister-in-law heartily.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I knew he was no fool,” said the girl to +herself.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>As dinner progressed she made herself so +pleasant that the room rang with joy and +merriment, and she pressed all the most delicate +dishes on the youngest brother; nor did she +fail to notice that whenever he addressed either +of his companions as ‘brother,’ which he did +frequently, the two exchanged covert glances +of annoyance.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“All is not right here,” she exclaimed under +her breath, “for, were he the great lord they +say, there are no two men alive who would +more willingly call him a relation!” And she +smiled rather slyly.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Why do you smile, wife?” asked the second +brother.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“My love,” replied she, “at finding so great +a personage a member of your family.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>No one knew what to say, for the youngest +brother feared she was laughing at them all, +and the two elder were sure of it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>However, time flew, the wine sparkled, the +hot roast dishes smoked, and it was hard +to say which of the four was in the best +humour.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the feast was done the girl got up, +and, taking a silver candlestick from the table, +said:</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Husband, I see that our guest is weary +with travelling and his eyes heavy with sleep. +I myself will show him the guest-chamber, and +assure myself that the servants have made his +bed well.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So saying, she led the youngest brother to +the room prepared for him, walking before him +with the lights. As he went he could not cease +admiring the fine plaits of dark hair which hung +down her back and regretting that the evening +was over and he would be so soon deprived of +her company.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When they got to the bedchamber, she made +every pretext to remain away from the dining-room +as long as possible, smoothing the pillows +and drawing the window-curtains close, that the +starlight might not disturb his sleep. When +she had bidden him good-night, she went downstairs +as slowly as she could.</p> + +<div class='figcenter' style='width:80%'> +<img src='images/ill001.jpg' alt='Woman listens to bird.' id='img01' style='width:99%;height:auto;'/> +<p class='caption'>“THEN THE BIRD TOLD HER THE WHOLE PLOT.”</p> +</div> + +<p class='pindent'>“I had no notion it was so late!” she exclaimed +as she entered. “Now that my part is +done, I may tell you two gentlemen that the +longer you sit here burning our oil and occupying +our best room, the more you will be charged +for it. Now, tell me if you are satisfied with +my performance, and then take my advice and +go to bed for the sake of your pockets. There +is a good room ready for you upstairs.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The brothers congratulated her on the way +she had played her part, and went off. Nothing +could have suited them better, for they meant +to slip out of the house and be gone long before +dawn broke.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the girl had showed them the way, she +ran downstairs to the magpie’s cage.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Quick, quick!” she cried, “tell me everything +those knaves said to each other while I +was taking the stranger to the guest-chamber.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, mistress,” exclaimed he, “we have +indeed dined in evil company!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You have not dined at all,” she said, “and +never shall if I hear not every word of their +talk.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then the bird told her the whole plot, for the +brothers had discussed it openly in her absence. +“Besides all this,” he concluded, “they mean +to run away in the night and leave the young +man to pay the reckoning.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At this the girl ran straight upstairs and +locked the two brothers in; she took off her +shoes and turned the key so softly that they +heard nothing. Afterwards she slipped out into +the yard, and, taking a harrow which lay in the +outhouse, drew it under their window and +turned it with the spikes uppermost, to deter +them from jumping out. She then knocked at +the door of the guest-chamber.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come out!” she cried through the keyhole; +“there is knavery afoot!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the youngest brother opened the door +she told him all, and when he had hurried on a +few clothes he came down to the dining-room to +hear what the magpie had discovered.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I shall be out of this as quick as I can,” he +remarked when the bird had finished. “My +only grief is that I shall never see you again. +I am really very glad you are not my brother’s +wife, for I had much rather you were mine.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“So had I,” said the girl.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So they determined to depart together.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You are never going to leave me behind!” +exclaimed the magpie.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, then, come along,” said the young +man, opening the cage door. “When you are +tired of flying you can have a lift on my +shoulder; I am not going to let my wife trouble +herself with your cage.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I am not your wife yet,” said the girl, +tossing her head.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That’s easily mended,” replied the youngest +brother.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So they crept softly out of the inn and took +the road long before the sky showed signs of +morning. But at last the east grew grey in the +darkness and bars of rose-colour hung over the +sea of primrose and gold from which the sun +was about to rise. They sat down beside a +stream to rest, for they had come a good long +distance.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Fly into the nearest tree,” said the youngest +brother to the magpie, “and wait till the risen +sun shows you the nearest steeple. Where there +is a church there will be a priest, so, when you +have directed us to it, you can go there yourself +and rouse him. We will follow and wait in +the church porch till you bring him to marry +us.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>As soon as it was fully light the bird obeyed, +and having lit on a church steeple, he called to +a man in the road below to direct him to the +priest’s house.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The priest was just getting out of bed, but he +ordered the magpie to be admitted. When he +had heard his request he promised to set out +with his prayer-book as soon as he had eaten +his breakfast, and the bird, after thanking him +courteously, flew off again to the church. “I +forgot to ask who you are,” called the priest +after him, with his mouth full.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I am a near relation of the bride’s,” said +the magpie as he sailed away.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>By the time the engaged couple reached the +porch they found the holy man awaiting them, +and were immediately married. The magpie +gave the bride away and offered some advice +upon the married state, for he was a widower +and knew what he was talking about. “Now +go,” he said, “and I will return to the steeple, +where I shall find snug enough quarters. Three +is an ill number for a honeymoon.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So the husband and wife went to the village +and found a suitable lodging; they meant to +stay there for the next few days, till they should +decide where they should live.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>As the sun set that evening the magpie sat +on the steeple meditating on life. The bright +glow struck through the ivy-leaves, and he was +much astonished at seeing something glittering +so brightly in the light that he was almost +dazzled. The shine came from behind a great +tangle of foliage which clothed the tower. He +hopped down and thrust his beak in among the +ivy. There, in a hole scooped carefully among +the stones, was a heap of jewels such as he had +never seen in all his days. There were ropes +of pearls, chains of diamonds and rubies, and +emeralds in heaps. It was with difficulty that +he could resist screaming aloud, so great was +his astonishment, and he was all the more +shocked when he reflected that this cunningly-made +storehouse of wealth must be the handiwork +of robbers.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I fear that the world is a terribly wicked +place,” he observed; “I must look into this. +I will remain here till night and see what +roguery is going on.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So when night was come he concealed himself +with great caution in a niche. When +midnight had struck and the moon—now at +her full—blackened the shadows, he heard a +rustling below and saw the head of a man +appearing above the belfry stair. He was a +wicked-looking ruffian and was followed by +another who held something hidden under his +cloak. The magpie poked his head round the +corner of his niche. The two thieves went +straight to the hole behind the ivy, and, having +looked in at their stolen wealth, sat down on +the church roof.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And now,” said the one who had come up +first, “what is this great treasure that you have +taken?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You may well ask,” replied the other, “for +it is no less than the King of Growgland’s +crown. Here—you may try it on if you like.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And he pulled out a bundle wrapped in cloth. +His companion snatched it, and, when he had +untied the knots, there came out such a blaze +in the moonlight that the magpie was almost +blinded.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The crown glowed and shone. It had spikes +of gold with knobs of rubies on the top, and +pearls as big as marrowfat peas were studded +round the circlet. In front was a fan-shaped +ornament half a foot high and one mass of +emeralds and diamonds. The thief set it on his +own knavish head and turned round and round +that his friend might admire his appearance.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“There now, stop that,” said the other at +last; “I have had enough of your masquerading. +Not even a crown can make you like a +gentleman.” And he whipped it off and thrust +it into the hole. Then he drew the ivy across +it, and, after a few more rough words, the +robbers disappeared as they had come.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When morning dawned the magpie flew to +the house where the youngest brother was +lodging with his bride. He pecked the window +with his beak and cried to the young man, +“Here is great news! Follow my advice, and +you will find your fortune made. Now tell +your wife to go to the town and buy a piece of +fine silk to make a bag. While she is doing +this you must procure a hammer, a piece of +pointed iron and a yard of string; you can get +a pickaxe and shovel from the shed where the +sexton keeps his tools. All these you must +hide in a bush which I shall show you in the +churchyard. Ask no questions; and, when +evening falls, meet me with the bag and all +these things behind the church.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So saying, he flew away.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, the girl knew very well that the magpie +was no ordinary bird, and she obeyed him +carefully; she rose and went into the town and +bought a piece of red silk. Having made the +bag, she gave it to her husband, and, at the +time appointed, he met the magpie behind the +church with all the implements he had got +together.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The bird directed him to leave the pickaxe +and shovel in the porch, and they went up to +the roof by the belfry stair. When the youngest +brother saw the treasure he was speechless, but +the magpie gave him no time to examine the +jewels.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Listen to me,” he said, “and we are rich +for ever. (I say ‘we’ because I feel you will +not forget my poor services.) Do you see an +iron bar that sticks out into space on the side +of that flying buttress? It is placed there to +hold a swinging lamp, and there are five steps +by which the sexton approaches it to hang up +the light. As you see, they also stand out into +space. Tie this piece of string round my leg, +and, when I have flown up and alighted on the +iron bar, twist the other end round it, so that I +may seem to be fastened to it as to a perch; +but do not knot it, or make it really secure. +To do this you must reach the bar by these +steps.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the young man heard this, his flesh +crept, for he was not accustomed to high places +and, the steps being on the outer wall, the least +giddiness might plunge him headlong into the +churchyard, fifty feet below; but, being a manful +fellow, he climbed up and twisted the string so +neatly round the bar that no one could have +supposed the magpie to be anything but a +prisoner.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Now,” said the bird, “take your hammer +and the piece of iron and loosen the three top +steps till they will not bear more than a child’s +weight.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the youngest brother had done this, +the magpie told him to hide himself in a ditch +in the churchyard, and not to come out till he +was called by name.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>After midnight the robbers came to look at +their treasures, and did not notice the magpie +sitting on the bar. Indeed, had they done so, +they would have paid little heed, supposing +him to be some ignorant bird who had no +interests beyond his own food. They sat down +on the roof as they had done before, and, taking +out the jewels, began to count them. They +made a large heap and placed the crown on +the top. All at once the magpie flew up in the +air as far as the string would permit, and cried +in a loud and dreadful voice, “<span class='it'>Help! help! +The King of Growgland’s crown is stolen!</span>”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At this the thieves were so much horrified +that they dropped their booty, and ran wildly +to and fro on the roof searching for some +hidden person, and, when they came close to +the place where the iron bar was, the magpie +flew up again, crying the same words more +terribly than before.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We’ll soon choke his noise,” exclaimed the +robbers; and with one accord they began to +climb the steps. But the youngest brother had +done his work well: the stones were loose, and +in another moment they had fallen headlong +through the air, and were lying with their necks +broken in the churchyard.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The magpie then called his friend, who +brought the pickaxe and shovel, and when they +had buried the two robbers they went up again +to the roof, and put the King of Growgland’s +crown into the red silk bag.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We know who this belongs to, and we will +certainly restore it,” said the magpie; “the +rest we will keep as some slight remuneration +for our trouble.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There were enough jewels to make fifty +people rich for life. It <span class='it'>was</span> a haul! The +youngest brother praised the magpie, and, +taking off his shirt, knotted the tails together +and filled it up to the neck with precious stones. +It was almost light before he got back to his +wife and showed her what the magpie’s good +sense had accomplished.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>In a few days the magpie set out for the +kingdom of Growgland, scarcely more than a +hundred miles away, and demanded to see the +King. He found the whole city in a ferment +and everyone distracted. The King had grown +quite thin, and the head of the police had been +sent to prison for being unable to find the +thieves.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“If your Majesty will start the day after +to-morrow,” said the magpie, “and go a day’s +journey from the city, you will meet a young +man and a girl on horseback carrying a red +silk bag. Your Majesty may wring my neck +if it does not contain the crown of Growgland.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At this everyone was electrified, and the +King, with a great retinue, started and encamped +a day’s march off, that the crown of Growgland +might be received with all due ceremony. As +evening came on the magpie grew a little +nervous, for the King had placed a guard over +him to do him honour (at least, that was what +he said); but the bird knew very well that it +was done so that he should not escape if the +crown failed to appear. But at last he saw his +friends approaching. Being now rich, they +rode fine horses and were dressed as befitted +great personages. The King sat on the royal +throne (which was a folding one, and so had +been brought with him), and the youngest +brother, having related his story, gave the red +silk bag into his hands. Before parting with +him His Majesty presented him with a sum of +money that, even had he not been rolling in +wealth already, would have made him independent +for life.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>After this, the magpie and his friends set out +for the town in which they had left the two +elder brothers and a few days later dismounted +before the inn. The harrow was still in its +place, prongs uppermost, and at the window, +far above it, two forlorn-looking faces were to +be seen.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The landlord came out, transported with +surprise at the fine appearance of his daughter +and the youngest brother.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“There,” he said, pointing to the upper +window, “are the two knaves who have +deceived me, and whom I have kept locked +up ever since you left.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At this the imprisoned pair perceived who it +was that had arrived.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Here,” they shouted, “here is the great +lord come to pay our debts! Did we not assure +you that he would come?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And they rained abuse upon the landlord.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Let them out and I will make it good to +you,” said the youngest brother.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So the two miscreants were freed, and a +sorry sight they were; for, as the price of +each day of their detainment the landlord had +demanded a garment, and their clothes were +almost at an end. One had only a shirt left; +and the other one garter and a piece of an old +tablecloth in which he had wrapped himself +for decency. The inn servants shouted with +laughter as they came running out. The +youngest brother and his wife laughed too; +and as for the magpie, he was so delighted that +he nearly choked, and had to be restored with +strong waters.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I still prefer my experience to your money,” +remarked the youngest brother to his relations.</p> + +<div><h1 id='chap03'>THE STORY OF MASTER BOGEY</h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>“This time it will have to be a tale I remember +hearing grandmother tell,” said the miller one +evening, “for I’ve left my book in the town. +The cover was so battered that it had to be +mended.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They were sitting on the steps of the mill. +Every week now, and sometimes twice between +Sunday and Sunday, they spent a delightful +time with their friend. Little Peter thought +he was the finest man in the world; and Janet, +though she said little, was quite sure there was +no one like him. And, indeed, they were not +far wrong, for he was the most splendid miller +that anybody ever saw; he was like a big boy +at heart, though he was a grown-up man with +a mill of his own and a horse and cart in the +stable.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was once a square house (he began) +that stood in a garden. Outside the garden +were great trees which had been there for more +than a hundred years, and when the wind blew +high and the gales raged in the autumn, they +swayed about and creaked so that anyone might +think they must fall and crush everything near +them; but they never did. Up in the top story +of the house was a row of windows belonging +to the rooms where the children lived, and, as +the blinds were often left up, you might see the +lights inside and the shadows of the nurse and +the little girls moving about.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, high up in the highest tree visible from +the nursery lived a family of Bogeys. They +were very nice people. There was Father +Bogey and Madam Bogey and young Master +Bogey, their son.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The children had no idea that they lived +there, for they never showed themselves, but +lurked hidden in the dark shadows of the +boughs. When the wind blew they swayed +hither and thither with the branches, and when +the nursery blinds were up and the firelight +shone behind them, Master Bogey, who was +inquisitive, would sit staring and trying to make +out what was going on in the room.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“How I should love to get in and see what +it is like!” he would say to his parents.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And Madam Bogey would answer: “Nonsense! +Your father and I have lived here for +ages, and have never tried to get in. We know +very well what is our business and what is +not. You can see the little girls every morning +as they come down the avenue with their +nurse, and you know that their names are +Josephine, Julia and Jane. What more can +you want?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And Master Bogey would say no more. But +that did not prevent him from being as inquisitive +as ever.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Every day as the little girls came out for their +walk he would peer down on them, unseen. +Each had her doll in her arms, and the two +elder ones would talk to theirs and carry them +as carefully as though they were babies. But +Jane was always scolding hers; once, even, +she threw the poor thing roughly on the +ground. She did not suspect for a moment +that Master Bogey was looking down at her, +horrified.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At last, one night in winter, his curiosity +grew more than he could bear; for he had not +heard the front door bolted nor the key turned, +and he knew that he might never have such a +chance of getting into the house again. The +snow lay deep, and his parents were snoring in +the fork of the branches in which the family +spent the winter months. Overhead, the stars +were clear and trembling in the frost and the +nursery firelight shone red through the curtains. +He slid down, ran across the white ground and +up the front-door steps. Yes, the handle went +round in his grasp, and in another moment he +was standing in the hall.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was easy to see that the servants had been +careless that night; not only was the door +unlocked, but the lamps were left burning too. +As Master Bogey paused at the foot of the +wooden staircase, it was all he could do not to +turn and run, for the wall beside it was hung +with family portraits of fierce gentlemen and +bedizened ladies who stared at him dreadfully. +But he was a sensible fellow, and, as most of +them were half-length pictures, he decided that +people who had no legs couldn’t run after him. +He ventured to touch one, and, finding it wasn’t +a living thing at all, he grew as bold as brass +and began to look about him. Christmas was +not long over; the yew and the holly were +still wreathed above the frames, making him +wonder how these little pieces of trees could +have got inside the house. There were swords +and spears and old fire-arms too, whose use he +could not understand. Up he went softly, +nearly jumping out of his skin when a step +creaked under his foot, and he found himself at +last on the nursery threshold. The door was +ajar and the firelight bright in the empty room, +so in he went.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But suddenly he gave a most terrible start, +for the room was not empty at all; three dolls +were sitting on three chairs, watching him +intently, and two of them were looking very +severe.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“May I ask, sir, who you are?” demanded +the one nearest to the hearth.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Master Bogey was speechless. He turned +to run away.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Stop, sir!” cried the doll again, “and be +good enough to answer me, or I will alarm the +house. Who are you? I insist upon knowing.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I am Master Bogey,” he stammered.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“La! what a name!” exclaimed the doll upon +the next chair. And she held up her fine satin +muff and giggled behind it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yes, and what a shock of hair!” said the +other. She held up her muff and giggled +too.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Poor Master Bogey was ready to cry.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The two dolls who had spoken were almost +exactly alike: they had round pink faces and +round blue eyes; on either side of their cheeks +hung beautiful golden curls—no wonder they +laughed at the black mop on his dusky head. +They really were the most elegant ladies. They +wore frilled silk pelisses, with handsome ruffles +at the neck; large silk hats, tied under their chins +with bows, and enormous sashes. On their feet +were openwork socks and bronze shoes with +rosettes; their muffs we know all about. The +only difference between them was that one was +dressed in blue and the other in pink. Their +mouths were like rosy buttons; to look at them, +who could guess that such rude words had ever +come out of them? (My grandmother always +used to make that remark, for she had a good +bringing-up and knew manners.)</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The third doll was not nearly so fine as her +companions. To begin with, she had no muff, +and her sash was tied round her waist, and not +halfway down her skirt, which showed at once +she was out of the fashions in the doll world. +Her frock was plain and torn and she had lost +one shoe; all the same, she had a dear little +face. When she saw poor Master Bogey’s +downcast looks, she got off her chair and went +to him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Don’t mind what they say,” she said. +“They have just got new dresses and it makes +them proud. They mean no harm. Your hair +is very nice, and it is a great blessing to have +so much.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>You may fancy how grateful Master Bogey +was!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She held out her hand, and he took it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come,” she said, “let us go and sit at the +other end of the room. You are a stranger, +and I have heard nurse say that one should +always be polite to strangers.”</p> + +<div class='figcenter' style='width:80%'> +<img src='images/ill002.jpg' alt='Little girl clasps boy's hand' id='img02' style='width:99%;height:auto;'/> +<p class='caption'>“SHE HELD OUT HER HAND, AND HE TOOK IT.”</p> +</div> + +<p class='pindent'>So they went, and the ladies in blue and +pink cried out “Pooh!” very loud and both at +the same time.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Take no notice,” whispered the doll.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was not long before she persuaded Master +Bogey to confess his curiosity about the house +and the people in it, and he began to enjoy +himself immensely. He heard all about the +pictures that had astonished him so much, and +how the holly and yew branches had managed +to get on to the frames, and about the Christmas +party which was just over. He saw the +rocking-horse, and even had a ride on it; the +cupboard where nurse kept the jams for tea, +and the door which led to the attics overhead. +But the most delightful part of all was when he +led his companion to the window and showed +her the tree in which he lived standing black in +the whiteness and the starlight.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You can’t see my parents, for they are +asleep,” he remarked; “but I <span class='it'>think</span> that round +sort of bump where the branches fork is the +back of my mother’s head. I wish you could +see all of it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Does she know where you are?” asked the +doll.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, no,” replied he, “she doesn’t; she +had gone to bed when I left, and I really +couldn’t wake her. But I’ll tell her everything +in the morning, and all about you, and how +charming you are.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’m afraid she’ll punish you,” said the doll, +sighing. “I only hope she won’t throw you +out of the tree.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Gracious!” cried Master Bogey, “what an +idea! Why, my mother is the best mother in +the world! I know what put that into your +head, all the same. I saw one of the little girls +throw her doll on the ground once, when I was +looking down from the branches. It wasn’t +you, I trust?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Indeed it was,” said she; “that was Miss +Jane, and I am her doll. I am very unhappy, +for she is dreadfully cruel to me. Sometimes +she bangs me on the floor and puts me in the +corner for hours. And look at my clothes! The +others are lucky—they belong to Josephine and +Julia. They have each got a new dress, but +this ragged one is all I have, and only one +shoe.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The tears ran down her face, poor little +thing!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Show me Miss Jane, and I will go and kill +her!” cried Master Bogey, in a rage.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh no, no!” begged the doll. “If you did +that, I might be thrown away. No one would +care to keep a shabby thing like me. I might +be flung into the ashpit.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I would soon go and fetch you if you were,” +said Master Bogey gallantly. “But show me +Jane; if I could even shake my fist at her I +should be happier.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Will you promise not to do any harm if +I take you to the night-nursery?” said she.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He promised, and they went, hand in hand, +down the long passage to the room where +Josephine, Julia and Jane slept.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They went in on tiptoe. The sisters were +sleeping in a row in their little white beds with +frilled curtains; they really looked very pretty +with their hair lying spread upon the pillows.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That is Josephine,” said the doll, pointing +to the eldest, “and the next is Julia, and the +one nearest the door is Jane, my mistress.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Josephine and Julia were smiling in their +sleep, but as they looked, Jane turned over and +tossed, grinding her teeth.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I am afraid she is having a bad dream,” +explained the doll.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Serve her right! I wish she could have +two at once!” said Master Bogey.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At last he thought it was time for him to be +getting home, and the doll said she would go +down with him to the hall. He was very sad, +for he did not know when he should see her +again; and she was sad, too.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The very first time they leave the door +open I will come back,” said he.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, I hope it will be soon!” she said. +“Whenever Jane is bad to me I will think +about you, and every night I will look out and +try to see you.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And I will look for you,” replied Master +Bogey, as he slipped out of the front door.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Next morning he told Madam Bogey all +that he had done, and, though she read him +a long lecture on curiosity, she could not help +being interested.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“A good whipping is what Jane wants,” she +remarked, “and if I were her nurse she should +get it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Every night the doll and Master Bogey +looked across the snowy space to try and get +a glimpse of each other, but, though he could +see her against the firelight through the windows, +she could not see him where he sat in the dim +tangle of branches. Madam Bogey watched +too, but she was short-sighted and soon gave it +up, though her good heart ached to think of the +poor little creature and all she had to endure. +She and Master Bogey talked about it a great +deal.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One night, as he looked from his tree towards +the nursery, he saw Miss Jane, with one of her +sisters, standing by the window-sill. He knew +it was Jane, because she was the only one of +the little girls who had a pigtail; he could see +its outline as it hung behind her head, with a +bow sticking out, like a fat insect, at the end +of it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Each had put her doll to stand on the +window-sill, inside the pane. He couldn’t tell +whether it was the blue or the pink lady who +was there, but he saw the shadow of a smart +hat. He hoped very much that his friend was +looking out for him, and he waved his hand. +All at once she slipped on the sill and fell out +of sight! He saw Jane stoop down, her pigtail +sticking out farther than ever as she did so, +and drag her up by the arm, shaking her—oh, +so cruelly! She began to slap her, first on this +side, then on that; he almost fancied he could +hear her crying. Again and again she struck +her, and Master Bogey shouted and threw up +his arms in despair. Oh, how hard it was that +he could not reach her!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Mother!” he cried. “Oh, mother! Look! +look!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Up came Madam Bogey, hurrying to see +what was the matter with her son. When she +saw how dreadfully the poor doll was being +treated, she was almost as angry as he was; +and after Jane and her sister had disappeared +from the window with their dolls, she still sat +talking to him. It was quite late when he +went to bed at last, and she stayed beside him +and held his hand. He cried himself to sleep +with rage and pity.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, Father Bogey had been away for some +time on business, and when he returned next +day his wife and he had such a long consultation +that Master Bogey thought it would never +be done. They sent him to a different tree +while it was going on. He sat there rather +crossly, looking at them as they nodded and +shook their heads and nodded again. He +knew it was all about something very interesting. +When they called him back he was quite +pettish.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Sit down, boy,” his father began, very +solemnly, “and try to look more intelligent. +When I was your age I was setting up house. +As you are an only child I have tried not to +spoil you, and I may say that, on the whole, +you have been a good son; but now it is time +you were settled. I hear from your mother +that you have made the acquaintance of a +young lady in the house opposite. From what +you have told your mother of her manners, she +must be of a good disposition and naturally +refined. If you have any mind to marry her +she shall have a hearty and fatherly welcome, +and your mother and I will give up the whole +of the top branches to you. You had better +think it over.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Master Bogey did not take long to do that. +He clapped his hands with joy when he +thought that he might see his dear doll again, +and never part from her any more, for he knew +that she would be thankful to escape from cruel +Jane and the rude ladies in blue and pink. +The only difficulty was, how was he to get at +her?</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Evidently the servants had been blamed for +their carelessness. Since his adventure the +front door had been locked and the windows +bolted as soon as it grew dark. He ran round +the house every night, looking eagerly for some +chink or crack large enough for him to squeeze +himself in through; but there was nothing big +enough, for he was a well-grown lad, and as tall +as his father.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At last a bold plan came into his mind. He +decided to get in in broad daylight, hiding in +some empty room till everyone had gone to +bed and then making his way to the nursery. +As soon as he could persuade his love to elope +with him, they would steal downstairs, unlock +the front door, and let themselves out. When +he told Madam Bogey of this plan she was in +a dreadful state, and said it was much too +dangerous; but he was determined. It is +terrible to think what love will do!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So one afternoon he began to make his way +to the house by short stages. From tree to +tree he dodged, and just before dusk he had +reached a small yew growing in a shrubbery +near the front-door steps without being seen by +anyone. He heard the great bell clang which +called servants and stablemen to tea; and when +he thought they were all safe in the servants’ +hall, he flew up the steps like a lamplighter, +and in at the door. Opposite to it was a large +drawing-room, which the doll had told him was +never used in winter, and in he went. There +was a sofa there, with a long chintz cover +touching the floor; and he crawled under this, +and lay down as still as a mouse. How his +heart beat when a maid came to draw the +curtains! How he longed to catch her by +the ankle and make her scream! But he did +nothing so silly; he only lay and longed for +the night, when he might get upstairs.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was so still that his own footsteps made +him jump. It was quite dark, too, as the lamps +were out, and he could only feel his way; but +he got safely to the top of the nursery stair, +and began tiptoeing up the passage. A chink +of light under the day-nursery door showed him +the fire was still in.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One thing is certain, and that is that luck +favours brave people. Master Bogey went in, +and the first thing he saw was his dear doll at +the window, looking out, no doubt, for a glimpse +of himself in the tree. The pink lady and the +blue lady were asleep in their chairs by the +hearth, their eyes shut, their muffs in their laps +and their hats tied firmly under their chins.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The poor doll ran to him and put her arms +round his neck. She looked very woebegone +and her clothes were more tattered than ever. +She had no shoes at all now.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’ve come to take you away,” said Master +Bogey. “You must come back to my tree and +we will be married at once, and then I can see +you every day for the rest of my life.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Do you <span class='it'>really</span> mean it?” asked the doll.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yes, yes!” cried he. “Come at once, this +very moment, before anyone catches us. My +father and mother are waiting for you, and we +are to have the top branches to live in.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The poor little thing could hardly believe her +ears. She liked Master Bogey better than anyone +she had ever seen, and now she was going +away from cruel Jane, and the blue and pink +ladies, who sneered at everything. She held his +hand tight and they went stealing out. She +was so happy she did not know what to do.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They felt their way along safely till they got +almost to the hall, and then, alas! alas! Master +Bogey missed his footing on the last flight of +stairs and rolled from the top to the bottom. +Bump, bump, he went, and landed in a heap on +the mat. He had just time to pick himself +up before a door opened and the mother of +Josephine, Julia and Jane came out of her bedroom +with a candle in her hand. She could not +see into the hall, but she began to come downstairs.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Master Bogey and the doll went straight to a +corner where rows of coats hung from pegs, and +got behind the thickest fur cloak they could find. +He took her up in his arms, so that her little +white feet should not show underneath it; his +own black ones he kept quite still. In the +light of the candle they only seemed like dark +shadows.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The lady held up her light and looked round. +She was much prettier than any of her +daughters, and though her hair was now in a +pigtail like Jane’s, it really suited her. She +peeped under tables and behind chests, and +then she came to the row of cloaks and began +prodding them to see if anyone was hidden +behind them. It was an awful moment.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>What saved them was the fact that Bogeys are +seldom very tall; though young Master Bogey +was such a fine-grown lad, he was scarcely three +feet high. Jane’s mother prodded the cloak just +above his head and passed on without feeling +anything. Just then a man’s face looked over +the banisters above.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What are you doing there?” cried Josephine, +Julia and Jane’s father.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I thought I heard a noise,” said the lady, +“so I came to look.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Nonsense!” he exclaimed, “you are always +imagining burglars. Go back to bed, and don’t +be such a goose.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When she had gone, Master Bogey and his +love came out of their hiding-place. It took but a +moment to unlock the door and draw the bolts. +They shut it softly after them and ran down the +steps and out into the shadows, where Father +Bogey and Madam were waiting to embrace +their daughter-in-law.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then they all went up into the tree, where, +as I have heard, they lived happily together +ever after.</p> + +<div><h1 id='chap04'>THE TREE OF PRIDE</h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>“To-day it’s the book’s turn,” said the miller to +his friends as the light was fading one evening. +“Last time we heard about Bogeys and people +of that sort, but to-day we’ll have a Princess, and +King’s Courts and fine company.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I like hearing about grand ladies,” observed +Janet.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yes, I like them well enough, too,” replied +he; “that is, if they’re as good and as beautiful +as some lasses I have seen.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He looked rather hard at Janet, and she +blushed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, never mind talking!” broke in little +Peter, pulling the miller’s sleeve. “It’s the +story I want. If you don’t begin quick the +light will be gone; the rooks are coming home +already, and soon we shall have to go in to +supper.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You needn’t do that, for you shall come to +supper with me in the mill,” said the miller. +“How would you like that?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We daren’t,” said Janet.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’ll go and make it right with your grandmother +myself,” he replied. “She’ll be glad +enough, maybe, for there’ll be all the more left in +the larder to-morrow. Sit still till I come back.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And he jumped over the wall. They watched +him pass the pool and disappear into the white +cottage.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, how delightful!” shouted little Peter, +turning head over heels.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>In a few minutes the miller returned. The +old woman had promised everything he wanted. +It is a funny thing how often young men can +manage witches. They all went into the mill.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“So now to business,” said he, as he sat down +and took up his book.</p> + +<p class='line'> </p> + +<p class='pindent'>In a kingdom far from this everyday earth +a great city sat royally in its surrounding plain. +It had domes and towers, temples and fortresses, +and in it lived a Princess whose goodness and +beauty were known for miles round. The plain +was vast and fertile, but here and there patches +of wilderness lay like islands among the crops; +and a winding stream wandered, now through +their richness, now through tangled briars and +unfrequented tracks.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>By one of these it made a loop, encircling a +spot where the turf was cleared of undergrowth +and a great tree thrust its gnarled roots through +the grass. The few who passed this place +looked upon it with no little awe, for the tree +was inhabited, and even on a calm day its +boughs might be seen rocking to and fro, as +though moved by some unruly breeze. Its +leaves were large and glossy, its limbs spreading +like the limbs of an oak, and in spring it bore +white, waxy flowers, heavily scented and shaped +like open tulips; in the heart of each was a +cluster of stiff golden stamens.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The upper branches were haunted by an old +man whose long robe gave him the appearance +of a wizard. Though he had lurked in the tree +for generations, time had not robbed him of his +activity, for he would swing himself to earth +every morning to drink of the stream, and, in +summer, to wash the dust from the leaves and +blossoms, which he tended as carefully as a +gardener might his plants. The dwellers in the +city knew nothing of his existence; but the +dwellers in the fields near the tree had sometimes +seen him descend from it to the earth, +and remembered having heard in their childhood +that it was called the “Tree of Pride.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One autumn day all the city was making +holiday, for the Princess had been betrothed to +a King from a far country and was starting with +a great following to meet him ten leagues from +its walls. Her father accompanied her, and she +rode on a white horse shod with silver; she +was so beautiful and charming that there was +not a man in the whole retinue who did not +envy the unknown King. Her brown hair, +looped up behind her head, fell almost to the +stirrup, and she wore a coif woven of burning +gold. Her cloak was embroidered with rose +and purple and patterns of stars, and its gold +fringes swung as she rode. Her eyes were like +the still, moon-haunted pools of a moorland.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It chanced that the procession had been +delayed in leaving the city, so that by sunset +the place where it was to encamp was yet many +miles off. The Princess was tired, and a man-at-arms +was sent out to look for some spot +where the tents might be pitched and water +found for the horses. He soon came back to +say that within a mile was a stretch of grass +surrounding a large tree and watered by a +stream. In a short time they reached it, and +encamped for the night.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Next morning, when they had risen betimes +to continue their way, the Princess caught +sight of the tree, which was a dream of beauty; +for autumn was at its full, and the fruit was +heavy where the flowers had been. As she +stood to admire it, a rustling was heard in the +branches, and an old man descended, swinging +himself from bough to bough and holding a +piece of fruit, round and ripe; he leaned down +and offered it to her.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When she had accepted the gift, the Princess +mounted, and the whole company returned to +the beaten track and went forward on their +road. The sun grew hot, and as noonday +came on she ate the fruit, thinking that she had +never tasted anything so delicious.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They rode by brook and meadow, by hill and +wood, and soon everyone began to wonder at +the change which had come over the Princess. +Those whom she had looked upon as friends +all her life were now commanded to rein back, +that they might not offend her dignity by their +presence. She would scarce answer her father +when he spoke, and, whereas in the early part +of her journey she had taken pleasure in the +beauty of the landscape, she now blamed the +road as unfit for her horse’s feet to tread.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Not content with dragging me out to meet +this sorry fellow,” she said, “you must needs +bring me by ways only fit for peasants.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Her father and his people looked aghast. +Never before had they heard her speak in such +a manner.</p> + +<div class='figcenter' style='width:80%'> +<img src='images/ill003.jpg' alt='Woman rides horse next to horse-riding man.' id='img03' style='width:99%;height:auto;'/> +<p class='caption'>“SHE WOULD SCARCE ANSWER HER FATHER WHEN HE SPOKE.”</p> +</div> + +<p class='pindent'>When the shadows were long they halted +again, and soon they could distinguish a company +of horsemen between them and the hills. +The Princess withdrew to her tent, for she knew +that the distant spearmen must be the unknown +King’s following, and that in a short time she +would be summoned to receive him. She +called her maids, and when they had dressed +her in her state robes, she took a knife and +made a slit in the curtains that she might see +the King’s arrival without being seen. As she +stood watching the little band advancing, she +was surprised to hear her father’s voice almost +beside the tent. She ran towards the place, and, +cutting another slit, looked through and saw +him in conversation with a man-at-arms, who +had just dismounted from the steaming horse +he held.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He was dressed from head to heel in russet +leather, and a steel helmet, with spreading steel +wings, was on his head. He was tall and brown, +and his white teeth gleamed as he smiled. “Sire,” +he was saying, “I beg you to forgive this unceremonious +coming. When I saw your tents +on the plain and knew that the Princess was so +near, I could contain myself no longer and +galloped forward with all speed. I will not +dare to enter her presence till my people have +arrived, and I have cast off the dust of the road. +But wait I could not. I hope your Majesty will +forgive me.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And so this rash, leather-clad soldier was the +King—this careless, dusty fellow who was +loosening his horse’s girths as any common +groom might do! Did he think to thrust himself +thus, without ceremony, into the following +of a royal Princess?</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Behind her curtains she turned away, biting +her lips, and she was still frowning when her +father entered.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Daughter,” said he, “the King is here and +I have spoken with him.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And what is he like?” inquired she, her +voice cold with scorn.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“He is the most gallant-looking gentleman +that ever I saw,” said the old man.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Princess turned her back.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>An hour later father and daughter waited to +receive their guest in a long tent hung with fine +stuffs and wreathed in garlands. The whole of +their retinue stood around, and, at the far end, +the Princess sat on a carved chair, her eyes on +the ground and her face as pale as ivory, never +looking at the opposite door, by which her +suitor was to enter.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At last the hangings were drawn wide and +he came in. He still wore his russet brown, +but it was now of silver-studded velvet which +clung to him like a glove, and as he went forward +a murmur of admiration ran through the +crowd; for he walked like some kingly animal, +and his eyes sparkled under his dark brows. +“Here is a King indeed,” whispered the bystanders.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Princess scarcely glanced at him. She +curtseyed low as he approached, but when he +would have taken her hand, she drew back, her +lip curling.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Your Majesty does me an honour for which +I have no desire,” she said; “and if I have +brought you to the meeting-place only to refuse +your hand, you will pardon it the more readily +as you yourself like ceremony so little.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So saying, she turned and left everyone +standing speechless.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the company had dispersed, the +Princess declared that she would set out next +morning for the city. There was nothing left +for the King to do but to depart by the way he +had come, and, furious and mortified, he returned +to his own camp to throw off his velvet and +resume his leather and steel; he meant to go at +once. His heart was hot within him, for the +one look he had had at the Princess was enough +to set it in a flame. She was so beautiful that +he had never seen her like, and even through +his anger there was a sharp stab of regret for +what he had lost. Heartless as she seemed, +and ill as she had treated him, he would have +given the world for her. While his men and +horses were getting ready, he went out into +the night, and turned his steps to a little thicket +of birches which stood with their glimmering +stems not far from the camp. The darkness +was moist and chill, and some of the Princess’s +men had lit a fire on the outskirts of the trees, +and were sitting round it. He drew close to +them under cover of the wood, and saw an old +soldier in the centre of the circle who was +talking to his companions. “If I had my will,” +he was saying, “I would fell the tree to the +ground, and the old goblin should die with it. +He should pay for turning the sweetest, most +beautiful lady in the world into such a jade! I +remember her from the time she was no higher +than my sword, and until she tasted that +accursed fruit there was no creature more beloved +in the kingdom—and with reason, too. +And look at her now!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What is all this talk?” asked a new-comer, +as he joined the group in the firelight. “Not +but what Her Highness has given us enough +to talk about for some time to come.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Why, it is just that,” continued the first +speaker; “there’s the matter plain. She has +eaten of the Tree of Pride. I saw it myself.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The Tree of Pride?” cried the others—“whoever +heard of that?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You are young men,” the old soldier went +on, “and you were not born, as I was, in a hut +in these fields, where all the tales of the country +round were common talk. My home was in +sight of the Tree of Pride, where we camped +last night, and many’s the time I’ve seen the old +man sitting among the boughs like an evil bird. +Whoever tastes of it, rich or poor, man or woman, +young or old, becomes mad with vanity and +pride. And but yesterday the Princess stood +under the branches, and the old man reached +down and offered her the fruit. She took it, +poor lady, and thanked him, understanding +nothing. I’ve more than a mind to turn aside +and slay him on the way back.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The King waited to hear no more; he stole +through the trees and back to his own camp: +he was determined to start at once for the Tree +of Pride. He rode all night, taking only a +couple of men with him, and in the morning +sunlight he saw it raising its heavy head +above the plain. He drew up almost under +the boughs and dismounted. There, peering +down on him, was the wizened face of the old +man, smiling elusively as he plucked a cluster of +fruit and began climbing down to offer it. The +King waited until he had reached the lowest +arm of the tree, and then, instead of taking the +gift, he seized his garment and dragged him to +the ground.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The old man shrieked and struggled, but the +King held him fast, and, throwing him on the +grass, stood over him while his two soldiers +bound him hand and foot.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Look!” cried the King, when they had done +this, “here is my blade, ready to plunge into +your evil body. Because the Princess ate the +fruit you gave her, her whole heart is changed. +You have only one chance of life. I will spare +it if you tell me the remedy that can turn her +into her true self.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“There is no remedy,” he said, fixing his +malicious eyes on the King.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Then,” said the young man, “I will prevent +anyone else from sharing the Princess’s fate.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And he raised his arm.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Stop!” screamed the other. “I will tell you +everything! Only let me go and I will promise +never to offer the fruit to anyone again.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Lie still,” said the King. “You will tell me +the cure before you move and then I will cut +down the tree. Go to the nearest hut and +borrow an axe,” he added, turning to one of his +men.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“No! no!” cried the old man again; “cut it +down and all will be lost! Only unbind my +hands and I vow I will make the mischief right.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You will be loosed when you have spoken,” +replied the King.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Tell your soldiers to go away,” said the +prisoner at last; “for the thing is a secret.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The King told his men to raise him, and +when they were alone the old man began.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You will need patience,” said he. “The +winter must come and go before the tree +whitens again, for it is only the blossom that +can cure the poison of the fruit. When spring +comes you must make a crown of the white +flowers and take it as a gift to the Princess. +If you can persuade her to wear it—if only +for a few moments—her heart will change, and +she will once more be the woman she was.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The King’s face fell. It was full six months +of waiting and it seemed like an eternity.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Now let me go!” cried the old man again.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I will unbind you, as I promised,” said the +King, “but from now till the day we return +together to pluck the flowers I will not lose +sight of you—no, not for an hour—until your +words are proven. Come, hold out your hands +and feet, and I will cut the cords. Then we +will turn our faces to my kingdom.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And the prisoner was mounted and led away +between two men-at-arms in the King’s troop.</p> + +<p class='line' style='text-align:center;'> * * * * * </p> + +<p class='pindent'>While these things were happening, the +Princess was on the road home. Having arrived, +she shut herself up in her rooms and +would hardly deign to go outside the walls of +her garden, or to notice anyone. When her +father was with her she treated him as though +he were an intruder, and the slightest difference +of opinion between them threw her into a +fury.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She would pace up and down the corridor, +her figure erect, her head thrown back; in her +eyes was the look of one scarce conscious of +her surroundings. And indeed, her soul had +strayed into another world—the world of pride, +and self and hardness of heart.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Time went, and the leaves of the Tree of +Pride lay thick round its foot. Winter’s white +veil covered plain and city, and the Princess, in +her palace, drew every day farther from +humanity; only the King, in his distant kingdom, +hoped on, waiting for spring.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But in the old man, his prisoner, a mighty +change was being wrought, and his malignant +spirit was beginning to go from him. He had +never before been brought so close to a noble +human being. As the King had said, so he had +done, and in the winter which followed his +return he had hardly allowed his hostage out +of his sight for an hour: waking, he kept him at +his side, and sleeping, he lay across his barred +door.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But, even while so much was at stake, he +could not neglect his daily work, and so it came +about that where he went the old man had +to go also. While he sat in council he was at +his left hand; when he dealt out justice he was +present; and when he was occupied with his +army—the pride of his soul—he was still beside +him. He saw how the King made himself as +one of his soldiers, how he shirked no work, +took no advantage; he saw his gay and noble +heart his joy in living, his prowess in all feats +of arms, the love his troops bore him—and as +he saw, his withered nature grew soft. And so +it was that by the time the young buds began +to show on the branches and the season drew +near for their journey to the Tree of Pride, +captive though he was, he would have laid down +his life for him willingly.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>All the earth was bursting into youth as the +two rode over the plain and approached the tree. +The scent of its blossoms was blowing towards +them, heavy on the air. The flowers were +thick about the ends of the green shoots, +the petals, half closing, like cups, over the +golden hearts within them. The King cut a +few handfuls with his knife while his companion +plaited them into a wreath, and when it +was made, they mounted and rode into the city.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When they arrived, they went to a small inn, +and the King, not wishing his presence to be +known, sent a messenger to the palace, giving +him a sum of money. With this he was to +bribe the servants to carry news to the Princess +that two strangers, having discovered a treasure, +desired to offer it to her. In this manner they +hoped to induce her to receive the crown. On +the following day the man returned, having +reached the Princess’s ear, and bringing leave +for the strangers to approach. So they presented +themselves.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They placed the wreath upon a velvet cushion, +and the King waited in a dark corner of the +Princess’s antechamber, while the old man, whose +face was hidden by a magician’s hood which he +had procured, entered and laid the gift at her +feet.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Royal lady——” he began, but his voice +dropped, for the Princess’s glance fell on the +flowers, and she rose from her chair, her eyes +alight with wrath and her lips trembling. Instead +of the rich jewels she had imagined, there +lay before her a simple wreath—beautiful exceedingly, +but with a beauty for which she had +ceased to care. There was nothing about the +offering that could add to her splendour. Any +peasant girl, having leisure to weave such a +crown, might wear it without pride and without +remark.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And as she sprang up, her eyes met those of +her rejected suitor, who had drawn the curtains +of the antechamber a little aside in his suspense.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the old man raised the cushion, she +seized the wreath and tore it in pieces, scattering +the petals, like snowflakes, on the floor.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The King went from the palace in despair +and returned to his lodging. He had hoped so +fiercely and so long that life seemed almost to +have come to an end. He mounted his horse, +and, bidding the old man farewell, determined +to return to his kingdom and his soldiers, putting +the thought of the Princess from him for ever. +Before he went he gave him a thousand gold +pieces, and made him promise to return to the +Tree of Pride and cut it down. As the city walls +faded behind him, he looked back at them with +a sigh. For the first time he had lost interest in +everything, and he knew that it was no longer +his pleasure to which he was returning; but +he had not forgotten that it was still his +duty.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, it chanced that, while the Princess +refused the crown, there stood by the chair a +certain lady-in-waiting. She was no longer +young, but she had been a beauty in her day +and had seen much of men and matters. She +had been at the Court for years and her heart +was heavy at the change she saw in her mistress. +She was a shrewd woman, and it did not escape +her notice that the person who offered the crown +wore a hood like those she had seen on the +heads of magicians; besides this, she marvelled +that two strangers, one of whom did not even +show himself, should wish to give the Princess +what any one of her servants might pluck from +the hedge. The old man had scarcely disappeared +before she made up her mind that here +was some mystery she did not understand. +Unobserved, she gathered up the broken flowers, +and that evening she sent a page secretly to +discover where he lived, and to desire him to +meet her, after dark, at the foot of the palace +garden. She also sent the key of a little door by +which he might enter unobserved.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the page found him, the old man was +on the point of leaving the city. He was sad, for +he had just parted from the King; but he was +resolved, when he should have destroyed the +Tree of Pride, to follow him to his own country +and spend the rest of his life in his service. +When he received the lady’s commands, he did +not hesitate to obey them.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The watchmen were crying ten o’clock as he +stood in the starlight inside the little door. He +trembled, for he suspected the summons might +lead him into some trap; but to serve the King +he was ready to venture all, and he only hoped +the morning might not find him at the bottom +of a dungeon. He was considering these things +when the lady appeared. He was about to +speak when she held up her hand.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I am the Princess’s chief lady-in-waiting,” +she began, “and her welfare is to me as my own. +I have sent for you that I may ask you, for her +sake, what reason you had for bringing such a +gift. She has everything the world can offer, +and I am certain that you would not have +brought her such a present as a common flower +wreath if there had not been some hidden virtue +in it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The old man fell down before her, clinging to +her skirt and kissing its hem.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Madam!” he cried, “only persuade the +Princess to wear it and all that I have is +yours! The King, who loves her, and whose +heart she has broken, has made me rich for the +rest of my days, but I will give it all up to you +if you will only induce her to wear it, even for +a moment.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then the lady remembered the King, for she +had been at her post when he received his dismissal, +and, under her breath, she had called the +Princess a fool. She had lived long enough in +the world to know a man when she saw one.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I never take bribes,” she said, “nor, as a +rule, do I tolerate those who offer them; but +if you will tell me the truth, I will do my best +to bring the King and my mistress together.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So the old man told her all.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the lady returned to the palace, she +took the fragments of the wreath and put them +carefully together. The petals she collected and +sewed into their right places with fine silk; it +was so deftly done that no one could suspect +them of having been broken.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The next day there was to be a banquet at +the palace, and before the time came for the +Princess to get ready, the lady took one of her +maids aside. “While you are fastening the +pins of Her Royal Highness’s veil,” said she, +“and before you put on her crown, you must +scream as though you had pricked your finger. +Do as I tell you and ask no questions, for I +myself will be present and keep her wrath from +you.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So when the Princess sat before her mirror, +the maid brought her veil and began to fasten it, +while the lady stood by with the wreath concealed +in her wide sleeve. All at once the girl +shrieked aloud: “Oh! oh! I have torn my +finger with a pin!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You unmannerly jade!” cried the lady, “will +you make all this to-do while Her Highness is +dressing? Off with you, and I will fasten the +crown myself.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And she thrust her from the room and took +her place.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Suddenly the Princess looked up into the +glass, and saw, instead of her crown, the wreath +of half-opened flowers with their golden centres +glowing through her hair. She put up her hand +to tear the thing from her head; but just as +she was going to do so, her lips trembled, and +she leaned, sobbing, against the table, her face +buried in her hands.</p> + +<p class='line' style='text-align:center;'> * * * * * </p> + +<p class='pindent'>Great was the joy in the palace that night. +The Princess sat at her father’s side with a +strange look in her eyes, but her speech was +gentle and her voice soft. The lady-in-waiting +watched her, smiling. She had given the true +history of the wreath, and she wondered what +would happen.</p> + +<p class='line' style='text-align:center;'> * * * * * </p> + +<p class='pindent'>Before dawn next morning the Princess rose. +Without a word to anyone, she ordered her +horse to be brought, and, riding by the quietest +streets, left the city while the world was yet +asleep. She took with her a heavy purse full +of gold, which she hid in the trappings of the +saddle, and her spaniel, Giroflé, which she carried +on her knee. A mantle was thrown over her +head, that her face should not be seen, and +under it she still wore the wreath of flowers. +Her way took her past the old man’s lodging, +and there she stopped.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come out!” she cried. “Here are some +gold pieces. Go to the stable, take the best +mule you can find, and follow me. I have +vowed to wear the wreath from the Tree of +Pride until I can mend the heart that its evil +magic has broken. I have determined to seek +out the King and ask his forgiveness for all I +have done.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The old man desired nothing better. In a +few minutes he came from the stable, leading a +fine strong mule, and, as soon as he was +mounted, they set off, and passed through the +city gate while the sun was still rising through +the mist.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, the little dog, Giroflé, was not in the +best of tempers, for he resented his position +very much. He had spent a pampered youth in +the royal palace, and was now entering on a +worldly and selfish middle age. His mistress +had always made a great deal of him, and she +now took him with her, because she feared his +arrogant manners would earn him scant consideration +in her absence. She knew that he +thought himself a great deal better than her +chief lady-in-waiting, and, in the days before her +own pride blinded her to everything else, she +had often rebuked him sharply. He sat curled up +under her cloak, putting his nose out now and +then, and sniffing to show his contempt for +everything they passed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I suppose,” said he to the Princess’s horse, +“that when one travels in outlandish places one is +justified in addressing those whom one would +not be called upon to notice at home. I shall, +therefore, speak to you. Be good enough to +inform me where we are going.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Never having been inside the palace, the +horse had not met Giroflé before, though he had +often heard tell of him. His honest heart +burned at the little creature’s insolence, but he +answered civilly, not wishing to annoy the +Princess.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I have been told nothing, either,” said he.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“No one supposed you had,” replied Giroflé, +“but one imagines that a beast of burden should +know his way about the country.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Hold your peace, sirrah!” exclaimed the +Princess. “I allow no one to speak to Amulet +like that. It would be well for you if you were +but half as useful and brave as he is.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I prefer to be ornamental myself,” said the +little dog, impudently.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You may change your mind when I set you +down to run,” replied she, slapping him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They travelled steadily day by day, sleeping +at night in such country inns as lay in their +road. These were not very grand places, but +the Princess cared for no discomfort, thinking +only how she might get forward on her way. The +old man rode a few paces behind, sometimes +carrying Giroflé. The little dog was light, but +what he lacked in weight he made up in noise, +for he barked ceaselessly, and nothing but +threats of making him walk could keep his +tongue still.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At last, one evening, as it grew late, they +came to the borders of a forest which stretched, +like a dark sea, across the horizon. A red +streak from the departed sun glared angrily over +the tree-tops, and they hurried on towards a +miserable little house where they hoped to get +a lodging. When they reached it, they found +it to be an inn, but so mean and tumble-down +was it that its walls seemed hardly able to hold +together. A rough-looking man was leaning +out of an upper window.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Can we lodge here?” asked the Princess as +she stopped before the door. “There are only +myself, my servant, and my little dog.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The man nodded, and came to take Amulet +and the mule to the stable. She dismounted +and went in, carrying Giroflé under her arm.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Heavens! what a place!” he exclaimed, as +he peeped from under her cloak. “Surely we +are never going to spend the night here!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The forest is in front,” said she, “and we +cannot find our way through it at this time of +night. We have no choice but to stay where +we are and be thankful that we have a roof +over our heads. Listen! do you hear the wind? +There will be a storm before morning.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>As she spoke a kind of moan ran through +the air and the trees began to toss to and fro. +A great splash of rain fell against the window. +Giroflé said no more, but when food was +brought and the Princess sat down to sup, he +remained in a corner of the room, his face to +the wall, and an expression on it impossible to +describe.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come here, Giroflé, and have some food,” +said the Princess, as she sat at the table.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I am glad you call it food,” said he; “for +my part, I should have called it garbage.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The landlord, who was serving, looked at +him angrily.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I suppose you have never seen a spaniel +of good family before, fellow?” snapped Giroflé, +as he met his eye.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Giroflé, behave yourself!” cried the +Princess.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The landlord left the room, muttering.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So there Giroflé sat till his mistress had +retired to bed; then he came out and went to +warm himself by the hearth, for, the corner +being cold, his exclusive demeanour had chilled +him. Soon the landlord returned to take away +the dishes.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, you are there, are you, little viper?” +said he.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At this Giroflé turned upon him with such a +torrent of impertinence as the man had never +heard before. He had sharpened his tongue +for years upon every member of the royal +household, including the King himself, and the +landlord, who soon found he was no match for +him, grew almost frantic.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He rushed upon the little dog, trying to reach +him with his foot and a soup-ladle which he held; +but Giroflé tore about round the table and behind +such furniture as there was, only darting +out now and then to get a good snap at his +heels. The Princess, who was not yet undressed, +came downstairs to see what was the +matter; for what between the landlord’s roars, +Giroflé’s barks, the overturning of chairs and +the wind and rain outside, the noise was really +frightful.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What is all this?” she cried, standing in +the doorway.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’ll soon show you!” bawled the landlord. +“I’ll show you that an honest man is not to be +insulted for nothing! Out with you—you and +your vile, ill-conditioned cur! Princess indeed! +He says you are a Princess—but, Princess or +not, out you go! Not another moment do you +stop under this roof!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Just then he managed to reach Giroflé with +the ladle, and the little dog sprang out, yelping, +into the passage.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come, off with you!” cried the landlord. +And, before the Princess had time to say a word, +he had opened the door and thrust her out into +the night. It was fortunate for her that she +had hidden the bag of gold in her girdle, for he +slammed the door behind them, and they could +hear the key turn and the bolts shoot into their +places.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>By this time Giroflé was whining. She took +him by the scuff of the neck and shook +him. “If I did what was right, I should +leave you to perish in the nearest ditch,” +said she.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But, all the same, he was so small that she +had not the heart to let him die, so she took +him up, and ran to the stable, where the old +man had laid himself down for the night beside +Amulet and his mule. Giroflé whined and +snarled all the time.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was nothing for it but to start off +again; they could not even remain in the stable, +for the landlord was shouting from the window +to a couple of men to turn them out. All they +could do was to mount and ride towards the +forest, where at least the branches would give +them some shelter from the pouring rain.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When they entered it, the darkness was such +that they could scarcely see their way. There +were no stars to guide them, so, after stumbling +about for some time, they began to search for a +place in which they could be sheltered from the +wind. By the light of the little lantern that the +old man carried with him, they saw a bank +covered with distorted tree-roots, some of which +had been torn from the ground in a gale. They +spread leaves and bracken in a hollow underneath +one of these, and the Princess lay down to +rest, with her cloak drawn about her, and Giroflé, +who was by this time much subdued, curled himself +at her feet. The old man and his mule +disposed themselves a little way off, and Amulet +stood in as snug a spot as he could find. The +noise of the swishing branches overhead sounded +like the waves of the sea.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But at last the wanderers fell asleep, and the +storm had abated and the moon come out when +the Princess heard Amulet plunging and +stamping, and sat up, rubbing her eyes. By +the light of the crescent showing through a gap +in the trees, she saw a host of dark creatures +surrounding them on all sides. She could not +imagine what they were. Their great wings +were outlined sharply against the moonlight, +and, though their faces were hidden, she was +aware of their bright eyes fixed upon her. One +figure in their midst came towards them holding +a tall spear; a crown of pale green flickering +flame was on his head. Giroflé jumped up +barking and then fled to his mistress’s skirts, +his tail between his legs. In a moment the tall +figure strode after him and pierced him to the +heart with his spear. As he bent over his +victim, the Princess could see that he had the +face of a bat.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then, at a signal from him, the whole host +came about them; they were seized, and +Amulet, who had tried to attack the Bat-King +with his teeth, was taken also; for, gallop and +stamp as he might, the fluttering wings closed +him round on every side, so that there was no +escape. The mule fled at once.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When they were all safely secured, the Bat-King +went on before them and his people +followed, leading their prisoners into the heart +of the forest.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And there we must leave them, for we must +return to the King, and hear what happened to +him after his parting with the old man.</p> + +<p class='line' style='text-align:center;'> * * * * * </p> + +<p class='pindent'>When he reached home, the King threw +himself into his old pursuits as if nothing had +happened; but his heart was so sore that they +gave him little joy, and, instead of spending his +spare hours in hunting with his lords and +gentlemen, he only longed to be alone. When +he had leisure he would ride off by himself for +days at a time, searching for new scenes and +new thoughts. He would go out across the +borders of his kingdom, by towers and rivers +and high castles, sometimes wandering through +towns and sometimes passing nights alone in +the waste places of the hills.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One evening he came to the foot of a chain +of rocky mountains, and stopped, looking up at +the crags which towered above his head. Their +shapes were so weird that he wondered whether +their spires and pinnacles had been carved out +by human hands, or whether an earthquake had +cast them up in the likeness of men’s work. A +track wound up and disappeared among them, +and he turned his horse’s steps into it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He had reached a considerable height when +he came suddenly to a chasm so deep that he +could not see its bottom. The rock on either +side was worn smooth, as though with the +passing of many feet, and the opening was +narrow enough for a man to stride across without +difficulty. The horse stopped, and the +rein being loose on his neck, snuffed delicately +at the strange gash that divided his path; then +he picked his way over it, snorting and cocking +his ears. They were scarcely ten yards on the +farther side when there was a loud cracking +noise, and, looking back, the King saw that the +chasm had split wider asunder and now yawned +behind him like the mouth of a pit. The horse +dashed forward, and had gone some distance +before his rider could check him. When at +last they stood still, they had come to a smooth +face of high rock, with a wide ledge at its foot, +over which the track went.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Crowning its summit, some feet above their +heads, ran a battlemented wall, and on it sat a +woman who looked down at the King while she +supported herself with one white arm. Whirling +vapour floated behind her, through which appeared +the outline of a fantastic castle whose +towers seemed to climb to heaven. Her hair was +bound about with cords of silver and livid +purple poppies. Their petals were dropping +down and falling in the King’s path. A dull +dark blue garment was wound round her which +left only her bare arms free and trailed over the +wall below her feet, mixing with her heavy +plaits and the silver tassels at the ends of them.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She smiled, bending forward till she looked +as though she must fall from her high place; +she was like some great unearthly gull poised +upon a wave’s crest.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Soon it will be too dark to travel among +these precipices,” she cried. “Come up, O +King, before the light falls. The way winds +up to my gates.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And, indeed, the path took a turn at the end +of the ledge, and, twisting like a ribbon, vanished +in the vapour.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was no going back, for the chasm was +behind him, and the light, as she said, was +failing; so he rode upwards till he came to a +gate whose top was lost in the clouds. It +opened, disclosing a castle, and inside it the +lady was coming to meet him, her draperies +trailing behind her and the silver tassels on her +plaits making a tinkling sound as they swept +the stones. A noiseless person came from a +doorway and led away his horse.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She was very beautiful. Her pale face and +scarlet lips and her heavy-lidded eyes made +him think of things he had seen in dreams, +and a faint misgiving touched him as he +followed her. Before the castle was a terrace, +on the wall of which he had seen her sitting +above him as he entered. He passed through +stone galleries, over whose sides he thought +he could see wild faces staring; the misgiving +deepened with every step.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She went before him to a chamber hung with +curtains, and when she had left him, another +silent servant brought him fresh clothes and +began to unbuckle his spurs. When he had +put off his belt and sword, the servant took +them from him and turned to the door.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Give me my sword,” said the King; “I +never part with that.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He stretched out his hand to take it, but as +he did so his companion vanished on the spot +where he had stood. Then he saw that the walls +were hung with images of demons, and that +snakes’ heads peered from the corners. He +looked out of the window, to see nothing but +whirling vapours. When a messenger came to +tell him that the lady awaited him to sup with +her, he followed gloomily, for he knew he was +in the stronghold of an Enchantress.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She was sitting at a table, on which a feast +was spread, and she made him as welcome as +though he had been some long-expected guest. +Her voice was mellow as the voice of pigeons +cooing in the woods, but it seemed to him that +a gleam of cruelty lurked in her eyes. After +dark, a chill fell in the air, and they drew close +to a fire of logs which glowed at one end of the +hall. A silent-footed company of musicians +came, playing on instruments the like of which +he had never seen, and one in their midst +began to sing:</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“Boughs of the pine, and stars between,</p> +<p class='line0'>In woods where shadows fill the air—</p> +<p class='line0'>Oh, who may rest that once hath been</p> +<p class='line0'>      A shadow there?</p> +<p class='line'> </p> +</div> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“Sounds of the night, and tears between,</p> +<p class='line0'>The grey owl hooting, dimly heard:</p> +<p class='line0'>Can footsteps reach these lands unseen,</p> +<p class='line0'>      Or wings of bird?</p> +<p class='line'> </p> +</div> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“Days of the years, and worlds between—</p> +<p class='line0'>Oh, through those boughs the stars may burn;</p> +<p class='line0'>The heart may break for lands unseen,</p> +<p class='line0'>For woods wherein its life has been,</p> +<p class='line0'>      But not return!”</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='pindent'>The King sat listening, his head leaning +upon his hand, and when he looked up, the +Enchantress’s eyes were fixed on him with the +cruel look he could not fathom. He sprang up +and begged leave to retire; he was weary, he +said, for he had ridden a long distance. At the +door of the hall he asked her to tell her servants +to return his sword. “We have never been +parted yet,” said he.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She broke into a laugh. “To-morrow,” she +said, waving him away. And when he would +have spoken again, he found himself alone.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He rose very early next day and left the +castle without meeting anyone; the gates were +open, and he went all round the walls, hoping to +come across some path which would take him +out of the hills and lead him to the plains below. +He was now sure that he was a prisoner. He +remembered with a shudder how the rock on +either side of the chasm was worn by the feet +that had passed over it; and, having found only +precipices on the north side of the castle, he +determined to follow the track by which he had +come, and see if some path, no matter how +dangerous, might be found by which he could +escape.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Coming down towards the chasm, he could +hardly believe his eyes, for the sides had closed +together, and it was no wider than when he had +first seen it. He ran forward, but as he reached +the brink it opened with the cracking noise he +had heard before, and he found himself standing +on the edge, looking into a gulf of mist. He +turned back, disheartened; and as he crossed +the ledge under the wall, he looked up to see +the Enchantress, perched upon her height, +watching him and smiling.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Day after day he lived on, a free prisoner. +Each evening when he left her he asked for his +sword, and each evening her laugh was the +only answer he got. He did not know that +the Enchantress had sat countless years upon +the ramparts of her castle, waiting, like a spider, +for her prey; that all her life had been spent in +entrapping and imprisoning men. Some she +had slain, some she had kept in dungeons, and +some had dashed themselves down into the +ravines or perished among them in their efforts +to escape.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But she had no intention of killing the +King or of casting him into a dungeon; of all +those she had entrapped, he was the one she +liked best, and every day she fell more deeply +in love with him. She would stand by him on the +highest tower of the castle, showing him all the +wonders of the landscape and telling him tales +which almost made him forget his captivity; +she gave him rich gifts, and plied him with such +wines and delicacies as, King though he was, +he had never tasted. Each morning a servant +brought him new clothes and jewels to choose +from, but it only made him long more fervently +for his russet leather and his sword. Each +evening she would send for her musicians and +sit by him till far into the night, listening to the +unearthly melodies they played. But he cared +neither for her nor for them.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>His thought was always of escape, but, to +throw her off her guard, he behaved as though +life was growing endurable. He kissed her hand +night and morning, he sought her company, he +did all that he could to flatter her; but in reality +he hated her false smile and soft voice, and only +the hope of releasing himself made him able to +play his part.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>On the first night of every week the +Enchantress would disappear, going out in a +car drawn by great owls, and not returning till +dawn. He longed to go with her, because he +was weary for a change of scene, and because +he thought it possible that he might find some +chance of escape. So one evening, seeing that +she was about to depart, he sighed heavily.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Lady,” he said, “if you knew how long +these evenings seem to me when you are away, +you would never have the heart to go.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Are not all my dancing-girls and musicians +here to while away the time?” replied she, +looking very softly at him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What do I care for them?” said he. “Is +there one who has a voice like yours, or a face to +be compared with yours? No, no. If I have to +part with you, my only wish is to be alone.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Enchantress was delighted.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I must go, nevertheless,” she said. “For a +long time past I have spent the first night of +every week in a visit to the Bat-King, who +rules over an enchanted forest some leagues from +here. If I were to disappoint him, he would +never forgive me. I have to go after dark and +return before sunrise, as he can only see at +night, and spends his days sleeping among the +trees.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The King made as though he were jealous.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And who is this Bat-King that he should +rob me of you?” he cried in an angry voice.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, well,” said the Enchantress, laughing, +“there is only one thing for it—you must come +too. For I cannot vex the Bat-King by my +absence, and you can delight yourself with my +company while we go and come.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then, as though she guessed his thoughts, +she continued: “If I did not know you loved +me, I would tell you that you need not hope to +escape from me in the forest. The Bat-King +has millions of subjects, and he has only to +sign to them to put you to death should you +attempt it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They went out, and on the ramparts her +chariot waited her. The King could not tell +what it was made of, but it looked like one of +those clouds that cross the setting sun before +a stormy night; six enormous owls were harnessed +to it and stood ready for a flight, their +yellow eyes fixed on space. A servant handed +a long scourge of plaited twigs to the Enchantress. +When she and the King had seated +themselves, the car rose into the air, and they +were soon rushing across the sky.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Away they went, leaving the earth far under +them; they flew over towns twinkling with +lights and rivers which lay in the darkness +like shining snakes. Sometimes a heavy bird +of prey would pass on its way beneath them, and +sometimes the cry of a nightjar would come up +from below. At last they came upon a dark +mass covering many miles, which the Enchantress +told him was the forest of the Bat-King. +A curious twilight shone through the branches, +caused by the presence of many glow-worms. +The owls lit upon an open patch among the +trees, and she got out of the car, telling the King +to remain beside her as he valued his life. The +owls crouched near, ruffling as they settled.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>In a short time they saw a dark-winged +figure coming towards them, whose crown of +pale flame threw furtive shadows on the tree-trunks. +The Enchantress went to meet him, +and for some time the two friends walked up +and down at a little distance from the King. +He looked above and around for some chance +of escape. Once he thought of springing into +the owl chariot, but the Enchantress had taken +her whip of plaited twigs with her, and he +feared that without it the owls might refuse to fly. +He felt under his doublet for a dagger which he +had managed to lay hands on after his sword +had been taken, and which he had kept carefully +hidden ever since. Then a sound made him +glance upwards, and he saw that the boughs of +the trees were a mass of gigantic figures, winged +and carrying long nets; they jibbered and +laughed, making as though they would throw +them over him. It was plain that there was +no hope of escape, and that his only chance +would be on the homeward way, when he might +stab the Enchantress, and with her plaited +switch force the owls downwards to earth. But +he shuddered at the thought of killing a woman, +even though she were a fiend. He turned +over these things in his mind till he heard her +calling.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come!” she was saying. “It may please you +to see some of your own kind. His Majesty +has got two prisoners he is keeping in the forest, +and I am going to look at them. You need not +think we shall leave you. I hear that the +woman is beautiful, so you can tell me if you +think her as beautiful as I am.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They followed the Bat-King for some +distance. The thickness of the forest was surprising; +twisted roots were woven together in +the most wonderful manner, and starry blossoms +swayed to and fro in the night wind. The Bat-creatures +came crowding behind, close on their +footsteps.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At last they reached a place where some trees +stood round a grassy circle; in the centre of it +were two figures.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“See,” said the Bat-King, “here are my +prisoners. In the night, when my people are +awake, they are watched on all sides, and in +the day, while we sleep, one touch of my +spear raises such a wall of bush and brier +that they may try for ever to get through it +in vain.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>His eyes gleamed with malice. “Stand, +woman!” he cried, “stand up and let the +Enchantress see you!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A lady rose and stood before them, and, as +she looked up at her tormentor, her eyes met +those of the King. For a moment he remained +dumb with horror, then, with a shout, he sprang +upon the Bat-King, hurling him to the ground +and battering his head against the earth.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Enchantress shrieked and the Bat-people +came round in dozens. They overpowered +the King, dragging his enemy from +under him, and in another moment he also +found himself a prisoner.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Bat-King, who was now on his feet, +rushed at him with his spear, but the Enchantress +threw herself between them.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“No, no!” she cried, “you shall not kill him! +He is mine! No one shall harm him. I love +him and he loves me!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At this the King, beside himself with rage, +turned upon her.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I would sooner die than be near you another +day,” he cried. “I hate you as I hate sin +itself! There is only one person in the world +I love, and that is this Princess.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Enchantress’s face grew white; all her +beauty seemed to have faded. She pressed +close to him, her fingers opening and shutting, +as though she would tear him to pieces.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I hate you!” he exclaimed again. “Woman +though you are, if my hands were free, I would +kill you.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You all shall die,” said the Enchantress. +“First you shall see the woman die, you +traitor; then her companion; then you shall +die yourself. No one lives to offend me +twice.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then she turned to the Bat-King. “Send for +your subjects,” she cried, “and let us kill them +before I leave this forest. I will not go back to +my castle till I have seen them slain with +torments.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Bat-King held up his spear, and his +creatures came flocking from every thicket till +the place looked like a billowy sea of black +wings.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The King’s heart sank; he cared little for +torment and pain or the loss of his own life, +but he could not bear the thought of seeing +the Princess die. But she looked bravely +at him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We have met again,” she said, “so I am +happy. And now we are going to die for +each other.” Then she turned to the old man. +“Giroflé is dead,” said she, “and they have +taken Amulet—I know not where; but you have +stayed to the end with me. I have nothing to +reward you with, but I will do all I can for you. +Lady,” she continued, “neither I nor the King +would ask for our lives, even if you were willing +to grant them. But this old man, my faithful +servant, has done you no harm. I beg you to +spare him.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“He shall die first, that you may see it,” +replied the Enchantress, with a look of hatred.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But at this moment there was a sudden +movement among the Bat-people, and all their +dark arms were raised, pointing in one direction. +For, far away eastward, beyond the tree-trunks, +the first pale streaks of morning lay along the +edge of the world.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It is too late,” cried the Bat-King. “In a +few minutes the dawn will be upon us, and we +shall not be able to see.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Even as he spoke the Bat-creatures were +hurrying back to their trees, blinking in the +growing light. His eyes were getting dimmer +every moment, and the Enchantress saw that +she must put off her vengeance.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“When I return, this night week, we will kill +them,” said she. “Keep them for me, for I +will not lose the sight for twenty kingdoms.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And she went off in haste, for she feared +that her owls might not reach the castle ere the +full blaze of day.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Before the Bat-King left his prisoners, he +struck his spear on the ground, and a wall of +briers rose around them, shutting them in. As +soon as they were alone, the King, who still +had his dagger hidden upon him, began to try +and cut a way through with it. But as fast as +he cut one stem, another grew in its place, and +he found his work useless; there seemed +nothing to do but to sit and wait for the end. +In a week the Enchantress would return to see +them put to death, and he could only promise +himself that, while he had his concealed weapon, +he would sell all their lives dear. Neither he +nor the Princess had any hope of escape, for +even should they be able to get through the +tangled walls, they knew that the Bat-creatures +could easily prevent their getting out of the +forest.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At night, when the Bats were astir, the Bat-King +would make the wall disappear, for he +liked to look at his captives and tell them how +little time they had left. In this way several +days went by.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, the Princess had worn her white wreath +till every bit of blossom had fallen, so that by +the time she arrived in the forest it was scarcely +more than a twist of withered leaves. She had +taken it off reluctantly and thrown it down +close to the place where they were now confined, +and one day, as she and her lover paced +their prison, they saw that the damp earth had +revived the dying shoots and that they had put +forth fruit. It lay on the earth, ripe and purple, +and when night had fallen, and the Bat-King +walked abroad, he saw what he took to be a +spray of plums lying tossed at the foot of a +tree. He ate one, and, finding it delicious, did +not stop till he had devoured the whole.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>That night the Bats rushed up and down the +forest in dismay, for they could not think what +had happened to their monarch. He would +suffer none to approach him. No one could do +his bidding fast enough to escape his wrath; no +one was fit to stand in his presence; no one +could make a low enough obeisance as he +passed. But the strangest thing of all was that, +when dawn broke, instead of hastening to his +tree till the light should be gone, he protested +that he was able to see as well in the sunshine as +in the dark. To one so great as himself, he said, +day and night were the same. He stumbled +about, feeling the way with his spear, and by +the time the Bats were asleep he came to the +place where the Princess and her companions +were. He had forgotten the wall he should +have raised round them; he had forgotten how +dangerous it was to approach the King unguarded; +he had forgotten everything but his +own fancied greatness.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The King watched him come; his hand was +on his dagger, his eyes on fire. As he drew +near he sprang upon him and stabbed him to +the heart—once—twice. It was all over in a +moment, quietly, and the Bat-King died without +a groan, for his enemy’s hand was over his +mouth.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>By noon they had dug a hole deep enough +for his body, and, having taken his clothes, his +wings and his spear, they laid him in it, treading +down the earth and covering the place with +leaves.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then they took the old man and dressed him +in the Bat-King’s garments. They fastened the +wings to his shoulders in as natural a way as +they could. They put the spear in his hand, +the flaming crown on his head, and with the +dagger they cut off his long beard. With flint +and steel they lit a fire, and, burning some +wood, smeared his face with the ash till it was +as dark as that of their dead enemy. His own +clothes they rolled up and hid in a hole. When +all this was done the old man made a whistling +noise, such as he had heard the Bat-King +make to call his subjects, and the evil creatures +trooped round, staggering blindly about in the +daylight.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When they were gathered at a little distance, +he told them, in a voice as like that of their +leader as he could make it, that the Princess’s +servant was dead. He showed them the mound +in the grass, under which, he said, he had made +the other two prisoners bury him. A murmur +of approval ran through the Bat crowd. The +creatures could scarcely see the speaker, but +they were anxious to keep their Sovereign in a +good temper, so they pretended to understand +everything. It was evident that they had no +suspicions.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“If we are to escape,” said the Princess, under +her breath, “I must have my dear Amulet back, +I will never consent to leave him here.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Now!” cried the old man, “bring me the +white horse that the woman rode upon. Fetch +him immediately, for I intend to go afoot no +more.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“To-night, your Majesty, to-night?” cried +they, astonished. “We cannot see in this +blinding light!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Obey me at once,” roared the old man, “or +I will have fifty of you executed after sunset! +Is the greatest monarch on earth to walk like +the lowest of his people?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Bats disappeared in all directions, for +the Bat-King had kept the horse tied up in a +distant spot; in their alarm they strayed all +over the forest, but at last some of them got to +the place where he was tethered.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Princess watched eagerly for her +favourite. “Dear Amulet,” she whispered to +him when he arrived, “have no fear and we +shall yet escape. I have sent for you that I +may free you. Do all you are bid, for he who +you think is the Bat-King is our friend who +has come all the way with us.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then the old man mounted; he dismissed the +crowd, but kept back one of the Bat-creatures, +whom he drove before him with his spear to +guide him to the edge of the enchanted forest. +The Bat could scarcely see, but when he +stopped, he beat him with the spear-shaft till +he found the way again.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The King and Princess remained behind; +they feared to rouse the suspicions of their +enemies by going with him, as evening +was far spent and the time when they would see +clearly was drawing near. Besides which, they +did not know how far distant the forest’s edge +might be, nor whether the Princess would be +able to reach it on foot by dark.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Before long the old man returned. He had +freed Amulet at the borders, bidding him stay +near the wood’s outskirts till his mistress should +be able to join him. He had then slain the +guide with his spear, lest he should bring word +to his fellows of what had happened. The +Princess rejoiced that her dear Amulet was +safe, and the three companions sat down to +discuss their escape. The King had a plan +which they hoped to carry out that night, for +the week had gone by and the Enchantress +was coming.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The glow-worms were shining and the Bats +going about again with open eyes when the +owl-chariot was seen. The old man took a +dark cloak which had belonged to the Bat-King, +and, muffling his head and face with it, went to +meet the Enchantress. As she stepped out of +her car he cried: “Alas, lady! I have bad +news. The old man is dead, and the pleasure +of slaying one of these wretches is lost. I kept +him alive as long as I could, but his captivity +told on him and he died.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That is of no consequence,” said she. “It +is the other two who concern me most. We +will make it yet worse for them. But why do +you keep your face hidden?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Fair one,” replied he, “flying in the daylight, +I bruised my cheek against a tree, and I +would not that you should see it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She laughed. “And why is your voice so +strange?” she asked again.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It is the folds of the cloak that muffle it,” +said he.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And how is it,” she went on, seating herself +on the grass, “that you have made no +preparations for the execution?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“All is ready,” he said; “only wait till I call +up my people, and you shall choose the manner +of their deaths.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then he gave a call, and the Bat-creatures +surrounded them.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Bats!” he cried, pointing to the Enchantress, +“fall upon this woman and slay her where she +stands.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And almost before she had time to scream +they had set upon her, and while she raved and +struggled they beat her with their heavy wings, +smiting her till she died.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then the King and Princess sprang into the +owl-chariot, the old man following. Before the +Bats discovered how they had been deceived, +the King took the plaited switch which was +lying in the car and lashed the owls till they +flew up far above the heads of the tossing crowd. +The Bat-creatures rose with one accord into the +air and followed in a great flight, but the owls +were swifter, and soon the forest was passed and +the pursuers fell back, fearing the open country.</p> + +<p class='line' style='text-align:center;'> * * * * * </p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the lovers and their companion came +down to earth and lit on the ground, they found +Amulet waiting near the place where the old +man had left him, and they passed the rest of +the night peacefully under the stars.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Next day they began their homeward journey, +and in time reached the city in the plain where +the Princess lived; and there she was married +to her lover with great splendour. Amulet and +the old man went with her to her husband’s +kingdom, and on the way thither they stopped +to see the Tree of Pride cut down.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then they rode on, the King and his Queen +side by side, and disappeared over the plain and +beyond the blue hills into their new life.</p> + +<div><h1 id='chap05'>THE STORY OF FARMYARD MAGGIE</h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>One Saturday afternoon when the miller had +let his man go out, he was standing at the mill +door above the steps, with the white dust +whirling behind him like a mist. He saw Peter +and his sister near the witch’s cottage, and he +waved his hand and shouted to them to come. +He was smoking, but knocked the ashes out of +his pipe, for he was certain that little Peter +would ask for a story. He liked telling him +stories better than reading out of his grandmother’s +book, because he could look at Janet +all the time, instead of keeping his eyes upon +the words. He began to rack his brains for +something new.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“A story! a story!” cried little Peter, as soon +as he had got within earshot.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But I have none left in my head,” said the +miller, teasing him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Then there is the book,” said Peter. “I’ll +go for it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was a long time since he had stopped +being afraid of the tall man in the white hat.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“No! no! no!” cried the miller. “Come +here and sit on the sacks, and I’ll think of +something. We’ll go up and shut the sluice +in a few minutes, and by that time no doubt +something new will come into my mind.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Janet came in and sat down, and the dust +settled on her yellow hair till she looked like a +snow-powdered fairy on the top of a Christmas +cake. The miller thought it beautiful. As for +little Peter, the creaking machinery was enough +to keep him happy, and when they went to +shut the sluice-gate, he danced and jumped the +whole way there.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“So here we’ll stay,” said the miller, when +the water was turned off and they were sitting +on a fallen tree at the edge of the mill-dam. +“I have just remembered the story of Farmyard +Maggie.”</p> + +<p class='line'> </p> + +<p class='pindent'>Long before you were born, and before I +was born either (began the miller), there lived +at the farm over yonder a little girl. She was +an orphan, like you, but she had not even +a grandmother to share her roof with her. +In summer she slept by the hedge, and in +winter she would slip into the stable and lie by +the farm horses. And when it was autumn, +and the stacks stood in rows in the rickyard +waiting to be threshed, she would crawl in +under them through the little hole that is left +for the air to pass through and to keep them +from heating. There she slept as snug as if +she were in a house. She was called “Farmyard +Maggie,” because it was her business to +look after the fowls in the yard.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Poor little body! she had not a very happy +life of it. They were rough folk at the farm, +for the farmer was miserly and his wife was +cruel, and often she did not get enough to eat. +But the farm men were kind and would sometimes +give her a crust of bread or a bit of +cheese from their own dinners; and once, when it +was cold, a ploughman brought her a pair of +shoes that belonged to his own little girl, for he +did not like to see her poor little toes on the +frosty ground. The horses were kind always, +and were careful not to kick her or tramp on +her when she took refuge in their stalls; but, +unfortunately, they were proud, and when they +had on their fine harness with the brass crescents +that swung between their ears, they would not +notice her. They were high creatures.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Maggie took care of the poultry well. She +knew all the cocks and hens and little chickens, +and even the waddling, gobbling, ducks, whom +she fetched home each evening from the pond +at the foot of the hill, thought well of her—that +is, when they had time to think of anything but +their own stomachs, which was not often, +certainly. But she had two great friends who +loved her dearly. One was a little game-fowl +who was as straight on his legs as a sergeant on +parade, and the other was a large Cochin-China +cock who looked as if he wore ill-fitting yellow +trousers that were always on the verge of coming +off. The gamecock despised the Cochin-Chinaman +a little, for he thought him vulgar, but he +was a great deal too well-bred to show it. +Besides which, their affection for Maggie made +the two birds quite friendly.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One autumn afternoon, when the mist hung +over the stubble and the brambles were red and +gold, Maggie sat crying just over there by the +roadside. She was most dreadfully unhappy, +for a duck was lost and the farmer’s wife had +told her that she must go away and never come +back any more. She had turned her out of the +yard without so much as a sixpence or a piece +of bread to keep her from starving.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Presently the Cochin-China cock passed by, +and when he saw she was in trouble, he came +running towards her as hard as he could, with +great awkward strides and his neck stuck out in +front of him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, what <span class='it'>is</span> the matter?” he cried. And +Maggie put her arms round him and told him +everything.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When he knew what had happened he was in +as great a taking as herself, and he walked up and +down, flapping his wings distractedly and making +the most heartrending noises in his throat.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I must go for Alfonso,” he said at last.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Alfonso was the gamecock.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>I can tell you there was a to-do when the +birds got at the bottom of the affair! They +stood, one on either side of their poor friend, +begging her not to cry; and Alfonso was anxious +to fight everybody, from the bantam up to the +great bubbly-jock who scraped his wings along +the ground and turned blue about the neck if +you whistled to him. All the fowls knew that +something terrible had happened.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But what is the use of your fighting, dear +Alfonso?” said Maggie. “It would do me no +good, and the poultry are all innocent. They +have done me no harm.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I am not so sure about those sly fat huzzies +of ducks. What business have they to look +after themselves so badly? I have a good +mind to go down and have a few words with +the drake.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“No, no—pray don’t,” said Maggie. “The +best thing I can do is to go away and be done +with it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Cochin-Chinaman was weeping hoarsely: +he had no dignity.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I never thought to leave my family,” he +cried, “but this is the last they’ll see of me. I +shall go with you.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Alfonso was rather shocked, for he had very +proper ideas.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And leave your wife?” he exclaimed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“She is in love with the Dorking cock, so +she can stay with him. I have known it for +some time. There he is, standing on one leg +by the wood-pile.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I will come too,” said the game-fowl, who +was a bachelor, “but do you go on. I will +just go and break every bone in the drake’s +body, and I can catch you up before you are +out of sight.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, no! no! Promise you won’t do that!” +implored Maggie.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It took some time to persuade him to be +quiet, but at last it was done.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It is better to get the business over at +once,” said the Cochin-China cock. “If Alfonso +is ready, we will start.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And pray, who says I am not ready for +anything?” inquired the other. “Anyone who +wants to eat his words has only to come to +me!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But nobody says it,” replied Maggie soothingly. +“I am sure no one ever had two such +dear, brave friends as I have.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And with that the three set forth on their +travels.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They went up the road that runs north, +round the other side of the dam, for they were +anxious to get as far as possible without being +seen, in case anyone should come after them to +try and make the cocks go back. Sometimes +they ran, they were in such a hurry. At last +they came to where the old gipsy track crosses +the way, and turned into it; feeling much safer +for the shelter of the whins and bushes in that +green place.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>All round them there were tangles of bramble, +red and copper and orange, and fiery spotted +leaves. Where it was damp the dew still lay +under the burning bracken and the yellow ragwort +stood up like plumes and feathers of gold. +Here they went slower, pushing through the +broom, whose black pods rattled as they passed. +In front of them a little string of smoke was +rising, and when they reached it, they found +that it came from the chimneys of a caravan +which was drawn up in a clearing.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Maggie and her two friends crouched down +and looked at it through the bracken. They saw +a large blue van and a battered-looking green +one, which stood with their shafts resting on the +ground. A couple of horses grazed, unharnessed, +a few yards away. In a circle of stones +burned a fire, over which hung a black caldron, +and a woman, with a string of red beads round +her neck, was nursing a baby on the top step of +the blue van.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, what a lovely baby!” whispered Maggie, +as she gazed at them.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“So it is,” replied the Cochin-China cock +amiably. Alfonso turned up his beak, for he +had no domestic tastes.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I must go a little nearer,” said Maggie. +“Oh, look! the woman can see us. I really will +ask her to show it to me.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Ma’am,” she said, making a curtsey, “may +I look at your little child?”</p> + +<div class='figcenter' style='width:80%'> +<img src='images/ill004.jpg' alt='Girl holds baby.' id='img04' style='width:99%;height:auto;'/> +<p class='caption'>“MAGGIE TOOK IT AND BEGAN TO ROCK IT ABOUT.”</p> +</div> + +<p class='pindent'>The woman exchanged glances of rather +contemptuous amusement with a man who had +come out of the van and stood behind her. +Then she held the baby out to Maggie, and +Maggie took it and began to rock it about +as if she had minded babies, and not poultry, +all her life.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, I never!” said the man. He wore +small gold rings in his ears.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At this moment there arose a most furious +noise from some fowls that were wandering +about among the van wheels, where a fight was +beginning. Alfonso had already managed to +pick a quarrel with someone of his own sex, +and the hens were screeching as the two birds +crouched opposite to each other, making leaps +into the air and striking out until the feathers +flew.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Alfonso! Alfonso! stop this moment!” +screamed Maggie. “Oh! what a way to +behave!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But she could not get at him because of the +baby she held.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“He has dreadful manners,” moaned the +Cochin-China cock. But he would not have +said that if Alfonso had been able to hear +him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well,” said the man, vaulting down the +steps, “that’s the finest little game-bird I ever +saw.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And without more ado he separated the +fighters and pushed Alfonso under a basket +that stood upside down near the van. There +was a hole in it, and through this Alfonso +stuck his head and crowed at the top of his +voice.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What are you doing to him?” cried Maggie. +“He is my friend, and we are travelling together.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“He’s mine now,” replied the man, “for I’m +going to keep him.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But I can’t part from him—you have got +no right to take him away.” And the tears +rushed to Maggie’s eyes at the thought.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Best come along too,” said the woman, who +spoke little.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh yes—and perhaps I could mind the +baby,” exclaimed Maggie.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You’d have to,” said the woman. “We +don’t keep people for nothing.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But there’s him too,” said Maggie, pointing +to the Cochin-Chinaman. “I can’t leave him +either. He always goes with Alfonso and me.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The man laughed. “You’re the queerest lot +<span class='it'>I</span> ever saw,” said he. “But I suppose we must +have you all.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And so it was settled.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Maggie was very much relieved to find that +the party was to move away early next morning, +and she took care to keep as much out of sight +as possible. But the rest of the evening passed +without their hearing or seeing anything of the +people at the farm, and she hoped that no one +had discovered their absence. As soon as it +was light next day the horses were harnessed, +and the three truants set out with their new +friends.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was another member of the party who +came back to the camp just as they were starting, +and who drove the green van. His name was +Dan, and he was the brother of the man with +the gold earrings, a clean-shaved brown young +fellow, with dark smooth hair which came forward +in a flat lock over either ear. He wore a +cap made of rabbit-skin, and he looked after the +two horses. Though he took little notice of +Maggie she was not afraid of him, for he had a +self-contained, serious face, and was so good to +the beasts that she knew he must be kind.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Besides this work he did nothing in the camp. +His brother was a tinman, but Dan left the pots +and pans alone; and it was only when the party +was at village fairs that his talents came into +play. The horse which drew the smaller van +and did the lighter work was a bright chestnut +with a fine coat, which Dan groomed ceaselessly. +Both animals followed him like dogs, and he +could do whatever he pleased with the chestnut, +which could jump almost anything. When he +rode him, barebacked, at the big fairs, the +crowd would look on open-mouthed, shouting as +he cleared the hurdles and dropping their pence +into the rabbit-skin cap when it was carried +round. Once an ill-natured fellow had stuck a +thorn into the horse’s flank as he was led by, +and Dan had blacked both his eyes before +leaving the fair. When the vans were settled +in one place, he would often be absent for days +together, and nobody knew where he went.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Maggie soon found out that they were making +for some woods a few days’ journey off. She +was very happy, for she had seen so little of the +world outside the farmyard that every new +place amused her. The woman was friendly +to her in her silent way when she found +how careful she was of the baby. Maggie soon +learnt to dress and tend it; and she swept out +the vans, lit the fires, and in the evening sat on +the top step, talking to Alfonso and the Cochin-China +cock. They were quite contented too, +though they did not live so well as they had +done at the farm.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They travelled on, by villages and hill-sides, +by moors and by roads. The trees flamed with +autumn, and the rose-hips were turning red. +At last they drew up in a grassy track which +ran through an immense wood, where the +sighing of the air in the fir-branches rose and +fell in little gusts, and grey-blue wood-pigeons +went flapping away down the vistas of stems. +Maggie had never imagined such a place, +and when the camp was set out and she +lay down, tired, to sleep, she promised herself +that, if she had a free moment on the morrow, +she would go and see more of it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was the next afternoon that her chance +came, and off she set, looking back now and +then, to make sure of finding her way home. +How tall the bracken was! The bramble, that +in woods keeps its living green almost into +the winter, trailed over the path, and there were +regiments of table-shaped toadstools, crimson +and scarlet and brown. The rabbits fled at her +step, diving underground into unseen burrows, +and the male-fern stood like upright bunches of +plumes. She was so much delighted by all +this that she went on, and on, until the sound of +a voice singing to a stringed instrument made +her stand still to listen.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Not far off was another camp, much like the +one she had left. There were several tents, +and people were moving about; but the music +came from close by, on the other side of an overturned +fir whose roots stood up like wild arms. +She stole up and peeped round the great circle +of earth which the tree had torn out with it in +its fall, and in which ferns and rough grass had +sown themselves. She <span class='it'>was</span> surprised!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>On his face in the moss lay Dan, his elbows +on the ground, his chin in his hands. His +rabbit-skin cap was pulled over his eyes, and +the gold rings which, like his brother, he wore +in his ears gleamed against his dark neck.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A girl sat near him, playing on a little stringed +instrument, such as Maggie had never seen +before. Her voice reminded her of the wood-pigeons, +and the twang of the strings as she +struck them was both sharp and soft at once. +The blue of her eyes and the pale pink colour of +her cheeks made Dan look almost like an Indian +by contrast with her. She had ceased singing, +but Maggie kept as still as possible in hopes of +hearing some more.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It’s a good thing I left Alfonso at home,” she +thought; “he would have never stayed quiet. +I won’t breathe, and perhaps she’ll begin again.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Dan was silent too, though he never took his +eyes off his companion’s lips. Soon she touched +the strings again and played a few notes that +sounded like a whisper.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“This is called ‘The Wind in the Broom,’ ” +she said:</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“ ‘Wind, wind, in the forest tall,</p> +<p class='line0'>Do you stir the broom where my lass is waiting?</p> +<p class='line0'>Pale lass, in the witch’s thrall—</p> +<p class='line0'>For the witch is by, and she may not call.</p> +<p class='line0'>(O the long, long days that my lass is waiting!)</p> +<p class='line0'>  Gold broom, with your flowers in bloom,</p> +<p class='line0'>Wave,’ says the lad: ‘it is time for mating.’</p> +<p class='line'> </p> +</div> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“ ‘Lad, lad, in the witch’s wood,</p> +<p class='line0'>There is no more hope when the spell is spoken;</p> +<p class='line0'>Lost lad, is the sight so good</p> +<p class='line0'>Of the empty place where your love has stood?</p> +<p class='line0'>(O the long, long days that her heart has broken!)</p> +<p class='line0'>  Dead broom, be your bare pod’s doom</p> +<p class='line0'>Black,’ says the witch, ‘for a sign and token.’</p> +<p class='line'> </p> +</div> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“ ‘Bold broom, by the witch’s door,</p> +<p class='line0'>Will you hide my lad as his step steals nigher?</p> +<p class='line0'>Sleep, witch, on the forest floor;</p> +<p class='line0'>You are drugged by the broom-flowers’ scented core.</p> +<p class='line0'>(O the smouldering fumes of its golden fire!)</p> +<p class='line0'>  Burn, broom, in the forest’s gloom,</p> +<p class='line0'>Glow,’ says the lass, ‘like the heart’s desire.’</p> +<p class='line'> </p> +</div> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“ ‘Wind, wind, round the witch’s lair</p> +<p class='line0'>There’s a lad and lass that no spell can sever;</p> +<p class='line0'>Sing, wind, in the broom-flowers there,</p> +<p class='line0'>For you sing good-bye to an old despair.</p> +<p class='line0'>(O the long, long days, that are done for ever!)</p> +<p class='line0'>  Gold broom, with the silken plume,</p> +<p class='line0'>Laugh,’ says the wind, ‘because love dies never.’ ”</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='pindent'>Maggie was so much absorbed in the song +that she came forward a little from behind the +root. Though Dan had not turned his head +she saw that his watchful eyes were on her, and +she prepared to move away. The girl turned +round; her face was so sweet that Maggie +spoke up.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I was only listening to the song,” she said.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come and sit beside me,” said the singer. +“My name is Rhoda. Who are you?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That’s the girl from our camp,” said Dan.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Long after he had gone back to feed the +horses Maggie sat talking to her new friend. +She told her all about Alfonso and the Cochin-Chinaman, +and how they had all run away from +the farm. Though Rhoda was grown up and +could not understand fowls when they spoke, +she listened with great interest, and Maggie +promised to bring the two cocks to visit her. +When she got home Dan was putting a rug on +the chestnut horse, for the nights were growing +colder. He seemed to look at her with a new +interest.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Do you like Rhoda’s songs?” he asked +suddenly.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh yes.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“She makes them for me,” said Dan.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I am going to take Alfonso and the other +cock to see her,” continued Maggie. “Perhaps +I shall go to-morrow.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Then I had better come with you. There +are wild-cats in the wood,” observed Dan +shortly. And he went into the green van and +said no more.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>After that Maggie managed to slip away +nearly every day to see her friend in the other +camp. Sometimes she took the birds with her, +and sometimes she left them at home. Dan +and his brother had gone off to a fair in the +neighbourhood, which was to last several days.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One afternoon as she sat with Rhoda under +the trees, a man came towards them from the +tents. He had a long pointed nose, and was +very grandly dressed for a gipsy, for he wore +a bright-coloured scarf and waistcoat and his +fingers were covered with silver rings. Maggie +thought him very nice, for he joined them and +seemed to admire Alfonso very much. The +little cock strutted about, ruffling himself out as +the man watched him. He loved notice. The +gipsy threw him a handful of corn from his +pocket, and when he went off again to the +tents, he kept looking back with a smile. +Rhoda took up her guitar once more for she +had laid it down at his approach, though she was +in the middle of a song.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I never sing to <span class='it'>him</span>,” she said.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was a pleasant time they spent in the fir-woods, +and Maggie began to think there could +be nothing better than life in the caravan. She +loved the open air and the blue mists, the silver +spider webs and the winking eyes of the little +fires that were lit among the trees at night. +She loved the whispering branches and the red +toadstools and the sceptres of tall ragwort, +that were beginning to fade as the days went +by. She did not want to leave the place, +and, besides that, she did not want to leave +Rhoda.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But early one morning, as she was gathering +wood a little way from the van, she glanced up +to find Rhoda standing before her. Her guitar +was under her arm and a little bundle in her +hand.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I have come to say good-bye,” said she. +“Yes, I am going, and you must not tell anybody. +I can’t stay any more in our camp. I +shall take my guitar and go and make my living +by singing at fairs, as I have done before. So +I’ve come to say good-bye to you first.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Maggie was too much surprised to answer.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It is because of the man you saw,” continued +Rhoda, “the man I will not sing for. He +is the richest gipsy in the country, and I hate +him; but he loves me. My mother says I +must marry him. He has given her presents of +money and necklaces and fine clothes, and she +has promised me to him. They don’t know I +have gone, but by to-night I shall be miles +away, and I will never come back. He is the +most hateful man in the world.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And now I shall never see you any more!” +cried Maggie.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, but I hope you will,” replied Rhoda. +“I like you, and you like me, and when you are +at a fair some day, you’ll hear my guitar, and +come and speak to me and be glad to see me. +You will, won’t you?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And she turned away towards the edge of the +wood, and Maggie went a little distance with +her.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“May I tell Dan?” she asked, as they +parted.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, Dan knows,” said Rhoda.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then she went away through the tree-stems +into the open country, and Maggie stood at the +outskirts of the wood watching her until she +disappeared among the shorn fields, looking +back and waving her hand.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She was sad for a long time after that. Dan +said nothing of what he knew, and when she +tried to speak to him, he got out of her way. +She did not even tell Alfonso or the Cochin-Chinaman +what had happened; though, to be +sure, it would have been safe enough, for, even +if they had spoken of it, no one but herself +could have understood them. Once she saw +the rich gipsy with the evil face and silver rings +prowling about the vans, which made her so +frightened that she got into one of them and +locked herself in. No one else had seen Rhoda +when she came to say good-bye, and there was +nothing to do but to keep her own counsel and +hope that in time she might meet her friend +again.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Cochin-China cock was as happy as +possible. He did not care for high company, +and the few fowls that ran about the van +wheels and travelled together in a basket on the +roof when the family was moving were good +enough for him. He forgot that he had ever +had a wife and family, though he had wept so +loudly when he left them to follow Maggie; +and now he had chosen for a partner a young +speckled hen, who was bewitched by his yellow +trousers and deep voice.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Alfonso, on the contrary, had grown prouder +than ever; and when he discovered that the +man with the gold earrings meant to make a +deal of money by backing him to fight other +cocks in public, he was extremely happy. He +longed for spring to come, for then the vans +were to make a tour through many villages and +towns, and he would have the chance of meeting +all sorts of champions in single combat. He had +found this out through the Cochin-Chinaman, +who was a gossip, and whose new wife told him +everything that went on. But Maggie knew +nothing about it, for Alfonso would not tell her, +and promised to thrash his friend if he did so. +Alfonso knew that if anything were to happen +to himself it would break her heart. Sometimes +his conscience blamed him for deceiving +her, but he did not listen to it; it seemed to +him that he heard the crowing of whole crowds +of upstart birds, and his spurs itched.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It had grown quite cold when the time came +for them to leave the woods. Dan and Maggie +were to go off in the green van at sunrise, and +the woman with her husband and baby were to +follow after midday. Dan knew the place for +their next camp, and he and his companion +were to get everything ready, and have fires +lit and water carried by the time the family +arrived with its belongings and the cocks and +hens.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was a pleasant journey; the roads were +good and the sun shone. They sat with their +feet on the shafts, and Dan talked more than +he had ever talked before. He told Maggie of +his youth and the tents among which he was +born; of his half-Spanish mother, who had died +in the cold of a snowy winter; and of his father, +who had beaten him with a strap till he had +learnt to ride better than any of the other boys. +She heard how he and his brother got enough +money to buy the van and the horses, and how +he had met Rhoda at a great gipsy gathering; +how she had sung ‘The Wind in the Broom’ +for him by a camp-fire when all their companions +had gone to sleep; how they had sat till the +morning came and the stars went out like so +many street-lamps in the daylight. Then he +said very little more, and sat with his cap pulled +over his eyes, whistling the tune of ‘The +Wind in the Broom’ till the journey was +done.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They had come to an old quarry cut into the +hollow of a hill-side. Dan unharnessed the +horse, and they began their work. It was +getting dark when they heard approaching +wheels and saw their friends coming up the +winding road. Maggie could hear the Cochin-Chinaman’s +hoarse voice proclaiming his arrival +and distinguish in the dusk the smaller basket +tied on the top step of the van, in which +Alfonso, according to custom, travelled alone. +The Cochin-Chinaman’s wife, who was greedy, +was already making a disturbance and demanding +to know how soon they might expect their +evening meal.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was late by the time Maggie was able to +prepare it. She turned it out in a heap and let +the birds loose. They rushed at it, pushing and +struggling to get the best bits, the speckled +hen screaming to her husband to protect her +from the other hens, and to see that she was +not robbed of her share. Then Maggie took +Alfonso’s little plate, and, putting a few nice +spoonfuls in it, went up the van steps.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But she opened the basket and looked in, to +find that Alfonso was gone.</p> + +<p class='line' style='text-align:center;'> * * * * * </p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then indeed there was consternation in the +camp. Maggie’s tears fell fast and heavy down +her cheeks as she sat looking into the empty +basket. The whole family came out at her call +and stood bewailing itself in different ways. The +man with the gold earrings swore, the wife +fixed her dark gaze on her weeping servant, and +Dan hung about trying to comfort Maggie. +But she cared for none of them, and only when +the Cochin-Chinaman hurried from his food to +her side did she dry her eyes.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“He’s gone! he’s gone!” she wailed, “and +we shall never see him again. O Alfonso! +Alfonso! how I loved you!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The basket was fastened down when you +saw it first, and that shows that someone has +taken him. If he had fallen out it would have +been open,” said Dan.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I took fine care not to let anyone see him,” +observed his brother; “he was too good a bird +to run risks with.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At this Maggie started up.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It is the man with the silver rings!” she +exclaimed—“the rich gipsy in the wood! Oh, it +is all my fault! If it had not been for me he +would never have seen Alfonso.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And that was the most cruel idea of all.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>That night, when everyone was asleep, she +got up and packed her bundle. She was afraid +to say good-bye to her friends for fear she +should be prevented from going to seek her +lost comrade, and she had made up her mind to +leave everything and travel this difficult world +till she should meet him again. She was certain +the wicked-looking gipsy in the wood had +stolen him before the blue van left its +last camping-ground, and she resolved to go +back to the place where they had all been so +happy, to see whether, by some contrivance, +she might steal him from the tents. Perhaps +he was miserable himself, poor Alfonso! She +was broken-hearted as she crept out of the van. +She could make out the heavy figure of the +Cochin-Chinaman roosting with his wife upon a +shaft. He got down and came running to her, +striding and sprawling with his great awkward +legs.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Don’t say a word—I am going to find +Alfonso,” began Maggie. “If anyone hears +me I may be stopped, and then I shall die of +despair. Hush! hush! Don’t open your beak +to screech like that, or they’ll all come out.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You care more for Alfonso than for me,” +wailed the cock, as loudly as he dared. “You +think nothing of bidding good-bye to me!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She could not answer, for she knew it was +true. She loved Alfonso best.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But we shall both come back together, +Alfonso and I,” she replied. “I can leave you +because I know you are quite happy.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’m glad you think so,” replied he. “Never +you marry if you want peace. What that +speckled baggage has made me endure is beyond +all telling!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And I thought you were so comfortably +married!” exclaimed Maggie.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, what I have gone through!” he went on—“what +I have endured! She is so greedy that +I never get a bite. She is so violent that I +have had to call in help or not keep a feather +on my body. And she has told all the others +that I left the farm we came from because I was +afraid of the bantam cock. She has no heart +and no manners—only claws and a tongue!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Then come with me,” said Maggie. “We +shall be very poor, and perhaps starve, but we +shan’t be lonely.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Family life is dreadful,” said the Cochin-Chinaman. +“I’ll come.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It took many hours to get back to the woods, +and they were both tired and hungry by the +time they saw the long line of dark trees stretching +away before them. Maggie had brought some +food with her, which she shared with her friend; +but they did not dare to eat much, as they had +to make it last as long as possible. They tried +not to think of their bad prospects as they +trudged along. They did not enter the woods +till dusk, for they knew that if the rich gipsy +saw Maggie, he would guess what had brought +her back, and hide Alfonso more carefully +than ever. They found the spot where their +camp had been, and rested there a little before +going into the heart of the wood. Maggie +knew every step of the way, every clump of +yellowing ferns, every trail of bramble, and the +Cochin-Chinaman, who was not observant, was +glad to follow her blindly. When once they +caught sight of the tents, he was to run on +and prowl about in the undergrowth, calling to +Alfonso in his own language. As nobody but +the gamecock would understand what he said, +he was to shout, telling him Maggie was there, +and the two birds were to settle a way of escape. +These were fine schemes, and would, no doubt, +have succeeded beautifully; but alas! and alas! +when they came to the root beside which Rhoda +had sung her songs to Dan, they saw that the +place was empty and the tents gone. The only +traces remaining of the camp were the little +black circles of ashes on the ground, which +showed where the fires had been.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was chilly comfort to think that, if Alfonso +had been stolen only a day ago, the gipsy could +not have gone far. He had horses and carts, +and there was not much chance of overtaking +him for the two poor footsore friends, even if +they knew which way he went. It was too dark +now to see the traces of his wheels on the soft +moss, and they could go no farther that night. +Nevertheless, Maggie would not give up her +quest, and the Cochin-Chinaman, great yellow +booby of a fellow as he was, vowed that he would +never leave her. He blubbered as he said it, +but he meant it, all the same.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When morning broke their hearts were very sad. +Where were they to go? Winter was coming +on, and they had no money and hardly any food, +and unless they begged as they went, there was +nothing they could do for a living. But they +made up their minds either to die or to rescue +their friend, and started at daybreak to follow +the track of footprints and wheel-marks which +took them to the dusty highroad. The cock +picked up all sorts of odds and ends by the way, +and a friendly blacksmith who was eating bread +and cheese at the door of his smithy gave +Maggie a share of it. They slept in an empty +barn that night, and the next day found them +on the outskirts of a little country town.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They were eager to get to it, hoping to hear +news of the gipsy, or to find his tents pitched +in the neighbourhood. The cock had cut his +foot on a piece of broken glass by the roadside, +and was so lame that he could scarcely walk. +He sat on Maggie’s shoulder, but he was so +heavy that he prevented her from getting on +fast. Sometimes she put him down, and he +limped a little way, but she always had to take +him up again. When they reached the first +houses, the people ran out to look at the amusing +sight, and when they heard how the strange +pair of comrades were talking together, they +held up their hands. “Was ever anything like +that seen before?” they cried.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Soon there was quite a crowd. The whole +street turned out to listen, though, of course, no +one could understand a word. Maggie took +the opportunity of explaining that they were +very poor, and asked for some food. A woman +offered them a hunk of bread and a plate of +broken meat, which they took gratefully.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It’s worth while paying for such a show!” +she exclaimed. And everybody agreed with +her, though only a few were willing to put their +hands in their pockets.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>All at once a great clatter was heard, and a +running footman came racing along the road, +shouting as he went and pushing people out of +the way with his staff.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Room! room!” he cried. “Make way for +the Lord Bishop’s carriage!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A splendid open coach came in sight, drawn +by four white horses with purple plumes on their +heads and driven by a gold-laced coachman. +A fine fat Bishop sat in it, dressed in purple. +Gold tassels hung from his hat, and opposite to +him sat a servant armed with a silk pocket-handkerchief +with which to flick the dust of the road +from the episcopal person. Everybody bowed +to the earth.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What is all this crowd for?” demanded the +Bishop, stopping his coach.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When he heard that a girl was to be heard +talking to a Cochin-China cock in his native +tongue, he was immensely surprised, and ordered +Maggie and her companion to come before him. +The woman who had given them meat and +bread pushed her forward.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Your Reverend Holiness will die o’ laughing +to hear them,” she exclaimed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Speak, girl,” said the Bishop. “Address +the bird, and tell him to reply.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When he had heard the conversation that +followed, he could hardly believe his senses. +The servant with the silk handkerchief grinned +from ear to ear, the coachman on his box +turned round to listen, and the footmen who +stood on a board behind the carriage gaped.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You are evidently a highly intelligent little +girl,” said the Bishop, “and it is a scandal that +you should be tramping the roads. I have a large +aviary at my palace and you shall come to look +after it. I really never thought to find a person +who could speak to birds. Some of mine are +very tiresome, and you will be able to make +them hear reason. I will see that you are +properly clothed and educated.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But Maggie refused, and explained that she +was going to seek Alfonso.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Tut, tut, tut!” said the Bishop. “If the +cock is as valuable as you say, he will be well +cared for. You will have a good education at +my palace, and be clean and tidy.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But I don’t want to be clean and tidy, and +I shouldn’t like to live in a palace,” cried +Maggie.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>All the servants tittered.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“<span class='it'>Nonsense!</span>” said the Bishop. “Everyone +wants to be clean and tidy, and everyone would +like to live in a palace.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But I can’t!” exclaimed Maggie—“indeed +I can’t!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“There is no such word as ‘can’t’ in the +English language,” said the Bishop.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come! come!” said Maggie to the Cochin-Chinaman, +“we must get away as quick as we +can!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Bishop could not understand what she +said, but he saw she was preparing to run.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I fear you are one of the many people who +do not know what is good for them,” said he. +“Get into the carriage immediately. The footmen +will help you in, and you may sit opposite +to me.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And before you could count ten they had +sprung from their places, opened the door, and +lifted her in. With a hoarse agonized screech +the Cochin-Chinaman leaped up and flew heavily +into the coach. He came through the air like +a cannon-ball.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Really, this is too much!” exclaimed the +Bishop. “I cannot be made ridiculous by +having this creature sitting in front of me as we +go through the streets.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“He is the only friend I have got left,” +sobbed poor Maggie, bursting into tears as +the footmen tried to seize the cock’s legs.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Bishop was far from being an unkind +man; indeed, he had a great reputation for +charity, both public and private.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Tut, tut!” he said; “let him come. But he +can’t sit there opposite to me. Put him under +the seat.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And so Maggie, thankful to keep him at +any price, stuffed him underneath, and pressed +her feet against him, to comfort him. The +footmen were inexpressibly shocked. Then +they all drove off to the palace.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The palace was a truly imposing place, with +cupolas and courts, porches and statues; and, +being outside the town, it was approached by +an avenue a mile long. A wide stream flowed +round one side of it, and the great entrance +gates were covered with crests and glorious +devices. Behind it was an aviary full of bright-coloured +birds, who screamed and fought and +made such a terrible din that, when the carriage +drew up, the Cochin-Chinaman was taken from +under the seat trembling. Maggie was shown +a hut which she was to inhabit, built in a little +remote yard, and an old chicken-coop was +brought and filled with straw to make a bed for +the cock. The Bishop ordered that food should +be given them, and told Maggie she was to +begin her duties on the morrow.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She did not like her place at all. The birds +in the aviary were nearly all foreign, so she did +not know their language; and those she could +understand were rude and turbulent, and made +the most heartless jokes about the poor Cochin-Chinaman’s +yellow trousers. But there was no +use in grumbling. The Bishop was determined +that she should stay and look after the aviary; +he disapproved of vagrants and gipsies, and had +settled that she was to be brought up respectably. +She could not get away, because she was +never allowed to leave the place alone; so she +consoled herself by thinking that, as winter was +at hand, she would be likely to starve were she +still tramping the road; and then she would +certainly never see Alfonso again.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And so time went by and she lived at the +palace, feeding and tending the foreign birds, +and cheered by the company of her faithful +comrade, who grew fat on the crumbs from the +Bishop’s kitchen and took care not to display +his yellow trousers within sight of the aviary.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Soon it grew bitterly cold. The snow fell, and +Christmas came and went; and then, at last, the +young New Year grew strong, and birds began +to sing and trees to bud. The little yard in which +the hut stood was surrounded by an ivy-covered +wall with a small iron gate in it, and through +the latter she could see the ground slope down +to the still, wide stream that passed the palace +like a crawling silver snake.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The bars of the gate were firm in their places, +for she had tried them all and they would not +move; they were so closely set that she could +not squeeze herself out between them. She +would press her face against them, looking out +enviously at every passing insect that was free. +In the wood over the water squirrels jumped +about, or sat up like little begging dogs, with +their tails over their heads. The Cochin-Chinaman +could fly out of the yard, but what was +the use of that when he could not take her with +him? She would sit by the gate while he +stood on the top of the wall describing to her +all the things he could see.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One spring afternoon, as they passed their +time thus, a sound of music came floating +from some distance. It was very faint, +but as it drew nearer Maggie sprang up, +crying to the cock to fly out and see what it +could mean.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>For the tune was the tune of “The Wind in +the Broom.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Nearer and nearer it came. She could faintly +hear the words. “Gold broom, with your +flowers in bloom,” sang the voice.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The cock leaped down, and, running and +flying, he rushed along the green banks of the +stream as hard as he could. The town was +behind him at the far side of the palace, so he +was molested by no one; and there, sure +enough, coming to meet him at the water-side, +was Rhoda with her guitar slung on her +shoulder. Oh, how he longed to speak! but, +as she could not understand his talk, there +was no use in saying anything. But he took +her by the skirts and began dragging her +along.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You are Maggie’s Cochin-Chinaman!” she +cried.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He hurried on before her, and she followed +as fast as she could run.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>How delighted the two friends were at +meeting again! Rhoda stood outside the gate, +and Maggie held her hand through the bars, +and they told each other all that had happened +since they parted.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I will get you away from here, see if I +don’t!” said Rhoda. “Then we will start off +together to find Alfonso, for I can make enough +to keep us all by singing. I am quite rich +already.” She pulled a little bag out of her +bosom.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Feel how heavy it is,” she said.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At last Rhoda went away. She said that +she would not return till she had thought of a +good plan for Maggie’s escape, and she commanded +the cock to roost every night on the +yard wall; for she would come back under +cover of night, and wake him by throwing up +a stone at him when her plan was ready.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Rhoda was very clever—the making of +songs and music was not the only thing she +understood. When she found that the iron +gate was fastened by a bolt, and that the bolt +was held in its place by a padlock, she went off +to the town and bought a file, and next night +she returned and began to saw away. She did +it from the outside, so that no one who might +chance to come into the yard could see any +mark on the bolt. When morning came it was +cut through all but a little piece. Up the +stream, a short way above the palace, was a +house whose walls stood almost in the water, +and near it a little boat was moored to a +stake in the bank. This boat she determined +should carry them all out of the Bishop’s +reach.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>On the second night, therefore, when it was +dark, and she guessed the palace people were +in bed, she came stealing along to the gate. +There was the cock at his post, fast asleep. +When she had filed through the last bit of the +bolt, she woke him with a stone, and signed +to him to go and fetch Maggie. Then she ran +to the boat, cut its rope with her knife, and, +jumping into it, rowed quickly down to where +her friends were waiting.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>How smoothly and how fast the water carried +them along, as they ran into the current and +the tall mass of the palace dropped behind +them! Rhoda had the oars, and the cock sat +in the bottom of the boat beside the guitar. +Maggie was so much delighted to be free that +she did not speak a word. The fields and the +alder-trees slipped by, and when the spring +day broke, she saw the tufts on the willows +and the yellow stars of the celandines shining +among the roots. She felt quite sure now +that everything would go right.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The whole day they rowed on, and when +they thought themselves far enough from the +Bishop to be safe, they jumped on shore and +let the boat drift out of sight. Then they +started off to seek their fortunes once more.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was a hard life they led as they roamed +the country, but they were contented with it. +They got enough money to keep themselves +from want by Rhoda’s singing, and the cock +contrived to pick up many scraps by the way. +They went to every village they saw, and +every town; at every fair or market they were +to be seen, Rhoda with her guitar and Maggie +searching up and down for news of the rich +gipsy and his tents. As the months went by +she began to despair, but she never faltered or +forgot Alfonso.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One day they were approaching a little +hamlet, and, as they were within sight of its +roofs, groups of people passed them. Men +wore their best coats and women their best +gowns; little children ran along with holiday +faces, and horses and cattle went by in droves. +The horses had their tails plaited up with +coloured ribbons, and some had roses stuck +in their brow-bands, for it was the day of a +great fair and all sorts of shows and amusements +were going on.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The road was full of people. Just in front +of Rhoda and Maggie some men were plodding +along, laughing and joking, and one of them +turned round, calling to another, who lagged +behind the party.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come on! come on!” he shouted. “You’ll +have to step out if you want to see the cock-fight.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Maggie followed at their heels like a dog. +They thought she meant to beg and told her +roughly to go away. But she took no notice, +and ran after them, listening breathlessly to their +talk, for they were speaking of the wonderful +game-bird belonging to a gipsy who had beaten +every cock in the countryside. To-day he was +to fight the greatest champion of all, a bird +which had been brought fifty miles to meet +him. One of the men pulled out a large silver +watch the size of an apple. It came up from +his pocket like a bucket out of a well.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We’re too late!” he exclaimed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And they all began to run.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Maggie and Rhoda ran too. And the +Cochin-Chinaman straddled and flapped after +them, raising a trail of dust and volleys of abuse +from everyone he passed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>By the time they reached the village a great +crowd were dispersing in all directions. It was +chiefly made up of men, and, as our friends +pushed through the throng, scraps of conversation +came to their ears.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“<span class='it'>He’ll</span> never fight again,” said one.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That’ll take down the pride of that gipsy +fellow, with his money-bags and his rings,” said +another.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Maggie ran faster and faster till she came to +an open space that had been cleared in the +middle of the village green. A man was +walking off with a cock in his arms, while a +string of people followed, clapping him on the +back and shouting. They were all leaving the +spot where the long-nosed gipsy stood staring +at something that lay at his foot. It looked +like a bundle of rags as he rolled it over with +his boot. “He’s no more use to me,” said he, +turning away with a shrug of his shoulders, “so +he can die if he likes.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Maggie threw herself down and took poor +Alfonso in her arms. Blood was oozing from +between his beautiful feathers, and his eyes were +closed. Nobody noticed her as she carried him +away, followed by Rhoda and the Cochin-Chinaman. +Her tears were falling thick on +him, blinding her, so that she could hardly see +where she was going, and she almost ran into a +dark young man who was coming towards them. +It was Dan—Dan, with his gold earrings and +rabbit-skin cap. Rhoda poured out the story of +their search to him, and he took them to a pond, +where he poured water down Alfonso’s throat +and felt his breast to see if his heart was still +beating.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Run and meet my brother,” he said to +Rhoda; “our vans are just coming into the +village. Tell him from me to go and settle +with that long-nosed thief. I’ll come and help +him when I see whether Alfonso’s dead or not.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So Rhoda ran.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And now we are coming to the end of the +story. Alfonso was not dead, and he did not +die; he was nursed back to life by Dan and +Maggie; but he never fought again, for his back +was dreadfully injured, and he was lame for the +rest of his days. The three friends returned to +their old life in the vans, for Maggie had been +much missed, and was received back with joy. +Neither was Rhoda left behind, because she +soon became Dan’s wife and went to live with +him in the green van.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Cochin-Chinaman married again, but +this time with better luck; for he chose a good +dame of suitable age, who knew the world far too +well to wish to quarrel with anyone in it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And Alfonso, in spite of his crippled body, +was not unhappy. He limped round the van wheels +or sat in his basket on the step, looking +out on the green woods and blue distances of +their various places of sojourn. His fighting +days were done, but he was well content; for +those who have taken their share in life are +those who can best bear to see it go by and +accept their rest.</p> + +<div><h1 id='chap06'>THE FIDDLING GOBLIN</h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>One day they were in the miller’s garden. He +had white rose-bushes on either side of his door +and a box-tree by the gate.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Here is the book!” cried little Peter, who +had dashed into the house, and now came +dancing out with the volume in his hand. “I’ve +been peeping inside, and there is such a fine +bit about a man beating a big drum.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You rascal!” said the miller. “Who told +you you might touch my book? I shall put you +into the mill-pond for that!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And he began to chase the little boy about, +shouting and jumping over the flower-beds. It +was really splendid.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Janet stood by laughing.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Be quiet, Peter, or you’ll drop the book!” +she exclaimed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“If he promises to read about the drum-man +I’ll be as quiet as a mouse,” shrieked Peter.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I promise, I promise,” said the miller, stopping +beside a row of cabbages.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So when Peter gave him the book and had +settled down to listen, he began.</p> + +<p class='line'> </p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was once upon a time a widowed Baron +who had a lovely daughter. She was so beautiful +that she seldom went out of the castle gates, +because people stared at her so much that it +made her quite uncomfortable. Her name was +Laurine, and she could dance so wonderfully +that she looked more like an autumn leaf sailing +in the wind than a human being. Her chestnut +hair floated all round her, and her grey eyes +shone like stars through a mist.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, in spite of all this, the Baron, who was +only her stepfather, was most anxious to get +rid of her by marriage, for he was a lazy old +man, and did not like the trouble of looking +after her; he liked to have his own house to +himself. He let this be known far and wide, and +the very greatest Princes and gentlemen came +courting Laurine, which gave him more trouble +than ever, for she persisted in refusing every +one, and the expenses of their entertainment +went, consequently, for nothing.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At last he could stand it no longer, and one +morning, after a whole batch of suitors had been +turned away, he sent for her to his room. He +was sitting up in bed looking frightfully angry, +and when she came in he roared and beat +his cane on the bed-clothes. He always took +it to bed with him, so that he might bang the +servants if they made too much noise when they +called him in the morning.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What is the matter, sir?” asked Laurine, +making a very pretty curtsey.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Matter!” shouted the Baron; “the matter +is that I’m tired of you and your airs, and I +have made up my mind to stand them no longer. +Married you shall be. I am going to give out +a notice to be posted up everywhere that, in +ten days from now, the first twelve gentlemen +who send in their names to me are to come here, +bringing a musical instrument each; and the +one who plays best shall have your hand in +marriage. Now, it’s no good crying. I have +made up my mind, and the messenger carrying +the news shall go out to-day. You have had +the choice of all the grandest persons in the +country, and now you must just take what you +can get. So get out of my sight!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And he laid about so furiously that Laurine +burst into tears. This time she was at her wits’ +end, and could not think what to do.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, my lady!” said her maid when she +heard what had happened, “you must get advice +from a Goblin I know. He is the cleverest +person in the whole countryside, and he will be +able to find some way out of it. Only say the +word, and I will go at once to fetch him.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Go! go!” cried Laurine.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, in a wood not far off lived a Goblin +who was well known to his neighbours as one +of the finest musicians in the world. He was +rich too, and it was said that he had a grander +house than the King himself hidden in the heart +of the wood. But, for all that, he generally +chose to live in a little thatched hut near the +edge of the trees, playing on his fiddle and +coming occasionally into the village, where he +was greatly honoured for his wisdom in spite of +his strange appearance. He was only about +four feet high and quite black; but he had thin +legs and arms, a round, fat body and a head +like a turnip. In spite of this he dressed in +the very height of the fashion, with a pointed +hat and feather, doublet and hose and a +short cloak. He was called ‘The Fiddling +Goblin.’</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He entered Laurine’s presence with a low +bow, though he was rather out of breath; for +when he had received the message from the +waiting-woman, he had made the large billy-goat +which he rode gallop the whole way. It was +a magnificent animal, with an action like a +horse, and the men who took charge of it when +he dismounted in the courtyard were lost in +admiration of his handsome saddlery. It was +easy to see he was a man of note.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What you must do is this,” said the +Goblin, when Laurine had finished her story: +“As soon as you hear the names of the twelve +suitors, write privately to each one. I will +compose the letter for you, and this is what +you must say:</p> + +<div class='blockquote'> + +<p class='noindent'>‘<span class='sc'>Sir</span>,</p> + +<p class='pindent'>‘Being extremely anxious for your success—, +I am writing to give you a piece of +important advice. My stepfather has offered +my hand to the finest musician; but his <span class='it'>real</span> +purpose is to give it to the one who will play +loudest and longest, and most effectually drown +the efforts of the rest. Therefore, I beg you, +if you love me, to play stoutly against all others, +and, whatever anyone may say or do, neither +stay nor stop till you have silenced them all.’</p> + +</div> + +<p class='pindent'>“Then,” continued the Goblin, “the noise +will be so frightful that the illustrious Baron, +who is irritable, will drive the whole party out +of the house, and meanwhile you can escape in +the turmoil. If you will come to my hut I will +take you to a palace I have, deep in the wood, +where you can hide till his wrath is over.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Laurine was charmed with his wisdom, and +having given him a lock of her hair as a keepsake, +dismissed him with many words of +gratitude, promising to do exactly as he had +said.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, it happened that there lived at some +little distance off a young man of good parentage +who had fallen madly in love with Laurine. +He was brave and handsome, but he was so +poor that he had never come forward as a suitor, +believing that the Baron would not so much +as receive him. When he heard of the proclamation +he tore his hair.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What a chance I’ve missed!” he cried. “If +I could play even a shepherd’s pipe I would go. +But I cannot so much as do that.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You have got ten days to learn in,” said a +friend of his, who was practical.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So he bought a pipe and began to take +lessons from the man who kept the sheep, and +one day when he was practising Laurine’s +letter was brought to him. He was simply +overjoyed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I may be a poor musician!” he exclaimed, +“but I have the strongest arm for miles round, +and now it will stand me in good stead!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And with that he rushed off to the nearest +town and bought a big drum, the biggest that +could be got for money; and, going into a +solitary field, he laid about it daily, for practice, +with such effect that people for miles round +were deafened.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the great day came, Laurine sat in +state beside her stepfather and all the musicians +were ranged in a row a little way in front of +them. There were fiddles and flutes, trumpets +and harps, dulcimers and guitars and the big +drum in the middle.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the Baron had taken his seat, he made +a sign to a man who had a large golden harp to +begin. But no sooner was the first chord +struck than the whole assembly burst into +sound with a stupendous crash. The fiddlers +sawed their fiddles as though they would cut +them to pieces, the trumpeters blew and brayed, +the flutes shrieked, the harps and dulcimers +twanged, and the young man with the drum fell +upon it as though it had been his enemy. The +Baron leaped up and roared for silence, but his +voice might have been the cooing of a distant +dove for all the good it did. The noise grew +more and more terrible, and at the first convenient +opportunity Laurine put her hands +over her ears and rushed from the hall.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Away she ran through the courtyard. It was +empty, because everybody had gone to see +what the awful disturbance could mean, and +the castle gates were open. She flew out like +an arrow, taking the shortest way to the wood +and rushing along with her hair streaming +behind her, and at last she came to the hut +where the Goblin lived; she never stopped till +she got safely into it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Did I not give you sound advice?” said he +as she sat down, breathless.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, excellent,” she replied, panting. “By +this time I am sure my stepfather has driven +the whole lot out of doors.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And now I must hide you away,” said the +Fiddling Goblin, stepping out of the door and +searching the country up and down with his +rolling eye.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>As soon as she had recovered her breath +they plunged into the wood. Dusk was beginning +to fall, for the musical competition had +taken place late in the evening. At last they +came to a place where there was nothing but +horse-chestnut trees in full bloom. The Goblin +struck his heel upon the ground, and, to +Laurine’s astonishment, the white flowers of +the chestnuts on either side became suddenly +lit up, looking like so many blazing candles on +so many Christmas trees.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The avenue of light stretched away before +them, narrowing to the distance, and when +they had walked to the end of it, they found +themselves in front of a magnificent mansion +with a high steep roof covered with golden +weathercocks. “This is my house,” observed +the Goblin, “and here you will be a welcome +guest for as long as you like. No one can find +the path to it unless I light up the horse-chestnut +candles to show the way, so you will +be perfectly safe from your stepfather.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the door was opened Laurine found +herself in a beautiful hall. There were golden +staircases, woven curtains, groves of myrtle-trees +in pots; and servants came from every +corner of the place to wait upon her. The +Fiddling Goblin told her to use everything as +though it were her own, and then left her, +promising to return upon the morrow.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>We must now return to the Baron’s castle, +and hear what happened after Laurine’s flight.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The noise went on without intermission: the +more the Baron raved, the more furiously the +musicians played. It seemed as though the +howling deep and all the thunder of the firmament +were let loose together. The air was +alive with vibration and everyone rushed about +in terror, as though he were crazy. As the +pandemonium grew the young man with the +big drum began to be depressed, for the sound +of his drum was getting swallowed up in the +shrill blare of the trumpets. But he set his +teeth and went on harder and harder, and at +last he struck it with such violence that it +broke in two and the drumstick went right +through at one end and came out at the +other.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was no use in going on any more; +he was vanquished, and all hope of winning +the beautiful Laurine was gone. In despair he +threw the remaining drumstick to the farther +end of the hall and strode out of the castle +to avoid his sad thoughts and the terrific noise +that still raged. Once clear of the place, he +sat down on a stone, and, burying his head +in his hands, thought of all he had lost. He +determined to leave the country and seek his +fortune far away from the scene of his disappointment; +so when he got up, he walked +straight forward, without caring where he went, +and soon found himself on the edge of a wood. +It was growing dark, and he wandered on, +meaning to take the first shelter that offered +itself for the night.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A little way on was a thatched hut, and +when he saw that the door was open and the +place empty, he went in. He scarcely troubled +to look about, he was so weary, and soon he +threw himself down full-length on the hearth +and fell asleep.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was about midnight when he awoke with +a start and saw the Fiddling Goblin sitting +on a chair by the fire, preparing to tune his +violin. He arose at once, and began to +apologize to him for his presence.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Don’t mention it,” said the Goblin, “and +pray sit down again. I will play you a tune +upon the fiddle.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, anything but that!” cried the young +man, leaping up in horror. “I have heard so +much noise to-day that the very sight of any +musical instrument is death to me!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Then you are one of the suitors who came +to play before the Baron for the hand of the +beautiful Laurine!” exclaimed the Goblin.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I am indeed,” replied he, “and why I am +not dead I don’t know.” And then he told +him the whole story. They talked almost till +daybreak.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now, as the Goblin listened he began to +like the young man, and as he saw how brave +and handsome he looked, he had a mind to +help him; for he thought the best thing that +could happen to Laurine would be to get such +a fine fellow for a husband.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Don’t despair,” said he, at the end of the +history. “I think I can do you a good turn, for +I must tell you that Laurine is at my big house +not far from here at this moment. Does she +know you by sight?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I hardly think so,” replied the young man. +“I have often watched her as she walks abroad, +but I don’t think she has ever noticed me. +There was such a crowd in the hall while the +music went on, and such a turmoil, that, as I +was behind the drum, it is likely she never saw +me at all. And yet she wrote to me as if she +had every wish I should succeed. I can’t +understand it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Goblin looked so sly that it was +frightful to see him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well,” he continued, “to-morrow I am +going to my house, and she will be there. If +you have a mind for it, I will take you with +me, and you will then have the chance of +making yourself agreeable.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You are too kind!” cried his companion; +“but on what pretext can I intrude on her? +She has probably repented of her letter.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“As she does not know you by sight, I will +say you are my nephew,” replied the Goblin; +“so mind you call me ‘uncle.’ You can address +me as Uncle Sackbut. We are a musical family, +and all named after instruments. One of my +brothers is called Shawm and the other +Hautboy. What is your name?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Swayn,” said the young man.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Very well, Nephew Swayn,” said the Goblin, +“to-morrow we will set out.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When they arrived at the Goblin’s house, +Swayn was astonished at its magnificence; but +he had no time to think of anything but +Laurine, and to hope that, if she had ever seen +him, she would not recognize him. He could +not imagine why she had not so much as looked +his way after writing such a condescending +letter. But the Goblin bade him keep up +heart, and in they went.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She was sitting among the myrtles when +they approached, and the Goblin introduced +his friend, being careful not to mention his +name.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“This is my nephew,” said he, “my sister’s +only son. He has come to pay me a visit, +and as I have no room for him in my hut, I +propose that we shall both keep you company +here.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Laurine received them in the most charming +manner, and so much pleased was the Goblin +that he spent all day in practising his fiddle, +so that the young people should be left together. +In this manner two whole weeks went by. +They spent a delightful time, and Swayn grew +more hopeful every day. They strolled in the +gardens, they hunted in the woods, and it was +evident that Laurine looked upon him with +great favour.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One morning he and the Goblin were +together on a terrace where there was a little +green arbour.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Swayn,” said the Goblin, “it is high time +that you asked Laurine to marry you. I think +so well of you that I mean to leave you this +house when I die, though you are not my +nephew at all; and while I live you can stay +here with me, whether you have a wife or not.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Uncle Sackbut,” said Swayn, “I can hardly +believe such good fortune! How little I +thought when I threw away my drumstick and +left the Baron’s castle what luck was in store +for me!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At this moment there was a movement in +the arbour, and Laurine, who was in it and +had heard every word they said, came rushing +out.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And so you are not the Goblin’s nephew +at all?” she cried. “And you are one of those +horrible musicians who came to play? I will +go away at once!” she shrieked. “I will +never see you again! I will not stay here +another hour!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then she turned to the Goblin. “Good-bye,” +she said. “Never, never will I forgive +you for deceiving me!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And, before they could stop her, she had +rushed out of the garden into the wood.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They ran after her, they shouted, they called, +they implored—nothing was of any use. She +fled so swiftly that they could not even see +which path she had taken. At last, after a +long time, they gave up the search. They felt +very much crestfallen.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We shall never see her again, I fear,” said +the Goblin; “she has gone back to the Baron’s +castle, and the best thing we can do is to try +and think of something else. We have made +a terrible mess of it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“As for me,” said Swayn, “it is not so easy +to think of something else as you fancy. I +shall go off and try to better my fortunes elsewhere. +What I am to do I don’t know. It +is a sad thing that I am a gentleman, for I +have learnt no trade, and now, though I have +every will to work, there is nothing I can do.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I have a good mind to come with you,” +remarked the Goblin. “I can always return +here if I get tired of it, and we can pass for +uncle and nephew still. I’ll take my fiddle, +and we will make our living by it. You can +play the drum.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“They won’t go well together,” said Swayn +moodily.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What of that?” cried the Goblin. “Very +few people have any ear for music. You’ll see—they’ll +be delighted, and pay us well.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So next day the two comrades set out +together. The Goblin locked up his house, +put his fiddle in a bag, and when Swayn had +procured a new drum, they left the wood by +its farther edge and made for the boundary of +the kingdom, which was not far off.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At the first village they came to they determined +to try their luck, so, having found the +village green, the Fiddling Goblin mounted the +steps of the market-cross, and struck up with +his bow, while Swayn, at a little distance, kept +time with the drum. Soon figures began to +appear at every door, and women left their +houses and men their work; children came +capering up, and everybody’s feet could be +seen tapping the ground. When the Goblin +at the market-cross saw that, he stood on +tiptoe, and looking round with a shout, burst +into the fastest country dance he could think +of. In one moment the whole crowd was +stamping, chasséing, and pirouetting to the +music, seizing one another round the waist, +and swaying like corn in the wind. On and +on they played, till the Goblin had lost his hat +and Swayn’s arm ached, and the people were +whirling round in fours and sixes together +instead of in couples. It was as if the whole +world had gone mad. When at last the +Goblin stopped and signed to his friend to +go round and ask for money, it poured in so +handsomely that they were able to go to the +nearest inn and take the best lodgings to be got.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When they looked out next morning, there +was a crowd under their windows.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come out! come out!” cried the people. +“Come out and play!” Their feet were going +already at the very recollection of the music.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So the friends set up again at the market-cross +and played as they had done before; +and from far and wide, people, hearing of their +fame, came pouring into the village to dance. +No work was done, and none of the children +were sent to school, for their parents were too +busy dancing to attend to the matter. Besides +which, the schoolmaster had taken to his bed, +having sprained his ankle in hopping and +skipping.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We must depart,” said the Goblin, “or +everyone will go crazy.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So they rose in the night and made off, while +the world was snoring after its exertions. They +went travelling on towards a great city, and +at each village they made enough money to +lodge well; but they were always obliged to +leave secretly in the night, because the people +would never consent to their departure.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When they got to the capital their fame had +run before them, and even the very King and +Queen were at the palace windows to see them +arrive. By twelve o’clock next day the Lord +Mayor and his family had made themselves so +ridiculous by the way in which they had kicked +their legs about that the King was displeased, and +ordered the music and dancing to be stopped. +He could not hear the music himself, because +his business room was in the centre of the +palace, and the walls were thick.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But when the decree went out, there rose +such a howl of rage that the Court feared a +rebellion. People were rushing about in bands, +crying: “Down with the King! Down with +the palace! Down with everybody! Hurray +for the Fiddling Goblin! Three cheers for the +Big Drum!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The end of it was that the soldiers were +called out, and Swayn and the Goblin were +thrown into prison. The Lord Mayor, whose +antics had done so much harm, took charge +of the drum and the fiddle and locked them +up in the town-hall, and peace reigned once +more.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And now we must hear something of what +happened to Laurine when she ran away from +the Goblin’s house in such a hurry.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She found it very difficult to get free of the +wood, but she did so at last, and, by good +fortune, came out on the side nearest to her +stepfather’s castle. But when she arrived there +the first thing she saw was the Baron himself +looking out of a high window. At the sight +of her he began to shout with fury and to beat +the window-sill with his cane, just as he had +beaten the bed-clothes.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Off!” he roared, “hussy that you are! I +have done with you. I have found out all +about you. Not content with being the plague +of my life, you encouraged all these knaves +to break my head with their detestable noise, +and I have been at death’s door ever since. +Off you go, or I will let loose the dogs! You +will soon see what a mistake you have made in +refusing all these husbands, for you will have +to get your own living as best you can.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And he drew in his head, banging the +window till the iron bars rattled.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Laurine turned to go, trembling, for she +could hear the dogs which were kept to chase +away beggars howling inside the gates. She +dared not even beg a piece of bread from the +servants, and she knew she could never find +her way back to the Goblin’s house.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She turned sadly away and wandered on till +sundown, when a charitable peasant-woman in +a village shared her supper with her, and +allowed her to rest in a barn when night came +on. But Laurine could not sleep for thinking +how she was to save herself from starving and +what she could do to earn enough to keep +herself alive. If she were to offer to work +as a servant, people would laugh at her white +hands and delicate ways.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The next day, before she departed, she +thanked the woman, and said: “Now I will +do something to amuse you and your children, +for it is all the payment I can make.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And so saying, she began to dance.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Never had anybody seen anything like her +dancing; the village people thought she must +be a fairy and were almost afraid to go near +her. She gathered up her hair in both hands, +whirling it round and round her like a scarf; +her feet seemed scarcely to touch the ground. +It was wonderful. Everyone came to look on.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It so chanced that there passed by a fine +chariot, in which sat a red-faced, crooked old +lady, very grandly dressed; and when the +dame beheld the crowd, she let down her +window and shouted to her coachman to stop, +that she might see the dancing. At the end of +the performance she threw Laurine a purse.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Here, girl!” she cried, “that is for you if +you will come with me. I am going to give +a great feast to-morrow night, and want some +new entertainment for my guests. Get in +quickly, if you have a mind to come, for I can’t +waste any more time here. The whole of the +nobility are coming to the party, and I have +a great deal to arrange.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Laurine picked up the purse, thankful for +such luck, and they drove away to the nearest +city.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>As soon as they got there, Laurine, who was +determined to do her best, took some gold +pieces from the purse and went out to see the +merchants’ wares. She bought the most +beautiful dress that could be got for money, +a girdle of jasmine, a long veil covered with +spangles and a pair of golden shoes. Then +she came back and practised all the steps she +could think of, so as to be perfect in them by +evening.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The feast was gorgeous. Several Kings +came to it, and even one aged Emperor, who +was so much startled by the thunder of applause +that he was carried out for dead. The dancing +was the talk of the city from end to end, and +the only dreadful part of it was that the lady +who had given the entertainment grew jealous +because no one talked of her and her hospitality, +while every tongue was wagging about the +lovely dancer.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But Laurine cared very little; she knew that +her fortune was made, and she determined to +leave the place and travel about, dancing at +the various towns through which she passed. +When she had taken leave of the lady she +set out.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Wherever she went, crowds came to see her +dance and criers went before her to tell people +what a treat was in store for them. Her +stepfather, hearing news of her success, sent +a messenger after her, commanding her to +return, for he wished to share in her grandeur; +but she only laughed, and pursued her way.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At last she drew near the capital city in which +Swayn and the Goblin were imprisoned, and the +whole place was in a shiver of excitement at +her approach. When she got there a deputation +waited on her, bringing all the town +musicians with it, that she might chose the best +among them to play for her dancing.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One after another, she refused them all. +There was not one she considered good enough +to be of any use; and she grew quite impatient, +saying she would depart next day without +dancing at all unless something very much +better could be found.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Madam,” said the Lord Mayor, “it is quite +true we have nobody fit to accompany your +ladyship, except a young man and a Goblin, +who are, unfortunately, in prison; but if we +could get the King to release them so that +they could play for you, they could be put back +into prison afterwards quite easily.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So the heads of the city appealed to the +King, and as the King was extremely anxious +to see Laurine, he made no difficulty about the +matter.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Certainly, certainly,” said he; “you can +release the Goblin and his nephew at once. +We can always execute them if they are troublesome +afterwards.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And so Swayn and his pretended uncle were +taken out of prison and set to play in the courtyard +of the house where Laurine lodged, that +she might judge of their talents.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That will do beautifully,” said she. “I +will dance at nine o’clock this evening.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But she did not think of looking out of the +window.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Nine o’clock came, and the crowd was +assembled; and when she saw who the +musicians were, she was almost too much +annoyed and astonished to begin. But there +sat the King with the Queen in her best robes, +and all the lords of the kingdom, and she was +not sure that they would not throw her into +prison too were she to disappoint them. So +she gave a sign to the Goblin to strike up, and, +whirling her spangled veil, began to glide +about like the shadows on a windy moonlit +night.</p> + +<div class='figcenter' style='width:80%'> +<img src='images/ill005.jpg' alt='Woman dances with veil.' id='img05' style='width:99%;height:auto;'/> +<p class='caption'>“WHIRLING HER SPANGLED VEIL, SHE BEGAN TO GLIDE ABOUT.”</p> +</div> + +<p class='pindent'>By the time she had finished, the whole +court was spellbound and she herself almost in +tears from excitement, the Goblin had played +so rapturously. Gold was showered upon her, +flowers were thrown to her in basketfuls, and +the King whipped off his crown, dug out the +biggest ruby with his pocket-knife, and +presented it to her himself.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Now then!” cried the head of the police to +the Goblin, “back to prison with you! And +tell that fierce-looking nephew of yours to go +quietly, or it will be the worse for him!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“If you will come with me as my musician,” +said Laurine, “I will beg the King on my +knees to let you go. I have never danced to +such playing in my life. Will you come?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Not without Swayn,” said the Goblin.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But I hate the drum,” said Laurine.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Then he need not play it,” replied he.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And I don’t want <span class='it'>him</span>,” continued Laurine.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It is both or neither,” said the Goblin.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, very well, then,” said she, turning away. +“He can come as my servant.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So she went to the King the very next day, +and the King, seeing an excellent chance of +getting rid of the prisoners without the expenses +of an execution, consented.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>So the Lord Mayor gave the Goblin back his +fiddle, and the three set out on their travels +together.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Uncle Sackbut tells me that you object to the +drum,” said Swayn to Laurine, “so I’ll leave it +behind, and I shall have all the more time to +attend upon you.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Certainly he made a most valuable servant. +He cleaned her little gold shoes, he +robbed all the jasmine-bushes to make her +girdles, and when anyone annoyed her, he +looked so big and fierce that people were only +too glad to get out of the way.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They travelled about for a whole year, and +Laurine was beginning to be tired of such a +restless life. When they came to a grim-looking +town built on a rushing river, she made up her +mind to dance there for the last time; for the +Goblin had begged her to return with him to +his house in the wood, and she had promised to +do so. Swayn was to come too, for there was +no doubt that it was impossible to get on without +him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Patience,” said the Goblin to him, “and all +will come right.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Patience is a long word,” replied Swayn.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>As they approached the town gates a crowd +of sour-looking men came out to meet them +with fierce eyes and frowning faces.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You need not come here, thinking to +bewitch us with light ways and mountebank +tricks,” they said to Laurine. “We have +heard about you, and we know that you +are a witch!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“A witch! a witch!” they shouted.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Why,” cried someone in the crowd, “she +has even got a Goblin for her musician!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then they all began to cry “Witch! witch!” +at the top of their voices, till she could hardly +hear herself speak. And in a moment they +had surrounded her and were dragging her +away.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Oh! how the poor Goblin stamped and +raved! but, unfortunately, he was too small +to hurt anyone much. Swayn began knocking +down everybody he could reach, but there were +so many that he was soon overpowered.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It is the witch we want! It is the witch we +want!” cried the people.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The crowd turned back to the town. Some +seized Laurine by the wrists, and some by her +long hair, and the rest held her companions +while they hurried her through the city gates, +leaving them outside. Then the doors were +locked, and they lost sight of her.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>As Laurine was dragged along the streets, +a very good idea came into her head. She +was quite sure that, by hook or by crook, +Swayn would try to rescue her, so she managed +to pluck the flowers from her jasmine girdle, +and to drop them behind her as she went, +that he might see which way she had gone; +and when there were no more left, she plucked +off the leaves, and dropped them too. Just +when the very last leaf was gone, they came +to a little stone cell built by the parapet of the +city wall, where it was low and overlooked the +river. Into this dreadful place they thrust her, +turning the key in the great lock, and calling +to her that they would come in the morning to +drown her in the water below. One man was +left to stand outside and guard the door, and +he tied the large key to his belt.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was quite dark in the cell, for only a little +light could come in at a barred window, whose +sill she could just reach by standing on tiptoe. +Poor Laurine wept bitterly when she thought +that she was going to be drowned next morning, +and she cried all the more when she +remembered how unkind she had been to +Swayn, and how much he loved her. She +wished she had not been so cruel. How +often she had thrown her gold slippers at him +and told him he had not made them shine +enough, when he had spent hours rubbing and +polishing them! How many times she had +seen him sad and heavy with the weight of +her scornful words! She was afraid that, even +if he got into the town, the jasmine flowers +would be so much trampled that he would not +guess what they were. She took off her little +gold shoes and put them up on the window-sill, +just inside the bars. “If he passes he will +see them,” she said. The man outside was +so near the wall that the depth of the sill hid +them from his sight.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Swayn was only waiting till it was dark to +get into the town. The river ran all round it, +but he could swim well, and he had noticed a +place where the wall was low and a beam +stuck out which he thought he could reach +with a leap. When the moon was up he left +the Goblin in a thicket and plunged into the +river, and, once across, he ran along under the +walls till he came to the big beam. After one +or two attempts he managed to spring up and +clasp it with his hands, and then he swung +himself up without much difficulty, and was +soon standing on it, looking down into the +moonlit streets of the city.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Nobody was about. The ground was much +higher on the inside, so he let himself down +easily, but, as he had no notion where they +had taken Laurine, he did not know which +way to go. He met few people in the deserted +streets, and as the whole of the crowd which +had captured her was sitting planning how it +should drown her on the morrow, no one had +any idea who he was.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He was almost in despair, when he noticed +a jasmine flower lying at his feet; then he saw +that there was another farther on, and yet +another after that, and he knew that she had +dropped them that he might trace her. He +followed the track through several streets, and +as he went he kept singing, that she might +hear his voice if she were anywhere near.</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“Laurine, Laurine, the jasmine white</p> +<p class='line0'>Shines like a star in the darkest night,”</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='noindent'>he sang. He dared not call, for fear of disturbing +the sleeping town.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At last he came to where flowers and leaves +stopped, near an open space by the town wall. +Close to it was a little stone cell with a barred +window and a door, in front of which lay a +sleeping man, with a key tied to his belt. It +was easy to see that no one could get in +without awakening him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Swayn looked up to the window above the +sleeper’s head, and saw the two little shoes +placed together on the sill. He crept nearer, +and sang again:</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“Laurine, Laurine, the jasmine white</p> +<p class='line0'>Shines like a star in the darkest night”;</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='noindent'>and in a moment he heard a voice inside the +cell singing softly:</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“Swayn, Swayn, nearer tread:</p> +<p class='line0'>Love lives on when the stars are dead.”</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='pindent'>He came a little closer and sang:</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“Laurine, Laurine, throw your veil:</p> +<p class='line0'>Dead men’s lips can tell no tale.”</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='pindent'>Then the spangled veil was thrown through +the window-bars, and he caught it as it fell.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Stealthily he went up to the sleeper and cut +the heavy key from his belt with his knife; +then, as the man stirred, he thrust the veil into +his mouth to stop his cries, and, seizing him in +his strong arms, flung him over the low parapet +into the river swirling below. In another +moment he had unlocked the door of the cell +and was embracing Laurine, while she asked +his forgiveness for all her unkindness and +promised to marry him if they managed to get +out of the city alive.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was an old piece of tattered sacking +lying in a corner of the prison, and she took off +her rich dress and wrapped the horrible rag +about her. They tucked away her long hair +and tied a bandage over her face, so that she +looked like some wretched beggar, and, when +they had locked the door and pitched the key +into the river, she set off down the silent streets, +Swayn following a little way behind. They +hid in a dark alley near the town gates, and +waited till the hour should come to unlock +them at dawn. The sentry on duty was not +the same man who had closed them after +Laurine on the preceding day, and he let the +poor beggar go through with a jeer. As for +Swayn, following at a little distance, he took +no notice of him beyond bidding him a friendly +good-morning. So the lovers were soon in the +open country, pressing forward to the thicket +where the Fiddling Goblin had promised to +wait for his nephew’s return.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>You may be sure that they spared no haste +in getting away. By the time the sun was +high they had reached a village, where they +procured horses. All the money that Laurine +had made by her dancing was kept by the +Goblin tied up in a bag with his fiddle; so they +lacked no means of getting forward, and they +turned their heads towards the country from +which they had started.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When they reached the wood they could +have shouted for joy. As they came to the +middle of it the Goblin stamped his heel, and +all the candles of the horse-chestnut trees burst +into a blaze of light, for they had been away +a whole year, and it was the season of blossom +again. Swayn and Laurine promised to live +with their uncle Sackbut, and never to leave +him any more.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They were soon married, with great pomp +and solemnity, the only drawback being that +the Goblin could not make up his mind whether +to be best man, or give away the bride, or play +the wedding music on his fiddle. But the +matter was happily settled by his doing all +three.</p> + +<div><h1 id='chap07'>THE WITCH’S CLOAK</h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>Peter and Janet and the miller stood on the +rising ground by the farm; the sound of the +wheel came to them, and the whir of grinding. +Before them lay the tidal marshes that stretched +to the seaport town. It was the same town +through whose streets the Water-Nix followed +the pedlar when she left dry land for the last +time to swim out and join the water-kelpies. +It looked like a blue shadow-town now, cut +sharp against sky and sea, with its tall steeple +reflected in the wet sand.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I have often had it in my mind to tell you +a strange story my grandmother heard about a +man who lived in that place,” said the miller, +pointing across the salt marsh.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Is it true?” asked Peter.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That’s more than I know,” replied his +friend, “for I never asked my granny, and +maybe if I had, she couldn’t have told me. +If you like the story you can think it true, +and if you don’t we’ll say it isn’t.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Have you ever been in that town?” the +miller asked Janet.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Never,” said she.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, just where you see the steeple rising +and the glint of the sun on the weathercock +is the High Street. It’s a wide road, with +windows looking down on it from either side; +and at the end, as you go to the docks, is an +old house with carved gable-ends, and in a +niche of its wall is the statue of a man.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And is that the man the story is about?” +inquired little Peter.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The same,” said the miller. “But, to tell +you about him, I must begin somewhere very +far away from the place where the old statue +stands.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“How far?” asked inquisitive Peter.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I don’t know,” answered the miller, “because +nobody I’ve ever seen has been there.</p> + +<div class='blockquote'> + +<p class='pindent'>“Once upon a time, long, long ago, there was +a Princess who had five handsome elder sisters.”</p> + +</div> + +<p class='pindent'>“But I thought you were going to tell about +the man!” cried Peter.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“If you listen hard enough, you’ll hear the +grass grow,” said the miller, “and if you listen +long enough, you’ll hear about the man.”</p> + +<p class='line'> </p> + +<p class='pindent'>Once upon a time, as I said before, there +was a Princess who had five elder sisters, the +most beautiful ladies ever seen; and their father +thought a deal of them, but not much of the +youngest, who was small and not nearly so +pretty. But she was very nice, all the same, +and the thing she loved best was to go hunting +after flowers. Nobody cared what she did or +where she went, and she spent all her days +wandering in woods and valleys looking for her +plants. There was little she did not know +about them, and if she had not been a Princess, +with no need to work, she might have made +her fortune by writing books about them and +their histories. One day as she roamed about +she came to a place she had never seen before—a +little valley full of great trees, with a winding +stream rushing through it like a silver thread. +Beside the water grew a clump of the most +lovely yellow irises.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She liked the spot so much that she returned +to it every day; and she would sit for hours at +a time beside the iris-bed, with her elbows on +her knees, dreaming about wonderful foreign +plants she had never seen and the strange +descriptions of them she had read in books.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Farther up the valley, beyond the trees, could +be seen the roofs of a castle which stood on +towering rocks. She did not know who it +belonged to, so one day, as she sat by the +water, she said aloud: “I wonder who lives +there?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The witch, the witch!” sang the iris-flowers +behind her. The sound went through them +like a sigh.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She started and turned round, but there was +no one to be seen; and again as she looked +the flowers repeated: “The witch, the witch!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then she asked them many more questions, +but nothing would they say. Perhaps it was +all they knew, or perhaps what she took for +words was only the rustling of the long stiff +leaves one against the other. But that’s as +may be. In any case, it roused her curiosity +so much that she rose and went off towards the +castle. She had no sooner got among the +trees than by came the witch herself.</p> + +<div class='figcenter' style='width:80%'> +<img src='images/ill006.jpg' alt='Old woman talks to young woman.' id='img06' style='width:99%;height:auto;'/> +<p class='caption'>“ ‘WHO ARE YOU?’ INQUIRED THE OLD WOMAN.”</p> +</div> + +<p class='pindent'>“Who are you?” inquired the old woman.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Princess explained, and politely asked +to be forgiven for trespassing.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Pray don’t apologize,” said the witch, “and +do me the favour to give me your arm as far +as my castle. I have, as you see, no staff, and +I am not so young as I was.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Princess agreed willingly, and they +walked on together. The old woman was +wrapped in a trailing black cloak, and her +hair hung over her eyes, like the hair of all +other witches. She seemed rather a pleasant +body, though her nose and chin were certainly +a little too near together. When they had +climbed as far as the castle gate, she invited +her companion to come in and rest, and the +Princess, who feared nobody, followed her. +They sat down together at a window overlooking +the valley; from it she could see the +winding water and the clump of irises.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It is the most fortunate thing in the world +that I met you,” began the old woman, “for I +am much in need of advice from somebody. +My difficulty is this: I have grown very tired +of being a witch, and I wish to leave my +profession and become like other people. I am +learning, as you have noticed, to do without +my crooked staff. Last week I sold my broomstick +and bought a very pretty little brown +horse instead, and I have given my black cat to +a friend. My appearance is still not quite what +I could wish, and I really do not know what +kind of clothes to get, nor how to arrange my +hair. Other witches can tell me nothing, for +they know as little as I do, but your advice +would be the greatest help to me.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I shall be very pleased to do anything I +can,” said the Princess.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“If you will consent to stay with me for a +few days till my wardrobe is complete, I shall +be more obliged than I can say,” continued the +old woman. “Use my house as your own, and +everything in it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And so it was all arranged in five minutes.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Princess was uncommonly useful. She +brushed the witch’s hair and pinned it up +tidily, and made her a fine lace head-dress, which +gave her a dignified air. She sent to the +nearest town for silks and brocades and buckled +shoes, and, instead of the crooked staff that +her friend missed so much, she bought her +a handsome stick with an amber head.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The witch was delighted, for she looked +both refined and venerable as she stood before +her glass.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Here!” she exclaimed, taking up her old +black cloak, which lay on the floor, “this must +be thrown away.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She was just going to cast it upon the fire +when the Princess stopped her.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh no, no!” she cried, snatching it from +her, “don’t destroy it. Pray, pray give it to +me!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What for?” exclaimed the witch. “A +Princess in a witch’s cloak? A pretty idea, +indeed!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But the Princess clung to it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Surely you will not refuse me,” she said, +“since you do not want it any more! How +often have I heard you say that you could fly +wherever you liked in it? Think what it would +be for me if I were able to go off in it to foreign +countries, and see all the wonderful plants I +have heard so much about! Only give it to me +and I will be your debtor for life.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, after all, why not?” said the witch. +“One good turn certainly deserves another. +Keep it, my dear. If you put it on, and hold out +your arms like wings on either side, it will take you +up into the sky, and you can sail along like a +ship. When you wish to descend, just fold +your arms and you will come down to earth +quite gently.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Princess took her treasure and locked it +up in her own chamber, for fear the witch should +change her mind. The next day she bade her +farewell, and, throwing on the cloak, spread out +her arms. Up she went, easily and gently, and +when she had decided where she should go, she +turned her face southwards and was soon far, +far away, a little speck among the clouds. The +witch looked after her till she could see her no +more.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>She was now in the seventh heaven of joy. +She went to every country she had ever heard +about. She saw the sea-pinks and water-asters +of lonely islands known only to screaming gulls; +she stood in forests where creepers were thrown +like veils over the branches and the air was +heavy with the scent of fringed and spotted +orchids, purple and mauve and cream-yellow. +She wandered beside lakes, walled in by solemn +trees that hid the sun and strewn with red and +white lilies; she saw the groves of cherry-blossom +that hang on the steep gorges of blue +hills far away, and the giant palms and scarlet +flowers of the South. At last, after many +months of wandering, she flew northward and +up the coast of the North Sea till she was +right over the town before us.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was midnight as she stood, wrapped in her +black cloak, on the topmost point of the steeple. +The folds fluttered and crackled, as you may +hear a flag flutter and crackle if you stand by +a flagstaff on a tower; but no one noticed it or +saw her, for everyone but the watchman was in +bed, and <span class='it'>he</span> was asleep too, though he was paid +to be awake. In the bright moonlight she +sailed down to the empty pavement of the High +Street, among the dark shadows of the gable-ends. +It was winter now and the frost was +iron-hard over the whole country. She went +quickly through the streets, for she did not +care for towns, determining that when the sun +rose next day she would be well on her way +back to the witch’s castle in the valley. But +she was rather tired and wanted a few hours +of sleep first. She left the town and flew up +this very road and past the mill—so I have +heard—till she came to an old deserted cottage +that once stood not far from here by the wayside. +(There were still a few stones of it left +when I was a child, and I used to pass it on my +way to school.) The nettle-stalks were all frozen +round it as she pushed through the broken door, +meaning to lie down and sleep in shelter till +morning. She had nothing to fear from the +cold, for among the cloak’s other useful qualities +was the power of keeping the person inside it +perfectly warm. She was exceedingly surprised +to see by the moonlight that someone else was +in the miserable hovel.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A little starving boy was lying on a pile of +straw in the corner. His poor face was thin +and blue with cold, and he had crept into the +hut because it was the only refuge he could +find. He had walked all day, begging from +door to door, for he had neither home nor +friends nor food, and was worn out with fatigue +and hunger. He lay, scarcely knowing where +he was, for his wits were beginning to go, and +when the Princess came in he was very near +death. Strange dreams were in his brain. The +moon struck brilliantly on a little window in the +wall and the bitter cold had covered it with +wonderful frost-flowers. It was the last thing +he had seen before he closed his eyes, and +he seemed to himself to be looking deep into a +white forest that had grown up from the panes. +Oh, how freezing it was! The forest was all +made of frozen ferns and seaweed and feathers, +like the white images on the glass. It stretched +far, far away in alleys of fantastic sparkling +fronds and glittering branches. How thick the +strange, beautiful things grew! He had been +once told that, if he was a good boy, when he +died a white angel would come and take him +to a place where he would never be sad or +hungry any more. He was not sure that he +did not see someone coming to him between +the stems of the frozen forest. Perhaps it was +the white angel.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He tried to sit up, but he was too weak. +Poor little man, he had just enough life left in +him to see that what he had taken for an angel +was a woman in a black cloak.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Princess went to him and bent over him. +Then she took him up under the warm folds, +bound him to her breast with her girdle, and +hurried out of the hut. She spread out her +arms, and, sailing with him into the wintry sky, +flew over land and sea till she arrived at the +witch’s castle.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The witch was overjoyed to see her come +back, for she had been away half a year. They +took the little boy and put him in a warm bed, +in which he lay for many long days. But he +was fed with the best of food, and such care was +taken of him that when he got well he was +able to run about and play in the valley and be +happy from morning till night. They were so +good to him that he soon forgot he had ever +had any troubles at all.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The witch and the Princess got on so well +together that they determined not to part, and +they had plenty to do, looking after their charge +and teaching him all the things he should know—how +to read and write and say his prayers, and +how to answer nicely when he was spoken to. +When the Princess went, as she did every year, +to find new flowers in foreign lands, he went +with her, and helped her to carry back roots and +seeds, which they planted in the valley; for the +cloak was so large that, even when he grew +bigger, there was room in it for them both. +She taught him all her own knowledge, and as +time went by and he grew up to be a man, he +became even more learned than herself. He was +very clever and so hardy and strong that nobody +would have believed him to be the little wretched +child who had lain starving in the hovel.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At last the time came when he was ready to +go out into the world to seek his fortune. The +parting gift that the Princess gave him was the +black cloak. He was to have it on condition +that he would come back once every year to go +to some foreign land with her, and to visit the +witch. He was given a small sum of money +to start life with; and, as he was anxious to see +the country of his birth and the hut in which he +had been found, he wrapped himself in the +cloak and came down, as the Princess had +done, at midnight into the town across the +marsh.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He was a fine, sensible fellow. Though he +had lived in a castle, and perhaps because he +had been brought up by a real Princess, he +had no silly notions and was ready for any +work he could find. He hired a modest lodging, +and, going to the director of a large public +garden that had been made in the town, he +asked to be employed as a gardener. There +was only one place vacant, and that was the +very lowest, but he took it eagerly. His +work was to wheel barrows, and sweep leaves, +and cut grass, but he did it as carefully and put +as much heart into it as if he was raising +priceless flowers; for the Princess had brought +him up strictly, and made him understand that +honest work can only be made mean by the +meanness of the person who does it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Every year, when he had a few weeks’ holiday, +he returned to the witch’s castle. No one saw +him go, and no one saw him come back, and +nobody knew how he managed to get the +marvellous plants that he brought back with +him. Very soon he was no longer an under-gardener, +but the head of all, and by the time +he was turning grey he had become the +greatest botanist and teacher in the country. +Learned men came from all parts of the +kingdom to talk with him in his house with the +carved gable-ends in the High Street of yonder +town.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Time went by, and his fame spread all +over the world. He grew old and his hair +turned white, but still he went about wrapped +in the black cloak, from which he never parted. +His white beard flowed over his breast as he +sat and wrote the books which helped to make +him famous, or walked over the country, comparing +plants and teaching his pupils out of his +stores of wisdom. But at last he grew too +infirm to walk long distances, and strangers +coming to the town would look with awe upon +his venerable figure as he passed through the +streets. Everyone loved him, rich and poor +alike.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And so it came to be that a great banquet +was given in his honour, and the learned from +all countries met together.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was the middle of summer, and the hall in +which it took place was decorated with flowers. +A laurel-wreath hung over the chair in which +he was to sit, costly fruits were brought from +far-away lands, and the hall was filled with the +glory of blossoming plants, many of which he +had carried home with him as tiny seeds from +his journeys. Wise men were there and +beautiful ladies, students and great personages. +All had come to see him and to hear him speak. +The town was thronged—you would think there +was no room in it for so much as one additional +person.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the feast was over he rose and began +his speech, and silence fell upon everyone. +Though he was frail and old, his voice was +clear as he told them of the countries he had +wandered in—the distant islands, the tropics, +the golden East. No one imagined he had +been so far afield, and his listeners wondered +how he had contrived to make such voyages, +for they knew that he was not rich and lived +very simply in the old house at the end of the +street. But everybody was enthralled; his life of +work, his modesty, his great age and wisdom +adorned him, in the eyes of his pupils and +the assembled guests, like the jewels of a +crown.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When the long speech was over he sat +down, leaning back in his chair under the laurel-wreath, +for the effort he had made was great. +The guests remained respectfully in their places; +they saw that he was weary and would need +rest before he could listen to their congratulations. +For a moment he closed his eyes, and +when he opened them, a wonderful change +seemed to have come over the scene before +him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The green boughs that filled the hall and +the vases of flowers on the long tables were +changing before his failing sight. Instead of +the tall sheaves of roses a white forest was +rising up, deep and pure, a forest that he had +seen before. On either side the frost-flowers +hung sparkling, their snow-crystals thick in the +maze of white feathers and seaweed and ferns. +The sprays and branches crowded on him in +their dazzling myriads, dense and high, and far +down the white vista into which he looked a +figure was coming—a white figure. It was the +angel.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He rose and grasped an outstretched hand.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“He is gone,” said the guests. “The exertion +has been too much for him.” And his +pupils and friends came round him, the tears +standing in their eyes.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At that moment a gust of wind ran through +the open doors of the hall, and the black cloak, +which its owner had laid on a window-sill before +he sat down at the table, was blown from it and +flew out into the air. No one saw it go, but +it rose on the sudden wind and sailed upwards, +above the town, above the steeple, and disappeared +like a dark cloud into the distant spaces +of sky.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>“Some day,” said the miller to little Peter, +“I’ll take you to the town in my cart and show +you the statue of that man in the wall of the old +house.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And you’ll let me hold the end of the reins +and the whip, and drive too, won’t you?” shouted +the little boy.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, perhaps I will,” laughed the miller, +“only Janet must come too, to keep you in +order.”</p> + +<div><h1 id='chap08'>CONCLUSION</h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>It was not long after this that the miller kept +his promise. The horse was harnessed and +away they drove to the town. He and Janet +sat together, with Peter between them; the +little boy held the end of the reins in one hand +and the whip in the other, shouting and +flourishing the lash about and thinking that +coachmen were even better people than millers. +Janet was happy too. She sat smiling and +holding the tail of his coat, for fear he should +overbalance himself and fall out into the road.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They left the cart at an inn, and went to see +the house with its statue in the niche of the +wall and carved gable-ends turned towards the +street. It was now inhabited by poor families, +whose washing flapped from the upper story +like a row of banners over the head of the stone +image. They stood on the pavement of the High +Street and looked up to the giddy point of the +steeple, where the weathercock twirled, more +than a hundred feet in the air; they wondered +at the quaint houses, with their outside staircases +and their little wooden triangles of drying +haddocks nailed against the wall. Then they +strolled to the docks and stood at the place +from which the lovely Nix had dived into the +salt water. The tide lapped and gurgled +against the quays, and the wind sang in the +rigging of the ships alongside, and the fair-haired +sailors talked in a foreign tongue, +shouting to the fishwives who passed in their +blue petticoats and amber necklaces along the +cobbled roadway. The lighthouse stood on the +promontory and the North Sea rolled and +heaved outside the bar. It was a delightful +holiday.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>When they were tired of that they went +out towards the seashore. The gulls were +wheeling over the bents and sea-grass, and the +sands lay smooth and fine to the edge of the +waves. Little Peter rushed off to play, leaping +about and throwing stones and gathering shells, +while his companions sat upon the sand-dunes +watching him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Janet,” said the miller, “I hear that your +grandmother is going to leave the cottage by +the pond and go away to some other place. Is +that true, do you think?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’m afraid so,” replied she.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And you will go too?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh yes,” said Janet; “we have no other +home.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But little Peter will miss his stories.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Janet sighed. “Indeed he will,” she answered, +sadly. “There is not much else we have in +the way of pleasure.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But I can’t let you go,” the miller went on, +“and what’s more, I won’t. Janet, if you’ll marry +me and come and live with me at the mill-house, +I’ll see that you are happy for the rest of your +life. Do you think you could like me enough +for that?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But I can’t leave Peter,” she exclaimed; +“I could never be happy to think of him all +alone, and perhaps being cruelly used.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But suppose he came too?—there’s plenty +of room for him. Will you say yes, Janet, +or shall we ask him to settle it for us?” said +the miller. “Will you promise to marry me +if he says yes?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I will,” said she.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And so they drove home together when the +sun was getting low.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Peter,” said the miller, “don’t you think it +would be a good plan if I married Janet, and +you were to come and live with me and learn +to be a miller too? You should have cake +for tea every other day, and a pair of fine +blue trousers, and a whipping-top of your own, +and a kite, and I’d tell you a new story every +Sunday afternoon.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Peter’s eyes grew round.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And should I be all white with flour like +your man?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“From head to foot,” said the miller.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Hooray! hooray! hooray!” shrieked little +Peter, jumping about in the cart.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Take care, take care,” cried Janet, “or you +will make the horse run away.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That settles it,” observed the miller. +“We’ll be married next week.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And so they were.</p> + +<p class='line' style='text-align:center;margin-top:3em;'><span style='font-size:smaller'>BILLING AND SONS, LIMITED, PRINTERS, GUILDFORD</span></p> + +<hr class='pbk'/> + +<h3>TRANSCRIBER NOTES</h3> + +<p class='pindent'>Misspelled words and printer errors have been corrected. Where multiple spellings occur, majority use has been employed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Punctuation has been maintained except where obvious printer errors occur.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Illustrations have been relocated due to using a non-page layout.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>[The end of <span class='it'>Stories Told by the Miller</span> by Violet Jacob]</p> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75166 ***</div> + </body> + <!-- created with fpgen.py 4.67 on 2025-01-21 16:28:32 GMT --> +</html> + diff --git a/75166-h/images/cover.jpg b/75166-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..35ae75b --- /dev/null +++ b/75166-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/75166-h/images/ill000.jpg b/75166-h/images/ill000.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0c838f7 --- /dev/null +++ b/75166-h/images/ill000.jpg diff --git a/75166-h/images/ill001.jpg b/75166-h/images/ill001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c94d117 --- /dev/null +++ b/75166-h/images/ill001.jpg diff --git a/75166-h/images/ill002.jpg b/75166-h/images/ill002.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..234ec00 --- /dev/null +++ b/75166-h/images/ill002.jpg diff --git a/75166-h/images/ill003.jpg b/75166-h/images/ill003.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d0f59f3 --- /dev/null +++ b/75166-h/images/ill003.jpg diff --git a/75166-h/images/ill004.jpg b/75166-h/images/ill004.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..58474e5 --- /dev/null +++ b/75166-h/images/ill004.jpg diff --git a/75166-h/images/ill005.jpg b/75166-h/images/ill005.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fe3bbfd --- /dev/null +++ b/75166-h/images/ill005.jpg diff --git a/75166-h/images/ill006.jpg b/75166-h/images/ill006.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7353b1f --- /dev/null +++ b/75166-h/images/ill006.jpg |
